5 August 2013

Trying Something New For a Few Weeks

Old Navy top | necklace from Mingei World Arts boutique | J.Crew skirt | Seychelles heels

I’m blogging from my iPad (usually I use my iMac) in the hopes that I’ll be able to blog from Italy! The posts will definitely not be as robust as they usually are, but at least I’ll be able to blog when I’m abroad for 16 days – and hopefully you’ll see some pics of Lar.
Speaking of Lar, I have good news! She should be leaving the hospital today – woohoo. We might not be able to meet up in Venice like we originally planned, but we’ll most likely get to see each other on this trip, which is something I lost hope of last week. I’m so grateful that she’s on the mend. It feels like it’s been an eternity since I last talked to her.

Eesh, it is not easy to type on an iPad! Just one more thing, the sparkly earring giveaway ends at noon today. Thank you to everyone who entered! I’ll announce a winner tomorrow – the day before I leave for Venice!

Category: Cath's Style

13 Comments

30 July 2013

Sparkly Earrings Giveaway

Cath

Hello dear readers! Once again, I want to thank you for all of your words of support. It means so much to both of us. Check out our Facebook page to read my most recent update on Lar.

Now, back to business! We’ve partnered with JoJo Loves You to give away one pair of sparkly earrings. One lucky winner will get to choose a pair of Bling.

It’s hard to choose from all the colors so I’ve pulled some photos from JoJo’s Pinterest boards to get you inspired. Also, don’t forget to follow JoJo Loves You on Instagram.

Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Category: Giveaway

1 Comment

29 July 2013

An Update, An Outfit, My Packing List and Movie Inspiration

Cath

Thank you to everyone so, so much for all of your kind and supportive comments about Lar. I’ve been going crazy knowing that my twin was/is in so much pain and reading all of your comments here, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have been so comforting. Thankfully, it seems that Lar is on the mend. Here’s an update if you haven’t read it already.

I’m keeping it casual for this blog post since I haven’t been focused on clothes too much for the past few days. If it wasn’t so hot I would have worn sweats all weekend!

Casual summer outfit

H&M Hat (similar) • AsianCajuns name necklace • Old Navy tank • Fantas Eyes sunglasses • Paige Denim shorts • Feiyue sneakers • Stella & Dot Renegade bracelet • secondhand bracelets

Toby doesn’t usually make an appearance on this blog because he doesn’t sit still long enough for a photo. Troy was patient enough to capture this one. Look, you can see Troy in the reflection of my mirrored sunglasses 🙂 And that’s Wheatie behind my bum.

I’ve been trying to keep myself busy, so I’ve been planning out what I’m going to pack for my Italy trip in two weeks – two weeks! Here’s my initial list:

1. Venice For Pleasure by J. G. Links
2. Fjallraven backpack – I’ve been wanting one of these backpacks forever and finally took the plunge. I bought mine on Amazon, but Shopbop and J.Crew also sell them.
3. Stella & Dot Palm Springs scarf
4. Canon Powershot S100
5. J.Crew neon passport cover – a gift from my friend Thom. I can’t wait to use this!
6. Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses
7. H&M baseball cap
8. Glitter TOMS

In addition to my packing, I’m brushing up on my Italian by re-watching the following films:

Okay, maybe “brushing up on my Italian” is a bit of an overstatement. I don’t know any Italian and all of these movies are English. Still, it can’t hurt to watch them, right?

I’ll be going to Venice, Florence and Rome. If you’ve ever been, give me some tips and let me know your favorite places. Thank you to Michela for all of the info on Venice!

____________________

Dearest Lar,

I hope you’re in much less pain! I hate that I haven’t “seen” you in over a week – especially after such an ordeal. I’m so glad mom is there with you and I hope you’re getting a lot of sleep. I know it’ll take a while for all the inflammation to go down, but I hope the hospital has you on some really good pain meds. I hope you can read this post on your phone at the hospital. Love you so much!

xoxo, Cath

Category: Cath's Style, Experiences

11 Comments

26 July 2013

Six Degrees of Lar’s Clothing

Cath

When Lar moved to Scotland, not only did her closet size shrink significantly, her mindset towards clothing changed. She realized that she didn’t need a giant closet full of items that she only wore once or twice. She also decided to take an ethical approach to shopping and she’s done a bang-up job walking the talk. Let’s just say I’m, uh, working on it.

The other day I was looking back at some old posts and realized how much Lar really does stick to her buy less, thrift more mentality. Here are a few examples, or what I like to call, the “six degrees of Lar’s clothing”:
$Clothing math$

Did you follow that? I gave her that black H&M jacket. I’ve had it for years and left it for Lar last time I was visited her in Scotland because 1) it was summer back in Atlanta and I couldn’t imagine wanting a jacket upon returning and 2) it clearly looks a million times better on her than it does on me!

While I’m not a fan of her hiking boots – and tried to convince her not to buy them – she gets a lot of use out of them when hill walking around the Scottish countryside. Hiking boots: 1, Cath: 0.

Lar and I each have a pair of those black Frye boots – totally worth the money. We purchased them via Shopbop a few years ago and have worn them so much that they’ve been re-heeled and re-soled multiple times.

I love how Lar paired her color block shirt with black and additional pops of color both times. I would have never thought to wear colorful tights with that top. I would have just worn black, black and more black!

$Shoe math$

Lar found those Mary Jane heels and pink dress at two local charity shops near her flat in Edinburgh. Those are both items that I wouldn’t have picked up in a million years and she looks fantastic in them. She bought the Mary Janes for a prohibition party last year and then wore them to the vintage car rally to complete her lady-like look. For a more updated approach, she paired her thrifted pink dress with some sexy strap-y sandals for her birthday dinner.

I feel so inspired to cull through my closet and get rid of everything I haven’t worn in the past month – and then only focus on buying a few nice pieces or trendy thrifted pieces. How about you? Do you follow Lar’s philosophy of less is more? Or are you like me: wanting for follow Lar’s philosophy, but not actually doing it? I have a feeling I’m not alone!

__________

Dear Readers,

Instead of writing to Lar like I do at the end of all my posts, I’m writing this as a kind of post script to you – not sure if that makes any sense. Anyhow, I wanted to let you know that for the past two days Lar has been in the hospital in Edinburgh. She’s being treated for what the doctors think is a kind of pelvic infection. It’s pretty serious and it took over a day to diagnose her. It’s related to her endometriosis and she’s been in a lot of pain for the past few days. Needless to say, I’ve been going absolutely crazy not being by her side. I’m so grateful she has such a wonderfully supportive husband. Matt has been with her the whole time and has been sending me and my parents constant updates. If I had the money, I’d fly over to Edinburgh this very minute to go see her. Damn you, Atlantic Ocean!

All of this is to ask you to send positive thoughts her way. While I think and hope the worst is over, things are still unclear. Any bit of support would make the world of difference.

Thanks for being there.

xoxo, Cath

Category: Lar's Style

21 Comments

22 July 2013

Vintages Cars Rahhh!

Lar

What is a vintage car rally? From what I can gather (from first-hand experience two weeks ago) is that you get together with other vintage car owners, drive around the countryside like something out of a BBC mini-drama, and then picnic whilst sizing up everyone else’s retro wheels. And you can dress up if you want.

Now I’ve never owned a vintage car (unless you count a 1991 Buick Park Avenue), but I happen to know a dashing couple who do (see Juliette and Chris below). And then I had the chutzpah to invite myself along when they mentioned they were going to a vintage car rally one weekend. Ooo me! Me! Me! I’ll go! I’m sure I endeared myself to them bouncing around the back seat and asking lots of ~~boring~~ ~~pertinent~~ intriguing questions about vintage British cars and the people who buy them.

(Above) Just look at that wee rural lane we’re driving in! Convoying behind our fellow vintage car rally-ers!

(Below) What the back seat looked like: Juliette’s Harris Tweed purse and my hat mingling with Juliette’s car pillows. I love having car pillows in your car in lovely patterns. Maybe wouldn’t work as well in a Chevy Lumina or Ford Fiesta, but in a 1958 Morris Minor — just the right amount of practicality (lumbar support) and charm.

My favorite car of the day (apart from our Morris Minor), this gorgeous Ford Model T:

The Model-T’s owner had covered the exterior (yes exterior) in soft dove grey leather (yes leather!) and the interior in Harris Tweed! A Scottified American vintage car — spiffy!

And who doesn’t like a well kept 1960s/70s Mini Cooper (below) — I wish they were still so cute and dainty. Their previous proportions were probably far less safe, tis true:

Oh wait, I lied. The Model T-weed (get it? har har) was my second favorite. This guy was my favorite, favorite:

He was part of the AA (we know it as AAA in the States). He’d travel around in his motorbike to rescue stranded drivers with his side car chalk-a-block full of handy bits and bobs: first aid kit, gasoline, torch (flashlight), booklets and a wry Scottish smile (see that? What a lovely man):

Ohhh here was another favorite (turquoise below):

It was an all day affair. We convoyed to Glenkinchie Distillery, ate our picnic in the grass, wiggling our toes in the sun, ooohed and ahhhhed over the pretty cars, then back in our cars for our afternoon convoy to a lovely estate, tea and cake and awards given. I feel so utterly British. Like a 75 year old British man. Vintage cars, crazy rallies where they picnic on the croquet green and eat cake, and at home by 6 pm. Ahhh yes. Fits me to a (Model) T. Puns. I should add puns to the me-as-an-old-man list.

Have you guys ever been to any sort of car rally, vintage or no? I really thought the best part would be getting to dress up all vintage-y, but I totally forgot about that bit in the end and just enjoyed being along for the ride.

———-

Dear Cath,

When we win the lottery, we’ll buy a wee cottage up here for summer days just like this. And a vintage something on four wheels. Pack a champagne picnic and pretend we fell out of an Evelyn Waugh novel.

Italy: THREE WEEKS!!!!

xoxoxoxoxo,

Lar

Category: Edinburgh, Lar's Style

21 Comments

17 July 2013

Styling with Sole Society*

Cath

Happy Wednesday, lovelies! Last week Sole Society sent me a bunch of accessories to play dress up with and Troy was sweet enough to let me drag him around town to take these photos. Cheers to the guy riding his bike who screamed out “Photo shoot!!!” when we were taking this photo:

Sole Society neon tote

Dalia colorblock tote c/o Sole Society • freebie faux Ray Bans sunglasses • Accessorize necklace • Target t-shirt • Jeans c/o Celeb Pink Jeans • Prabal Gurung for Target heels

Neon is my new favorite color this season. I know it can conjure up scary 1980s flashbacks, but mixed with neutrals (like white on white), it works.

Stripe scarf c/o Sole Society • Evelyn heels c/o Sole Society • Lulu’s dress • Claire Vivier clutch

It was actually almost, kind of coolish enough to wear a summer scarf this past weekend – at least while it was raining. Once it gets a little cooler I’ll pair this orange scarf with my jean jacket.

Marled Straw Floppy Hat c/o Sole Society • Leather Pyramid Stud Bracelet c/o Sole Society • Selina wedges c/o Sole Society • top from Squash Blossom Boutique • Urban Outfitters denim shorts

Something about these wedges seem so French to me so I paired them with my best black and white stripe summer outfit. They would also look really cute with a flouncy, red dress – something that my closet is sadly lacking. At least now I have a floppy straw hat. That’s been on my summer wish list for a while. I’d love to bring it to Italy, but I just have to figure out how to fit it in my suitcase!

*This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and views expressed are my own.

Category: Cath's Style

11 Comments

15 July 2013

Summer Dress Fever

Cath

After writing about my Gentle Fawn summer dress last week, I realized that I had a bunch of other summer dress photos that never made it onto the blog. I always pegged myself as a skirt and top kind of girl, but clearly I’ve been relying on summer dresses to stay cool in this muggy, mucky season.

My friend found this classic, navy blue, lace dress at the J.Crew clearance sale (only $15!) in Asheville a few weeks ago and it’s become one of my work favorites.There’s something so Audrey Hepburn about it and it’s easy to create a completely different look with accessories. Plus it has pockets!

JCrew dress with American Eagle belt

Madewell necklace (old) • J.Crew dress • American Eagle belt • Sole Society sunglasses • BCBG black pumps (covered by my tall grass and weeds – whoops)

Sole Society necklace and shoes • Libeskind bag

The outfit below is what I wore to the office on my birthday. I’d love to find a belt that matches the red flowers on the dress. Give me a shout out if you know of one. The colors are pretty true in the photo. And for those of you Atlantans reading this post, yes, that is the CDC in the background. Troy and I were just about to have dinner at The General Muir, one of my favorite local restaurants.

Talbots cardi • MINKPINK dress • C Wonder bracelet • Sole Society heels

I’ve had this gray/blue dress for ages. I love the way the jersey drapes and wish I had more clothes like this one. It’s not a trendy dress, but that’s one of the reasons why I love it. I’ll probably keep it until it falls apart.

FCUK dress • Kate Spade purse • J.Crew necklace (very old) • Unleashed espadrilles

Today I’m back to my skirt and top routine at work, but I’m sure I’ll be wearing one or more of these summer dresses this week. Have you noticed that I’ve been wearing a lot of Sole Society items lately? I’ll be publishing a sponsored post this Wednesday that I’m super excited about. I dragged Troy around this weekend to take a bunch of photos of me wearing a lot of my Sole Society goodies and can’t wait to share them with you on Wednesday. Until then, I’ll be swamped with regular work and school work – when will this summer semester end?!?!

Hope you all are having a good start to the week. Come back on Wednesday for my next post!

___________________

Dearest Lar,

I can’t believe you’ve been wearing short – SHORTS! – in Scotland this past week. What is happening? If this type of weather continues you’re soon going to have to start a summer dress collection of your own. The weather in Atlanta has been more muggy than hot because it’s been raining off and on for the past two weeks. And you know what that means? Bugs! Lots and lots of bugs. Oh how I hate mother nature. I still have bug bites covering my legs, every time I open the front door a million gnats fly in, and our poor dogs seem to always have fleas no matter how many meds we feed them. This is what Wheatie looks like most of the time:

Poor guy. I’m so tempted to have our backyard bug bombed, but I feel like that has to be so bad for the environment. I bet the dogs you see on the meadows in Edinburgh aren’t so itchy all the time!

Do you realize it’s only a few more weeks until we see it other?! That thought is getting me through the end of this semester. Only two more assignments and one final to go!

xoxo, Cath

Category: Cath's Style, Decatur/Atlanta

9 Comments

11 July 2013

The Perfect Summerdress

Cath

Atlanta weather has been the pits as of late. Usually this time of year it’s just miserably hot. For the past two weeks it’s been miserably hot, rainy, and incredibly muggy. Bad hair days don’t even begin to describe it.

Sundresses are the only bearable options these days. I got this dress from the Southern Blog Society brunch last month and love it. It’s super lightweight and girly without being frilly.

Gentle Fawn dress

Necklace c/o Sole Society • dress c/o Gentle Fawn • U.O. jacket (ancient) • heels (also ancient) • Forever 21 bracelet • Michele watch

I love these weekly post where I get to see how my fellow Southern Blog Society bloggers styled similar items. Take a look at how Katie, Jessica and Shelby accessorized their Gentle Fawn dresses:

Katie of Pearls & Twirls | Jessica of Here & Now | Shelby of Glitter and Gingham

____________

Dearest Lar,

For the first time since you’ve moved to Scotland, I can honestly say you’ve had better weather in Edinburgh for the past week than I’ve had in Atlanta. I still can’t believe how sunny it’s been there. I hope you’ve had a couple of chances to wiggle your toes in the grass. I’ve looked up the average temps for Rome in August – in the 70s! I don’t care if it rains the whole time we’re there. It’ll be cooler than Atlanta at least.

See you on Skype later today!

xoxo, Cath

Category: Cath's Style

6 Comments

8 July 2013

The Gardner’s Cottage Edinburgh

Lar

Birthday dinner has to be good doesn’t it? Especially a 30th birthday dinner. You need to ease yourself into a new decade with a little bit of something nice. It’s okay that you a teetering on the brink of your 30s when there’s fresh-baked sourdough bread with a buttery crab spread and chocolate cake at the end. I can handle being four decades old if this is how it starts!

Matt took me to the Gardner’s Cottage in Edinburgh for a delicious introduction to my 30s. Gardner’s Cottage is part of the farm-to-table movement, but not because it’s hopping on the bandwagon in a fad-y way. The building used to literally be the gardner’s cottage and they use the bits and bobs they grow in their garden in most of their dishes. So apart from being lovely to look at, environmentally friendly, locally-sourced, and very healthy, it’s some of the most delicious food I’ve ever had. And for 7 set courses at £30, it’s a steal of a deal.really and truly.

And like any respectable blogger (and annoying dining companion) I took (discreet) photos of every single course:

Dear Cath,

It was terrible, terrible, terrible (times infinity!) to spend our 30th apart, but I can not tell you how much this meal eased my pain. When you and Troy are next in Edinburgh we will have to go. It’s a lot lighter than a lot of the massive dinners you guys go to, but so, so, so delicious. I wish I could send you some of that crab and fresh baked sourdough via Royal Mail. Sooooo amazing.

Also, can you tell I love that pink dress? I was beginning to worry I shouldn’t have bought it. Barbie Pink? Summer dress in Edinburgh? Peter Pan collar?! Not practical and not too “me” but it’s my favorite thing now and makes me so happy every time I see it. I actually hang it on the back of our door so I see it every day. The color makes me so happy.

Hope you are having a lovely start to the week!

Love you so much, fellow 30-year-old,

Lar

Category: Edinburgh, Lar's Style

9 Comments

4 July 2013

Artsy Fartsy in Levi’s

Cath

First things first, thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes! I think Lar and I are both a little in shock that we’ve turned 30, but that’s only natural, right? Right?!?! Regardless, I had a wonderful birthday filled with surprises (like all of your sweet comments) and our birthday celebrations will continue when Lar and I meet up in Italy next month.

These mid-week post have become sort of regular, thanks to my fellow Souther Blog Society blogger buddies. First we all styled our outfits around our Paige Denim jackets. Last week we showed off our statement necklaces. And this week it’s our cropped Levi’s.

Sunnies c/o Sole Society • Madewell v-neck • FCUK for Sears vest (old) • cropped jeans c/o Levi’s (similar) • Evelyn heels c/o Sole Society • second-hand necklace • Liebeskind bag • watch – a gift from friends • Stella & Dot bracelet

I think everyone got a different color denim. I ended up with this salmon (coral?)-colored pair. I didn’t think I’d have much to go with them, but then I remembered this coral necklace that Lar got at a clothing swap ages ago. It pulls everything together nicely.

I finally jumped on the Stella & Dot Renegade bracelet bandwagon. I love it so! It has the perfect mix of punk and delicacy. It also leaves weird indentations on my arms when I cross them – all in the name of fashion!

These shoes are fast becoming my favorite summer heels. I’ve been looking for a pair of navy sandals for a while and snatched these up from Sole Society as soon as I saw them. Please ignore the grass and bits stuck to them. Apparently I don’t take as good care of my shoes as I claim to.

This mural is located in downtown Decatur, GA (my hometown). It was highly controversial when the artist painted it about two years ago because it’s on the side of a building located in a historic district. I think it’s lovely and hope it never gets painted over!

Take a look at how my fellow bloggers styled their Levi’s:

Katie of Pearls and Twirls | Jessica of My Style Vita | Shelby of Glitter and Gingham | Jessica of Here & Now | Danielle of Lou What Wear

I hope you all have a wonderful 4th! It’s rainy here in Atlanta, which is just as well since I’ll be spending the next three days doing nothing but working on my budget and finance midterm. Ah, I lead such a glamorous life! Happy holiday!

_____________

Dearest Lar,

Are you dressed up in red, white and blue today just so you can remind the Brits what they lost over 200 years ago? I kid of course, but it must seem strange not to get a holiday the first week of July. I miss the 4th of Julys of our childhood where we’d spend the whole day with family eating hamburgers, Jello jigglers, and cherries before driving to downtown Gaithersburg to see the fireworks. Goodness, is this what 30 is going to be like? Reminiscing all the time?

I wore these Levi’s over to mom and dad’s for my birthday dinner. We ate outside and it was wonderful until I realized that I was getting eaten alive by a mix of mosquitos, gnats and fleas. Luckily I wasn’t wearing shorts. All of the bug bites are concentrated around my ankles and feet. It’s not pretty! You might get too much rain and cold in Scotland, but at least you don’t have the bugs.

Let’s Skype this Sunday. I’ll desperately need a study break and some quality sister time!

xoxo, Cath

Category: Cath's Style

7 Comments