The MNY Spotlight
Ashley Brooke, Beauty, Lifestyle, and Home Décor Blogger
This week's Tastemaker, Ashley Brooke, has us dying to get back to entertaining and spending time with loved ones in the Puff Puff Midi Dress!
Introduce yourself!
Hi! I’m Ashley Brooke, a beauty, lifestyle, and home décor blogger at ashleybrooke.com. My hope is that AB is a bright spot on the internet that always leaves you encouraged and inspired to try something new!
What characteristics (cultural, personality etc) make you unique?
I grew up on the coast of Florida, and I love the easy lifestyle of a little too much sunshine and endless blue skies. When it comes to style, my mom taught me everything I know. She always did her makeup perfectly, and her style is classic and feminine. My favorite time of day was watching her get ready, from sipping coffee while putting on her make up to watching her try on heels. She is my forever icon. Plus, she can throw together a party in 20 minutes flat! And my grandmother taught me everything I know about flowers, how to put together arrangements and craft things with my hands. And My dad is an unbelievable photographer. His eye for beauty is sharp. So I like to think I am a little mix of all of them.
Ashley, the picture perfect entertainer, in the Puff Puff Midi Dress
What motivated you to start your own blog?
Ha! Well, I started back in 2008 right out of college. I couldn’t get a job due to the market crash, so I started a stationery company and the blog was the way I marketed my products! I’ve been blogging 5 days a week since! I fell into blogging backwards, but I am so grateful I did.
What was the most rewarding aspect about doing your own kitchen renovation?
Oh my gosh, so many things! Honestly, probably the fact that we did it ourselves. Every night after dinner one of us always say, “I just love this kitchen!”. It truly feels like us.
If there’s a close second, it’s having bar seating at the kitchen island. That was a “must have” feature, and it’s now my favorite spot to drink my coffee in the mornings while I plan out my day!
Ashely's bar seating looks incredibly inviting.
Photo courtesy of @ashleybrooke
How does your flare for fashion influence your home’s design aesthetic?
I love things that are comfortable, timeless, eclectic, and feminine. To be honest, I find a lot of inspiration from movies I love (especially Nancy Meyers films), like Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated. I re-watch them all the time to pick up design inspiration. I love that cozy feeling I get when I’m in these fictional kitchens and spaces…. Forever trying to capture that classic vibe.
What has been your favorite book you’ve read recently and what’s the next book on your reading list?
Favorite book I’ve read recently that wasn’t one of our book club picks would be Beach Read by Emily Henry. I LOVED that book! But truly there are *so* many! And for my next book, well, you’ll have to check out @ashleybrookebookclub! ;)
How do you interpret “invest in yourself?” and what are the types of things you do to invest in/ empower yourself?
I love having time to read with a big cup of hot coffee! Also, silly, but nothing beats a good manicure. I do them myself and it’s an instant mood changer. But creative burnout is a real thing. I try to take off at least one Friday a month for a day of inspiration. Getting lost in a coffee table books, taking a trip to the garden store, etc. The goal is to step away from the screen and get inspired!
How do you like your new Mestiza piece?! Any details on how it fit or made you feel?
Oh. My. Gosh. It’s one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever owned. I can’t wait to take it to the ballet one day soon. I just felt like it was made for me, I didn’t want to take it off!
Ashley has us excited to dress up again in the Puff Puff Midi Dress!
Please share an inspirational tip to someone looking to follow your footsteps.
Just be you. It’s so easy to get swept up into what everyone else is doing. But you are what is unique, and diluting your “you-ness” is always a mistake!
Posted on February 09 2021
