BEAUTY: The Work Lip

Do you ever just feel so excited about something that you can't keep from telling everyone you meet about it? Well for the last couple of weeks I've been keeping something quite secret that has been bubbling up, ready to burst, but now I can officially proclaim it to the world!

I'm going to be an intern! And not just any intern. An actual merchandising intern for the international company Lands' End! It's an incredible opportunity and I just found out that I clinched a spot this afternoon. I interviewed last week, and that is when I discovered this particular lipstick combination and I'm quite infatuated with it at the moment. Maybe it's a good luck combo?

First is MAC's Modesty. It's a perfect "your lips but better" color for me particularly and I believe is a Satin finish. Not glossy, not matte, just a happy medium. It was a gift for Valentine's Day from my boyfriend, and I do think he deserves a little brag for picking it out. Not many men can successfully do that! On top is L'oreal's Color Caresse Wet Shine Stain in "Rose On and On". The stain on it's own is pretty, although it doesn't stay "wet" long. It feels quite hydrating to apply, and I am a big fan of the super soft doe foot applicator they ingeniously used for it.

All in all, this seems like a professional yet young lip combination. Good for work or a subtle lip for a smokey eye perhaps? That might be next on the list to conquer. I look like something from a cheap strip club when I try to do a smokey eye. This lip combo might help with that? Eh, doubtful. But a girl can pretend.

Ps- try to pay no mind to my otherwise makeup-less face in this picture. One of the beauties of blogging is that some days require nothing more than a computer and sweats, but in the very last minutes of light I decided to get these pictures in and I didn't have time for an entire face of makeup. I think you all can deal with it just this once ;)

xoxo, Katie

LIFE: "Calories Don't Count In This Mug"

For Christmas this past year, my uncle gave me this mug from Starbucks and it's been sitting on my dresser waiting for me to draw on it. I have a love-hate relationship with these types of customizable things. On one hand I want to just go crazy and doodle all over it, though I know it will end up a mess. On the other hand, I see all these amazing drawings and inspirational ideas on Tumblr and Pinterest of these intricate designs and I think "I know I could do that. Why don't I?" So the end result of the internal conflict in the creative project sitting dormant for 4 months before I finally pick it up and let the perfectionist in me take a cleaver to the head.

This mug design came from a spoon I saw (maybe on Instagram? I can't quite remember) that said "Calories don't count on this spoon" and I fell in love with it. I searched around to try and find it, and I found a few versions on Etsy (although I particularly loved this shop the most. She sells the most inspirational food related items). They're a little more than I have at the moment so I thought "hmmmm...this could work" and let loose.

It's both a fun and personal little mug. It can be easy to get caught up in the calories and fat content and fiber content and vitamins and the list goes on. Sometimes we all need a little reminder that it's ok to enjoy an indulgent cup of coffee every once in a while. Drinkable calories are one thing that just get me every time (hence my usual non-Starbucks coffee order of black coffee with two Equal). This fun and lighthearted mug will help me keep things light when the season for hot chocolate rolls around again.

As for the actual mug/pen set itself, it was a bit tricky. The white pen would only work sporadically which is why some of the little coffee mugs are more visible than others. The black end worked well enough once I got it going, and I have yet to use it since I still need to bake this mug in the oven (450 degrees for 30 mins). I think this would work just as well with any old porcelain mug and a Sharpie, so give it a whirl! Feel free to email or tweet at me if you do the project :)

This little post has been refreshing from the usual fashion and beauty. Do lifestyle posts interest you all as readers? There is something about Sunday that lends itself to lifestyle posts, I think. Maybe I will start a new lifestyle set of posts on Sunday. I'll be participating in the #lbloggers chat this afternoon on Twitter from 1-2 pm CST if anyone is so inclined to join. Happy tweeting!

OOTD: What Is A Window?

Top- H&M

Jacket- H&M

Pants- Goodwill

Bracelet- Urban Outfitters

Shoes- Converse

Hat- Gift

Have I mentioned yet how much I love the track pants trend? I'm seriously hoping that this one is going to stick around for a little while because I want to jump for joy every time I remember that it's actually fashionable to wear elastic waist pants. Does life get any better than this?

This pair happens to be from Goodwill last summer when my best friend and I were searching for pieces for her to take to Israel with her. So not only do these pants allow me to eat as much as I want, but they've also been half way across the globe. Sisterhood of the traveling pants fashion blogger edition. 

Sadly, this is also the last time you will be seeing these Converse. They were officially trashed last weekend in a night involving far too much walking, a sprained ankle, and some mud. At least it was memorable. However, these have lasted me a solid 5 years and were ripped down the sides from refusing to undo the laces before putting them on. RIP, high school freshman Converse, you were a good pair of sneakers.

I also would like to share this hilarious photo of me from the photoshoot. I know it doesn't match the rest of the pictures in size, but it was just too funny not to share. Apparently I'm confused by windows and their panes. 

Spring Trend Favorite: Collarless Jackets

I'm not sure if it's the fake sense of sophistication or the fact that I snagged a really fantastic Michael Kors one over spring break (I promise I'll post it soon), but I am absolutely obsessed with collarless jackets at the moment. I was first introduced when Laura from Buy Now, Blog Later featured a super chic tweed version from ASOS- adorable AND professional. Now that I've really honed in on the internship and job search (a couple leads, but I'm not talking about them until anything is final. I'm quite superstitious about jinxing things like this) I have had the urge to add work appropriate and mature pieces to my closet.

Collarless jackets seem like a no-brainer for this type of criteria. They're easy to dress up with a pair of slacks and professional heels, but casual enough to wear with a plain t-shirt and boyfriend jeans. I've picked out one of my favorites floating around the blogger-sphere and styled it for professional use and casual use. Am I the greatest or what?

H&M jacket White House|Black Market Levity Jalone Charming Charlie

Target Charming Charlie Forever21

The top options is super simple, perfect for a conservative office while still maintaining a sense of style and individuality. Take that same jacket and throw it over a solid maxi dress for an evening dinner and it's the perfect way to cover up once the chill sets in. The navy is a great base for showing off other colors and can be worn with silver OR gold jewelry. I think I see a few more navy pieces taking a hold in my wardrobe this summer.