Chouette: [Pronounced shweht] Exclamation when one learns of something pleasing. Charming, fun, chic. Origin, French
Valentine’s Day
In Ancient Rome, Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, thinking it would produce better soldiers for his army. Saint Valentine married couples in secret, and when he was found out, was put to death. There is no altar here. No organ ringing through sanctuary. Yards of...
Chouette Designs is Coming Soon!
I always feel like I talk about our new business ad naseum, but I am realizing that friends and family who don’t spend every waking moment on Instagram still might not know what I’ve been working on. So here it is, a size inclusive, demi-fine jewelry brand. And the...
What you ACTUALLY need to know about the N Sale
Started in 1955, this sale was the first of its kind to offer preseason fall fashions at a discount, before raising their prices after the sale. It was a way to drum up business in the dog days of summer- a historically slow time for most fashion retailers. The sale...
10 Things I Learned at FIDM
A few years in fashion school will teach you plenty about how chaotic fashion shows really are, how to drape a corset and that nifty sewing hack for sewing chiffon together with a toilet seat cover. It taught me a lot of other great lessons too of course, which I hope...
The Problem with Coral Jewelry
When associating a gemstone to the sea, an easy choice would be aquamarine. The name itself is an ode to the ocean- “aqua” meaning water, and “marine” meaning of the sea. The truth is that aquamarine is found far from the sea- it is mainly sourced in Africa in places...
San Diego Summer Bucket List 2021
So there won’t be any concerts or pub crawls in my near future, and that’s ok. I think I’ve come up with a pretty great list of safe options for things to see and do in San Diego for summertime. Here are a few things I'm itching to do when that warmer weather...
The Signs as Jewelry
Who doesn’t love a good list of the signs and what inanimate object they would be?? After doing one for Houseplant Shop, I couldn’t help myself and made a jewelry related list too! Scroll all the way down to yours and see if it makes any sense (or check...
Apology to Britney Spears
About the Conservatorship and the #FreeBritney movement Britney Spears is back in the spotlight over the NY Times documentary "Framing Britney Spears". It is available to stream on Hulu, and it brings up the current conservatorship battle Britney is...
How Much Should Jewelry Even Cost?
Jewelry exists in so many price points- anywhere from two dollars to two million dollars, so it’s hard to know exactly what you’re paying for with such a wide range. You can find a relatively inexpensive genuine diamond at a pawn shop, and some costume...
5 Diamond Trends That Are Bucking Tradition
Let’s face it, the jewelry industry is FULL of traditionalists. We’ve been adorning ourselves with gems and jewels since ancient times, and we all know change comes slow. However, our generation is done making the same decisions our parents or grandparents...
Welcome
I’m Ashley Catharine, and I am a writer and stylist based in Southern California. You can learn more about me here.
