Carrie Bradshaw Lied

Alys Beach Outfit Roundup

similar earrings here and here | dress (runs TTS) | bag | similar sandals (over 30% off) | lipstick in rouge muse

dress – also love this one and this one | similar sandals | similar sunglasses here and here | belt bag | earrings (in white), also love these

outfit posted here

bikini + sarong – Agua de Coco, love this one (top/bottom) and this one | hat | similar sunglasses, look for less here

dress (runs big, I sized down) | sunglasses | bag | hat | sandals

dress (old), similar dress here and here | similar sandals | similar earrings

blog post here | earrings | belt bag

earrings | dress (sold out) – similar style here and here | similar sandals | necklace 1, 2

coverup – Yumi Kim (old), love this one and this one | hat, also available here | sunglasses

hat | sunglasses | coverup | bag | sandals

I wanted to round up some of the photos snapped on our beach trip last week! I have been in paint clothes, moving clothes, you name it for so long. It was so much fun to spend a whole week wearing some of the pieces I’ve been looking forward to wearing this summer!

You can also find these looks linked on Instagram as well as under the “shop my Instagram” page at the top of this blog.

Many of you asked for restaurant and activity recommendations and sadly… I’m empty-handed on this one. We had 13 people in a rental house in Alys, so we cooked at home and mostly went to the pool, rode bikes and spend our days under umbrellas at the beautiful beach. It was bliss, in the laziest most fabulous way! Honestly it was exactly what I think we all needed.

Thank you so much for reading – XO –

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Wardrobe Renting vs. Buying: Which is for you?

I recently used my Rent the Runway Unlimited membership to pick three dresses and one pair of earrings to take with me to Alys Beach for our family trip. Now that I’m in my second trimester, I updated my profile sizing to pieces that would work for the bump. I searched for casual daytime dresses that were available in my size in July and voila! Snagged four fresh pieces.

I wanted to share my RTR Unlimited experience with you guys because depending on what kind of shopper/fashionista you are, it has serious potential to save you thousands upon thousands of dollars a year if you use the program wisely.

With the Unlimited program, you can select up to 4 pieces at a time. When you’re over one of them, send it back for free to swap for another. Items come in two business days and the dry cleaning and insurance is taken care of. So select it, wear it, send it back via UPS at no cost. They also have drop-off options at different WeWork locations which is super convenient if you work at one of these office spaces. Also, if you fall in love with an item you can hold onto it for as long as you like or you also have the option to buy it at a discount to keep!

You can browse their website for new pieces or you can shop via their app – whichever is easier for you. If you love to try new designers and wear luxe items, this is an incredible option to keep your closet in a fresh rotation.

I know so many women who started using RTR and now say they literally don’t shop anymore. Seriously! I’m trying to see if I can become one of those people… you might have seen this dress on Instagram which was also a rental.

photos by Christian Barnes

dress, also love this one and this one | love these earrings and these earrings

When I shared that I was using RTR Unlimited a while back on my Instagram Stories, I loved hearing how many of you also utilize the program! I’d love to hear your thoughts and if it’s been a fit for you.

You can get $100 off your first two month membership of RTR Unlimited with the code RTRKATHLEEN – that’s $50 off each month!

If you haven’t tried renting pieces before, is it something you could see yourself using?

Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –

brought to you by Rent the Runway

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#NSale | Must-Snag Categories

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I’ve been covering the Nordstrom Sale since it began a few weeks ago, but today I wanted to break up my favorite categories to shop for when I can score these kind of discounts –

Cashmere | I splurge on a new cashmere something every year during this sale. From wraps to sweaters and scarves… how can you say no to discounted cashmere?

Pajamas | I’ve been singing the praises of these pajamas from the rooftop, so much so that I just got my second longer pair yesterday. They are the best and an unbeatable price.

Joggers | Working from home, I live in leggings and sweats realistically. I ordered these for this fall.

Leather Jacket | Real or faux, it’s a layering piece that goes with everything.

Undergarments | Ok, so bras and underwear aren’t fun things to shop for, but I’m all about seamless everything and I took the sale as an opportunity to stock up on these, these and this bra.

Jewelry | When a designer watch with diamonds is almost $1k off… my ears are perked. I have two Michele watches and they’re my absolute favorite, hands down. I also have this adjustable Monica Vinader ring and I love that I can wear it on any finger. It also layers really beautifully in a stacked ring situation!

Boots | The hardest part about the sale is snagging FAB boots for fall/winter and having to wait to wear them. You can go wrong with black or python (python and leopard truly go with everything), but I can’t get over how expensive these look. They are gorgeous. Do I need them… ? I’m thinking yes. I have the shorter bootie version of the Hilty (styled here) and they’re the perfect heel height for long wear.

Other hot areas would be denim. I shared some favorites in this post, but they’ve since sold out. I’m not as crazy about the denim selection this year, but there are plenty of other categories that are killing it – like the beauty selects!

Tell me what you’ve splurged on! You can find all of my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale posts at the top of this page under “#NSale.” Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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The Most Comfortable Summer Dress

I bought this dress in two colors from Nordstrom and now I realize I need all three solid colors. It is so incredibly comfortable, so flattering, under $100 and perfect for summer!

I dressed up this midi dress with heels which would absolutely work for a date night or summer wedding, but it also looks great with flats after a day at the pool or beach. It’s so versatile, which is why I knew I had to have it in more than one color.

The plan is to live in comfortable dresses like this and this for the rest of my second trimester (crossing my fingers it might still fit in the third), and now that we are living in warmer weather, it’s all dresses all the time. THE BEST.

photos by Christian Barnes

While this dress isn’t included in the Anniversary Sale, it’s still under $100 and one of my favorite things I’ve bought from Nordstrom this year (in addition to these marked down pajamas because I am so obsessed with this pair from last year). You can see all of my Nordstrom Sale picks under the #NSale link at the top of this page!

Thanks so much for reading, and my Alys Beach roundup post is coming this week! XO –

sponsored by Nordstrom

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2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale | Public Access

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The Public Access portion of Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale started today and will continue until 8/4! I covered my Early Access picks here, but now that it’s free game for all I wanted to post another roundup of some pieces I have my eye on.

You can see all of my Nordstrom Sale posts under the #NSale link at the top of this page.

These boots come in several colors and are a slouchy style that are so so cute for fall.

I bought these pajamas in the sale last year and have already bought these. They are the softest.

I have this curling iron and several attachments and it’s so great that even my mom got one.

Everyone keeps telling me these maternity leggings are the bees knees.

There’s no denying these faux leggings are some of the best on the scene – I have them in multiple colors.

I can’t have enough blazers, and I bought a tweed one like this last year and it was such a great buy!

One of my favorite self tanners (discussed in this post).

The personal microderm I’ve been using on my arms for years.

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Everyone loves this body lotion and it’s the kind that will literally last you an entire year for under $50.

I have these jeans in two colors (sized up one size) and love, love, love them.

I can’t have enough cute sweatshirt/sweatpant sets. So great for lounging.

Love this sweater coat in both colors – so fab for a mild fall and winter.

Cashmere on sale is something that is always a win.

I’ll be keeping posts and picks updated through the end of the sale 8/4, so be sure to check back and check that #NSale category at the top of this site for the latest and greatest! Thank you so much for reading and if you’ve scored some great pieces, I’d love to hear! XO –

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CBL Amazon Prime Day Picks

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PRIME DAY is here and the markdowns are real!! I will say – double check these prices before you purchase because it’s always possible that “original prices” have been increased a few weeks before the sale to make the markdown look more significant. SO, all of that to say – double check the price to make sure you actually are getting a good deal before you check out.

With all that being said – these are some of the deals and steals that I think are worth snagging –

We love our roomba so much we have not one, but two. Having a large shedding dog who thinks she’s a maltese in her mind, I couldn’t live without it!

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice – my Bose headphones are life. I used to exclusively use them when I travel, but after living in a noisy city apartment for a year I wore them almost daily. They’ve brought an immense amount of peace and quiet to my life. Worth every penny!

We have an Echo and two dots and love them! Christian recently discovered you can use them as an intercom system which is very cool.

We’ve been saying we want to buy a Ring for our new house, and with Prime Day there’s no better time to invest in one.

We just bought these for our house and clearly… should have waited for Prime Day!

I’ve almost bought this makeup container so many times and now it’s marked down! Let’s see if I can make a decision…

I’ve been pro-Clarisonic for at least 10 years. It really cleans your skin on another level, and now there are tons of attachments that allow you to use the device as a facial massager and makeup blending brush. Christian even uses our Clarisonic and it comes highly recommended from many facial plastic surgeons he has worked with. It’s 40% off for prime day which is the most the Mia Smart has ever been marked down!

My sister-in-law has this toaster oven and raves about it! She has three kids and uses it to make their meals all of the time. If you have the counter space, it sounds like a great investment.

Amazon’s cast iron skillet looks exactly like Le Creuset and is a fraction of the price, and is included in Prime Day. Jackpot!

Those are my top picks for Prime Day which goes through end of day tomorrow! While I’m typing this, Christian is literally shopping for security cameras and house things… so I’ll keep y’all posted! Let me know what you’re on the hunt for – I want the tea!

Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale | Early Access

This year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has begun and will be open to shop for cardholders from today to 7/18! Then from 7/19 – 8/4, everyone has free range of all the best of their biggest markdowns of the year.

Here’s the deal with the sale – you don’t need everything. You just need the best things. And that’s where CBL comes in. If you click the “#NSale” page at the top of this site, you’ll find all this sale info from this year and years past. I want to help highlight what I think are the must-haves of this year’s sale. The cashmere discounts, the chunky fall sweater you’ll wear for months, the softest pajamas you’ll never want to take off, and the best deodorant you’ll ever try.

Know that items do sell out fast and there’s no restock guarantee. So if you see something you love, jump on it! You’re better off returning it later if you end up not loving it than letting it slip away to potentially never return.

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The kind of cardigan you reach for everyday.

Clare V. marked down? Yes, please.

Classic gold hoops that will go with anything and everything.

A diamond watch that you’ll wear for decades.

Make any simple outfit more fab with this belt.

The silk pillowcase that will make you never want to sleep on cotton again.

I can’t have enough leopard right now and this dress and this skirt are so versatile – obsessed.

I have these booties and they are so comfortable with the most gorgeous smooth leather. Looks super luxe!

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The softest pajamas I have without a doubt. I want to buy this pair this year!

My favorite deodorant.

One of my favorite perfumes.

If you haven’t tried Oribe yet, what are you doing girl!?

I loved Charlotte Tilbury’s magic cream. Already used all of mine and need to buy more!

The personal microderm device I always rave out! It’s marked down and has totally changed the milia on my face and small bumps on my arms.

Lusting after this cashmere wrap, this scarf and this cape. I literally buy cashmere every year – the markdowns are too good.

If I had room for more jeans, this would be the pair I’d be snagging.

And those are my Early Access picks for Nordstrom cardholders! I’ll be keeping you guys up to date on my favorite picks through the next several weeks on CBL + Instagram, and you can always check the “#NSale” page at the top of this site for the must recent posts!

Thanks so much for reading and keep me posted on what you guys snag or are looking for this year!

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Special Announcement…

So when we shared our big moving announcement a few weeks ago, there may have been one more little secret we’ve been keeping…

We’re expecting our first baby in November! I’m 20 weeks along with this little one, and it’s the best San Francisco souvenir we could have been blessed with.

Because I’ve been keeping this secret from you guys since March (!!), I wanted to share a little video recapping the first trimester. From finding out we were expecting to our first ultrasound, how we told our families over Mother’s Day weekend, the first item we bought for baby and how I’ve been feeling along the way – everything is covered in a quick 5.5 minute recap below!

So all of this to say, moving across the country, starting over in a new city, Christian starting a new job, buying our first home, and having our first baby… we are clearly just taking it all on at the same time. Just trying to see what else we can tack on while we’re at it! But they are all such exciting and happy moments that I feel really lucky to be experiencing so many of them at once.

And of course, I am so excited to finally share this news with all of my CBL girls! In the first few months I was trying to think of creative ways to share the news and so I thought the video would be a great way to catch you up to speed. Christian and I figured we would keep it a little inside secret until I was showing, and around 18 weeks there was no more hiding this bump. I’m still wearing most of the same clothes (the forgiving ones, at least), but I can tell that once we hit the third trimester I’ll be needing to dip into maternity. With so many things on our plate right now, “we’ll get there when we get there” has been my mantra. One day at a time!

I would love to hear if you guys have any more questions or if there is anything else you’d want me to fill you in on. We can do a baby version of the monthly blog FAQ if you prefer? Please leave any questions below in the comments!

As for how baby will affect CBL… I don’t really know just yet. Probably as frequently as Christian pops in or out, but I think it will depend on how much you guys want to know, what is relevant/helpful to those of you who take the time to read this blog, etc. I know there are so many amazing motherhood blogs out there and CBL will always remain focused on fashion, with emphasis on other lifestyle categories including marriage and now family. I would love to hear if pregnancy/postpartum/baby content is helpful to you or if you prefer the existing lifestyle categories as is.

Thank you so much for being a part of this joyous time with us. This baby was not a surprise, it was what we had been hoping for this year and we feel so overwhelmed with gratitude that we have been chosen to take care of and raise this little boy or girl. Christian keeps saying how excited he is to meet this baby! He’s been so protective and wonderful, making sure I don’t lift heavy boxes and that I’m eating healthy and drinking enough water. I think he called me every hour on the hour when I drove across the country with Lula. It’s been really sweet.

You can check out more video content by subscribing to my YouTube channel here or checking out the “video” category of this site! Thank you so much for being a part of our journey. Your support and encouragement always means so so so much to us. Love y’all! XO –

Pregnancy recaps

Second Trimester

Third Trimester

Third Trimester Wardrobe Tips

Pregnancy Essentials

Hospital Packing List

Birth Story

Newborn Essentials

Breastfeeding Update

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Karen’s Tomato Pie Recipe

When I was home for a week before our move-in, my mom made a tomato pie that was truly mouth-watering. I knew when she was cooking it because the entire house was fragrant, even the upstairs!

Thankfully she was willing to share the recipe with CBL girls, and if you guys like tomatoes or Southern dishes – you’re going to love this one. It’s as classic as cheese straws or pimento cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pre-made pie crust

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

5 roma tomatoes or 4 medium sized tomatoes

1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 /2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Cut tomatoes into wedges and then into flat triangles. If using cherry or grape tomatoes, just slice them into circles. Drain them on paper towels for at least an hour.

Let one crust come to room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. Unroll, remove parchment paper and place in deep dish pie pan. Any excess crust you may fold under at the edge of the pan. Prick holes in the bottom and sides of crust thoroughly with a fork. Bake the crust alone at 400° for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on hot crust and let crust cool. Arrange tomatoes on top of cooled pie crust.

Toss basil and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle the basil garlic mixture over the tomatoes.

Mix the rest of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and pepper – put on the top.

Bake the pie at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes.

If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think! You can find all my favorite recipe in the food & drink category of CBL. Thanks so much for reading and bon appétit! XO –

PS – mom’s Bloody Mary recipe can be found here.

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Friday’s Five | Move In Week

– our first few days in our new home –

– introducing our pets to their new backyard –

– product testing the full mascara line from Lancome (for big, thick lashes I’ve always loved this one) –

– treats from all of our sweet neighbors –

– finally getting to use my ginger jars that have been in storage for years –

Happy Friday! I’m getting this post up a little later than usual because I’ve lost all track of time this week. A doozy, but in the best way! We drove to Georgia Monday, I showed Christian our empty house for the first time, and movers arrived Tuesday morning.

Since then, we’ve been in a sea of boxes and packing paper trying to see where all of our things are that were packed up two weeks ago. I am so thankful our packers did such a great job, but I will say that the massive amounts of packing paper has made unpacking slower than ever. It’s totally fine because we definitely don’t plan to move for quite some time, but it just means we’ve made less progress than I anticipated at this point. But that’s ok! I know once we are unpacked and settling in, it will be fabulous. We will get there bit by bit!

We have been slow to rise and working until midnight each night until collapsing in bed, but I’m so grateful to have Christian by my side this time. Usually I am handing this part solo while still trying to keep up with work. It’s a MAJOR difference to have two people after it rather than one, so that is a huge upgrade.

We did take a little break yesterday to run some errands and were given a parking pass by some new friends to watch the fireworks show at the country club for the holiday. How nice is that!? And it was amazing! Everyone we have met has been so incredibly welcoming, helpful and friendly. It makes us feel really confident that this city and home that it was the right choice for us.

Some of my favorite sales happening this weekend are:

A&F | 50% off through 7/8

Anthropologie | extra 50% off sale items

Express | 50% off everything

GAP | 40-75% off tons of styles

J.Crew | 40% off full-price styles + 50% off sale styles with code FIREWORKS

Lulu & Georgia | 25% off sale styles with code JULY25

Macy’s | 25% off + free shipping at $75 with code FOURTH (ends 7/7)

Madewell | 25% off summer must-haves with code FIREWORK (ends 7/8)

Mark & Graham | 20% off everything + free shipping with code FIREWORKS

Pottery Barn | 15% off $100 or more, 20% off $500 or more, 25% off $1000 or more with code SAVEMORE

Serena & Lily | 20% off everything with code GOCOASTAL

Yumi Kim | extra 30% off sale styles with code FIREWORKS

I definitely plan to try to take advantage of the home decor sales and grab some counter stools for our kitchen.

Thank you so much for reading and checking in, and I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday weekend! Mom’s tomato pie recipe is coming next week and trust me, you want in. It’s so good. Big hugs xo –

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How to Keep Hydrangeas Alive

Several months ago I shared some of my tips on Instagram Stories for keeping hydrangeas alive for a couple of weeks. Christian laughs at me that I have nicknamed myself “the hydrangea whisperer,” and he knows I will try all of these strategies before giving up on my flowers!

TIPS FOR KEEPING HYDRANGEAS ALIVE

Cut stems at an angle. After a few days or a week or so I’ll check the stems when giving them fresh water and I’ll give them a fresh stem cut.

Use a clear vase. I try to use glass vases for my hydrangeas because they drink so much water, and if I can’t see the water level it’s likely they’ll be low before I even realize.

Dunk the head of the hydrangea in water when the bloom is look wilty or sad. Leave the flower dripping by the sink and in a few hours, you’ll be amazed at the difference. The bloom needs water too, not just the stem! If your blooms are looking extra sad, try leaving them in a large bowl of very hot water for up to 45 minutes.

Boil water and put the stem in the hot water until the water has cooled. I don’t even quite know why this works, but it usually does!

You can also add some ice cubes to the water or use a spray bottle of water to mist the blooms if you don’t want to dunk them under the faucet. This article has some great tips too!

Thanks so much for reading, and if you have any tips of your own specific to hydrangeas I’d love to hear! For tulips, pennies from 1981 or older can be dropped in the vase. The copper in the water helps them stand up straighter. It sounds crazy, but it’s always worked for me! XO –

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Yellow Goyard PM

I shared a sneak peek of this look last week on Instagram here, but I felt like it was such a simple look to recreate that I also wanted to share it on the blog!

When it comes to adding designer bags to my collection, I usually aim for neutral colors. However, sometimes it is really fun to use your splurge as an opportunity for a fun statement piece. Years ago I snagged a pink velvet Prada Cahier bag on Black Friday. I’ve been so surprised at how much I gravitate toward that bold, colorful statement bag, that it made me more comfortable splurging on a colorful piece here and there.

Then I added this bright red YSL nano to my closet, and I wear it all the time. Maybe this occasional pop of color thing is way more cost-per-wear friendly that I thought!

I found this bright clementine Goyard PM tote on StockX.com, and I think it’s going to be such a fun piece for spring and summer. It photographs more yellow but in person it reminds me of the clementine shade of Veuve Clicquot if you get my drift.

photos by Christian Barnes

If you have a Goyard tote in a bright color or a bold statement bag you find yourself reaching for more often than you thought you would, I’d love to hear about!

I think I need to snag one of these organizers for it too! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –

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Explore The Blog

Shop Around

Alys Beach Outfit Roundup

Wardrobe Renting vs. Buying: Which is for you?

#NSale | Must-Snag Categories

The Most Comfortable Summer Dress

2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale | Public Access

CBL Amazon Prime Day Picks

2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale | Early Access

Special Announcement…

Pregnancy recaps

Karen’s Tomato Pie Recipe

Friday’s Five | Move In Week

How to Keep Hydrangeas Alive

TIPS FOR KEEPING HYDRANGEAS ALIVE

Yellow Goyard PM