Alexander McQueen's Fall 2010 Shoes

X0X0 Ashley

Rihanna in Interview Magazine

Just recently came across this. Rihanna in Interview Magazine being interviewed by Mr. West (Kanye) himself. Of course the only part that got my attention were the beautiful pictures. Check them out!

PHOTOS VIA INTERVIEW MAGAZINE

X0X0 Ashley

Vogue Italy with Alicia Keys

photos via Vogue Italy

Alicia Keys totally rocked the November 2010 issue of Vogue Italy, didn't she? And I must add, for just having a baby her bod looks pretty good, huh :)

X0X0 Ashley

Elle Korea

This isn't a recent video of a shoot with Jessica Alba. Actually this was from back in June. I decided to post this becasue this is one of my favorites. I love seeing creativity and this completely nails it. The clothes are incredible and it's safe to add that Jessica was also on a list of top 100 beautiful women. If that doesn't say anything about her, then I don't know what else to say. Elle Korea definitely knows how to bring it!



Credits:
Web Editor: Choi In Shil
Fashion Editor: Choi Soon Young
Photographer: Lee Do Kyu
Hair Stylist: Robert Lamos


X0X0 Ashley

Let Fashion Inspire You

                                                                    photos via Fashion Indie


As ridiculous as this may sound, the number one that reason that I pick up a fashion magazine is not because of the articles. Actually, for me it is because of the images. Out of every magazine I browse, I am just looking at all of the great images. I love to see how outfits are put together. It is the creativity that pulls me into opening a magazine. I'll put it this way, if the person on the cover of the magazine looks horrible are you going to pick it up? Most likely...no. It is all about image. If the cover is horrible, you won't care about what articles are on the inside. But that is how I feel. You may not agree with me but if the image isn't right, then I could care less about the rest.

Just like in magazine that give you tips and advice about makeup, hair and fashion do's and dont's. Again, if the images are not right you won't believe in what they are telling you because you cannot see. "Seeing is believing." I know that may sound a bit corny, but in this case it makes perfect sense. Some of the images above are what catch my attention and is an image that inspires me in some kind of way.

Image #1, I love the matching pattern of the jacket to the shoes. Image #2, of love the simplicity of it. Everyone has to love denim. It's a cute simple outfit. Image #3, I love the sexy and edgy look of it. I'd kill for the jacket and the jeans! Do you believe that image is one of the most important things in fashion magazines and why?

X0X0 Ashley

Photo-shoot Part 2

Finally recieved the final photos from the shoot today and I must say they turned out even better than I thought they would. Here are just a few..

X0X0 Ashley

National Harbor Photoshoot

So today was the day of the National Harbor photo shoot . I got the opportunity to shoot with two great models (Chase & Jane), photographer Jake and makeup artist Monica.

I enjoyed this shoot. Especially laughing at spectators just stopping and watching. Also can't forget about Jane accidentally hitting Chase in the face a few times, lol. Definitely had a few laughs today. Every one was really great and easy to work with.

Can't forget about the lovely makeup artist Monica! She's super cool! I was great to have someone along side me to help pitch in some good ideas. In the end, through all the sniffling, shaking and teeth chattering, today was a great shoot. I will definitely post the final pictures soon!

X0X0 Ashley

Nylon Magazine Cover: Evan Rachel Wood

Evan Rachel Wood appears on the cover of this months issue of Nylon Magazine. Grab one!
X0X0 Ashley

Lanvin for H&M

Love the collection! Check it out!
X0X0 Ashley

Fashionista of the Month!

1. What is your name and where are you from?

Alina, 19, actually from Germany, but spending a year in Sweden now

2. How would you describe your blog and what kind of things does it consist of?

Up till now it has been mostly just pictures of my daily outfits, but I want to blog about make up and other stuff soon, too :)

3. How would you describe your personal style?
Lots of black, elegant with an edge. It actually varies much, there are days where I just feel like letting out my inner rock star, haha!

4. What made you name your blog: "A Kingdom for a Dress?" Any specific reason?
I always had a thing for dresses and sort of started collecting them, so I figured this describes my attitude towards them quite well

5. When did you start your blog and why?
April 2010. I was almost done with school and quite bored, so at first it was just something to kill time with, ha!

6. When did you find out that you had a passion for fashion?
I guess I always had. I began choosing what I wear myself when I was 7. The outcome was probably not that fashionable, but I always knew what I wanted it to look like, even back then.

7. Do you have any goals fashion-wise?
Hm, let's see. I think it would be nice to have more readers on my blog and be sort of appreciated there. And I would love to work for a fashion magazine one day!

8. Who's style do you admire and why?
I really like how Olivia Palermo dresses- edgy, feminine and it always looks so effortless!

9. Where can people contact you?
My Twitter account (twitter.com/thathipchick), I'm also on Bloglovin, IFB (heartifb.com) and of course my regular blog my-kingdom-for-a-dress.blogspot.com

9. Is there anything else you would like to say to readers?
If you have 5 minutes left, please check out my blog, give me some feedback and I'll do the same you, if you have a blog as well! You can also follow me on Twitter if you like random tweets mixed with fashion! :D xoxo!

10 Things You Need In Your Wardrobe

1. Basic Black Dress
2. Trench Coat
3. Dress Pants
4. Classic Skirt
5. Jeans
6. Any Occasion Top
7. Skirt
8. Day Dress
9. Jacket
10. Sweatsuit Alternative

Before you go shopping again, go through your closte and make sure that you have the basic pieces that you need before you go out and get the pieces that you want.

X0X0 Ashley

Embellished

Forever 21 Embellished Shoulder Top

This happens to be one of the new tops that I purchased to add to my work wardrobe. Since the dress code at my job has changed yet again, had to do a shopping trip to pick up some new pieces; tops mostly. I wore a black embellished shoulder top which drapes down a little in the front. Super cute! Also got a lot of compliments on it today =) Secret from a fashionista: if someone loves what you're wearing and asks where you got it from, never tell them exactly where you got it from. Give them hints because what will happen is you will see people walking around wearing the same exact thing that you were wearing. So for example, I bought my top from forever 21. I would tell people you can buy it from stores such as Target (i've seen it there), Forever 21, LVLX, Papaya...pretty much stores that are likely to carry the same kind of clothing. Let people compliment your style but don't let them steal it! Do you tell people where you get your clothes from?

X0X0 Ashley

Katy Perry OPI Collection

Katy Perry's New OPI Collection

• Teenage Dream (sparkly pink shade)
• Not Like the Movies (silver metallic shade)
• Last Friday Night (bold metallic blue shade)
• The One That Got Away (dark berry shade)
• Black Shatter (beautiful black top coat that creates texture with the help of a cracked/leopard pattern when applied over another nail polish)

OPI and Katy Perry teamed up to create some fab shades inspired by her innovative style. Just what I need! Yet, more nail polish for my collection, lol. I can't wait to try "The One That Got Away" and "Black Shatter." The Katy Perry Collection will be available starting January 2011 and will be at ULTA stores for $9.00!

X0X0 Ashley

Magazine Mojo

Teen Vogue November 2010 Issue

I was so happy to finally get the new November 2010 issue of Teen Vogue today. Not surprised, Lauren Conrad was on the cover. Even though there was 126 pages in the magazine, I didn't read every single one. To me (some) fashion magazines are starting to get boring. Most aren't even about fashion anymore. At times it seems as though they have ran out of things to talk about and just place some random articles inside. I think some magazines are starting to lose their mojo. At times I used to love looking at the magazines and articles online just because you can zoom in and really get a good look at the pictures and articles. Now, I don't even really care. Starting to feel like I'm wasting my money on subscriptions. I no longer get the feeling that I had like when I received my first Teen Vogue magazine. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to get them but when I open and start to read it's a bunch of crap. Out of this issue I think there was only maybe two or three parts that were okay to me.


When people subscribe to fashion magazines, we all have our own reasons for doing so. Some just like to see the celebrity best dressed, some just like to read more about the cover stories and some like to read the makeup section. For myself, I subscribe to read the really good fashion articles and I love to see the fashion spreads. I love to see how every model in the magazine is styled and what they are wearing. All depending on what you like, we all open a magazine looking for something different. If you're a makeup artist, most likely you would pay more attention to every ones makeup in the magazine. I feel that they need to write more about things that readers can connect to. Write about things we want to hear about. What are some of the things you look for when you open a magazine?

X0X0 Ashley

Quotes For the Fashionable

Some of these quotes you may or may not of heard of before but these are some of my favorite fashion quotes.

"Only great minds can afford simple style." -Stendhal quotes

"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months." -Oscar Wilde

"Fashions fade, style is eternal." Yves Saint Laurent

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." -Coco Chanel

"Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are." -Quentin Crisp

"Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follow religiously the new." -Henry David Thoreau

"I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men." -Marlene Dietrich

"Above all, remember that the most important thing you can take anywhere is not a Gucci bag or French-cut jeans; its' an open mind." -Gail Rubin Bereny


For more fun fashion quotes, click here!

It's Never To Late

My apologies for the lack of updating and posting. I have not had much free time lately and I miss posting on a regular basis as I used to. I have been working like a mad woman lately. My days have been consisting of work, sleep and reading. I'm currently reading "The Shopping Diet" by Phillip Bloch. I must say I'm enjoying it and going through it rather fast. The last part I read was "Step 7: Reorganizing Your Space." Definitely so far I've learned a few tips and tricks. It was especially helpful because I'm an aspiring fashion/wardrobe stylist (and if you didn't know..Phillip Bloch is a celebrity stylist but you probably already knew that, lol)

Particularly these past few weeks I have been working some of my networking magic but just a little more than usual. I'm proud to say that it paid off! Saturday is my first major photo-shoot that I will be styling and I couldn't be more elated. Can't give out too much more info but I will definitely keep you readers posted! Also make sure you add me and check out all of my links below =)

LINKS:
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
LinkedIn
FB-Fan Page
Myspace

On A Shopping Diet..

Have you ever been on a shopping diet before? Yeah, me neither but it sounds like somethings that I may need to try. As much as I love and miss shopping as much as I used to, I just need to control myself (and my money as well, lol)

So I heard about "The Shopping Diet" book by Phillip Bloch and I thought to myself, "hey I don't have anything to lose but more money so why not get it and read it. Who knows, I might learn something valuable! =)

Next time I go shopping (whenever that could be) I will be sure to force myself to pick up key pieces only! We all should know what "key pieces" are! *(clears throat)*

However, I will add that I seem to get a little sidetracked sometimes..but it is time for a change! It's time for me to shop smart and save some $$!

Are you a smart shopper?

xoxo

How To Spot A Fake Designer Item

If you are going to spend your money on a designer item such as handbags, wallets, any accessories or etc, be sure that you are spending your money on the real thing and not a fake. Most times what sellers seem to do is sell the fake for the same price as the real hoping that because of the price, (you) the customer will think that it is real.



Things to look for:

1) Compare the real with what you consider purchasing

2) Price Difference

3) Do your research on the seller
(name? email? phone #? or address?)

4) Look for placement of logos and compare to the real. They should match EXACTLY! If not, talk to the seller!

5) Look for discoloration, strings, crooked zippers, bad stitching, missing buttons, etc..

*Example: if the straps on the Luis Vuitton purse you wanted to order are dark brown and the one you want to order is light brown, PAY ATTENTION to things like that. Do your reasearch to see if it comes in a variety of colors or not. If it doesn't.... BIG RED FLAG!

It is okay to be an online designer item shopper but just be a safe one!!

Watch this short video on signs of a fake designer item..

Click here to watch a short video on signs of a fake designer item!

Enjoy :)

Product Review: Comparing Sephora & M.A.C.'s Foundations

When I started wearing makeup and getting really into it a few years ago, that is when I was introduced to M.A.C.'s fabulous foundation. I love it! But the problem is, when times are rough and you need something affordable that still works good, what will do the trick?

So I went on the hunt and came across Sephora's Mattifying Foundation (which is oil free) may I add. One of the most important things I must consider when looking for a new foundation is making sure that I get something that won't make my oily skin worse. (I have very very oily skin). I was ecstatic to find out that there foundation was oil free. Which for me meant no more blotting powder, no more using tissues to take the shine away from my face and no more being embarrassed about how shiny my face was.

So I started using the Sephora foundation and is has been a little over a month and I can honestly say that it works well. My oily skin is much more controlled and my makeup lasts longer. Before I usually put my foundation on I put on Smashbox Photo Finish Light oil free foundation primer and that helps to take away the shine even more. This is what I have been sticking to the past few weeks and it works great for me!

When I was using M.A.C.'s Studio Fix Foundation my color was NW45. And just to share with you, if you are also an NW45 for M.A.C., that is the equivalent to Sephora's Compact Powder Foundation in R55. But to just be sure before purchasing, go to a Sephora counter near you and have them test it out on your face to make sure you have the perfect color.

If you have oily skin, what products work well for you?

xoxo

Macy's Fashion Director Challege

Where: Macy's Downtown- Metro Center

1201 G Street NW

Washington, DC 20005

When: Saturday, September 25, 2010 @ 2:00PM

Join Paul Wharton from Real Housewives of DC! Share your creativity and take the Fashion Challege and win a $100 Macy's Gift card to spend on your own fall ensemble.

Contestants are going to be paired with models and directed to create a complete outfit for a special occasion such as a job or reality show audition.

No tickets! Just show up, bring a friend and have a great time!

Fall Into It..

(wearing a ruffle dress by New York & Company)

I'm super excited because fall is here! I have seen so many cute clothes it is ridiculous! I have a pretty strong feeling that this will be the season were my shopping addiction will return. (most likely being worst than before) I'm seeing chunky sweaters, velour suits and cardigans (which I love) everywhere! Can't wait to do my first big shopping trip for the fall. I will definitely make sure I do a haul video and post it up on my YouTube channel! =)

Are you ready for fall shopping?

xoxo,

Ashley

Back to the Basics..

(TOP BY CHARLOTTE RUSSE, JEANS BY PACSUN, ACCESSORIES BY CLAIRE'S AND NEW YORK & COMPANY)



I love doing outfits that are simple but yet cute. Sometimes you just need a break from being so dressy-dressy and just go plain-jane sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I still love to get creative and dress up but for those simple days I love to go overboard with my accessories! Yes, I said it! Go overboard! I like to wear multiple chains/necklaces together and mix gold and silver jewelry together..(whoever came up with that rule that you can't mix them together anyway??) Any who, I'm proud to say that I'm a rule breaker and I happily enjoy it.



Although, I can say to an extent I enjoy seeing my mother get a kick out of some of the crazy combinations I do sometimes..but it makes me laugh. Everyone has their OWN personal style and everyone may not understand why you do or wear the things you wear but it is about what makes your heart flutter and what makes you happy. Hey, just like my blog header quote says, "Don't worry about being like the rest. Just be you. Be original. At the end of the day people are going to love you for being you and not trying to be like someone else." That has to one of the best quotes I've came up with, lol.

What does your style say about you?

xoxo,
Ashley

"Fashionista of the Month!"

Congratulations to Stacey Grant for being our September Fashionista of the Month!

About:

Stacey is a 24 year old english major at USC in South Carolina. She loves absolutely everything about fashion and studies all the latest and old styles. Stacey is always expressing herself through her clothing. Her favorite designers are Marc Jacobs, Christian Siriano, Alexandrer McQueen, Derek Lam and so on. Her hobbies are styling, personal shopping, cooking, swimming and makeup. She enjoys reading all types of literature but her favorite is urban fiction.

What she is known for:

She's known for her style of dressing because people are always complimenting her on her personal style as well as her sense of humor. She is known to make everyone laugh.

What she loves:

She loves shopping, traveling and spending time with her friends and listening to music. She is a huge movie buff but mainly loves romance and comedy.

Fashion Inspiration:

Rachel Zoe, Rihanna, Victoria Beckham, Kimora Lee, Mariel Haenn and Amber Rose.

**She is an all around fashionista! She is fun and has a glamorous chic style.**

Her Dream:

She has a dreams of opening her own boutique and styling in the entertainment industry.

Wanna follow Stacey on Twitter? Click here!

Denim and Distressed...

(wearing hair flower by Claire's, white printed racer back tee by Forever 21, light blue denim button up shirt by Macy's, jeans by WAX, wedges by Charlotte Russe, accessories by Charlotte Russe and Forever 21, watch and sunglasses by New York & Company)

I happened to have yesterday afternoon as free time and decided to get a bit creative. I love love denim so I decided to mix up some colors of denim to see how it comes out..and I must say that I like! I loved doing the two shades of denim, it looks really good together. It's such a fun outfit! It definitely shows the type of person that I am. Hope y'all like! =)

xoxo,

Ashley

Facebook/Twitter/Bloglovin/Chictopia

Floral Skirts & Sunny Days...

Okay, so I know it has been a while since I did an outfit post and I totally owe it to y'all :) So here goes..

(wearing a hat by Forever 21, skirt by Charlotte Russe, shirt by The Limited, watch by New York & Company, and accessories from a bunch of different places I don't even remember, lol)

This has to be one of my favorite outfits yet..I love the hat (and I'm not even a hat person!), love the skirt and the shirt! To me it was simple and cute with the right amount of color.

Facebook/Twitter/Bloglovin/Chictopia

Well, hope ya'll like and I'll have another one for you soon! ;0)

xoxo,

Ashley

First off, I love the skirt because it looks like it has two layers. If you look closely around the bottom, you'll see a different floral pattern. I thought it was super cute and had to get it!

Does the Fashion Industry Treat Us Equal?

All I can say is that this collection is very interesting. From the choice in prints, fabric and makeup (which really caught my attention). I noticed that some of the models had a mustache which threw me off. I'll put it this way, it was a different kind of combination that you rarely see. I mean, if I were to wear any of these outfits out in public ( before it being on the runway and people knowing that it was created by Vivienne Westwood.) I would have been blasted and attacked by the fashion police. However, if a well know fashion designer comes up with crap like that people just bow to them like a god or goddess as if they have created the impossible. I understand that it is all about creativity and I am all for it.
***
For example, if Alexander Wang and I create the same exact tank top, who do you think would get more credit for it? (You should already know the answer). If I were create the ugliest piece of clothing you have ever seen in your life and a designer was to do the same thing, people would look at what I have created as trash and what the designer has made as a masterpiece. I don't quite undertand how that works but I seriously need and would love to have a talk with whatever brainless creature that decided to set that standard.
***
Anyways, just thought I would share my thoughts. Check out the vid for yourself.

A Fashionistas Getaway Pt. 2

Today was the day that I finally had to say goodbye to the beach and my family and head back home. I was soo not ready, I needed another week before coming home from vacation. I must say though, I enjoyed myself. Today was the last day of the reunion and we had a family cookout where we got to mingle for the last time before we all went our separate ways.

(wearing a grey tee from Wet Seal, denim vest, necklace and shorts from Forever 21, watch and sandals from New York & Company)

We had our cookout at a really nice park called Mt. Trashmore (which has a pretty cool history behind it, look it up!) It was beautiful! There was a path that went around the entire hill that people could walk or run on. There were so many people out exercising. Plus they have a huge playground for all the kids to play on. On the top of the hill was a bunch of kids flying kites, it was so cute. But anyways it was a lot of fun. The only thing was that I didn't get to take as many pictures as I wanted to, but that's okay. =)

Now let me just add on, that I am not much of a nature girl, lol. We were outside at this park for about six hours which happened to be a little too much for me. I spent my six hours, screaming, running from giant wasps and dragon flies and swatting at flies. I swear it was enough to make me go crazy. I hate bugs, lol! However, it was really nice to be outdoors and just enjoy the fresh air. I can't wait to go back!


Xoxo,

Ashley

A Fashionista's Getaway

Hello, Hello! I am yet again on another vacation. I'm here in Virginia Beach, Virginia for a second family reunion which I must say that I am enjoying. We arrived at our hotel room at about 12 noon, unpacked, relaxed and got ready for our first family dinner together.

(wearing a black & white striped crop tee from Forever 21)

I sat outside on the balcony, pulled out my laptop and ofcourse had to update my facebook and twitter. I also had to upload a few pics that I took on the way here. (Even though I've been here before, I just love taking pictures!)

Day #2: I hit the beach for a while just to get my feet wet and soak up a little bit of sun (which i don't need, lol) Even though when I left the beach I discovered that I had a slight tan :(

(wearing a white 3/4 inch sleeve tunic, watch, sunglasses and sandals from New York & Company, flower in my hair from Claires)

(Above) Me sitting in the lounge after having a good time down at the beach. Had to head inside early because it was just a tad-bit too hot outside for me so I just waited until later when the sun went down a little.

I was going to try and do a video but I didn't have much time. So I will try and take more pics later today when we head to the cookout :0)

Xoxo,

Ashley

O.O.T.D. 8/12/10 & Accessories

Yet again, another outfit of the day video from yours truly. Hope you enjoy! Also make sure you check out my fabulous youtube page and subscribe because if you love outfits, you will love my channel =)



XoXo,
Ashley

Spice Up Your Outfit/Wardrobe

It is unbelievable how many ways there are to spice up an outfit or wardrobe. The best part about what I am going to tell you is that it does not require buying new clothes. Yes! No purchasing new clothes, however, new accessories are a MUST. Save that money in you wallet and just learn to work with what you already have. You will look cute and have a few extra $$ left over!

*The big rule is to: ACCESSORIZE!*

1) change your hairstyle from what you were previously wearing with the outfit. The more details you change, the better. Also, the more you keep the same, the more others are going to recognize your complete outfit. Not Good!

2) change your makeup. Instead of wearing your favorite eyeshadow that you wear every single day, do something different.

3) accessories! Change it up! Don't wear the same accessories you wore with it last time.

*Make sure you have a variety of accessories. Plenty of rings, necklaces, etc.*

4) Hats, belts and a jacket can play a major part in changing the look of your outfit. Be Creative!

Make a list of what accessories and add-ons that you need. Gold, silver, more bangles, rings etc. Whatever you need make a list so you know exactly what you are looking for and don't end up going crazy when shopping!

Hope I was helpful!

*watch the video below that goes with the post. Enjoy!*

60 Minutes with Anna Wintour

So I was online doing my daily views of my youtube subscriptions and came across this awesome video with Anna Wintour. It is her interview with 60 minutes. I couldn't help but giggle while watching thinking about Jimmy, a good friend of mine who claims Anna Wintour is his mother and continuously strives to take her place one day.

Any who, the interview was from back in May. So if you missed it here is your chance to view it!

Check out the video clip of the interview below!

To watch the full 60 minutes interview click the link below! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CyIOWePQa8

Stay Fabulous,

Ashley

Peep My Style

(People’s Liberation dress, watch by NY&Co, flower cuff and necklace by Charlotte Russe, flower hair clip by Claire’s)

Button Me Up

(Mossimo tee, PacSun jeans, chanel bag, Loafers by Famous Footwear, belt, accessories by Charlotte Russe and F21)

Me & My Sweet Maxi

(Lace back maxi dress by Gussini)