One of the main complaints I ran into when talking to people about the James Charles/Tati Westrbook feud was simply, “who the f*ck are these people?” As you get older, you get out of touch with who the kids are following. It’s simply a fact of life. So I’m here to tell you who you should be following on social media and why. You’re so welcome.
One of my recent Instagram obsessions is Ashley Longshore, a painter and entrepreneur with a casual 209K followers on Instagram. That might not seem like a lot (even though you probs have like, 300 followers rn, so who are you to talk?), but Ashley is going to be huge, and trust me, the celeb and fashion-darling pop artist is going to become your new obsession. First, a little backstory. Ashley grew up in Montgomery, Alabama and was a self-described weird kid with a loud personality who did not fit in at the garden club (same). Ashley had no interest in fulfilling her mother’s dreams of attending cotillion, so she got the f*ck out of Dodge, taught herself to paint, and eventually moved to New Orleans. But reality came crashing down on her when local galleries rejected her work (her early paintings depicted masturbating couples—apparently that kind of artwork is frowned upon in the Big Easy… which is not exactly surprising).
After spending her nights “crying snot bubbles,” this entrepreneurial badass took matters into her own hands and opened her own gallery. And just like in a movie, Blake Lively was driving by one day, and upon seeing Ashley’s vibrant artwork, demanded that her driver stop so she could check it out.
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Blake Instagrammed about her new discovery, and just like Serena plucking Dan from obscurity, Ashley began her rise to superstardom. Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, and Kelly Ripa snatched up her art. Luxury brands like Gucci, Diane von Furstenberg, and Veuve Clicquot called for collaborations. Bergdorf Goodman selected Ashley to be the first woman in history to have a solo exhibit at their store. Ashley also redesigned their restaurant, which is now an art-filled, Insta-worthy dining destination called “Palette at BG.”
By now Ashley’s aesthetic had evolved to colorful, bedazzled portraits of iconic people like Audrey Hepburn, Anna Wintour, Lil Wayne, and Jesus surrounded by Care Bears, Birkin Bags, Veuve Clicquot, and Louis Vuitton.
Ashley’s art is so cool, but the best part about her might, unsurprisingly, be her Instagram @ashleylongshoreart. A diehard proponent of doing 20 naked jumping jacks in front of the mirror for morning motivation, this chick embraces her crazy and it is infectious.
In addition to featuring her artwork, her posts alternate between amazingly upbeat music/dance videos, girl power inspirations, honest af stories about her overcoming B.S., and elaborate, absurd, and hilarious backstories about random birds such as “Todd” who “sleeps in a nest above TJ MAXX” and after four drinks “can karoke a perfect version of ‘HOW MANY FUCKS DO I GIVE’ by Erika Jayne with choreography.”
Her Instagram is visual caffeine, the perfect hangover cure, and will actually help you channel a positive vibe for the day. If you’re obsessed with Lizzo right now, Ashley is a must-follow, because she brings very similar positive energy. Which is more than I can say about most thirst traps on Instagram. Did I mention that her mantra is “I do not cook. I do not clean. I do not fly commercial”?
View this post on InstagramGoals… i do not cook. I do not clean. I do not fly commercial…. #ashleylongshore #fuckyeah #popart
Spoken like a true betch. You’re welcome!
Hello darkness, my old friend. We meet again this evening at 4pm, which is a sure sign winter is most definitely coming. FML. Obviously, living my best life as a recluse sounds amazing, but I hate the cold in every sense of the word. I hate having to risk my fashion rep come December 1st to brace myself for hypothermia so winter doesn’t fuck up my entire life. By life, I mean my hair, skin, and hands, so I don’t look like a corpse, thank you very much. If you can’t find me warming up in the nearest Starbucks with the biggest coffee, you will most def find me at the nearest nail salon making sure my frozen hands don’t look ratchet af. Regardless of the temperature outside, having your nails painted at all times is a priority. Obviously. Here are the coolest (pun intended) nail polish colors to get right now, so your nails look on point all winter long.
1. Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Glaze Nail Lacquer in Jealous Glaze
A festive emerald green is a fab vibrant color that’s subtle but sure to make a difference to any lame outfit. With winter bringing in several over-the-top and over-hyped holidays, the color is very fitting for celebrating the holiday cheer and drinking spiked eggnog.
2. Deborah Lippmann Nail Color in Dark Side of the Moon
Deep purple is essentially just an upgraded version of black that makes you feel like a total queen with its sexy, mysterious shade. The vampy, dark contrasting color looks great with everyone’s skin tone, so rest assured that this will look amazing with the perf accompanying vampy lipstick, too.
3. Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color In Rouge Puissant
Red is just about as timeless as “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” We may be tired of them, but both are never getting old, nor are they going anywhere anytime soon. The true red is classy, elegant, and sure to bring cheer wherever you go, even if your chronic RBF says otherwise.
4. Essie Nail Polish In On Your Mistletoes
Dark navy is cool, I guess, but there are only so many times you can wear it on your nails. For a preppy twist on the dark blue, try a brighter teal that says you’re fun, full of surprises, and into keeping people on their (mistle)toes.
5. OPI Infinite Shine in Steel Waters Run Deep
It’s the unofficial official color of winter. Gray is the neutral we can never really live without—after black, of course. The dark gray is always a bit comforting, versatile, and a safe go-to if you always have a mini panic attack when you’re asked to pick a color.
6. Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer In Shattered Souls
I think I had you with the eye-catching glitter before you even glanced at this paragraph. For starters, I find the name of this color to be very fitting for my daily personality as of late. The holiday gold is the perfect disguise from showing the general public just how shattered your soul exactly is with its irresistible shine and mesmerizing sparkle. Bring it to this year’s company holiday party and NYE shit show. New year, same me.
7. Nails Inc Nail Polish In Alexa Silk
Obviously, I saved the best for last. The Alexa Chung and Nails Inc collaboration is just as amazing and chic as you’d expect from a praised fashion designer. Our favorite soulless color is featured in this collection with a sophisticated twist. The black we know and love comes with pearlescent tones and a satiny finish to make your nails look sleek, fierce, and incredibly betchy.
