Hola & happy Thursday (just had to double check what day it was, nbd). During Thanksgiving break, I had a fun little photoshoot on the golf course in one of my new favorite dresses. I totally got distracted in sharing these photos (Finals week, I’m lookin at you), but I really liked the different background. Shooting at golden hour always just adds something extra special to any OOTD photoshoot. It’s especially great for winter days where there isn’t a whole lot of sunshine and colorful flora to work with.
This dress is definitely more ‘tea time’ appropriate than ‘tee time’, but hey, why not? Though I would probably not wear this outfit for a round of golf, I do have to admit I’ve been wearing the heck out of this dress this past month. I actually own it in two different patterns now, and I like that’s kind of a ‘no brainer’ dress than I can throw on & go. I find the dress to be very flattering and surprisingly versatile for winter. I paired it with black tights, black over the knee boots, and a velvet choker necklace for church and dinner with my family. However, I think it would look awesome with a black leather jacket + tall booties for a night out or with a black fur coat/vest on a super chilly day. I really like the way the navy velvet choker paired with the dress (though my mom originally asked me if I was wearing a turtleneck under my dress?). I think it adds a really different, on-trend vibe.
So I officially finished my second to last semester of college (ahh!!), and I can’t wait to head home this weekend to see my fam. On Wednesday, we will be heading off to Dubai, so let me know if you have any movie/tv show/music recommendations for the mega long flight! I hope you’re having a fantastic week (and staying warm!).
Hello, hello & HAPPY HALLOWEEN! So over the past month (which may I add went by so, so quickly), I have received tons of positive feedback on my ‘September Favorites’ post! A lot of y’all really loved the casual chat style, so I decided to share my October favorites from this past month now that October is coming to an end. October was definitely a great month for me. I got to spend a lot of time with my family and friends & met some new friends along the way.
My mom bought me this amazing star-embellished choker this past month, and I love it (and wore it in my last ootd blog post). What I love about it is that it’s very unique, but because it is neutral, it goes with everything & is very flattering. I think it’s a great pick for somebody that is looking to get into chokers, but doesn’t want anything too basic or anything too harsh/dramatic. I know I will be wearing this one all season!
When I went home to Dallas last weekend, my mom had this Bath & Body Works candle burning in my room & I immediately fell in love. It isn’t a fall scent by any means, but it has such an incredible scent with notes of cactus flower petal, coconut, vanilla, and lemon. It’s the perfect combination of cozy, bright, and clean that I personally think works year round. After my plane landed in Memphis last Monday, I went straight to the Bath & Body Works store and purchased this candle to have in my room in Oxford. I had several friends come over last week, and every single one mentioned how amazing my room smelled-all thanks to this amazing candle! Next time you go into Bath & Body Works, definitely check this one out.
If you have been following me for a while (or follow me on snapchat @ mackenzieken), you know the Urban Decay Moondust shadows are my favorite things on the face of the planet, and I have been collecting them for a while. My current faves (from left to right on dry hand swatch) are ‘moonspoon’, ‘space cowboy’, and ‘zodiac’. I have especially been wearing the heck out of my moondust shadows this month. I picked up ‘moonspoon’ last week, and I have been obsessed with it. It’s a gorgeous grey with silver sparkles that I think looks amazing all over the lid. I would definitely recommend applying them wet over a base (the NYX jumbo pencils & the liquid Maybelline color tattoos are my favorite products to use under these shadows). I personally love these moondust shadows for night time, concerts, and special events. If you are torn and want to get just one color- you can’t go wrong with Solstice or Zodiac. Both are SO unique, but still wearable. I definitely have the ‘moondust palette’ on my wishlist this holiday season!
Over the past few months, I have actually been on the hunt for the ‘perfect hoodie’, but I am just so picky. When I stumbled upon this one on Revolve, I was excited to actually find the perfect hoodie, but I was beyond depressed to see that it was sold out (boo). Luckily, I found it on another site in burgundy, AND on sale. Score. I love the lace up detail, but I also love the fit of this hoodie. It has cool slits on the side and is longer in the back, making it perfect to throw on with leggings and converse. I definitely would love to get this hoodie in another color because I seriously love it!
I looked at this holographic highlighter for weeks- reading tons of reviews and watching more YouTube videos than I can count. I eventually gave in and ordered it from Urban Outfitters, and boy, do I love this gem. I love highlighters a ton, and I am constantly buying new ones. This holographic highlighter from MILK is so unique and different from anything I have in my collection. It looks a little weird, but on the face, it has such an amazing effect. It is also great to layer with powder highlighters (specifically the Anastasia Beverly Hills ‘moon child’ highlighter palette). My roomies and sister have all tried out my MILK holographic highlighter, and it looked stunning on all them as well. Even though Halloween is today, I think this highlighter could work year round. I can’t wait to wear it for all of next month as well!
Honorable mentions:
song of the month: Lovesick (feat. Felix Snow) by Caroline Pennell
album of the month: Mothership by Dance Gavin Dance (see my photo with the lead clean singer here)
starbucks drink: strawberry acai refresher
photography/photo editing: tone curves on lightroom
book: ‘Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future’
tv show: mad men
I hope you enjoyed this little post. Have a great and safe Halloween! Let me know what you are being for Halloween & what your October faves were.
Hey friends! It’s finally Friday (yasss)! I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve done an OOTD [outfit of the day] post. I absolutely love doing OOTDs, but they can be challenging to do during the busy school year. I wanted to share one of my recent OOTDs from this past weekend in Dallas!
Do you ever have those days where you feel like you have absolutely nothing to wear? I definitely do. When I have those days that I struggle finding something to wear, I go back to basics. Everybody needs those basic essentials in their closet that go with just about anything and can be thrown on when you’re in a bit of a hurry to get ready. For a day of shopping with my mom, I paired my favorite white vneck with a pair of black distressed AG jeans. These AG jeans are the ‘stilt crop’, and I think they are especially perfect for petite girls (yay for no alterations needed). To make the outfit a little more ‘fall’, I threw on an adorable warm-toned cardigan that I borrowed from my mom. This kimono cardigan is so cozy and would be perfect paired with a sleeveless mockneck swing dress and booties! For accessories, I added a layered wrap choker and cognac sandals with a matching purse (that I borrowed from my mom as well). Basics definitely don’t have to be boring!
Hello & happy Friday! Can you believe this week is already over? What I am even more in shock over is the fact that my summer internship is over. It went by so flippin quick. As you may know, I had the opportunity to intern for Oracle in Silicon Valley this summer. It was incredible. Incredible may actually be an understatement. Today was my official last day, and I may or may not have cried.
For my last day of work, I wore my very favorite office-friendly dress. In fact, this may be my favorite dress I own. I can’t even count the number of times I have worn it over the past few months. After stealing it from my mom’s closet for weeks, she finally let me keep it in my closet and take it to California. And boy, do I LOVE it. Not only is it comfy, but it’s so easy to just throw on and go. For work, I paired it with my favorite flats. To make it more ‘night-ready’, I threw on my favorite black booties to dress it down a bit + a hint of edge. For dinner, my dad and I headed to Lemonade in Palo Alto. I heard countless rave reviews about it, so I decided to check it out for myself. It was absolutely amazing! If you have a Lemonade near you, it’s a must-go. It’s such a unique concept, and the food was delicious. My favorite thing there? The lemonade, of course.
Happy Wednesday! Do you ever have a specific piece in your closet that you love, but just haven’t worn yet? That piece for me was this amazing flutter sleeve dress. It sat in my closet for weeks and weeks before I finally found the opportunity to wear it. For a night out with friends, I paired it with my favorite lace up sandals and yellow sunnies. It also looks amazing with neutral booties for fall. Best part about this dress? It’s currently on sale! I hope you all are having a fantastic week so far!
Pretty in pink.. but better in blue. I always seem to gravitate towards blue pieces in the same way it seems most people opt for the ever-so-classic black. I love black, don’t get me wrong, but there’s just something about blue that is so relaxing and fun at the same time. I also feel like it’s very universally flattering (unlike black, which is a color I tend to avoid when I am in dire need a serious tan). I have a confession to make, friends. I may or may not have snatched this dress from my mom’s closet. When I saw this blue & breezy Free People beauty hanging up, I just had to ‘borrow’ it (sorry mom, ily!). This floral mini dress is beyond comfy, and it’s incredibly lightweight, making it perfect for the warm (and sometimes sticky) months ahead. My favorite part about this dress though? It’s easy. It’s that dress that is your constant ‘go-to’. It doesn’t require much thought or contemplation. It’s easy to just throw on, go, and conquer the day. A day of shopping? Pair it with neutral or metallic sandals and a crossbody purse. Brunch with the girls? Lace-up sandal heels and a clutch are a must. This dress also comes in black, so yay for options! I know I will definitely be wearing this dress weekly during the summer. It’s just so adorable!
Happy Thursday! Winter break is almost over for me, and college classes begin again this Monday. One thing I love about going back to school is having a valid excuse to break out all my comfy clothes again. For class, you can always find me in an oversized shirt and leggings. It’s quick and easy, which is what I am all about during the semester. When it comes to tshirts, I absolutely love the Free People tees. I have several of them now, and I wear them all year long. They are very versatile because you can wear them with leggings and tennis shoes or you can pair them with cute shorts and sandals. The one I am wearing here is in the color ‘Army‘ and is a size small.
Sometimes the library or the classroom can be freezing, so I always take a sweatshirt with me. I love Wildfox sweatshirts because they can easily fit in my backpack or be worn around the waist. They are also incredibly soft, and I love the sassy phrases that they all have on the front. I’ve linked some more Wildfox sweatshirts below; they are definitely so much more special than your average sweatshirt!
Let me know what your go-to casual and comfy look is!
There is nothing I love more than the beach. Every Christmas, my family heads to Maui for some rest & relaxation. For the past six years or so we have stayed at the Ritz Kapalua, which I absolutely love. This year we decided to do something different and book a room at the Montage. We have been absolutely loving every second of this gorgeous resort so far. My sister and I decided to take a few quick pics near the ocean before enjoying an awesome dinner at Merriman’s– one of our family’s favorite restaurants on the island. I had fun being behind the camera and snapping some pictures of my sister twirling in this Free People dress [also featured here]. She paired the tunic dress with brown lace up sandals and a simple necklace. For dinner, I wore a blue halter blouse paired with some flowy, black shorts. I also added some gold sandals as well. For my makeup, I decided to use my favorite lime green eyeshadow that is super glam and sparkly. I also added some ardell lashes just for something different! To finish it off, I went with Too Faced’s lipstick in the shade ‘Juicy Melons‘. It’s such a fun shade for the beach, and it definitely reminds me of summer time.
Follow me around this week on Maui by following my Snapchat (Mackenzieken) & my Insta (mackenziekmiller). Thank you so, so much for checking out my blog! I hope you all are having a great week!
Hello friends! It’s finally Thursday, and the weekend is almost here. There’s nothing I love more than spending my Saturday cheering on the Rebs! I absolutely love fall gamedays, so I thought I would share my new favorite gameday piece with y’all. When I stumbled upon this tunic on Free People, I knew I wanted needed it in my closet. I paired this flowy, floral tunic with my favorite fringed booties and bold lipstick. Because it is technically a tunic, I had a hard time selecting a size because I knew I wanted to wear it as a dress. I decided to go for a ‘large’ to avoid the risk of it being too short! I think it could definitely look great as a top paired with jeans or shorts. Even though this piece is patterned, I find that it is so versatile and can be worn in a variety of ways!
Thank you so much for checking out my blog! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
Who else is ready for the weekend? Usually, I’m one for dressing head to toe in bright, neon hues. However, I decided to borrow my sister’s muted Free People tee to try something different. To keep with the muted feel, I paired the top with some off-white shorts and bone colored sandals. I also added my favorite Rebecca Minkoff purse because it really adds something fun to the simplest outfits. I’ve been loving fringe this season!
