Weekly Gratitude

Image via WeHeartIt

My most recent blog obsession is Love, Life, Lace, an amazing blog written by the lovely Tatiana. One of my favorite things about this blog (besides Tatiana's awesome and unique style) is the "Weekly Gratitude" posts. Because I absolutely love this idea, I decided to do a weekly gratitude post of my own. Here it goes:

-I'm thankful that Spring is right around the corner. It's almost here; I just know it!
-I'm thankful for all of the amazing and supportive people in my life, especially my parents and boyfriend. They'll do whatever they can to help me achieve my dreams.
-I'm thankful for receiving awesome news while enduring a long and boring work shift on Friday. Good news and a smile on my face makes everything go a lot faster.
-I'm thankful for nail polish. I finally painted my fingernails this weekend, and I love the feeling of having painted nails. Welcome back, nail polish obsession.
-I'm thankful that there's a Crumbs cupcake in my near future.
-I'm thankful to have my motivation back. Today marks the end of my fourth week of consistent workouts!
-I'm thankful for lazy nights at home, watching a movie with my mom and brother
-I'm thankful the Oscars are on tonight! I can't wait to see all the fancy dresses!

I think these posts might just have to become part of my weekly routine here at Best Foot Forward. What are you thankful for this week?

Cashmere Makes Everything Better

What I'm wearing: J.Crew sweater, Gap tee, Old Navy skinny jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Scarf via NYC street vendor, Forever 21 jewelry

I went to bed in an awful, awful mood last night. I realized I've been sending out cover letters for possible internships with a typo in the date line. This may not seem like a huge deal to some, but honestly, who wants to hire the girl who still thinks it's 2010?! So I went to bed cranky and upset, and woke up feeling the same way. And that just was NOT okay; I knew I had to turn my mood around. So I made myself some yummy french toast for breakfast, put on a bright and cozy cashmere sweater, treated myself to both of the items from yesterday's post that I had been considering buying, and took some outdoor outfit photos (taking a page out of Kendi's book with the parking garage backdrop). Are these the most effective/healthiest ways to make things better? Ehhh, probably not. But there's a little bit more pep in my step, and I'm ready to get down to business and apply for more internships. So who's offering to be my proofreader? Clearly, I need one!

My Self-Control is Dwindling...

At the end of 2010, I calculated how much money I had spent on clothes throughout the whole year. And the number was jaw-dropping. I could blame it on spending the summer in New York City or other things of that nature, but the truth is: I wasn't being careful with my money or being a mindful shopper. Over the past few months, I have reigned in my spending and have started using some of the lessons I learned from my two 30x30 challenges to be a better shopper. But let me tell you, with spring around the corner, my self-control is really starting to dwindle. I was trying to save some money so I could do a little shopping while I'm in Cincinnati over spring break, but a few things have caught my eye recently...

Sidewalk Games Skirt from Modcloth

Dolce Vita for Target Wedges

Seychelles "Amethyst" Pump from Nordstrom

Okay so I'm not actually even considering buying the last shoe because it's a bit out of my current budget, but the first two are definitely contenders. So what do you think? Whenever I like something on Modcloth, I always feel pressure to decide fast before it sells out. Should this skirt be my first ever Modcloth purchase? And what about the wedges? They would be a perfect replacement for the Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges I swooned over all of last summer. Decisions, decisions...

Back In Black

What I'm wearing: J.Crew cardigan, J.Crew outlet circle scarf, J.Crew painter tee, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Handmade bracelet

It's been rough transitioning back to cold weather after the amazing temps we had last week. So here I am, in all black once again, taking indoor pictures. I've been feeling rather uninspired this week, so this was the best I could muster. A little bit boring (and a whole lot of J.Crew), but I wanted to get more use out of this cowl scarf before it gets warm for good. Plus, I wanted to give my handmade bracelet it's first "test drive". I've got a few little kinks to figure out, but other than that, I love it! I definitely plan on making it in more colors.

Official Etsy Shop Launch Date

I've been talking about starting an Etsy shop for what feels like forever now, and I'm determined to make it happen. So I've decided to set the launch date; I find that the best way to get motivated is to set goals and have deadlines. So here it is folks: my Etsy shop will be launching on March 21, 2011! The pictures above are just a small preview of what's to come. I can't wait!

What The Weekend Brought

This weekend was filled with lots of relaxation, but also productivity. Here's what resulted:

I was feeling domestic, so I decided to try out this cupcake recipe from the Hungry Girl cookbook. So delicious! And the best part? Each one is only 110 calories!

I also decided to get started on my spring inspiration board (my fall one can be seen here). It's still a work in progress, but I'm ready for lots of color and finally purchasing a classic trench.

I also finally watched The Romantics (the plot was so-so; the clothes were amazing), worked out twice, had a great girl's night/gossip session, finished reading The Fashion File and applied for another internship. I'm feeling recharged and ready to face the week ahead. How was your weekend?

Let's Unwind

Image via WeHeartIt

A weekend with absolutely no obligations couldn't have come at a better time. This past week, I had three midterms, a paper, and countless meetings. After realizing that there was absolutely nothing on my calendar, I declared this an "unwind" weekend. I couldn't be happier to get caught up on sleep and relaxation. Here's what's on my non-agenda:
-blueberry pancakes (need I say more?)
-finally catching up on all the fashion magazines that have been sitting on my desk for weeks
-painting my nails...they've been majorly neglected lately
-downloading some new music to make working out a little more bearable
-watching The Romantics which I've been excited to see ever since I heard J.Crew did all of the wardrobing. And it doesn't hurt that Josh Duhamel is HOT.
-baking some yummy baked goods from the Hungry Girl cookbooks
-a laidback girl's night with some friends
-getting crafty to get ready for the official Etsy shop launch
-naps, naps, and more naps!

Come Sunday, I'll probably have to give in and do some homework and apply for an internship or two. But until then, I'm enjoying a weekend of pure relaxation. What are your plans (or non-plans) for the weekend?

Finally...

What I'm wearing: Old Navy jacket, Forever 21 striped sweatshirt, Gap tee, Loft Outlet jeans, Sperrys, Forever 21 scarf, Urban Outfitters earrings, Mondani bag via Steinmart

Outdoor pictures! So exciting! I talked the boyfriend into taking a few snaps while we were on our way to a meeting yesterday right before the sun was about to set. This weather is such a tease; it feels so great outside, but I know it's not here to stay. Next week it's going back down to the 30's with a possibility of SNOW. Not okay after the gorgeous days we've had this week. I've had this printed scarf/striped sweatshirt combo in mind for awhile now. It's a pretty casual look, but it was great for a laid-back Thursday evening. And it was even warm enough to forgo the heavy winter coat and wear my favorite jacket from Fall. Yay for warm weather!

Target's Go International dress collection

So who else is beyond excited for the launch of Target's Go International dress collection? They will be bringing back dresses from almost all of their past designer collaborations! I'm a big fan of the Go International lines; its a great way for ladies on a budget to get "designer" clothes at a price we can afford. I believe the collection is set to drop on March 13. This is the day before my finals start, but no worries--I will most definitely be taking a quick trip to Target that day and calling it a "study break". Here are the dresses I have my eye on:

Rodarte for Target: I STALKED this dress my whole winter break last year and could not find my size ANYWHERE. So happy I'm going to get a second chance to buy it!

Thakoon for Target

Thakoon for Target

Tracy Feith for Target
*all images via FabSugar

Which one is your favorite? I'm determined to get my hands on that Rodarte printed dress...it was love at first sight! Now if only they would bring back those fabulous Cynthia Vincent wedges as well. Wouldn't that be a match made in heaven?!?

An Unlikely Combination

What I'm wearing: Gap cardigan, J.Crew painter tee, Old Navy skinny jeans, Old Navy short cowboy boots, Pearl necklace (made by me!), Forever 21 belt

I went through a phase in high school where the only jewelry I would wear was pearls. Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, you name it. I thought that wearing pearls made me "classy". Now I hardly ever wear them because they seem much too obvious and stuffy. But today I was looking for the right finishing touch for this outfit, and I reached into my jewelry box and pulled out this strand of light pink pearls that I strung together a few years back. I liked that they weren't an obvious choice; I normally wouldn't pair cowboy boots with pearls, but I really like how it turned out. I'm not sure how I feel about blogging in the morning like this, but with a crazy busy week of midterms ahead, I'm not sure if I have a choice. Only four weeks until Spring break, which means the launch of my Etsy shop! I can't wait!

I Heart This Holiday

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 dress, Target tights, Target booties, Banana Republic Outlet belt
What Jillian's wearing: Modcloth Dot Through the Heart dress

{Jillian's strawberry cupcakes with strawberry filling}

On Saturday night, my roommates and I threw a small, Valentine-themed party for our friends. We'll take any excuse we can get to deck out the apartment entirely in red and pink. I've always had a love for this holiday, even when I wasn't dating someone. When I was a kid, my mom would make us a "red" dinner on Valentine's day which usually consisted of spaghetti, red cream soda, and strawberry icecream. Cute little traditions like that are what make me love this holiday. I also have been to known to use the whole "I'm single on Valentine's day" phrase as an excuse to indulge myself a little. I can't really use that excuse anymore, but I definitely recommend it. Unfortunately, I'm spending today taking a midterm, working, going to class, and working on a group project, so I'm glad I was able to celebrate over the weekend. Are you doing anything special to celebrate your Valentine's day?

Valentine's Date Night

What I'm wearing: Anthropologie cardigan, J.Crew painter tee, Loft Outlet jeans, Aldo boots, Forever 21 necklace

{The fashion section at the Book Loft}

Last night, the boyfriend took me out on a date to celebrate Valentine's day. We don't take the holiday too seriously, so we opted for a casual dinner and a trip to German Village to visit the Book Loft. The Book Loft is a discount book store that is made up of 30+ rooms of books. It's like a huge maze of books (you could easily get lost) covering pretty much any subject you can think of. The fashion section was obviously my favorite. We'd never been to the Book Loft before, so it was a fun way to wrap up our night out. I'd been wanting to wear my new Anthropologie cardigan for awhile now, but I wasn't quite sure how/when to wear it. I knew date night was a great excuse to finally try it out. I ended up pairing it with one of the J.Crew tees I got for Christmas, and I really like how it turned out. Later in the evening, I came home and did a quick wardrobe change for the Valentine's party my roommates and I were throwing. Look for a post all about the party tomorrow!

I Wish I Had Something Awkward and Awesome To Say...

What I'm wearing: Button-down (free from internship), Old Navy skinny jeans, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Chicos flower pin (gift), Forever 21 belt

Keeping it short and sweet today, folks. I was going to do my first ever Awkward and Awesome Thursday post, but frankly I'm too tired and don't really have any good ideas right now. So go check out Sydney's version instead. After all, she is the one who started the whole thing. Plus, she's adorable and has amazing style. So while you go do that, I think I'll go take a nap. Nighty night...

Taking Time to Catch Up

Image via

No outfit pictures today. Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I was fortunate enough to have my morning class canceled today, so I've spent my day catching up on everything that I've gotten behind on lately: sleep, homework, applying for internships, and maybe a little crafting later. And let's be real here, I've been rocking the sweats/no make-up look all day while trying to get these things accomplished. My number one priority right now is applying for internships. I can only hope to be lucky enough to get to return to the gorgeous city above, or somewhere equally amazing. For some reason, I've been dragging me feet on internship applications this year; they can be so overwhelming, and it's hard to not feel like a needle in a huge haystack (weird analogy? yes kinda). Do any of you fashionistas know of anyone who is looking for extra help this summer? If so, feel free to email me at bestfootforward.kate@gmail.com!

Modcloth, Will You Be My Valentine?

Modcloth's If, And, or Bud dress, Modcloth's Sweet Sprite Skirt, Ruche's Meeting Before Dusk lace dress, Modcloth's Red Garnet Glamour dress, Modcloth's Bake Off Champion top

My roommates and I have decided to throw a little Valentine-themed party this weekend, which means I have been scouring the internet for the last week trying to decided what I'm going to wear. Here are some of the Valentine-esque items I've stumbled upon. To say I have a bit of a Modcloth obsession would be an understatement. Although I don't actually own anything from there, I stalk their website pretty frequently. I also love Ruche, and I find that they can sometimes be a little more affordable. I love Modcloth's If, And, or Bud dress, but it's a little out of my current price range, as is the Bake Off Champion top. Have you found any affordable Valentine fashions around the web? Do share, otherwise Modcloth might be running off with all my money!

An Investment Piece: The Blazer

What I'm wearing: Forever 21/Heritage 1981 button-down, Gap blazer, Old Navy skinny jeans, Aldo boots, Forever 21 necklace

It's blazer day at Everybody, Everywear! I usually don't wear blazers during winter because I think it awkward to wear a winter coat over them, but today I tried it out anyways. And I actually kinda liked it! I love blazers; they make me feel so polished. I bought this as one of my big "back-to-school" items in 2009, and while it cost a little bit more than I would normally spend on one item, it was definitely worth the investment. Now I just need a black one to round out my collection. So go ahead, get on over to Everybody, Everywear and see how everyone else styled up their blazers!

Is it Spring Yet?

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 top, Forever 21 cardigan, Gap jeans, J.Crew flats, Target scarf, J.Crew bracelet

Ughhh, Mondays are the worst. Class in the morning, then work, then class again at night. SO not fun. And the worst part? Having to wear my work uniform, which means no cute outfits, which means no outfit pictures! But I finally wised up and took some outfit pictures over the weekend, which I am now using to fill the Monday void. I wore this particular ensemble on Saturday to go to dinner with a friend from home who happened to be in town. Last week, Betsy mentioned Kelsey's strategy of wearing 6 different items in every outfit. I've been pondering this idea ever since, so I decided to try out her method. This outfit could have been left plain and simple with just the top and cardigan, but I loved it so much more once I added the scarf and sparkly bracelet. If there's anything I learned from the 30x30 challenge, it's that accessories can go a long, long way. I also would love to say that I wore these flats all night, but I didn't. It's just too darn cold for flats right now. I tried to be defiant and wear them anyways, but eventually I broke down and threw on my gray cowboy boots. Is it spring yet? I miss my flats.

30 for 30: Link Love from the Sidelines

Image via

As you've probably figured out by now, I've decided to sit out this round of the 30x30 challenge. After participating twice in 2010 (seen here and here), I decided I need a little bit of a break. But that doesn't mean that I'm not still keeping up with all the remixers out there who were brave enough to give it a try. The link list of remixers is HUGE, so I'm slowly trying to work my way through it. The 30x30 is such a great way to find new blogs and connect with amazing bloggers with similar interests. Here are some of the great posts I found this week:

-The remix master herself, Kendi, shows how to work multiple bright colors at once. She puts my wardrobe of black and gray to shame.
-Linley of Dwelling and Telling is another person who could teach me a thing or two about color. She wore bright red pants and completely rocked them! She was also featured over at KendiEveryday explaining why she remixes.
-Kelley from The Eclectic Owl shows us how easy it is to mix patterns in the same color family.
-Betsy from Miss B Gets Dressed looks fabulous with her scarf, jacket, and blogger bun combo. Plus she has some great advice via Snappy Casual about piling on the accessories for a more unique look.
-Keira from A Pretty Penny looks so cozy but cute in her cocoon sweater. Plus, I'm super jealous of her dressform; I really, really want one for myself!

I found all of these bloggers (minus Kendi) through the last two 30x30 challenges and am really excited to see them working their remix magic again. I'm also really excited to find a bunch of new amazing bloggers through this round of the 30x30. Keep up the good work, ladies!

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Purple and Polka Dots

What I'm wearing: J.Crew cardigan (gift), Old Navy polka dot shirt, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Ciao Bella boots, Forever 21 scarf, Pink Box earrings

Today I woke up and really wanted to wear this Old Navy top I got a few weeks ago. It was a steal at only $5! Since its black (like everything else I've worn this week), I decided I needed to add this cardigan for some color. The top is a little bit low cut, so I added the scarf to make it a little less scandalous and a more winter appropriate. I honestly don't even know if these two shades of purple go together, but I just went with it anyways and pretended I knew what I was doing. I can't wait to wear this shirt on its own come summer; it has adorable ruffles that are hidden by the cardigan. Okay, well I'm running late to the gym, so I'm keeping it short. Get excited...it's almost the weekend!