Acceptance Letter

I finally got my acceptance letter! No not to college to BIRCHBOX! I'm off the waiting list and my very first Birch Box is on its way. Which is perfect timing because I've been in total overhaul mode with my beauty routine. Everyday its the same stuff over and over and over. Well I will give myself credit. I do mix a red lip in there whenever I'm feeling the need for a saucy pick-me-up. I mean my routine isn't terrible and I can get it all done in under 3 minutes (as I proved this morning). But as we all know I adore change and I am really looking forward to trying out some new things.

 

 

So that ^ was a few weeks ago and IT'S HERE! My first birch box came and its completely worth it! The packaging was adorable and the products are awesome. Here's what I got...

 

*Boscia, BB Cream SPF 27 PA++ - Considerng I just ran out of my Garnier BB cream yesterday this is perfect. I used it this morning and was a little worried about how dark it was but believe me when it says "The sheer formula adjusts to match your skin tone." They're not blowing smoke up your ass. It really does! Also it has a great light "did I forget to put that on?" feeling. I am definitely getting this....when the sample runs out. For $38 a bottle its a bit more than I'd usually pay but you can't put a price on good skin.

 

*Color Club, Birchbox Custom Polish - It's a beautiful blue and I can't wait to try it out. I know what I'm doing tonight!

 

*Juicy Couture, Viva la Juicy La Fleur - I'm not a huge fan of it but it's a pretty smell. Not a keeper for me but I'll probably keep it in my purse for emergency spritzings.

 

*Sedu, Anti-Frizz Polishing Treatment with Pure Aryan Oil - Holy crap it smells amazing! Oh and it works! I put a bit in my hair last night when it was damp and my curls came out manageable and soft. I put a little in my hair this morning where my pillow frizzed it up and it worked beautifully. I have pretty fine hair and this didn't weight it down at all. Definitely a keeper.

*Twistband, Hair Tie - I have been meaning to try these out but buying 100 for $2.00 cheap ones are so much more.... well cheaper. But after I try this maybe I'll pony up and buy more.

 

*Tili, Bag - It's just this cute little plastic bag with a pretty design. Makes me want to get more and fancy up my bagged lunches.

 

 

Along with a little magazine with some DIY tips that was it. And it was way more then I expected. I definitely recommend getting on the list and trying it out. It's $10 a month but think when you buy a huge bottle of a new beauty product and don't like it your out more money than $10. Plus you can try things you never even thought of. Anyway, have fun gettin' your beauty on!

xoxo,
Kaitlyn

Smelling Memories

About a week ago I ran out of the perfume I've been wearing for a bit now, Vera Wang's Lovestruck... I usually change smells every time they run out just to keep it interesting but there's a few I keep around because I love them and they bring back wonderful memories. Like the other morning I was running around getting my things together and just slapped on the first perfume I could find. In my rush to get to work on time and not park in a garage that cost an arm and a leg I didn't really take the smell in. But for some reason even with being late and my hair looking a hot mess I was in a good mood. When I finally sat down at my desk and took a deep breath and a wave of memories came back. I was wearing Aguolina's Pink Sugar the same perfume I got right before my boyfriend and I started dating. All these memories came rushing back, our first date at Piccolo Forno, our second date when we saw 50/50 and I cried, the first hand hold and our first kiss. I couldn't help but smile and think of how lucky I am that I get to have him. Sorry! Enough of the cheesy stuff! Anyway my point is that it's an amazing way to start your day. A smell can trigger so many memories and it amazes me every time. So today I'm going to share my favorite smells and what or who they remind me of. Also I suggest you check them out if you haven't already. You can never own too much perfume BUT you can have too much on (we've all made that mistake) so spritz lightly ladies!

The perfume my mom wore when I was growing up
Escape by Calvin Klein
amazon.com

Reminds me of my Grandma Pat. I absolutely love Chanel #5
macys.com

Reminds me of going to the Drive In with my family when I was a wee one
Wild Honeysuckle
bathandbodyworks.com

Reminds me of a perfume my older sister had when she was in high school and I use to sneak sprays of
White Citrus
bathandbodyworks.com

This is the perfume I was wearing when my boyfriend and I first started dating
Aquolina's Pink Sugar
$45.00
sephora.com

The perfume I just ran out of. It's fantastic and reminds me of starting my new job and this past summer
Vera Wang's Lovestruck
$68.00

These ones I don't have but have smelled and are on my Nose's Wish list!

Jennifer Aniston
$55.00
sephora.com

Coach's Poppy
$65.00
sephora.com

Taylor Swift's WonderStruck
$49.50
sephora.com

Ralph Lauren's Romance
$62.00
sephora.com

xoxo,

Kaitlyn

My Ox Blood moment

Sound like something out of Carrie, I know, but honest it's a fantastic and flattering color that you should try. I stayed away from dark red for awhile because of two reason. 1. Maroon and Grey were my high school colors and I had enough of them by 18 and 2. it always conjured up thoughts of "Twilight" and I am not a huge fan of that whole situation. But now thanks to the new fall lines I'm completely digging it. Now, I can't bring myself to do the dark red lipstick (mostly because I grew up in the 90's and want to avoid any trend from then) but I did tried out a dress from H&M in Ox Blood for my boyfriend's cousin's wedding (her dress was beyond amazing!) and absolutely loved it. So I've found a few things (below) that could ease you into the color as well. Enjoy!

Love this Leather Jacket!
www.hm.com for stores
$49.95

The Dress I wore to the wedding.
www.hm.com for stores
$34.95

Great front pleat pants!
www.urbanoutfitters.com
$59.00

I love a good crossbody purse
www.forever21.com
$24.80

 

 


A little Ox Blood on the nails
 

xoxo,
Kaitlyn

When Bad Outfits Happen To Good People

January Jones

Highwater flares are never ok!

It's a red lipstick kinda day

It's so blah out today I felt color was definitely needed

(I suck at taking photos of myself. I always look confused but that's pretty much my face all the time)

Fun Shoes for a rainy summer day! I totally forgot I had these.

Who doesn't want this?!

I absolutely adore him! I think I want one

I love these shoes! I almost bought them today at Macy's. I'm going to regret not buying them later.

Personal Hero

Oy!

Hope these bring a little light to you on this gloomy day!

xoxo,



Kaitlyn

Pittsburgh Vintage Scene

Pittsburgh has a great selection of vintage stores. I mean we're not NYC but it works.

www.heybettyvintageclothing.com

*Hey Betty! on Ellsworth in Shady Side is one of my top favorites.

I got this dress from Hey Betty! after seeing it on the mannequin in the window. I came back a few days later with my fingers crossed hoping no one else got to it. I have yet to wear it due to my lack of fancy events but I still need to get the hole in the back fixed so its probably for the best. I've added a few clutches to my collection from here as well and absolutely adore the hat and gloves selection they have. One of my favorite things about this store is the lighters and cigarette holders. They are so beautiful they almost make me want to smoke....almost.

*Eons, which is also on Ellsworth, has a great selection. The hats are to die for. Every time I go in with my friend and fellow vintage hunter Kristi, I always say "Let's bring hats back.". We never do but its still a goal of mine.

I got this fantastic hat from Eons for my Faye Ray costume for Halloween. You can not miss the clutch case. They have some absolutely amazing bags in there. Not to mention tons of mumus and robes that would be fantastic to lounge around in.

*Yesterday's News on Carson Street in South Side was my first Pittsburgh vintage shop and my favorite place to get clutches. The women at the counter is absolutely amazing! She always knows what era the bags are from and has the best information on them. She even offered to have me bring in my whole collection so I can know more about each one. Going into this store makes me feel like I'm about to discover something amazing probably because I always leave with something. The bag below (I call it my candy dot bag) was one of my most recent finds from Yesterday's News. 

One of my other favorite vintage finds that is not from Pittsburgh are my lavender sparkly heels. I adore these shoes! They are so much fun to dress up or down and they're comfortable. Normally I have a hard time walking in pumps without ankle straps (I know I NEED to learn) but these are very easy and walkable.

Vintage shopping is one of my favorite pastimes but I definitely have to be in the mood to look. I always go in with an opened mind because you never know what you'll find. Always look for holes and stains and no matter how cute or perfect for you it is make sure it can be fixed. If it can't don't waste your money. If you find shoes or purses that you love but are a little worse for the wear don't hesitate to take them to a cobbler or someone who works with those kinds of things. Changing "hard wear" i.e. buttons, zippers, clasps, and handles on vintage things can bring new life to an old garment and I highly recommend it. And yes there will be that "old mothball smell" but that can be fixed with a trip to the laundromat or dry cleaners. Maybe even some Febreze or Chanel #5. Happy Vintage Hunting!

Mad for ModCloth.com

I've been watching Mad Men like a Mad Woman and the clothes are to die for. They make me want to go out, grab tons of vintage clothes, slap on some lipstick, cat eyes and drink martinis. So needless to say I've been going crazy on Modcloth.com. I love this website! Their stuff is amazing! I'm a huge vintage fan but don't really have the time or bankroll to fund my addiction. Modcloth.com totally makes up for that! It's online and certainly doesn't hurt the old pocket book. P.S. don't skip the housewares stuff. Its all adorable!

I've put a few outfits together from ModCloth.com that I think the ladies of Mad Men would rock. Enjoy!

Betty Francis

Joan Harris

Peggy Olson

Megan Draper

xoxo,
Kaity