Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I will be spending the holidays enjoying time with my family, wearing festive clothing and sparkles like they're going out of style, and stuffing my face with lots of yummy goodies :-) Hope you all enjoy this time with your family and friends, and here's to a happy and healthy 2013 with lots of exciting new things to come!

My New Fall Love...

Hey everyone!

So today I wanted to share with you my new absolute favorite piece for this fall. It is the J.Crew Collection Golden Paisley Blouse. The price on this one is quite staggering, so I turned to ebay to see if I could find one for cheaper (after Shopwithm tipped me off! Thanks!), and I did, so I snatched it up right away. It was nearly 1/3 of the cost of retail, so I couldn't beat it. It appears to be from UK j.crew (based on one of the tags), but is no different as far as I can tell.

The fabric on this top is absolutely stunning. It is 100% silk, and quite frankly, I can tell. It feels dreamy to the touch, and is quite comfortable on as well. It has a style fit very similar to the Talitha blouses from J.Crew last year, however, in those I took a 4, where as with this top, I ended up getting the 6, and I think that was the right fit for me. I go between these two sizes in tops at jcrew so I would say if you are between, go with the larger of the two, as there is really no give at all in this top.

The top also seems to be very well made, heck for the price, it better be, but we all know with jcrews reputation in the past few years that is not always the case. It seems of good quality, and I don't worry that the stitching will be falling out anywhere anytime soon.

The pattern on this is absolutely lovely. I love the colors, jewel tones, very in for this fall, and the paisley is just gorgeous.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this top, especially if you can get it on promo or for ebay. I am not sure I would spend the $300 retail for it, but have to admit it would be quite tempting...

Here are a few shots of the blouse and how I styled it.

Yesterday I wore it with a pair of skinny jeans, and my target kaelyn boots in taupe (I also have them in black!). These are another item I highly recommend this fall!

 This top has so many colors you could pull out of it and pair it with, I decided to give it a try with my LL Bean corduroy blazer in mustard from last year and think it looks great! Again paired with some skinny jeans and my taupe booties. This look would also be great with a pair of neutral pumps instead of the booties!

Colorful look paired with a pair of mustard colored jeans from j.crew, and my favorite boots.

For some more dressed up looks, I paired it with my beige wool pencil skirt, and then in my navy flair skirt from last year. I really l like both of these looks. I think the first is great for a day at the office.

Paired with the flair skirt is probably my favorite look. This would be a great look for going out to dinner or holiday parties! 

When all is said and done, I absolutely love this top, and it will be one of my favorites for this fall that  I can see myself reaching for time and time again, as there are so many options for dressing it up/down. Have a great evening!

XOXO Jennifer

Hiking chic

Just wanted to share a few pictures from my hiking trip today. The BF and I were asked by some friends to go to the Niagara Gorge. We had never gone before so we gladly tagged along. Without knowing exactly what it would involve, and thinking based on what I had heard, I took on a look that I thought would be suited for some light hiking. I wore my jcrew buffalo check shirt, along with my newly purchased (after nearly a year of searching I might add and thanks to a tip from Stylized existence) the green cargo vest from old navy, a pair of jcrew jeans, and my brendal boots from aldo. I paired it with a little sparkle around my neck, the Martha necklace from jcrew, my Michael Kohrs watch and my pandora bracelet. I found it to be a cute yet appropriate outfit for the activity. However, the boots did not have a ton of traction which lead to some fear of slipping on my part on the way down.



We had a great time. The trail was a little uneven, and there were a million uneven and crumbling stairs to go down at first (apparently too busy navigating to get evidence). There were a lot of parts where the trail was uneven and on one side there was a drop off that went straight down. It was a little scary at times, but you couldn't beat the views and navigating the path was actually part of the fun! If you're ever in the Niagara Falls area, you should give it a try!






















Have a great weekend!

XOXO Jennifer

Peter Pan Collar Shirt

I recently purchased the Peter Pan Collar Tee from jcrew, and I love it. I was asked by someone on polyvore to do a review of this item, so here it is!

I apologize in advance for the not so great pictures of me in the shirt, but it's the best I could do this evening :-)

This is really the first Peter pan collar I've done. I know it is a pretty big trend right now, and I must say, I'm a fan. I think it creates a flattering neckline with a polished look. I know others have felt they have looked school-girlish in these Peter pan shirts, but I did not get that feeling.

The shirt is made of cotton, and the trip on the collar and sleeves is silk. The shirt has a very nice feel to it, very soft, and seems pretty well made, although I think the knit is thick enough that I personally would call it more of a sweater than a tee.

I thought the fit on it was decent, perhaps a bit boxier than one would think from how it is portrayed online. It flares out a bit at the bottom on me. I went with a medium in this one, and in all honestly probably could have sized down to a small for a closer fit, but I was happy with it overall so I ended up sticking with the medium (I go between a small and medium in jcrew shirts/sweaters depending on the fit). It also is a little bit short, which works for me since I'm short too, and i like the layered look of having the tank under it. For taller girls, this ones probably going to be too short, especially since if you tried to size up, it would just flare out more.

Here are some close ups of the details. I love the silk collar and trim on the sleeves, although I haven't decided yet if the silk on the sleeves is supposed to be flipped up or down... I've been wearing mine flipped up over the fabric. It sometimes does flip back down during wear, especially in the back by the elbow, which is a tad annoying at times.

It also has a brass colored exposed zipper in the back. You can't get the shirt on over your head without unzipping it (at least I can't) but it is very easy to self zip when it's on. I know not everyone likes the exposed zipper look, but on this shirt, I think it looks really cute, and am a fan.

Overall, I highly recommend this shirt, and love it. If anything I think you could size down if you're between sizes on this one. I plan on wearing mine with jeans and my new burgundy corduroys with either flats or boots. I can see this being a piece I'll reach for plenty this fall and winter!

Have you tried this top? How have you worn it or are planning on wearing it?

Have a great day!

XOXO Jennifer

Drinking the crewlade...

Hey everyone!
Time for my first official post in awhile! Today jcrew did a very bad thing... They released a new promo... 25% off and free shipping on $150+... Shut the front door... With applications just submitted and an expensive few months ahead traveling for interviews, this was the last thing I needed! I may or may not be partaking, but either way, I thought I'd share my favorites with you!




Peter Pan Collar Sweater - I got the Peter pan collar shirt recently and I absolutely love it, so I'd love to get the sweater version in this burgundy color!




Tissue Turtleneck Tee in Stripe - This piece is a layering staple, and should be in everyone's closet.




Toujours Pocket Tee - I'm a sucker for a simple graphic tee, and this one just fits the bills. Love the simplicity and the gold.




French Hen sweater - I actually got this one with a previous order, but I love it! It's super cute!




Pleated Skirt in Colorblock Crepe - I love skirts, and when I saw this one, I instantly fell in love. The pleats and the colors... How could you possibly go wrong?




Midrise Toothpick Cord I am loving colored pants of any type right now. These wine colored cords (Cabernet) are perfect for fall, and will transition well into winter too. Absolute must have in my book.




Booker Short Buckle Boots - now I LOVE a good boot. I usually go for styles that are very classic and well made, so they will last a long time. One thing that I don't exactly have in my closet is a pair of shorter boots, most of the ones I have are knee high. I'm loving this cute pair, and can definitely envision them worn over skinny jeans in all sorts of colors for this fall (like the cords above!)




Jayne T-Strap Ballet Flats - there is just something about these shoes. The simplicity of a flat, with the edginess of the added chain and ankle strap. I love them in both the black and beige colors. Perfect for pairing with ankle jeans (also of any color) or with skirts/dresses.




Wild Side Wide Bangle - what more do I need to say... A calf hair leopard print bangle... How could you go wrong?




Those are my picks! What are you planning on using for this promo?
Happy shopping!
XOXO Jennifer

A Little MIA...

Hey to anyone that still checks in on this from time to time!

I'm sorry for being so MIA, I've had two very busy months, and lots of scrub wearing and minimal shopping so I unfortunately haven't had much to report on the fashion front.

As some of you may know, I am a medical student, and am in my last year currently. I have been doing a couple of rotations in my field of interest, general surgery, and that doesn't leave a whole lot of time for much else other than sleep and studying. While the last few months have been tiring, I've really been loving what I'm doing, which helps to confirm that I'm headed down the right path! I just submitted my applications for residency yesterday, so the process has officially begun... Wish me luck!

Things should be a little lighter for the next while and I should be able to start posting more regularly again! At least that's my goal :-) and I can't think of a better time to get back into it. Fall is nearly here and that is my favorite season for dressing! I love layering and boots, so there should be more to come in the following weeks in the way of outfit posts, picks, and maybe even some other surprises thrown in here and there, who knows!

Thanks to those of you that have stuck with me. Look for a post in about a week! I should have some things to report.

XOXO Jennifer

Some news!

Hey everyone!

I've run off and on for years, but recently decided to make my running more consistent, and with that in mind, I decided to train for and run a half marathon, the Disney Princess Half Marathon to be exact. In keeping with that, I decided that instead of bore you all about something completely unrelated to this blog's premise, I would create a new blog that will strictly focus on running! Head on over and check out my new blog See Jen Run for more information about my decision to do this, and to hear about my journey as it unfolds!

Don't worry, I will still be trying to make posts on here as often as possible. I actually have some outfit shots and pictures to post from a recent trip to Toronto last weekend, so keep your eyes open for it! Probably won't be for a few days as this weekend is boyfriend's birthday, and his parents are coming to town tonight.

Have a great weekend!

XOXO Jennifer

Summery Fun

Hey everyone!

The weather here is absolutely beautiful today! I'm so glad that its finally turning towards summer again in terms of the weather. It got pretty chilly after the warm spell we had back in march. Just wanted to share today's OOTD (looks like these "weekly" posts have turned into monthly, lol, I'll try to do something about that!). I recently got this splurge of a scarf at J.Crew. Its one of the Drakes London paisley scarves they have currently. I fell in love with the pattern and the colors, but egads... the price... In the end, I decided, I needed it, and will wear it for years to come. I highly recommend this scarf, the pattern and color are everything I had hope. The fabric itself is nothing spectacular, has a very cottony feel to it and is not silky at all, but I love it. This was the first wear of many. I would highly recommend it, but if you can get it on promo with a nice discount, it would be even more worth it.  Today I decided to pair it with my striped boatneck shirt, a pair of jeans, and some older jcrew suede ballet flats back from a few years ago when my jcrew frenzy began. I love bright colors for this spring, especially yellow. What are your favorites for this spring?

Shirt jcrew // Scarf jcrew // Jeans jcrew // Watch Michael Kors // Jewelry jcrew, david yurman // Shoes jcrew

Follow me on instagram! jenniferashleyc

XOXO Jennifer

Rainy weekend...

Hey everyone!

Hope you are all doing well! I had a nice weekend with my parents who came to visit. The weather was pretty crappy unfortunately, but we still found ways to have a good time.

Thursday was my birthday so Friday we did a little shopping at the local j.crew! Just what I needed! Lol but seriously, I feel like I can never have too much stuff from there. I've been really into accessories lately, so I got some great little bangles and the like! Channeling my inspiration from Blair over at Atlantic-pacific these days... I also picked up a few other things while I was there too. Didn't snap any pictures, but I'll see if I can't try some stuff on for a few reviews in the next week or so. I did finally add the navy schoolboy blazer to my wardrobe! How have I gone this long without one?? Seriously though...

On saturday we spent some time at Niagara falls, walking around the touristy area in Canada which I had never been to. It was quite a hoot! So overly cheesy, but it was a lot of fun. And I can totally see why people say the view of the falls from the Canadian side is better than the American side. So much prettier! If you've never done it, I highly recommend it.

I've started yet another new rotation, family med, but I can't wait for next year to start. We registered for our "classes" for this fall, and I got the schedule I wanted so I'm really looking forward to it! As i mentioned previously, i have fully decided on general surgery which is exhilarating and scary all at the same time. I have found some awesome mentors so far though, so I'm very excited for the roller coaster ride that a general surgery residency will bring. This will be a big year for me, and I'm looking forward to what the future will bring. I'm considering starting a separate blog to discuss applying and residency, so that this one can be more devoted to my shopping obsession lol. So stay tuned if you're interesting in reading that!

Just wanted to share a few pictures from this weekend!

Bracelets: j.crew; watch: toywatch

Top, sweater, black jeggings: j.crew; Boots: jimmy choo for hunter; Necklaces: max&chloe, j.crew; Bracelets: j.crew.

Have a great day!

Xoxo Jennifer

iPad case?!

Hey everyone!

So I am greatly enjoying my new
iPad, only problem is, I can't seem to figure out what case to get! Right now
I've just stolen my boyfriends smartcover, but I want something else to fully protect it. For the nook my go to case maker was Kate spade. I just can't seem to find anything I love! So I need your help... Below I've pictured some that have caught my eye, but nothing Ive loved enough to pull the trigger. I want something both cute and fashionable, and something practical and very protective. I've seen a lot of sleeve style ones, but I don't want to have to take it out all the time. Something what opens like a book but still holds it is what I really want but I'm at a bit of a loss... I also dont want something too seasonal or too trendy that ill want to exchange for something new in a few months... What do you think of any of these, and any other suggestions of cases or where to look?? Thanks everyone!