My Go To Spring Makeup Look

Published on April 16, 2018 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

Hello everyone and happy Monday! Does anyone else feel like the weekend flew by?? Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I didn’t have much of a weekend. Either way, it’s time to hit the ground running and get stuff done this week.

Today I want to show you the makeup look that I have not been able to stop wearing.

Eye shadow: Kat Von D Pastel Goth Palette Eyeliner: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner Lipstick: Kylie Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Exposed

When it comes to makeup, I have always been a bit of an experimenter. I have always been the first one to try new colors, brands, products, and trends. But lately I’ve found myself in a bit of a makeup rut. I got too comfortable and ended up stuck in a routine of the same products, the same colors, and the same look. And you know what? I’m sick of it. So as soon as spring came around, I knew it was time to change things up and add a little (or a lot of) color to my makeup routine.

Top: H&M Kimono: Target Jeans: Old Navy Shoes: Restricted Bag: Vintage

I received the Kat Von D Pastel Goth palette as a gift last summer, and honestly I had no idea what to do with it. It was one of those things that had been in the back of my mind, but once presented with it, I was clueless. The palette itself is absolutely beautiful. From the shades to the packaging, it is very aesthetically appealing. In case the name didn’t already give it away, the main colors in the palette are pastels; yellow, peach, pink, lavender, blue, green, white, and black/gray. The pigmentation is unbelievable. And while I loved having it in my collection, it remained untouched for the better part of a year. I kept reaching for it, opening it up, and admiring the aesthetic beauty of it, but I could never bring myself to use it.

I know I said I was an experimenter when it comes to makeup, and that is very true, but I also like to have a look in mind when I’m doing my makeup. If I don’t have that inspiration in my head then I resort to something I’ve done in the past. And since I hadn’t come up with any looks that involved the colors in this palette, I continued not to use it.

I don’t remember who it was that first introduced me to this idea, but I started seeing girls on social media wearing bright yellow eye shadow with thick black liner. The contrast of those two colors is what drew me to the look, and I think it looks very editorial. I tried it out and haven’t gone back since.

I love this look, and I am so glad I have finally started using this palette. The best part is the same principal works with all the other colors in the palette too! I’ve done peach, purple, and blue eye looks with it. However I don’t see myself doing a green based eye shadow look anytime soon! This palette is definitely made for spring, and I can’t wait to use it more regularly.

Whether you love it, hate it, or plan on trying it for yourself, I hope this look has at least encouraged you to branch out of your comfort zone and try something new. So often we find ourselves stuck in the same routine, and frankly that can get pretty boring. So take this week to find something in your life that has become routine and replace it with something out of your comfort zone. I promise you won’t regret it.

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: Waiting for Spring

Published on March 15, 2018October 23, 2019 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; I’m ready for spring. I know it feels like it’s right around the corner, and technically it is because the spring equinox is next week. But some days are still too cold to whip out the floral dresses and sandals. If you are like me, and you just can’t wait until it stays warm so you can start wearing dresses and skirts then look no further. Today’s look is about just that; how to wear a dress or skirt in early spring.

Sweater: Old Navy (old)(similar here and here) Skirt: TJ Maxx (similar here and here) Bag: Vintage Belt: Ann Klein

For this outfit, I wore this amazing, brightly striped sweater that has been on repeat since I got it. The colors in this sweater make it the perfect piece to wear in the fall and winter, but also in early spring. Now when the whole midi length trend started I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but now I am a full supporter. This long, flowy skirt style is very flattering and girly. It honestly makes me feel like a princess. My inner child comes out, and I just want to twirl all day. While the thin material of the skirt doesn’t offer much protection from the cold winds, the thick knit sweater definitely helps balance it out. You could also add some tights or leggings under the skirt, or even a pair of tall boots; I love the 70s vibes of that look!

Because the sweater is such a bold print and color, I toned it down by taking one of the neutral colors in the stripes and used that for the color of my skirt. I thought about wearing this skirt with the sweater untucked, which is a huge trend right now, but decided that it didn’t look very flattering on me. So I resorted to tucking the sweater into the skirt and belting it to further emphasize my waist. I thought the brown in the belt really complimented the rich tones in the sweater, and pulled the whole look together. Honestly, if you only listen to one clothing recommendation from me, please get yourself a sweater like this that can be worn almost all year round. Add some color, or keep it neutral, but definitely pick one that reflects your style and is versatile!

(Side note: we took some of these pictures inside the cutest little mansion in my home town. It was built in the early 1900’s and is now a museum/restaurant. How adorable is this bathroom!?)

Finally, to enhance the spring vibes of the outfit I wore these blush pink, tassel earrings which also pull out the pink stripes in the sweater. Because the sweater is so bold, I only wore a simple and delicate necklace with a hexagonal charm. I completed the look with this vintage, straw bag to add some texture, interest, and vintage charm. I know that straw bags were a huge trend all last spring and summer, and I doubt they will be going away anytime soon. If you are still on the hunt for one I would definitely check out Etsy. They have a ton of unique and cheaper alternatives. I stole this one from my mom who got it at a flea market, and it has quickly become my spring staple bag (sorry not sorry, mom!). If you do happen to get your hands on a straw bag, especially if it is vintage, keep in mind that they aren’t the most durable. But if you take care of them, they can last you a lifetime.

That’s all I have for this week, guys! Also, my Spring Break starts this weekend so if you want to keep up on all the adventures be sure to follow me on Instagram (@kendallshea22). My roommate and I are planning on going to Orlando for Universal Studios and Disney World. We couldn’t be more excited!

What are your plans for Spring Break? Are you just as excited for spring as me? Let me know in the comments down below.

Until next week!

Love, Kendall

5 Tips For When You Are Feeling Uninspired

Published on March 9, 2018 by kendallshea221 Comment

Hello guys! It’s been a bit since I last updated the blog. This delay is actually part of the reason I decided to talk about today’s topic: inspiration. More specially, feeling UN-inspired. These past couple of weeks have been busy, stressful, and exhausting. All of these things resulted in me feeling lost, uninspired, and in a bit of a rut.

Because of all of this, I decided to go on a bit on a social media black out. I knew I needed to get my life sorted and find my inspiration again. Below, I’ll be sharing with you the things I learned that helped me get my groove back.

Bedding: Target Jacket (without patches and pins): Old Navy Patches and Pins: Etsy Camera: Vintage

1. Relax! Don’t Stress About It.

One of the biggest problems I encountered during my rut, was that I was constantly getting in my own head and stressing myself out in unnecessary ways. I felt like as a blogger and content creator, I needed to be constantly posting, both on the blog and on social media. So if I wasn’t posting, or my posts weren’t as successful as I thought they should be, then I was failing. This mentality is never healthy, but especially not when you are trying to find that spark that got you started in the first place. So my advice, learn from my mistakes. You are not required to be in a state of constant success. In fact, it is perfectly healthy and understandable to take breaks when needed. Your mental and emotional well being is more important than the amount of likes you get on Instagram. It took a while for me to fully realize and accept this, but once I did I knew I wasn’t going to forget it anytime soon.

2. Ask Questions And Get Advice.

Another thing that I am always struggling with is learning to ask for help and taking criticism and advice. In this industry it is very important to be open to opportunities to learn and grow. As someone who is fairly new to the world of blogging and content creating, I am constantly learning from my mistakes. However, it is also important for me to learn from the mistakes of those who have been here before.

It took me awhile but once I realized that I wasn’t going to get out of this inspiration rut by myself, I started asking family, friends, people who read my blog, and fellow bloggers for advice. The thing about advice is that it can either be general or specific depending on your relationship with the advice giver. But regardless of the specificity of the advice, you always have something to be gained. The people around you are there to help for a reason, and when you feel like you are lost in a tunnel and you can’t see the way out, they are able to see things that you can’t and offer insight from a different perspective.

3. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others.

On a different note, it is important to consider that you are not the person next to you. According to that self deprecating voice in your head there will always be someone better at it than you. I know it’s hard to get out of this mindset, and we are all capable of backsliding, but we need to remember that no one is perfect. You are your own person; no matter how hard you try you will never be them. It’s okay to take inspiration from the people that you admire and look up to, but you have to remember that at the end of the day you are you. And there’s nothing wrong with being you.

Comparing yourself to others will only end badly for you. It will leave you feeling inadequate, and nothing will ever compare to that image you have in your head. We are our own worst critics, and I think it’s time that we start looking at everything through the lens of reality instead of the lens of societal expectations and ideals. I’ll leave you with this: be successful on your own terms and not anyone else’s.

4. Surround Yourself With Things That Encourage Creativity.

If you see something that inspires you, save it. Pin it on a board. Take a picture. Make sure you look at it everyday. I have started doing this, and it is amazing how inspired and creative I started feeling when I focused on the things that made me happy, instead of the things I thought I had to do in order to be successful. Suddenly I knew what I wanted to do, I knew what content I wanted to focus on, and I had all of these ideas. I was starting to feel inspired again, and it was amazing!

5. Be True To Yourself!

The final point I am going to talk about is being true to yourself and your personality. Focus on the things that make you happy and people will relate to it. Being yourself will make others want to do the same. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you truly understand who you are as a person, the things that motivate you, and the things that bring you joy, inspiration will follow. It may not be as simple as it sounds, and it’s going to be different for everyone, but I promise that if you focus on this the rest will eventually fall into place.

I hope that this helps anyone who may be feeling stressed, or like your life is in a rut and that no matter what you do you are still uninspired. You are not alone.

I know that I focused on inspiration and how it relates to the life of a blogger, but I feel like these are basic life lessons that can be relevant to any walk of life. If you have any tips of your own for when you are feeling uninspired, let me know in the comments down below!

See you next week!

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Published on February 14, 2018 by kendallshea221 Comment

Hello everyone! I know that Valentine’s Day is such a polarizing subject; you either love it or you hate. But for me, regardless of my relationship status, I tend to be pretty neutral. Valentine’s Day is a great time to be with loved ones, romantic or not, and treat yourself and those around you to something special. For me, today is a pretty normal day full of work, class, and blogging. However, I plan on treating myself to one of my favorite meals and a night of relaxing and watching some of my favorite shows. There’s also something special about telling those closest to you how much you love them and what they mean to you. Regardless of your feelings on Valentine’s Day, I hope you enjoy today’s post.

Sweater: H&M Jeans: Old Navy Booties: Old Navy (similar here) Silk Scarf: Vintage Purse: BCBG Max Azria Glasses: Kenneth Cole

I’m sure if you have been on social media at all today you have probably seen tons of sappy posts full of the colors pink and red. When I was planning this shoot I realized I don’t really have a lot of pink or red, and to be honest, it’s not really my style. So instead, I came up with this casual, toned down look that takes a little inspiration from today’s romantic holiday.

Okay but this scarf! I was antiquing with my family in Arkansas one day, and I fell in love with it. It’s made in Italy and has a beautiful, romantic Victorian scene on it with a blush pink outline. I knew that even if I didn’t find the courage to wear it, it would be worth it just to own and admire.

But I decided I couldn’t leave it at that. It felt like a great disservice to this beautifully made scarf to sit in my closet and not show it off. So I decided to style it. This required a lot of research on Pinterest about what to wear it with and how to tie it. I ended up tying the scarf in a very French inspired way and went with a simple outfit, because I wanted the scarf to be the statement piece.

Here’s how I tied this scarf, in case you were wondering.

Start with a square scarf
Fold the square in half to form a triangle
Roll the bottom of the triangle in 1-1 1/2 inch folds until about half way up the scarf
Take the long folded ends, and with the remaining triangle in the front of your neck, wrap the ends around the back of your neck
Pull the ends in front of your neck, and tie them in a knot over the triangle
Adjust and tighten as needed

Sorry if that is confusing to you. I tried to explain it as best as possible. Just think of it like a fancy bandanna!

I paired this scarf with this cream sweater from H&M. I thought about wearing it with a striped sweater, but decided this solid one looked better with the colors in the scarf. To keep the colors in the outfit light and pastel, I wore my light blue denim jeans with distressing at the ankle. This little detail, along with these snakeskin booties, really pulled the look together. I just love the subtlety of the muted colors and little details. For me, its a simple outfit that really packs a stylistic and unexpected punch.

Although I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day, or bright pink and red outfits, I feel like this look accomplishes the task of being a slightly festive Valentine’s outfit, while also being something you could wear any other day of the year and no one would find it outrageous. Like me, this outfit celebrates Valentine’s Day in the most neutral way possible. Maybe that’s why I love it so much…

I wish you all a wonderful Valentine’s Day, whether you are as single as a Pringle, or happily in a relationship. Hold the ones you love a little tighter than normal today, and carry that love on passed today. Because the ones we love deserve more than just one day a year, am I right?

I’ll see y’all next week!

Love, Kendall

Three Items You Can Transition from Winter to Spring

Published on February 9, 2018 by kendallshea222 Comments

It’s that time of the year again! The time of the year when one day feels like we are in the middle of winter, and the next day feels like spring is in the air. It can be very difficult to know what to wear this time of the year, especially when you want to wear something cute and trendy without freezing. Below I am going to show you three of my favorite items, how I style them now, and how I’ll be wearing them once it’s warmer.

Shirt: Old Navy Skirt Old Navy (similar here) Purse: BCBG Hat: Target (similar here) Booties: Old Navy (similar here)

First off, this skirt! I have been obsessed with this skirt all fall and winter, and I just know that I’m going to get some more use out of it once spring starts. I love pairing it with black and white. I’ve never been one to shy away from pairing neutrals together, and when done right, black and brown can look very chic. I wore it with tights to help keep me warm, and these black ankle booties. When it starts getting warmer, I plan on wearing it with graphic tees and sneakers or ankle booties (sans tights), or even light weight blouses. Even though the skirt is (faux) suede, the material is quite thin and comfortable, and I think when paired with colors like cream, blush pink, or even light blue it will instantly look more spring-y.

To me this silky shirt is an instant classic in my wardrobe. I know most people would say that a white button down is a must have, but for me a pin stripe button down is just as versatile and much more my personal style. I’ve always been a fan of stripes, and the vertical stripes on this blouse are flattering on any body type! The material has a silky finish that gives it a vintage 60s and 70s vibe. I paired it with my suede button down skirt to play off of that vintage look. In the spring, I plan on wearing this shirt with a denim skirt, shorts, or boyfriend jeans and then sandals or mules.

The last piece in this outfit is this newsboy/baker boy/caddy hat. This style of hat has been such a huge trend lately, and the funniest thing is that I’ve had this hat for years! When I was younger, I was constantly buying hats and then never wearing them because I was too worried about what people would think. It has taken a lot of conscious effort, but I have slowly started to erase this mindset. So when this look started making it’s rounds on Instagram and fashion blogs, I knew I had to break this old hat out. Plus it saved me some money! Even though this hat has a very fall and winter look to it, I plan on wearing it throughout the early stages of spring with graphic tees, boyfriend jeans, denim skirts, and sneakers. If styled correctly, this hat can add an interesting element to a casual outfit.

I styled the rest of this look with these delicate, dangly earrings, and vintage, gold bow necklace. This necklace is actually my Grandma’s! She gave it to me recently when she noticed me admiring it. I love the statement it adds to every outfit. My Grandma certainly has style. Thanks Grandma!

I know Groundhog’s Day has come and gone, and according to the groundhog we are supposed to have more winter weather coming our way, but I can’t stop thinking of all the spring outfits I want to wear. Guess, we will all have to wait. Hopefully this post helped you see your winter faves in a new light, so you can style them in spring as transitional outfits!

Until next time!

Love, Kendall

Today’s Look: The Two Trends I Used to Hate

Published on January 30, 2018 by kendallshea22Leave a comment

Hello everyone! I hope you had a relaxing weekend. I spent the weekend back home with my family, and left feeling rejuvenated and motivated to take on this week! I guess we will see how long that lasts.

Today I wanted to share an outfit with you that I was initially very skeptical about: boyfriend jeans and camouflage. I realize that neither of these trends are new, and I’m a little late to the party, but it took me awhile to fully get on board. In my mind, boyfriend jeans only looked flattering on skinny girls, and camouflage was meant for hunting. Boy was I wrong! These two items have quickly become my college winter uniform.

Jeans: Old Navy (on sale for $30!) Jacket: Old Navy (also on sale for $30!) Sweater: Target (old) Belt: Anne Klein Shoes: Puma Purse: Ross

Boyfriend jeans are meant to fit your waist like regular jeans, but loosely fit your legs and hips. Plus, these jeans are a straight cut so they do not taper at the bottom of the leg. I always thought that of all the extra material would make me look heavier than I am, but this cut is actually more flattering on me than skinny jeans. I got these in my regular size, and they fit like a dream. They have a slight high waist, light wash, and distressing on both legs.

I have a love/hate relationship with distressed jeans, and by that I mean that when I try to buy distressed jeans, they are never as distressed as I want them. They are either too distressed or not distressed enough, but these are just right. I never knew how comfortable jeans could be until I started wearing boyfriend jeans! I typically belt them with something tucked in the front, because this is an overall more flattering silhouette. But you can wear them with things untucked as well.

Because the jeans are so light, I paired them with this dark grey turtleneck sweater for some contrast. This sweater has been a favorite of mine since I got it at Target a couple years ago. The chunky knit helps add a textural element to the outfit. To top the outfit off I added my new favorite jacket: this Old Navy camo utility jacket. Like I said before, I always thought camouflage was only meant for hunting. And if camo was worn for fashion it always came off as tacky to me.

When camouflage started making its rounds as a trend, I kind of rolled my eyes and avoided it. And then this jacket came into work one day, and it immediately caught my eye. I have this same jacket is two other colors, khaki and olive green, so I knew that I would like the fit of it. I tried it on one day just for the heck of it, and fell in love. I wasn’t sure how I would style it at the time, but I knew I had to have it. And I know that I am eating my words, but camo definitely works as a neutral! You can wear it with anything, and it adds pattern and interest to even the most casual outfit. I find myself reaching for this jacket almost everyday, and it pairs so well with boyfriend jeans, a tee shirt or sweater, and sneakers. This has basically become my everyday cool girl outfit.

When it came down to accessories, I knew I wanted to wear my new Puma Ignite sneakers. I got these for Christmas and have literally not taken them off since. They are a creamy off-white color, and they definitely give my Adidas Superstars a break. I chose them because they are different from any other sneakers I have. Most of my collection is flat and round, much like the shape of the superstars, but these provide more support for my foot and are insanely comfortable. I also think they are a lot easier to clean than my Adidas. But don’t worry! They still have a special place in my heart.

To me, this outfit is very model off duty, effortless, and cool. I am obsessed.

If you take away one thing from today’s post it should be to never judge a trend without first trying it out yourself. Never be afraid to try something new, especially when it comes to fashion. And no matter what, be comfortable and confident in your own skin!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts on the camouflage and boyfriend jeans trend. What trends do you hate, and do you think you will give them a chance now?

See you guys next week!

Love, Kendall