Hi-Low Wednesday

Dress: Mudd for Kohl's - on sale! / Cardigan: New York & Co. (similar) / Shoes: American Eagle

Gah! Sorry for the lack of post yesterday ya'll. B and I are gearing up for a little vacation this weekend, which always seems to require a lot of pre-vacation errands. I don't mind though, considering by this time tomorrow I hope to be on the Las Vegas strip, 3 bloody mary's in!

Yesterday was also a sad day, one of my fave gal's had her last day of work with us, resulting in an extra long lunch hour at a delicious Mexican restaurant, thereby foregoing my normal picture taking time. This is likely to happen again today as we have a work meeting during lunch - but rest assured, I'll be back Monday with loads of vacation pics to show off my getaway style :)

Also, I swear I didn't walk around barefoot all day, it was just late by the time I got home and I forgot to keep my shoes on :) I paired this outfit with the AE sandals above! I'm in love with these shoes, the hot pink is a great accent for almost all of my summer outfits!

Do you have go-to summer shoes??

Cham-bray Tues-day

Shirt: Target (similar) / Jeans: Old Navy (similar) / Shoes: Mossimo for Target / Earrings: Marlyn Schiff Turq Diamond Shape Danglers (from a Stich Fix!)

Holy hot day in the Tri-Cities. Thats 3 in a row! I could get used to this! If only our apartment's pool would open...
I'm rocking my favorite new spring pants for the second time (1st time here) this season and I'm still in love.
I got the earrings above from my first Stitch Fix - I never would have picked them out for myself but once I tried them out with some of the pieces I already had at home, I couldn't pass them up. They are going to be a perfect accessory with so much this summer!

What trends have you fallen hard for this season?

Simple Summer Outfit

New obsession -- POLYVORE!
Loving this outfit for easy style, could be dressed up for work or a date, or dressed down for running errands. And these shoes are the most comfortable shoes in the world!

Top: Old Navy (similar Men's style - pure comfort and ease) / Jeans: Old Navy / Shoes: Michael Kors / Jean Jacket: Levi's / Ring: Modcloth

Chevrons for Monday

Dress: American Eagle / Sandals: American Eagle / Jean Jacket: New York & Co. circa 2007

Happy Monday ya'll!!
Man oh man was I sad to see the weekend go. It was GORGEOUS out here in the Tri-Cities, with temps in the 80's and sunshine to boot. We actually turned our air on yesterday!! And its still hot as heck out there today. This weekend B & I are going on a mini-vacation and its all thats getting me through another busy (but thankfully short!) week! You'll likely see this dress again if I decide to blog my vacation style - its perfect for hot days and flattering to boot.

I LOVE maxi dresses!!

A new little Saturday treat...

Typically I reserve my Saturday's for cleaning, or crafts, or just lounging around. This means sweats or a t-shirt and jeans, and no need to chronicle my slubby outfit! But today I got the jeanius (get it jean-ius) idea to have a little guest bloggeroo action.

A little bit of background, I'm blessed and cursed to have a man that has a great personal style. He doesn't really care about labels, and is super into how his clothes look and feel and fit. He follows trends like I do, but also works in a super casual environment, also like I do! Now the curse side is, unlike most men who have a rotation of 20 t-shirts and 2 pairs of jeans, B has an insane amount of clothes... and we share a closet. Blast!
Alas, due to his wonky work schedule he actually works Saturdays, so my Saturday's will now be devoted to HIS personal style. Isn't he a stud? Not that I'm biased or anything... Enjoy! :)

Track Jacket: Apt. 9 for Kohls / Tee: Kohls (similar) / Shorts: American Eagle (similar)  / Shoes: Toms

Its a Jungle Out There Friday

Well folks we made it to Friday. This may seem like an unimportant benchmark to you, but I swear to you I barely survived the week. Therefore, Friday this week is completely... utterly.. amazing. I normally don't wait until AFTER work to post but there hasn't been a second in my day that I've been able to breathe until now. So without further ado... I'm on our balcony, no sunshine, but 70 degrees, Corona in hand, chips and salsa in my reach, laptop on the table.. let the relaxing begin. I very well may sit out here all night! :)

Top: Ruff Hewn (similar and on sale!) / Pants: Maurices circa 2011 (similar) / Shoes: Mossimo for Target

I can't say for sure why by these pants feel very safari and I LOVE them. Elastic waistband and all. Pure comfy cute.

Side note - I got my first StitchFix today!! Review to come - it made my day!! Birchbox Wednesday, StitchFix today... what a week :)

What I Wore Stripes Challenge!

Myself and bajillion other beautiful blogger ladies striped it up For Jessica at What I Wore's Stripe Challenge!

Ch..ch..check it out!

What I Wore Stripes Challenge!

Orange You Glad its Thursday?

Dress: American Eagle (similar) / Top: Forever 21 (similar) / Sandals: American Eagle (similar) / Necklace: American Eagle (similar)

Im definitely noticing daily outfit chronicling can be tedious, and even stressful sometimes! Last night I spent almost 2 hours trying to find something to wear today. I, naturally, decided I didn't have a THING to wear in my closet and all my clothes were too boring. (If you saw my closet you'd immediately slap me in the face and tell me to look again.)

I eventually settled down and decided on a dress I recently got at American Eagle and I wasnt sure if I was going to keep. The top fits me a little wonky as I'm between sizes, and I haven't decided if I could fix it myself yet or not. Today, however, played as a skirt, I'm in love. the colors are so bright and fresh. I feel much better now and these colors make me happy!

Ikat Wednesday

Cardigan: New York & Co. (similar) / Tee: American Eagle / Jeans: Rock & Republic for Kohls / Shoes: Mossimo for Target / Scarf: American Eagle

Sorry for the lack of outfit yesterday! Work is severely kicking my butt lately. I worked through my lunch (my normal picture taking time!) and by the time I got home (late) I wanted nothing more then sweatpants and a nice cold beer (and a good cry -- thanks hormones!)! Today is a similar situation - lots of work and little time to do it in. When will it end!!

Well, at least I look cute doin' it. I'm in love with this new scarf I picked up from AE... I've already thought of so many options for how to wear it!!

A word about nails...

Can I just say that I am OB-SESSED with cool nail art right now?

If you are anything like me, you probably don't really have the time or the money to go get a sweet manicure every week. Fear not - thats where Sally Hansen Salon Effects comes in!

These awesome nail polish strips run about $10 a box, and the box is SUPPOSED to be one application, but if you are thrifty and have short nails like me, 1 strip can work for two nails - meaning 2 applications per box! Ladies - that means $5 for awesome looking nails!

Each application lasts a good 2 weeks without chipping, and even then the only reason I replace them is because they have grown out.

If you haven't already tried them I HIGHLY recommend them - they come in all KINDS of cool patterns. This is my current fave! (Kitty, Kitty)

Rainy Day Monday

Cardigan: Anthropologie (similar) / Tee: American Eagle / Pants: LC by Lauren Conrad for Kohls (similar) / Shoes: MK Michael Kors

Bah on this weather I tell you - BAH! It was GORGEOUS this weekend... thankfully I did get out to enjoy it while it lasted, because today is a big pile of ick out there. Chilly and rainy and cruddy - oh my! Its was one of those days where I pulled the covers up over my head and wished that I could stay there allllll day. Alas, that was not the case and off to work I went.

And my sour start turned into a pretty darn good day :) First - I won my first blogger giveaway! I can't wait until I have the privilege of hosting one of those for my readers! The lovely Joanne of Fabulously Average gave away a $50 GC to a cute little shop - Plain Ivey Jane. I think I'll be putting that $50 toward the Aztec dress! Cute, no??
And theeeen I upped my mood even more by pulling out one of my favorite Anthro cardi's and one of my favorite pairs of flats. Its miraculous how clothes can change your mood.

Do you have a certain clothing item  that makes a cruddy day all better?

GO BLACKHAWKS! Friday

Shirts: (Button up) Burlington Coat Factory 2011 (Tee) Hawks Pro Shop / Jeans: Rock & Republic for Kohl's / Shoes: Toms

Sorry for the delayed post from Friday! - This weekend was just nuts (in a great way!) more on that soon....

BUT -- Ok ok, so I know I live in Washington now, but listen, Washington doesn't have an NHL team, and I'm not just going to give up on my hometown team! Chicago Blackhawks for life baby!! The Stanley Cup playoffs are happening and as of Saturday the series is tied up 1-1 for the Hawks and the Phoenix Coyotes. Its been exciting so far!!

Alas, this is not a sports blog so lets get to the real dirt here -- my version of cute sports fan! You CAN represent your favorite team fashionably. Please ignore the rat's nest hair. Sadly I woke up late and after my workout I didnt have time to wash it. Ew.

Hope you all HAD a lovely Friday and a great weekend!
Monday's outfit still to come :)

Olive Drab Thursday

Top: Anthropologie / Pants: Gap circa 2004 / Shoes: Mossimo for Target

So today I busted out my trusty point and shoot Nikon to see if it takes pictures better then my iPhone... to me they look the same, no? I suppose a mirror picture is a mirror picture no matter which one I use. To do list - buy a tripod.

Anywho, let me just say that I love that rolling up your pants (tight rolling baybay) is back. Its such a flippin' comfortable style! Today's outfit is a little military inspired, but I love the overall ease of the whole thing. The flowy top, the loose-fit pants... love love love!

I've noticed lately I have a vast amount of stripes in my wardrobe these days, which is odd because I never used to care for stripes - but apparently, I love them now!
What do you have in your wardrobe that you never thought you'd wear?!

Functional Style Wednesday

Top: Maurices / Vest: Maurices (similar) / Jeans: Rock & Republic for Kohls / Shoes: Gap circa 2007 (similar)

Happy hump day ya'll!

Today was one of those days that was more about comfort then style - though I attempted my best 'functional' style! I had a lot of content population, site testing and graphics work to do today, which meant a lot of sitting at my desk for long periods of time. Comfort was a necessity, style was secondary! I've actually had this vest for probably 8 months and hadn't yet worn it. I'm not sure why. To me this outfit's a bit boho meets country, no?

I see functional style as an outfit that's comfortable and easy-to-wear without being frumpy or careless. It should still have a little bit of pizzazz without requiring too much effort. 

What's your favorite clothing item or accessory that helps you achieve 'functional' style?

Floral Tuesday

Dress: Maurices (similar) / Cardigan: New York & Co. (similar) / Shoes: Mossimo for Target / Earrings: Target circa 2002

We survived Monday and made it to Tuesday ya'll!

The sun isn't out here, which makes me super sad, but the high is supposed to be 75 and I'm ok with that! So yesterday I broke out the sandals, and today... I broke out the bare legs!! Which is great, but it reminded me of one thing -- I supremely need a tan!! Hopefully a trip to Vegas in a couple weeks will remedy that :)

This is my first Everybody, Everywear - check it out!

These are a few of my favorite style sites...

As may now know I haven't been blogging for long. In my first couple weeks of research and actually getting the ball rolling, I have come across so many AWESOME sites - blogs and otherwise - that offer some really cool things.

These are a couple non-blogs that ya'll probably already know about but I'm just now experimenting with and I can't get enough!:

www.birchbox.com - $10/month for premium beauty samples. We are talkin' nail polish, face creams, makeup, perfume -- you name it! Its an amazing way to discover new products without spending loads of money buying full sized items.

www.stylitics.com - I discovered this site on a freak (but awesome) accident Superbowl Sunday. You can add your clothes to your virtual closet, and with an easy drag and drop format, plan out your week's (or even your month's!) outfits, while giving you stats about your wardrobe like how many times you've worn a piece, a color, or a brand, or how much your wardrobe is worth. I enter my outfits daily to build up my closet, and after a couple months of doing so my wardrobe is pretty stocked! I also love that I can jump on at work and plan my outfit quick for the next day!

www.stichfix.com - review to come on this guy - Ill be getting my first fix next week! The idea is you fill out a style profile about your style, your sizes and your wardrobe desires, and they pluck 5 unique pieces, ship them to you for at home try on and you can purchase what you want or ship back what you don't! Its $20 per fix, but if you do decide to purchase, that $20 acts as a credit toward those purchases, which is pretty awesome! Shipping both ways is also free!

Style away!

KathrynLaine.

Maxi Monday

Cardigan: Maurices circa 2006 (similar) / Tee: American Eagle / Skirt: Target / Sandals: American Eagle (similar) / Necklace: Maurices

Happy Monday!!

I'm feeling great today. I managed to get up (for pretty much the first time in history, I think) at 6am and do a pre-work workout! Typically I wake up around 7:45 and straggle into work around 8:10 barely awake and with my hair in a bun. That was not the case today. I worked out, showered up, straightened my hair, put on eye shadow for the first time in ages and left actually feeling prepared for the day ahead! I hope to make a habit of it, but I know it only takes one sleepy morning of staying in bed to throw me off course, so fingers crossed I can keep it up!

I digress. Its another beautiful day in the Tri-Cities, and I've pulled out sandals for the first time this season!! Score! There's also something about a maxi skirt that screams sunshine to me. I scored this one at Target for $20 a few months back and I already know its going to be in HEAVY rotation this season.

Hope its beautiful wherever you are - Spring is in the air!

Casual Friday

Tee: Loud Lion / Sweater: New York & Company (similar) / Pants: Gap circa 2004 / Shoes: Mossimo for Target

Casual Friday in an already casual work environment is quite the conundrum. Nonetheless people dress especially down on Friday's, myself included. I rarely wear a full on t-shirt to work, even on Friday, but this lucky lady works with a lovely girl who (with her fiance, soon to be hubby!) owns a little t-shirt shop called Loud Lion. This makes it acceptable for all of us in the office who own Loud Lion tees to sport them with pride! Score!

*And - if you dig Loud Lion's designs - follow them on Twitter! @loud_lion

Feelin' Fringy Thursday

Dress: Maurices circa 2003 (similar) / Sweater: Sonoma for Kohl's (similar) / Boots: Target (similar) / Necklace: Maurices (similar)

Wow Thursday? Already? I love when my weeks fly by... as much as I enjoy my job, the weekends are my favorite (I'm mean really, who doesn't love the weekend).

I have to say this dress is one of my favorites in the world. I wear it at least once every 1-2 weeks thanks to its simple silhouette and neutral color. Its just a simple, long sleeved, empire waist dress. I need to get better at remixing it, although I regularly try to switch it up with different sweaters and accessories, I almost always wear it with these boots. That's part of the reason I'm loving (and loathing) daily blogging! Its pushing me to keep changing things up!

Lets see what else I can do with it... anyone have any ideas??
Stay tuned!

My Review of Ribbed Waist Short

Originally submitted at Maurices

These comfy shorts are a great casual option for t-shirt or tank top day, or at the beach to cover your suit. The stretch ribbed waistband is comfortable and the drawstring lets you cinch. Cute side ties add detail. Imported.

Ribbed Waist Short

OBSESSED w/this for comfy spring/summer!

By KathrynLaine from Tri-Cities, WA on 4/5/2012

4out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size
Pros: Well Made, Quality Materials, Figure Flattering, Comfortable, Practical
Best Uses: Date Night/Night Out, Casual Wear
Describe Yourself: Trendy/Stylish Dresser
Was this an online or in store purchase?: in store
Do you have a maurices store in or near your town?: Yes
Comfort vs Style: Style Driven
Was this a gift?: No

I picked these up in black because that was the only neutral color in my size in-store, but Im actually really glad I did! They are really casual, however, when I paired them with a dressier black and white patterned shirt in my closet, it made for a dressy summer date night outfit!
Excellent Maurices! Ordering in 2 more colors!

(legalese)

Jegging Wednesday

Sweater: Elle for Kohls (similar) | Jeggings: Hue for Carson Pirie Scott | Tee: American Eagle | Necklace: Maurices (similar) | Shoes: Mossimo for Target

I seriously love jeggings. No really. I LOVE jeggings. Not only are they comfortable, they function as jeans, without all the annoying zippers and buttons.

Today I woke up waaaaay late (oops) and really needed comfort and quick, over style. Enter my love - jeggings! They are my go-to for quick and cute!

Also, I chose this picture, not because I look the best, but because I love the look my kitty is giving me in the background. Oh Rosie. She's my bulimic cat, and I dont mean that in a negative or mocking way. She doesnt eat much, but when she does, she eats and eats and eats, and then walks away and throws up. But shes quite svelte. Oi. My other chubby kitty more then makes up for her though!

Lilac Tuesday

Skirt: American Eagle (similar) / Tee: American Eagle / Cardigan: American Eagle (similar) / Shoes: Mossimo for Target / Jeans: Rock & Republic for Kohl's / Necklace: American Eagle

Happy Tuesday!

I'm still trying to get the hang of remembering to chronicle my outfits! We went out for B's birthday dinner last night, and I completely forgot to take a picture of my cute outfit. Tsk tsk!

Today I started the day wanting to dress a little nicer today for a mid-day client meeting, but also wanted to be comfortable for the anticipated 70 degree weather! I paired a simple summery skirt with a tucked-in oversize tee and cardi, making the perfect casual yet professional outfit.
By lunch time I was struggling with wanting to sit indian style (which i often do at work, dont judge me!) So on lunch at home I switched it up for some comfy jeans.

In both outfits I'm loving the lilac and navy mixed with a neutral sweater and patterned shoe.
What do you guys think?

Mondays are for Stripes

Dress: Sonoma for Kohl's (similar) / Sweater: Gap (similar) / Boots: Blowfish  / Belt: Maurices (similar)

First of all, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the wonderful man that loves me just as much as I love him. He's the reason I get up every morning and I'm so blessed to have such an amazing person in my life. Love you babe! Happy 34th! :)

Second of all, I've hit my first bump in the road on linking to similar outfits here! The dress I'm wearing today is brand new from Kohl's but I cant find it anywhere on the internet... the sweater is probably 5 years old and I cant find any good comparisons... my boots are new too but I got them on clearance and you cant find them on Blowfish's site any more, and my belt isnt sold at Maurices any more! Weird!
But regardless, its 60 and sunny in the Tri-Cities today and this is a perfect, easy wear Monday outfit. :)

Now time to go celebrate with my babe!