Kimono Lovin!

Happy Thursday! 

Wearing a robe during the day-time would be ideal. Admit it. Kimonos are basically my version of a day-time robe. They look great over shorts, skirts, leggings, jeans, and even work amazing as swimsuit cover-ups for the summer! 

I bought this one from the sales rack at H&M ($8) . I had seen it on one of my favorite youtubers when I was watching a makeup tutorial and I knew I had to find a similar one! Luckily, I found the same one (okay, not a few days later, but more like a month)! 

I wore mine over an all black outfit when I went out in town in Missouri earlier this month. It's an easy and effortless way to add color to a solid colored, boring outfit. There are so many different kinds of kimonos out there, different prints and styles for everyone! 

Have a great weekend! 

Beauty Chit Chat #1: Perfume Lingo!

Happy Memorial Day!

Say "hello" to a NEW blog post series called "Beauty Chit Chat"! The title of the series describes the content perfectly! Every week we will get together to discuss my trusty beauty life-savers, home remedies, tools, techniques, and quick tips on savings and savviness!

I started this blog with a purpose to share all my personal favorite tips and random beauty knowledge with the world. I believe this series will allow me to express myself and my initial purpose! 

This series will be random yet informational, in a question and answer format, so feel free to email me at thecollegecatwalk@gmail.com if there is anything that you want me to do a post on. Want to learn how to dress for your figure? Hit me up. Do you want to know whether or not shaving causes thicker hair? Let me know!

♥ What's the best way to choose a perfume? 
Salespeople are always using these weird words such as "woody", "citrus", or "oriental". Knowing these words will better help you find your signature scent quicker and more effectively!

Floral: based on sweet flower fragrances producing a very feminine smell
Oriental: is a deeper, muskier fragrance such as vanilla and exotic plants
Woody: deep, spicy, or burnt, with scents such as patchouli or even leather
Water: light and refreshing. May smell like air or a subtle sea breeze
Citrus: similar to oranges, lemons, limes, or can be combined with other fruits for a zing-like smell.

♥ How do I find the perfect perfume for myself?
Finding your scent can be a task and a half. Someone told me to always follow 3 golden rules:
1.) Always test them on your skin, not on a paper
2.) Walk around the store for 10 minutes to allow the scent to develop with your body chemistry
3.) Buy different scents because you will always be in different moods

I hope you found this post to be helpful! Tune in next week for Beauty Chit Chat #2! 

Purge & Donate!

Hello!

As soon as I came home from Philly, I did something that I should have done a while ago...I purged my closet! I had accumulated so many items that I either would never have worn or simply did not fit. In the last week, I have thrown 3/5 of my closet into a box labeled "donation" and 1/6 of it into the trash. No joke!

I am trying to be good and only keep items that are staple pieces or ones that I love to wear!

As my style and fashion obsessions change season to season, there is no need to keep unwanted items in the closet that could be another person's treasure. Current obsessions: patterned dresses! 

A dress like this is a prime example! I will definitely be keeping this one in my closet...

This perfect fit dress is from Marshalls (only $19.99). I love it's shape, material, colors and the interesting patterns! A dress like this makes it so simple to dress up in the morning. It is basically a top and bottom combo and the patterns allow you to spend less time accessorizing!

For this outfit, I slipped on white sandals (Tory Burch), my statement gold watch, and a few Alex and Ani bracelets. For the final touch, I wore a necklace that I received in my Rocksbox last month!

If you are not familiar with Rocksbox, it is a monthly jewelry subscription service that sends you three high end jewelry pieces in each box for $19/month! If you like any of the pieces you receive, you can purchase it for a discounted price! They even give you $10/month to help you with the purchase! You can keep the jewelry for as long as you like, or send it back for a new box!

But wait! That's not even the best part! Visit www.rocksbox.com and enter the promo code "collegecatwalkxoxo" to receive your first month for FREE! 

Trying, swapping, and only keeping the jewelry pieces you truly love will help keep your armoir organized and banish the mayhem.

I hope you all are having a great summer! Keep in mind that your unwanted items can help another person in need. Clean out those closets and help your community by donating!

Macaroons In Missouri!

Hi Lovelies!

Long time no outfit...

Thank you so much for your patience!

I am finally done with my first year of pharmacy school! YAYYY! This past year had so many ups and downs but I am so thankful and fortunate that I have the opportunity to pursue an education. It is something that most of us don't think about everyday, but as Dr. Seuss once said, "The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." :)

The Monday after I finished my last final exam, I hopped on a plane with my sister to visit my cousin in Kansas City, MO. The entire stay there was a blast!

On the second day there, the temps were ideal for me to frolic in this lovely peach dress from Tobi. We roamed around the city before taking a small pit-stop for macaroons at a cute little place called "Natasha's Mulberry & Mott". I wasn't completely aware of the weather there, so I took along my trusty chambray shirt from H&MNand cuffed the sleeves ($18). A chambray on a dress in the spring or summer is far better than wearing a random sweater, as sweaters tend to weigh down outfits

.

Another accessory that can weigh down an outfit are necklaces! I refused to wear one on this light summer day. Instead, I opted for a white band watch (Kate Spade), a dainty bracelet from Tiffany's, simple studs, and a pair of Tory Burch sandals.

Keeping the outfit light to the eye can inspire you to enjoy the outdoors and the nature around you. 

Hope you all have a great end to your academic year and a great start to your summer! 

Gift Guide: Graduation!

Happy Graduation Season!

I can't be the only one, but I cannot help but hum to "Graduation" by Vitamin C whenever I hear someone mention or talk about graduation the slightest bit. I wanted to share with you a few items that I think would make the perfect present for your graduate!

Congratulations Class of 2015!

ITEMS LINKED BELOW: 

Wallet | Padfolio | Card Holder | Clutch | Watch | Dogeared Necklace | Bracelet

I hope you enjoy your own graduation or your loved one's! It's a huge moment and you should be proud of your success! 

Flannel Fanatic!

Hi Beauties! 

Boy oh' boy! Can I be done and over with my finals now? First off, I hope everything is going well with you guys! Today, I want to share with you my love for flannels. :)

I would throw away all my shoes before I let someone take this flannel away from me. Flannels were in style back in the day and they graced us with their present again a just few years ago.

The best thing about flannels is the way you can dress them up, down, in, and out. I have styled this very shirt with a black circle skirt, over a dress, with jeans, and with denim shorts in the summer.

I bought my flannel for only $10 from a store I was leisurely passing by. I had been wanting this exact color and print! It is similar to the print and color you imagine when you hear the words "flannel pajamas" or "lumber-jack flannel." 

For this particular outfit, I wore a gray racer-back tank and black legging with the flannel tied around my waist. To accessorize, I kept it simple with the black and gold. For a little bit of leather, I slipped on my black booties and cross-body to go with the theme of the outfit. In this case, a flannel took a plain Jane outfit from boring to edgy/industrial, I only needed to add a few accessories! 

Now, I hope you find your one true flannel to grow old with! :) 

The Struggles Of SPF!

We love the summer and we love the sun. But we tend to forget the damage that the big yellow star can do to our skin.

Protecting your skin and wearing SPF is a must. Us girls, try to protect ourselves by buying makeup with SPF. However, I had two burning questions:

1.)  Does SPF need to be in my makeup?
2.)  Does one squirt of foundation(with SPF) actually protect my skin?

After doing a tad bit of research, I thought I would share the information I found and my views on it.

REALITY:
Dermatologists say that SPF in your makeup may subconsciously make you feel like you are protecting your skin when you are really not. Makeup does not provide the SPF coverage your skin needs. On average, you need 14 times the amount of powder and 7 times the amount of foundation to get real protection.

WHAT TO DO:
Apply your own sunscreen so you can wear the foundation or powder you truly like! Also, educate yourself on sunscreen. SPF protects your skin from sunburns caused by UVB rays, not the damage from UVA rays (which penetrate deeper in your skin). Buy a sunscreen that provides 2 things: broad spectrum protection and SPF 30 for ultimate protection (after 30, it makes no difference). 

REALITY: 
Has your face ever looked ghostly (white/gray) pictures but not in real life? Blame it on the SPF. When a camera flash directly hits your face, the SPF in your makeup reflects it. Crazy right? The term is literally called "flashback." This unfortunately can make you look ghostly as if you are wearing chalk.

WHAT TO DO:
If you are going out at night or are intending to take pictures, skip the SPF. My beloved Kat Von- D tattoo lock-it foundation contains absolutely 0 SPF and that is sort of the reason why I love it.  Regardless if there is one flash or a full paparazzi, my makeup will always appear blended and color matched. However, in the summer scorching heat, I tend to steer clear of the heavy foundations. These are the days I lather up on the SPF and dab a little powder instead.

I hope this post was infomative for you! Sorry for not posting in the last few days, I was swamped with endless exams before finals. Two more weeks! Lets do this! 

Brights & Simple!

Hi Pretty Girls!

Today's outfit is all about simplicity and colors...bright colors! With the weather getting warmer, I love dressing colorful and bright to correspond with the lovely spring temps.

Being LOUD yet simple can totally be a thing. Being a little gaudy is okay too. However, tossing all of your bling accessories and colorful pieces into one outfit is a definite no-go. When the weather gets warmer, everyone kicks their outfits up a notch, I kinda love it! One thing I do not enjoy is seeing though is someone wearing every single print along with every single color in the crayon box. Pick and choose, people.

As long as you do not go overboard with your outfit, have fun this spring and create your best look-book yet!

On the first warm day we had, I wore this outfit. I was so excited! My pants are from J.Crew and my yellow bright sweater is from Forever 21 ($7 in their clearance section)! I am still so happy about the deal I scored with the sweater. But don't worry, I won't judge you if you never check our Forever's sale section (it's a tornado, I know).

For the accessories, I added my third color with this bright blue envelope clutch and toned it down with these white canvas shoes. I knew that with this look I could not go all statement with the jewelry so I kept it simple with a gold bracelet and studs.

I hope your semester is wrapping up nicely! 

Rise And Shine Darling!

Hello Beautifuls!

Getting out of your warm comfy bed is not an easy task. When you have a full day of studying and exams ahead of you it can be very discouraging to take on the day with a positive attitude. However, I have a few tips that actually help me pull through and conquer the day. Let's begin from the moment I open my eyes...

Wake up early-- 
When you sleep in late it may feel great at the moment but your body and mind will only feel more lethargic and exhausted than usual. Waking up early means you have to go to sleep earlier the night before. This may seem like a hard task but most of us have low productivity at night anyway!

Do your bed-- 
Two reasons.
1.) You won't feel like going back to sleep
2.) It will immediately make your room look cleaner and help you get started on the right foot.

Eat a meal--
Fueling your body will allow you to conquer your long checklist of the day and keep you full of energy. Eating a big meal in the morning will also give you more time to burn it off. Remember, big breakfast, smaller lunch, and an even smaller dinner is the way to go!

Chug a full bottle of water--
Overnight your body gets dehydrated. When you are dehydrated, you will feel tired and mentally exhausted. Hydrating is one of the easiest steps on this list.

Jump into the shower-- 
Showering not only wakes me up but makes me feel better about myself. When I don't shower in the mornings, I never want to get ready or look my best for that day, I just feel icky and gross which hinders me from feeling good and getting my day started.

Look presentable--
I have said this before, but I am a firm believer that the way you feel on the outside is the way you will feel on the inside. Be your best and brightest, everyday!

Think about something to look forward to--
This always works for me! Thinking about something exciting or great awaiting you tomorrow, the night before, will always help you wake up early and on a good note.

Thought I would share some of my morning favorites with you all as well ^! Just remember, planning is key. Plan for a better day, a better week, a better month, and you will get results. Have an awesome day!