You Can Ring My Bell, Anytime Anywhere...

If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it, right? Well, who do you like more than you? Before you answer that with a lie, please check out this ring I found. It's huge and looks antique and is more than a bit ugly - how could I have stopped myself from falling in love? 
I couldn't and hopefully you can't either. This ring is pure drama and I love it. It reminds me of something Alexis Carrington Colby would have worn with a robe while she drank champagne and spurned a lover/found a long-lost twin/cut a bitch.
I found this on jcrew.com under the sale section, of course. it comes in two colors but I like the hematite-plated version better. Under $30, easy to find and won't turn your finger green - what else do you want from me? 

Antique Violet Majesty stone cocktail ring, $29.99, jcrew.com 


Lots of garish love, 
-kasey

you can't take it (all) with you

An aside - Can there be anything more satisfying than listening to Daft Punk's "Something About Us" at 11pm when the lights are low? Get back to me on that one after you've tried it. Right now I feel like I'm typing in space (which is a good thing).


Reeling it back in, tonight we'll discuss that fine line between thrifty and cheap.  We all know someone who's thrifty, i.e., makes conscious, informed decisions about where their money goes. We also all know someone who's just plain old cheap. Always complaining about money, never wants to go out/buy anything because God Forbid, they part with some cash. 


Side Note - everyone thinks they're thrifty. It's a rare breed who can admit their cheapness. I have one friend (whose name I shall not mention as I've haven't asked her) who will happily tell you how cheap she is. I appreciate her candor. You know where you stand with Ms. X, and you also know what  activities you can and cannot do with her.  Dinner at home? Absolutely. Dinner and a movie? Depends, does she have a gift card?  Well, as Grandma always said, ain't no future in frontin' so today I will outline the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between the two.  Not sure where you stand? You're probably cheap, but keep reading just in case - you never know.


Thrifty: 
You use coupons. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking advantage of an offer to save money on something you already planned on buying. 
Cheap:
Your lifestyle and purchases are driven by coupons, special offers, etc.  Doesn't matter if it's your anniversary or someone's birthday - if it doesn't cost you next to nothing, you're not going there or purchasing it. 


Thrifty:
You go to the local beauty college to save money on haircuts.
Cheap: You cut not only your own hair, but you just may subject other family members to the same mistreatment. [Editor's note - shame on you if you subject anyone other than yourself to this. There's a special place in hair hell for those who butcher the hair of others in the name of saving a buck.]


Thrifty:
You split an entree with someone else at dinner, or have half wrapped up for your lunch the next day.
Cheap: You order an appetizer/bowl of soup with the claim of not being hungry, then pick off everyone's plates once the food comes. I can't tell you how much I despise this behavior.


Thrifty:
You buy in bulk or when certain items are on sale to give as gifts later in the year. Examples: greeting cards, stocking stuffers,  or an item someone has mentioned in the past that just happens to be on sale now.  This makes sense. You're leveraging today's opportunity to save money in the future.
Cheap:
You have a PhD in re-gifting. You look at Christmas and birthday gifts as an opportunity to not have to spend money on people's gifts in the future. Everyone regifts from time to time, but you pride yourself on rolling gifts so much you don't end up spending anything. Presents are one big shell game to you, and you really don't care if someone likes their gift, as you take no pleasure in it anyway.  This is another behavior I cannot stand. Enjoy your damn presents, would you? I promise it won't hurt too much.


I could go on ad nauseam, but I have a really great piece to show you so I'm going to cut myself off.  Hopefully you are a thrifty, kind and generous person. I know you are. 


Lots of Optimistic Love, 
Kase

I'm Up for It

Sometimes a woman's got to challenge herself. One of my new favorite sites has some great clothing, but it tends to be a bit on the pricey side. It also has an awesome feature called "Be the Buyer" where you can VOTE ON WHAT THEY WILL SELL NEXT. I'm completely obsessed with it and also horrified by what the general public considers "cute".  More on that some other time. 


Anyway, the ones that DON'T get picked by the general public are generally great aside from the fact that they tend to be a bit expensive. (Have I told you I think they are too expensive?) Therefore, I went on a rampage to find something that would fit my criteria. After much rummaging, rejecting and swearing, I finally ran into the groovy little frock you see before you. 


Color choice - great. Love the 70's look and the horizontal stripes are thin enough to flatter a multitude of figures.  Cut - great, but I wouldn't recommend it for the long-legged or taller ladies, as modcloth tends to run short. Also, the puckered waist effect you are seeing is due to putting a larger dress on a smaller model and tying the strings tight. If you want that,purchase a size larger than you normally wear. This cut is also great for petite women who need to carve out a waist or hourglass-shaped women with a naturally smaller waist. 


Wear it - with a long sleeved shirt and tights, over jeans if you roll like that (I don't), or on its own on a hot summer day with wedge sandals and nothing else. Of course, you can wear it like a beach coverup/romper as the poorly written (sorry)  product copy suggests, but we're a little more creative than that, yes?


Seaside Park Dress, $24.99, modcloth.com - Available in M, L in the "under $50" section. 


Hearts, Stars, Moons and Clovers, 


kasey

Know when to fold 'em - On vs. Off-brand

You may not love the song ("The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers) but there's a nugget of good advice in there. He's basically telling a newbie that he needs to discern what's important from what isn't, concentrate on that, and leverage it as much as he can. Well, I can easily say the same for money. Ya gotta know when to spend it and know when it's not worth it. 

Which brings me to today's nugget - when/where do we spend the money and where do we skimp? Some people are slave to brands when they could be saving tons of cash while others are buying store-brand mac & cheese and hating life when coughing up the extra dollar would have been worth it.  

After pondering, polling some coworkers and others, I've compiled a somewhat comprehensive list of On-Brand/Off-Brand items (with justifications). You may agree, you may not, but I'm just trying to help you hit that financial sweet spot. Onward...

ON-BRAND 

1. Food - This is the fuel you're putting into your most prized possession - YOU. I am not by any means stating that you need to go out and buy Velveeta Shells & Cheese, but buying Organic and Local fruit, vegetables and meat products can make a HUGE difference in how you feel - which impacts your decisions, which impacts your money, which impacts your life. This is definitely more expensive, and you may need to take the less-is-more approach - shop more often in smaller increments, wasting nothing. This takes effort, but it's worth it. You can afford to treat your body well. 

2. Hair Products - This is my personal thing. Everybody has one, so you can insert your ONE vanity/vice here if you'd like, as long as it's not scratch-offs, cocaine or other expensive things that leave you with nothing to show for them.  Using good shampoo and conditioner actually shows. Believe me, I have tried to get around this so many ways and it just doesn't work. Hair is essentially dead cells - so if you put low-grade chemicals on them, it's going to reflect that. If you put high-quality proteins and extracts on them, it's going to reflect that.  This is especially important for those of us with color-treated hair. Don't spend money to color your hair only to put shitty chemicals on it every day. [Editor's note - if you don't wash your hair every day and only condition your ends, good product will last you a long time.}  If you have virgin hair (i.e., never been permed/straightened/colored), you MAY be able to get away with a mid-level product but make sure you trim frequently.

3. Shoes - READ THIS THROUGH BEFORE YOU GO BUY THOSE LABOUTINS.  Okay - I learned the hard way that your feet are really, really important. After 12 hours of waiting tables one weekend, I realized how vital a well-constructed, comfortable shoe really is. I don't mean impractical, hurt your feet expensive shoes - I mean a nice pair of fairly expensive, durable, versatile shoes that you can wear for years and re-heel if needed. You may not have a ton of shoes, but the ones you have won't hurt, make your feet stink, or need to be replaced every two months because the fake leather ripped/plastic heel broke. 

4. Sporting Equipment -  This only applies if you are fairly avid. If you're not going to take your bike out/go running/play a sport/etc. more than once a year or you tend to go from fad to fad, skip this one and keep reading. If you're still here - if you're dedicated to a certain sport, having quality equipment is pretty essential. Please don't ever skimp when it comes to safety or quality, especially in protective gear.  Well-made equipment and clothing is going to be the most comfortable, durable and reliable. You don't want to be in yoga class when your cheapo shorts split at the seams or on the slopes with your fingers going numb because you decided to knit your own gloves. You'll end up spending more money on going through a bunch of cheap shit and paying doctor bills than you ever would on that good-quality helmet.

5. Facial products - Your face shows. Investing in some good facial cream is going to pay off in the long run. Not using good facial products is penny wise and pound foolish. I'm not saying you need La Mer, but getting a decent facial lotion is worth the extra expense. Men, this can apply to you as well, especially with shaving products (razors in particular).  

Now for the cheapskate's fun part.....

OFF-BRAND 

1. OTC medicines, band-aids, etc. - Tyle-what?? Hell no. When it comes to ibuprofen, acetaminophen (Tylenol), cough syrups, sinus medications, band-aids, baby oil, contact solution, tampons, or any other OTC thing available at the drugstore, off-brand is where it's at.  Medicines are medicines - compare doses and ingredients and you'll see that there is essentially no difference. You may not be able to have "rapid release", but the off-brand ibuprofen is going to do the exact same job as Advil. Same goes for tampons and contact solutions - it's all the same stuff. Unless you go way organic with your tampons (which I respect), just get the pharmacy brand. These are essentially items with the exact same makeup, just a brand name/packaging separating them, and you paying an extra $1-2. Save that for your organic food or nice shoes. 


2. Cereal - This has come a LONG way. Back in the day, I would have never advocated this, but now every store brand seems to have a duplicate of your favorite cereal, even the healthy ones! Stunning. Anyway, give the store brand a shot. You may be very surprised. Even the bag cereal has stepped up its game. I'd advocate getting the healthier cereals, but that's your decision. 

3. Nail Polish - Ladies and Trannies, Wet & Wild works. All polish chips. You may as well spend $1 on your polish instead of $3 if we all know what's going to happen. This is especially true if you are purchasing clear polish. Anything but W&W in that situation is just dumb. 


4. Hair Color -  This is only for the adventurous and those who are willing to experiment a bit.  There are a few box color brands (cough, Feria, cough) that can get the job done without spending a ton of cash.  That being said, you need to be willing to color your hair all one shade, and not be looking for something really drastic. Follow all of the instructions to the T - this is NOT a time for freelancing. Do not attempt this if you're looking for highlights. Do not attempt this if your hair is in bad shape. Do attempt this if your hair is in fairly good condition and you want a bit of a change. It's never going to come out as light as the box shows, but it can make an impact. DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU'RE GOING RED. Unless you are purposely going for a Magenta look, leave Red to a pro. It's a really tricky color to achieve, let alone have it look semi-natural. 


5. TP/PT -  This one seems to divide people, but more often than not I hear people say they skimp on toilet paper and paper towels. Makes sense as you're only going to be using them once.  Personally, I don't use paper towels and it saves me a lot of money. You'd be surprised how accustomed you can get to wiping up spills with a cloth. As far as TP, as long as it's not one-ply, I will roll with whatever comes down the pike. I know some people can be very particular about this subject, so I shall leave you to your own decisions on this delicate matter. 


6. Soap/Body Wash - This is another case of it all being pretty much the same thing. Unless you have very sensitive/delicate skin, go for the Suave body wash and the fake dove beauty bars. PS - soap is 10x cheaper than body wash and it's really convenient. 


So, no one can have it all, right? Well, there is a place I like to call the BRAND LOOPHOLE, or TJ MAXX (and the like)!  Go there on the right day and you can find on-brand items for off-brand prices. This is especially true for housewares, bedding, towels, and beauty products. Just make sure to look everything over to make sure it hasn't been handled too much, and wash prior to using. This takes a little time and patience, but you can find some serious deals. 


Before I go - things that are a tiny bit off-topic but deserve mention - doing your own eyebrow waxes (be careful), bartering for services, clothing swaps with friends, going to the library and packing your lunch can all help you save some cash.


Well, there you have it. My list of off/on brands to maximize your money. I hope you've found this helpful and if you have any more, please don't hesitate to comment.  Next post will be clothing and covetable, per usual. 


Lots of bank-breaking love, 


Kasey

You're the picture on my wall, you're a vision in the hall

If I were a set director, this would have been in Belle & Sebastian's "Funny Little Frog" video. Try listening to this song and not thinking about this shower curtain or vice-versa. I dare you.

As I've said before, shower curtains mean a lot to me. I'm going to be honest - I judge your style on your choice of shower curtain. It's not logical or fair, but it's what I do. Color me human.

I see it as such an opportunity to showcase your personal style - a huge blank canvas that you can do anything you want with. You don't even have to know how to draw! {Editor's note: that's important for people like me who can only draw two things, one being an eye and the other being a snoopy out of the number 25.}

Let's say you have a stark-white, standard apartment bathroom. I'm with you on that. You may or may not be able to paint it, and you have to be careful there, considering the size of the bathroom as it's really easy to overwhelm a typically small space with color, giving it that pleasant feel of claustrophobia or panic. Let's say you can't paint it but you really want some color in there, or something that makes you smile, your personal stamp on what is otherwise a very fixed environment.

May I present - the Singing in the Rain shower curtain from Target. Graphically, it's right on the mark, very striking while avoiding an overwhelming pattern. And who can resist the pull of the romantic, optimistic theme? I will admit that this may skew a bit female, but I think a man could pull this off, especially with a darker/duller color curtain liner. Grey would be quite cheeky.

Well, it's actually not raining and I do feel like singing a bit, so I'm out of here. You can find this on target.com, but you must go to the Red Hot Shop on the homepage, and scroll about halfway down. I trust you to be able to navigate a website.

Singing in the Rain Shower Curtain, $19.99, target.com

Lots and lots of Gene Kelly-esque love, K

Sealed with a Kiss

This post isn't for the faint of heart or those who are running low on discipline. This post is for those who have straight-up fucked themselves. Financially, of course. What you do on your own time isn't my business. Unless you want to tell me.

Anyway - let's say you've been less than careful with your finances as of late. Since we believe our own lies the most, I'll lay out some signs that indicate you need to get not just a grip, but a choke-hold on your money situation:

1. You run out of money for essentials before your next pay period. By this, I mean you can't fill your gas tank, are getting anything you can for free, and are avoiding things like parking meters, as you need that change for the candy bar you're going to buy for dinner.

2. You're using credit cards to fill in the gaps (usually as a result of #1).
This means you don't have any cash for the essentials, but you're putting them on plastic. You might even be going beyond that and adding in some dinners out or clothes here and there.
HUGE.FUCKING.MISTAKE.
If you're doing this - stop. stop now, and I mean this minute, young lady/man. Cut the card up or get someone else to cut it up for you if you have to. This is not a solution, this is the financial equivalent of putting a band-aid on a hemorrhaging head wound. It might work for this instant, but the long-term damage is severe.

3. You're borrowing money from family/friends/others with no real intentions or plans to pay it back. Come on now! Your irresponsibility is now spilling into other people's lives. It's messy, embarrassing, selfish and shows poor character. If you are truly in trouble, i.e., you need to make bail or have emergency surgery - that is an exception. Most things are not, that's why those instances are called EXCEPTIONS. Anything from #1 or #2 does not fall into this. Handle your business.

4. Any of the above is happening without a loss of a job, serious illness or some other severe life circumstance. Things happen in life that are way beyond our control, and sometimes we need some extra help. If you are in this boat, speak with a financial professional who may be able to assist you. If you are NOT in this boat, keep reading before your credit score plunges any further.

Now that I've laid out the criteria, I'll also tell you that I've never had to make bail, but I've been BROKE in my lifetime, and I've done all 3 of these things listed above. I'm not proud of my financial past, but I took a long, hard look and did something about it. I have three rules - a.) I pay cash for it, or I can't afford it, unless it's a car or a house.
b.) If the choice is to pay the bill now or wait until the next paycheck, I pay it NOW before I can decide otherwise.
c.) If I slip into any of the behaviors listed above, I go to the envelope method.

The envelope method has saved me. A lot of my bad financial decisions actually came from worrying and making impulse purchases. Basically, I felt like I wasn't going to have enough so I spent too much, therefore creating that situation for myself. The envelope method will make sure you have enough. You may not have a lot, but you will have enough. Sometimes these two things are farther apart than we'd like them to be. Suck it up. If you do this long enough, it will change.

This is very simple - you get paid. You pay all of your current bills. If you cannot pay all of the bills without having NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, hold at least $50 - $75 back, take the bill that is due the furthest out, and call your creditor to explain that you will be late. Pay that bill first with your next check,

Let's assume you're starting clean, and get paid every 2 weeks. You can pay the impending bills, and have a little left over. Not a lot, but some. Probably just enough to feel like you're simply working to pay your bills and that it sucks. Here we go....

1. Stop your line of thinking and go get 4-5 envelopes.

2. Pin down the exact amount of money you have left, and err on the side of caution, meaning you underestimate by about $10 or so.

3. Go to the ATM and pull all of this money out. CHANGE IT INTO SMALLER BILLS ($10's and $5's are ideal).

4. Label the envelopes according to your NEEDS - gas, food, medical/personal products, and FUN/OTHER. Personally, I keep an envelope for cigarettes as well. Break it up by what you consider your essentials. Make sure you keep an envelope for FUN. I don't care if you only have $5 to put in it, you need one or this will not work.

5.Start dividing the money in a realistic manner into the envelopes, based on how much you have and what you plan to use on each. Example: I have $200 for the next 2 weeks. This is what my envelopes would look like:
-gas: $40
-food(which means groceries): $80
-medical/personal:$20
-cigarettes: $20
-fun: $60
**side note: going out to eat comes from the fun envelope**

6. Pull the money from the correct envelope for what you will buy THAT DAY and no more. If you know you are going grocery shopping that day and getting gas, pull out $60 (40 for the groceries & 20 for the gas) - you have now spent that week's money, but you have some gas and you have something to eat. If you don't spend it all, put it back in the envelope it came from. If it's the day before you get paid again and you still have some money in that envelope, spend 1/2 of it on FUN, and put 1/2 of it in a savings account.

7. Empty and replenish your wallet every day - from the correct envelope, with the correct budgeted amount. Put any remainders back at the end of the day.

8. If you have a surplus in one area, move it around. If after a few weeks of doing this, I find that $80 is too much groceries for me for 2 weeks, I might put a little more into cigarettes or medical/personal, if I wanted some nice conditioner or something like that. This propels you to really think about your purchases and start making some sacrifices like driving less, buying cheaper products, using coupons, etc. You will learn what you value and where you can comfortably skimp. I will buy the store-brand contact solution and bar soap every day of the week if it means I can go see a movie on Friday and not have to put it on plastic.

9. When you are at the point where you can pay all bills on time and at least one of them ahead of time, try going without the envelopes. By this point, you've learned a lot about your spending habits, budgeting and some self-discipline. You've built a little cushion, so try to see if you can fly on your own. You can always go back to the envelopes if and when you need them.

Well, there you have it, mes amis. A way to dig yourself out of the hole while not feeling completely deprived. I wish I could take credit for all of this, but someone showed this to me long ago, and while I have put my own twists on it, it was passed on to me as I am passing it onto you. It's simple and it works. If you try this, I would love to hear how you do with it.

After all, I love you enough to tell you the truth, right?

Next post will be clothing-related. For now, save those pennies so you can be a responsible consumer.

Lots of thick, tough love, K

Take 2

I promised I'd go back to writing this blog. I asked you to hold me accountable. You did. I pondered, considered recanting, decided against that, and here we are. I am officially back, but different. When I began this blog, I was in a very different head space. If you know me, you know 2008 was both unkind and kind to me, and I learned a lot of lessons. Part of me saw this blog as me right before the hard knock hit, and I really wanted to just leave it behind for good, out of fear, out of regret, out of bitterness. But I can't do that. I love to write, and you know I love you, so what good would it do any of us?

So I have run back to you, wiser and a bit more cautious. I've also decided to add a new twist. As this is about both clothing and affording, I'm going to write on both. One post about a good find, another post about money - budgeting, credit, making it work, etc. Both will be an honest take and as always, straight from my heart. I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for sticking by me, encouraging me, supporting me. It sends sunshine into my heart, and hopefully back to yours.

Next post - The envelope method (aka, what to do when you need to make it work in a tough financial spot).

Lots and lots of reunited love, K

the opposite effect

A long time ago in a land far, far away called Michigan, a certain gentleman looked at me while I was in minimal clothing and uttered the words, "good god, woman." If you've never had that happen, make sure you put yourself in that position, sooner rather than later. It sounds horrible when it's not you, but I can assure you when you provoke a reaction like that, you feel like a natural woman, indeed.

Not only do I want that for you, I'm going to actively facilitate it by showing you this incredible swimsuit that is not only mind-blowingly sexy, but also very affordable. It's a tiny but over my cap, but once again, I am making an exception for an item that's totally worth the extra 5 bucks.

Today's item comes to us from Target's Mossimo collection. I'm not usually a fan of the knits, especially when it comes to swimwear, but the 70's feel of the design suits the knit and the color pattern really well. The waist cutouts are sexy but not over the top--an important part of the overall allure. Also, the top features a good amount of structure and coverage, which is also very important both when choosing swimwear and considering balance. Rule of thumb in clothing and most everything else: if you're going to show a lot of one thing, dial the rest back or you risk laying all of your cards on the table way too soon. One of the first rules of playing a good game of Euchre or Spades is to keep a trump card until the end where you can lay it down and really shake some trees. This is no different, friends. [Editor's note: I know this contradicts the story I began this post with a bit, but in my defense, I was technically clothed and 22 at the time of said occurrence. Hell, I'd do it all over again, who am I kidding?]

Life Lessons aside, this suit does a great job of choosing one thing to highlight and keeping the rest of it fairly modest. There is one thing I would like to stress at this point: this suit is not for everyone. This suit is a gift to my ladies who have what I like to call the "opposite build". This means that, much like me, you have some up top but not a whole bunch, a flat stomach, and ass for days. A suit like this is meant for women like us. There are plenty of suits to show off a nice chest, but it's rare when we get to shine the way we should. Waist, hips and ass is what this suit is all about. Flaunt it, my opposite sisters, for this is your day. Make me proud.

Mossimo® Black: Missoni Monokini - Multicolor, $34.99 at Target stores or Target.com

Buckets of eager, but not overly earnest love, Kase

my birthday is rapidly approaching...

So if you're looking for gift ideas, I'm going to make it easy for you. Go to Kohl's or kohls.com and pick this dress up for me in a Medium.

Now that that's out of the way, I can share with the rest of you this lovely dress that I actually found on Kohl's a bit ago, but have been waiting for the price to drop. Well, the day has come, y'all. I checked today and it now fits under my price cap. I couldn't be more thrilled.

This lovely piece is from the ELLE collection at Kohl's, which is in my opinion, right up there with Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Fashionable, affordable, and even fairly well constructed garments for the price. Get them while you can and especially before everyone else finds out about it. You probably can't make an entire wardrobe from it, but you can find some really great stand-out pieces to work into your existing closet.

This dress is made from a polyester blend, which means it's fairly thin and has a LOT of movement. Perfect for spring/summer days when we don't need anything sticking to us. The waist is high and a little empire without being over the top and making it look like maternity wear. Also, what you cannot see in this photo is that there is a DARLING bow in the back of the dress at the waist. Movement, striking color, universally flattering...what else do you need? You need it to be under 30 bucks, you say? Well, it's done that too. So stop your demands and buy it already.

Elle Bold Floral Dress, $29.99 at Kohl's or kohls.com

Lots of Summer-breeze infused love, kasey

ridiculously cute, indeed.

In keeping with the posts of late and featuring wild print patterns and color palettes, today I stumbled across these gems on one of my favorite sites.

Etsy (etsy.com) is a really, really great place to buy stuff. All items are handmade, so not only are you supporting an artist, you don't have to feel bad that the trendy item you just got has been made with the sweat off some small child's brow. Transactions are really simple, and I have always had success with the items I have purchased. Plus, it's a really great way to work some truly unique pieces into your repertoire.

I found this shop today - Kaylah 7, from Cleveland, OH. You know I heart the Cleve, so of course I looked a little deeper to see what she had cooking. And wow! Love the pattern choices, the craftsmanship is good, and the prices are right.

I've chosen 2 bags to feature. They are both small and would work really well as a coin purse/clutch or a makeup bag, depending how much makeup you have. The mushroom print is completely adorable and the camera print is just a solid color way with a great choice of print. If you bought BOTH of these bags, you would still come in under 20 bucks. So I shall give you the link and set you loose.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5022897

Blue Camera Zipper Pouch, $8.00 Mole and Mushroom Zipper Pouch, $7.25, at site listed above.

Lots of bright, repeating love, kase

sour apples

Have you missed me? I have missed you terribly. The fog has lifted, the storm has abated and I am once again free to find you pretty clothes. YAY!

I write this as I anxiously await the "Rock of Love" reunion show where a preview clip shows Heather finally beating Daisy's ass for putting her melted-candle finger in people's faces one too many times. Long Overdue, Heather, long overdue. We midwestern girls are very nice, but can only be pushed so far, and are NOT afraid of a good old fashioned throw-down. If you remember nothing else from this blog, keep that piece of advice in your pocket.

Forging ahead - I found this bikini a few weeks ago and have been waiting for the price to drop so it can fit under my $30 cap. I'm pretty sure it's hit rock bottom, and the two pieces total $40, but screw it - I love the print, you're not obligated to buy it, and I run this blog. A suit this cute deserves to break a rule or two and I hope you'll agree.

I found this at Jcrew.com and after scouring the local store, I'm fairly sure it's only available online. Have I already said that I'm in love with the print? The color palette is right up my alley AND it gets extra points for reminding me of a couch we had when I was little crossed with my laptop case. If I hadn't already bought a Jcrew swimsuit a few weeks ago, I would snap this up. Hopefully one of y'all will.

The top will fit small, medium and large chests, and is fairly universally flattering. It has a bit of padding, which should keep everything in its right place. The bottom is so cute I can't stand it as well, and is also cleverly cut high on the leg. One piece of advice - order a size up in the bottom as the elastic can cut into your hip and create bulges where there doesn't need to be any.

I really, really hope someone gets this bikini. It's the bees knees, the cat's pajamas and the cream of the crop all rolled into one.

I also really, really hope that himself knows what's good for him and will turn off Battlestar Galactica before 9pm. I don't want to give him a midwestern wake-up call. I'm kidding. Kinda.

JCrew Cherry-Print Padded String Top and Lowrider Bikini, $19.99 each at jcrew.com (under sale section).

Lots of sun, sea and salt-drenched love, kasey

late for an important date

I know, I know. Just give me 6 more days and my schoolwork will be over, and I will be back to loving you the way I should. Promise.

matching the drape

Today I bring you a beautiful little dress from Newport News. This company has some serious staying power. I remember getting the catalog at our house when I was like 12 and flipping through it, admiring the sometimes-sexy, sometimes-ugly clothing and the ultra-low prices. Well it's 16 years later and NN is still going strong. I can't believe the sheer VOLUME of what they sell, and I don't even want to think where or how they get it manufactured to be able to sell it so cheaply.

NN never fails to amaze me with their approach. They really seem to run the gamut. From faux-victoria's secret sexy to faux-fredericks of hollywood stripper to faux-50 year old mom chico's, they have it all.

Today I found this banging dress for less than 30 bucks! I sorted through a LOT of sand to get this piece of gold, let me tell you. I love the styling of this dress - the halter looks like it has a lot of room but great drape, meaning it flatters small and large chests. The tailored waist carves out an hourglass shape, which is unusual in a halter dress, as they tend to just hang from the chest down. Kudos to whoever designed this, they really thought it through.

Another thing that makes this dress truly great is the length. I truly appreciate the restraint shown. The top is so sexy, this could have easily slipped into trashy territory, but they kept the length modest, and the end result is a sexy but not over the top dress that I might get a newport news card just to buy.

So feast your eyes, channel your last studio 54 party, and enjoy.

Drapeneck Satin Dress in Gold, $27.99 at NewportNews.com

Givin you that gold, kase

I can't believe it's not an April Fool

Have you ever seen something this ugly? Seriously now. Who made this? More importantly, who got paid cash money to design this?? This has GOT to be an April fool. This is the Essential Home Fairies Collection at Kmart, and these accessories are 8.99 each. You read that correctly. The cup? 8.99. The soap dish? 8.99. Overall, it costs you more than 30 bucks for your bathroom to look this ugly. I know ugly of this caliber is not easy to come by, therefore it may be worth it for you to snatch it up. In the event that you are short on some ends, the kmart website has informed me that a payment plan is possible.

I can't stop laughing.

Essential Home Fairies Collection, $8.99 per piece, Kmart.

Yours in merriment, kase

face lift minus the botox

You have not clicked on the wrong link. The blog has been given a little makeover. Do you like it? I feel like this look is much closer to what the feel of this blog is supposed to be. What say you? Like it, hate it, want the old one back?

Personally, I'm digging it, but I'll probably do another one in a few months. I gave the music blog a bit of freshening as well, if you're so inclined to travel over there and listen to some bad music.

Lots of photoshop-induced love, kasey

I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in

If you can name the song and artist of the title of this post, email me and I will send you a special prize.

As we're teetering on April, I thought I'd look for a nice umbrella for you, because it's going to start raining soon, if it ever gets done snowing. Having a good umbrella can be key, and you don't want to get in the space where you will reach for any old umbrella -- or someone else's. Or, worse yet, something you got for free with some company logo on it. People pay more attention to umbrellas than you think. You may or may not care about that, but if you do, you can add a lot to your look with a slick umbrella. (pun intended)

You're probably not going to be shocked by this, but I found this umbrella at Target. I like this umbrella a lot. It can stay around for a while, preferably at my house. The stripes are very attractive, and I love that they chose yellow to highlight the handle instead of pink or light blue (though I wouldn't mind it in navy). It's also opaque, but heavily striped enough to not look like see-through plastic and cheap.

So, no more raindrops falling on that pretty little head when I'm around.

Stripe Bubble Umbrella in Yellow, $16.99 at Target or target.com

Big fat drops of love, Kase

right now it's in ma pocket

The title of today's post comes from one of the best matter-of-fact statements I've ever heard. I used to work for an insurance company, and we handled the repairs on automobiles post-accident. Many times, we had to make arrangements to have the vehicles towed, either from the scene of the accident, or their home. One day, my coworker was speaking with this older, salt-of-the earth type gentleman, and asked him where his keys were going to be (meaning, will he leave them in the car for the tow company and the repair shop to access them?). My older gentleman friend replied with a succinct, "well, right now they're in ma pocket." True dat, my man.

Moving on, today my lovely friend Lindsay has directed my attention toward this great wallet/pocketbook. Simple is a great, eco-friendly company that puts a lot of effort into creating sustainable products at a good price. Plus, it's CUTE as all get-out. i love the envelope shape! I also love the polka dots. If you're not 100% on this color way, there is another one to choose from. It could also easily double for a clutch if you wanted to go that route. The roads are endless, really.

To make it easier, I'm going to drop the link in its entirety, so you don't have to hunt for it on Simple's site. Yet another demo of how much I love you.

http://www.simpleshoes.com/ProductDetails.aspx?g=
Women&categoryID=206&productID=231&model=Roundtrip

The Roundtrip in Rabbit, $25.00 on simpleshoes.com (or click link above)

Lots of Diana Ross-style endless love, kase

chapter 12 in which kasey rants about designer jeans and culture as a whole.

[editor's note: I've been away for a few days - sorry about that, I don't make it a habit, but it was a hard week. I've missed you.]

Yes! It's time for my weekly rant - the one day every week or so that I set aside to pontificate on something related to snobbery, fashion, home goods, or all of the above. Last week I went off about the snobby stores. Hopefully you have been able to shake off any snobbery that had been stubbornly clinging to you.

This started as a small seed in my head as I was trying on a pair of Sevens/True Religion/Ernest Sewn/insert brand of high-end, overpriced jeans here. WHY are these jeans so impossible to get on, no matter what "cut" you try on? Every size seems to have the same principle to it - slim hipped and a 34'' inseam. Now, knowing that a majority of the population is NOT slim-hipped and 5'10, and assuming a clothier is in business to make money, why are these being mass produced in a cut that most people will not fit into?

Exclusivity. Ruling out most people. Thin is worthy, thick is not. The main message in building the brand is to have exclusivity and desire. Dangling that carrot in front of the masses saying, "if you worked really, really hard, maybe, just maybe, you could have this too. You could be one of us." And I love that people fall for this. Hard. Our culture responds so well to negative reinforcement, it's (almost) astonishing. Raise your hand if you've ever bought a pair of designer jeans you've had to diet/squat/not breathe/get 6 inches cut off the bottom before you could get into them. WHY? [editor's note: my hand is up in the air right now.]

Why are we doing this? Why are we willingly purchasing product that we can't even wear out of the store? Why do I see women squeezed into frighteningly unflattering jeans because they have "status"? Why am I seeing women paying over $150 on jeans, then adding another $25-30 to the tag for alterations? Why do we accept it when salespeople say matter-of-factly, "well, nearly everyone has to alter them, you have to be really lucky to be able to wear them off the rack." Do we really need to fit in that badly?

I used to. I used to need that acceptance, that perceived power, the idea that a pair of jeans could really do a bret michaels and "rock my world". And it never really worked. The jeans got old, they faded, shrank, became last season's, and there I was feeling the same way. It was never enough. And it was coming from me - my response to the world I saw, my swallowing and digesting of principles and ideas I hadn't thought about enough to decide if I even believed in them in the first place.

Well, darlings, I don't believe in it anymore. I really don't. Manufacturers can cut jeans any old way they want, and if they fit and flatter, I will purchase them. If they don't, back they go. I don't have to be a certain shape to be acceptable. I don't have to spend an exorbitant amount of money to prove that I belong somewhere or so I can feel superior to someone else, rather than just present who I am to them - warts and all. I don't need a suit of armor to hide behind anymore. I dig who I am, and I dig who you are too - and none of us have to prove ourselves to anyone. We really don't.

And to those manufacturers and those pimps of a certain exclusive aesthetic that most of us work like a dog to come close to but will never quite get it right because they set it up that way, I have only one thing to say and to do so, I will quote a strong man that has never been anything but himself - Jay Z: "I got 99 problems, being your bitch ain't one."

Lots of strong, opinionated viking love, kasey

beat the pants off him

Today is a new day, and with that comes a little clarity and focus, so it's safe to say your girl has bounced back. Thank you to everyone who shared concern, it was very sweet of you and even sweeter to know people actually read this thing. From the bottom of my lime-green, 70's themed heart, I thank you.

It dawned on me earlier today that I've never featured a pair of pants/trousers/what have you on here. I've done a dress and some skirts, but nothing that has 2 leg holes. Well, that changes today!!

I'm a huge fan of the JCrew pant in general. Well-constructed, good cut, and usually a good choice of color. The city fit (which is what these are) is particularly flattering as it's low on the waist without being ridiculously so, with a slight flare in the leg that's also not over the top. You won't look like you stole them from your 12 year old sister, but you won't look like grandma who just got off the golf cart either.

If I had to pick one word about these pants, I'd say slick. They're a great staple to a modern wardrobe.

And today, they happen to be on super-sale. If you don't like the color I've selected, there are plenty more where this came from. Plus, if you order online, you get an extra 20% off, bringing the grand total to $23.50. That, my loves, is a certified good deal. I'm getting some today.

Side note: If you are really small-boned, get a size down from what you usually take, as the cut is semi-generous.

City-fit wide-leg cord pant, $29.99 at Jcrew.com (and most J Crew stores)

Back in love again, kase

life is one big dot dot dot sometimes

Your girl is a bit, shall we say, discouraged today, and while I can't go into it in a public forum such as this one, just know I'm hurting, and that means I won't be sharing my usual cheer and excitement with you. I just can't muster it, I'm sorry. You know I love you, I tell you all the time, so just use that to carry you through until tomorrow.

This shirt is really cute and available at the buckle for under 30 USD. Perfect for all 4 seasons, especially paired with a black cardigan (winter) or white capris (summer).

Daytrip Polka Dot Shirt, $26.50 at The Buckle or buckle.com

Lots of melancholy love, kase