All posts by Cath

9 June 2015

Work Appropriate Stretchy Pants

Isaac Mizrahi 24/7 pants | Banana Republic top | J.Crew Factory flats

Here’s a couple of things that I never thought I would mention on this blog in a million years:

Wearing pants with an elastic waistband to work.
Purchasing clothes from QVC.com.

Well, the day has come where at the ripe old age of 31 (almost 32), I’ve given up with trying to be cool and am wearing stretchy pants in a professional setting. And those pants are only available on QVC, my friends. What’s next? Bright white orthopedics with ankle socks? Maybe I’ll even start collecting porcelain dolls from the Home Shopping Network. Seriously. It’s a slippery slope and I might be on my way down.

Really the need for stretchy pants is my own damn fault. As much as I have every intention of eating as clean as Lar, I don’t have the discipline she does. I’m working on getting healthier by working out more ~~and eating less~~, because I need to lose between 5-10 pounds (mostly so I don’t have to buy a new wardrobe, which I’m getting dangerously close to having to do). So stretchy clothing items are the best. Enter these Issac Mizrahi for QVC pants. If I lose some weight, then these pants will still fit just fine and if I don’t, they’ll still be forever comfortable. They have an elastic waistband, are made out of some type of magical stretchy material, and somehow totally look like legitimate trousers.

I have to give my friend Meredith all the credit for turning me onto these pants. If I had just seen them online on my own, I would have never believed they were worth trying. Honestly, they look like typical mom pants online. See? Luckily they’re much more flattering in person.

I feel a little silly spending so much time writing about a pair of very basic pants, but I just find it so hard to shop for pants and I know I’m not alone. They’re always the last thing I try on at stores because it always seems impossible to find the right fit. After I try on three pairs that don’t fit I give up completely and end up walking away from the store with a bunch of tops and no bottoms. Do you have a pair of go-to pants? My friend Katie swears by the Old Navy leggings and Lar loves her Marks and Spencer leggings. I’m always on the look-out for the perfect pair (jeans too), so leave a comment if you have a favorite.

Category: Cath's Style

15 Comments

5 June 2015

The Best At Home Pedicure Trick

Cath

Butter nail polish in Trout Pout

I love getting pedicures – especially if I go with a friend and we look at trashy magazines and hilarious Instagram accounts together. It’s the best! Too bad* I’m trying to save money this summer, so I’ve cut out spa visits completely and do my own pedicures at home.

I’ve never had a lot of patience with painting my nails and I end up coloring outside of the lines. So here’s how I get around that little problem: I paint my nails in the evening a couple of hours before bedtime (if you paint them a little bit before bed, the polish might not dry completely and you’ll get sheet marks on your nails). Then, I take a shower in the morning and simply rub off the nail polish that’s on my skin while I’m showering. After I dry off, I paint on a top coat and let it dry as I blow dry my hair. Voila! Perfect pedicure!

*It’s really not too bad since I’m saving up to go visit Lar in July!

Category: Beauty

8 Comments

1 June 2015

A Favorite Necklace

Cath

You know when you have one of those weekends that’s so busy it feels like you haven’t had a weekend at all? This past weekend was one of those. I had plans to take some great outfit photos for the blog (plus clean the house and do some yard work, which definitely never happened). Instead, I had a couple of minutes Sunday afternoon to take some quick photos on my deck. Not the best outfit and not the best background, but it still counts, right?!

Zara Top | Asos Skirt | r-ki-tekt necklace | Rialto wedges (secondhand from my sweet friend, Meredith)

The skirt has an elastic waistband, so totally Lar approved 😉

I wear this necklace all the time. It’s all black, my favorite color, and has a tassel along the back. I purchased it last year at Root City Market from Kel, a local accessories maker. I love all of her products, own two of her necklaces, and have been eyeing this one for the summer.

Any of you local Atlantans planning on going to this month’s Root City Market? I’m hoping I’ll be in town for it. Kel won’t be there, but two of my other favorites will, Block & Hammer and Oakleaf & Acorn.

P.S.: To see my daily outfits, add me on Snapchat: asiancajunscath, and I’ll follow you back. Is it “follow” or “add as friend”? I’m not on top of Snapchat lingo, but I swear it’s not just an app for middle schoolers!

Category: Cath's Style, Decatur/Atlanta

6 Comments

27 May 2015

A Little Bit of Shopping

Cath

I haven’t done any Marie Kondo-ing like Lar, but I plan to pare down my personal belongings soon. In the meantime, I’m still making a conscious effort not to buy things just because I want them. It helps that I have a limited budget, so I can’t go on a shopping spree.

Even though I was tempted to buy a whole new outfit when I went to the mall this weekend, I was pretty disciplined. I only purchased these seven items:

1. Black and white Woven Top from H&M. I cannot not buy a black and white striped top. Some day in the not too distant future, my whole closet will consist of nothing but black and white striped tops.
2. Two camisole tops from H&M. They were two for $10 and I’ve been needing a couple of camisoles to go under a few summer tops.
3. Anastasia Brow Wiz in medium brown. I ran out of my Tarte eyebrow pencil this weekend, which is the main reason I went to Sephora. The store was completely out, so I decided to try out the Anatasia of Beverly Hills version.
4. Sephora honey mask. I’ve been wanting to try one of these masks for a while. I have super sensitive skin, so I figured the honey mask was a safe bet. Have you tried any of these Sephora masks? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
5. Compact Tangle Teezer in black. I’ve had my eye on the Tangle Teezer for a while and saw this travel version in the checkout aisle at Sephora. I love it! It comes with a cover that pops on over it so I can throw it in my purse without the bristles getting bent.
6. Darling Magazine. I love getting Darling Magazine newsletters in my inbox, but I’ve never purchased an issue until now. I found it at Anthropologie. At $20 it’s not cheap, but it’s a great read and and an issue I’ll be keeping on my coffee table for a while.

I’ll admit that the magazine and mask were splurges, but I didn’t go crazy. Right? Maybe some day I’ll be enlightened enough not to feel the urge to buy anything, but not today!

Category: Cath's Style

7 Comments

22 May 2015

My Favorite Post-Workout Smoothie

Cath

I can go for days (ok, weeks) were I consistently eat a not-so-great diet, but no matter what, after I workout I always crave something healthy. Maybe not green juice or salad healthy, but something healthier than cookies, chips and other crap.

This protein smoothie has been my go-to post-workout snack for a while now. There are no artificial anythings in it, plus it’s filling and delicious.

I originally found this smoothie in Kimberly Synder’s The Beauty Detox Food book. I’ve been making it for so long that I might have changed a few measurements along the way. For the most part it is pretty much the same as her recipe:

2 Cups almond milk
1 Frozen banana
1/2 Acai smoothie packet
3 Tbsp hemp protein powder
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
3 Drops of Stevia

Throw everything in a blender on high and blend until its smooth.

You can find all the ingredients at Whole Foods. I use the Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro Fiber powder. For those of you who live in Atlanta, the Sambazon acai smoothie packets are also available at the DeKalb Farmer’s Market.

I have a Vitamix blender, which I love so much. Vitamixes are incredibly expensive. I purchased mine on QVC because I could pay for it in five installments, which is much more doable than forking over $450+ at once. It’s absolutely worth the money. I use my Vitamix at least 3 times a week.

I got Lar hooked on this smoothie a few years ago. Just writing this post is making me crave it. I might go make myself one now. . .

Category: Wellness

4 Comments

19 May 2015

Getting Ready in 45 Minutes

Cath

A few days ago Troy and I decided to treat ourselves to omakase at Craft Izakaya after work. I worked until 5:30 p.m., worked out for an hour, and then had 45 minutes to shower, do my hair and makeup, and find something to wear.

I went from a hot, sweaty mess (the photo doesn’t fully show off the oiliness of my hair):

Getting Ready Before

To something a little more pulled together:

Old Navy dress (from a few seasons ago) | &Other Stories pumps | long necklace from Boutique Karma

I know some women can get ready in 15 minutes or less, but if I have to wash my hair, it’s going to be at least 30 minutes. I have super thick hair, a cheap hair dryer, and an old CHI straightener. That combination means a decent amount of time fiddling with my hair. So getting ready in 45 minutes is like lightening speed for me.

How about you? How fast does it take you to get ready? And recommendations for a decent, but not too expensive, hair dryer?

Category: Beauty, Cath's Style

10 Comments

15 May 2015

Summer Time

Cath

My summer festival outfit (note my hair flattened by sweat): Milly for Kohl’s tank | Rkitekt necklace | secondhand Coach bag | Marc by Marc sunglasses

It’s not technically summer yet, but it already feels like it in Atlanta. I hate the summer. I know. It’s a strong statement, so let me rephrase: I hate the summer unless I’m at the beach. Here are my five reasons to dislike the season:

1. The heat makes me sleepy and I feel like I’m much less productive when it’s hot out.

2. It means the cockroaches come out. Troy and I pay top dollar to get our house filled with chemicals to ward off the little buggers, but there’s nothing that gets rid of cockroaches completely. It’s just part of living in the south. And there’s nothing you can do about them when you’re outside in nature – like on a city sidewalk at night. My coping mechanism is to constantly prance around so one won’t run over my foot. I’m open to other suggestions.

3. I’m naturally a heavy sweater (as in I sweat a lot, not the article of clothing). If I’m walking outside for a few minutes I start getting gross and then it takes me forever to cool off once I’m inside. Troy is a lucky guy! I have to shower at least once a day and wash my hair every day.

4. Even though sweating in the heat is miserable, I also hate the super frigid, overly air conditioned rooms. My office is so cold in the summer that I wear a sweater and use a heater under my desk. That means the air conditioning is in high gear AND I’m using energy to run the heater, which means I’m giving the environment a double slap in the face (plus there’s that whole showering multiple times a day thing when parts of the country is in a draught).

5. On an even more vain note, sweating outside + freezing inside makes for some seriously unfortunate outfits. For example: sleeveless dress with ill-fitting sweater I keep in my office for emergencies that makes me look like I stepped out of Lands End catalog from the 1980s. I always forget to bring a better sweater or coverup alternative with me to the office because as I’m running out the door in the morning into the god forsaken heat, the last thing on my mind is more layers.

Am I alone here? I know it’s ridiculous to be so down on summer when I live in the American south, but you have to take the bad with the good. Hot summers also mean not having super cold and long winters. So there’s that. And then Creative Loafing just published its 2015 Summer Guide this week that made me not hate this time of year so much.

I hope you all have a not-too-hot weekend!

Category: Cath's Style, Decatur/Atlanta

11 Comments

12 May 2015

First Look: Petit Vour Subscription Box

Cath

I love the concept behind subscription boxes (even though they kind of go against the whole simplifying your life/KonMari method). The thought of receiving a gift in the mail once a month is so happy-making. Am I right? Initially I was thinking about trying out Ipsy, but because I’m working on switching out all my makeup to more all-natural products, I went with Petit Vour instead. It’s $15/month – so $5 more than Ipsy, but so far I it’s totally worth the money!

Here’s what arrived in my April box:

1. Konjac Facial Puff Sponge. It’s an all natural sponge that you can use as a cleanser even without any additional products. It has a kind of hard texture, but as soon as you soak it in water, it gets a nice springy texture. I’ve used it a couple of times in the shower on my face and really like it. It’s supposed to last around three months, so if I find that it makes a difference in my complexion, I’ll include it in my Q2 favorites post.

2. Box Naturals Luxe Towelettes. These are not your average face wipes – and I’ve used a number of different brands before. They’re made with all natural ingredients, scented with organic essential oils, and 100% biodegradable. I was kind of skeptical before using one of these, but ended up loving it so much that I’ve decided to save my other sample for Lar. Unlike most wipes these towelettes didn’t irritate my skin at all and left my face feeling both clean and moisturized. I’d love to buy a box of these, but at $10 for 12 towelettes, it’s a little pricy and I’d be tempted to use them everyday.

3. Suntegrity “5 in 1” Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen – Tinted. This is my favorite item in the box hands down. It’s like a sunblock, BB Cream and moisturizer in one. It goes on pretty thick, but absorbs into the skin fast. As soon as I run out of my current BB Cream, I’m getting this stuff!

4. Lauren B. Beauty Nail Polish. This polish isn’t just free of parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, and triclosan, it’s also chip resistant and long lasting. I’m testing it out on my toes at the moment and love the color – perfect cherry color for the summer. I’ll post a photo either on here or on Instagram of my toes at some point this week.

Petit_vour_April_itesm

My May box should be on its way and I can’t wait to see what’s in it. I probably won’t do an unboxing type post like this one for every box, but I’m sure my favorites will end up on this blog at some point.

Do you subscribe to any boxes? I’ve heard good things about Birchbox and I have a friend who is loving LeTote. Let me know what you like – I just might sign up!

Category: Beauty

8 Comments

8 May 2015

Quick Weekend Outfit

Cath

It’s going to be way too hot to wear this outfit this weekend – 90 degrees this Sunday! I’m never ready for summer weather. Spring and fall are my favorite seasons. If I could live somewhere that is always jacket weather, I’d be perfectly content.

What’s that you say? Did I get Troy to take an outfit shot of me at our local Kroger? Uh. Yes. Yes, I did. I have no (blogger) shame. I realized my hair was looking decent when we went to the grocery store and whipped out my camera in the, ahem, beverage aisle.

I don’t really have super cute, creative weekend outfits. If I spend money on clothes it’s most likely going to be work appropriate because that’s what I have to wear 80% of my waking life. For the most part, my weekend wardrobe consists of t-shirts and jeans. I like my t-shirts baggy and my jeans slim – and my shoes flat. I’ve come the realization at the ripe old age of 31 heels are not my friend. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the way heels look and will wear them as much as I can, but after years of ballet and heel wearing, it’s time to be a little kinder to my feet.

A t-shirt with jeans might seem uninspiring, but I like having a uniform for the weekend. I might branch out at some point this summer and get a romper/jumpsuit (what’s the difference?!) to wear on weekends, but only if i can find one on the cheap. Any suggestions? H&M? F21? Let me know what your weekend uniform is.

Category: Cath's Style

9 Comments

6 May 2015

Stay Golden

Cath

Hi luvs!

Thank you to everyone who commented on Lar’s last post. We’re excited to take AsianCajuns in a slightly different direction and I suppose it goes without saying that I’m over the moon that my twin sis/bestie is moving back stateside.

We’ll start making the blog transition over the summer and we hope you like it!
____________

I wanted to do a quick post on my love for golden jewelry. It’s kind of become a little bit of an obsession. And keep in mind I’m talking about golden jewelry and not jewelry made of gold- I’m not rolling in money, folks!

Last weekend I stopped by the Root City Market pop up in Decatur and bought three more rings to add to my collection from Melting Sun Apparel – 3 for $9!

Rings from left to right: Melting Sun Apparel, Squash Blossom Boutique, Agnes Scott College Ring, Melting Sun Apparel, Top Shop (mentioned here), Melting Sun Apparel. And for those of you who are interested, I’m wearing these on my nails.

I also recently bought this golden necklace (below) from Boutique Karma – a locally owned shop in Decatur, GA – for only $20.

I know the golden trend is nothing new – it might even be a little passé. What’s next? Rose gold? Silver – even though it feels so 90s/00s now?! Either way, I’m sticking to gold for now. Any other gold/golden jewelry fans out there?

Category: Cath's Style

8 Comments