Packing List: Beach Trip

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Hey Cats!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I went to the pool twice, slept in, got sub-par pedicures with my besties, and  bought the cutest flamingo tee, so I would say it was a success. But today it’s back to work!

In a few weeks, I’m headed to Florida on vacation with two of my friends, and I’m beside myself with excitement! This is my first big trip with just my friends, so it should be tons of fun! Not to mention I love the beach. I’ve had months to procure the perfect pieces to stuff into my suitcase, and I’ve honestly probably spent way too much money. But whatever. Here’s what will be in my bag:

SWIM:

 

I tried so hard to find a new swimsuit for this trip, but I couldn’t find anything I liked. But I have plenty of suits from past summers that I still love, so it’s okay! I’m bringing my monogrammed bandeau from Marley Lilly paired with coral bottoms, which is probably my favorite swimsuit ever. I’m also bringing a one piece, since one pieces are in right now. I’ve had this one since high school so obviously it’s no longer available, but I’m loving this palm print, this simple blue, and this bright Mara Hoffman suit! My third suit is from Old Navy and also is no longer available, but this one is really similar!

BEACH ACCESSORIES

I bought this monogrammed floppy hat for two reasons: my Kentucky Derby-themed Junior League party this week and the beach. They have so many fun colors, but I chose blue because it matches my Lilly dress I’m wearing to the event (insert hair flip emoji). It also matches my cover-up! I’m loving the simple white with blue stitching! I bought it at Forever 21, but unfortunately can’t find it online (I did see one in the store this weekend!), but I’m loving this similar option, this similar color scheme, or this colorful caftan!

CASUAL OUTFITS

We’re planning on going to do lots of fun things like snorkeling and riding jet skis, so honestly I will probably be wearing Norts and a tee for those activities. But I will need a few cute outfits, of course! I’m bringing my new flamingo tee paired with my favorite boyfriend shorts, which will be perfect for exploring! I’m also bringing my leopard shorts and black tank, which will be great for a casual dinner. Of course, I can’t forget this integral part of my romper collection. It’s Lilly for Target (from the kid’s section), but I love this Lilly Pulitzer option, this solid blue, and this cute print!

GOING OUT ATTIRE

I don’t anticipate going out too much, except for fancy dinner one night. But we’re still three weeks out and I cannot decide for the life of me what outfit to bring! It’s a stressor for me right now. I’m loving this striped romper (similar options here, here, and here) and nude heel combo, but I’m also loving the below options!

I bought this black romper a few months back and I’m in love! I think it’s definitely going to be a staple this summer. There’s also my bird dress that I’m obsessed with and am always looking for excuses to wear. P.S., if birds aren’t your thing but you still want to wear something out of the box, try this dress! It’s on my “to buy” list for sure.

So that’s it! Those are the only pieces I’m taking to the beach. And if you believe that, you obviously don’t know me. What are your beach essentials? Let me know!

That’s all for meow!

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Last Week’s Look

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Hey Cats!

The weekend has flown by! I went to College Station this weekend with my parents, and it was great to be back at my favorite place on earth, as always. We went to a baseball game with a few of my friends and got incredibly sunburned, then we visited a few of our favorite restaurants, stores, and places on campus. Now I’m back in Houston praying it doesn’t flood again this week!

Today, I’ve decided to do “Last Week’s Look”. It was supposed to be “Last Night’s Look” but I had massive technical difficulties Friday morning and I was going to be late to work so I had to cut my losses.  My friend and I went to Aggie Muster last Thursday, and I loved my outfit! It’s one that will be on repeat for quite a while this spring and summer I’m sure!

Everything is linked below- Happy Shopping!

dress (on sale!)

cardigan

sandals

earrings

necklace (on sale!)

bracelet

That’s all for meow!
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TJMaxx Tweak- Lilly Pulitzer Maxi

Hey Cats!

For some reason, I am exhausted this week! I’m not sure if it’s because I had a busy weekend, if my regular 6-hour sleep schedule isn’t going to cut it any more, or if it’s because I haven’t been going to the gym regularly anymore. But I should probably start going to the gym again, for a variety of reasons. I’ve been wanting to join a gym, but I can’t find one with an indoor track, and I’m just going to have to convince myself to start running on the treadmill, which could take some time. The treadmill is just so boring, though. I feel like you run forever, but you never get anywhere!  The rec center at school kind of became my second home, and I’m going to have a hard time finding a place that I love as much as I did. Nevertheless, I need to go somewhere, so I’m just going to have to suck it up and start paying for a membership. Ugh. But I digress.

For the longest time, I knew that I wanted to get a Lilly Pulitzer shift dress for graduation. I wanted something classic, Southern, and grown-up, and a Lilly shift had all of those qualities. In November when I started looking, I had my heart set on the Janice shift dress in Shorely Blue.

It was perfect, and I was so excited about it. But, it was definitely expensive, and I wasn’t doing a great job at saving my money. Around spring break, I realized that I probably wasn’t going to be able to afford it. While I was at home for spring break, I went shopping with my mom and sister for Easter dresses, and though I wasn’t happy about it, I started looking for graduation dresses, too. I couldn’t find anything I loved (for graduation…I found about 5 I wanted for Easter…I had two different looks I was going for, okay?) at the first few places we went, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. The next day, my mom and I went to TJMaxx to look for a new top to go under my suit, and I thought I would browse the dress section while I was there, just in case.

AND THAT’S WHEN I FOUND IT. I saw the recognizable, bright-colored, juice-stand print peeking out of the rack, and I literally ran to it. They had my size, but there was one problem…it was a maxi dress. My mom was like “I don’t think this is going to work,” but I dragged her into the dressing room anyways-you can’t get what you want if you don’t even try.

I tried it on, and just as I expected it was WAY too long for me. But it fit perfectly everywhere else, and it was beyond gorgeous. I loved it, my mom loved it, and I had to have it. I twirled around in it for a while, and then I had an epiphany. “What if I cut it off and make it a shift dress?”, I asked my mom. She thought it was a wonderful idea, and we spent the next fifteen minutes in the dressing room deciding where we could cut it off, if the alteration place could actually do it, what to do with all the extra fabric, and of course, what shoes I was going to wear. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Not really, but graduation has come and gone and I’m still just really excited about it.

Here’s what the dress looked like when I bought it:

Please disregard the HUGE MESS that is my closet at my parent’s house. I was going to take a better picture of it, but I forgot until I was at the alteration shop and the lady held her scissors up to it and said “there’s no going back now!”. So this is the best I’ve got. Anyways, don’t you love it? I will admit that it made me a little sad to cut off all that extra fabric, especially since it had that beautiful lace trim on it. But my mom and I salvaged the fabric and I’m thinking about making a skirt out of it! Also, since this was at TJMaxx, I’m pretty sure it’s out of season. I don’t recognize this print, but I still really love it!

And here’s what it looked like after alterations:

 

I’m obsessed. Still. I will seriously wear this thing as long as it fits, because we all know that Lilly is timeless. I was so happy to find it, especially since my dreams of a Lilly dress were crushed by my financial irresponsibility. Speaking of, you’re probably wondering how much I paid to make my graduation dreams come true. The dress itself was $80, and alterations were $20, so $100 total. Still not cheap, but significantly less than buying my first choice! I’ve never been one to tweak clothes to my liking, because most of the time, alterations are kind of a hassle, and it seems easier to me to just find something else that fits how I want it to. But do you remember Monday’s talk about not settling? Yeah, this was about the time in my life that I decided not to settle for anything I didn’t really want, and I decided that yes, that even applied to my clothes. Also, I really like the idea that probably no one else has this exact dress. I’m definitely going to start searching for more bargain pieces that I can tweak to my tastes. This is a great way for those of us who are extremely picky to customize our wardrobes without spending a fortune!

That’s all for meow!

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Campus Chic

Hey Cats!

My name is Kristen, and I think I really like sports. Like a lot. This is somewhat of a recent development, and I’m really surprised by it. I even told my mom that I might want to work for a professional sports team, so it’s getting pretty serious. I mean, I’ve always liked football- I’m from Texas and my dad was a coach, so most of my fall Friday nights since birth were spent at football games. And I started to like basketball in high school, when I would cheer at the games. But besides Aggie football games, sporting events are never something I’ve just been dying to go to, until now. I’ve had multiple weekends this semester where I would go to a baseball game and a basketball game, and I even went to two on the same day. Stop. Part of me thinks that it’s because I’m trying to soak up the last bits of my Aggieland experience (true), but I also think I’m developing more diverse interests, which is always a good thing. So now let’s talk about my main interest: clothes.

Just because I’m gaining a sporty side doesn’t mean my wardrobe is going to suffer. I still like to piece together a spirited yet polished look for games- something that says, “I appreciate a good dunk, but I’m still going to talk to my friends when I get bored”. Obviously.

It was still a little chilly at the last basketball game I went to, so I wore my favorite cream sweater from JCPenney, which I have seriously worn the crap out of this winter. I realized I kept wearing the same thing when it showed up in three of my Instagram posts. In a row. Oops. I added a maroon pashmina (similar) and my monogrammed clutch from Benevolent Jewels (20% off with coupon KCODE20!) for a chic touch of my school colors. I threw on my versatile brown Gianni Bini booties, and then capped it all off with my Aggie baseball cap (similar). I like the casual vibe it adds to the outfit, plus my hair was icky that day so everyone wins.

So let’s talk about this clutch a little bit more. I bought this during football season, because that’s when the outfits really matter, and it has proved a great investment to my gameday wardrobe. You can fit your keys, your phone, and your ticket inside and it’s perfect for a day of tailgating/watching the game! Plus it has a chain so you can wear it as a crossbody, which I usually do. There are a rainbow of both clutches and thread colors, so whether you’re a Baylor Bear, a Carolina Tar Heel, an Ole Miss Rebel or anything in-between, they’ve got you covered! It’s the perfect fashionable and functional addition to any sporting event ensemble.

This week is just getting started, but it’s looking to be a busy one- mainly because I stopped doing homework the Wednesday before Spring Break and now I have to catch up. #SeniorYear. With that being said, I will be goin’ up on this Tuesday-up to my hole, reading Marketing and blogging on my breaks.

That’s all for meow!

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Linking up with Lauren today!

Faux Real

Hey Cats!

This post means that I indeed survived my dentist appointment yesterday- I know you were all concerned. It actually wasn’t that bad, except for some reason they gave me an excess of novocaine shots. He started with three, and then added more throughout the procedure, and I lost count. They made the entire left side of my face numb for hours, which was really interesting while I tried to drink a smoothie on the way home. I kept trying to smile and I felt like Fiona from A Cinderella Story after she gets Botox and “can’t show emotion for another hour and a half”. Fun times.

Unfortunately, I have no sassy comments on last night’s Bachelor episode, because I didn’t watch it. But I’m praying it will be on on-demand soon, because the first few weeks are crucial to learning the girls’ names and deciding who I kind of like and who needs to go home and learn how to be a normal person before ever socializing with men again. According to my Twitter timeline, Chris makes questionable choices, which always makes for fun and interactive television, so I can’t wait.

Sweater: JCPenney(only $14.99!), Vest: Francesca’s, Necklace: Marley Lillyc/o, Purse: Kate Spade, similar, Booties: Gianni Bini

This outfit combines all of my latest favorite things- the sweater, the vest, and the booties. This sweater is sooo comfy and I have been trying to limit myself from wearing it every day. It’s not really working. I threw on the fur because it was freezing outside and I didn’t want to wear a coat, and I thought it dressed up the ensemble a bit. Also, this was the first time I wore my new booties, which I have since become obsessed with. My brown riding boots are currently being re-soled because I wreaked havoc on them walking across the pebbled concrete on campus for 2.5 years, so I’ve been substituting these booties when I would usually wear my riding boots. I like that they have a different look from my riding boots- definitely a good addition to my shoe closet! I added a statement necklace for some interest, and toted my trusty Kate Spade bag for a necessary addition of leopard print. I wore this to church, but it would also be great for date night or dinner with friends!

That’s all for meow!

Linking up with Lauren from Style Elixir today!

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Still Not a Hipster.

Hey Cats!

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Oh sorry, that’s just me still dying laughing about The Bachelor premiere last night. Where do they find these girls? I know it’s the first night, and some of them will calm down in a few weeks, but there seems to be an extra dose of crazy this season. I mean, we had crazy eyes, dance lessons (okay, what?), and sooo much white-girl wasted.  Which is actually fine, because that just gives me more sassy comments to make to my roommates and more “is she serious” Snapchats to send to my friends. That’s why I love this show, not because of the “romance” or “true love”, but because it’s always an absolute trainwreck.

Flannel:JCPenney, Graphic Tee:Old Navy(sold out, similar), Jeans:Levi’s, Purse:kate spade, (sold out, similar), Shoes:similar

I wore this outfit a few weeks ago to do some last-minute Christmas shopping, before it got unbearably cold. It’s a little more edgy than what I would usually wear…some might even call it a little…hipster. But I’m going to use the word ‘edgy’, because becoming a hipster is one of my greatest fears in life. Besides, I’m wearing leopard print smoking slippers, so I think that knocks down the hipster points a bit, no? I really actually loved this outfit because it was so comfy, and great for running around town!

Also let’s talk about the glasses. I love my glasses, and I would definitely wear them more often if the prescription was up-to-date. I usually just wear them if I wake up late, or if I literally don’t care about anything that day, but today I thought they would look cute! Also, funny story: I wear daily contact lenses, and they come in boxes of 30. I have a three-month supply, but when I was packing, I only brought the box I was currently using, so I had like, less than 25 pairs to last me all Christmas break. OOPS. So I have been wearing my glasses occasionally to conserve contacts, and this was one of those days! But rest assured that I will not make the same mistake again, because I feel super lazy when I wear my glasses, and I’m pretty sure it’s not safe to drive in lenses this old. Especially when it’s nighttime and I’m driving my mom’s car. But we’re not going to tell anyone that I did that.

Linking up with Lauren from Style Elixir today!

That’s all for meow!

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Florals & Fur

Hey Cats!

I never know what to do with myself on winter break after Christmas is over. It’s always so busy the week of Christmas with shopping, cooking, wrapping presents, and visiting family that once December 26th rolls around, everything halts and I’m left with a shirt box full of candy and nothing but time. Lately, I’ve been running errands with my mom, blogging, not working out and then freaking out about it, and trying to talk myself into starting to apply for real jobs (it’s not working so help please, I’m almost an adult). Since I haven’t had this much time off since last winter break, I’ve been relishing the time I have to relax, but I’m starting to feel like a bum- yikes! Hopefully I can find something productive but still fun to do over the next few weeks!

Two of my favorite trends lately have been big florals and fur vests. Now, I know it’s usually frowned upon to combine multiple trends, but I really love how they look together!

Dress- Forever 21, Fur Vest- Francesca’s, Booties-DSW, Earrings-Kendra Scott, Clutch- Marley Lillyc/o

 

I bought this dress for a date party a few weeks ago. I waited until the day of the party to go shopping, and was frantically running around the fabulous Post Oak Mall trying to find something that fit the “Florals & Flannels” theme and that would go with my cowboy boots, since it was two-stepping. Well, I found this, and I loved it so much that I honestly forgot about the cowboy boots and just bought it, and it happened to look really cute! Anyways, I couldn’t find it online, but I love this one, this one, and this one! I have been dying to wear it with my booties and tights, and then I got the idea to throw on one of the latest pieces that fuels my outerwear obsession, my fur vest, and I loved it! The fur makes it extra fancy, not to mention extra warm! This would be a great look for holiday parties, if those weren’t all over by now. Oops. But you could wear this on date night, or maybe even to a New Year’s party, if you’re not really into sequins (but I don’t know why you wouldn’t be)! Also, this dress has optimal twirl potential, so if you’re dancing, this is definitely the right choice.

I’m linking up with Lauren at Style Elixir today!

 

That’s all for meow!

 

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{Fall}-ing for Monograms- Collaboration with Marley Lilly

Hey Cats!

Yay for Thursday and yay for being finished with my test and final paper! I actually just submitted my paper- I finished in the wee hours of the morn, per usual, and I always like to read it over a few times after I’ve gotten a little rest, just to make sure it’s ready to go! I actually didn’t do that the first time I submitted a paper for this course, and just sent it off at 2 a.m., and ended up with an awful typo- a percent sign in the middle of a word. Luckily my professor overlooked that mistake, but now I feel like I have to turn in work that says, “Yes, hi, I am actually a competent student and am capable of producing senior-level, liberal arts-major quality essays”. But I digress.

As with the majority of southern college-aged girls, monograms are a recent obsession I have been treating myself to on the regular (maybe too frequently, but it’s casual. It’s fine.). There’s something very personal about a monogram: it tells people who you are in the simplest of ways, and I love adding that traditional touch to my accessories. In fact, I recently told my sister that “if it’s not black, leopard, or emblazoned with my monogram, I’m not really interested”. So there’s that.

Marley Lilly, the monogram Mecca, recently sent me a few treats that fit perfectly in my fall wardrobe! I was beside myself when I got the package, and have had so much fun wearing my new monograms lately!

I received the Scalloped Luxe Clutch, which I have had my eye on for quite a while (now available in gold and beyond perfect for the holidays), and the Monogrammed Tassel Bracelet, which is a great addition to my stacked wrist.

I wore this outfit to brunch and shopping last weekend with my parents when they were in town for Songfest, and I decided it was my favorite casual fall ensemble (so far). It’s casual and comfortable without being sloppy!

Flannels are another one of my fall faves- they’re so warm and cozy, and can be dressed up (like this) or thrown over a t-shirt and leggings to go to class. True story: all of my flannels are from the men’s section of JcPenney. They’re always on sale and fit a little large, which is how I like them! Also my dad thinks the flannel trend is really awesome, and so he has been known to surprise me with flannels occasionally, which is adorable. I paired it with my puffy vest, jeans, and riding boots, and added the clutch and bracelet to complete the look!

I will definitely be wearing both the bracelet and clutch throughout the season and beyond! If you’re looking for the perfect monogrammed addition to your favorite fall outfit, head over to Marley Lilly for plenty of options!

That’s all for meow!

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*I was provided free samples from Marley Lilly to review, however all opinions are my own!

Julep’s Transition to Fall

Hey Cats!

Happy Tuesday! I am so happy to have the day off of work- even if it is to study for my tests this week. But I plan to stay in my pajamas until I have to go to class (and maybe even when I go to class…jokes, I’ll put on yoga pants) and enjoy some rare time at home.

I was recently contacted  by Julep to create a fall transition outfit inspired by their new fall shades, and was so excited to participate! If there’s two things I love, it’s color-coordination and nail polish. The color that immediately caught my eye was Claudette, a rich, oxblood color. I thought it would pair perfectly with my maroon pants and a neutral sweater to ease into fall! I added riding boots because I spend March-October staring longingly at mine that are tucked away on the top shelf of my closet, and I’m always dying to wear them!  Also, after I finished putting this look together, I came across Roc Solid, a creamy forest green that would look great with these pants!

 

Julep Fall Transition by sweetcatsblog featuring jewel necklaces

If you’re looking for some new nail polish this fall (and let’s be honest, we are always looking for new nail polish), head over to Julep for some haute hues that are sure to bring some fun to your fingers!

That’s all for meow!

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#ShortGirlProblems

Hey Cats!

I hope everyone is having a good week- halfway through!

Okay, so I’ve been meaning to post this for nearly forever. It’s sad. But I wanted to wait until I’d bought a few things on my shopping list that I thought would pair well with this skirt, and then I wanted to take the pictures on my balcony at home, and then I completely forgot about it until five minutes before I left this weekend, so I frantically threw on the outfit and had my mom snap a couple of pictures. I look a little disheveled, and I’m also not wearing much makeup, so there’s that. But I decided I couldn’t put it off any longer, so here it is!

I was recently contacted by Jane from eShakti to do a product review. I hadn’t heard of eShakti, so I did my research and was so pleased at what I discovered! Not only are their clothes adorable, but they offer customization of size and style on every garment. They have this awesome chart with every size from a 0-36, and (my personal favorite) you can enter your height and specify what length you want your skirt/dress. This is revolutionary for short girls like myself! I’ve always wanted to try a mid-length skirt like the one eShakti sent me, but I could never find one that hit in the right place- they all made me look super stubbs. But when I tried on this skirt, I loved the length, not to mention the bright coral color!

 

Unfortunately, this skirt is no longer on the website, but I love this one and this one. I paired it with my trusty Swiss dot tank from Old Navy (similar), my Kendra Scott Alexandra earrings in chalcedony, and my black wedges from Target for a cute, casual look that’s perfect for lunch with friends! This would also be adorable with a graphic tee and white sneakers for a more trendy look. I’ll definitely be working this skirt into my work and everyday wardrobe!

If you’re like me and have #shortgirlproblems with skirts and dresses, head over to eShakti for a custom fit!

That’s all for meow!

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*This is a sponsored post.