Cosmic Bowling!

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a very mellow weekend. Saturday night, I went cosmic bowling with the boyfriend and a couple other friends. It was a lot of fun! I bowled a 162! Pretty good considering I haven't bowled in over 4 years. I felt like a girl of 14 again! My friends and I used to always hang out at the bowling alley on Friday and Saturday nights when I was 14/15. It was the "cool" thing to do. Hehehe. I wore a new royal blue beanie I picked up at Nordstrom and my black Trouve' off the shoulder, black sweater and my emerald cocktail ring.

 Enough with the pictures! ;)

What did you do this weekend? Hope you had a good one!

Gold and Blush

Hello Gals! Hope you all had a fab weekend! I did! I finally saw Black Swan. It was so intense..I loved it! I also did some shopping for New York (soon to come in another post) and went cosmic bowling Saturday night. It was a very mellow, fun weekend! I recently bought a few items from Forever 21 and wanted to share it with you!

Forever 21: 

This is actually 3 necklaces layered! I didn't necessarily like the pieces alone, but layered, it looks like a stunning, statement piece necklace comparable to Banana Republic jewelry and at a fraction of the cost.

I also have a pretty emerald stone necklace and turquoise necklace that would pair great with this piece.

 I loved the tiny, crystal pieces in this one. It reflects light beautifully.

I love the color of this stone against the gold. It will look great against black, white, emerald green and royal blue.

 It reminds me so much of Banana Republic jewelry which would cost upwards of $70.00-$100.00. All of these combined cost around $15.00!

I also picked up this blush colored hair clip/pin. I think it will look great in a low, messy bun or pinned on a sharp blazer to soften the look!

I hope this work week goes fast! I have a lot of projects and deadlines to complete, so I will be relieved when Friday rolls around again! Hope you all have a great week!

Weekday Wardrobe

Happy almost Friday gals! I just wanted to post a quick outfit of the day. I haven't done too many because I really need to get a full length mirror! The pictures are not that great because I just took them with my phone, which doesn't have a flash...I also added in another picture from a night out on the town! I am so happy tomorrow is Friday!

 I didn't wear the top off shoulder during my work day because it just isn't appropriate for my office, but just pulled it down to show how I prefer to wear it :) Top: Express, Jeans: ? They were really cheap from a boutique in San Diego, Flats: Jessica Simpson, Watch: Michael Kors, Purse: Michael Kors, Necklace: Franchesca's Collections (boutique)

 I wear this necklace all the time! Love it!

 I like to keep my makeup simple for work. Sometimes I will do a red lip. Today I just had on See Sheer by Mac.

This was from a night downtown! Such a fun night with Noelle! Top: Forever 21, Jacket: Express..Most weekends, I wear some sort of flower or pretty bow in my hair. 

If I don't post another blog soon, I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend! :)

Less is not always MORE

I wanted to post a blog about a few jewelry items I recently purchased, but due to camera technical difficulties with uploading, that is not happening. But it got me to thinking about my M.O. when it comes to accessories- jewelry, scarves, purses, shoes, sunglasses, watches, etc... I just love to pile it on..to an extent. I wouldn't wear huge earrings with a huge necklace necessarily, but I think in certain situations it can work.

One of the best things about fashion is you can make your own rules. I think it is important to not follow too many and just wear what makes you happy. Wear what works on you, what makes you feel good, not necessarily what works on someone else. If you feel beautiful wearing the big necklace and big bracelet and big cocktail ring, ROCK IT! If you are comfortable in what you are wearing, you will own that look, make it your signature style and create your own set of rules. How do you think all of our fabulous designers got to where they are today?...I can tell you it wasn't from staying inside the lines..they went outside of the box.

Sorry Chanel- I know you say to take off the last piece of jewelry you put on..and there is a time and a place for that, but I say only take it off if you want to. Rules are in fact meant to be broken..right?! I was reading Glamour magazine the other day and came across a picture of a woman with a big, crimson flower in her hair. I thought "that looks so pretty..so boho glam!" Then I noticed a big black bar across her eyes as to not embarrass her as Glamour stated big hair accessories are a fashion no-no. In the past, when I was less confident in my style, I would have probably listened thinking I must look a fool if I wear my huge flower clips out in public. Shame on you Glamour. Save the black bars for people that sport acid wash jeans. ;)

If you exude confidence in what you are wearing, people will pick up on that..even if it isn't their style. At work, the ladies will always tell me "I saw this necklace..ring...watch..that was just so you." I think to them, it may seem a little over the top for their taste, but I take it as nothing more than a compliment. :)

These are some people that I look to for fashion inspiration when it comes to accessorizing:

Rachel Zoe

 

I love her 70s style. Love love love and love. Bananas!

 

Margherita Missoni

 

Nicole Richie

 

The best accessory a gal can adorn herself with is confidence. So ladies, no matter what your style is, minimalist, glam, boho, hippy, vintage...OWN IT, ROCK IT, EMBRACE IT!

I'm in a New York State of Mind

It is finally happening gals! Yours truly is going to New York next month..a few days after Valentine's Day! I have literally been dreaming of this moment since I was a little girl. It was a very spur of the moment planned trip with some dear old college friends. One moment I was saying "I want to go" and the next..Poof! I have a ticket to go!

Oh New York..New York...New York. I am so giddy with excitement! My poor boyfriend has only heard me talk about New York since I found out I was going. I do wish I had known sooner, so that I could have planned better. I do not own a coat. Nope...not even one. Living in San Diego, the coldest temps we usually hit are in the 50s and that is on a very "cold" day by our standards. So I am in a flurry to get over the knee socks, over the knee, flat boots, at least 2 coats and a pair of gloves. My Mom is sewing me a huge, cable scarf. She said it is charcoal gray on one side and black with silver peekaboo thread on the other..I trust it will be cute as she has good fashion sense.

So New York...you captured my heart as a child and my love just grew for you from afar throughout the years. Get ready, because here I come! :)

Here are some reasons why I am so in love with this city, even though I have never been:

My favorite movie in the entire world, that I have been watching since I was a little girl, Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Sex and the City

Sleepless in Seattle 

 The Seven Year Itch and Marilyn Monroe

As my Mom always tells me, "There are country mice, city mice and suburb mice...Katie, you are definitely a city mouse at heart" <3

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Makeup and Jewelry and Clothes...Oh My!

Me: Hello. My name is Katie and I am a shopaholic. Bloggers: Hello Katie. Let's all be honest here for one moment. Yes, I mean you too. This is quite possibly the sole time I will mention this topic..because, well, let's face it- None of us like to confess to being an "aholic" of any sort.

My story all began when I was a little girl. My Mom would take me on her shopping journeys to Nordstroms and it was set in stone at that point. I was doomed. I had no chance of escape. The rows of designer purses and shoes, the gourmet cafe', the piano playing in the background, the jewelry, the makeup, the clothes! My addiction grew over time to what it is today. Now that I am making a little more money than I used to, I just can't resist. I think I am making up for all the years in college that I could barely even afford Forever 21. No thanks to this blogging world either! We all know how it goes. We see something on someone's blog that we decide we just can't live without. Then we go on the hunt. We scour the malls like savages on the hunt for meat and if we can't find what we are looking for there, we go to the online hunt. We are like vulchers waiting for the next kill.

Denial: I know I am not as bad as many people out there. I never use a credit card. I don't put myself in debt from shopping (I have enough of that from student loans). I pay the bills. Justify...justify..justify...

Acceptance: I am a grown woman who makes my own money and works damn hard to earn it. I accept that I may splurge more than I need to, but I am enjoying it while I can...before I have kids and a mortgage and car payments and real bills to worry about. So there. ;)

Now...with all of that being said...let's take a look into my little world of shopping lately. Shall we?
We shall.

 

I have been obsessed with Mad Men lately and vintage earrings. I was on the hunt for some and found these babies at Aldo. I love them. I also found this emerald cocktail ring from Nordstroms. 

 

Continuing on with my vintage obsession, I was on the hunt for an over-sized red, flower hair clip. This is also from Aldo. It was actually an elastic headband and I cut the headband part of it and use bobbypins to secure it to my hair. I wore it Friday night with red lips and winged liner and felt very retro. Almost too retro. But the boyfriend calmed my fears and told me it didn't look too over the top.

I received a few Sephora gift cards for Christmas and this was one of my purchases. I love it! Excuse the wet appearance. I wiped it down so it didn't look too messy. I highly recommend this product. I don't think I will ever buy anything else to conceal with.

 

Silver dust by MAC. This is a really pretty highlighter. It works perfect on top of the cream based highlights such as Pearl or Shell. Use this to set it and you are good to go.

Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzer. This was my Christmas gift from Noelle. I love it! I wish I had taken a picture before I started using it. It smells great and I fear I have gained another expensive holy grail item. Oh dear.

This is the MUFE lip pot in #6. I wore it in my NYE makeup look. It is a very pretty girly, pink pop color. It will look great in summer with a tan and some gold flecked lg over it. (The sheer color to the left of the pink is a swipe of the silver dust).

 Nars Albatross lg; Chanel Gabrielle ls; Chanel Cherry Blossom lg and a Loreal lg. I love love love the Chanel products. If you stray from bold lips, but are tempted to try it, ease into it with a pigmented gloss. The cherry blossom is perfect for that! It is great alone or layered.

Cherry Blossom is on the left; Gabrielle on the right. 

Excuse the rest of my face. I had wiped off my makeup and decided to snap a pic after for the blog so you can see what it looks like on. I have remnants of leftover eyeliner on and that's about it.

James, the bf, got me this little dear for Christmas. Michael Kors Jewel Clutch in black and gold. I love her.

I also picked up this Trouve' boyfriend sweater from Nordstroms. It looks really cute hung off the shoulder. I wear it with a black bandage skirt, tights and a statement piece necklace. It pairs cute with jeans as well (as you can see). This is a great piece to dress up or down. 

Well..this concludes our session for today. Remember- the first step is to admit you have a problem. Happy Hunting.

MY NEW OBESSESION: MAD MEN

I have stalked the shelves of Blockbuster for months staring down this series and for some reason never picked it up. The other day, I finally decided to give it a go and rented all of Season 1. I am hooked. I am currently on Season 3 within a week period..maybe less. This is hands down my favorite show...above Dexter..above True Blood...above dare I say it..Sex and the City. This is a must for me to own.

If you have picked up one thing from my blog, you might notice I am very into anything retro. This show takes place in the early 1960s. Mad Men refers to the ad execs on Madison Avenue in New York. This show has it all. Brilliant writing, acting, casting, history, fashion, sex, seduction, glass ceiling, women entering the work force..the list goes on and on. It reflects on so much history. So far, some historic points have been the death of Marilyn Monroe, JFK running for President and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Trust me gals. Give this show 1 episode of your devoted time and you will be hooked.

Each episode has intertwining plots that just float from scene to scene brilliantly. It really reflects on deep human emotions and conflicts in human nature..infidelity, parents growing old and getting sick, having kids, hidden identities, homosexuality, office crushes that become more than they should, the good ol' boys club. It also focuses heavily on office politics of that time period. Men are the executives and women are the secretaries. The main difference I can note that has changed over the past 50 years is the chain smoking and wet office. What I mean by wet office is everyone has a bar in their office and a drink in hand. The show really illustrates how women have pushed to gain better positions throughout the years. I can tell you first hand we are not there yet. I work in a law office, an old profession in itself, and for the most part, the men are the lawyers, the women are the secretaries. But that is an entirely other topic to discuss.

Trust me..get your hands on this show and watch it! Not many shows captivate me like this one. You will fall in love and hate all in one with Don Draper. You will feel for Betty Draper. She is so beautiful, yet so sad. Man or woman, you will lust for Joan. You will root for Peggy.

You will form deep bonds with each character. 

 

Don Draper. Sigh. You hate him. You love him. You hate him. You love him.

Thank God for women like this in Hollywood. I did some research on her. She is the only actress that is mainstream that I can think of that is right around my size.

 Can you imagine these days just lighting up a sig in the office!

 

Betty Draper, Joan, Peggy

 Watch it. Learn it. Love it.