{KH} + {SS} = Saturday {Style} Stories

{KH} here-
I woke up Saturday morning and it was pouring rain. I was sleepy. I wanted to throw a temper tantrum. I just didn't think it was fair that I had to work on a Saturday morning when the rest of the world got to sleep in! {It's not, right?!}

Getting dressed was the last thing on my mind during my self-righteous morning. I remembered that awhile back I had seen this outfit on Pinterest:

At the time I thought to myself, "I have all of those pieces". So, I went to my closet and put that {almost} exact outfit on:

At Lynden's Soda Fountain

Top- old J.Crew but similar on sale here

 Necklace- J.Crew {gifted from a friend}

Pants- old Express but similar here

Bag- J.W.Hulme Co. {scored at a sample sale for MUCH less!}

I was too tired to battle the humidity so I threw my hair back and put on the ol' {fake} glasses so I didn't have to worry about anything other than tinted moisturizer and mascara. The outfit was a hit! Everywhere I went I received compliments about my necklace and style as a whole. It helped my rainy disposition!


Later in the day I met up with {SS} (who is taking over now...) I also had to work on Saturday.

we hit up a few favorite stores in the area without much luck... (though I did score a cute little navy & white striped blazer from Hot Mama)... but we both got some ideas and inspirations for outfits to create with things we already have!

On {SS}:

Shirt: old J. Crew but similar style here
Necklace: old J. Crew factory

Belt: old J. Crew Skirt: old J. Crew but similar style here
Purse: J. Crew, same bag in new colors here
Shoes: Jessica Simpson Gold pumps found @ DSW, same style new colors here 

Of course after some shopping it was time for a treat... and what better than Ice Cream on a hot summer day!! Off to the fabulous Lynden's Soda Fountain we went...

Stay tuned for more collaborations and even some possible PHOTOSHOOTS in the weeks to come!

Hope everyone has a great start to the week!! 

Talking Shop

{KH} here!

{SS} and I met tonight to talk about the blog. We had every intention of coming up with post ideas, projections, strategies, and the liked. I headed over to blog HQ {SS's [mom's] house} to pick up my partner in crime and we went to "talk shop" over some salads.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We "talked shop" so well that we decided to go shopping. {SS} needed mascara for her trip. And it's not something that can be bought at Target. The closest place to get it is the mall!

It didn't hurt that I had been eyeing a pair of shoes online which one could only get at a certain store in the mall. I mean, we were already there! Sadly, they didn't have the shoes. I suggested to {SS} that we go to N. Rack {my text said, simply, "And NR"}. 

We were already there. So we went. And bought nothing.

 Then {SS} wanted to look into getting some powder to take on her trip. I swear by BareMinerals powder because I a) have SUPER sensitive skin and b) don't like to wash my face. My powers of persuasion are strong and off we went! {SS} got some powder which travels nicely {mine went to Mexico with no problem} and makes her skin looks even and dewey

 Awhile back we had stopped into a shop looking for some underthings. Since we were already at the mall and near, we decided to check it out. We both picked up things we were intent on buying. But then the more we thought about it, the less we wanted to buy them.

 

And so we left. Without buying anything.

We even left the mall without {SS} getting her mascara! 

I guess we can chalk tonight up to a field experiment. What big decisions did we make? Keep doing what we are going until {SS} returns from globetrotting. But at least we got one post out of it, right?!

Is less really more?

{Inner French Woman}




After enjoying a beautiful walk home from work whilst trying to figure out my blog post for the day, I {SS} came home and went to the basement to grab my suitcase and bring it up to my room, and a certain someone (she'd like to remain anonymous... evidently she thinks knows that our blog is going to go viral and she isn't ready to be 'that lady someone read about on mynewstyleblog...' okay, I made that part up) stops me midway up the stairs and asks,

"Did you ever think that your life would be simpler if you had less clothes?" 

This causes me to laugh so hard that my red suitcase full of clean laundry and potential clothes for the trip falls to the floor only adding to her point. 

Me: "But really, m**, I actually don't have as many clothes as a lot of people you know. And I have a job that requires me to dress nicely. I can't just wear the same thing everyday!"
Her: "Maybe it's a generational thing."
Me: "Well I do have a lot of things, but I like to have options. And, I'm working on buying less 'cheap' stuff and rather buying select 'quality' items, ie this lovely Ralph number (pointing to Ralph Lauren button-up)"
Her: "Okay, well I know you have to have more clothes than me, and you're into them more than me, and that's okay. But you know, in France the women, they don't dress like that."
Me: "I know. They dress so sylishly"
Her: "But they don't just have a lot of cheap stuff. They dress nicely but it's because they wear the best quality and they wear the classics."

{ though said person and I don't always see eye to eye in terms of style, we both agree that French women tend to exemplify Style }

SS in Paris, France, 2004

This all got me thinking about {my} new style and trying to channel my inner French woman. Yes, I would love to be able to walk through the south of France with a Hermes bag or Gucci shoes (neither of which I currently own) but, at this point in my life I'm okay with the fact that I'll be carrying my Coach wristlet and wearing my Tom's Ballet Flats. My {French Woman} style will come from wearing stripes, my Chanel perfume, bright floral prints, silk scarves and knowing that my name is as French as they get. 

C'est La Vie. 

 xo, SS

What's in my {KH's} closet

SS brings up a good topic- closet envy. In an ideal world, I would have an extra room which I could convert to a closet. Everything could be folded, organized, colorized, etc. There would be beautiful seating and impeccable lighting. Oh, and 3-way mirrors which made you look a-mazing. And someone to do my hair because it's summer and it will be a mess. Maybe something like this:

{This closet belongs to Jenna Lyons}

 But, the world is not ideal. I live in an apartment and have an apartment sized closet. Plus an apartment sized budget. That's what this is all about, right? New style without breaking the bank.

How does one make such a thing work? I'll tell you how!

 First, I had to hang my clothes in two places. The shot on the left is what I think of as my "main" closet. From left to right I have:

Button-Ups colorized from warm to cool (thanks retail!)

Sweaters colorized from warm to cool

Silk tops colorized from warm to cool

Blazers

The plastic bins below house "intimates", bathing suits, socks, tights, etc.

The shot on the right is my "dresses and skirts" closet. Again dresses warm to cool followed by skirts first by type, then color. 

{What about pants and stuff?!}

Worry not!

In the red dresser I have (top to bottom):

Long-sleeve shirts

Colored bottoms and shorts

Denim (and overalls!)

Workout gear

The other little guy holds my tank tops and v-neck t-shirts {I did tell SS she can not let me buy another v-neck shirt as long as we both shall live!}.

A drawer in my desk hold all of my belts.

It seems like it would be a lot of work to remember it all but I have been doing it so long it's natural to me. Plus, it's what you have to do in an apartment with a small closet. If you think this is funny, wait until you see how my books are organized!

{Gratitude}

I just want to thank all of you who visit this blog. This may be a "side project" but we are both so so excited to have it up and running. The fact that you all are reading it means the world!