Current Favorites

I can’t believe it’s 2019, and January is already almost over! Where has the time gone? If you’re anything like me, you probably started this year super motivated to make some lifestyle changes, like most people are at the beginning of a new year. However, the second I mess up or put things off for another day, I start to feel like a failure and tomorrow turns into next week or next month. I hate to say this, because it seems like lately everyone has their crap together, but I am a mess. I have sat down in an attempt to write this blog post several times over the past couple of weeks, but fear and anxiety of it not being good enough, kept me from accomplishing it and continuously putting it off.

But that’s not how I want my 2019 to go. So I’m going to focus on the positives today by sharing with you some of the things I have been loving lately. These things have inspired me, motivated me, and kept me entertained over the past couple of weeks.

Beauty Favorites

Silk Scarves: Vintage Jewelry and Hair Clips: Vintage Hair Care: Ouai

Since chopping my hair into a bob, learning how to manage and style my new haircut has been a journey. I love the length and color, I think it comes off super chic and fashionable. However, my hair tends to lay flat and sticks to my head like an unflattering helmet, so movement, texture, and volume have been my biggest hair goals.

Thanks to my Sephora Beauty Insider points, I was able to get my hands on some samples from the hair care brand Ouai, and they have been life changing to say the least. The samples included a leave in conditioner that makes my hair look soft and healthy, a finishing creme that cuts my drying time in half, a hair oil that adds the perfect amount of shine, and the texturizing spray that is like my favorite dry shampoo and hair spray had a baby. A combination of these products has helped me learn exactly how to style my hair into the wavy bob of my dreams. I may have to repurchase all of these products in full sized bottles (that is if funds allow).

Speaking of styling my new hair, I have been loving the vintage touch of hair accessories lately. Whether it be the hint of glamour with a bejeweled hair clip, or the flash of pattern with a silk hair scarf. I am all about accessorizing, and hair accessories are my latest obsession. I feel like they complete a look, and add a fashionable detail to even the plainest outfits.

Last on my Beauty Favorites list will come as no surprise to those that know me. I have not been able to stop wearing them. I’m talking about the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bombs. We all know that Kylie Jenner helped add to the hype of matte liquid lipsticks. I used to wear them religiously. After a while though I got sick of the drying damage it did to my lips. Thus Fenty Beauty lip glosses walked into my life, and changed it forever. Now hardly a day goes by that I don’t have one of the shades on my lips. They are the perfect product to layer over any lipstick to add some of that glossy, moisturizing shine. Plus they give me early 2000s vibes in the best way!

Fashion Favorites

Hat: Target

If you follow me on Instagram, the items in this category will not surprise you at all because they have been repeatedly featured in my pictures. I never used to be a hat person. In fact, growing up I would always convince my mom to buy hats for me and then proceed to never wear them because “they didn’t look good on me.” I wanted to be the kind of person that looked good in hats, but I just wasn’t. That, however, has changed now. I’m not sure if it has more to do with my new hair cut and color, or the fact that I have grown into a much more confident adult, but I love wearing hats now. My absolute favorite hats are berets, but I also love my baker boy/newspaper boy hats. They add a finished look to a lot of my outfits, whether that be through a splash of color or pattern or just covering up my bad hair day.

Another Fashion Favorite of mine, as you can probably tell by the above photos, is my large, gold initial necklace. It’s almost an exact dupe for the old Celine one that everyone and their dog had late last year, but for a fraction of the price.

Speaking of fraction of the price, I have been super into thrifting lately! Not only is it great for the environment, but it’s great for the wallet too. I snagged this colorful Lucky Brand sweater while on vacation in Florida, and it has quickly become a staple in my winter wardrobe.

Another piece I haven’t been able to stop wearing? these wide leg, leopard print pants. I never would have thought that I’d fall in love with such a wild (ha, “wild” get it?) pair of pants, and yet here we are. They are beyond comfortable, and I feel amazing every time I wear them.


Pants: Lane Bryant
Blazer: Target

Although the blazer trend has been in the forefront of runways and street style alike, I was never one to hop on the train because I simply thought I didn’t look good in them. I would buy a professional looking blazer to wear to job interviews and the like, but then when I tried to style it any other way it just looked weird. Ever since, I had been on the hunt for a plaid blazer that I could wear everyday. Then I found this one, and the rest is history.

Purse: Karl Lagerfeld

Last but not least is my new designer baby. This purse was a Christmas gift, and I couldn’t be more in love with it. The quality is amazing, it goes well with everything in my closet, and I know it is going to be a forever item. This is the first purse that I own that I would consider “designer” and I plan to treasure it. You can definitely expect that this won’t be the last time you see her. (Side note: I’ve noticed a lot of people name their designer handbags. Is this totally weird or totally genius? What do you think I should name mine?)

Miscellaneous Favorites

Fitbit Alta: Fitbit.com

This last category is for things that I have been loving lately that are technology, pop culture, or food related. Another gift I received for Christmas was a Fitbit Alta. I had been wanting a smart watch for awhile now, and when the Alta went on sale for Cyber Monday, I made sure to notify my parents. I absolutely love it, and because the style is slim and black, it goes with everything. Another technology item that has been changing my life recently is my WaterPik. I’ll admit, I have never been very consistent with my flossing. And with the advice of my dentist, I decided it was time to invest in a water flosser. Lucky for me, this particular model is cordless and relatively inexpensive. Needless to say, it has changed the game for me.

These last couple of things are pop culture related, and if you know me well you can probably already guess them because I haven’t been able to shut up about them. The first is the new movie Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. If you haven’t seen this masterpiece of a film yet, then run (don’t walk) to your nearest theater and buy a ticket. I truly don’t think I can put into words how amazing this movie is. It even won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film! Let me end by saying this, the second the end credits rolled, my brother and I wanted to buy tickets again and go see it the next day.

One more to go! Well technically two. These last two are both albums, and I have not been able to stop listening to them since they were released. The first one is Trench by Twenty-One Pilots and the second one is Sweetener by Ariana Grande. If you haven’t heard of either one of these albums, then I’m sorry but you must be living under a rock. In my opinion they are both of these artists greatest work. Cohesively, each song on these albums tells a story. If you have not listened to them, then I highly recommend you do so from start to finish. It’s the best way to enjoy them fully.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I feel like it’s been a long one. If you’re still reading this, congratulations, you made it to the end! I hope you enjoyed reading about some of the things that have gotten me through this New Year slump. What are some of the things you have been loving lately? I’d love to hear about them!

And don’t worry, I have tons of content planned for 2019. I appreciate your patience, and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Until next time!

Love, Kendall

Five Last Minute Holiday Outfits

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

No, I’m not talking about Christmas necessarily. I’m talking about the time of the year where you and everyone you know put on your most festive and sparkly outfit and post cute pics on Instagram to stunt on all your haters, am I right?

Although that may not be your exact reasoning, the majority of people spend their holidays surrounding by family, friends, and holiday parties. And if you have any Instagram presence at all, you probably post a picture to commemorate the occasion. Or in my case, the outfit haha.

And if you are anything else like me, you probably wait until the very last minute to pick your holiday outfit. Well today, on Christmas Eve Eve, I am here to hopefully prevent the ill fated combination of procrastination, stress, and sequin covered clothing. Below I am going to share five of my favorite festive outfits that are perfect for all types of holiday occasions! Hopefully, these outfits inspire you to stop procrastinating on any future holiday outfits. Worst case scenario, at least I got to wear some super fun outfits, take cute pictures, and post them on Instagram.

Sweater: Old Navy Scarf: old Belt: DKNY Leggings: JCPenney Boots: Steve Madden

Outfit 1: Going to See Christmas Lights with Bae

I’m going to be honest with you for a second, I only added this outfit because I wanted an excuse to wear a big fluffy scarf. Problem is that I don’t like going outside, and I can promise that you will be way too hot if you wear this indoors. So this outfit, while cute, is for those rare occasions when you go look at the Christmas lights around town with your family, or when you go ice skating with your bae.

I will be doing none of those this year, mostly because when I post this I will be arriving in sunny Florida for the holidays. But ya know, if you’re looking for the perfect outfit to wear out in the cold that also gives you an excuse to snuggle with your man, I wouldn’t blame you. It’s the perfect combination of festive colors and comfortable fabrics. Plus the cinched in waist and all black pants makes your legs look long and your waist line more flattering. See? I got your back.

Shirt: Thrifted Skirt: Old Navy Shoes: Boots

Outfit 2: Christmas Dinner with the Family

If you’ve been following me and the blog for long enough, then you know that this skirt always makes it’s way out this time of the year. I love the bright red buffalo plaid and the warmth of the wool material. Since it’s a little on the mini side, and like me you probably have relatives that judge you for wearing ripped jeans let alone a short skirt, I suggest pairing it with opaque tights.

This look is a level above jeans and a shirt, but it’s still very comfortable. And considering how much food we are all bound to eat on Thanksgiving 2.0 aka Christmas Dinner, I opted for a loose shirt instead of a form fitting one. Whatever it takes to hide the food baby!

Sweater: Old Navy Skirt: JCPenney Shoes: Franco Sarto Purse: Vintage

Outfit 3: A Very “Corporate” Christmas

When most people thing of work holiday parties, they probably think of boring outfits and meaningless small talk. But that doesn’t have to be the case. I have always been a firm believer in wearing fashionable outfits to work. Maybe it’s the stylist in me, but professional clothing doesn’t have to be plain or boring, and as long as you are following the dress code it doesn’t hurt to stand out and be confident.

While this outfit is a little more on the “safe” side, the details are what really makes this outfit pop. I decided to keep the color palette of this simple with black and white and hints of gold. The added texture and shine of the leather skirt creates interest, and even though the heels are not very high the gold embroidery makes them stand out. The sweater adds pattern and warmth, and the the gold necklace stands out on the high neck of the sweater. My favorite piece, however, is the gold, beaded antique bag. I own many antique and vintage bags, and I love them because they are so different and unique. Definitely a conversation starter too!

Sweater: Thrifted Skirt: Burlington Shoes: Nine West Clutch: old

Outfit 4: That Fancy Holiday Party You Never Thought You’d Be Invited To

Am I the only one that thought when you became an adult you would always have super fancy holiday parties to go to? Maybe I just watched too many movies, or maybe I’m just not at that stage of life yet. Either way, I am highly disappointed. Maybe next year I’ll throw a fancy holiday party for all my friends. After all, sometimes we need to work for the things we want.

Until then, I’ll continue to be overdressed for all my “regular” holiday parties. Any excuse to wear this gorgeous floor length, pattered, silk skirt. Doesn’t it just scream “Merry Christmas!” Since the skirt is thin, I wore it with a red sweater to bring out the color in the skirt and add some warmth. Throw on some heels, gold jewelry, and an embroidered clutch, and you’re good to go! That is if you have somewhere to go haha.

Dress: Old Navy Shoes: Old Navy Turtleneck: Old Navy Fanny Pack: Amazon

Outfit 5: When You Just Want to be Extra for the Holidays

This last look doesn’t have a partially occasion attached to it. In fact it doesn’t really have a rhyme or reason to it, apart from me just wanting to look super cute and extra for the holidays. Also I just got this red beret and I think I’m in love.

Sometimes when the holiday spirit hits you just right you have to go all out with color, pattern, accessories, and even poses. I layered the striped turtleneck under the dress to add a little extra pattern, and personally I love the way plaid looks with stripes. The belt bag/fanny pack not only worked to cinch in my waist in an otherwise waistless dress, but it also added an element of fun with the gold beetle and lion studs. The red beret is really the finishing touch here, though. I feel like without it, the outfit just wouldn’t look complete. I must admit, my outfits don’t always turn out the way they look in my mind, but this one turned out even better than I could have imagined!

Well, I hate to the the bearer of bad news but that’s the end of the holiday content on the blog. I hope you got some fashion inspiration, holiday inspiration, or a little bit of both. Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, and I’ll see you next time!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Love, Kendall

Christmas Home Decor Tour + Tips

Hello guys and Merry Christmas!

I know its’s not technically Christmas yet, but in exactly one week from today it will be, so that’s got to count for something right?

Anyways, today is the start of holiday content on the blog, and since I’ve been so inconsistent with posting lately (I know I’m the worst but I’m working on it!) I am planning on making this week a double post week! So you can expect this post today and another holiday themed post this weekend!

One of my favorite holiday traditions is when my family watches the movie White Christmas while we put up and decorate the tree. It’s been a tradition for as long as I can remember. My mom and I sing and dance to the “Sisters” song, and my brother and Dad pretend to care haha.

Needless to say that decorating the house for Christmas has always been one of my favorite things to do this time of the year, and I wanted to share that process with you, as well as a few tips on how to decorate your home on a budget!

1. Update Existing Decor with Holiday Touches

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to decorating for Christmas, besides the tree, I would suggest you focus on updating your coffee table, dinner room table, shelves, and other surfaces with holiday related items. This can be as simple as switching out a picture frame for a holiday saying, or adding a dish for holiday candy. If you have the space, clear off an entire dresser top, mantle, or accent table off and use it to create a nativity scene, display a winter village, arrange your holiday plates, or (like my mom always does) a show off of your collection of snowmen figurines.

2. Use What You Have

If you are on a budget, a great idea is to use Christmas cards as holiday decor. Just keep cards you really like, or go buy some, and frame them around your house. It’s super simple, and a whole lot cheaper than most holiday decorations at the store. Another easy tip is to use pine cones, holly, jingle bells, Christmas ornaments, and cinnamon sticks in your decorations. Not only are all of these things super affordable, but they are also incredibly versatile. Simply add any of them to a bowl, plate, or any other decorative container, and you’re good to go! Bonus points if you use multiple types of these items together.

3. Don’t be afraid to DIY

Even if you aren’t a self proclaimed DIY Queen, don’t be afraid to try a simple project, like a custom wreath. Get inspiration from sites like Pinterest if you’re wanting to follow directions, or come up with your own ideas. If you are able to incorporate things you already own, even better! Honestly, there’s nothing greater than creating your own decorations. You get to make something you could never find in store, and even though it may take some time and work, oftentimes it can be much cheaper than store bought alternatives. Plus you get the satisfaction that you made something you can proudly display in your own home.

The best thing about decorating for the holidays is your house never has to look the exact same way twice! Around here, we are constantly changing things up, adding new finds or creations, or just experimenting. I hope you take these tips and inspiration and use them to create your ideal Christmas home decor!

I’ll see you guys later this week for another holiday related post. Until then, Merry (early) Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Love, Kendall

My Summer in Film + Life Update

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 last 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

Today’s Look: Home for the Holidays

Well Merry Christmas, y’all!

I know it’s been a long time since I posted anything new. But after the past couple of months I’ve had, this break was much needed. As some of you may know, earlier this year I severely injured my knee, which resulted in surgery and physical therapy. After that, I decided to continue my hiatus for personal reasons which I will share in a following blog post. Needless to say this year has been rough for me, but I’m just glad to be surrounded by the ones I love for the holidays and to be one semester closer to graduation. I plan on getting back into a routine of sharing these moments with you through blog posts.

But enough about the past, let’s talk about the present (ha, present…Christmas…see what I did there?)

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Sweater: Old Navy (similar here and here) Skirt: Old Navy (similar here) Boots: Steve Madden (similar here for 40% off!) Coat: Cato (similar here and here)

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For this outfit, I went with something that was festive, without being straight up Christmas-y. I got this red plaid skirt on clearance, but the weather had started to warm up, so I didn’t get much wear out of it until recently. I love the pop of color it brings to an otherwise dreary outfit. I paired it with this light grey turtleneck sweater to add some contrast to the overall dark tones of this outfit. Of course I had to add these thigh high boots and coat to provide some warmth, because while I may be in Oklahoma, it can get very chilly this time of year.

I chose the boots, because they cover up my legs without having to wear tights (although you could add some if you wanted to) and then the coat was added to make the outfit seem more cohesive and festive. If you are in the market for a new coat this year, then I definitely suggest something in a bright and bold color. In the winter, we tend to cover up our outfits with big bulky coats, so why not make the coat itself a fashion statement by picking something fun.

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No matter what circumstances are surrounding you this holiday season, I hope that you find even the smallest moments of happiness. I know that for many Christmas is a time for family, but don’t forget to take some time for yourself to reflect, rest, and find peace. And most of all, enjoy every moment you can. Savor it. Tell the people around you how much they mean to you. Look forward to the things God has in store.

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Merry Christmas, everyone! And Happy Holidays!

Love, Kendall

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This is HOME(coming)

 

I remember when I first started packing for college. My mom kept trying to get me to pack all of my clothes up. At this point, I (very dramatically) flopped onto my bed and refused to move. Now to this day, I don’t know if I meant I was never going to get up from my bed or if I was never going to move out of my house and into my college dorm. It was most likely the latter. I say all of this because of the reason I was so scared to move. I thought that moving to a place that I didn’t know full of people I didn’t know wouldn’t feel like home. And because I wasn’t living at home, and everything was moving on without me back home, I was afraid that home wouldn’t feel like home anymore. I was afraid that I would have two “homes” that didn’t feel like home.

 

 

Now I have realized that I have the privilege to have two homes that both feel like home. I walk around campus and feel like this is where I belong. I plan on going home on the weekends, and find myself saying how much I can’t wait to go home. When I’m talking with my friends from back home, I tell them all about what college is like and I find myself calling it home. That’s the thing about college, I guess. If you’re in the right place and make the right friends, you begin to feel less homesick and a little more at home.

Now that I’ve said all that mushy gushy stuff, let’s talk about AMERICA’S GREATEST HOMECOMING!

 

 

Homecoming is quite the event here at OSU, and it did not disappoint. The Friday night before Homecoming, they had what’s called the Walk Around. For months the Greek houses had been pomping and working on decorations to put in front of their houses. They were up the whole night before finishing them. I do not over exaggerate when I say that they put their lives into these decorations. And all that time was not wasted. As we walked around Greek Row, I gawked at the giant structures made out of tissue paper and chicken wire. (Just in case you were lost, this process is called pomping.)

I know. Amazing. Tissue paper and chicken wire. Crazy.

Anyways. Walk Around was incredibly crowded. On one to many occasions, I had to grab the back of my friend’s shirt while my friend behind me had to grab my purse strap so we wouldn’t lose each other in the crowd. There were plenty of things to do besides look at the decorations. There were tons of little shops selling OSU merchandise, booths trying to raise money by getting people to play a game, a dunk tank, and food trucks galore. I actually ended up eating at this great food truck that sold fried pies.

 

That, my friends, is a peanut butter, chocolate, banana pie. It was delicious.

After the Walk Around we headed to the basketball arena to watch Hoops for Homecoming, a basketball exhibition/pep rally. I don’t know how they did it, but those sorority girls and frats guys had enough energy after all night pomp to be fired up at the pep rally. I suspect Red Bull might have helped there. It was fantastic.

The next day I went to the game and although it was over 90 degrees outside and I almost passed out (I kid you not), I had so much fun. I had this overwhelming feeling that this is where I belong. This is my family. This is my home. And even though we lost, I will never forget experiencing my first OSU homecoming with my Cowboy Family.

Go Pokes!