November Favorites

 So, November flew by and it's almost over which is kind of scary. But! I've rounded up a few things that made it to be my favorite things this month. Just a few pieces of clothing and some beauty products, but nevertheless, they're all things that I've absolutely been loving.

I've been wanting a pair of thick-heeled pumps for months now, and around my birthday I finally ordered these from Target. They are chic and most importantly, comfortable. I've worn them multiple times since they arrived and I can't say enough good things.

I wrote about this purse last week and it definitely ranks as one of my favorites of all time. I legitimately look for excuses to go places so that I can wear it. Perfection.

Finally, I have lived in this Patagonia Fleece ever since it's been chilly outside. It's so soft and it fits perfectly. I can't say enough good things. It's perfect to lounge and be cozy in. Also, this sassy printed one is definitely on my wish list.

I've written about this before, but the Clinique Superprimer is amazing. I even got my sister to like it. It goes on so light and makes my skin so soft. Sometimes I just wear it without tinted moisturizer over it and it still makes my skin look (and feel) really nice.

I was never really a lipgloss person but that's been slowly changing. I love the color of this NYC gloss and after two weeks I've already used like half the tube. Plus, it looks really nice over the Wet n' Wild lip color I bought last week. Plus, they're both super inexpensive.

Bridget got Benefit They're Real! mascara last summer and always spoke so highly of it. So when I found out that it was the free birthday gift at Sephora, I made sure I ran out and made a purchase just so I could get my hands on some. And it's amazing. It doesn't make my lashes look gross or clumpy and it holds the curl all day. I'm usually against spending a ton on eye products, but this is definitely worth it.

When I got my hair cut last summer before I came back to school, it was a gross, dry mess. My hairdresser suggested this Eufora Beautifying Serum. It has legitimately made my hair so smooth and soft and I use it constantly. I use one pump after I shower, and another before I heat style it. It's a hairsaver.

I've only worn two nail colors this month: After School Boy Blazer and Downtown Brown. The navy and the maroon are such fall-like colors and I can't get myself to try anything else. Though I do think it might be necessary to invest in some sparkles ASAP.

I actually ordered this Julep oil last summer but it's such a game changer. After just one drop on each nail, the polish is dry in literally like two minutes. I used to always smudge my manicures, but this makes it so easy and fool proof. I almost need to order another bottle.

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NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Dupe!

I ran out of my main beauty products all at once last week. My toner, my concealer, my eye cream and my eyeliner were all gone within days of each other. The thing I decided that I could not go home without was concealer. So when I went into find my perfect shade, it turns out I need a more yellow toned concealer to hide my undereye circles.



The first one the consultant suggested was the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard. It perfectly masked my dark circles, but at $28 a tube, I had to ask for something cheaper. She directed me to the Sephora Collection, which I usually stay away from, because sometimes I feel like it might be cheap. However, the 8 HR Wear Perfect Cover Concealer in 22 Light Natural is an exact match. I swatched both in the store and walked arounf trying to match them with another (reasonably priced) product and just couldn't. Nothing had that yellow tint that I needed. So I settled and was super pleased with what I got, especially for $15.



They don't look alike in these pictures, but, all the more reason to go in and spend some time hours in the store.

Lesson: if the makeup the consultant suggests is too much, she'll find you a cheaper option that matches exactly. 

Packing for Thanksgiving

I'm basically a professional at packing up my life's essentials and commuting across New York State. I've taken planes, I've taken busses, I've been driven and today, I'm taking the train. It's an art form, but I've gotten it down almost to perfection.

I'm super excited to be heading home for the first time since September, but what I'm not excited about is all the forward thinking. I'm flying home in December and will not be checking a bag. So, I'm bringing home some things that I'll want over winter break so I can leave them there. So I need to think ahead to what I'll need this week, the next three weeks I'm here, and what I'll need in a month when I'm home for a month.

The planning was a pain and I'm still not convinced I have everything but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.



I started by making some really annoying lists. I don't always stick to them (spoiler: I didn't) but they help focus me so I know what I'll need for each day or activity. And then I also have to write down things like  toiletries or else I'll forget them.



Then I really obsessively lay everything out. Note: I also watch too many documentaries (which is what's on my iPad there in the middle). While I write this, I'm on my second of the night.

And finally I shove everything in my giant suitcase and pray that it all fits. This trip actually fit with plenty of room. It's not the most beautiful suitcase, but it is really sturdy, which I need for when I'm dragging it around Manhattan.



So there you have it.

I also have my Kate bag with my wallet, train ticket and iPad that I'm just going to throw across my body so I only have to really worry about pulling around the suitcase.

Can't wait to be home!!!

Healthy Pizza...FOR REAL

Remember earlier this year when I tried to make cauliflower crust pizza and it was a huge failure? I finally found a semi healthy recipe that works for me. YAY.



I started by heating my oven up to 300 degrees (?) and put a whole grain tortilla on a greased cookie sheet. I popped it in for about three minutes and then took it out.



Then I topped it with sauce (from a jar) and an Italian blend of cheese, oregano and garlic powder. Then I put it back in the oven for about 7 minutes until the cheese bubbled and browned a little.



And then I sliced it up and ate it. It was the perfect way to satisfy my pizza craving without eating something completely processed and greasy.

[caption id="attachment_1701" align="aligncenter" width="448"] NOMNOMNOM[/caption]

Thanksgiving Outfit Ideas

So. I've been wanting to do an outfit post for a really long time, but I'm still self conscious about it, so this is kind of an experimental post for me. But! I wanted to do a Thanksgiving outfit post and so I gathered up my courage and set out to do...this. Side note: props to all the bloggers out there who do multiple outfit posts; between getting the lighting right and the outfits perfect and good shots, it's a challenge.



The first outfit is one for a more casual holiday. It's a silky Perfect Shirt from J. Crew Factory and just leggings and riding boots. I actually think I might wear this on Thursday. A statement necklace also dresses it up a little. Not to mention, a top knot is such a versatile (and easy!) hairstyle that easily looks dressed up for the holidays.



This outfit is a little dressier but still in my comfort zone. A simple navy skirt, a white tee and a festive cardigan are an easy combination that always work together. And riding boots are much more casual than heels.

I actually ended up really liking this outfit. This sweater is one of my favorites in general, and the pop of red plaid is perfect for the holiday season. Plus the pretty necklace makes it all a little more feminine. And I love how the booties make it a little classier. Although I think I might wear it with flats...or even heels if I'm feeling ambitious.

I'm actually really proud of and excited for this outfit. It just popped in my head and I'm now dying to wear it on Christmas eve. It's a little festive for Thanksgiving but I was pleasantly surprised. The flannel is warm and comfy but still dressy with the ruffles. And the City Mini is literally my favorite. Add in the nude pumps and pearl necklace and it's perfect.

So that's my Thanksgiving dressing guide. I was really self conscious but at this point, I like it and if my readers don't, oh well! These are for me.

Drugstore Buys...oops

I said I wasn't going to shop. But I did a little. But I got good deals so it's okay, right? And I've been trying to curtail spending so I've actually spent a lot less. I think.

Regardless, here are some great products I picked up over the last few weeks.



Most of this is actually from T.J. Maxx, where I never really thought to look seriously for beauty products, but what I've found is that they have really nice products for a lot cheaper.

I got a new eyelash curler, which literally made such a difference. I have longer lashes, and my old curler was really gross and used up and this one curled my lashes to perfection, and a thousand times better than the old one. It was also $3 at TJM. So.

I had been eying the NYX brand finishing spray, but when I saw this e.l.f. brand one (also at TJM) for $2, I couldn't say no. I really haven't noticed a difference between my makeup with the spray and without, so I'm kind of glad I didn't spend a ton on it.

I also snagged a kabuki brush by e.l.f.. I've been applying my tinted moisturizer with my hands, and while little brushes like this are usually super expensive, this one was only $5. It's super soft and applies my makeup perfectly.

Who knew TJM sells Essie nail polish in not gross colors? I've been wanting a deep maroon color for the fall and I found this one (called Downtown Brown, which, makes no sense because it's maroon?) for only $5! I almost started stocking up but resisted. But the color is fabulous (and not brown at all). Officially always checking TJM first before splurging at the drugstore.



Pretty right? And perfect for fall and the holidays. Side note: that lip gloss didn't make it into the main photo (because I forgot about it) but I got that at Duane Reade and I use it multiple times a day. It's only subtly pigmented, so it's a nice way for me to ease into trying out colored lips without feeling like I'm diving right in.

Finally, I purchased the Wet n' Wild lip color in Cherry on Top, and it. is. red. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but when I tried it on at home it was super red. I'm not ready for that quite yet, but if I apply it a little lighter with my finger, it's much less overbearing.

Hopefully I can hold off on spending until Black Friday. Only a little over a week!!

#inspired

 

I write a lot about my favorite bloggers and things like that, but lately I've been coming across people who inspire me in different ways. While they are all bloggers of different kinds, their work and personalities all make me want to push myself further to find myself and be creative, not just following their exact examples. And when I'm feeling a little stuck, they always spark my imagination.



First is Carly Heitlinger from The College Prepster. I've mentioned at least a thousand times before that Carly's was the first blog I followed and how much I relate to her control-freak personality (in the best way) and her sense of style. But after she recently left her full-time job to blog full time I've been even more in awe of her work ethic and determination. I am so envious of everything she has accomplished, but also so inspired to set and reach my own goals.

Shortly after stumbling upon Carly's blog, I found Mackenzie. Mackenzie has always been en entrepreneur with amazing style. She owns her own business and works hard. It is so exciting to watch her business grow, and see her reach her goals. While her boutique is super impressive, what I admire most in Mackenzie is her style. She knows what she likes and what she doesn't and what works for her. I would love to have a style all my own that is just so me. She also has an eye for interior design that I will just never possess. I love how she makes me jealous of her studio apartment, and I want so badly to be able to decorate my own apartment in such a chic way someday.

And then my obsession with all things preppy reached a peak when I found Sarah Vickers' blog. She has one of the most refined and elegant styles I've ever witnessed. She so effortlessly wears the classiest heels with buttondowns and cable knit sweaters. Her whole closet is my dream. Sarah, too, is a young entrepreneur, working at Kiel James Patrick Factory and building an amazing American-made brand.

One of my most favorite, non-fashion related blogs belongs to Whitney Biber. When I was in my panic about moving to Atlanta I found her blog, and her sweet, heartfelt posts captivated me. She has the best way of describing difficult subjects and articulating complex feelings and I feel like she totally gets me. Not to mention, she absolutely loves Atlanta, which makes me unbelievably excited to move down there. I also admire Whitney's transparency; she never ever acts like she has it all figured out, and very frequently writes about how little she has figured out. I love her blog, and I consider her to definitely be a role model for me and my move down south.

I wrote a week ago about how much I love SarahBelle93x's vlog, but I really love it. I'm not a really YouTube-y person, but Sarah is just so captivating. Not only is she super stylish and fabulous but she is so real. She has talked candidly about her feelings and she really doesn't care what others think about her. Her channel is hers and it very much shows. One of my favorite things she does is when she shows a unique shirt or dress, she'll say, "it's not everyone's taste, but I like it." I truly admire how confident she is and how she can love herself and who she is so much, especially in front of a camera. She also has really awesome hair.



I'm a really weird Instagram stalker, but it's fine. One of my favorite Instagram accounts is @thepinkdiary. And! She has a blog. I love love love her pretty photos, especially because the perfect lighting and neat arrangements definitely play into my deepest OCD tendencies. I literally can look through her photos for hours, because they're all so pretty and captivating. And, she never shows her face, so her identity is a total mystery, making her all the more intriguing.



And finally, Amy Stone. I found her through links on both Carly and Mackenzie's blogs. They're all friends, but what captivated me the most were the amazing pictures Amy takes. The prettiest arrangements with the prettiest backgrounds. And almost always every shade of blue. I'm no photographer, but Amy makes me want to be one. I absolutely envy her talent and her eye for the right shot. I can hardly take pictures on my phone, let alone snap endless amounts of gorgeous photos on an actual camera.

I know these girls are all their own person and I'm my own me, but they are all so good at what they do, they make me want to be good at what I do. I'm sure there are talents or strengths I have, too, but there's never something wrong with a little inspiration here and there, right?

Bonding

One of the great things about Kaitie and I is that our personalities are completely opposite. Kaitie is very outgoing while I tend to not like people at all and we compliment each other. We can give each other advice from completely different points of view, which is actually awesome. What's not so great is that our schedules are also complete opposites. We will go days without seeing each other sometimes.

So it's really nice when we can finally squeeze in time to actively hang out, rather than just be in the same room at the same time. Monday, Kait needed to go into the city to pick up some new glasses at Warby Parker, and asked me to come along, since both of our schedules allowed it.

It was such a quick trip, but as we usually do when we have time to spend together, we ended up having a really deep conversation that lasted all the way from Houston street to the Bronx, took a break while she was at practice and then resumed for another hour after she came home. We both just have such different experiences and different personalities, but also similar situations that we could literally talk about some things for hours.

It was amazing to have a little snippet of time with Kaitie and have such a full and happy time. I love when I have little moments with friends where I am happy to have crossed paths, and where I feel like they're someone who just gets me.

So, shoutout to Kaitie today for being a great friend!

Kate Spade Little Minka

Swoon.

I wrote last winter about how much I absolutely love this bag. When I declared that all I wanted for my 21st birthday was a big girl leather handbag, this was the standard I set, with the intention of just showing my parents the ideal so they would be able to find something similar.

I almost cried when I unwrapped it a few weekends ago. I was so surprised. It really is the perfect, classic handbag and I can't imagine ever needing another. It. Is. Beautiful.



At first, I wasn't sure I'd ever use the cross-body strap, but I have actually used it a ton already. It's perfect for when I'm poking around the city and carrying various shopping bags.



This bag is amazing and I can't thank my mom and dad enough. I am so grateful. 

Long Hair #dontcare

I have always coveted long hair. My own hair is my prized possession, I have always known how unique of a (ginger) color it is, and I might actually be devastated when I start graying. But. My senior year of high school, my hair started getting to a length that I had been aiming for. But after an unfortunate cut before my freshman year, my hair fell right below my shoulders, about four inches shorter than I'd like it.

Coupled with the stress of college too-much-trimmed off, my hair was a mess. It was broken and short. I started taking better care of it. I used a wide tooth comb and a healing serum, I try not to wash it too much and I rarely heat style it. I also take Biotin supplements in a last-ditch attempt to make it grow.

And after going about two weeks without straightening my hair, I straightened my hair Friday only to find that it's almost back to the boob-length I've been trying to achieve for years. HALLELUJAH!

[caption id="attachment_1645" align="aligncenter" width="392"] #selfie feel free to judge me[/caption]

YAY! I have a trim coming up when I go home which I'm mildly nervous for, but I'm so happy to see that my hair does, in fact, still have the ability to grow.

Leopard Love

I love leopard shoes. I think they're the perfect way to incorporate animal prints into an outfit in a completely chic way. And they're a perfect neutral. I had a pair from Target that I loved. But tragically, my mom tossed them last month by mistake.

Logically, I am now on the hunt for a new pair.



 

Sole Society | Target 

Target | Banana Republic

Banana Republic 

Tuckernuck | Kohl's

J. C. Penney | J. C. Penney

Sole Society

I just want them all.

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Blogging for Me

I've been blogging for about 11 months now, and throughout this period I've come across so many other blogs and I've ultimately been comparing myself to them more than I should.

I love blogging, and writing in general. I have a lot of thoughts constantly zipping around and I always feel so good after I can get them all out in a coherent and sometimes pretty way. A lot oft posts are just for me. I have things I need to say so I can stop thinking about them.

But when I see other blogs making money and taking on sponsors and having giveaways and so many followers, it's really intimidating. It makes me feel like my blog doesn't matter or that I'm foolish for trying to run with the big dogs. I makes me want to try harder to promote myself and go viral and get popular. But I'm not blogging to be famous. At this point in my life, I'm blogging as a hobby, to keep myself sane. I like to write about things that are happening in my life because I love going back and re reading and seeing how much I've grown. I need to continue to remind myself that I'm not doing this for anyone but me, and if opportunities arise, that's great but if they don't, that's amazing too.

Because I will always have this little piece of the internet to have my life and sort through my feelings. I wouldn't trade that for all the PR gifts in the world.

"The Eye Has to Travel"

I haven't seen a documentary that I've actually loved in a long time, but after I slept until 3:30 Saturday morning #noshame, and I decided that a documentary binge was the only option. I had read about Diana Vreeland  in Harper's Bazaar a few times, and I was so interested in her lavish personality. When I saw The Eye Has to Travel on the documentary page, I knew I had to watch.

I fell in love.

I have a very deep love for magazines and their history and Diana Vreeland might be responsible for most of it. She is such a fabulous and opinionated person but also such a visionary. I admire her passion and her eye for luxury and fabulousness. She always knew who she was and what she wanted and I absolutely love that in a person.

She had a vision and wouldn't let anyone else tell her what to do, almost to a fault. Regardless, this was an amazing and inspiring documentary. Diana Vreeland is an icon, and obviously a woman I now aspire to be like.

Statement Necklaces

I've been a fan of jewelry for a while now, and my collection is actually enormous. But I've been really into statement necklaces lately. They make regular t-shirts look a thousand times classier, and you can combine them with different button-ups almost infinitely. And I do not have enough.

Places like Bauble Bar and Loren Hope have gorgeous statement necklaces. But they aren't so wallet friendly, especially during my period of shopping abstinence. So, in a hunt for affordable statement jewelry, I remembered an old favorite: Charlotte Russe. And oh my.

They have SO MANY gorgeous necklaces and almost all of them are under $10. About to go hard here on Black Friday.

Here are the ones currently in my shopping cart:



I wear a ton of navy, so this would be a fantastic pop of bright color against a more neutral background.



I am literally obsessed with these knots. They aren't especially colorful but they're so chic.



This is similar to the Bauble Bar ones I love, but SOOO much cheaper. Boom, sold.



More pretty colors, and pretty flowers.



This isn't colored, but how cute would this look with a plain black tee?

Eeee! I can't wait to shop!!

Shopping Hiatus

If you follow me on twitter (which, you should, I'm so profound...) you'll have noticed that I tweeted recently about a freeze on my shopping.

Going on a shopping hiatus for the next two and a half weeks so I can have a little fun on Black Friday 💰💸

— Kelsey Marie (@kelseyyohh) November 12, 2013

I sort of hemorrhaged money in October and even though I'm getting paid every week, I still don't like watching my account drain before my very eyes between paychecks. And Black Friday is one of my favorite parts of the Holidays. I don't throw any shoulders or anything, but my friends and I always go to the outlet mall at midnight, and the sales are always great.

SO, I'm stopping my shopping from this week until then. It's a challenge, because there are so many beauty products I want to try, but I've resisted so far.

Can't wait to go hard on Black Friday. Get ready.

Christmas Beauty WIshlist

So, with Christmas (and other holidays) a little over a month away, I'm starting to compile my wishlist, mostly so my mom has a place to casually check in case she needs a little inspiration ;)

Regardless, the first section of this series (yes, it's going to be multiple posts. Judge me) is just a few beauty products I've been eying. Some are Sephora quality items, while others are just drugstore items. My rule is basically, anything that goes on my face or skin should be really high quality, and eye/lip products are okay to be cheap, since they come off easily and go bad quick, too.

But, here are a few things I wouldn't mind finding in my stocking:



Maybelline Line Stiletto: In high school, I was really big on felt-tip liquid eyeliner, but when I got to college I started wearing pencil eyeliner on my waterline, just for the sake of saving time in the morning. But, lately I've been getting back into liquid eyeliner, and the one I've been using is getting a little gross...

L'Oreal EverStyle Hairspray: A few weeks ago, I scrunched my hair for Senior Night, and even though I loved how it looked, the hair spray I used completely killed my hair. It left build up and dried me out for weeks after. When I go home for Thanksgiving, I want to pick up my curling iron and start loosely curling my hair, but I don't want to wreck my hair when it's finally getting long again. So I did a little research and found some alcohol-free styling products. I might not be able to wait for Christmas for this one.

Nyx Matte Finishing Spray: I've actually heard great things about this brand, even though they're pretty 'cheap.' I prefer my makeup to be on the more matte side, and I figured a matte-ifying spray would do the trick.

Revlon Super Lusterous Gloss in Raisin Rage: I have a really springy lip color from Bite Beauty, but I've been looking for something darker for fall. And this one is so inexpensive it would be okay if I lost it on the subway or at a party.

Essie Winter Collection: My nails have been perpetually After School Boy Blazer since September. And as much as I love the color, the holidays just call for something a little more...festive. I'm an Essie girl through and through, and I am dying to get my hands on "Shearling Darling," "Sable Collar" and "Toggle to the Top." ASAP.

And onto the Sephora products that I'm begging for this Christmas because I'm a poor college student who appreciates the finest in beauty.



Benefit They're Real! Mascara: I got this as my birthday gift from Sephora and was instantly converted. It holds a curl in my long lashes all day, and makes them look fuller. I'm ready for the big girl size.

Clinique Blushwear Craeam Stick: I am so unbelievably pale this winter, I feel like I always look sick. I've been looking for a long time at blush and I think I've settled on this Clinique cream stick. However, I have yet to make it into a Sephora to have an expert help me out, so this could potentially be completely wrong for my skin. Who knows.

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector: Can you tell I'm a huge fan of Clinique products? I have gross undereyes, which have only got worse at college. The cream I have now is essentially ineffective, but this Clinique treatment has been raved about everywhere, so it must be amazing. Right?

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer: Going along with my undereye issue...I have a Clinique concealer that I love, but it's almost gone and I'm seriously considering something a little stronger. Either Boi-ing, or Erase Paste. Jury's still out on those.

Even though I've promised a few Christmas List posts, these makeup products are the bulk of my Wish List items this year. I've had an amazing year and there's not much more I want.

However, I'm seriously doubting my ability to wait it out on some of these, and I might need to splurge on Black Friday.

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Vlogger Love...

I'm totally not a YouTube lover. I like to use it for music and watching cheerleading videos (guilty) but never like, beauty tutorials or anything like that, but after I saw someone tweet at SarahBelle93x, I was intrigued.

I instantly loved her Instagrams. So much pretty and preppy and sassy. All good things. And, as someone who is just getting into (obsessed with) beauty products, she offers tons of suggestions and recommendations.

I also really love how she doesn't pretend to be something she's not. She doesn't hide any emotions she has, and she doesn't act like she has her life together. She stumbles over her words, and I'm pretty sure her videos aren't scripted, but that transparency is something I admire.

I also love her always-bubbly personality and her ability to combine words with images with videos with music. She makes me want to have prettier pictures from my life on my own blog, and she reminds me not to take myself or my blog so seriously.

If you haven't watched any of Sarah's videos, check her out!