Boom! Nail Polish

Okay, yall. This post is about to get crazy, so brace yourselves. 

I guess it was probably my junior year that I somehow picked up a love for nail polish. Yep- nail polish.  I don't know how or why the addiction started, but somehow I picked up a habit of not being able to go into Ulta without buying at least one $8 nail polish (more that one if there was a sale on).  Sidebar: this habit was abruptly curtailed when I started grad school and in the past year, I've only purchased two or three new colors- some at the drugstore.

Over time, I collected quite the little menagerie of nail polishes.  Are you ready? Feast your eyes on this:

Yep, that's my bag o' nail polish.

Let's take a closer look at the collection, shall we?

Here is everything grouped by color. I counted how many there were when I laid them all out but now I've forgotten.

There they are in all their glory.  I have to say I look at this and feel a bit embarrassed at how close some of the shades are to each other.  And minus the rogue gold and navy, they all kind of go together- at least I think they do.  There aren't really any bold, crazy stand outs like a blue or green. 

One of my favorite quotes about nail polish is from the show Cabaret:

"If I should happen to paint my fingernails green, oh and it just so happens I do paint them green, well if anyone should ask me Why? I say: I think its pretty!  I think its pretty I reply!" 

My dear friend Kathryn frequently paints her fingernails green and I always quote that when she does.  I think she might almost be sick of hearing it. Speaking of Kathryn, her nail polish collection can definitely beat mine! If she reads this, I hope she might take it as a challenge to post about her own collection.

And just to finish off this post on the right foot, would you like to see the color I'm currently wearing?

Essie Tart Deco.

This one is a bit naturally goopy (I suppose something to do with the formula of the color- I love my other Essies) so it takes some patience and practice to look right, but isn't it a great little summer color?  OPI Cajun Shrimp is just a bit too much for me, but this is a nice, bright alternative. 

Do you have a big bag o' nail polish? What are your favorite colors? 

It is Thursday

It's Thursday!  Yay!!!

I am still adjusting to my new schedule of working and going to class and I have to say it is wearing me out.  All I want to do when I get home is sleep- which is unfortunate considering I also have homework to think about.

I'm hoping to get some great blog topics back next week.

In the meantime, I want to wish my friend (and guest blogger) Emily a 

Very Happy Birthday!!!

Things I'm Lovin These Days

Yall already know about my obsession with Tervis tumblers.  I am truly obsessed.  Now they have handles for the 24 ounce size tumbler. Uhm, I need these pronto.

I have a birthday coming up in September.  Just sayin...

My pals and I have taken to a weekly Sunday Funday.  My productivity basically goes into the negative realm, but it is tons of fun. And in this heat that we've been experiencing in DC, there is nothing to do but retreat to someone's rooftop pool. (In this case, we retreat to mine.)  Now, I know that it is hot EVERYWHERE right now, but heat goes to a whole nother level in DC when it is just as humid as Louisiana (no, really...) and you walk or take public transit everywhere you go.  Seriously. You sweat in places you didn't even know you had. 

To beat the heat, we've been taking to a pool party on Sunday afternoon. This weekend we even grilled out and ate dinner outside. Everybody brought something to share and it  was so fun! I made this strawberry cake from Martha Stewart.  This pic is of it uncooked.  It was deeee-lish.  I added some chocolate chips to the batter- they really balance out the cake well. It got rave reviews and is super simple to make.

I've also been making this blueberry-lemon iced tea recipe each week. It is popular and goes fast!  Its nice and refreshing for the hot weather.

Speaking of Sunday Funday, we were talking about the Duke and Duchess during dinner and someone in the group said, "Does he [William] work?" and everyone in the group looked straight at me for the answer. LOVE IT.  Why yes, I am the resident expert on the British Royals and celebrity babies born circa 2006.  Please direct all questions on either topic to me.

By the way, thanks to everyone who offered good work shoe suggestions! With my first paycheck I plan to place some online orders to check those babies out.

I am now taking suggestions for great lunch items to carry to lunch.  Eating out is tough on the wallet and the waistline, so any suggestions are welcome! My go-to these days is a salad.  I'm just out of the PB&J phase of life and to be honest, I don't like sandwiches anymore if they aren't toasted.  Add to list of things that are weird about Katelyn.

I am also really loving my Land's End Tote these days. It is perfect for throwing in everything I need for work and class for the day and sturdy! And virtually indestructible. Mine was a graduation gift from high school (that's right, high school) in 2006. (Gosh that's getting to be farther and farther away, isn't it?)  It is monogrammed. Duh.

Mine is the size of the one on the second row on the left.  The handles are the perfect size to go over the shoulder. Mine is also one of my favorite colors, yellow. Its great!

This past week I finished The Great Gatsby.  Can you believe it was never assigned reading for me in school? Anyway I read it and loved it.  I have a copy of Tender Is the Night at home in Tennessee and I'm going to grab it to read the next time I go home.  Did you know they are doing a remake of the movie to go out in 2012? Leonardo Dicaprio is starring as Gatsby.  Hello, perfection!

How fun is this map? Are you on pinterest? If you are find & follow me so I can follow you!!! 

Here's another thing I recently pinned.  Uhm these are exactly my type of jewelry.  Maybe I should rethink my position on marriage in the next 5 years... Just kidding. Maybe...

If you just had to decide, which is your favorite?  Mine is the one on the very bottom row on the left.  Perfection to the Nth degree!!!

Okay, ladies. That's enough randomness for now.  I have no blog topic for tomorrow- hopefully some inspiration will find me.  Have inspiration for me? Leave it in the comments.

Guest Post: Lizzie from le week-end

Today my friend Lizzie is here discussing an awesome-ly frivolous topic: luxury goods!  Thanks so much for guest blogging for me Lizzie.  I hope everyone enjoys this fun & funny post! 

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Hey! I'm Lizzie, from le week-end blog, and I'm here guest blogging for my good friend Katelyn! I love shopping, but penny pinching is always an issue. But what if it wasn't? Look, it sucks that these things cost so much money, but let's face it - if you had the cash money to dish out, these would probably be the first things on your list. And you would wear them for the rest of your life, probably for every appropriate occasion. The problem is, the total cost of all these goods is insane. But just in case you make the money little by little- NO! Scratch that. Close your eyes and imagine a place where you suddenly have all the money you ever wanted to finally build your wardrobe from the bottom up. Here's a list to keep you focused and prevent you from completely losing your head and buying that totally frivolous multicolored white Louis Vuitton purse.

And speaking of Louis, that's the first thing I would probs buy if I had an extra $775 just laying around (and an extra $1,080 with personalized monogramming) - the LV Speedy! It's seriously a classic, and it comes in a few different sizes, but I myself find the "Speedy 30" to be a perfect fit. The leather gains a nice patina after repeated use, showing to the world how long you've been a proud LV owner. It's got nothin' on the Hermes Kelly bag in terms of status, but I'm trying to be semi realistic here in terms of $$$.

Well, the chances of you ever owning an Hermes purse are like borderline zero percent, but you could possibly have a nice silk Hermes scarf in your collection of basic designer goods! Depending on what size and style you purchase, the scarves range from a "mere" $380 to a whopping $800. Please, just imagine yourself trotting around with this sophisticated scarf wrapped around your neck or tied nonchalantly on the handle of your LV Speedy!

And trot around town, you will, in your basic black, brown, or nude leather Christian Louboutin classic pumps. At around $600 - 700, I honest to god think they are the only shoes I would ever need to purchase. I have a pair of really nice Stuart Weitzman that I've been wearing for the past 6 years, and I plan on literally keeping them for the rest of my life and never buying another pair of nude heels to replace them. Just goes to show that investing in quality shoes is totes worth it.

David Yurman cable bracelet. I mean, really feel free to buy more than one of these and stack them, but know that that is not a requirement to your fictionally stocked up wardrobe. When I see a girl wearing a Yurman cable, I automatically assume she's classy. Doesn't really matter if she's a huge skank if she's wearing a Yurman. But not one of those trendy seasonal pieces, has to be a classic cable one!

Chanel ballet flats, the ultimate ballet flat purchase. Quality flats in general are a great purchase, and there are so many brands out there that make great ones - Tory Burch, for one... but Chanel invented class and apparently the everyday ballet flat. At more than $500 a pair, it's definitely something you need to save for... and think out your day before you throw these babies on. Look at the weather forecast. Make sure you're walking on cement sidewalks. And definitely don't step in dog shit. Because you will probably cry.

AND FINALLY, something you can actually afford - Ray-Bans! They have tons of classic styles, most notably the aviators or wayfarers à la Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. They range from $100 to $200, which is really inflated if you think about how much it costs to manufacture sunglasses, but still, remember that we are in imaginary wardrobe land where you are purchasing all of the brand name basics for the rest of your life. In context, what's a few hundred bucks?!

Classy gal! Now that you have all this gear, you can go ahead and buy that overpriced designer acid wash denim and completely sequined over-sized top. You go girl. Get it.

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Thanks again, Lizzie.  Everyone be sure to check out Lizzie's blog where she blogs about all sorts of random and hilarious things! 

Duchess Style for Less

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I did quite a bit of oohhh and ahhhing over Duchess Catherine's style choices when she and Prince William made the rounds on their Canadian and American tour.  I particularly loved this outfit that she wore upon landing at LAX, minus the nylons that is.

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This past weekend, I was at Macy's looking to see if I could find any good pieces for work.  I found a dress and tried it on and realized- this looks familiar.  And it was!  Because it was very similar in shape and color to this one on Duchess Catherine.  The store didn't have my right size, but I ordered it and I cannot wait for it to arrive! It is so flattering on me, and let's just say iI am not exactly close in size to the Duchess.  So, that excursion inspired me to come up with a look for less for this style including that dress.  Here's what I came up with.

Polyvore set here.

This whole look is only $236.  And that's including jewelry that you probably already own (at least something similar) and wouldn't have to purchase!  Thats a pretty great deal considering the original Duchess dress alone was listed online for just over $918 (on sale!!). 

This set is a great office-appropriate look and there are plenty of ways to personalize it with different accessories.  Does anyone else out there have a favorite Duchess look?

4 Dresses and Counting...

Is anyone else out there a fan of Say Yes to the Dress on TLC? I am a big fan! When there is a marathon- that's golden to me!  If you are unfamiliar, the show follows brides on their quests to find the perfect dress.

Well, now, TLC has introduced Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids. 

HELLO: Genius.  What took them so long to branch out in this direction? 

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This new show basically follows brides as they and their bridesmaids look for bridesmaid's dresses.  It is endlessly entertaining.  The brides are hyped up on hormones. The bridesmaids are pretty bitchy.  The dresses range from pretty to no-way-in-hell-I-am-putting-that-thing-on. It is awesome. 

I've now seen 4 episodes {#sorryimnotsorry} and they've got me thinking.

So far, I've purchased three bridesmaids dresses, and I recently found out that I will soon be the owner of a fourth.  (One of my longest-known friends, Rebecca, just got engaged.) So far: one black full-length gown, one bright pink short silk taffeta number, and one pale pink never-worn-cause-there-was-no-wedding dress.

Now, before I get into this, I want to say that being in someone's wedding is an honor- it really is.  Even my overly-cynical self can recognize that. You get to spend the day with one of your closest friends (or let's face it, your hardly known soon-to-be sister-in-law) and be by her side as she gets ready for what is sure to big one of the biggest days of her life.  Then you get to party afterwords.  Its a pretty fun time.  

But sometimes, yall. The dress. The DRESS.

Sometimes, the dress is bad.

Luckily, I've yet to be subjected to a 27 Dresses type dress.

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And truth be told, none of the dresses that I've worn have been bad at all, although I would say that the two pink ones definitely were not my "style"- I am just not a pink dress girl.  But I also have not ever worn one of them again.  

The bridesmaids on Say Yes to the Dress have been awfully vocal about what they do or do not want to wear.  And usually it ends up hurting the bride's feelings.  Well I am here to say, I am on the bridesmaids' side! I am!  If you are shelling out at least $100 for a dress (likely more) I think you get an opinion on it.  There. I said it.  Now, if the bride is paying for the dress, then I think you have to shut up and wear a bright orange tulle ball gown if she wants you to.  But usually, the bridesmaid is paying.  It is understood when you are asked to be a bridesmaid. And let's face it, saying "no" to that is kind of difficult to do.  I would also like to point out that the dress is often just the beginning of the wedding-associated costs for a bridesmaid.  There are also other big-ticket expenses including: travel, shoes, wedding gifts, and traveling to/ hosting pre-wedding events.

I do have to say, the bridesmaids on Say Yes to the Dress have been mean about their opinions- I definitely think there are ways to politely suggest an alternative if you dislike the style the bride is leaning towards.  And the girls on that show are not polite.  But that said, I think you can still express an opinion.  For the record, I thought my friend Elise was very judicious when she decided on dresses for her bridesmaids.  There were nine girls in her party, and we got to choose one of three dress styles for the wedding.  My dress was only $99.  That, I can totally live with. Even if I don't wear the dress again, I won't feel like I threw away my money.  I also got to pick the style that was most comfortable and flattering to me- that is a big WIN in my opinion.  

So, what do you think?  Do the bridesmaids get to voice their opinions? Or, like the manager on the show says, should they just "shut up and pay up?"

Ahem... Is This Thing On?

What's up, blog world? Long time no talk. (Or should I say long time no write...)

I wish I had a great excuse for being gone.  If I did, I hope it would be something totally awesome like: the Duchess of Cambridge called me and asked me to be her lady-in-waiting/ bestest friend and I've been in London & quite simply I've been far too busy with things like huge sapphires and beautiful dresses and my super fit boss (and her sister)- to blog.  But alas, I think the combination of laziness, lack of inspiration, and a mounting to-do list just kept me away from blogger.  Truth be told, the past few weeks have left me not even super excited to read my regular favorite blogs.  Weird, huh? I guess there's just something about summer that leaves us all wanting to sprint outside and dodge our computers.

So, what have I been up to? 

Summer classes.

Lounging at my building's rooftop pool.

(Hey- its free. And that is good for this grad student's budget!)

SourceBtw... that is not my pool.  But the sun shines just the same on my less-chic pool.

Taking my pup to and from the vet- and the hair dresser.

By the way- her haircuts now officially cost DOUBLE what I paid for my last haircut.  Totally NOT awesome.

P.S. Eliza's new crack (aka her new fav thing) is pita chips. I wish I had never given her one. 

Making vodka-soaked clementines.

Ahh... grown up fruit.  J'aime ça. 

Filling out paperwork.

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That's right, folks! Someone hired this eclectic traditionalist right up and I finally start a new job this week (today, actually!)! P.S. The job comes with a lot of paperwork, but that's okay! I kind of like paperwork.

Making smoothies.

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New fav thing: smoothies chock-full of protein from Greek yogurt.  Add in my favorite summer fruits and I am ready to go!

Having my groceries delivered.

Best. Decision. Of. My. Life. {Thus far.}

Flirting with dumping Diet Coke.

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This bad habit is a badmamajama to break.

Stalking pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge {aka my new bestie, see above} on her Canadian adventures.

SourceBy the way, I don't care what royal protocol says. When I marry Prince Harry, I ain't never wearing pantyhose. 

Writing a BIG OLE paper.

YUCK. Lord help me.

Scouring the internets and my local stores high and low for a pair of comfortable work pumps.

Not okay. No ma'am. 

Any suggestions from bloggerland? I need PRACTICAL.  

How are you doing out there? Any suggestions for future blog topics? Leave 'em in the comments, loves!