Meet Ashley of Fancy Fine! I've had such a fun time choosing pictures for this post because there are just so many fantastic shots to choose from! She really has such unique taste in vintage pieces that really come alive with her modern styling. Her blog is a great source for inspiration and she is a true sweetheart to boot! Have a little look into her life...
Tell me a bit about yourself and your blog!
Well, my name is Ashley Ording and I'm turning 28 in less than a month. I've lived in San Francisco for almost a decade (!) and I work as a boutique manager, visual merchandiser, personal stylist, and vintage seller. I started Fancy Fine almost two years ago as a way of sharing my lifelong obsession with all things old and pretty.
You have such a lovely and unique sense of style! How has your style evolved into how you dress today?
Why thank you! I've always gravitated towards the same feminine things my entire life, but my style has definitely evolved as I have grown up and become more confident and less cautious and concerned with what others think. I stopped wearing pants a few years ago and I haven't looked back. I love pants on other women but I finally accepted that they are just not very me, I've never felt comfortable in them. It's been a long journey but at this point I happily dress myself every day in only things that I absolutely love, even if they are rather crazy or goofy to the normal eye.
Along those same lines... Who is your style icon? And what inspires you?
My style icons are my friends, ladies that have such wonderful personal style and obviously take real pleasure in finding the perfect pieces for their wardrobes. I'm constantly inspired by images of decades past and I take a bit of sartorial direction from each period. The 1920's through the 1970's... there were so many amazing fashion and cultural moments, it's hard not to be always finding fresh inspiration.
I love the way you don't often take traditional fashion photos, but really make them your own. Do you work with someone to take them?
I have a few friends that help me with photos, including a fellow fashion blogger named Isla Bell (of A Fine Day For Sailing) and my photographer friend Joshua Cobos. Basically I try not to be too "posed" in front of the camera. I may start off standing still and looking somewhat serious but the photo shoots almost always devolve into a giggle-fest where I become unable to keep a straight face or pose in a normal way. But that's how I am, so I think it's fun to show it on the blog rather than something traditional. I have fun with fashion so documenting it should be the same experience. I can't take myself too seriously!
You also have a wonderful vintage clothing store! How did you begin your business and how do you acquire your pieces?
I started selling vintage on eBay about five years ago and then took a break before starting my Etsy shop. It felt like the right moment, after building up Fancy Fine, to expand things and share my vintage collection. I'm always, always collecting things and sometimes I need to let them go to a new home so that I have room for more! I find things everywhere: thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales, my own closet... I'm always hunting.
And finally, what are 10 things that make you happy?
Oh my, 10 things! I could go on and on... but this is what's making me happy right now:
1. My fellow blogging ladies, both the ones I'm friends with in real life and the ones I haven't yet met!
2. Louise Brooks: A Biography by Barry Paris... I just finished it last night and I immediately started crying after the last word.
3. Lemonheads. I can't stop buying the large boxes of them, completely addicted.
4. Scavenging for treasures at the flea market, my favorite way to spend a day.
5. Singing karaoke (my standards are Patsy Cline, The Crystals, Sarah Vaughn, and Peggy Lee).
6. Going on aimless walking adventures around San Francisco either alone or with a good friend.
7. My cat, Donut.
8. My awesome family.
9. Champagne!
10. Cheeseburgers, always.
Thanks Ashley! If you are looking for more, you can also find her here:
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