ashleyhasty on LTK

Flâneur. | Fashion Historian & Educator. | Permanent reader. | Rebuilding after a fire in📍Chicago

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Receiving a week’s worth of book mail in mid-July is like hitting the summer reading jackpot. With new book releases arriving just in time for the season’s sunniest days, this book haul adds a fresh burst of excitement to your TBR pile. Whether you’re lounging poolside, escaping to a cabin, or enjoying slow mornings at home, each book offers the potential to become one of your favorite book recommendations or even a contender for the best books of 2025. It’s a joyful reminder that the best kind of summer adventure can begin with the turn of a page.

#LTKHome #LTKTravel #LTKFamily

(Left stack) In the first week of June, there’s something undeniably empowering about slipping into a sleek black tank top and a black athletic skort—an outfit that feels equal parts functional and effortlessly cool. Paired with your everyday gold hoop earrings and herringbone necklace, this main character outfit gives off strong main character energy without trying too hard. It’s the kind of fashion for self-expression that says you’re ready for anything the day throws your way—errands, a walk through the park, or a quiet afternoon unboxing your latest book mail. As you flip through fresh book recommendations—character-driven novels and books that inspire confidence—you feel fully immersed in your own plotline. This is main character aesthetic books and clothing in action: stylish, intentional, and deeply personal. In this moment, you’re not wondering how to feel like the main character—you already are, living your main character life with main character mindset, one outfit and one story at a time.

#LTKGiftGuide #LTKStyleTip #LTKHome

(Right stack) There’s something extra special about receiving a week’s worth of book mail in the first week of July, when summer is in full swing and reading time feels endless. This *book haul* is packed with *new book releases* that breathe new life into your *TBR pile*, offering stories perfect for beach days, road trips, or quiet afternoons in the shade. Each title holds the potential to become one of your top *book recommendations* or even earn a spot among the *best books of 2025*. It’s the ultimate way to celebrate the season—with a fresh stack of stories and all the time to enjoy them.

#LTKGiftGuide #LTKHome #LTKTravel

Tuesday in Chicago, our cool city mom steps into navy-and-white striped linen pants and a trusty denim vest, her favorite sneakers ready for anything, gold hoops swinging gently, her herringbone necklace catching the light, and her single remaining permanent bracelet clinking softly as she navigates the day. The morning started with pure joy, trains chugging and guitar riffs echoing as her son jammed away before daycare drop-off, but the energy shifted quickly as she rushed home to take her dog to the vet after a sudden decline in health. Wiping away tears, she tried to dive into work, only to be repeatedly derailed by phone updates from the vet, while the flood of photos and videos of her son laughing in music class highlighted the stark contrast between their moods. She does her best to stay positive, to find her footing amidst the worry, but sometimes life just insists on testing the heart, and even a cool city mom can feel the weight of it all.

#LTKWorkwear #LTKFamily #LTKStyleTip

Monday in Chicago, our cool city mom slips into navy pleated shorts and a green-and-navy striped top, her favorite sneakers ready to carry her through a slow-but-steady return to routine, gold hoops glinting in the morning light, her herringbone necklace and stack of permanent bracelets—minus the one that broke off last night, now added to her ever-growing to-do list—clicking softly as she walks. After a whirlwind week in Disney where posting daily outfit photos (or, let’s be honest, anything at all) went out the window, followed by a sinus infection that laid her flat until antibiotics arrived, she’s finally back among the living—only to be hit with news from her podiatrist about her oddly shaped ankle bone that explains the slow healing of past injuries. Who knew? At least there are answers now, so she takes a deep breath, adjusts her bracelets, and keeps moving forward, one carefully measured step at a time.

#LTKStyleTip #LTKTravel #LTKFamily

Tuesday in Florida finds our cool city mom navigating the wonders of the Kennedy Space Center in navy pleated shorts and a navy-and-white striped top, her favorite sneakers keeping pace with toddler-sized footsteps, gold hoops catching the Florida sun, and her herringbone necklace layered with her graduated rope necklace, bracelets clinking as she points out rockets and space shuttles. Between awe-filled toddler squeals and photo ops with towering rockets, she’s effortlessly stylish yet totally practical—because even in outer space-adjacent adventures, a mom’s got to look good while keeping up with a little explorer whose excitement is truly out of this world.

#LTKTravel #LTKStyleTip #LTKFamily

Wearing a little black dress with hot pink accessories—oversized hoop earrings, sky-high pumps, a floral evening bag, and coordinating hot pink lipstick—isn’t just a look. It’s a *moment*. A moment of reclaiming, of redefining, and of walking back into the world with your head held high and your heels even higher. It’s full *Darcy Dates* energy, and it just might be the ticket to feeling like the main character in your own life.

Darcy isn’t just navigating first dates—she’s navigating firsts *all over again*: first solo dinners, first awkward silences, first hopeful butterflies. And through it all, she’s showing up—raw, hilarious, heartbreakingly honest, and dressed like the kind of woman who might have had her heart broken, but refuses to be broken herself.

That little black dress? Classic armor. Timeless, flattering, and always ready for a night that could go anywhere. The hot pink accessories? Her boldness. Her “I’m still here” energy. The lipstick? The punctuation mark on her self-worth. And the floral bag? A little softness, a wink to the romantic inside her that—even after all the disastrous dates, the ghosting, the over-sharing, and the just plain *weird*—hasn’t fully given up.

So whether you're walking into a bar, heading out to brunch with friends, or just taking yourself out for a glass of wine and a moment to breathe, channel Darcy. Because you don’t need the perfect date to feel like the heroine—you just need the courage to keep showing up, heels on, heart open, and humor intact.

You’re not just looking for love. You’re learning how to love *yourself* again. And that, darling, deserves a killer outfit.

#LTKSeasonal #LTKParties #LTKStyleTip

Wearing a white blazer over a magenta dress, paired with pink heels and a navy bag, isn’t just a fashion choice—it’s a power move. It’s *Danica Pierce* energy in head-to-toe color coordination, and it just might be the ticket to making you feel like the main character in your own steamy, career-driven, emotionally-complicated love story.

Danica, the queen of closing arguments and locked emotions, knows that looking polished is half the battle—especially when your secret fling is also your courtroom rival. That crisp white blazer? Your armor. The magenta dress? Your fire. Pink heels? Pure confidence. And the navy bag? A reminder that beneath all that boldness is someone steady, composed, and carrying more than she lets on.

Now picture this: you’re mid-argument, adrenaline running high, your words sharp as ever—and then you grab the magenta and navy tie of *that* fellow lawyer. The one who sees through your no-nonsense exterior. The one who can match your wit word for word and is just as frustrating as he is irresistible. In that moment, you’re not just fighting to win a case—you’re fighting not to let your heart get involved. But we all know how that turns out.

This look? It’s more than main character—it’s *romance novel protagonist.* It says you're ambitious, brilliant, emotionally guarded—and maybe just brave enough to risk it all. So slip on that blazer, step into your pink heels, and tighten that tie. You're not just dressed to impress. You're dressed to take the lead—in court, in life, and in love. And no objections here: you *own* it.

#LTKStyleTip #LTKWorkwear #LTKSummerEdit

Wearing a fuchsia tank top, well-worn denim jeans, tall socks, and sturdy hiking boots while gripping a shovel with determination might sound like you're headed into the dirt—but really, you're stepping straight into *main character mode*. Inspired by Nina Hunnicutt from *Finders Keepers* by Sarah Adler, this look is equal parts grit, sass, and sentimental unfinished business.

Nina’s life has unraveled—bye, job. Bye, boyfriend. Bye, Pinterest-perfect apartment. But instead of staying buried under the weight of it all, she digs in (literally and figuratively) with a shovel in hand, a heart full of unresolved history, and a maybe-not-so-former crush back in town. The fuchsia tank? That’s your spark—the color of bold choices and unspoken feelings. The jeans and hiking boots? Your toughness. The tall socks? A reminder that even while unearthing secrets, you’re allowed to be a little extra.

And maybe, just maybe, working a shovel in this outfit is more than a throwback to a childhood treasure hunt. Maybe it’s a metaphor for doing the hard, messy work of figuring out what you *really* want. Of mending what broke. Of rediscovering love, ambition, and yourself—one shovel-full at a time.

So go ahead—sweat a little. Smudge some dirt. Lean into the adventure with your socks pulled high and your fuchsia tank catching the sun. You’re not just looking for treasure. You *are* the treasure. Nina would totally get it.

#LTKSummerEdit #LTKGiftGuide #LTKStyleTip

Firefighter Toys in honor of Fire Prevention Week

#LTKkids #LTKHalloween #LTKGiftGuide

Baby Butterfly Toys

#LTKbaby #LTKkids #LTKfamily

Baby Space Toys

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