Thursday Three

Hi all! Welcome to my first Thursday Three!
Every Thursday, I will be doing a special little post about three things that have my attention this week.

First: This new HIIT workout video from Tone It Up.

I did this workout yesterday morning, in my PJ's, with about a 2x6 rectangle of space-which means you can basically do it anywhere, and I could feel the soreness starting to set in within a couple of hours. It's high intensity intervals, which means your movements change constantly throughout a 20 minute time frame. Awesome for the girl who gets bored easily, AKA me. Try it out and let me know what you think!
PS it's best to do this in the morning before breakfast-you'll burn the most fat and jump start your metabolism for the day.

Second: Spring vibes.

This polish-Zoya's "Caitlin"-is the perfect shade for a transition from winter to spring. It's grey with a really nice tint of smoky purple. I'm trying to get all the sunshine I can before the next winter storm comes back in full force! A fresh pastel polish is the perfect way to bring a little spring into your winter wardrobe.












Third: A post from one of my favorite blogs.

Earlier this week, Emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere posted about an unexpected hostess gift she had received.

I love this post for many reasons. I am HUGE on social etiquette, and this is a prime example. If you're going to someone's new house/apartment for the first time, take a small house warming gift. If someone is hosting a party, get together, game night, etc. take a host/hostess gift. If someone sends you something, send them a hand written thank you note. This post points out how even an unexpected gift made her time and energy into throwing that party worthwhile.



Be on the look out for the second installment of my style post from Monday this weekend! XX

First time's the charm

Sweater//Rock & Republic-old

Maxi dress//Old Navy-old

Sandals//Gap-old

Sunnies//Old Navy

Bracelet//Target

Thumb Ring//Aldo

Heart ring//James Avery

Location//Hoboken Coffee Roasters-Guthrie, OK

Porches and Alleyways

Yesterday was one of my favorite days ever.
BFF +Austin Ratcliff, his boyfriend Tyle and I went to my hometown of Guthrie, OK to do a little exploring and shoot pictures for our blogs. Today's post will be about our day and throughout the week I will be posting outfit details along with some of the shots Austin took of myself.

 We started the afternoon at Hoboken Coffee Roasters, AKA one of the best things to ever happen to Guthrie. Unfortunately, they were closed, but we got some good pictures there and warmed up to the camera a bit.

After we left Hoboken, we went straight downtown to pause shooting for a bit and look around. I showed A&T one of my favorite places-Prairie Gothic-and they went next door to look at some art while I got in touch with a family friend of ours who owns a shop downtown called Vencedora. After visiting her, buying my favorite candle and changing outfits, we were back to scoping out some cool places for pictures.

Just before the sun went down, we headed upstairs to a particularly nostalgic loft owned by said family friend and took a few "2 bloggers who are also friends" pics. In this one, A's arms look particularly muscular and it sort of looks like an indie/folk CD cover so naturally it was our favorite.

After we were done shooting, we stopped by Rick's to have coffee and chocolate and after that went to Boneyard Grill to have barbecue and drinks. Obviously we had to have dessert first!

All in all, it was not only a successful day for our blogs but the weather was perfect; it was an amazing day for bonding time with two of my dearest friends.

Landmark

I have officially hit 1,000 page views!!! I feel oddly accomplished. I hope my blog is something that inspires, informs, and entertains you all. It's definitely become a really fun and rewarding thing for me and it's just the icing on the cake that a few people find it cool too.

Thank you so much for reading! XO

Just a few things

Today, Kickoff Couture had our Spring 2014 look book shoot. What made it even better was that we were able to have it at Brink where my amaze friend +Austin Ratcliff works (check out his blog for fun updates about his job there!), and we were able to book two Brink models for the shoot. It was so worthwhile and we really had so much fun! Needless to say, I love my job and the people I get to work with.

Caroline (blonde) and Lindsey (brunette) during the shoot.

It is Couture Week and... and nothing because there really just aren't words. My two faves? Christian Dior and Elie Saab. You can see every gallery of every show HERE. Keep in mind people, couture means hand. made. everything. Beyond!!!

Left: Elie Saab, Right: Christian Dior

Starting next week I'm going to be doing a new weekly post called "Thursday Three" where I will highlight the three things that I'm thinking about/loving/hating/obsessing over/doing that day/doing the next day... you get the gist.

I hope you all have an amaze weekend!

Living the fab life

For the past few weeks at LifeChurch we have been talking about how it is often-if not always-the small things that make the biggest differences in your life. Your thoughts, the words you say to others-and yourself! And so on. Only YOU are in charge of your attitude. You can choose to have a smiley day or a terrible one... and while sometimes I choose the latter, this year I'm focusing on cherishing every detail of this weird little life of mine.

With that being said (I've never really been a typical numbers person) I'm going to give you EIGHT simple ways to make your life a little more fabulous.

1. Throw on a whole bunch of rings.
The Zoe Report knows their stuff when it comes to the art of stacking rings. Any time I wear a bunch of rings, I think it instantly makes an outfit interesting and adds that little bit of attitude!

2. Change up your hair.

Kate over at The Small Things Blog has a million hair tutorials-all of which are very easy and take five to ten minutes to complete. Any time I do something different with my hair, which is usually some sort of up-do since I always leave it down, it instantly makes me feel like I stand out from the crowd.

3. Grab fresh flowers.

Next time you're out and about, hit a spot like Dutch (in OKC) and take some fresh flowers to go. There's something about fresh flowers that cause a smile and make your day a bit brighter, no?

4. Wear cool sunnies.

My favorite sunglasses from Anthropologie broke this week, and needless to say I was devastated. Whether I was wearing them to the gym or to a date with friends, they always added that little touch of fabulosity to my day. Find a unique pair of sunnies like these from Anthro or these from ASOS (both of which are very affordable) and wear them all the time!

5. Do some research.

The other day I was in sweatpants watching The Bachelor and thinking about how boring my life was. Talk about negative energy! Then I started researching cool internships and random adventures and saved them to my computer. Researching for the future always makes me feel better, and instantly motivates me to get up, throw on a dress (don't forget the sunnies) grab some coffee and maybe even just go for a drive. Instant mood changer!

6. Drink champagne.

The other night while having wine with a friend we got on the subject of champagne, not surprising when you're with me. She told me that when she feels like having a night in, she'll go get a couple of those mini champagne bottles and drinks that while taking a bubble bath complete with candles, bath bombs, you name it. Perfect way to be fabulous and oh so relaxed at the same time! My friend Sierra over at That Awkward Pause hilariously documented her "fab night in".

7. Have a latte and a macaron.

Next time you're at your favorite local coffee shop, ask for a latte (with a cool design in the foam) and a macaron. Not too indulgent, it won't leave you feeling bloated and gross, but instead make you feel like you just had a little piece of Paris.

8. Change your makeup.

I recently started using this highlighter on the bridge of my nose, cheekbones, cupid's bow and brow bone to add a little contouring and it instantly makes me feel brighter. Line your top eyelid with my fave liquid liner, swipe on a pretty lippy and you're ready to have the best day ever!

New experiences

I have been waiting for a good couple of months to find a job in my field that I actually wanted to do... And it finally happened!

Before Christmas break, I saw a flyer in my professor's office for a job at a company called Kickoff Couture. I had no idea what it was, but the job description seemed legit and I went ahead and sent my resume in. After a couple of weeks, I interviewed. Almost a month later, I was the very first employee and Design Assistant at Kickoff Couture.

Kickoff Couture creates bold game day designs for the modern fan. We are a mostly wholesale company, which means we sell our apparel in boutiques around Oklahoma. And we are growing quickly! To learn more about Kickoff Couture, go to our website, follow us on instagram or like us on Facebook! On the website, you can search through the stores that sell our designs (even better-we sell local!), find out more about the company and SHOP!

Shea and her husband, Jamie!

I have already learned so much and I am having so much fun-my boss really is the coolest. I am so excited to help grow the company, and I think we are definitely going to go places with this.

P.S. If you own anything Kickoff Couture, send us a picture at info@kickoffcouture.com and we might just feature you on our website!

"Win or Lose... Look Good!"

Fur real

As we are swiftly moving through the winter and into the spring, I have noticed that pretty much everyone I am seeing on my Instagram feed has either received a fur vest for Christmas or bought a fur vest with their Christmas money. Don't get me wrong-fur vests are a super chic way to dress up an outfit and add texture to an otherwise sleek silhouette. But now that everyone has caught on to this trend, it's time to change it up!

First, we'll start with the guys. Fur is very hard to come by in men's clothing, especially if you're not shopping high-end. Fortunately, there are a lot of classic fur garments and accessories for men that are now back in style with the current craze.

(Links that will take you directly to each item are at the beginning of each description!)

Clockwise, starting top left:
This coat with a faux shearling collar from Zara is a perfect way to do fur in a sophisticated way.//170
This hat from Ugg Australia is pretty much a baseball cap with fur, guys, where can we go wrong here?//180
Denim vests were in last season, and they'll be in again with the grunge look. This one from Forever 21 is lined with faux shearling to combine the two trends. This also comes in a denim jacket version.//26
A classic take on this trend is a good way to go. This coat from ASOS has a military-inspired vibe and the fur is subtle enough that any guy would feel comfortable wearing it.//145

Now, on to the girls! I am so glad I decided to do this post, because doing the research has opened up my eyes to how many different options us girls have when it comes to the fur trend. Get ready, you're about to see a cuteness overload!

Add this accessory from ASOS to your top knot to make it even cuter!//18
I am obsessed with A. the cropped fur top and B. this cropped fur top from Urban Outfitters. Come on, let's see how much more fabulous can you make those high-waisters from last summer!//69
This cozy sweater from Forever 21 features faux fur polka dots. This is the ideal way to take this trend home.//16
This bag from Urban Outfitters is perfect for you if furry frocks aren't your thing.//99
A fur snood should be replacing your jersey infinity scarf this spring. This one from ASOS is a great color to match anything in your wardrobe!//40
A fur tank from ASOS in one of this season's trendiest and coolest colors... I don't even need to explain this. Too much fabulous for one picture.//40

Continuing/ditching trends

Now that we're a few days into 2014, I've been thinking about the 2013 trends. Which ones can we say goodbye to, and which ones should we continue into the new year? I've come up with a few in each category to make it a little easier to know which is which.

Also something I'll include with some examples-ways to rework the expired trends for 2014!

I'm still loving...

Braids. With millions of styles to choose from, you can never go wrong with this effortless look.

Mirrors. Actual mirrors, mirrored trays, mirrored tables.... mirrors.

Booties. I don't see booties going out any time soon. To the contrary, I think the simple styles (imagine these without the studs) will become classic.

Lipstick. It took me a while to get into this trend, my skin is very sensitive and my lips are no exception. However, I'm so glad I did; it really adds to the overall look of an outfit. Lipstick is here to stay!

Say goodbye to...

Burlap. I cannot see this trend go quickly enough. And this bedroom... REALLY! No way to rework this one.

This outfit. Don't get me wrong; I love sweaters. I love boots. I love socks. And lord knows I love my skinny jeans. But throw in a scarf and this outfit is officially the most overworn outfit of 2013! Keep these things in your closet, but get more creative this year.

The (expected) statement necklace. Now, don't fret, I still love a good statement necklace and there are a ton of ways to do this right in 2014! We just need to, again, get more creative with the necklaces we choose (avoid bubbles like this) and what we choose to wear them with. Instead, go for something similar to this:

Emily at +Cupcakes and Cashmere has it right.

I hope you find my little guide helpful! Some just need to go... but do some of your own research and find simple ways to make it new in 2014. Have a fantastic Friday!

Defining resolution

Happy New Year!

I thought it would only be appropriate on January 1st, 2014 to blog about this whole "New Years resolution" thing. First of all, do we even know what it means? We've heard our whole lives "Oh, what's your resolution for the new year?" Then you come up with something quick so you're not one of those people that say "nothing" which has been me 99% of the time.

I'm officially over the word "resolution". It's time to come up with something that can be a little more effective. Let's be honest, we never really keep our resolutions anyway, except for the year that I gave up the snooze button... that actually worked. Haven't used it since. Okay maybe once.

Let's change it up in 2014 and come up with an amazing MANTRA for the new year ahead of us! It's sort of like a pledge to yourself, something that's important for you to focus on to make it the best year ever. Here's mine:

Now lawd knows we have all seen this on Pinterest and beyond. However, as I was making one of my own, it ended up sounding like this, just less poetic; so I decided to go with this quote instead. This year, I want to focus on falling in love with my life, being content with the little things, and being the best me I can be at this point in my life.

So, what's your mantra?