The Faux Fur Vest

I took the plunge (albeit late) and bought a faux fur vest. I saw the one I wanted in a store in our mall called "XSRE". There isn't much about it online, but it JUST opened up in the mall. It's primarily all accessories (get the name? Admittedly it took us awhile...) with a few clothing type items but almost all forever21 caliber baubles. 

This Club Monaco version is the closest match I could find to mine, but mine's darker brown. I was feeling inspired after my friend Alli had visited me and worn her knockout one. After that I was hooked. I was on the hunt! I finally found mine and it's VERY loose fitting, one-size-fits-all type deal but I really like it. It's a little late in the season to be starting to wear it, but I'm looking forward to trying it at least through January. Here's hoping (but not really) that there are still a few cold days in there!

What do y'all think of this fur vest trend? How do you wear your vests?

xxKatie

Getting Closer!

Carolina Cup season is close to that of a holiday. There's this big build up for a day long event. There's special dress, a special place it's celebrated, and fun, food, and drinks are all involved. All the makings of a holiday. Clearly there's a special order of steps necessary for Cup:

Step 1: Dress

The dress is the most important part. From the dress you can decide everything else: hat, shoes, accessories, cooler, date's outfit, etc.

Step 2: Hat

People don't mess around with hats, we mean business. I wore a simple, small hat last year with a white bow that I made myself. It really looked good and matched my dress. It was a popular hat, and my friend and Cup buddy (we both slightly ditched our dates, which we can now admit to, almost a year later) Colleen and I actually ended up with the same hat:

This year I'll be wearing the hat above. Would you ever guess it's from FOREVER21?! I know, crazy right?

Step 3: Accessories

Your accessories totally depend on your dress and hat. If you have a plain hat, dress it up with bold accessories? Have a loud hat or dress: keep it simple or go without! Last year I had a bright dress, plain hat and went with a standard string of pearls. This year I'll have my hat and dress with that funky neckline, so I'll have to work on the rest very soon!

Step 4: Jacket

Often forgotten, a jacket or windbreaker of some sort is ESSENTIAL. Our bus got to Cup on the very early side and the grass was still dewy and it was windy. I was also glad I had my jacket when we got closer to going home as well. 

How  many Cup steps have you taken so far? The big day is getting closer and closer!

xxKatie

Accessories Essentials: Gold & Pearls

Hmm, say that five times fast! Betcha can't--too many S's! Speaking of too many S's, try the world's HARDEST tongue twister:

The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

No matter how many times I try, I can't get it right. And it's not like it's any certain word or spot. Every time I seem to mess it up in a different spot!!

Anyway, I've been browsing accessories like CRAZY these days! Here are some of my recent faves:

Kate Spade

This is my absolute favorite I've seen in awhile! I know this isn't a new piece by Kate S., but I love it!!

Fornash

I have this guy and I've worn it so many times! Even better tip, wear it doubled up!

Loren Hope Designs

Forever 21

Aubepine via Etsy

Kate Spade

Danielle Stevens

I have recently been LOVING gold and pearls and the combination of BOTH! How about you? Do you like gold for summer and fall?

xxKatie

Forever21 Headband Steals!

While I was at home, I managed to go shopping with my mom and sister BEFORE Black Friday! I didn't snag too much, but I got a few good picks from forever21:

LOVE this rosette headband! Even better--it was only $3.80! My roommate Megan loves headbands like this, so I'm sure she'll want to snag one too. The flowers are also in a good spot so it doesn't really matter which side you wear it on. I really like this neutral color too so I can wear it with pretty much anything!

I liked it so much that I got another one in grey! I see online that it also comes in black too!

Finally this was the last set I snagged. My gold headband was a little different though and it had a big woven bow on it! That headband even made it into the Christmas card! OOTD and actual photo to come in another post!

I also got a pair of blue leggings (that I wore with my Lilly Sadie dress) from f21, but they're the first pair of leggings I've ever worn! They sort of don't count though because I wore them under a dress with boots so they'd give off a look of tights. I did enjoy them however, and they were comfy. I still don't think I could wear them as "pants" but instead more like thick tights. 

I have a tacky Christmas party to attend Wednesday night (when my rookies "graduate") so I may end up wearing black leggings under a tacky sweater. We'll see though--it all depends on the length of everything!! I have to be so careful about that stuff.

I hope everyone had nice Thanksgiving weekends!

xxKatie

Fall & Winter Skirts on a Budget

I'm getting very into skirts for fall and winter. I'd much rather wear a skirt or dress with tights than pants. Sometimes it's not as warm and cozy, but I like the way it looks a lot! Here are a few of my choices for super cute skirts that won't kill your budget!

Forever21: $24.80

I love the mauve color for fall! It's so feminine!

Target: on sale for $17.48

I think this skirt looks way more expensive than about $18. Cute shoes too!

Old Navy: on sale for $25.00

Think of all the different tops that you could wear with this. The ruffles make it so much fun and festive!

Forever21: $19.80

How great would this be for the holidays? Lovin' that color with a black turtleneck or something!

Old Navy: on sale for $22.99

Corduroy is so great for colder temps. I have an awesome VV pink one and I wear it all the time! This brown is so versatile too! 

Forever21: $22.80

I'm such a bow fan and I this this looks great with those black pumps. Definitely an fan of this one!

Forever21: $15.80

I actually own this one and I love it! If you purchase this one though, be careful about what you wear under it (like tights) because the edges of the skirt pull a little on the material that tights are made of.

Target: $26.99

I think the basketweave in this is fabulous for winter time. I was out shopping with a friend of mine over the weekend and we saw a great jacket like this too at White House Black Market.

Agree? Where do you snag cute skirts?

xxKatie

Boots for Katie!

Over Fall Break when I was home, I did some shopping...a lot of shopping. We don't have a great mall here in Columbia, so when I go shopping, I'm pretty limited. I was just informed though, last week, that we're getting a forever21 in the closest mall (about 10 miles away) in the Winter-ish so I'm VERY excited! But, back to the boots! I got two pairs of boots at Rack Room shoes while I was home. I feel like I don't shop there often, but the last times I've been there I've been very successful. Anyone remember my birthday shoes:

Definitely Nine West via Rack Room

I also don't feel like I buy SHOES often. I'm always getting Jacks or some kind of summery sandal and rely pretty much on three or four pairs of Target flats from a few years ago (anyone remember Issac Mizrahi for Target...). I totally splurged and spent my entire last paycheck while I was at home, but I'm very happy I did it and don't regret it. I think I would have regretted more not buying the shoes. Here are my two (BOGO half off) boots:

The heel of this pair is higher than I'd usually buy, but I imagine wearing these out, maybe even with tights or something super fun! I've never owned any cowboy-inspired boots, but I'm lovin' these ones!

This pair is the one I'm most excited about! They are GREAT in person. Not plastic-y, and look wonderfully broken in. The details are not as silver as the photo looks and I think they look much more expensive than Rack Room. I've only worn them under jeans, but I really like the way they look. The color is super versatile too because it's a mix of brown and black. Worn with either color, the boots will pick up the rest of the outfit!

It's definitely too early for boots here in SC, but I can't wait for the fall weather to kick in so I can really get my money's worth out of them!!

xxKatie

Headband Love

I love L. Erickson Headbands! The Trixie Bow Headband is quite possibly my absolute favorite. My mom got me one that she found in a Marshalls or TJ Maxx along with a few others. I didn't know much about the brand until I looked at the tag and saw that it was a real company and not just the knockoff or junk. I have the champagne colored one and I wear it ALL the time. 

If I don't straighten or blow dry my hair, I'll pull it back in a lowish bun. I don't always like how plain that looks though, so I'll often throw on a headband to give it some kind of polish. I have a few go-to headbands that I wear a lot, but the L. Erickson is definitely one of my favorites, plus the neutral color coordinates with a lot of different outfits! I like skinny ones too for a more professional look and I think that both black and tortoise look very presentable. Here are a few of my favorites:

Forever21: I have 4 sets of these headbands and they're great! Sometimes they hurt my head, but I generally don't wear headbands all day anyway.

L. Erickson: I'm sure you could find this type of headband almost anywhere if you looked. They're so simple, and I had a great one from Claire's that even had little grippers that kept it in place, but I sat on it and it cracked (haha!).

Forever21: When I bought mine, I thought it only came with one, but I really like this headband set. The pearls look nice and then I really don't have to wear any other accessories!

L. Erickson: This again is very cute and I'm sure you could find something similar easily! I just love how fun and playful the shape is and it's part of their Ultracomfort line, so I'm sure it wouldn't hurt!

J. Crew: I like the neutral color of this headband, like the one I have. They're so wearable and the rhinestones add some flare! I have had a few J. Crew headbands, and my biggest piece of advice is to try them on in the store because sometimes the way they're displayed makes them take a funny shape. Also, check J. Crew outlets for headband STEALS, they always have them on the 30% or 40% off racks and counters!

L. Erickson (there are a lot of these): I've written about this bow before, but the Bit Headband so too cute! I love the gold and this would add such a great pop of color to any outfit! They have SO many to choose from!

Forever21: I have this is 2 metallic colors (copper and silver) and I wear them all the time. I'm not as fond of wrap headbands because they sometimes give you a funny bump in the back of your hair by your neck where the rubber band rides up a little. I do recommend forever21 for headbands though because they have great quality and tend not to hurt as much as some of my other headbands. 

J. Crew: This is actually from the little girls' section of J. Crew, but I've bought them before and they've fit fine. I really like the "statement" headbands. My friend Laura sometimes wears them and they always look cute, but I just haven't gotten the trick of them yet! Do you put the big embellishment on the side of your part with more hair or the side with less hair? I don't know...any advice is appreciated!

I know headbands were big when Gossip Girl started, but anyone else a headband fan? Where do you look to get yours?

xxKatie

Forever 21 a la Lilly?

I love the Shirley Sweater Coat that Lilly has for this season. In the past few lines, LP has has a sweater similar to this in all kinds of different colors depending on the prints that go along with that season. For fall LP put out white, pink salmon, shorely blue, and true navy for $168. There's also a larger version in a cable knit:

This Shere Cable Sweater Coat is quite too, but for $368 is far out of my price range. Even $168 is more than my monthly budget for extra spending that I allot myself. When I was shopping in Charlotte in forever21, I saw this adorable cardigan:

The ruffle detail is very hard to see, but this sweater looks EXACTLY like the Shirley Sweater Coat.

It's a little more clear in the creme color. Best part of all...just wait...this sweater was $13.50! The Medium fit my arms perfectly and these two sweaters will be great additions to my closet for fall as well as working at school. They're great neutrals that will match a lot. I think the creme one will look great with a great pair of dark jeans and with a brown belt that matches my Bandolino boots:

I couldn't get over how similar the two sweaters were and I never expected a store like forever21 to take cues from Lilly!!

xxKatie

Bags and Bows

Tonight, for the first time since I can't remember when, I went shopping for fun. I went with three friends, Joe, Laura and Aly (shoutout!) and we all got at least 1 item that were awesome buys! While shopping around, we stopped in Charlotte Russe (if you're willing to hunt a little, they have nice clothes for going out on a college student budget that you won't be heartbroken about if it gets spilled on/dirty/sweaty/generally yucky) and I saw these adorable bags:

I snapped a few photos in "real life" of the other colors: navy and grey jersey. What's better than a big ol' bag that feels like a sweatshirt with a bow?!

So much fun and on sale!! What a combo! It was such a fun night of complete relaxation and we all left much happier! I was glad we could all hang out together for a little while!

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: Studying for Calculus (Ew.)

July 19 by letsbepreppy featuring Vanessa Bruno tops

Today I have to study all day for a calculus test later tonight. I wanted to be super comfy and have my hair pulled back so I could concentrate. (Does anyone else do that to do important stuff? I always take tests with my hair pulled back in a ponytail, braid, or bun so that it doesn't distract me, and I've always done that.) I popped in an adorable black headband from Forever21 and I have about 5 different colors of that bow set (3 black, creme, pink, navy, and grey). I've also been meaning to post about that fabulous pink scarf from Old Navy! If you can get one or want one, they're on sale for about half price if they're in-stock at your store. I got mine awhile ago while I was at school but I've worn it a bunch. I think it looks like something you'd find at Anthropologie or maybe even spring-y J. Crew. I really like the pink (...shocker) but it comes in a bunch of other colors too. I know it's a lot of black in one outfit, but the pink brightens it up and the jewelry helps too. I just didn't want to be studying in a dress and then commuting to take my test. Shorts was an easy and comfortable way to go! I have a calculus test in almost 3 hours exactly, so I have to get back to studying, but I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!

xxKatie

Engagement! (This might be a teeny bit obnoxious...)

So my friend Mary Claire and I were shopping yesterday in forever21 (yes, this ridiculousness started in f21) and were inspired about engagement rings. We kept trying on huge ones and were determining what our favorite ones were (which mostly included the rings that still had their crystals glued in them...) and what our favorite shapes were. Naturally we both brought up Tiffany since it is too much fun to look them up and dream! Also, Sweet Home Alabama (a personal favorite of mine...) was on TV on TNT and we watched it together and reminisced about weddings and planning and all that stuff. Absolutely adorbs (and horribly unrealistic, I'm well aware):

When I got home from shopping, I got home and popped on the T&CO website just for fun to see which ones were my favorites. I narrowed it down to these babies:

Tiffany Novo

Round Brilliant Square Cut

Round Brilliant with Bead Set

Now I know that this is a little obnoxious (and people are probably reading like "GIRL PLEASE YOU NEED A MAN FIRST") but a girl can dream, can't she? This is all in good fun-they're just too fun to look at!

xxKatie

Pink Inspired!

So its quite the time for sorority formals and proms to roll around and I have many friends who are attending either one! I remember prom season and now learning all about formal season here in college, so I was feeling inspired to find some dress options. I think it is very fun to be able to wear short dresses these days too, so here a few of my favorite PINK and SHORT dress options for many types of spring functions!!

Forever21: loving the one-shoulder effect! My mom recently bought me a black one-shoulder dress and I think it is very flattering! I had never really though about the shape, but imagine this dress with great gold jewelry (maybe a bangle and great earrings) and some tall gold strappy sandals.

J. Crew: This dress is so classy and would be perfect for a wedding. I'd pair this one with silver jewelry like a delicate necklace and silver shoes of some sort with your hair up so you can see the beautiful neckline of this dress!

Nicole Miller: I always lust after Nicole Miller Dresses. My senior year in high school she used all this Lurex in dresses so they were formal and sparkly in the right light. I think this neckline is so pretty without being to scandalous at all! I would wear a bit less dramatic shoes, but only because I would break both ankles wearing those!

BCBG: Va-va-va-voom! This dress take it up a notch for sure, but I probably wouldn't wear it with tights since it is so warm out these days! Instead I'd make it a little more summery without all the black accessories.

Lilly Pulitzer: I love the gold already on the dress! It really takes a lot of work out of making an outfit. All you need are some platinum Jack Rogers or gold McKims and you're all set. My sister has this dress in white actually and I'm sure its going to look gorgeous for her Confirmation coming up soon!

ABS by Allen Schwartz (via bluefly.com): I actually just came upon this dress and would absolutely wear it myself! They currently have my size AND everything on bluefly is an extra 10% off for an event today only!

edressme: I think the shape of this dress is great! I'm a fan of high neck dresses and I think this is very nice. I wouldn't wear the brown shoes with it, but match it with a lighter (and way flatter...) gold color, using the band in the middle of the dress to match!

I am obviously not in the market for a fancy pink dress anytime soon, but I sure would love one anyway! Here are a few fun ones if you do need one for something coming up! Mix and match them with summery jewelry and shoes and grab a white or cream pashmina if you're heading out at night. Voila you've got yourself a wonderful ensemble and you can hit the town!

xxKatie