I Do. I Did. Now What?

I am super excited, today I am guest blogging for Engage A Bride website. last night I sat on a panel of soon-to-be and newly married brides and it was so much fun! I had such a great time and my post for them today is all about advice for upcoming brides.

Check out Engage A Bride's Blog to check out my guest post! Hope ya'll like it!

Love Always,

Katie

Drugstore Scores

I have to admit that I used to be a makeup snob. If it didn’t come from MAC or the occasional Bobbi Brown score, I didn’t use it. How could people actually use “drugstore” makeup and call themselves put together. Then the real world hit me like a MACk truck LOL! Apparently after college, there are things called bills, and mortgages, and childcare, and groceries and everything in between and all the extra money I used to have seemed to be nonexistent. How did people afford $70 foundation when I could barely afford the .99-cent nail file in the clearance section at Target?

I had to get smart…and quick. I had to learn that there were times for splurging (like the Stilla eye palette I use almost EVERY single day) and there were times to fake it? After all no one saw me get ready in the morning, not even my husband, and no one was going to be able to spot the $4 bronzer from the $40 (and if you could from my face then you are extraordinary!)

Here are a few of my must haves from the drugstore. I usually buy all my stuff from Target (mostly because I live in there) but these items are available in most places and will definitely keep your wallet a little heavier all the while making you feel all sorts of beautiful!

Maybelline Define-A-Line Eyeliner - This eyeliner is amazing. Not only is it less than $5 but it goes on smooth and stays on all day! This is one of my favorite eyeliners and a must have in my beauty regimen  everyday!

Elf Setting Spray - This is the first setting spray I have ever used. I never thought I needed one before. WAS I EVER WRONG! I love this stuff. A few sprays and my makeup looks flawless all day. I can't believe I have gone so long without using one. Now, since I have never used one prior I don't know how this compares to other brands however I am in LOVE with this and definitely a must have EVERYDAY whether I have two minutes or 5 hours to get ready! Oh and did I mention it's only $3!

All the ELF brushes - I am loving the ELF bushes as well. There are a few draw backs like you most likely will need to replace after about 6 months (because they start to shed) but at all under $3 I am okay with that. There smudging brush for eyes is one of the best I have ever used and their all over face brush is pretty awesome too! I bought this set at Target a while back for I think $10. Definitely a great price!

Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller - I am not sure how I lived without this magic wand for as long as I did. Never have I found a product that works this well with under eye circles. I kid you not when I tell you this is like a miracle! The product has a tinted caffeine eye gel that is said to reduce under eye circles and redness. I believe it does. I am in love and if you buy one thing after reading this...it NEEDS to be this.

Rimmel Natural Bronzer - I am a big fan of this bronzer. I have talked about it a few posts before. It is perfect for all over coloring or simply contouring your face. The color is not too orangey or greyish and applies very smoothly. It is also build able. I am a big fan!

Love Always,

Katie

Outfit of the Day!

It's Tuesday and that means it is time for another Outfit of the day! For this post I decided to mix a classic little black dress and a paisley printed shirt. Now before I breakdown the outfit, I have to apologize for my rather horrible shoe attire today. I really should have picked a better shoe however, sometimes comfort wears out. let's begin...

I have had this little black dress forever! I bought it probably 5 years ago at New York & Company and it is by far one of my go to staples in my wardrobe. If you don't have a LBD you definitely need to invest. Actually I wouldn't necessarily say invest because this one probably cost me no more than like $50 but just find one that you like. I like this one because it is very structured and hugs in the right places and gives in the right places. No one likes a dress that is too tight so PLESE make sure to do the sit test before you buy...basically just try and sit in it and make sure it isn't wither too tight or too short! If you have't checked out New York & Company before, you definitely should. it is a great place to buy your work basics (dresses, shirts, pants etc.) I am definitely a fan! Here is a great dupe for this dress from the Limited (another one of my faves for dresses). It does have a a higher neck and thicker straps but definitely a great alternative!

I have to let you in on a little secret...i LOVE Kohl's. I know this sounds crazy but they have some fab designers 9like my idol Lauren Conrad) and if you are in the right section you can score some awesome finds and even more awesome prices! I picked up this paisley top around Christmas time and it is fantastic. I love paisley prints however, sometimes the color can be a little overkill with everything going else going on, so I am a big fan of the back and white paisley print. I think it adds a touch of "speacialness" to an outfit without overkilling the look. I found this blouse at Forever 21 and while this blouse is polka dot and not paisley it still is a great dupe for this outfit!

Hope you enjoyed today's breakdown of my outfit!

Love Always,

Katie

GNI

It may only be Monday however if you are anything like me you are already looking forward to the weekend. Keep reading see how I like to spend a good Girl's Night In...

There is only one thing I love more than girl’s night out and that is Girl’s Night In! While I love getting dressed up and putting on a killer pair of heels and spending hours perfecting my hair and make-up sometimes a girl just wants to call up her girls, throw on your most comfy sweats and have a girl’s night in. Here are my must have’s for the perfect GNI:

• The Girl’s Night In Cocktail – This drink is so DELICIOUS! Plus, if done right you can make a whole jug of this for under $7 (trust me I have!)

• Ryan Gossling or Channing Tatum! While I cannot guarantee them in person (if you can make that happen I NEED to be your friend) one of these men in a movie is guaranteed to have you swooning (you are welcome!)

• Snacks! There is no dieting at GNI. We eat anything and everything…pizza, ice cream, candy, popcorn. I know it may sound like a 10 year old’s birthday party but I promise it is a lot more fun to just distress and not worry for once. Have fun. Eat. Indulge!

• Lastly this isn’t a must have more of a please don’t…leave your phone at home. Your girlfriends are one of the best relationships you should have in your life and it’s okay to disconnect. No one is going to care.

Let's look forward to the weekend!

Love Always

June Birchbox Review

I cannot tell you how excited I was to get my first Birchbox. I literally sat by the mailbox everyday like a little kid in anticipation of the mail. I have seen them and heard about them forever. I would have jumped on the bandwagon two years ago however, I used to subscribe to Shoe Dazzle and the shoes were never really my style. Is it really possible to take a quiz and someone who has never met you pick out things you actually enjoy?

With that said...my box FINALLY arrived and I opened it with such anticipation. Was I going to like it? Was I not? Would I use the items? Would I think they were junk? I think only my engagement ring box had such anticipation opening it LOL.

I was pleasantly surprised with my June box. There were a few things I thought were fantastic and a couple I could do without but overall I was in love and so happy that after so long I finally gave in and joined the revolution.

Let's start with my favorite in the June box. I am completely in LOVE with the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner. It is without a doubt the best liquid liner I have ever tried. I love the dark black color and the silky smooth texture is amazing! It also seems to stay on forever and not wipe off, which is also a huge plus. Eyeko is a favorite over in the UK and I will definitely be importing over to ATL once I am out!

I also really liked the suki exfoliating cleanser. First off, I am drawn to smell. It has to smell good for me to even want to try it and this cleanser smells divine! The lemony smell was so amazing. I used this the other night on my face and I could immediately feel a difference. It was a little tingly but not overkill but what I loved the most that when I washed it off my face immediately looked smoother and felt softer...definitely a WINNER in my book!

The Tweezerman Itty Nail Files are great but I must admit a secret...I bite my nails. I know it is a HORRIBLE habit but I always have and 90% I wear acrylics in order to hide my ugly nails! I gave these to my husband and he was thoroughly impressed. He even said much better than the 45 cent ones he usually uses (coming from him that is HUGE!) So I have to say although I didn't actually try these, my husband was throughly impressed!

Miss Jessie's Original Jelly Soft Curls was also great. I recently cut all my hair off (I will show before and afters soon and get your opinions) so I feel like I would have loved this a few weeks back. However, I threw this in my hair after the pool one afternoon and was really happy with it. It smells really great and definitely did not make my hair crunchy (which as a curly-haired girl we hate!)

I have to admit that my least favorite was the Juicy Couture fragrance. The scent was just too overwhelming for me. I think someone else might have enjoyed this a little bit more. They do say one spritz on each wrist is enough and even though it wasn't my favorite I have to agree. It definitely is a powerful scent.

The Color Club nail color in Mod in Manhattan is great! I am wearing it on my nails as we speak and it is great! It is a really pale pink and perfect for the fingertips! I like that it goes on smooth and drys fairly quickly! Definitely a must have for the summer!

Lastly, in my box this month were the postcards. While I am not a big snail mailer they are SUPER cute and I will most likely use them as part of a gift box for a birthday or anniversary very soon. Definitely a cute little extra.

All and all I was very impressed. The quiz I took really did nail what I liked and I would highly recommend Birchbox to everyone! I can't wait for July!

Love Always,
Katie

My 1 Weakness...

Let me be the first to say, I am not a brand snob. I am just as happy purchasing my shorts at Old Navy as I am at J. Crew, my shirts at Target as I am at Nordstrom. In fact if I am being honest more of my clothes tend to run on the Old Navy and Forever 21 side in comparison to the J. Crew and Nordstrom side. However, every woman has her weakness and mine comes in the form of a gold T.

Tory Burch first launched in 2004 as an American sportswear brand with a classic yet modern sensibility distinguished by a global and eclectic aesthetic. In short, it was unlike anything the fashion world had seen before.

I was first introduced to Tory Burch when my sister bought a pair of Reva Ballet Flats off Ebay that were too big. “I’ll sell these to you for $50.” I knew the fashion score I was getting, and without hesitation said, “You have a deal!”

I slid my feet into the ballet flats and it was instantly in love. I couldn’t wear them enough. I wore them everywhere from work to the playground and if I could I would have worn them to bed. They were perfect.

Since that day, I have been lucky enough to fall in love with the Tory Burch brand as a whole. Her clothing is unlike anything that has come before. Her mix of western and eastern cultures is uncanny and innovative. Her attention to detail is exquisite and her understanding of the female body is remarkable. Her clothes can be worn on anyone age 20 to 80 and her unique take on clothing allows women of all sizes to fall in love with Tory.

But my love is really her shoe collection. I was lucky enough to be given a Tory Burch gift certificate from a dear friend of mine for my birthday this year. I scoured for hours on which shoes to buy. Do I buy something I already have? Something new? Something modern? Something classic? But when push comes to shove, I always go back to the Reva’s.

These are my new ones, what do you think?

I know that many of you are reading this and thinking $225 for a pair of shoes! I don’t pay that in a whole year. I understand…I dare to say that even I agree with you. Truth be told if my husband knew how much they actually were he would kill me. ACTUALLY kill me LOL!

But I say this to you...

Splurge every once in a while. My splurge is Tory Burch (which I don’t buy nearly as much as I wish I could). Your splurge may be a massage or getting your nails done or even something as simple as an ice cream. But do it…because you know what, you are worth it.

Love Always,

Katie 

Things Winnie the Pooh Taught Me...

When I was a child I fell in love with Winnie the Pooh. Not just the cute and cuddly bear but more so with the idea that someone could love another human being as much as Pooh loved everyone. Pooh Bear never asked for anything in return for his love (except maybe honey) and no matter what happened he was always there. He is the ultimate companion. The best friend anyone could ask for. As silly as it may sound he is the epitome of what everyone should strive to be (at least in my book). 

Back when I was younger and posting quotes on My Space to express your feelings was cool. I have always quoted Winnie the Pooh. Even today, when I got married, I received  the most beautiful frame with a Winnie the Pooh quote on it. There are quotes on friendship, on love, on growing up, and everything in between.

So as we all look forward to the weekend and need a little bit of inspiration to get us through, let me quote some of my favorite Winnie the Pooh quotes to you. Hopefully this will inspire some of you...

Just something to this about...

Love Always,

Katie

Outfit of the Day!

I don't know about you but once I hit Wednesday I feel like I am going to make it to the weekend! Before we start of my outfit of the day, here is a little humor courtesy of Geico. This is Steven and I's favorite commercial right now!

Okay now that we have sufficiently laughed and are looking forward to the weekend, let's start on my outfit of the day! Summers in Atlanta can be tricky to navigate. Here is the problem, outside is always INSANELY hot and inside my office the air is blowing so cold, you would think I need a heater! This is why I usually dress in layers. Layers are the easiest way to make sure you are always prepared. Throwing a jean jacket or blazer or even a cardigan on over your outfit will allow you to always be prepared! So let's get started...

This is another really simple outfit. To be honest, I don't have too many fashion forward looks in my closet. I tend to go more towards basics that can be built upon. That way I always know I have something to wear. I also looking at this picture feel like i have WAY too much white and black! It's summer I promise to add some color soon!

My skirt is an old pencil skirt from Express. I own like three of these in multiple colors. I have tried a million skirts from a million places and I always come back to these! They are perfect for the office. Here is the same skirt in black! White skirts are perfect for summer because they are light and airy. I like staying with neutral color bottoms for the most part because it allows you to play with color elsewhere without it being overkill. Although you can't tell from here...I promise to add color soon LOL!  

My tank top is just a tank top from Old Navy. See here for an example. I have two types of tank tops I wear. The first is one similar to the white one I had on my post on Monday. I usually buy those to fi pretty tight to the body. This tank top I buy a size larger. I like to do this because it gives an option of what to wear. Sometimes you are having a "bloated" day and need something looser and sometimes you are like "dang I look good" and want something a little more form fitting...always have options. it saves you from giving up and wearing sweatpants LOL!

I searched everywhere for a jean jacket I loved. Everyone I looked at I just didn't love. It was either too dark or too light. More 80's that today or WAY to fashion forward for me. Then, I found this one in a Forever 21 in Orlando and fell in love. It is cropped and just the right color. It goes with everything and overtime you will see I wear it ALL the time.

My shoes are from Target. I love Target shoes. Is it just me or did they seriously step up their game in the last few years. I bought these ones a while back but these are really close to the ones I have. A leopard print access is perfect for pulling a look together. I love a hint of leopard to add a touch of fashion!

I was running late this morning to take my daughter to camp so my accessories are really minimal, a necklace my husband gave me on our wedding day and a simple silver bracelet.

Let me know what ya'll think and again HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Love Always,
Katie

P.S. Don't forget to check out my website www.thekatiediaries.com for all my outfits of the day and some other cool stuff not on the blog. LOVE you!

Summer Make-Up Essentials

“It’s getting hot in here…”

It’s summer and that means time to change your makeup routine. I by no means am a make-up artist. I like to call myself a Make-Up Enthusiast. Basically that means…I try.

Most of the tips and techniques I have learned, I have to credit to Cara Brook from Maskcara. If you haven’t had a chance to check out her blog, you definitely should! She is amazing! I will put a link to her blog below!

While I may not be a professional, I do know that during the summer you need to be careful. Otherwise, the beautiful face you just applied will melt right away. Trust me I have been there! For the summer, I like to adopt the philosophy of less is more. I know that not everyone will agree with me, but I just think that why put more on than you have to when it is already so gosh darn hot?

Tinted Moisturizer -  I am a big fan of tinted moisturizer for the summer. Right now, I am wearing Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Tinted Moisturizer and I love it. I like this for the summer because it is not so heavy. It does have less coverage than a normal foundation but I feel for summer you want that. You want something that can go from the office to the pool and then out for drinks and not feel like you have to reapply your whole look. Tinted Moisturizer is definitely that!

Bronzer - This is a must have all year, but especially in the summer! Bronzer allows you to have the sun-kissed glow, even if you are slaving away all day and unable to get outside! I go between two: Bahama Mama by theBalm and Rimmel's Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze. Bahama Mama has darker undertones to it and is perfect for contouring your face (I will try and have a video up on that soon!). Rimmel's is my go to for everyday look. 

Cream Blush – This is another must have for summer. I love cream blush because I feel like it looks very natural. Also, another benefit, you can use it on your lips and it becomes a 2-in-1 and in summer the less you have to carry in your pool bag the better! I have used all sorts of cream blushes through the year but right now I am really liking Elf’s All Over Color Stick. This cream blush is a pretty pink color and has a little bit of shimmer, which is perfect for summer. The best part however…its $1.00. Yes, $1.00!

Gel Eyeliner – This one is a new one for me and I will tell you the truth I am still trying to get used to it. Gel eyeliner is great for the summer because it goes on smoother than a pencil or liquid and dries and stays put! I am trying out the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Shimmer right now and while I am not completely sold, I will say it down smear down my face like the liquid or pencils do during the summer.

Sunscreen – This one may seem like an obvious beauty must have during the summer. However, we all know how easy it is to forget. I always try to put at least 50SPF on my face and 30SPF on my body (although sometimes it’s only 15SPF). Promise me if nothing else, you use this one! Trust me on this…I used to work in a tanning bed; you do not want to look 70 at 40!

Try my must haves out and let me know what you think?

Love Always,

Katie

P.S. Here is the link to the blog Maskcara. It is awesome! Check it out!