I’m always interested to see what other gals are stashin’ in their purses, so today I thought I would share my own “what’s in my bag” post!
Obviously, I always have my wallet and keys. I’m pretty good about always having some business cards on me, and my friend Miriam introduced me to this extra card book that is perfect for storing gift cards!
A mophie charger and earphones are usually buried somewhere, and I am no longer able to have cutesy cell phone covers because I drop my phone everyday, so I have a tempered glass screen protector with a bumper on it. I almost always have a nail file and a ponytail holder. Nothing is worse than traveling or being out and about with a sharp, jagged nail or wanting to pull up your hair and not being able to! I keep one pill bottle that has various ibuprofen, allergy medicine and excedrin migraine medicine. And I usually have a few pairs of sunglasses (these aviators are so lightweight and comfortable).
A few lip liners, glosses and aquaphor are necessities – and if I wasn’t out, this compact would definitely be included! This is my favorite hand lotion, and I always have a handkerchief. I actually collect them and we gave vintage hankies to all of our wedding guests!
Two weeks ago I got eyelash extensions for the first time! I have always oogled the long lashes of others, and have used Latisse and different lash serums. I have definitely seen the length of my lashes grow, but no matter how many times I curl them (even with the magical Shu Uemura lash curler!), they don’t stay curled and they’re not as full as I’d like. So when Jessica Smith reached out about expanding her California business in eyelash extensions and eyebrow microblading, I was all ears (and eyes!!)!
Jessica is based out of Utah, but has begun traveling to California once a month to take clients in LA and San Clemente. I was nervous about the lash process, not wanting to damage the lashes I had worked so hard to lengthen. She explained that it is when the extensions aren’t isolated properly that they can damage your lashes. The key is in the application, and of course, how careful you are with your lashes afterward.
For the first 48 hours, you don’t want to get your lashes wet or apply any makeup – just leave them be. After that, it’s advised not to wear mascara, but eyeshadow and liner is fine. I’ve applied eyeliner only a few times, both times I removed my eye makeup with oil-free makeup remover and a q-tip. Jess advises to brush through your lashes once a day with a mascara wand applicator (she gives you one to take home!) and says you can wash your lashes once a day gently with baby shampoo and water. Don’t sleep on them (sorry stomach sleepers!) and just leave them alone for the most part.
Some background info on the two kinds that Jessica offers – she glues either individual lashes (these would be called classic lashes) on one lash or 2-6 tiny fans on one lash (volume lashes), separating them so they can shed individually with the lash cycle. If you go to her Instagram, you can see some more details on the application process. She gave me the volume lashes (it took a little over two hours) and microbladed my eyebrows (also about two hours) and let me tell you – I am in love! You can see a close-up before & after here. The eyebrows require a touch-up, and after I have full completed the process I plan to share a separate post on that experience. A sneak peek to the first round here!
dress – also available here, love maxi dress in the same print! | heels, look for less here | bag, similar style for less here and here | similar earrings, love this pair for $15 | watch | cable bracelet 1, 2, 3 | hair extensions via Bellami, $5 off your order with code kathleen5 – I’m doing a full blog post on these extensions next week!
I will be meeting Jess on her next trip to California at the end of the month. She’ll be in San Celemente 6/28 – 30 and LA 7/1 – 7/2. I’ll be getting a lash extension refill (so it will be four weeks from my original set), as well as a touch up for my brows. I am going to share a completely separate post on that experience once we touch them up – so more to come!
A full set of eyelash extensions from Jessica normally runs at $230, but the first three people who visit her and share they were referred by me will get the application for $175 for July and August! She is also offering a deal on microblading for CBL readers. The brows normally run at $500 but she will be offering $400 in July and August to the the first three people referred from CBL.
You can contact Jessica via email: jessicadianesmith11@gmail.com as well as on Instagram! If you have any questions I’ve missed – please feel free to ask! I’ve always had lots of questions about eyelash extensions, so I’m happy to share any info I have. Thanks so much for reading! XO –
Kathleen: This girl. Trying to write a short paragraph to explain why I love her so is nearly impossible, but Emily Loftiss is a dear friend of mine who is a TV personality and host, stylist and beauty expert. Her motto is (and I quote), “dress everyday like it’s New Year’s Eve.” She is a Georgia-raised Southern belle, Alabama grad turned Radio City Rockette in NYC (and I was mesmerized by these ladies when I was in the fifth grade, this is like, a big deal).
She now lives in Orange County (lucky for me!), and frequents Good Day LA and The Steve Harvey Show to name a few – she’s my girlfriend and red carpet superstar, so today it’s my privilege to have her take over this blog to share her five quick tips for feeling like your best self on those days when you really want to be in sweatpants. You know this girl had days when she didn’t want to get out of bed, but she had to put on her Rockettes leotard and high-kick in front of thousands of googly-eyed fifth graders like my former self, giving them memories for a lifetime. And now instead of a leotard it’s a microphone and a camera broadcasting across the country. So let’s all learn from the pro!
Emily Loftiss: This just made my day when Kathleen asked me to write a blurb about self confidence. I honestly am just one of those folks born with an unbelievable amount of positive self-love. Sometimes to a fault! There were times when I had gained weight (after not dancing 8 hours a day for a living) and would look in the mirror and thought ….”heyyyyy not too bad! I’ll just trick everyone with my fierce hair and makeup today.” I look back at those pictures and think – girlfriend! You needed to phone a friend! I’m like Mariah Carey- no matter her shape you can’t convince her she is not fly, honey.
I do think it’s the utter most important thing in the world to exude a positive self-image. It will help you in every phase of your life: interviewing, dating, leadership roles, business, marriage, weight loss, networking, happiness etc. Here are a few thoughts on improving your confidence or at least faking it until you feel that shift in your spirit.
1. WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE?
Nothing makes me happier than people tagging a picture of a bright neon look and saying “thought of you!” My signature style is: anything orange, Micheal Kors perfume (smells like gardenias/ worn since 1999), jumpsuits,crazy prints and sequins. I feel as soon as you figure out what you are known for that should be your go-to for an instant jolt of happiness.
2. CONVERSATION STARTER
How many times have you had butterflies about attending an event and not knowing anyone? It doesn’t matter if it’s the 1st day of school/work, a wedding to a cocktail event. It’s the worst to be “Sally-Sally No Friends” That’s why when I’m dressing for one of these occasions, I wear a statement piece that is a conversation starter. Forget that boring black dress UNLESS you add a killer brooch with a great story behind it.
Two years ago I was invited to this black tie event at South Coast Plaza (the most luxe shopping center in the country) where each ticket started at $1,000. I was offered a free ticket and knew I would know not a soul. I decided to throw on a red dress and make a vintage necklace into a headpiece. The entire night people stopped me to ask me about my interesting look. I ended up having the best time and left making several new friends. When in doubt- wear the feathers, costume jewelry, sparkly shoes…the showstopper piece!
3. QUICK HACKS
Some days you just wake up and feel yuck. These are the days you need to have your go-to tricks to make you get in the mood for “hell yes this is going to be a great day!” Self-tanning is the way to my heart. I instantly feel thinner, younger and my skin is flawless. Have dry shampoo ready to roll. False lashes- why not?! If you have date night and not liking how your body looks- those falsies will make you feel glamourous. Blush always tricks me into thinking I’m not so tired.
And when in doubt- pull out the most ridiculous thing you own and wear that! Feeing bleh? Pull out that leopard cardigan, that highlighter yellow jeans, that hot pink tank. Wear it with pride, sister!
4. BODY LANGUAGE
I can smell when someone is not sure of themselves by their posture. Probably because I trained my whole life to be a dancer I always look at a women’s body. Think of five ladies you admire that are kick ass, strong women. Do they hunch their shoulders? Do they look meek? Do they wear kitten heels because they are afraid of being taller than the men around them? Exactly.
Roll those shoulders back and walk that sassy walk, ladies. Think about not crossing your arms but having your body (and heart) open for conversation and new experiences. It’a a game changer.
5. FIGURE OUT YOUR GLAM
I get asked all the time if I do my own hair and makeup for events. 95% yes. I have always loved beauty and learning about new products. I’m always inquisitive and love learning new tricks to make myself look (and feel) better. If you do not know how to do you own hair and makeup well…. get some help. I feel the easiest way to feel fabulous is to KNOW you look fabulous.
Instead of spending all your money at DryBar- ask your hair technician to teach you. If you need help with what eyeshadows look best on you- hit Ulta and ask for help. This takes time but I promise it’s doable and will bring a whole new level of fierceness to yourself.
Thank you Kathleen for featuring me on CBL. And to all the girls reading this who don’t know her – she is as cool as you think she is. Honestly a gem in this world of wannabes. You picked a good one to follow. xxx
I mean – is it not obvious why I love this girl!? She is cool and confident – yet warm, genuine and heartfelt. Emily is the opposite of a wallflower, and she’s infectious and brightens up any room she walks in. I adore her and learn so much from her all the time — and I’m about to live by these tips! Be sure to check out Emily’s website + blog, and follow her on Instagram and Snapchat (@emilyloftiss) for all kinds of beauty tips, hacks and all around glam on a real girl’s dime.
Hope you guys loved this as much as I did. I’m hoping to share more interviews and content of the sort in the future, so if you have any topic you’d like to see, I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
– so happy that I smuggled this McCarty vase back from Mississippi –
– shooting a fun project in the most incredible private home I’ve seen since we’ve lived in OC –
– a new aroma diffuser to help fade out the smell of animals in our house (!!), you can get 50% off yours with code cbl –
– completing the lookbook for my curated collection with Morning Lavender that will be available for purchase 6/20! Can’t WAIT to share this with you guys! –
– sneak peek to something pretty coming soon! –
Getting to Friday feels celebratory today because of what an exciting, whirlwind of a week it has been. I’m so excited to finally share that this month I’ll be collaborating with Morning Lavender Boutique to launch a curated summer collection of clothing and accessories!!
This has been in the works for several months, and the ML team and I have been sending emails and texts back and forth, meeting at coffee shops and exchanging mood boards and photos for weeks upon weeks. They kept me at their righthand for the entire process – shopping at market, trying on the pieces to make sure they’re comfortable and truly represent both ML and CBL. If you were following along on Snapchat (CBLied), you probably saw a sneak peek of some of the pieces. The entire collection launches 6/20 and will be available for purchase at Morning Lavender. I don’t want to share all the goods just yet, but let’s just say I’m going to be living in this collection all summer. Short dresses, maxi dresses, rompers, jumpsuits, culottes, distressed denim, hats – the gang’s all here and seeing everything come together has been so exciting!
We shot the lookbook in Palm Springs, and when I got home I turned right around and hopped over to Newport for another fun project with Glitter Guide that will be revealed next week. I now write this at noon, eating pasta with a scrunchie in my hair and no makeup on, which might just be the best reward of all.
Without you, my girlfriend and dear reader, none of these opportunities would be possible. I don’t mean to be a sap, but I could literally shed tears over how incredibly thankful, grateful and appreciative I am that you have been on this journey with me, sharing your love, feedback and encouragement to make my fashionista dreams come true. You are a part of this website, this little CBL-happy-hour-girlfriend-pajama-party, so this collection is for us. Girls like us who want to feel great, look great and not break the bank.
Can’t wait to share everything! Love you guys and thank you always for everything. You make me so happy – XO –
PS – one of my readers made sure to send me this article about Carrie Bradshaw and her love life. You guys KNOW I’m a big Aidan fan – I will always think Carrie made the wrong choice. So when I read, “those who cheered for Aidan, I have realized, respect themselves far more than those who did for Big,” I was like, oh snap! Check out the article and tell me what you think!
Neiman Marcus is having a mega Eileen Fisher starting today, and they’re offering 30% off of the entire line! I think Eileen Fisher offers really great, versatile pieces that are appropriate across all age ranges and perfect for work.
All of the selections above can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion, and a classic infinity scarf or neutral trench can be worn year-round in my book. Not to mention these pants are the kind of loungewear I live in all summer! Now if only they came in 10 colors, I’d be set.
Check out the markdowns going on right now at Neiman Marcus – the sale only lasts for a few days, and they also have a great petite and plus size assortment. Thanks so much for reading! XO –
1 – have read and LOVED | 2 – have read and was up until like, 2AM finishing – addicting! | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 – have read and was a really intriguing | 7 | 8
I have always loved reading for pleasure, but in college some of that faded because I had to read so many schoolbooks (like finance, marketing and business management… much less fun), so my love for the library faded. It was on my bucket list for 2016 to pick up a library card because my bookshelf at home is full, and now I can ride my bike to pick up a new read – it is much fun! Let’s say it’s the Carrie Bradshaw in me… but I love a good visit to the public library.
A few months ago I asked you guys for help on Snapchat (CBLied) about good books, and I was amazed with all of the incredible suggestions all of you had. I kept a note on my phone with all of the ones that I wanted to read, and some of them I’ve worked through while others are next up on my list. Since this brief discussion, I’ve received direct messages, emails and comments about book recommendations, so I wanted to share a roundup of my top summer reads for this year, some that I’ve already picked up since I snagged my library card!
If you have any great books that you would suggest on top of this, spill it – we’d all love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
We recently spent Memorial Day weekend in a little town outside of Santa Barbara called Los Olivos. Christian and I love this town and have visited quite a few times, walking from tasting room to tasting room, listening to music on the patios under palm trees and tasting wine. This would most definitely be my happy place.
So when Christian suggested renting a house with a pool for the long weekend and bringing my brother, his amazing wife Anna and their two littles, Edie and Rowan (and one on the way!) – of course I was onboard. We actually managed not to get in the pool, yet we all took full advantage of the surprise massage chair in the house – go figure!
Because we’ve been so many times, I thought I would share again some of my favorite spots (I also shared some two years ago in this post) –
Tasting Rooms
Saarloos & Sons (kid-friendly) – we will sit around here for hours. Sometimes they’ll open the backyard, which is usually reserved for club members, and there’s cornhole and picnic tables around this beautiful wine barrels with succulents (pictured above). It’s so fun!
Stolpman
Tercero (kid-friendly)
Coquelicot Estate (kid friendly) – they have bocce ball and an awesome patio area to hang out!
Carhartt
Epiphany (kid friendly) – they have a gorgeous patio with a huge palm tree that decorates it. You can often spot really cute dogs here too – and you know I love that. This is Christian’s favorite spot!
Daniel Gehrs (kid-friendly)
Vineyards
Fess Parker (kid friendly) – huge picnic area and grass lawn where you can bring your own lunch and watch kids run around, really fun spot!
Firestone Vineyard
Demetria
Zaca Mesa Vineyard (kid friendly) – live music and a giant chess board!
Food
Los Olivos Grocery – they have an awesome deli and tons of great pick-up items if you want to picnic at a vineyard.
Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe – featured in Sideways, lots of delicious items on this menu. My brother and his wife love the black and bleu salad, their pizzas are also really good!
Sides Hardware and Shoes – awesome lunch menu! Their fried chicken with polenta and kale is seriously delicious.
The mattress. Le sigh. Truth be told, I never really thought twice about a mattress until we got married almost four years ago. Luckily I can sleep on almost anything, and it was usually a queen size. I sleep like a mummy while Christian flops around, so a king mattress was a non-negotiable when we got married! We were a given a brand new king mattress, and like always – I sleep fine on it. But, Christian has said he feels like it wasn’t great on his back and he felt like his side of the mattress had sunken, so we rotated it. Even then – he wasn’t thrilled.
So when Tuft & Needle reached out about collaborating, I was all ears! Christian and I both read the story behind the company (not too different from ours), along with all of the reviews on Amazon. And they’re made in the US – the cherry on top! I super love how lightweight this mattress is compared to our old one, and it was incredibly easy to swap out (although I do think it requires two people).
When I first pulled out the mattress I was like… hold up, is this a twin!? Once we rolled it out and cut off the plastic, I was shocked to watch the foam mattress grow like one of those foam capsule toys you used to play with in the bathtub! Sure enough, this baby stretched right out and just like that, Lula LaShonda hobbled in on her three legs and got comfortable. Actually, she plopped herself right down before Christian or myself even sat on it – no surprise there.
We’ve been sleeping on this mattress for a full week now, and per usual, I’m sleeping great. Christian’s review is actually much more helpful than mine as he’s the picky one. He says he thinks he’s sleeping well because “he doesn’t remember it at all.” That’s a direct quote, which actually tells you he’s not helpful at all.
But seriously – he says that it must be great because I’ve been sick all week, he’s been on-call (he never sleeps great when there’s a pager on the nightstand), the temperature has risen and we’ve still tried to manage without the AC – with all of that – we’re both still sleeping. Well put!
They have a 100 night trial period, and if you don’t love it – you can send it back for a 100% refund. And there’s a 10-year warranty… that’s confidence, if you ask me, and I don’t see us having any reason to send this baby back. Have you switched up your mattress lately or shopped for a mattress? I’d love to hear how you chose yours!
– a new collection of liquid lipstick I can’t wait to dig into! –
– taking a little souvenir from the Solage, the prettiest glass water bottle! –
I think all of my recent travels caught up with me – I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday in pajamas in bed! I picked up a seriously sore throat which triggered the cloudy headaches and coughing, but I’m feeling more like myself just in time for the weekend, so cheers to that!
I am really excited to be home for a few weeks before a mid-week June trip to Seattle, but until then I’ll be soaking up my time here in Orange County and being a homebody as much as I can. I do love to travel, but it’s always nice to come back. With my two jobs I’ve had in California, I travel much more than I did in Mississippi. I do enjoy it, but I’m usually finding almost any reason to stay home! The older I’ve gotten the more of a homebody I’ve become. Who knew!?
I managed to put on actual clothes to hit the grocery store and plan to cook these chimichurri steak kabobs and this chia fresca drink. I’ve been eating this, that and everything and need to try to cook at home and clean out my body. Summer is here and I’m not feeling my bikini best, if you know what I mean.
What are your plans this weekend? Cooking anything delicious!? Don’t you like how I took that bikini conversation straight back to food? Thanks so much for reading! XO –
Oh what a start to this trip we had! To try to make a long story short – I miswrote the day we were departing OC for Napa in my planner (which is like my guide map to my life). I thought we were leaving on Wednesday… turns out we were actually booked on a 12:15PM flight on Tuesday!! Thank God for my amazing girlfriend Miriam. She called me around 9:15AM to ask what time I was getting to the airport… while I was sipping coffee in my robe, answering emails.
I threw some outfits in my carryon, hoped for the best and hopped in an uber to head to the airport! My incredibly sweet and positive uber driver was determined to get me to the airport in time and he did!!! I did manage to leave behind my wedding rings and camera (which is clearly very important when you are a blogger, #fail), but I managed to actually bring everything else! A huge thank you to Miriam and Danielle Navratil Photography for providing the majority of the images in this post!
Two beautiful spots and really different – Miriam and I spent one night at Meritage and then met up with Erika for two nights at Solage. We had an incredible view of the vineyards at Meritage, and we had our own rooms with a private spa-like patio at the Solage. The meals at both resorts where absolutely delicious (the Solage brunch empanada alone – pictured below – was worth flying back to Napa for, seriously!), and the ambiance was the kind of romantic wine country setting you dream of.
The rooms in Calistoga are like individual cottages (you’ll see me in front of #48 below!), which were so spacious and lovely. I felt so spoiled hogging my cottage all to myself… it really made it so hard to leave!
I’ve visited Napa and Sonoma before, but this trip was extra special because we spent a lot of time at each vineyard, touring the property, tasting from barrels and meeting with the owners. It was such a privilege to get to know more about each vineyard, and these two spots were incredibly beautiful and totally different. The Solage arranged our visits for us, and they didn’t miss a single detail.
I always find the food in Northern California to be exceptionally great, but my favorite dishes would have to be the etouffee at Evangeline, the empanada at Solbar and the queso at Crush because… you know I love queso.
We all wanted to try a hot air balloon ride for the first time, so we woke up at 4:30AM to catch a ride with Calistoga Balloons. WOW – what an experience! We were in a group balloon basket, and it was so fun getting to know the other people in your group. We were all new to the balloon, and we had quite a few who were afraid of heights. If you’re that way – trust me, it’s the smoothest ride, smoother than any airplane I’ve ever been on. If I wasn’t looking around, I wouldn’t have even known we left the ground! There aren’t many things I wake up before sunrise for, but this is a bucket list experience that I would totally recommend if you’re planning a long weekend in wine country.
We visited the spa at the Solage, and it was absolutely stunning. I could honestly just hang at the spa lounge all day – so gorgeous and peaceful! The hotel has multiple pools at different temperatures, and the service was top notch. I kept joking that I felt like I was on a honeymoon with girlfriends – walking around the property in robes with champagne. Is this real life!?
Thank you for all of your tips and recommendations while we were there! Each time I’ve visited Napa it’s only been for about two days… which is great because it always gives me a reason to go back, right!?
120% off in 8 colors | 240% off | 3marked down $700 | 440% off | 5under $30 | 630% off | 740% off | 815% off in 7 colors | 940% off | 1040% off
A few days ago I shared some of my picks from all of the holiday sales going on here, BUT there are still some amazing sales happening! Nordstrom’s Half-Annual Yearly Sale is still in full effect, and Net-A-Porter is offering up to 50% off on some major designer sales.
When you can get everything from a phone case to a designer handbag or pair of sunglasses at a discount!? #score. If you snagged anything fab over the weekend, I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I love a home refresh, especially at the start of a new season! So when I was introduced to Marks & Spencer, it was the perfect time to select a few items that brightened up our townhouse as summer begins. When I find a site that offers clothing, home decor, men, kids items… it’s like hitting the jackpot!
I chose three light blue, plush velvet pillows, the cutest pom pom throw blanket and a teacup candle that smells like white jasmine – you catch its scent even when it’s not lit. I also added a lightweight and crisp white quilt to the foot of our bed (replacing a fur throw from earlier this year), in addition to the softest 100% cotton mattress topper for our new mattress!
I snagged the sweetest floral china plates (that are actually mega lightweight and plastic, so I’ll be adding those to my picnic basket!) and picked up a new baking sheet that is nonstick with a lip on the edges. It’s much needed in our house – we roast vegetables almost every night. For our patio we chose a distressed wooden lantern with a large pillar candle that now hangs above our patio table and adds such a dreamy ambiance. Just in time for patio barbecues – I’m ready!
Now… who’s coming over for some coffee and cookies!?
Thank you so much for reading! I love inviting you guys into our home. Feel free to see more in the “home” category of CBL, including links to other items in our townhouse! XO –
