Fashion Forward

Shirt>> Target

Necklace>> Mindy Mae's Market (I wait for the sales, which happen often! Follow their insta>> @mindymaesmarket )

Leggings>> Agnes and Dora (Similar)

Shoes>> Forever Young Shoes (Similar)

Reese's Tank>> Target (They're having a buy 1, get 1 50% off sale going on now!)

Reese's Headband>> Notes + Knots 

Since becoming a mom, when I get dressed in the morning, the question that guides my whole outfit is, "How can I be the most comfortable and not look like I just rolled out of bed?"

The answer for me 75% of the time has involved leggings.  I seriously have a hard time wearing jeans anymore, but I do have some favorite, comfy jeans that do the trick if I feel like I've got to mix it up.  Agnes and Dora is my favorite legging shop!  They are a great price, SO comfortable, and really cute patterns.  There's a pattern for everyone!  Trust me, you'll see more leggings in future Fashion Forwards.  

The Target tees are also another go-to for me.  Again, they are very comfortable, and for any mom comfort is where it's at!  They have lots of colors, and even different styles than the one I linked to above.  These tops are a base in a lot of my outfits.  Mixing and matching is crucial for me.  Makes me feel like I've got a new outfit to wear when really I just used what's in my closet to put together something I hadn't tried before.

The Mindy Mae necklace is one of my favs, and something I pair with the most casual outfit to dress it up or use to sparkle up my Sunday best.  

After I had Reese, my days were pretty much the roll out of bed, scrubby, no make-up kind of days.  Understandably for any new mom or mom with a new babe!  Those first couple of months can be hard and are such an adjustment...huge adjustment.  Finally after a whole lot of not feeling very pretty, I decided that I would wake up every morning (and when I say every morning, I mean 50% of the mornings haha), shower, shave my legs, get dressed in something that made me feel confident, do my hair, and put on my makeup.  LET. ME. TELL. YOU.  That routine right there changed the way I mothered.  Yes, you heard me.  It changed the way I was a mom to Reese!  I found myself more ready to tackle the day.  I didn't feel as slouchy or discombobulated as I did on the days where I literally rolled out of bed and dragged my feet to Reese's nursery because it was time to feed her for what felt like the millionth time in a 24-hour period.  It might sound a little vain, but the process of "dolling myself up," as my momma would say, made me feel good on the inside.  That process started me on my way to feeling more capable as a mother, wife, and person.   

Growing up and all through college actually, if I was ever feeling down on myself or feeling like I just couldn't handle whatever was in front of me at the moment, my momma would more often than not tell me something like, "Why don't you go shower, do your hair, and get dressed?  It will be like a fresh start!"  Or she would ask if I'd done my nails lately.  I would tell her no they could use a new paint job, and she would tell me to go do my nails and to use that as a starting place for a clean slate.  Haha, cute right?!  I hold that memory of my mom so dear to my heart because believe it or not, that advise really did help pull me out of some funks and got the ball rolling on me tackling things that seemed hard at the time.  

Don't get me wrong...some days just getting out of bed is a win in and of itself.  We all have those days.  Days where we feel like we are just getting by on the bare minimum.  And that's okay!  Because if you are sitting here reading this blog, then you've obviously made it through those days!  Maybe today is that kind of day.  Whatever kind of day it is, do something for yourself.  Do your nails, take an extra-long shower and use all the hot water, make yourself a refreshing smoothie, get dressed in your favorite outfit, try something new with your hair, take a walk, read a book...and the list goes on and on.  Everyone's different, and everyone has their own "something" that makes them happy.  Find your happy.  Find what makes you smile and enjoy life.  Make more time for it!  You deserve it!

XO, Ashton Tilton

In other news, I picked Reese's nose today.  That was new.  Before I realized what was even happening, it just happened.  I feel like I've earned my title as "Mom" now.

Last but not least, I hate proofreading.  I have since the third grade when they asked you to go back and capitalize all the first letters of new sentences.  Don't hold that against me (insert prayer emoji here).