Tag: norman oklahoma

Born on Fifth for Antonio Melani

Published on by Kayla2 Comments

Today’s blog post is sponsored by Dillard’s, in honor of their new Born on Fifth for Antonio Melani collection hitting the shelves this week! I’ll be showing you my 4 favorite pieces from the collection and hopefully give you some inspo on how you could style these pieces yourself.

1. Camille Tile Print Puffed Sleeve Bow-Back Babydoll Dress

I’m absolutely obsessed with this dress– everything from the square neckline to the puffed sleeves were just calling my name. If you can’t go to Greece, the next best thing is to bring Greece to you with this dress!

You can shop the Camille Tile Print Puffed Sleeve Bow-Back Babydoll Dress here.

2. Alizee Long Sleeve Floral Print Cut-Out Back Midi Dress

I’ve never been much of a maxi dress person (my 5’5″ self seems to always look shorter in them,) but this dress made me realize I should be going for midi dresses instead! I love how it cuts off mid-calf so it can be paired with some white booties. This is THE DRESS for spring!

You can shop the Alizee Long Sleeve Floral Print Cut-Out Back Midi Dress here.

3. Constance Embroidered Eyelet Puff Sleeve Blouse

I love a good lightweight, flowy top for spring and this blouse is perfect! The eyelet detailing is so cute, and it’s perfect to pair with your favorite pair of jeans and sandals.

You can shop the Constance Embroidered Eyelet Puff Sleeve Blouse here.

4. Hanna Floral Poplin Maxi Skirt

This maxi skirt is so flattering! I’m obsessed with just how high-waisted it is, along with the blue china print covering the entire thing. It looks so great paired with a denim jacket and simple white sandals.

You can shop the Hanna Floral Poplin Maxi Skirt here.

If you’re local to Norman, you can shop this entire collection in-store at the Dillard’s in Sooner Mall! Otherwise, you can always shop online using the links above.

Which piece is your favorite?

-K

A Day In My Life As A Graduate Student: Fall 2020

Published on by Kayla1 Comment

It’s been a long time since I shared a day-in-the-life post! The pandemic and hybrid in-person/online school has made it really hard to set a routine for myself, but every week I get closer to finding a schedule that works for me. I’m going to show you what a typical day looks like for me on a day where I have plans with friends, get some work done solo, and have a class to attend in the evening. I hope this helps you get an idea for what life is like as a graduate student!

Even though I knew I was heading to brunch soon, the first thing I had to do when I woke up in the morning was make myself some iced coffee. I live for my caramel iced coffee that I make with a Keurig. Some days I take my iced coffee and a book out to read in our courtyard, but today I had plans and needed to start getting ready sooner. I drank this cup while sitting at my desk while checking my agenda/email and making sure I was caught up and ready for the day.

Because we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, I don’t get to see my friends as often anymore. The safest thing we know how to do is outdoor dining, and today the plan was brunch at a Norman favorite (Neighborhood JAM!) It was supposed to be a little chilly when we arrived but warm up as the morning went on, so I chose to layer a black turtleneck under a silk slip dress.

As always, brunch was *chef’s kiss*. I was the only one who treated myself to a mimosa (the others opted for coffee) and we all ordered “The Heap”, which is essentially just loaded hashbrowns. It kept me full through about 4:00 PM, which I was not mad about. Loved seeing my friends, it had been a while since I saw them since our schedules got a lot harder to plan around with school in full swing!

I checked the mail when I got home and realized that I had two surprises waiting for me! One was some CASETiFY phone cases I had ordered the week before, and the other was a postcard from my friend Erica who recently moved to go to graduate school in Indiana.

I had been wanting a new phone case for a while and immediately swapped out my old one for the black and pink one. It’s too cute, I’m obsessed!

After the high from opening my packages wore off, I decided I should try to get some work done. I was working to get ahead so I could relax when I went out of town in the coming days.

Once the weather warmed up even more, I took my studying outdoors and did some of my work from the comfort of my apartment complex’s rooftop deck. I love this area for relaxing, socializing, and studying, and I’m almost always alone up there! It really is a hidden gem of the complex and I can’t wait to watch football up here later in the season.

After a successful few hours of work, it was time for me to head to my evening class. I snapped this selfie right before heading out to campus. It’s weird having a class that only partially meets in person, but this was one of those days and I did feel a little relief of being able to get out of the house again.

When class ended, it was time to go home and start my evening routine. I had planned to get more work done after class, but I was feeling pretty drained and decided to call it an evening pretty early on. Overall, I had a good day and loved the combo of seeing friends, getting work done, and going to class!

What do your days typically look like? Everyone’s lives are turned upside down right now and we are all looking to add some normalcy to our daily and weekly routines. Let me know how you set a schedule for yourself!

-K

Comfy In Corduroy: An OOTD

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Fall is in full swing here in Norman, Oklahoma and that means it’s time for one of my favorite times of year: layering szn! Being able to transition summer outfits to fall is so fun and easy because sometimes all you needs is a comfy jacket of your choice. That’s what I opted for in today’s #OOTD- I got to break my favorite corduroy jacket out of the closet and use it to warm up my summery outfit.

Corduroy is one of my favorite fabrics for fall, and I’m so glad I have this jacket as a closet staple. I found it while thrifting on my 2019 spring break trip and I’ve been relying on it in the spring and summer months ever since. It’s a little oversized, which makes it perfect for layering.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Jacket: Black Corduroy Jacket (similar)
Purse: Croc Embossed Baguette Bag – SHEIN
Top: Black T-Shirt (similar)
Skirt: Leopard Print Skirt (similar) 
Shoes: Grand Court Sneaker – Adidas

By the way, can we talk about how cute this white baguette bag from SHEIN is? I found this beauty while thrifting and it was still in perfect condition. Can’t wait to add similar styles to my collection, they’re the perfect size and are so trendy right now!

-K

Blush and Bronze: Styling Silk Scarves

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One of my favorite style obsessions from this summer has to be wearing silk scarves as tops. I ordered 2 from Amazon immediately and have been loving them ever since. But be warned- do too much physical activity in these babies and they have a tendency to slide right down your torso, no matter how tight you think you tied the knot. I’m speaking from personal experience here.

While there are several different ways you can tie a silk scarf as a top, my personal favorite is the one pictured. This style definitely favors the IBTC, so if you need a little more coverage, this might not be the style for you- a halter-style tie may be more feasible. All you need to do to achieve the style I’m currently sporting is fold your square scarf into a triangle diagonally, then bring it around with the widest angle pointing straight down your back. Tie the 2 ends into a knot and adjust, then you’re done!

SHOP THE LOOK:

Sunglasses: Rose Gold Round Sunglasses – H&M
Top: Large Satin Scarf – YOUR SMILE
Skirt: Brown Suede Skirt (similar)
Purse: Jelly Purse – Windsor
Shoes: Gold Wedge Sandals (similar)

Still confused on how to tie the scarf correctly? I made this graphic in case you’re more of a visual learner:

-K

Earning Your Stripes: Styling Menswear

Published on by Kayla1 Comment

Having worked several retail jobs in my life, I’ve learned a few things about clothing. One thing I’ve especially picked up on is the difference between men’s and women’s clothing. While womenswear often caters to more trendy styles, menswear tends to stick to the basics. In my experience, it also tends to be higher quality, softer, more durable- the list goes on.

So why is it so uncommon for women to venture into the men’s section when purchasing clothing? Androgyny is becoming more and more mainstream, but as a sales associate I still rarely saw women venture into the men’s section, and vice versa. In reality, being able to purchase clothing because you like it, not just because of the gendered section it’s sorted into, opens up a whole new world of possibilities for both men and women.

For this outfit, the menswear piece I chose to style was the button-down shirt. While I appreciate a good androgynous look, that’s not completely my style, so I wanted to make sure I was able to style this men’s piece in a way that was still feminine. I chose to style this look with a black lacy bralette, high-waisted mom denim shorts, and gold accessories to balance out the masculinity of the men’s shirt. I also chose to partially tuck in my shirt to add visual interest with a faux asymmetric hemline.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Necklace: Initial Letter Pendant Necklace – Amazon
Top: Striped Shirt (similar)
Bralette: Black Lace Bralette (similar)
Shorts: Denim High-Waist Cuff Shorts – American Apparel
Belt: Black Belt with Rectangle Buckle (similar)
Purse: The Envelope Crossbody – JW PEI
Shoes: Disruptor Sneaker – Fila

Shoutout to my old coworker Mikey for being the inspiration behind my half-tucked shirt! I loved this style last summer but totally forgot about it until I saw him rocking it one day at work. If you’re not following him on Instagram, you should be- he’s a thrift and vintage stylist and a total fashion icon!

-K

Senior Photo Reveal: University of Oklahoma Class of 2020

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The end of my senior year definitely didn’t go as planned. While I wasn’t able to finish out my undergraduate career at the University of Oklahoma on campus with my friends and peers, I knew I at least wanted some photos to commemorate my 4 years as an undergraduate. Since social distancing procedures were already in place by mid-March, I was unable to hire a photographer for a senior portrait shoot.

Luckily, my time blogging has given me loads of experience with iPhone photography, self-timers, and tripods! I got ready and loaded up all my gear early one morning and headed to campus. I love how they turned out, although trying to wrangle all the props with the addition of a cap/gown/stole/hood on my own was a hassle. (Also, do you realize how hard it is to take a cap-throwing picture on your own with a 10-second self timer? REALLY hard.)

I’m proud of my work on these pictures, and over the past 4 years as well. I can’t wait to experience virtual commencement and graduation with my family this weekend!

-K

Feeling Frosty: Styling Denim-on-Denim

Published on by Kayla1 Comment

One of 2020s standout trends is supposed to be denim-on-denim. While I’m not quite ready to dive headfirst into a full-blown navy-on-navy ensemble, I dipped my toe in the water today by pairing my navy denim jacket with my black jeans. Baby steps!

I found this amazing Lauren Ralph Lauren white turtleneck at TJ Maxx the other day, and I am obsessed with it already. I love turtlenecks, sweaters, and especially combinations of the two, so I’m guessing I’ll be wearing this one a lot this season. I think it looks super classic, especially when paired with other neutrals and closet staples.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Jacket: Freeborn Denim Jacket – Target
Sweater: White Turtleneck – Lauren Ralph Lauren
Belt: Loop Belt – Target
Jeans: High-Waisted Rockstar Jeans – Old Navy
Shoes: Grand Court Sneaker – Adidas

What is your winter go-to item? Mine will always be a sweater or turtleneck, but I’m looking for more wardrobe staples to add to my closet. Let me know!

-K