Happy Easter!

 

Happy Easter, friends! I hope you all have a warm, sunshiny day full of family, good food and candy...it's officially white pants season!

But amidst all the candy and other happy things that Easter brings, let's not forget the real meaning of Easter: that Christ has risen!

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Oh, Coco.

 Coco at the Ritz

Coco doing her thing at her atelier

I'm not one to drool over labels, but what girl doesn't dream of owning Chanel anything? To me, the Chanel name is the ultimate in sophistication and chic. Coco Chanel was such a groundbreaking designer for her time and the label has continued her elegant sophistication to this day.

However, since brand new Chanel is definitely not in my budget right now, I've been looking up vintage Chanel pieces on Etsy, and y'all, there are some bargains out there. I'm talking real, authentic Chanel pieces for under $500.

Some favorites of mine:

Chanel navy and white blouse, ~$110 USD: I have no idea why this mannequin isn't wearing pants, but how stunning is this blouse? This is totally wearable and seasonless and would work for so many situations but doesn't scream I'M WEARING CHANEL like anything branded with the CC logo does.

Chanel peach and coral pencil skirt, $280: I would be into this skirt even if it wasn't Chanel, just because I love how sophisticated it is. The weave of the skirt is beautiful and the coral ribbon hem is just the icing on the cake. This would be so pretty with an ivory blouse and nude heels.

Chanel cap-toe heels, $425: These are so classic and would look great peeking out of wideleg pants. Plus they're in great condition which is what I look for when looking for vintage shoes. You could wear these forever.

Chanel brown plaid skirt, $155: I have such a crush on this skirt. The leather-trimmed pockets are so cute and are a great little functional detail. I'd wear this with a cream blouse and brown boots in the fall.

Chanel white and mint boucle jacket, $1,100: This is obviously out of the ~$500 range, but I have some serious, serious love for this jacket. The multicolored pastel flecks in the boucle and the mint trim are just killing me. Add in the fact that this is literally a forever-chic item and could be worn with nearly anything and I'm about ready to sell everything I own in order to buy it. Dream. Jacket.

Sigh. I definitely have an inner lady-who-lunches and she is all about some Chanel suits. One day, one day.

Sample Sale PSA: Tibi

Tibi.com is having their annual sample sale! It started today and goes through Monday, so if you're looking for some deals on fall merch, check it out! There are some really great basic pieces in the sale, so this is a perfect way to stock up!

Some favorites of mine...

Paloma Miniskirt

Felted Wool Eyelet Dress

Stud Beading Draped Dress

Natalia Cap Sleeve Dress--this lace pattern is soooo pretty!

Windowpane Shift Dress

Colorblock Silk Blouse

 Kaleidoscope V-Neck Dress

Silk Easy Dress

Jagger Suiting Skinny Pant--great price for a high-quality basic

There's lots more in the sale, including shoes and some great blazers...happy shopping!

What Kate Likes: Oxford Shirts

I am not exaggerating when I say that about a quarter to a third of my wardrobe is Oxford shirts. They're not the "comfort food" of my wardrobe, but more the "turkey sandwich"--simple, easy, and almost always appropriate. That's a weird metaphor but you get me...I hope.

I wear Oxfords with everything: jeans and boots in the fall, dress pants and a suit for interviews, shorts in the summer, tucked into skirts. If you get one that's fitted correctly, it's almost as comfortable as wearing a t-shirt but looks way more polished.

My very favorite Oxfords/button ups are from Ann Mashburn, but I've found good ones at all price points. The AM ones are pricey but are so well made and such good quality that they last a looooong time. Disclaimer: I interned for Ann Mashburn this past summer.

Here are my top picks...

1. Kiel James Patrick Scallop Oxford in Riven Rock: Umm how adorable is that scallop edge on the collar? I am kind of obsessed with it. What a great way to spiff up an otherwise unremarkable shirt!

2. J. Crew Boy shirt in linen stripe: A perfect tomboy shirt in a perfect summery fabric. And on sale too!

3. J. Crew Perfect shirt in Citrus Print: Ummm a tangerine-printed shirt? So cute and so cheerful for spring or whenever you need a pop of bright color.

4. Merona Favorite Oxford shirt in Amparo blue: I have this shirt in the peachy color, and it's surprisingly great for the price. It's roomy enough that I don't feel constrained or uncomfortable, but fitted enough so you don't look like you're wearing your boyfriend's shirt.

5. Old Navy Oxford in Green Dot: Such an on-trend color for spring! I have an oxford I got from Old Navy years ago and I love it because it gets softer and softer with each wash...I'm assuming this Oxford would be the same way.

6. Rivet & Thread chambray workshirt: Not technically an Oxford, but still a buttonup shirt! I have a chambray shirt that I bought a few years ago and while I find it very versatile, I'm not crazy about the fit. This Rivet & Thread one is a much more flattering fit and would only get better the more it's worn.

7. Madewell Plaid Popover: I love plaid almost as much as I love stripes, so of course I love this boyfriend-esque popover. This would be great with white shorts for the summer or white jeans for spring!

What are your favorite button up shirts? Any I need to know about? I'm all ears!

How to Wear: Printed Pants

I have an interview this morning with a company here in Houston, and I was told to dress "business casual with a stylish, trendy edge"...which is both specific and vague enough to be totally confusing.

After trying on half my closet, picking up some new pieces to try with things I currently own, and spending hours searching Pinterest for the perfect outfit I could easily replicate, I came up with what I think is a cute, trendy, polished outfit: printed pants mixed with luxe textures and solid coordinating colors.

Some Inspiration:

via StyleCaster

via Caroline's Mode

via Obaz

I'm not quite sure why I have been so hesitant to join the printed pants trend, because I wholeheartedly embrace the colored pants that are everywhere...maybe because I don't think that I'm really a pattern person. The ratio of patterns/prints to solid colors in my wardrobe definitely skews more towards solids. However I think patterned pants are just the thing to add personality and fun to an otherwise plain outfit. I know lots of people are into mixing prints, but I prefer to let the print be the statement piece and have everything else complement it.

How I Wore It:

blouse: Equipment//jacket: Milly (previous season)//pants: Target//pumps: Cole Haan

What do you think? Are you a fan of printed pants?

ETA: I was going to wear a silky blouse with my pants, but I didn't think about the blouse having long sleeves and the jacket having elbow-length sleeves...and that looked super dumb so I switched the blouse out for a top very similar to this one and I loved how it looked...I'll try to have pictures soon!

Flashback: Formals

So this past Saturday was my sorority's spring formal, and now that I'm an alumna of the chapter, it made me so nostalgic to see everyone's pictures on Facebook.

So...let's take a little walk down memory lane and relive some past formals, shall we? Spoiler: I wear a lot of J. Crew.

 Spring 2012...last formal ever. Wearing Cynthia Rowley (I think) and it was definitely a last-minute dress pick.

Hey Blakey.

I have such pretty friendssss!

Fall 2011. Wearing J Crew (duh). This picture is absolutely ridiculous...in the best way possible.

Fall 2011 again. Hi friends! I miss y'all!!!!!

It wouldn't be an Auburn formal without pictures at the Auburn sign!

Spring 2011. Not wearing J Crew...but only because I couldn't find a J. Crew dress in pink, white or silver.

I think I got ready in like literally 20 minutes...and I definitely look like it. A tan would have been helpful with my dress.

My little!

Fall 2011...Not a formal, but Navy Military Ball. Wearing Nicole Miller. I was (and still am) mildly obsessed with this dress! Hi Bennykins!

Fall 2008. Wearing J Crew. Awww so long ago. Some jewelry may have been nice.

Blast. From. The. Past. Hahahaha.

If you're wondering where Spring 2008, and anything from 2009-2010 was: I didn't go. I was studying abroad for the formal in spring 2010 and the others I had reasons that I forget.

I MISS FORMALS! And college!

Spring Sneakers

I love sneakers for spring and summer. I get really anxious about my feet getting dirty when wearing sandals (weird, I know) so I usually wear sneakers or Toms so my feet stay clean and I stay anxiety-free. It's great that sneakers are "trendy" this spring too, since there are so many cute colors and patterns out!

Here are some of my sneaker picks...

1. Keds Champion in Teal: The classic sneaker, redone in a cheerful teal. These would be cute with white or dark jeans and a basic tee.

2. Keds for Kate Spade New York "Kick" in Orange Chevron: Um, how perfect is that chevron pattern?? Dying over how adorable these are. The KS polka dots are pretty cute, but I think these little chevron sneaks have stolen my heart!

3. Tretorn Nylite in Hot Coral: A little sporty, a little retro, totally classic. The coral color is so cute!

4. Milly for Sperry Topsider CVO in Confetti Print: These would literally go with every color, since the print itself is multicolored. So versatile!

 5. Lacoste L27 in Navy Gingham: Gingham is a spring/summer staple, so why not have gingham shoes as well?? So preppy!

100!

What Kate Likes hit 100 posts on Friday! That's a huge milestone, especially since I never thought this blog would last more than a month or two. I am so thankful for all the friendships and connections I've made over these past few months and I'm so excited to see where I am once we hit 200 and more! I have big plans for this little bloggie and am looking forward to the future!

Thanks for making these 100 + 2 posts so great!

Liebster

 kitty cuties

Sweet Alex over at Foxes in Flannel nominated me for a Liebster award! Alex is one of my very first blogging buddies and she is just the greatest. I love emailing back and forth with her. Thank you Alex!!!

So here's a few questions that Alex gave me to answer, and since I enjoy knowing a bunch of random facts about people I'm answering the ones that she answered as well so you can get to know a whole lot of random, weird things about me :)

Questions from The S Chronicles
1. Which nail polish (brand & colour) is your favourite?
I pretty much only buy Essie nail polish, but lately I've been less than impressed with their formula so I'm thinking about switching brands. I guess my favorite color I have right now is Essie's Butler Please because I love the name and the bright blue shade...definitely not understated at all haha.

2. Which app do you use the most?
Definitely a tie between Twitter and Instagram. Totally obsessed.

3. If you were throwing a dinner party & could invite anyone, who would you ask?
Diane von Furstenberg would definitely be #1. I would just love to absorb all of her wisdom. To me, she is the perfect woman: she radiates warmth, beauty and goodness and she is so happy and at peace with herself. Having lunch or coffee with her would just be a dream.
 
4. What is your favourite university memory?
Oh gosh...really anything sorority-related. I loved seeing so many friends on such a regular basis and just being able to do anything with them--formals, post-chapter dinners, council meetings, socials, just hanging out.

Other than that, I really enjoy some of my design school memories and all of those ladies...when you've pulled multiple all-nighters in a row with a group of girls, there's always insanely hilarious and just plain insane memories. I loved spending a semester abroad in Italy with a bunch of them as well as new friends!

5. Which song can you listen to over & over without getting tired of it?
You and Me by DMB.
 
6. What is your dream job?
Hmmm...right now, I think it would be being a buyer and/or apparel product developer for a luxury menswear brand.
 
7. Which Lilly print is your all-time favourite?
Hmm...I'm really bad about remembering the names of all the prints from season to season but I really like the Begonia print from last summer!
 
8. Do you have a lucky number?
Nope!
 
9. How do you relax after a long & busy day?
I typically end up watching a movie like Sleepless in Seattle on Netflix. Sometimes I indulge in ice cream or frozen yogurt.
 
10. What is your biggest indulgence?
Getting massages. I hardly ever go get them, so it's always such a pure relaxation indulgence.
 
11. What is the best thing about the month of March?
Warm weather, sunshine and being able to lay out and get a tan! #thesouthisthebest
 
Alex's Questions
1. Road trip or airplane?
Airplane! I love flying!

2. When was the last time you were inspired by something?
I think I'm inspired by something at least every other day. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest (outfits, blog post ideas, future apartment decorating ideas, wedding ideas, etc) and I'm on Pinterest at least once a day...so inspiration is pretty frequent. However, I don't always do anything with the inspiration...which I should be better about.

3. What do you think people's first impression of you is?
I think it depends on the situation. If I'm at a party with a lot of friends, I think I come off as happy and friendly. If I don't know many people, then I come off as shy and kind of aloof. If I'm at a bar and a guy is hitting on me, apparently I come off as a total bitch if I'm not into him or really hard-to-get if I am...I need to work on that ha.

4. Favourite quote?
"The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."-Carrie Bradshaw

5. What is a tv show you think everyone should watch but not enough people are?
Hmmm...I actually don't watch that much TV...I really only watch Pretty Little Liars and then catch up with stuff on Netflix. I will say that not nearly enough people appreciate the TV genius that is Murder She Wrote. J Fletch for the win.
 
6. If you ever become famous, what would you like to be famous for?
I think I would want to be famous for something related to fashion, but something that I put a lot of work, effort and heart into. Or famous for something philanthropic.

7. Sequins or florals? (or neither?)
Sequins! I don't think I own any florals actually!

8. If letters had personalities, and you were a letter, which letter would you be?
I think I would be a K (ha)...it's a unique letter!

9. What is your favourite place to blog from? (Desk, couch, Starbucks...?)
I blog while sitting in bed. I do everything sitting in bed: job hunting, emailing, reading the paper, reading books, painting my nails...it's actually a really bad habit but I just can't quit. My bed is too comfy!

10. What is one book that has influenced you and your values or goals in a huge way?
I read a book called A Vintage Affair or something along those lines about a girl who owns a vintage clothing shop and it definitely fueled my ambition to one day have my own boutique. It also fueled me to vintage shop more and find treasures :)
 
11. Song you would like playing in the trailer for the movie of your life? 
Eep...I am literally the worst person at picking out music. I think it would be something from the 60s, even though I was obviously not alive then, because I really love the music haha.

KS Saturday!

Did you hear? Kate Spade's new diffusion line, Saturday, launched yesterday! Price points are lower than Kate Spade but still have that fun, happy quality. The clothes are also a touch more casual and relaxed than the Kate Spade clothing.

There was a preview sale on Fab a few weeks ago, and I wasn't a big fan of a lot that was in the preview sale, but thankfully the full line has way more options.

Here are some of my picks...

Abstract Shift Dress

Sexy Back Dress--would be so cute for a date!

Shirttail Skirt

Chambray Oh Snap! Popover--I can see this being in constant rotation in my summer wardrobe

Slouch Jean in Medium Wash

Abstract Linked-In Bracelet--would be perfect to spice up a plain outfit

Large Striped Weekender

You can also design your own weekender on the website as well...I played around with it a bit and came up with some cute combinations!

Overall, I'm pretty ambivalent. There's a few pieces that I think I would get tons and tons of wear out of, but a lot of it is a little bold for my taste. I'm excited to see what they come out with in the future though!