Four Favorites: Black Out

Bag || Vest || Sweater || Flats

Ooh is it the weekend yet? I am ready for at least one relaxing day! However, Halloween is tomorrow so there is some excitement during the week. Seriously...this is like an early Christmas for me; I love Halloween! With this spooky day coming up, this week's Four Favorites link-up seems fairly appropriate: favorite black items. I really don't think there are any cuter items out there than the ones I have selected above. Like that bag? The bow is adorable, right?! And the ghost sweater--who doesn't love ghost sweaters?! Anyway, I am going to keep this one short today due to my continued excess of class readings. Enjoy your night and I hope you have a spooktacular Halloween!

<3 Ashley

What are your Halloween plans? 

Want to share your four favorites? Join the weekly linkup hosted by Let It Be Beautiful and Fancy Things. Click the button below!!

A Little Tired

I need to go back and find my motivation. I feel like I am in kind of a funk right now and procrastination is rearing its ugly head. Currently I want nothing more than to spend all day in bed reading or watching a movie. For the past three weeks I have been attending classes, meetings and appointments galore; and I'm still waiting for the weekend that I don't need to set an alarm for. Seriously...every weekend I have woken up to an alarm for a football game, some kind of community service or some other plan. This coming weekend will be no exception--I will be present at the Pittsburgh Zoo at 7AM for the Kidney Walk on Sunday. I understand that it's a good idea to be involved and put yourself out there but at what cost?! I really just want a weekend to sleep! I'm sorry that this is such a whiny post but I figure I don't do many of those.

Feel free to do your own whining in the comments below!

<3 Ashley

What's bringing you down right now?

Fashion and Fantasy

Fall is bringing some fun times to Pittsburgh as Pretty Living PR is presenting it's F/W magazine issue Fashion and Fantasy. The magazine launch party will be held November 5th at Perle in Market Square, located in downtown Pittsburgh. The evening will be filled with lots of fun, fashion and local celebrity, many of which are featured in this new issue! A portion proceeds from the party will be donated to Pittsburgh's Make A Wish foundation.

If you're in the Pittsburgh area and have an interest in attending the party, you can purchase general admission and VIP tickets here! More information can be found on the event's Facebook page and their website.

<3 Ashley

World's Best Haunted Attractions

Image: here

I know what you're thinking, "Two posts in one day?! How much coffee did you have this morning, Ashley?" I promise I only had the one cup. What can I say, Halloween gets me excited. Anyway, for all of my other Halloween and fright night enthusiasts I have a list--the list to end all lists--of the world's spookiest attractions courtesy of the Priority One Jets blog. Take a look here! Eastern State Penitentiary is the closest one to me on the list and SCREAM! at Madam Tussaud's sounds like it could be a good time!

Currently, I don't have the means (or funds!) to venture to any of these attractions; maybe someday! But that doesn't mean I can't get my scare on. Last year, for Halloween my dorm hosted an event called Haunted Holland. It was a haunted house type attraction that took place under the tunnels of the dorms in The Quad--spooky enough, right?! I didn't think it would be as scary since everything was handmade by a bunch of college girls. Boy was I wrong!! The minute we stepped onto the elevator to go down to the tunnels my group was all screams. The actors and sets were actually terrifying; I think the strobe lights may have played a part in the scare factor as well. It was only about four minutes, but it was the best time I've had on Halloween! I can't wait to see how they step it up this year!

<3 Ashley

What is your favorite Halloween memory?

That Time Pizza Was Made Sexy

...this is killing me. (Image: here)

Lately I've noticed a lot of conversation in the blogosphere on the subject of women's Halloween costumes. Earlier this week I read Lyndsay Rush's post on the Everygirl here and then I came across this post on the blog Nothing to Wear here. Both address the "sexy ____" costume. I thought I would share my view on it, no matter how un-earth shattering this may be. 

I'm the kind of person who goes absolutely bananas about Halloween. It was one of my favorite holidays when I was growing up--who wasn't a fan of dressing up funny and going door to door for candy?! Picking my costume was always a fun trip too. In my past I believe I was: a PowerPuff Girl, a Power Ranger, a Pink Lady, and a vampire queen. I tend more toward pop culture icons if you couldn't tell. Just because I've gotten older doesn't mean the same spirit is gone; last year I dressed as Audrey Hepburn and this year I will be donning a platinum wig as Marilyn Monroe--I think college will be my 'famous film star' years. 

As I've gotten older and bigger, I noticed the costumes for my age group getting smaller and skimpier. Now, personally I am not someone who likes to show too much skin. Not because I am fearful of it or anything, I just don't see it as ladylike. I also tend to actually despise the costumes themselves and how they are marketed. Can we talk about how there is "sexy" anything anymore--Sexy Nurse, Sexy Firefighter, Sexy Elmo, and my personal favorite, Sexy Pizza. Can we just stop? Sexy Elmo made me shed a tear but Sexy Pizza is where I draw the line. Not only do these costumes tend to look, let's be honest...not that cute, but it's also freaking cold on Halloween night! At least it is here in Pittsburgh. How people survive in those tiny outfits in 40 degree weather is beyond my comprehension.

I love this holiday and I love dressing up. But no longer do I rely on Halloween retailers to come up with my costume. Sure I get accessories like my wig for Marilyn or my gloves for Audrey, but the bulk of my costume comes from what I already own. Both this year and last year I had dresses already in my ownership! Let's face it, ladies pay WAY too much for those tiny outfits--pretty sure Sexy Pizza was around $60! Get creative, ladies and do something awesome for Halloween this year!

<3 Ashley

What are you dressing as for Halloween this year?

I'll Tumblr For Ya

Image: here

About 2 years ago I created a Tumblr account (like everyone else) and was fairly active on it, though no where near my activity on Pinterest! I didn't last too long on Tumblr though. I didn't really know what to do with it. I just kinda reblogged pretty pictures and didn't look back on them. Then this year my roommate told me about how she is a religious user of the site and uses it as her online diary reblogging inspirational quotes and pictures often reflecting her mood and what is going on in her life. I thought this was an interesting way to use the site. So I've decided to give it another go! I've started back up on Tumblr again, though I'm still not as consistent with posting. It is kind of therapeutic to go on a quote posting spree and then go back through and see some great words to live by. 

<3 Ashley

Do you use Tumblr? What do you use it for?

Weekend Wrap-Up: Family Weekend

My brother and I with Mr. Rogers outside of Heinz Field

Okay, so I took a look at my calendar for the week last night and nearly threw myself down on the floor. No breaks yet I'm afraid! Two papers due, a quiz and an exam are on the agenda for this week. I'm not too worried about the quiz (it's algebra) and the exam isn't stressing me out too much; it's those darn papers! Looks like I will be busting out OmmWriter again because there is no way I can really focus anywhere on this campus; I'm that one weird girl who actually cannot focus that well in the library.

Part of the reason I feel so overwhelmed may have something to do with the fact that I have NOT gotten anything done this past weekend. Now, this wasn't because I have suddenly become a slacker! This weekend was family weekend so my days were filled with family fun. The got in Friday night and we had as late dinner at the Hard Rock and then Saturday was our football game against Old Dominion. Despite the chilling temps and the downpour we sat through at the beginning I had a great time spending time with my brother at the game. Unfortunately the weekend is over and we are back to normal. Back to work, folks!

<3 Ashley

How was your weekend?