Becoming Kendall

My Summer in Film + Life Update

Published on November 15, 2018 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

Hello everyone! It’s me again, and I’m here today with a post that has been a long time coming, literally. As you probably noticed, I went on a bit of a hiatus after graduating from college. Truth be told its been a rough couple of months. With the holidays and New Years just around the corner, the pressure to meet my goals and be successful is higher than ever. But life just kind of sucks right now, and I feel like I am no where closer to being where I want to be in life. The break has been much needed, and although I can’t promise that I’m back for good, I can say that I am focusing a lot more of my attention on blogging again. That’s because blogging and creating fashion related content brings me joy, and going into the New Year, I want to focus on things that bring me joy.

Speaking of things that bring me joy, I wanted to share with you some photos I took over the summer with my vintage film camera. I just got the negatives and scans back, and I can’t wait to show them to you. I must admit, when it comes to photography, I am pretty mediocre. But nevertheless these pictures take me back to fun memories made with my family. And I love that.

My extended family, uncle, aunt, and cousins, came to visit us this summer. It was a really great time full of quality family time, which was much needed considering we only get to see them once a year. My cousin Abbi helped me start my first roll of film, because she has been taking pictures on 35mm film for a while now (thanks Abbi!) So I started out by taking pictures of things around the house, to help get an idea of how it works. As you can see, I still haven’t really gotten the hang of it since most of these pictures are out of focus or dimly lit.

After the first couple of “test shots” for lack of a better word, I started taking my camera everywhere with me in case inspiration struck. I am by no means a professional photographer, so I mostly used this roll of film to capture memories, whether they were aesthetically pleasing or not. To me, taking pictures on film is very similar to taking pictures on your phone, but in a much more tangible way.

A lot of these pictures are from a trip to Crystal Bridges, an art museum in Arkansas, with the family. If you are a long time fan of the blog you may remember our las t time going there. It is one of my favorite museums (I love museums!) and I wanted to take pictures of everything.

This picture of my brother is the last one on my roll of film. It was taken the day we moved him into his college dorm, and it signified the end of summer for our family. I miss him all the time, and he is one of my closest friends. I can’t wait to see him for the holidays! He also got into film photography this summer, and he has much more of an artistic eye than I do!

These final two pictures were taken by my cousin Abbi, who is definitely more experienced than I am. Also they make me look cute.

To me, film photography was such a unique experience. In a world where we can take out our phones and take pictures whenever we want to, it was nice to actually take the time to choose what I wanted to immortalize in my limited shots on my roll of film. There was a bit of pressure in making sure each shot was perfect, but the fact that I couldn’t tell if it came out the way I wanted until I got it developed made it so much more fun. If you ever have the chance to work with film, I highly recommend it. It can be so exciting, and the results will leave you so proud of yourself.

I know this post was a little different than usual today, but I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you have ever worked with film before, or if you want to try it someday!

See ya next time!

Love, Kendall

4 Cute Halloween Costumes from Your Closet

Published on October 30, 2018 by kendallshea221 Comment

Guys, it’s the day before Halloween, and we all know what that means. You’re still scrambling to come up with a costume in less than 24 hours, because you decided to wait until the last minute. To make matters worse, you need to spend as little money as possible. Don’t worry, this is a judgment free zone. We’ve all been there before, and sometimes procrastination still gets the better of us.

As someone who has most definitely been in the situation before, I have equipped myself with an arsenal of last minute Halloween costume ideas that I can put together with the contents of my closet. Below, I have selected four of those costumes to show you. So let’s get the creative juices flowing with some inspiration!

Holly Golightly – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

This is by far one of my favorite costume ideas, inspired by one of my all-time favorite movie and character! If you haven’t seen Breakfast at Tiffany’s, then stop whatever you are doing and watch it immediately. It is a cinematic masterpiece starring Audrey Hepburn as the darling Holly Golightly, a sophisticated women with a troubled past and a tendency to never put down roots. For this costume, which recreates the iconic opening scene, you need a little black dress, black heels, lots of pearls, and the biggest sunglasses you can find. Bonus points if you wear a tiara, long white gloves, and carry a coffee and breakfast pastry.

Lydia Deetz – Beetlejuice

This costume was so fun to put together, and it fits the Halloween theme so perfectly! Beetlejuice is a Halloween classic (at least to me it is) and this costume seemed only fitting considering it is the 25th anniversary of Beetlejuice. Lydia Deetz is played by a young Winona Ryder (one of her first movies, actually). She is the epitome of a goth queen. From her outfit, hair and makeup, and her witty one liners, recreating her look is simple! For this costume, you need an all black outfit, black choker, grunge makeup, and big teased hair. Bonus points if carry a vintage film camera, the Book For the Recently Deceased, or slick your bangs like Lydia.

A Hogwarts Student – Harry Potter Films

If you are a Harry Potter fan like me you probably know your Hogwarts house, and own the corresponding tie/scarf (no shame). If you do then this costume is a no brainer, and if not, don’t worry! This costume is still fairly easy to create, you just may need to buy/borrow a tie or scarf. For this costume, I went with the typical Gryffindor school uniform which consisted of a black skirt, black tights, black shoes, a white button down, and the Gryffindor tie. Bonus points if you add a gray sweater, school scarf, wand, or Harry Potter glasses and scar!

Edna Mode – The Incredibles

Okay y’all knew when I dyed my hair dark and cut it into a bob that I had to recreate a look by the Queen of Fashion herself, Miss Edna Mode. Honestly, if she’s not your favorite character in The Incredibles then I question your judgement. But for real though this look was so fun to do and I truly think she is a fan favorite this Halloween. For her super chic ensemble I wore another all black outfit, but this time with a skirt, collared shirt, and blazer. You can’t forget the black shoes and tights, and a red accent around the neck. I opted for a statement necklace, but a tie or ascot would also work. Bonus points for the Edna hairstyle and a rolled up magazine to beat some sense into your friends while screaming “GO, FIGHT WIN!” at them.

I hope you enjoyed my second Halloween blog post. What can I say? It’s my favorite time of the year! Now go run to your closet and create your own Halloween costume, whether it is inspired by my creations or something completely your own. Have a fun and safe Halloween! Boo to you!

Love, Kendall

Halloween Makeup Round Up

Published on October 22, 2018 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

Hey all you spooky ghouls and gals! It’s that time of the year again! The time of the year where I rise and take my place as the Queen of all things Halloween. 🙂

I know its been a while, but after graduation I felt that taking a break from blogging was the best thing to do for my mental and emotional well being. I appreciate you guys being patient with me during this hiatus.

But enough of that, let’s focus on the real reason we came here today: Halloween! While I know it may not be for everyone, Halloween is my favorite time of the year. I just love all the movies, candy, festivities, and overall spooky vibes that this holiday brings. This year, I decided to take things to the next level by challenging myself to do five Halloween inspired makeup looks. This was such a fun and exciting thing for me to do, and I can’t wait to share them all with you, as well as some tips and tricks for creating your own fun makeup looks.

Foundation: Fenty Beauty Eyeshadow: Kat Von D Pastel Goth palette and Juvia’s Place Masquerade palette Highlight: Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit Eyeliner: NYX Cosmetics Lashes: Ardell Faux Mink Lashes in 810 Lipstick: Too Faced Lipstick in shade Wicked

“Look it, look it! It’s freaking bats. I love Halloween.” – Iconic Vine

If you don’t recognize this quote, then you need to look it up. This iconic is definitely one of my faves, and I couldn’t help but quote it when I posted this look, inspired by one of the many makeup gurus I follow. Which is actually my first tip! Look for inspiration from makeup gurus on Instagram and Twitter. I prefer to look at smaller/lesser known influencers when it comes to inspiration, especially if you want something unique, simple, or beginner friendly. I definitely wouldn’t recommend working with special effects makeup, unless you know what you’re doing. So stick with what you know!

“You know, for someone who’s supposed to be a mad genius, I’m not seeing much of the genius.” – Shego from Disney’s Kim Possible

When I saw Snitchery on Instagram create a look inspired by Shego from Kim Possible, I knew I had to recreate it. Kim Possible was one of my favorite TV shows growing up as a kid. So getting to do a makeup look around one of its characters was a no brainer. Which is where my second tip comes in, find inspiration in your favorite TV shows and movies: especially Halloween movies (like my next look) 😉 The more obscure or lesser known the character is, the more unique the look! Try and find characters that are colorful or have distinctive features so your look is easily recognizable too!

Foundation: Fenty Beauty Eyeshadow: Kat Von D Pastel Goth palette and Juvia’s Place Masquerade palette Highlight: Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit Lashes: NYX Cosmetics

“I’ve seen the EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT!” – Beetlejuice

Oh the iconic Beetlejuice, which turned 30 years old this year. I just couldn’t help but do a look in my favorite bio-exorcist’s honor. Out of all these looks this one is one of my favorites, but it definitely didn’t take very long to do. Believe it or not, I think this was one of the simplest looks I did. Tip #3 is to keep it simple! I could have gone all out for this look: white face paint, facial prosthetics, the whole nine yards. But I didn’t. Firstly, because I was lacking the time, skill, and resources. And secondly, because this character is still recognizable without all that extra stuff. I kept it simple!

Foundation: Fenty Beauty Eyeshadow: Modern Renaissance palette and Juvia’s Place Masquerade palette Highlight: Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit Eyeliner: NYX Cosmetics Lashes: NYX Cosmetics Lipstick: Too Faced Lipstick in shade Granny Panties “Face Paint:” Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Palette

“Violet, you’re turning… violet!” – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Okay y’all, here it is. My favorite look! This one was so fun to do, and I am honestly amazed with the results (not to toot my own horn or anything). It definitely took the longest though! For the purple ‘face paint’ I used a few shades from my Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Palette, mixed them together, and the blended the crap out of it! Once I was satisfied with the blending, I went back in and created the ‘veins’ so that it looked more realistic and true to the movie. Could I have went to a Halloween store and actual bought face paint for this look? Probably. Did I have to? No! Here’s my next tip: use what you have! You don’t have to go out and by a bunch of special makeup to create these looks. I definitely didn’t. Now there is a disclaimer to this tip. Always be safe with your makeup. If you have sensitive skin, don’t use lipstick as face paint. Make sure you buy cosmetic grade glitter, as regular glitter can cause eye irritation. And when in doubt, research and don’t risk it! Your safety is not worth an Instagram picture.

Foundation: Fenty Beauty Eyeshadow: Kat Von D Pastel Goth palette Highlight: Anastasia Beverly Hills Nicole Guerrieo Glow Kit Eyeliner: NYX Cosmetics (black) and NYX Cosmetics (white) Lashes: Ardell Lashes Lipstick: Kylie Cosmetics in shade Pumpkin

“Sweet like Candy Corn.” – me 🙂

This look is the only one out of the five that is completely my own. All the other ones were inspired by makeup artists I saw one Twitter and Instagram, but this one was just me having fun with makeup. It was so fun to just relax and not have a guideline for this look. I just knew I wanted it to be fun, cute, and look like candy corn. So here’s my last tip: sometimes you have to just go with your gut, and be creative! I think the best things come out of creativity. All of the makeup look that inspired me were original to that artist. They created something unique, and inspired me to recreate it. When you think about it, it’s really cool how we all influence each other, especially in the makeup community. If my Halloween makeup looks inspire someone to recreate them, or even to just create some of their own, that would make me very happy.

I have been wanting to do Halloween makeup looks for years, but somehow I always put it off until it was too late. I hope you all enjoyed this post, and even if you aren’t a fan of Halloween or makeup, I hope you were encouraged to try something new. Do something you’ve been telling yourself you’re going to do but have been putting off continuously. I promise you’ll be so proud of yourself afterwards.

I hope you all have a Happy Halloween, whether you are watching horror movies with friends, trick or treating with kids, or hanging out with family. Be safe and I’ll see you guys next week for another Halloween themed blog post!

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: Floral Jumpsuit + Facing the Unknown

Published on May 5, 2018 by kendallshea222 Comments

Hello guys! Well it’s almost here. I can hardly believe it. Exactly one week from today, I will be graduating college.

While this time of my life has been full of congratulations, there has also been a lot of fear and anxiety. As a soon to be college graduate, I feel like I should have my life together, be moving out of my parent’s house, and working at a real “grown up” job. A lot of my friends are doing these things as I am typing this. And here I am faced with the unknown.

Jumpsuit: Old Navy Jacket: Old Navy Purse: Kate Spade (similar here) Shoes: Rampage Necklace: Kendra Scott Earrings: Lane Bryant Sunglasses: Old Navy

I’ve never been good at dealing with the unknown. I’m the type of person who has to have everything planned out. And if you had asked me a year ago I would be graduating without a job in line, I would have told you you were crazy. I had seen it happen to other people, and I just knew that I wasn’t going to let that happen to me. And yet here we are.

I am by no means discrediting the hard work of people who graduate college without a job right away. However, I am still learning that it is okay to move back home after you graduate and take some time to figure it out. At the end of the day, I am worried about what people may think of me. I’m afraid that people will think I am a failure or a disappointment. But the truth is, if they think that about me then they must not know or care about me well enough for their opinion to really matter.

Through all of this, my parents have been my rock. They have made sure that I know I have a safe place to come home to after this is all over. They know me better than anyone, and they know that sometimes I am my own worst enemy. I psych myself out, and never stop worrying about things. But every time I call them crying with a new concern, they talk some sense into me and help me calm down. I love them so much, and I don’t know what I would do without them. If you guys are reading this (and I’m sure you are) you guys are the best!

Whatever you guys are dealing with, I hope you know that you don’t have to face it alone. That’s what support systems are for. That’s what God is for. I know that it can be hard to ask for help sometimes, but no one is strong enough to handle everything on their own. Reach out to those around you, and you can get through anything.

Love, Kendall

P.S. Wish me luck guys! My last finals week is coming up.

My Go To Spring Makeup Look

Published on April 16, 2018 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

Hello everyone and happy Monday! Does anyone else feel like the weekend flew by?? Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I didn’t have much of a weekend. Either way, it’s time to hit the ground running and get stuff done this week.

Today I want to show you the makeup look that I have not been able to stop wearing.

Eye shadow: Kat Von D Pastel Goth Palette Eyeliner: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner Lipstick: Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Exposed

When it comes to makeup, I have always been a bit of an experimenter. I have always been the first one to try new colors, brands, products, and trends. But lately I’ve found myself in a bit of a makeup rut. I got too comfortable and ended up stuck in a routine of the same products, the same colors, and the same look. And you know what? I’m sick of it. So as soon as spring came around, I knew it was time to change things up and add a little (or a lot of) color to my makeup routine.

Top: H&M Kimono: Target Jeans: Old Navy Shoes: Restricted Bag: Vintage

I received the Kat Von D Pastel Goth palette as a gift last summer, and honestly I had no idea what to do with it. It was one of those things that had been in the back of my mind, but once presented with it, I was clueless. The palette itself is absolutely beautiful. From the shades to the packaging, it is very aesthetically appealing. In case the name didn’t already give it away, the main colors in the palette are pastels; yellow, peach, pink, lavender, blue, green, white, and black/gray. The pigmentation is unbelievable. And while I loved having it in my collection, it remained untouched for the better part of a year. I kept reaching for it, opening it up, and admiring the aesthetic beauty of it, but I could never bring myself to use it.

I know I said I was an experimenter when it comes to makeup, and that is very true, but I also like to have a look in mind when I’m doing my makeup. If I don’t have that inspiration in my head then I resort to something I’ve done in the past. And since I hadn’t come up with any looks that involved the colors in this palette, I continued not to use it.

I don’t remember who it was that first introduced me to this idea, but I started seeing girls on social media wearing bright yellow eye shadow with thick black liner. The contrast of those two colors is what drew me to the look, and I think it looks very editorial. I tried it out and haven’t gone back since.

I love this look, and I am so glad I have finally started using this palette. The best part is the same principal works with all the other colors in the palette too! I’ve done peach, purple, and blue eye looks with it. However I don’t see myself doing a green based eye shadow look anytime soon! This palette is definitely made for spring, and I can’t wait to use it more regularly.

Whether you love it, hate it, or plan on trying it for yourself, I hope this look has at least encouraged you to branch out of your comfort zone and try something new. So often we find ourselves stuck in the same routine, and frankly that can get pretty boring. So take this week to find something in your life that has become routine and replace it with something out of your comfort zone. I promise you won’t regret it.

Love, Kendall

Spring Break Recap

Published on April 6, 2018 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

It’s been a whirlwind of a week, am I right? Well after the crazy fun time I had over spring break, I took about a week to get my crap together. But now I’m back with a spring break recap for you all!

T-Shirt: Target Skirt: Old Navy (Similar) Jacket: Old Navy (DIYed by me)

When my roommate and I first started planning our senior spring break trip, we knew we absolutely wanted to go to Universal Studios in Orlando. Harry Potter has been such a bonding experience for us since we first met freshman year (she literally read the entire series to me out loud because I had never read them before), so seeing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was priority number one. Disney was sort of an add on because my roommate had never been, and I hadn’t been in 4-5 years. Due to budget constraints, we decided to buy tickets for one day at Universal Studios and Island of Adventure so that we could experience the entirety of Harry Potter World, and the one day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom because it’s a classic, duh! In all seriousness, we chose Magic Kingdom because it had the most rides and attractions that we wanted to do.

Once everything was booked, I immediately started planning outfits in my head. Although let’s be real, I’ve been planning these in my head for months.

For Universal I went for a modern day Hogwarts student vibe, and personally I think I nailed it. In case you were wondering, I’m a Gryffindor. Shout out to my fellow Gryffindors! I’ve had this Hogwarts t-shirt for awhile now, and was grateful for the excuse to wear it! I paired it with this black circle skirt so that I could be comfortable and still look cute (don’t worry, I wore shorts underneath it!) The weather while we were at Universal was very stormy, and we actually experienced a few showers while we were there. Because of this my denim jacket not only completed the outfit, but also came in handy. I love how the patches and pins just added some color and personality to my outfit. To finish the look I brought my cream, leather backpack.

By far, this park was more than I could have ever hoped for. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was absolutely magic. It truly felt like we had been transported to Hogwarts. Because of the weather, it was not busy at all. We barely had to wait for any rides, and the experience was completely worth it.

T-Shirt: Disney Store (old) Shorts: Old Navy Jacket: Old Navy (DIYed by me) Ears: Disney (obviously)

We went to Disney the day after the storm, so it was much cooler due to the cold front that the weather brought in. Yet another reason I was glad I brought my denim jacket. I have had this Alice in Wonderland t-shirt for so long. Luckily it still fit and came in handy for this Disney inspired outfit. I paired it with these peachy pink linen shorts from Old Navy to bring out the pink in the shirt. My goal as soon as I got into Magic Kingdom was to find the perfect pair of ears to go with my outfit. I definitely lucked out, because these vintage Minnie Mouse inspired ears matched the colors in my outfit perfectly.

As far as the day went, it was really nice outside which was great. However, because of this is was crazy crowded. We waited 2 hours for one ride. TWO HOURS! It was brutal. But when we got to watch Cinderella’s Castle light up at the end of the day it was so magical that it melted all our stress from the day away and made it all worth it.

Overall, I had an amazing time over spring break. This trip was a long time coming, and I’m so glad my roommate and I finally did it. Even though we were exhausted by the end of it (and a little broke) I believe that the memories we made were one’s that will last.

So what did you do over spring break? Have you ever been to Universal Studios or Disney World? If so, what was your favorite thing about it? Let me know in the comments down below!

See you guys next week!

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: Waiting for Spring

Published on March 15, 2018October 23, 2019 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; I’m ready for spring. I know it feels like it’s right around the corner, and technically it is because the spring equinox is next week. But some days are still too cold to whip out the floral dresses and sandals. If you are like me, and you just can’t wait until it stays warm so you can start wearing dresses and skirts then look no further. Today’s look is about just that; how to wear a dress or skirt in early spring.

Sweater: Old Navy (old)(similar here and here) Skirt: TJ Maxx (similar here and here) Bag: Vintage Belt: Ann Klein

For this outfit, I wore this amazing, brightly striped sweater that has been on repeat since I got it. The colors in this sweater make it the perfect piece to wear in the fall and winter, but also in early spring. Now when the whole midi length trend started I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but now I am a full supporter. This long, flowy skirt style is very flattering and girly. It honestly makes me feel like a princess. My inner child comes out, and I just want to twirl all day. While the thin material of the skirt doesn’t offer much protection from the cold winds, the thick knit sweater definitely helps balance it out. You could also add some tights or leggings under the skirt, or even a pair of tall boots; I love the 70s vibes of that look!

Because the sweater is such a bold print and color, I toned it down by taking one of the neutral colors in the stripes and used that for the color of my skirt. I thought about wearing this skirt with the sweater untucked, which is a huge trend right now, but decided that it didn’t look very flattering on me. So I resorted to tucking the sweater into the skirt and belting it to further emphasize my waist. I thought the brown in the belt really complimented the rich tones in the sweater, and pulled the whole look together. Honestly, if you only listen to one clothing recommendation from me, please get yourself a sweater like this that can be worn almost all year round. Add some color, or keep it neutral, but definitely pick one that reflects your style and is versatile!

(Side note: we took some of these pictures inside the cutest little mansion in my home town. It was built in the early 1900’s and is now a museum/restaurant. How adorable is this bathroom!?)

Finally, to enhance the spring vibes of the outfit I wore these blush pink, tassel earrings which also pull out the pink stripes in the sweater. Because the sweater is so bold, I only wore a simple and delicate necklace with a hexagonal charm. I completed the look with this vintage, straw bag to add some texture, interest, and vintage charm. I know that straw bags were a huge trend all last spring and summer, and I doubt they will be going away anytime soon. If you are still on the hunt for one I would definitely check out Etsy. They have a ton of unique and cheaper alternatives. I stole this one from my mom who got it at a flea market, and it has quickly become my spring staple bag (sorry not sorry, mom!). If you do happen to get your hands on a straw bag, especially if it is vintage, keep in mind that they aren’t the most durable. But if you take care of them, they can last you a lifetime.

That’s all I have for this week, guys! Also, my Spring Break starts this weekend so if you want to keep up on all the adventures be sure to follow me on Instagram (@kendallshea22). My roommate and I are planning on going to Orlando for Universal Studios and Disney World. We couldn’t be more excited!

What are your plans for Spring Break? Are you just as excited for spring as me? Let me know in the comments down below.

Until next week!

Love, Kendall

5 Tips For When You Are Feeling Uninspired

Published on March 9, 2018 by kendallshea221 Comment

Hello guys! It’s been a bit since I last updated the blog. This delay is actually part of the reason I decided to talk about today’s topic: inspiration. More specially, feeling UN-inspired. These past couple of weeks have been busy, stressful, and exhausting. All of these things resulted in me feeling lost, uninspired, and in a bit of a rut.

Because of all of this, I decided to go on a bit on a social media black out. I knew I needed to get my life sorted and find my inspiration again. Below, I’ll be sharing with you the things I learned that helped me get my groove back.

Bedding: Target Jacket (without patches and pins): Old Navy Patches and Pins: Etsy Camera: Vintage

1. Relax! Don’t Stress About It.

One of the biggest problems I encountered during my rut, was that I was constantly getting in my own head and stressing myself out in unnecessary ways. I felt like as a blogger and content creator, I needed to be constantly posting, both on the blog and on social media. So if I wasn’t posting, or my posts weren’t as successful as I thought they should be, then I was failing. This mentality is never healthy, but especially not when you are trying to find that spark that got you started in the first place. So my advice, learn from my mistakes. You are not required to be in a state of constant success. In fact, it is perfectly healthy and understandable to take breaks when needed. Your mental and emotional well being is more important than the amount of likes you get on Instagram. It took a while for me to fully realize and accept this, but once I did I knew I wasn’t going to forget it anytime soon.

2. Ask Questions And Get Advice.

Another thing that I am always struggling with is learning to ask for help and taking criticism and advice. In this industry it is very important to be open to opportunities to learn and grow. As someone who is fairly new to the world of blogging and content creating, I am constantly learning from my mistakes. However, it is also important for me to learn from the mistakes of those who have been here before.

It took me awhile but once I realized that I wasn’t going to get out of this inspiration rut by myself, I started asking family, friends, people who read my blog, and fellow bloggers for advice. The thing about advice is that it can either be general or specific depending on your relationship with the advice giver. But regardless of the specificity of the advice, you always have something to be gained. The people around you are there to help for a reason, and when you feel like you are lost in a tunnel and you can’t see the way out, they are able to see things that you can’t and offer insight from a different perspective.

3. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others.

On a different note, it is important to consider that you are not the person next to you. According to that self deprecating voice in your head there will always be someone better at it than you. I know it’s hard to get out of this mindset, and we are all capable of backsliding, but we need to remember that no one is perfect. You are your own person; no matter how hard you try you will never be them. It’s okay to take inspiration from the people that you admire and look up to, but you have to remember that at the end of the day you are you. And there’s nothing wrong with being you.

Comparing yourself to others will only end badly for you. It will leave you feeling inadequate, and nothing will ever compare to that image you have in your head. We are our own worst critics, and I think it’s time that we start looking at everything through the lens of reality instead of the lens of societal expectations and ideals. I’ll leave you with this: be successful on your own terms and not anyone else’s.

4. Surround Yourself With Things That Encourage Creativity.

If you see something that inspires you, save it. Pin it on a board. Take a picture. Make sure you look at it everyday. I have started doing this, and it is amazing how inspired and creative I started feeling when I focused on the things that made me happy, instead of the things I thought I had to do in order to be successful. Suddenly I knew what I wanted to do, I knew what content I wanted to focus on, and I had all of these ideas. I was starting to feel inspired again, and it was amazing!

5. Be True To Yourself!

The final point I am going to talk about is being true to yourself and your personality. Focus on the things that make you happy and people will relate to it. Being yourself will make others want to do the same. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you truly understand who you are as a person, the things that motivate you, and the things that bring you joy, inspiration will follow. It may not be as simple as it sounds, and it’s going to be different for everyone, but I promise that if you focus on this the rest will eventually fall into place.

I hope that this helps anyone who may be feeling stressed, or like your life is in a rut and that no matter what you do you are still uninspired. You are not alone.

I know that I focused on inspiration and how it relates to the life of a blogger, but I feel like these are basic life lessons that can be relevant to any walk of life. If you have any tips of your own for when you are feeling uninspired, let me know in the comments down below!

See you next week!

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Published on February 14, 2018 by kendallshea221 Comment

Hello everyone! I know that Valentine’s Day is such a polarizing subject; you either love it or you hate. But for me, regardless of my relationship status, I tend to be pretty neutral. Valentine’s Day is a great time to be with loved ones, romantic or not, and treat yourself and those around you to something special. For me, today is a pretty normal day full of work, class, and blogging. However, I plan on treating myself to one of my favorite meals and a night of relaxing and watching some of my favorite shows. There’s also something special about telling those closest to you how much you love them and what they mean to you. Regardless of your feelings on Valentine’s Day, I hope you enjoy today’s post.

Sweater: H&M Jeans: Old Navy Booties: Old Navy (similar here) Silk Scarf: Vintage Purse: BCBG Max Azria Glasses: Kenneth Cole

I’m sure if you have been on social media at all today you have probably seen tons of sappy posts full of the colors pink and red. When I was planning this shoot I realized I don’t really have a lot of pink or red, and to be honest, it’s not really my style. So instead, I came up with this casual, toned down look that takes a little inspiration from today’s romantic holiday.

Okay but this scarf! I was antiquing with my family in Arkansas one day, and I fell in love with it. It’s made in Italy and has a beautiful, romantic Victorian scene on it with a blush pink outline. I knew that even if I didn’t find the courage to wear it, it would be worth it just to own and admire.

But I decided I couldn’t leave it at that. It felt like a great disservice to this beautifully made scarf to sit in my closet and not show it off. So I decided to style it. This required a lot of research on Pinterest about what to wear it with and how to tie it. I ended up tying the scarf in a very French inspired way and went with a simple outfit, because I wanted the scarf to be the statement piece.

Here’s how I tied this scarf, in case you were wondering.

Start with a square scarf
Fold the square in half to form a triangle
Roll the bottom of the triangle in 1-1 1/2 inch folds until about half way up the scarf
Take the long folded ends, and with the remaining triangle in the front of your neck, wrap the ends around the back of your neck
Pull the ends in front of your neck, and tie them in a knot over the triangle
Adjust and tighten as needed

Sorry if that is confusing to you. I tried to explain it as best as possible. Just think of it like a fancy bandanna!

I paired this scarf with this cream sweater from H&M. I thought about wearing it with a striped sweater, but decided this solid one looked better with the colors in the scarf. To keep the colors in the outfit light and pastel, I wore my light blue denim jeans with distressing at the ankle. This little detail, along with these snakeskin booties, really pulled the look together. I just love the subtlety of the muted colors and little details. For me, its a simple outfit that really packs a stylistic and unexpected punch.

Although I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day, or bright pink and red outfits, I feel like this look accomplishes the task of being a slightly festive Valentine’s outfit, while also being something you could wear any other day of the year and no one would find it outrageous. Like me, this outfit celebrates Valentine’s Day in the most neutral way possible. Maybe that’s why I love it so much…

I wish you all a wonderful Valentine’s Day, whether you are as single as a Pringle, or happily in a relationship. Hold the ones you love a little tighter than normal today, and carry that love on passed today. Because the ones we love deserve more than just one day a year, am I right?

I’ll see y’all next week!

Love, Kendall

Three Items You Can Transition from Winter to Spring

Published on February 9, 2018 by kendallshea222 Comments

It’s that time of the year again! The time of the year when one day feels like we are in the middle of winter, and the next day feels like spring is in the air. It can be very difficult to know what to wear this time of the year, especially when you want to wear something cute and trendy without freezing. Below I am going to show you three of my favorite items, how I style them now, and how I’ll be wearing them once it’s warmer.

Shirt: Old Navy Skirt Old Navy (similar here) Purse: BCBG Hat: Target (similar here) Booties: Old Navy (similar here)

First off, this skirt! I have been obsessed with this skirt all fall and winter, and I just know that I’m going to get some more use out of it once spring starts. I love pairing it with black and white. I’ve never been one to shy away from pairing neutrals together, and when done right, black and brown can look very chic. I wore it with tights to help keep me warm, and these black ankle booties. When it starts getting warmer, I plan on wearing it with graphic tees and sneakers or ankle booties (sans tights), or even light weight blouses. Even though the skirt is (faux) suede, the material is quite thin and comfortable, and I think when paired with colors like cream, blush pink, or even light blue it will instantly look more spring-y.

To me this silky shirt is an instant classic in my wardrobe. I know most people would say that a white button down is a must have, but for me a pin stripe button down is just as versatile and much more my personal style. I’ve always been a fan of stripes, and the vertical stripes on this blouse are flattering on any body type! The material has a silky finish that gives it a vintage 60s and 70s vibe. I paired it with my suede button down skirt to play off of that vintage look. In the spring, I plan on wearing this shirt with a denim skirt, shorts, or boyfriend jeans and then sandals or mules.

The last piece in this outfit is this newsboy/baker boy/caddy hat. This style of hat has been such a huge trend lately, and the funniest thing is that I’ve had this hat for years! When I was younger, I was constantly buying hats and then never wearing them because I was too worried about what people would think. It has taken a lot of conscious effort, but I have slowly started to erase this mindset. So when this look started making it’s rounds on Instagram and fashion blogs, I knew I had to break this old hat out. Plus it saved me some money! Even though this hat has a very fall and winter look to it, I plan on wearing it throughout the early stages of spring with graphic tees, boyfriend jeans, denim skirts, and sneakers. If styled correctly, this hat can add an interesting element to a casual outfit.

I styled the rest of this look with these delicate, dangly earrings, and vintage, gold bow necklace. This necklace is actually my Grandma’s! She gave it to me recently when she noticed me admiring it. I love the statement it adds to every outfit. My Grandma certainly has style. Thanks Grandma!

I know Groundhog’s Day has come and gone, and according to the groundhog we are supposed to have more winter weather coming our way, but I can’t stop thinking of all the spring outfits I want to wear. Guess, we will all have to wait. Hopefully this post helped you see your winter faves in a new light, so you can style them in spring as transitional outfits!

Until next time!

Love, Kendall