Spring Metallics

            Happy Thursday

Ugh, I can’t believe it’s only Thursday! I literally thought it was Friday on Tuesday! Needless to say I am so ready for HH tomorrow. 

Anyway, let’s talk about this outfit shall we? It’s been so warm here lately it’s forcing me to transition my wardrobe. I bought this skirt for our engagement shoot in the mountains (seen here) and paired it with a sweater because it was freezing! When I initially bought this skirt I thought it read really wintery/holiday because of the metallic. But the more I thought about it, I realized it also works for spring! I paired it with a white cami and my leather jacket and voila perfect spring transitional outfit! It’s a little edgy for spring with the jacket and boots, but I totally love it! This is a great office outfit or Saturday afternoon/evening getup as well! (You could pair it with heels to dress it up a bit.)

Tank: Topshop old (just bought this one) | Skirt: Lulu's sold out (similar here & here) | Leather Jacket: old (similar here & here) | Shoes: Steve Madden | Sunnies: Ray Ban

How’s the weather where you live? I’m not ready for summer just yet, but I think the temps are almost there. 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope y’all have a wonderful weekend! 

Target Swimwear

All Target swimwear is currently BOGO 50% off! 

I repeat all Target swim is BOGO 50% off!!

I've rounded up some of my favorites for y'all below. It is all swim so you can get one for yourself and one for your kid. Or one for yourself and one for you husband. Or ya know you can be like me and get two for yourself! lol

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Just bought this one! So flattering! 

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Obsessed with anything palm print! 

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This lace-up style is so trendy! 

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Love the style of this one! Might have to pick it up! 

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Just bought this one! My friend wore it on her bachelorette  and I'm obsessed! 

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Bought a top like this last year and always get so many compliments! 

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P.S. The deal is for in store and online! 

AirPods Review

This post is long overdue. I've had my AirPods for almost 2 months now and I'm finally sitting down to review them. When I first got them J was a little nervous because I had said I thought they were overrated. But oh how wrong I was!! Today I'm going to share with you all the things I love and don't love about them. Plus if they are really worth the price tag. 

Let's start with things I love about them. The obvious answer is no wires! I hate when you have to untangle your headphones when you pull them out of your purse. I also hated how when I run I would have to hold a certain amount of wire in my hand so it wouldn't be swinging back and forth and hitting me. The no wire thing is really freaking awesome! You can also now charge your phone and listen to music at the same time!! Life changing! 

The next thing I love is how well they stay in my ears. I was a little worried they would easily fall out but I haven't had that happen once! Even when I'm running and working out they stay put! 
Another thing I feel like people are worried about with AirPods is sound quality. I think the sound quality is compatible if not better than the regular Apple headphones. They definitely get loud enough to drown out people at work and even louder to get me through my workout.
The last thing is controls. You can still technically control all the same things you do with the regular headphones just a bit differently. (You also still have a microphone so you can use them for calls.) You have the option to set a control to each headphone. My right headphone is set to change the song and my left headphone is set to Siri. Since Siri is set to my left headphone that is how I can still control all the same things. I can say "Siri turn up the volume." Or "Siri next song." While I think it's great you have this option it is a bit weird to constantly be talking to Siri while you're at work or the gym. Speaking of controls this is the one problem I have with AirPods. Even though I can tap my right headphone to change the song, it isn't always the easiest thing to do. You have to tap it on the top and you have to tap it just right. It's hard enough to do that when you're just sitting there, but even harder when you're running or doing some other workout. 
Do I think they are worth the price tag? Absolutely! The fact that they are completely wireless is worth it to me. I also forgot to mention the battery life. It's been really great! I got mine for Christmas and I seriously think I have charged them maybe 5 times. And I use them A LOT!  You charge the case that holds them which in turn charges the headphones. So when you aren't using them, they are just charging. I was a skeptic, but now I LOVE them! If you're on the fence and I can answer any questions feel free to leave them in the comments.
Side note: I still carry a pair of my regular headphones just in case. 

AirPods

What are you up to this weekend? We have a wedding on Saturday and then lots of wedding planning for our own wedding on Sunday. 
Thanks for stopping by! 
I hope you have a great weekend! 

Wedding Guest Vibes

The end of February means we are right around the corner from wedding season. True wedding season that is. (I feel like wedding season is all year now.) If you have a bunch of weddings on your calendar this year I have the perfect dress for you to wear no matter the time of year! I originally bought this dress for my engagement photos and the way I justified the price was by telling myself I'd wear it to a ton of weddings. (Ok, not a ton, but at least a couple.) I originally wanted it in the green color, but my photographer suggested the navy instead. I'm kind of glad I went with navy because it's so classic.

The dress itself is also very classic, but the slit makes it a little edgy/sexy. I just love it. If it's a spring or summer wedding you are good to go with a pair of heels and a pair of statement earrings. If your wearing this to a fall or winter wedding you can add a fur coat or stole and it will look amazing. I've linked both below just in case.

Dress: Anthropologie | Shoes: Steve Madden | Lipstick: Jeffree Star Cosmetics VelvorLiquid Lipstick in Mannequin, Skin Tight, & Hunty | Fur Coat: here & here | Fur Stole: here

What's your wedding schedule look like this year? As of right now we only have one and it's this upcoming weekend. 

Thank y'all for stopping by and reading. I hope you have a great week!  

Lash Q&A

I’ve had my eyelash extensions for almost a month now. I am absolutely obsessed! They have seriously made my life so much easier. It’s nice to always look like I’m wearing mascara and not actually take the time to put mascara on. All that being said, today I’m doing a huge Q&A all about lash extensions. If you’ve been debating getting lash extensions read on to have some of your questions answered. At the end if you have any additional questions that I didn’t answer, please feel free to email me or leave them in the comments below.

Let’s jump right in shall we?

 Top-After | Bottom-Before

Top-Before | Bottom-After

Q1: Let’s start with the question I get asked the most….does it hurt?

A1: Absolutely not. Getting last extensions doesn’t hurt at all. Last time I completely fell asleep while I was getting them done. It’s pretty relaxing to say the least.

Q2: Will lash extensions ruin my real lashes?

A2: This was one of my biggest questions/concerns. Rayanna assured me that lash extensions wouldn’t damage my real lashes. As long as you have a good lash artist who uses quality products you should be fine.

Q3: Can I still wear mascara with my lash extensions?

A3: The whole point of lash extensions is so you don’t have to wear mascara. Your extensions should make your lashes longer, darker and fuller. If it’s doing all those things you shouldn’t really need mascara. If you still think you need it, unfortunately you can’t really use it. Mascara can cause the adhesive to break down and therefore your lashes to shed much quicker. (More on this topic to come in a couple weeks. Stay tuned.)

Q4: Can I get lash extensions while pregnant?

A4: Absolutely! Rayanna suggests checking with your doctor but there’s usually no reason you can’t have eyelash extensions while pregnant. Rayanna will also lash you while you lay on your side and accounts for extra bathroom breaks for expecting mamas.

Q5: I’ve heard of people having allergic reactions. What causes that and how will I know if I’m allergic?

A5: A small percentage of people are allergic to the adhesive. Fun fact: the adhesive used for eyelash extensions is the same thing they use for acrylic nails! WHATTTT?!? Crazy I know. Anyway a small percent of people can be allergic; however, there is no way to know until you get your lashes done. Rayanna checks on you throughout the lash process while you are there to make sure nothing feels off. She will also check on you for the next 72 hours via text, email, whatever to make sure you’re ok. If you do have a reaction, she will get you in immediately to have them removed. In the almost year she has been doing it she’s only had 1 reaction.

Q6: I have to use hypoallergenic makeup so does that mean I’m probably allergic to the adhesive.

A6: Not necessarily. It’s a good idea to mention this to your lash artist, but just because you’ve had reactions to makeup doesn’t mean you will have a reaction to lash extensions.

Q7: How often do I have to get them filled?

A7: Rayanna has 2 different fill options. You can get a fill every 2-3 weeks or every 4-5 weeks. This mostly depends on how quickly your lashes shed.

Q8: I have blonde lashes am I a good candidate?

A8: I too have blonde lashes. I feel like I was a great candidate! Rayanna lashes 100% of your lash so they look really natural. It’s also been life changing to look like I’m wearing mascara 24/7 without actually wearing mascara.

Q9: How long do appointments take and what do you do?

A9: Your appointment time varies. Your longest one will be your initial appointment. This can take anywhere from 2-4 hours. The length of your appointment depends on the type of set you get. The same goes with fills. These can last anywhere from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. This may sounds like a long time, but it’s a great time to nap, listen to a book on tape or podcast. I personally love taking what Rayanna calls a lash nap while getting mine done.

Q10: What are the different types of lash extensions you can get?

A10: Rayanna currently offers 3 different sets classic, signature & volume. Classic is very natural looking and gives you the look of light mascara. I haven’t personally had this set but I think it would look good on someone with darker natural lashes. The next set is signature. This is Rayanna’s most popular. It is a hybrid between classic and volume. It’s still natural looking with a little more. Finally we have the volume set. This is for someone who likes drama or normally wears a lot of mascara. This is also a great option if you have an event coming up. I did this last time I got a fill and LOVED it. I used to wear a lot of mascara so I think this is the set for me. Rayanna also makes all of her own fans and volume set lashes, which is amazing. She makes sure they work with your eye shape and enhance your natural beauty! (You can read more about the 3 different options here

Q11: How much do lash extensions cost?

A11: Everywhere is different. It also depends if you go with classic, signature, or volume lashes. You can go to Rayanna’s website here to check out her pricing. I will say this… It’s your eyes and you get what you pay for. Sometimes in beauty it pays to pay more. (Just my opinion.)

Q12: Do you have a discount code?

A12: I’m just kidding no one asked me this. I do however have a discount code. Rayanna has been gracious enough to offer all my followers/readers $10 off their service by using code “KATIE10”.

I hope this answered all your questions on lash extensions. As always if you think of a question I didn’t answer feel free to email me, leave it in the comments or DM me on Instagram and I would be more than happy to answer. And if you are looking for a new lash artist in Jax, you have to check out Rayanna. She is seriously the best!!

Valentine's Date Night

Are you still searching for the perfect date night outfit for Valentine's Day? If so I've got ya covered. 

You've probably seen this dress a million times on a ton of other bloggers. If you have there's a very good reason. This dress is perfect for so many occasions. Parties, dinner date, weddings, and so much more. You definitely need this dress! It also comes in a million colors! I decided to go with Burgundy because it's great for Valentine's Day and the holiday season. (I definitely need to purchase it in white for wedding festivities this year.) I paired it with this fur jacket since it's still a little chilly some days. I also feel like it really elevates this look. Perfect if you have really fancy dinner plans on Thursday or this weekend! 

Dress: Nordstrom | Jacket: Something Navy for Nordstrom | Shoes: Target | Sunnies: Ray-ban | Lipstick: Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Glacé 

What are your plans for Valentine's Day? J and I are just going to make dinner at home and watch a movie with Ramsey. Nice and low key. Whatever your plans are I hope you have a great time! 

Thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate you reading.

P.S. I would recommend sizing up 1 size on the dress. I'm normally a medium and got a large. 

Pleated Engagement

Happy Thursday! 

It's been a long week and I am so happy tomorrow is Friday!

Today I wanted to share one of my outfits from our engagement photos last weekend. 

This was our second look, but the one I had to put the most thought into. (The first one came really easy. haha I'll be sharing that one in the next couple weeks too.) 

Since our first look was really dressy I wanted to keep this one a little more casual... but not jeans and a tee casual. I have a similar skirt in gold and I love it so I thought I would try and find a similar one. I searched for a while and finally found this one. I was a little worried the metallic would seem to Christmasy, but I think it worked out perfect! I wanted to keep the top neutral so I went with this off-the-shoulder gray sweater. (I asked for help on Instagram in choosing between this one and another one. I linked both in case you voted for the other and wanted the link.)

Once the outfit came together I knew immediately what shoes I would wear. They are really old, but definitely one of my favorites. 

We had a really great day shooting photos in North Carolina. Our photographer was awesome. I'm hoping to share some of our engagement photos with y'all soon. (Only if J agrees.) 

Top: h&m (gray sold out. similar here & here) | Skirt: Lulu's (similar here & love this) | Shoes: old (similar here & here) | Sunnies: Quay Australia | Earrings: Baublebar old (similar here,  here, & here) | Lipstick: Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Glacé with bareMinerals Gen Nude Patent Liquid Lipstick in Major

Picking engagement outfits can be tough. I will definitely share some tips in an upcoming Wedding Wednesday post on how to pick your outfits. (It was a learning experience for me since these are the first professional photos J and I have taken.)