Polka Dots and Turquoise- OOTD

Happy Tuesday to you all! Hope you are having a wonderful day so far. I woke up to some cloudy skies and a cool breeze in the air this morning, and I was so excited! Why, you may ask? Well that means Fall is officially here. My absolute most favorite season is here in the air, and I just can't contain my excitement. I was running behind a little this morning, and whenever that happens, I tend to want to put on my most comfiest clothes. However, this morning, I felt like dressing up a little and still looking cute, so I decided to combine comfy and stylish. (My favorite combination of all time.)

The best place to start when you want to look comfy yet still cute is a pair of black leggings. I purchased mine from TJMaxx awhile ago for $6. Awesome deal! What I love about these is how thick they are, so you can't see through them.

Now to continue with our comfy yet stylish outfit is to add a fun blouse or top. My mother recently gave me this adorable black and white polka dot top. I love the two pockets in the front, the collar, and that it buttons up the middle. The polka dots really add some excitement to this outfit. 

For shoes, I wanted a little pop of color, so I wore my turquoise flats that have some awesome studding detail on the back. I love how these add just the right amount of "pop" without being too overbearing.

Since it was a little chilly this morning, I paired this super comfy gray sweater with my top. I snagged this from one of my roomies closets, and after wearing it all day, I have decided I would like this sweater in every single color available. I love love love how big and flowy it is, and it's long enough in the back to cover my bum. (Which I tend to have a difficult time finding sweaters that long.) 

Notice the matching phone case :)
Not planned, by the way.

Rain was in the forecast for the day, so I decided not to spend too much time on my hair this morning. (Plus I woke up late..) But all I did was twist it up into a little messy bun and ran out the door. A little trick for putting your hair up- quickly run your straightner through the top section of your hair (top section meaning the hair you are brushing back.) and your little baby hairs, if you have any. By straightening that top layer, when you go to pull it back, you eliminate any frizz or waves in your hair. For me and my hair type, it looks so much better when I do this. However, if you have naturally straight hair, you probably don't even need to do this step. 

And for jewelry, I wore my same rings and bracelets that I wear everyday. For earrings, I wore some diamond studs.

As you can tell, even on those days where you want to be comfortable, you can still look cute! Black leggings are definitely a staple item. Take those and build your outfit upon those. Boots are another great item to wear with your leggings that can add so much to an outfit and still be comfortable. I would like to know, what is your favorite comfy yet cute item you like to wear?

 "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." -Albert Einstein 

xoxo Mo

Studying 101

Hey everyone! It's Mo here. So this week has been filled with lots of tests and lots of quizzes, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share my favorite studying tips! Now I know everyone is different, so not all of these tips may work for you and your personality. However, I do them almost every time I study, and they are very effective. I hope you give some of them a shot! So to begin...

1. Almost every single time I study, I make myself a hot cup of tea. There is just something about a cup of hot tea that seems to relax me and helps me concentrate.  A few of my favorite teas are:

I love my green tea if you can't tell! 

I absolutely love this peppermint herbal tea! It is so refreshing and very delicious.

And if I know it's going to be a late night and early morning, I go ahead and brew up a pot of coffee.

2. So I don't really like when it's so quiet in my room that I could hear a pin drop, so I like to put on some relaxing music. Depending on my mood, sometimes I do classical, or sometimes I find a Pandora station that has a wide variety of some chill alternative music. Some of my favorite Pandora stations are-

• Amos Lee 
• The Civil Wars
• Gregory Alan Isakov
• Mumford and Sons
• Norah Jones
• Classical
• Classical for Studying

3. This is probably one of the most effective tips I can offer. Turn your phone on silent, and get it out of your sight and reach. I always get so distracted with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I mean who wouldn't?! But I have found if I put my phone out of reach, I have a much more productive study session. If you have to have your phone on you, try putting it on vibrate and only look at it if you have to!

4. Sometimes my studying requires the use of my laptop. However, when this happens, I tend to get off course much more easily. All I can say is fight the urge to visit those social networking websites, and use your computer for only study-related items!

5. This next tip may sound silly, but make sure you aren't studying on an empty stomach. If my stomach is growling and aching because I'm hungry, I find it extremely difficult to concentrate on anything but fulfilling my stomachs need for some food.

6. Take breaks. I understand time is of the essence, but studying for a straight couple hours is unhealthy. Take a short 5 or 10 minute break at least every hour. Your brain needs a little break to process all the information you are feeding it.

I hope you all give some of these study tips a shot! Good luck on any studying you might encounter in the future! Take a deep breath and remember, You Can Do It!!

Do you guys have any other studying tips and tricks? I would love to hear them!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

-Joshua 1:9

xoxo Mo

My New Favorite Shoes

Its Kat! Hope everyone is enjoying their week, school has been super tough this week for me! I have still had time to go out and get a good deal or two. If you know me, you know I love love love shoes. Maybe one day I will do a preview of all my shoes. Anyhow, if any of you get on Urban Outfitters, Free People, or are into fashion you may know of a shoe designer by the name of Jeffery Campbell. His prices range from $300 to the lowest price (that I have seen) at $65. His shoes are so unique, fashionable, and just so fabulous. The only thing is, I'm not willing to throw down that much money on one pair of shoes. So I sometimes find knock-offs. Not saying I will never buy a pair of JC's; all I'm saying is i'm a poor college student and can't. Here is a couple of pairs of JC's I had thought about buying before starting school.

 Since I just couldn't get myself to buy such an expensive shoe, I have been on the look out for shoes with studs/and or shoes that look like JC's line. He does make heels that are uniquely shaped and have cute and creative designs, but day to day I am more of a flats/loafer girl. I went to TJ Maxx this last weekend and found this cute studded flats that are very similar to a Jeffery Campbell line. I purchased these for only $14.99! The original cost was $60. Whats not to love about a cute pair of shoes for $14.99?! I LOVE a good deal! 

These are definitely my new favorite pair of shoes. I hope you guys enjoyed. Always remember you can always find a good deal or a good sale! 

"Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world!" -Marilyn Monroe

xoxo Kat

OOTD

Hey ya'll! It's Kat here. Hope everyone is having a terrific Tuesday. Just wanted to stop by and show you my Outfit Of The Day! I bought this dress last week on sale for $7 at Forever21 in Murfreesboro and I am in love! I just can't get over the cute small poke dots, the collar, and the dress has pockets! Mo and I love pockets in dresses! So, I paired this cute dress with old JCrew wine colored tights that i got on sale last year, and my black Gap flats that I also got on sale a couple of weeks ago for around $5! For my hair and makeup I did a cute, quick sock bun! (which we all know is my favorite up-do) For my makeup and I did a light blush, black eye liner, with a sheer eye shadow, and of course some wine lips to match my tights. My ear rings, honestly were just what I slept in.... (I woke up late) but I think they added just a little more color and pop to the outfit after all!

Ps. I also put just a small black cardigan with it for when its just a little chilly out and some of my classes can get a little cold also! 

Here is a Bible verse I was reading yesterday during my quiet time that I really am trying to live by so that I may "love God and love others". After all that is what I think the foundation of following Christ is all about. Loving God and loving others.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

xoxo Kat 

Rainy Days

Hi guys! Hope it is sunshine-y and warm wherever you might be. It has been raining non-stop since early this morning, but the rain is a good thing! I actually love the rain..I just find it difficult to still look cute and stylish without getting soaked. I have to walk from one end of campus all the way to the other end to get to my classes, and when it is pouring outside, it makes that walk somewhat unpleasant if you aren't prepared. Thankfully, I always carry and umbrella in my backpack, so I am ready to go. But apart from an umbrella, there are many other ways to protect yourself from the wetness and still look chic.

Jackets:

These jackets are the perfect way to stay dry and look fashionable. The cut and the detail of the first coat is what I fell in love with. The neutral color is great, but it is still so adorable because of the buttons and the tie in the front. As for the second one, I love the color, and it would definitely make a statement. (A super stylish one that is!) 

Shoes:

This is where I tend to struggle on rainy days. I'm not a huge fan of rain boots, however, there are some out there that I like! For example, the first pair is such a classy boot, it would match almost anything in your closet. The bow detail on the side is so cute, and these don't really look like your average rain boot...which is what I love about them! The next pair is a pair of flats that can get wet and will not be ruined. I need a pair of these, pronto. These might not be everyone's style, but I found them to be so so cute. I love the bow, and again with the black, super classy and easy to make outfits with.

Hair: 

As for the hair, all I have to say, is pull it up. Get it out of your face, and don't even let the rain have a chance of ruining you hair. There are so many options- a top knot, a messy bun with pieces of hair framing your face, a side braid or fishtail, or even a slick-backed ponytail. Get creative with styling and don't let the rain win when it comes to the hair.

I hope these give you a few ideas on how to conquer those rainy days in style! It might be pouring rain outside, but why not look cute while you're getting drenched. lol! So remember, don't let the rain ruin your day..take control, be confident, and don't forget your umbrella! :)

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow." -Gilbert K. Chesterton

xoxo Mo

Let me get this off my chest.

So its Kat, again... Haha. I know I haven't been posting a lot lately, and I feel absolutely terrible about it. Its been so busy with school and getting adjusted. I just don't think thats a good enough excuse though! I just want to say thank you to my best friend and my blog buddy, Morgan Dibb. She is fabulous. She's busy with school, dance, and everything else and has still kept up with blogging weekly. She's so amazing! I really do have such a great friend in my life. I'm so thankful for her and I love her very much. So, I promise to do better, and I enjoy this so much, and I'm so excited about getting back on here and blogging so much more! Here's two older photos of Mo and I . Miss you bunches MoMo!

"We'll be Friends Forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet.

Even longer,' Pooh answered.” -Winnie the Pooh

xoxo, Kat

Fall Colors!

   Hey there! It's Kat. I know I haven't been posting as frequently. School has been a huge adjustment for me these last couple of weeks and there has been a lot of late nights doing homework and meeting new people. I'm starting to get the swing of things, so start looking for me a little more on here! :)

   So I have really wanted to start on some fall trends here, so this is a small post of some colors that are in for fall! My favorites being the greens and and the mustard gold colors! Though red isn't on the color pallet that I found, I have seen some runway photos of wine and red colors. (Which I absolutely love) I'm so ready for boots, jeans, scarves, and layers! You guys have no idea! Look for more photos of fall trends coming your way soon. I hope everyone has been enjoying school, and has a fabulous weekend! Maybe try out one of these fall colors with an outfit! :)  

This is a really random quote for the day, but it makes me giggle and I think Dolly Parton is awesome.


"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know that I'm not blonde." -Dolly Parton

xoxo, Kat

Monday's Encouragement

Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing well. I wanted to do something a little different today and share something that I have been thinking about lately. I don't know if you all have heard of the clothing website called "Shopruche" or not, but they sell the cutest clothes and accessories, and they also have an awesome blog! But anyways, they posted this photo of a piece of wall art on their Instagram page awhile ago, and I just fell in love with everything about it. (This is a piece of wall art that is still available for purchase for about $19) The colors, the sunflower, the simplicity of this piece really grabbed my attention. But the saying is what really stood out to me...

"Make time to enjoy the simple things in life." Seems like a pretty easy thing to do, right? For me personally, I find myself taking advantage of these simple things. Things that I shouldn't be. I feel like it's so easy to get caught up in life and the big picture, that we so easily forget about all the little blessings that are placed in our lives each and every day. Like the time I have with my roomies in the morning to sit around the table and enjoy a cup of coffee, or the walk to my classes where I can think about all that I'm thankful for; or the daily conversations filled with encouragement and love that I am able to have with my mom.  It's the simple things we tend to forget about.

So I challenge you all (and myself included), "make time to enjoy the simple things in life." Take a few minutes one evening and go look at the stars and the moon. Be aware of the effortless times in your life that are, in reality, blessings. Don't let worrying about tomorrow run your life, and don't forget about those simple things that make your day all worthwhile. Begin each day with a deep breath and a smile, and recount all the things you are thankful for. And once again....

"Make time to enjoy the simple things in life."

xoxo Mo

Outfit of the Day

Hey guys! I was pretty excited about my outfit today, so I wanted to share it with you all :)

Starting with the top. This cut-off jean button up top was purchased from a KARM thrift store for only a couple of bucks. I absolutely love it, and after seeing the one Kat purchased from Goodwill, I knew I had to get one for myself. This top is so versatile, and will transfer so well into the Fall season. It is a great layering piece, and I love the collar.

Next we have the pants. These are probably one of my favorite pairs of pants I own. Love the pink, and they are quite comfy, too! 

Now onto the shoes. Think about your go-to shoes. You know, the ones you wear at least 5 out of the 7 days of the week. Yeah, well these are mine. These strappy, floral sandals were purchased from the Gap outlet for about $15. Love the way they can instantly spice up an outfit. 

I decided to go with my everyday bracelet and rings, and compliment the pink pants with nice bright pink lip!

Thanks for checking out this quick outfit of the day! Have an awesome rest of your day and Monday. Talk to you guys later!

"Get going. Move forward. Aim high. Plan a takeoff. Don't just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane. It simply won't happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here."

xoxo Mo

Friday Loves

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you have had a wonderful week. We are so very excited it's the weekend! Time to catch up on some homework, sleep, and a little bit of cleaning too. What do you all have planned for the weekend? Anything exciting?! Well before you start those exciting weekend plans...see what we have been loving this week!

Wall Decor: Mo purchased this Audrey Hepburn print from Lowes for only a couple a bucks. She recently found the perfect frame for it, and was able to hang it up in her room. We love the way it pulls her room together and the way it looks. It is simply fabulous, and Mo love love loves it!

Drink/Quote:  Mo had a cup of delicious green tea one stormy evening this past week, and she found that her tea bags have little quotes on them. This was one of the best quotes we have both seen in quite some time, and we absolutely love the idea of a quote on a tea bag. It's a nice little encouragement. 

"Be happy so long as breath is within you."

Book: Radical. Kat has started reading this book for her new bible study. We both have heard great things about it, and Kat is very excited to dig into this book! (Maybe a little book review will be in your future!)

Drink: Yes, we are including two drinks in this Friday Loves. Mo and her roomies decided to cut out any desserts, so in an effort to keep it up, Mo has been fulfilling her dessert-crave with some chocolate soy milk! It is very delicious, and tastes just like regular chocolate milk. And you also can't forget the fun straws! As Mo's Aunt Ruthie likes to say, "Fun straws make everything better." We couldn't agree more :)

Thanks for checking out our Friday Loves! We hope you all enjoy checking out what we have been loving for the week. We hope you have a very blessed and safe weekend. Talk to you all soon :)

"Be Free. Be Happy. Be You."

xoxo Kat and Mo

Friday Loves

Hi guys! Happy Friday to you all! You have conquered another week, congratulations! Sorry for not posting our loves last Friday...we were both getting all settled into college. But we have some exciting things to share (as always) with you all.

Chalkboard Art: If you all remember, Mo mentioned the chalkboard wall that is in her house, and she and her roomies have gotten much use from it. Mo purchased this piece, which was originally a gold and white abstract design, for about $12 from TJMaxx. She decided she wasn't crazy about it, so she painted it with the leftover chalkboard paint. The piece looks so much cuter as a chalkboard and is more versatile. Chalkboard paint is such an easy, and fairly inexpensive, way to liven up any piece of furniture, wall, or accessory. Hands down, we love this stuff.

And we obviously love this quote.

Drink: Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks. Can we just say how super excited we are because we both have a Starbucks that is only 5 minutes away from us and not an hour?! And we definitely have been taking advantage of it. The Chai Tea K-Cups are very good, however, nothing beats a real Starbucks!

Scent: Lavender. Mo has been wanting a lavender candle for months, and her lovely mother surprised her with one. This particular candle is from a candle shop in the mall in our hometown, but you can find these anywhere. It did not come decorated, Mo just had some time on her hands, and a hot glue gun...lol. We absolutely love anything lavender-scented because it is so relaxing and delicate.

Fast food: As you know Kat is attending Middle Tennessee State and they have a new student union center that is absolutely amazing! It has an awesome potato bar, salad bar, mexican restaurant, Popeye's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Kat's favorite, PANDA EXPRESS! 

Purchase: The thing to do around "the Boro" is ride bikes. So, of course Kat purchased an awesome red and gold vintage Shwinn! Its absolutely lovely! Its so much fun to get a group of people out riding bikes around town. (& good exercise too)

Guilty Pleasure: After a stressful day of classes and studying its good to sit back, take a break, and have some Ben & Jerry's! Cherry Garcia being Kat's favorite!!! 

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
-Abraham Lincoln 

xoxo, Kat and Mo

Nail of the Day

Hello everybody! I wanted to stop by and share a quick nail of the day.

I must say, living with 2 other girls definitely has its perks! I mean check out this nail polish stock we have going on. (And this isn't even half of it!)

I didn't realize how difficult it would be to pick out a color, but I finally the perfect blue color!

I mean, seriously, it's gorgeous! I did two coats and that was plenty enough. 

This is Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 130 Blue Me Away! How cute is the name, too?! It is a super fun color, and I have already gotten compliments on my nails. So I definitely recommend this color if you are looking for a bright, vibrant blue color. 

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week! 

"A friendly look, a kindly smile, one good act, and life's worthwhile."

Xoxo Mo

Bright Eyes

For most of you school has already started or is getting ready to begin. You know what that means...late nights and early mornings. Coffee is wonderful and all, but it won't last you all day.

One of my all-time favorite beauty tricks is to make my eyes appear brighter and bigger to hide the fact that I am exhausted and sleep deprived. Here are a few ways to make your eyes seem more awake. Now you don't have to use all of these steps all at once, (however you are more than welcome to) so play around and see which ones work best for your eyes.

1. White Eyeliner
Take a white eyeliner and line your water line and upper water line (also known as your tightline). By doing this, your eyes instantly look bigger! Such an awesome trick. Any white eyeliner will do. These are few I would recommend:

-NYX Jumbo Eye pencil in the color Milk. This has a very creamy consistency, it is very easy to apply, and it is only cost $4.50! Not bad at all!

-Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the color Yeyo. It is very smooth and really does glide right on. (Just like the name says!) This is a little more on the pricey side with it being about $19, but I think you get what you pay for. 

-I am currently using The Maybelline New York Unstoppable Eye Pencil in the color Fluffy Cloud. It's a great drugstore option!

*Try placing a little white eyeliner in the inner corner of your eye. It immediately brightens your eyes.

2.) Curly Lashes

Alright, let's be honest, how many of you curl your eyelashes? Hopefully you answered yes, but if you didn't, it's an easy fix. You might not think curling your lashes makes that much of a difference, but it does. Trust me! I currently use an eyelash curler by Revlon, but some great brands to check out are Chanel and Shu Uemura. I have heard great things about both of those brand's eyelash curlers! 

*If you have hard to curl lashes, try applying one coat of waterproof mascara and then curl your lashes. You can then apply your regular mascara after that.

3.) Mascara

If you don't have a whole lot of time to get ready in the morning, applying just one coat of mascara can make the worlds of a difference! Even if it's the only makeup you are wearing for the day, it is amazing what mascara does for your eyes. 

4.) Crease Color

This might be my favorite 'Eye Brightening' trick of all time. First you need to find a good light brown color that works for your skin tone. I really love Naked from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. All you do is pick up a little bit of the brown shadow on your eyeshadow brush and place it in the crease of your eye. Start from the outside of your eye crease and gently drag it to the inside. This gives your eyes more dimension, thus making them appear bigger. 

These are just a few tricks I like to use. Mind you, I am not a makeup artist or beauty expert, but I do use all these methods pretty much every single day. And they do work! If you try out any of these tricks, let me know how it works for you! If you have any questions about products or anything like that, feel free to ask :)

"The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides." -Audrey Hepburn

xoxo Mo

Just to stop by!

It's Kat here! I know I haven't been around much and posting, but it's been a hectic last couple of weeks. I've moved into my dorm at Middle Tennessee State on Saturday! I have so many emotions flowing through my mind right now. For now, I don't have a roommate and luckily I have a handicap room. I have so much space and closet that fits all my clothes! :) I am so excited to decorate and kind of make the room my own.(unless a roommate shows up) I just thought I could share some pictures of what I've done to the room so far. It's only been a day, so things will definitely be added and moved around.

P.s. This was done through my blogger app on my phone so it may not look as good as always!

"It's all about new beginnings, laying solid foundations and building strong relationships. Everything we want is in front of us!"

Xoxo Kat