BAG Cedar Street Harmony Cross-Body (comes in 6 lovely shades) | COAT Pale Pink Braxton Coat | BLOUSE Bow Button Down | SHOES Leopard Pumps | JEANS J.Crew Toothpick Jeans | RING Topaz Cocktail Ring (my grandmother’s, similar linked!)…
I always look forward to back-to-school season with the utmost of anticipation, as it’s one that promises a fresh start – in school supplies, in wardrobe, and in life. Much like new years, the new semester asks “Who do you want to be?” And as you ready yourself to make your first step into this new beginning, the answer can truly be anyone you want.
That’s the magic of back-to-school season, and it’s left me thinking… “If all bets were off and I could step back into school in my dream first-day ensemble, what would it be?” Leave it to the beautiful new Cedar Street Harmony Cross-Body, in the perfect shade of hot pink, to inspire an answer in a look worthy of Blair Waldorf.
You won’t find even the most stylish of any Texan pupil in a gorgeous pink wool coat just weeks into August, but in the world of whimsy and magic and the Upper East Side, anything’s possible. Kate Spade has always been the embodiment of glamorous, timeless style for the girl with intelligence, poise and a good bit of cheek. And that girl, my friends, is who I’d cast as this dream “first day of school” version of myself.
Funny how a pink bag, timeless coat and bow blouse can make you look and feel the part instantly.
For those of you students and teachers heading back to the classroom, have I got news for you! Kate Spade now offers an in-store only student discount of 15%off to any student or teacher with a valid student/teacher ID. So now there’s no excuse. Run, don’t walk (in leopard pumps, pretty please) and add a few dream-worthy pieces to your back-to-school wardrobe!
Hippy hoppy Friday, friends! Today, I wanted to catch you up on life a wee bit, and I figured an Insta recap would be the best way to kick that off! Below, you’ll find my latest Instas from @LonestarSouthern along with all of their details. (If you haven’t registered for LIKEtoKNOW.it…
Hippy hoppy Friday, friends! Today, I wanted to catch you up on life a wee bit, and I figured an Insta recap would be the best way to kick that off! Below, you’ll find my latest Instas from @LonestarSouthern along with all of their details. (If you haven’t registered for LIKEtoKNOW.it yet, that’s a great way to get details automatically whenever I post a new pic!) Scroll below to find the part where I ramble. Because rambling is something I’m rather good at. You’ve been warned.
The month of August has flown by, and I always feel bittersweet about it coming to an end. On the one hand, I hate that summer is wrapping up… this one has been one of my absolute favorites, and it will be missed. But on the other hand, I love the routine and normalcy that fall brings. Summer has been go-go-go for me this year, and while that has been lots of fun, it’s also been exhausting! I think more than anything, I’m just excited for “normal life” to kick in as fall rolls around the corner. Know what I mean?
It’s also crazy to think that I’ll now be adjusting to “post grad” life. This summer didn’t feel that way, since most friends were traveling and hadn’t settled down into their full time jobs. Now, though, everyone has finally trickled into their retrospective cities, and things are feeling a lot more “adult.” I’m thrilled that a few wonderful friends from UT have made the move to Dallas. A few of us went out for dinner last night (did you see my snap @lonestarsnaps?) and realizing that these girls were here to stay, and that we’ll all be transitioning together, brought me SO much joy.
I’m also really, really excited/in a state of disbelief in sharing with y’all that I’m blogging full time now! I didn’t realize blogging was even a thing, much less a way people can earn a living, until that fateful public relations class sophomore year. (Huge shoutout to you, Prof. Junker!) The absolute and only reason I’m able to do this is because each of you decide to visit this little site and care enough to keep coming back, and because the Lord has graciously shown me that “Yep, this is good for now.” You actually mean the world, and being grateful doesn’t even begin to cut it! I am so excited to be able to dedicate my time and energy to this little blog now, and can’t wait to bring you new, fun things all the more often because of it!
Finally… I want to address something that I’ve been getting a few questions on over the past few months… “Are you and Jeff still dating?” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down to write out an answer here. But the timing never seemed right, the words never seemed eloquent enough, and the courage required to hit “publish” was never there. I knew my deepest desire in sharing this would be to share what I’ve been learning in it, and the pressure to do that in the perfect way stopped me in my tracks a few times.
For some reason, though, as I sat down to write this post today, it felt right. So I won’t put it off any longer. The answer to that question is no. Jeff and I no longer are dating.
That’s a hard sentence to type out, because as many of you know, Jeff was a huge and wonderful part of my life for so long. But as the Lord has been faithfully showing me, and as the Lord faithfully showed both of us throughout the whole process, there is nothing more wonderful than following Him.
After dating for over three years, Jeff and I realized through a lot of prayer that after having led us alongside one another for so long, the Lord was leading us in different directions. Man. That was a hard, hard realization. But here’s the amazing part. The Lord was only gracious and only loving in how He led us to that point.
Jeff and I were able to part without an ounce of anger, bitterness or resentment towards one another and instead, with all the love and gratitude and admiration in the world towards each other for the huge blessing we’d been in each other’s lives. It wasn’t a fight, a fallout or a betrayal… it was a decision we made together after the Lord made it so clear it’s what He wanted from both of us at this time.
I’m learning that so often, what the Lord asks of us is hard. It may not make complete sense at the time, it may involve pain and it may involve a different direction than the one you thought you were going to walk down. But what the Lord asks of us is absolutely worth it.
It’s absolutely worth it to put your life in the hands of the One who made you, the One who desperately loves you and the One wants only good for you.
That good, surprise surprise, doesn’t always look how I want it to. But time and time again He’s proved himself faithful to me… that He knows what is good for me better than I do. My only job is to trust and to follow Him instead of my own understanding, especially in the difficult and confusing times.
I think the temptation at this point in life is to kinda freak out… not knowing exactly what this next year, or even the next few months, has in store can overwhelm me if I think about it too much. Those are the moments I have to remind myself that luckily, I’m not on my own. Luckily, I don’t have to have it all figured out!
That’s the joy of having a relationship with Christ, y’all. It makes life much more calm knowing I’m in His hands, and it makes facing the unknown do-able, knowing He knows what I do not. For those of us who have our foundation built on Him, we have the assurance of knowing nothing can shake that. THAT is a blessing, no matter what season we find ourselves in.
So there you have it… the longest post I’ve written by far. If there’s one takeaway I hope you get from Jeff and I’s story, it’s that we chose to put our trust in and to follow the Lord. In doing that, He proved himself faithful every single step of our relationship, even in it’s close. I don’t have my life together, I don’t have it all figured out, and there’s SO much I don’t know… BUT in the midst of all of that, I have found JOY and PEACE in following Him. And that joy and peace is available to you, as well.
My hope is that if nothing else, today’s post serves as a reminder that when scary or painful or unforeseen things happen in your life, you can rely on someone much bigger than yourself and someone much bigger than your circumstances. Lean on Him, y’all. I am doing so, and I can tell you that it’s so worth it.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
As fate would have it, I came across these blush bow-towed beauties the day after professing my love for the shade. (You can see my inspiration board here!) They are $25 and perfect (and look like this pricey designer pair), and I immediately put them to use in this simple, sweet and perfectly classic fall transition outfit. They ended up making the perfect compliment to the gorgeous amber shade of this skirt… a more “fall” shade that isn’t too dark. Always a plus in my color-obsessed book!
And speaking of the skirt, I have thing for high waisted… anything really… but especially skirts. I’ve found that the cut accentuates the smallest part of your waist, which always lends to a lovely silhouette. In fact, I think it’s safe to say this outfit embodies my personal style pillars: Pick classic silhouettes. Add feminine details. Keep colors light and accessories minimal. What are your personal style stand-bys?
Love from Texas,
Kate
P.S. The weather in Dallas has dropped to perfect mid-70s, and I’m in heaven. Considering lighting a fire and buying this bundle of softness in celebration. (Like I’m sorry… does that not look like the best hug you’ve ever had in the form of a jacket?) What’s that you say? “Too much, Kate??” NEVER.
Hello, friends! I am so excited to reveal a little project I’ve been working on with PBTeen… tips and tricks for decorating the perfect dorm! You’ll find today’s post featured on the PBTeen blog, so be sure to head that way and give ’em some love! Undoubtedly, one of my favorite…
Hello, friends! I am so excited to reveal a little project I’ve been working on with PBTeen… tips and tricks for decorating the perfect dorm! You’ll find today’s post featured on the PBTeen blog, so be sure to head that way and give ’em some love!
Undoubtedly, one of my favorite parts of starting a new semester is decorating a dorm room. I love change, so any opportunity to spruce things up is a golden one to me! I’ve always had the best luck building a perfect room scheme with PBTeem (do you remember my sorority house room tour?) and this year was no exception. I chose a white and blue palette to give my room a classic but cozy feel, and couldn’t love the results more! A few tips I wanted to share when it comes to decorating…Tip one: Try to decorate your walls as much as possible. You don’t want anything too cluttered or chaotic of course, but adding tasteful accents like these Paper Wall Organizer to walls makes a room automatically feel more cozy and lived-in. Bare walls are bleak in my opinion!
Tip two: Stick with a consistent color scheme. Since dorm rooms are definitely on the smaller side, sticking to two or three colors keeps a room looking peaceful and inviting. I chose grey, gold and PBteen’s signature pool color.
I never miss the opportunity to monogram for the perfect touch in my room.
I love the long neck on the Task Lamp and that it matches my laptop!
Tip three: Finally, having a mini fridge is so worth it. I had one last year for the first time, and immediately wondered how I went without one for so long! For lunch, I’d eat a smoothie and fresh turkey – all of which I could store in my mini fridge. It was a healthy alternative to other convenient (fried) alternatives, and one that was still delicious!
Thisfridge cart is perfect for storing all of your snacks and doesn’t take up too much room–just gives your mini fridge height!
I know many of you are starting school this week and the next, and I’m wishing you the best of luck for an amazing year! I hope today’s post provided a little inspiration for your home away from home. If you’re moving into a dorm room or sorority house this year, I’d love to hear how you’re decorating it! Share with me in the comments below! xoxo, Kate
I’ve been in a bit of a pickle lately… how does one shop in August? Tiny tank tops and swimsuits seem impractical, but I’m nowhere close bundling up for fall. Upon looking through my closet in search of the solution, I found myself drawn again and again to one particular shade. And then the lightbulb went off… blush!
A neutral itself, blush is a wonderful means to take you from summer to early fall. Still light enough to be worn in the many hot days ahead, it pairs beautifully with darker shades (cough cough LEOPARD) and heavier fabrics as well. So when fall and winter finally do roll around, you can layer and mix it to your heart’s delight. Above is the blush-toned outfit dreams are made of… how dreamy are those pumps and drool inducing earrings?!
The one blush item I think you’ve gotta have? A handbag! I’ve loved having this cross body/clutch beauty in my arsenal, and can’t wait to take it through the months ahead. Need something a bit more Mary Poppins-y? Quick! Start a crowdtilt and raid your piggy bank so you can bring this perfection home with you.
Love from Texas,
Kate
P.S. The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Saleends tonight! I picked up three new goodies yesterday and can’t wait to get them in the mail. #happydance Best of luck to you!
I’ve started to notice that I have an addiction growing… to all things red, that is! Whenever color options are available, in the past I’ve almost always gone with white. The most versatile choice, the most practical choice, that sort of thing. But a flip has switched, and now red is the first shade I reach for.
So in coming across this top, the fun ruffles and shoulder detailing already had me sold, but the cherry on top was the gorgeous red hue! I snatched it up from Pixie Market, and as I’ve talked about before, their pieces sell out incredibly fast. While this exact top isn’t available anymore, the good news is I’ve found one here that has the same flirty cut in the same jaw-dropping color. Hip hip, hooray!
One last shout out to the color red… it’s a shade that works now and will continue to all the way through winter! While this top in white would be too summery for October, the red will be perfect dark denim and riding boots (did you see the new ones I debuted on Insta yesterday?) or these suede heels.Be on the lookout for fun red pops you can add into your own wardrobe… whether it’s a statement blouse like the one above, a poppy cross body (like my new baby!) or even a go-to red lip. Even the smallest touch will put a swing in your swagger, trust me!
And yes… I did just make up swing in your swagger. Make fun all you want, but I kinda dig it.
Love from Texas,
Kate
P.S. LADIES! One of the best sale days of the year is here… the Lilly PulitzerAfter Party Sale! It goes live today at 8am ET so RUN, don’t walk, because the best goodies sell out way quick! While you’re waiting in line, you can see all of the dresses on sale HERE. Write down your favorites so that when you get access to the sale, you can type the names into the search bar instead of scrolling through pages. Good luck!
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BAG Cedar Street Harmony Cross-Body (comes in 6 lovely shades) | COAT Pale Pink Braxton Coat | BLOUSE Bow Button Down | SHOES Leopard Pumps | JEANS J.Crew Toothpick Jeans | RING Topaz Cocktail Ring (my grandmother’s, similar linked!) | EARRINGS Pearl Studs
