How stunning is this Hudson Valley Lighting Astoria Chandelier?! It was such a beautiful piece that I wanted to keep the rest of the dining room decor simple to let it shine. (Literally..ha!)
We started with a bright natural grasscloth. It’s a great way to add some texture into the space.
The rustic dark wood table tied in the darker tones of the floor. This exact table is Restoration Hardware. I’ve found a very similar, but more affordable option HERE.
The white chairs make a nice contrast to the table, and make it fun. (I’m still thinking of changing these out, but they work for now!) These exact are from Restoration Hardware as well. I’ve also found a similar, but more affordable option for those HERE.
Texture is my favorite to play with in home decor. If you stick with a more neutral palette (like our home) it’s the easiest way to add interest and have a more styled look. The easiest way to instantly add texture to a room is by layering rugs.
The base layer is this chunky jute rug. I can never deny a faux cowhide, and this grey version is at a great price point too! I’ve recently loved adding vintage turkish rugs into our home and the dining room decor was no exception! The prints are unique. This one was found at this Etsy shop HERE.
The curtains are velvet to continue with the texture play throughout the space.
My favorite part of the room is this one of a kind Sound Wave wooden art piece my dad made for us. It is off the sound wave of the song lyric by the Avett Brothers, “Always remember, there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name.”
When you share a meal in this dining room, we wanted it to feel like family. It’s the most important part of my life and this piece is just so meaningful and special.
I’ve found a really similar one you can purchase HERE.
Fall fashion is just the best! I love the layered look, and mixing prints and textures. While it’s still a little warm you can wear these tops on their own, and as the temps drop layer them with cardigans, moto jackets, coats, scarves, etc.
Print mixing is a favorite styling trick of mine. It adds so much interest to any outfit! This polka dot blouse is the perfect coloring to mix with a animal print (that’s hot for fall!). I paired it with these snakeskin booties. (They are on mega sale!) It would also look great paired with leopard print.
These busted knee high-rise jeans are an absolute staple closet item. They are $78, come in multiple colors, run true to size, and are the perfect high-waist to pair with crop tops and not bare any belly.
In the fall it’s great to invest in jackets and coats that can take you from season to season. Good booties, bags and sunglasses are other things that when you factor the cost per wear, good quality is worth it. When it comes to tops I like to stick with trendier/more affordable options. Partner that with a few higher quality pieces and the whole look is elevated.
The Shopbop Sale is HERE! It’s 4 days only and the good things sell out FAST! So stock up before it’s gone! How it works is orders under $500 are 20% off and orders $500+ are 25% off. The best time to stock up on designer items or closet staple items at a great discount. USE CODE: STOCKUP18 to get the discount.
This year there are a LOT of Golden Goose Sneakers on sale. I practically live in mine. I’ll be seizing the opportunity to snag these on sale.
Western wear is so hot for fall and I’m LOVING it! There is a way to style this trend in a chic way that doesn’t look like you are headin’ to the hoedown. I’ve got ya covered on how to pull it off effortlessly!
This lace blouse is the perfect nod to western with the piping and pearl snap detailing. The lace keeps it feminine and chic. (Note, it does run a little small. I went up a size.)
You can pair a western blouse with just about anything. A maxi skirt, wide leg pant, jeans or faux leather skirt. The coloring of this tan leather skirt is perfect for fall. You can find an almost identical skirt option at an affordable price HERE and HERE.
Animal prints are another top trend this fall. A snakeskin bootie can act as a neutral and pull any outfit together.
How To Style Western Wear
* Choose one or two western themed items, and partner with more neutral or chic pieces. If you wear a western piped blouse, cowboy boots, a fringe skirt and a cowboy hat, it comes off as a little cheesy. Keep it simple by letting one or two items stand out.
* Go “space cowboy” and pair a western item with a modern metallic. For example, this outfit shown, with a metallic silver skirt would be great! Kasey Musgraves has been rocking this trend for awhile now. She pulls it off flawlessly every time!
* Look for items with a modern edge as well. For instance, instead of a typical cowboy boot; look for some that have a pull on tab side, or a western script detailing, but with a more modern silhouette. You can find an awesome pair for under $100 HERE or my favorite white version HERE.
* For more traditional items (like a true cowboy boot) pair with feminine floral print dress, or skirt and lace top.
* An easy way to slowly incorporate this trend is with turquoise jewelry or accessories.
Check out what else is trending for fall with my post on the top fall trends HERE.
Are you a perpetual “I have nothing to wear” type of gal? Get yourself a duster, friend! It’s the easiest item to pair with just about anything and complete an outfit.
When I was planning outfits for fashion week, I had a hard time choosing pieces that would be unique and special, but also practical and wearable outside of NYFW streets. This duster was the perfect item! These faux leather leggings are a wardrobe staple must. The $98 price tag does seem a little steep, but they are that good. They are made by Spanx and hold everything in (super flattering!) while also being comfortable.
How To Style A Duster
* Don’t be afraid to get it tailored. It’s hard to buy one straight off the rack that will be the perfect length. If you are petite, you can tailor it to hit at least a few inches above your ankles.
* Petite girls.. if you are worried about it overwhelming your smaller frame choose a lighter fabric that fits closer to your body.
* Pair it with a silk dress. Love this combo! It can easily pair with dressier items and the high/low difference creates interest.
* Throw one over a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. The easiest way to look more put together, and also add a layer for warmth.
* Pair with over the knee boots and skirts. This is a way to get more use out of your shorts or skirts going into the fall and winter. Add a duster and some booties or over the knee boots.
* Don’t shy away from a print! Plaid, houndstooth and leopard are all BIG trends this fall season. A printed duster is great to have on hand to add a trending piece to lots of looks you already have in your closet.
Positive Parenting – Simple Tips To Be A More Patient/Positive Parent
Let me start by saying, mom life is hard. It’s that simple. Putting someone’s needs before your own 100% of the time, dealing with mom guilt, and feeling overwhelmed is just plain hard. However, you can make an intentional decision to practice positive parenting and patience. This can be beneficial to everyone involved!
There is sometimes a misunderstanding that positive parenting equates to children that are not respectful or not accountable for their actions. It’s actually quite the opposite! Instead of belittling children with yelling, you talk to them in a calm and respectful way.
Children mimic the actions and words of their parents. You can tell them how to act all day long, but at the end of the day they will emulate your actions. That’s some powerful stuff when you stop to think about it!
Every family and child is different and what works for one family may not work for another. These are some practices we use in our household that work for us!
10 Tips To Positive Parenting-
1. Try to understand why your child is acting out and acknowledge their feelings first. It’s so hard as a mom to deal with temper tantrums (especially when they are in public.) I try to remind myself that it must be so hard for them to have all of these feelings, and not understand how to properly express them. Start by saying, “I understand it must be so hard to ______.” This teaches empathy and understanding.
2. It’s ok to step away. Sometimes it just seems too much to handle. Instead of letting the problem escalate, step away. Take a deep breath. Re-access the situation and then walk back in the room to handle. So simple, but works!
3. Talk, don’t yell. I’ve found anytime I yell, they hear nothing I am saying. It reverts their focus to the yelling. Simply talking with them and helping them understand is far more beneficial.
“Yelling silences your message. Speak quietly so your children can hear your words instead of just your voice.” – L.R. Knost
4. Before bed each night we make a point to fill the boys up with positive affirmations. Letting them go to bed feeling proud and loved is so powerful. Here are some simple ones:
– I’m grateful for you.
– You are so loved.
– I was so proud of you for sharing your toys with your brother today.
– You are so creative and did a great job coloring today.
– Great job being so patient at the grocery store.
5. Start each morning with positive affirmation/gratitude.
– It’s going to be a great day!
– I’m so grateful to get to play with you today.
– Let’s be kind to our brother today.
6. Replace negative language with positive language. (This one is hard at first, but once you’ve made the switch it comes second nature.)
Example:
“No running!” = “Walk, please.”
7. Surround yourself with like minded parents/children. This is like the age old saying, “You are who you surround yourself by.” Finding other parents who are positive and surrounding your children by them is crucial! If they are seeing discipline that contradicts yours regularly, they find that to be the norm.
8. Acknowledge when you are wrong. Let’s be real, we are all going to slip up. If you do yell or snap, be sure to acknowledge and apologize. They will mimic this when they are in the wrong. “I’m sorry mommy yelled, I know that isn’t kind and is disrespectful.”
9. Empower your children and teach them to empower others.
Phrases like, “I know that was a hard tower to build, but you stuck with it and did a great job!”
10. Show your child respect. Seems simple, but we often don’t think of children to deserve respect in the same manner as adults. When we are respectful and nurturing to a child, not only do they learn this behavior, but it helps them with learning, coping with stress and even memory.
I HIGHLY recommend the book The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline . Also, the TV show “Daniel Tiger” on PBS (based off of Mr.Rogers) is great on showing positive behaviors and kindness. I have another blog post on raising kind kids that you can read HERE.
P.S. We LOVE these Rowdy Sprout band tees. As a music business family we totally respect that they ethically receive the rights to the band’s logos. They are so soft and cozy! USE CODE: “IMYOURBEAU” for 10% off on their site!
There is something SO magical about New York Fashion Week. So many dreams are coming true for so many, and the energy is amazing!
I loved strolling the streets, taking on PR meetings, meeting other bloggers, and finding so much inspiration in the street style.
For day one I decided to go with fall’s HOTTEST trend…animal print! We hit the ground running as soon as we arrived in NYC. This leopard blazer and matching silk shorts were great for meetings as well as more informal gatherings. Each of these pieces can be worn apart and extremely versatile. These were a bit of a splurge, but I’ve found several similar options that are a bit more budget friendly as well.
The exact blazer can be found HERE and the exact shorts HERE. You can find a more budget friendly option ($32!) HERE. These sunglasses are a chloe dupe, and an under $20 find!
HOW TO STYLE ANIMAL PRINT
*Treat it as a neutral. No, really! You can mix it with other prints or patterns. It can go with any color you wish as well.
*This trend isn’t just leopard (even though I’ve been seeing a TON of that!) Think tiger print, snakeskin, anything animal inspired!!
*Go BOLD! Head to toe animal print! For this, I prefer a neutral shoe.
TOP FALL FASHION TRENDS
1. Animal Prints- (YAY!)
2. Shades of White- Break the rules. White after labor day is totally allowed. This fall it’s even encouraged. 😉
3. Bold Shoulders- Last year was all about the cold shoulder, this year is all about the bold!
4. Saville Row- Houndstooth, Plaid, etc. Anything with that great texture!
5. Western Wear- A modern approach to western wear. Also, seeing a more “space cowboy look.” Lots of western wear partnered with metallics and modern touches.
Thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I may receive a small commission from items purchased from affiliate links.
I love that on Nordstrom’s website when you are looking at an item you can scroll down and see style suggests on how to wear the piece. Luckily, they had me style some looks for fall that are now live on their site! Each one of these are items you can get a lot of wear out of, but are also on trend for this season.
We have spent so much time in PCB that I can’t believe I haven’t put together a Panama City Beach travel guide until now! My husband grew up an hour and a half north, and would come to his parents beach house every weekend. Now we get to bring our babies down and create the most precious beach memories. PCB is not the spring break craziness you may think. The places we go are extremely family friendly. What I love is the easy and care free atmosphere. I never put makeup on. Everything here is casual and easy. No fuss. It’s truly a time to recharge our batteries. Also, October is a great time to go. You practically get the place to yourself, and the weather feels amazing. It’s noot just a summer spot!
HOW TO GET THERE
For my Nashville friends, this is such an easy trip! There are always great deals on flights, and the duration is 45 minutes. Typically that is the route we take! However, if you like to drive it is about 7 hours south of Nashville. Not terrible. It is also only 20 minutes from the start of 30A. If you are looking for a more affordable option where you can stay right ON the beach, and not have to walk and drag the kids stuff all the way there, this is great! It’s easy to get to 30A for a nice dinner or drink night.
WHERE TO STAY
PCB has so many affordable condo or rental house options! I strongly suggest this route so that you can eat some meals in after long days in the sun.
WHAT TO DO
One of the best parts of going to the beach is the amount of activities! We can go all day long, and the boys are just exhausted and ready for a good night sleep at night.
Go To Shell Island
We are fortunate enough to have a boat down there to use, but it’s so easy to rent a pantoon for the day. Take it to shell island. The water is shallow enough to stand and have a drink. The kids can swim around or play on the sand. Be sure to walk through the dunes to the other side and you will get a nice piece of beach to yourself. 🙂
See The Dolphins
You can take a guided tour or when you have a boat just go out and look for them on your own. You can even jump in and swim around them! It’s so fun to see them all around you. A great spot for dolphin sighting is right outside the pass. (Either on the shell island side or PC side.)
Take The Kids On A Pirate Ship– You take a cruise on a realistic looking pirate ship. The kids get put to work cleaning the deck, look for treasures, and fire off a cannon. The adults can sip on some rum.
Beach Day- – The obvious choice, but you can set up shop and enjoy the beach for a day.
Pier Park– We honestly don’t go here much. We stick to the bay side, but fun for kids. For older kids the giant slingshot is a huge hit!
WHERE TO EAT
I’m all about the dives when we go to PCB. Just great, fresh seafood in a casual atmosphere.
* J.Michael’s- Always our first stop when we get into town. It’s become a tradition. Now warning, it’s a total dive. BUT SO GOOD. The coldest mugs in town! Grab a beer on draft, some cheesy baked oysters and enjoy. This place is super kid friendly. They have a children’s play table with toys and colors. Pro Tip: Get a table right next to the kid area. You can actually enjoy your meal while the littles play.
* Captain Anderson’s- Look for Trey’s picture on the wall. HAHAHAHA. But really, it’s a staple in PCB. The grouper imperial is great! I’m a HUGE fan of the Johny salad special. The sauteed crab claws are excellent as well.
* Firefly- New favorite. This is a little bit nicer, not a dive. However, still not stuffy. The sushi here is so yummy! They also have a ceaser salad that’s served in a parmesean crisp bowl with lump crab on top. (You can eat the bowl…) Delicious!
*The Yard Milkshake Bar- Good for a speacial treat. They are giant milkshakes with allllllll the fixings on top! Fun for kids.
*Shrimp City- Ok so this is a little different. Sometimes after a long day on the water, you just want to eat in your pajamas and not go to a restaurant. You can go to shrimp city and they will steam and season shrimp for you. Easy to make some potatoes or corn with and have a shrimp back. (We like to tell them 1/2 Ole Bay and 1/2 Tony Chachere’s seasoning. Delicious!) Then get a tuna dip for an appetizer. IT’S THE BEST YOU WILL EVER HAVE!
WHERE TO DRINK
* Schooner’s – Grab a bushwhacker and you can walk right out onto the beach. (Not my favorite food in PCB, but great location and fun for drinks.)
* Flip Flop’s- It’s a pool/bar…with a Froze machine.
WHAT TO PACK
The best part, you don’t have to dress to impress here. I live in a swimsuit and cover up or cut offs and t-shirts. For dinners you can throw in a breezy maxi dress.
P.S. The cover ups in the shots that I love are by Pondichérie and Cynthia Collins. Breezy, lightweight, and easy.
It’s too much fun dressing the babes alike at the beach… some of our favorite looks:
At the beginning of this year I shared with you my resolution to live a more intentional life. (You can check that post out HERE.) Being more intentional about what I wanted the branding of Beaus & Ashley to be was very important in that. I’d love it to be a more communal space with references on everything you could need in beauty, fashion, home decor, healthy living, mom life, positive living, etc. An approachable way at living a luxurious and happy life (realistically). With that came delegating out areas to the PROS. I’m excited to start this series of bringing on guests that are at the TOP of their field, and picking their brains to share their knowledge with ya’ll!
With that being said…. first up is the hair queen herself, Marissa Martin!
Ok ya’ll I am EXTRA excited Marissa generously agreed to share her wealth of knowledge on hair color, products, tools, and so much more. She’s the genius behind the color of Carrie Underwood and Jessie James Decker. (Amongst countless other celebs..) I thank my lucky stars she squeezes me into her books at Parlour 3 and she has transformed my hair.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLOR
Ok this one is tough, because it is such a case by case basis.
BLONDES- First off, blonde is YELLOW. Toners always fade. Something that can help to uphold your blonde is a filter in your shower. Besides that, smoking, self tanner, excessive product build up and air pollution will all dull out your color.
You can use a purple shampoo. BUT… a purple shampoo is just getting rid of the yellow. A common misconception is that it makes it “brighter” and that’s not the case. It just ones down yellow undertones.
BRASSINESS- (This was one of the most asked questions..) This applies to red heads, brunettes, or blondes. To combat brassiness you can tone once a week with a purple conditioner, put a filter on your shower, and make sure your stylist is lightening light enough in your appointments. Note… if they can tell that your hair can not handle going that light, make sure to respect their professional opinion. Breakage and fall out is not cute. If a brunette has balayage pieces or highlights they could use purple shampoo to tone down the yellow. If a brunette doesn’t like their version of brassiness (which is orange.)
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HAIR CUTS
The frequency in which you need to cut your hair is another one of those case by case scenarios. If you are trying to grow your hair out you don’t necessarily need to cut each visit. This is dependent on products used and heat usage in between appointments. If you are using heat daily, yes you will need to cut each time.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HAIR CARE
You know those directions on the back of the bottle where it says rinse, rather, REPEAT? Yeah, really do that. Shampoo twice. Especially if you go more than a day in between a shampoo and if you use products. The first one will cleanse your scalp (get in there and scrub) and the second one will provide the “benefits”. The protein, moisture, etc.
Don’t use a handful of shampoo. It takes so much less than you think. It’s dependent on the amount of hair you have, but most people can get away with a nickel size each time. (All the more reason to invest in good quality hair products…. they will last much longer than you think when using the right amount!)
When you are conditioning your hair put it into a ponytail with your hands. Only the ponytail and down should have the product on it.
When brushing your hair (which you should daily) make sure to go from the bottom to the top.
First off, when you are purchasing products be careful where you buy. If you see a great deal on Amazon, it’s probably too good to be true. They can be expired products or fake products. Make sure you are purchasing from a verified vendor.
PRODUCT TIPS
*Purple shampoo should only be used once a week. (Max.)
*Dry shampoo should be sprayed and then let to set for a minute. Then you can comb it through.
*Always use a heat protectant prior to using any heat tools on your hair.
*A wave spray is a quick and easy way to style your hair. Spray it all over (let set) and sprung though the hair. It gives hair that shiny pieceness.
*When it comes to styling, products are the most important part. Don’t skip them! The type of product that you need will depend on your hair texture.
*How often can you use heat tools? Never. HA! No, but really, use them as little as possible.
*ALWAYS use a heat protectant.
*Use a brush to assist in blowdrying your hair. (Don’t do the ole head flip, ladies…)
WHAT YOUR HAIR STYLIST NEEDS YOU TO KNOW
Magic doesn’t happen in an hour. Let your stylist take the appropriate time it takes to create the hair of your dreams! Sometimes it will take more than a single appointment to get the correct color you are trying to achieve.
Magic doesn’t happen for $100. Great colors take time. Great colors take multiple techniques and processes, major thinking and an education. Don’t under value that!
Filters don’t exist in the real world…. if you’ve seen a picture that has a filter on it, it’s just not realistic.
Use pictures for inspiration, but focus on finding pictures of people who look like you. If you go in and ask for Jessie James Decker hair, but you are a natural blonde with blue eyes…… it’s not going to have the same end result.
When looking for a hair stylist, go by pictures of their past work. Lots of hairstylist have IG accounts or representation of their work on social media.
** P.S. You can follow Marissa on IG HERE.
