Monday, April 30, 2012

By the Time You're In Your 20s

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Lately I've noticed a trend being geared towards women approaching adult-hood and the things they should have figured out, or more specifically the kind of wardrobe they should have. Would I love a timeless black purse? The perfectly tailored trench coat? A set of luggage that doesn't have bread twisties for zipper pulls? Well sure! But as a 20-something I think there are a few wardrobe staples that we should have figured out before we graduate to the big leagues.

The Perfect Suit.


You have to admit, coming home and changing immediately in to a pair of sweatpants is one of life's simple pleasures, and nothing cuts in to your comfort time like the waistband of pants. Your lounge wear should allow you to hang loose and bonus points if you sit cross legged and your crotch region can catch cookie crumbs.
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First, don't forget the importance of tailoring! Buy a seven dollar pair of sweats and DIY yourself the perfect pair. Cut the waist band out, slit the legs up the side, make them cropped for spring!

These boyfriend sweatpants from Pink pretty much fit the bill while also satisfying my psychological need to steal my boyfriend's clothes (seriously dudes, hide your t-shirts, your girlfriends are taking them to sleep in them. Mostly because we think they smell like you. Gross.)


The beauty of a suit is that you can wear the pieces together or separately. See how I mixed up my green sweatshirt with a printed pair of pants? Printed pants are so hot for Spring, as are pastels!


Or you can accessorize your sweats with a classic black t-shirt and a whole cake!


Or just keep the suit together and accessorize with a knit beret or knee socks that look like Mary Janes, otherwise known as the only item of clothing I could ever afford from Anthropologie.

So do you have this timeless staple in your wardrobe? I'll be posting more about What Every Woman Should Own By the Time She's In Her Twenties!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Sunday

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Happy Sunday! On the lookout for a good bike more than ever now that I see that 3-speeds are are reasonably priced, especially the pretty Cruisers from Schwinn. Fenders, hand breaks, very stylish. And they even have three wheeled bike for Viking whose balance on two wheels is a tad questionable. At my insistence we rode a tandem bike together at his parent's house last summer and got one block away before I begged him to turn around. So much for a bicycle built for two, but he has many many qualities that make up for it.


Enjoy the rest of your weekend!


Friday, April 27, 2012

Into Mint

Back in February I posted about my desire for minty fresh denim, but after accumulating more colored denim than any one woman should have (even thought I don't have one in every color, le sigh) I decided to put a hold on buying more jeans. But, that doesn't mean I have to stop looking at some other winter fresh loot...
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Thursday, April 26, 2012

April 25th


Yesterday was my Dad's Birthday! You know, the Dad that texts me every day just to see how I'm doing and making sure I don't lose faith in the process of figuring this whole adult-hood thing out. I'm sure he'd much rather me move home to figure it out, but he's supportive none the less which is what makes him an awesome Dad to have.


Also wanted to mention these beauties this morning. After a cast bonding experience on Monday night an actor had a little too much party and I helped clean it up. I wasn't planning on broadcasting it to the company since it was an honest mistake, but I came to rehearsal yesterday and he bought me flowers! They're livening up my end table as we speak. "Does everyone down there have a crush on you?" Viking laughed. Nope, just the ones that I clean up after.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Sicky

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Two visits to CVS, a torturous el ride, one nap and a ginger ale later my stomach is still trying to attack me. Luckily I've persuaded roommate to bring some cracker contraband back to the apartment, but I am not a fan of sick days as an adult.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Uniform Update

Today is a sick day so declare-ith my immune system. I was up most of last night and I drove back to the city early this morning only to collapse amongst my work uniform and stage manager kit on my bed. One nap later and I'm feeling much better, but oh how I wish I could have stayed in the country for just a little bit more. As it stands I'm back to the daily grind.

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This is what my daily uniform is looking like as of late. It's simple, comfy, and I can layer my real work uniform pieces over top of it well. Unfortunately it's lacking in the style department and when I go from job A to job B with only an hour or so break in between, it can be difficult to find the motivation to switch up an entire outfit. Luckily only a few pieces can transform my jeans and tee uniform in nothing flat and still leave me time to eat dinner.
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To get myself out of the day-time funk, I picked some bright pieces to make me feel a little cheerier and wear a crop top and a loosely looped scarf for comfy layering. Another fantastic mood booster? Sparkles. Keep it toned down with neutral or pastel accessories and it will make you feel like you could be awake for another eight hours. Or layer a blazer to make your jeans and a tee look pulled together. The printed scarf and chunky earrings make it look sophisticated while the slip on tennis shoes keep it relaxed.

A few other ideas? Layering a sheer or open weave sweater, the short sleeve varieties are just as cute. Tunics are big for spring and if you're feeling really daring layer a wrap dress which looks great with skinny jeans and ballet flats. Have even less time? A swipe of bold lipstick or a cute hair accessory will pack a lot of punch in a short amount of time.

Which uniform update is your favorite?

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Sunday



Doesn't he look so different without the beard and all that hair? Handsome devil.

Viking and I went on a ton of adventures yesterday involving flower pots, facial masks, puppy petting and giant gerber daises. You can't ask for much more out of your Saturday except for a giant warm cookie sundae...which we had. I'd like to say with complete assurance that I can finally return to city life feeling overwhelmed, but who really knows.

In the mean time I'm going to enjoy the rest of my Sunday, and I hope you do the same!

-K.K.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Escape Part Deux


Left Chicago on a drizzly Friday afternoon and two hours later was watching Mad Men from my country estates. It's a rarity when I don't have rehearsal on a Saturday so I thought I would take full advantage of it and spend some time with Viking before he goes in to overdrive finishing up his second year of grad school.

I apologize that I don't have more to share. This past week has been going from work to rehearsal and waiting for my chance to escape the city for a bit (getting peed on only confirmed this). I'm going to spend the weekend doing little things I like. Getting lost on the internet, watching netflix, seeing performances and perhaps a marathon trip to Target? Ah yes, the weekend. 

Thursday, April 19, 2012

A Chicago Horror Story

It's been a while since I shared a "tale from the streets". The last one, you may recall, was when I went to a job interview, but this is a story of public transit. Carrie Bradshaw never covered this aspect of city living so I thought I should share...although I'm fairly certain I'll be haunted forever.



As usual, the train was pulling up just as I was making it to the station door. I started jogging past people and headed for the escalator. Just as I began running up the escalator a spray of water starts leaking from above. Luckily I have enough room to dodge most of it but my left hand gets soaked. I rush up the rest of the escalator to find an older man, well dressed, standing in the corner between the plexiglass divider and the escalator wall. I stare at him, he stares back, and just as the train pulls up he leaves his corner and begins zipping up his pants.

WHAT?!

He boards the same el car as me with his mother and gets off two stops later.

I think I was just peed on. I sat staring straight ahead out the window, not sure of what to do next. I can't read my magazine and forget about it, I can't even speak. Should I go home and change all my clothes? I just keep staring straight ahead.

I got to work and took off my jacket which was my only means of wiping my hand off, that and a bottle of lotion (I will now not leave the house without hand sanitizer). I scrubbed my hand red and put on my uniform before seeking advice in my managers who are just as horrified. "Write this down and tell Tina Fey about it!" One chimes in. 

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"You always make city living sound so glamorous!" Whiskey-Pants commented.

That I do, that I do.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Morning Conversations

A few weeks ago I was working my food service job, on the register ringing up customers for 7am breakfast...ugh. There was some kind of mis-understanding and a formerly pleasant customer turned witchy at the prospect of losing 25 cents over a mis-ordered meal. I started to feel flustered and my manager laughed. "No one knows who they are in the morning. Am I an oatmeal person? Do I like bananas? They're just trying to figure it out."


Of course bells begin to go off in my head because, who am I really?

Am I a writer? A late bloomer? A stage manager? A failure? An optimist? A runner? Am I depressed? A dancer? A lover? Am I short fused? A good person?



Today, I am just tired, a food service employee, a girl with a nice smile, and an oatmeal person...with coffee.

Monday, April 16, 2012

He's Got Chop

Back from the Country Estates! It's funny how in an hour you can go from corn fields to skyscrapers. One isn't better than the other, they're both equally special to me and I like watching the scenery change.


I planned to have lunch with Viking today before I came back to the city but alas, I did not consort his schedule and ended up unlocking my apartment at 10:30am. Since I have all of next weekend off I think I might make a return trip for cheaper gas, Draw Something hints, and inevitable couch/video game watching/cuddle fest. Not only that but my laptop was a divine vessel for Game of Thrones, of which I do not have access to in the city. Oh, and did I mention the Ollie's? It's only the best frozen custard ever, maybe because you have to drive to the middle of no where to get it, but I brought a pint of thin mint cookie custard home with me and if it survives the week I'll be ashamed of myself.

I didn't take a ton of pictures while I was there, but I do have this little gem...


Viking closed a show this Sunday (set in the 1860s) and immediately drove home to shave off his mutton chops. His trimmer batteries died half way through and we had to wait to go out to dinner until he could charge it up again! Isn't he a good sport letting me insta-gram it?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Sunday

Escaped the city for the weekend to see the Viking's final performance of Mrs. Packard today. It felt like the radio really knew what I was doing on the hour drive there.


But before I see the show there was a trip to my favorite pancake house, and an impromptu shopping spree at Target (isn't there always?) I picked up a new cross body bag (finally!) a black v-neck tee, and strangely enough a new straw fedora. While I was browsing bikinis that I so desperately need Viking came up behind me and plonked it down on my head.

I've never been so sure about hats, I have a little head and thin hair so normally it looks like the hat is swallowing me alive, but I liked this one! The underside of the brim is what really makes it.


Still a little unsure. Viking has been punctuating his sentences with "the hat look great! I really like the hat!" Which is helping.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday!

-K.K.

Friday, April 13, 2012

You know when...

-you turn 16, you get your license and the keys to a car, you finally feel the freedom that you're itching to get as a teenager? The world as you know it is immediately at your finger tips. I could drive to a friend's house, cruise around, grab donut holes at 9pm and sit in the school parking lot on a Friday night.


This week as a whole has been uninspiring, and after coming home from work I felt that itch again. But this time I'm an adult, I can do whatever I want!

So I walked to CVS, browsed hair color choices just because I could. Mostly blond, because have a couple hours of the Mad Men marathon I am starting to develop a major crush on January Jone's hair and I myself am always in the middle of a hair crisis.

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I contemplated some ideas for screen plays, because why not? I took the road past the row of lilac bushes, because I wanted to. I took instagram pictures of sweet graffiti, because I thought it was cool.



 But despitre the freedom to pick up and walk out the door for a a bit I'm still discouraged. I live in a city I've always wanted to live in, have my own apartment, work in theatre like I always dreamed, and yet I'm still not as free as the teenager-Kiley hoped I would be.

Being 20-something is even more frustrating than being a teenager. You have the power, but what do you do with it?

Thursday, April 12, 2012

It Might Bite Your Nose Off

Roommate sent this video to me yesterday via the Huffington Post featuring none other than my ultimate Chicago guide, Tina Fey.

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Check the video out here and tell me what you think. I can't stop quoting it! The Cheesecake Factory is base!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

I want a bike





The city is plagued with cold again, especially down town where the wind comes whipping through the buildings and you can't find a sunny side of the street to stand on. Some grateful locals refer to this 40 degree weather as "spring" but I refuse. If I had to dig out my winter coat and wool sweaters again, it's not spring. We were wearing shorts a couple of weeks ago! I shouldn't expect anything less from the Midwest I suppose, but I did anyway.

Still, I don't know if it's my "so close and yet so far" distance from the theatre, or the pain of finding a parking space at night, or the trendy culture heavily associated with adorable girls in adorable outfits...but I want a bike. Monetary issues say it's not a possibility right now, but hopefully one day I'll be cruising the city on two wheels at 10mph...with a helmet I might add, Chicago drivers are nuts!



(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Monday, April 9, 2012

Weekend Retrospect: Easter










A fantastic weekend if I do say so myself (which I do). Easter egg dying with Roommate, pirate decorating/cupcake making/Fashion Star watching with Running Buddy, and the rest of the weekend spent with the Viking.

We had time to roam the city, find delicious places to eat, visit a good friend at work, have some ice cream, and drink some "?" wine while we watched Tintin and tried to decide who Daniel Craig was voicing. On Easter morning Bill made chocolate chip pancakes, and we went to the beach to dig our feet in the sand and watch dogs play fetch. Afterwards we walked the neighborhood to smell the lilac bushes and cherry blossom trees and find a place to eat. The Viking finally had to go, and I de-celebrated by (accidentally) cutting my foot open and bleeding on the floor and consoling myself with Mad Men and sour patch kid jelly beans.

I will be further de-celebrating by going to work and buying on-sale Easter candy. How was your weekend?

Sunday, April 8, 2012

(Easter) Sunday


It was quite the weekend with the Viking visiting. We walked around the city and took pictures, and ate tasty food which is everything a weekend should be. This garden is around the corner from my apartment and I've been dying to take a picture of it on a sunny day.

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday! 

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Easter Outfit Ideas

Easter was always a special time of year for me growing up. It meant that spring was finally coming, even if it was a little chilly like it normally is in the midwest. We always celebrated with spending time at my Grandma's house, Easter egg hunts, getting to enjoy countless jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, and the new Easter outfit!

Mom and I would go to the mall and pick out a new outfit for Sunday morning. It usually consisted of a bright spring pattern or a soft floral, and might even be accompanied by a new pair of shoes and a cardigan to go over top. Getting to church and watching everyone walk through in their new outfits was easily one of the best parts of Easter...that and the peeps obviously.

So in the spirit of Easter weekend, I wanted to put together some festive outfit ideas like I did for St. Patrick's Day. I honestly can't let an occasion go by without dressing for it.

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I love all of these outfits, but my favorite part was scrounging up the Easter-inspired accessories. Than bean necklace is to die for! The last outfit with the yellow jeans is probably the closest to what I'll actually be wearing, but which one is your favorite?

Friday, April 6, 2012

Cinderella Post

If I post this before midnight central time does it still count for a Friday post?

I think so.

More importantly, my Tuesday Instagram rant was answered!




It's encouraged me to take more pictures and the filters are so much fun to play with! You can follow me @kileykate if ya want...


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Hair Circle of Life

I posted about my "great hair debate" back in January and it took me until March to work up the nerve to chop my strands.




When I first had it cut I loved it! Flipping it around, combing my fingers through it, and not feeling annoyed enough to pull it back. But just two short weeks later I am already missing my long hair. Am I crazy?! I just spent countless hours of my life that I will never get back wrestling with the decision to cut my hair, but now I want it back?

 


Hair grows at an average rate of a half inch per month, never mind that my thin strands grow slower than most. I cut at least four inches off. So, in November after having painstakingly grown it out, will the "chop or not to chop" decision be causing turmoil again? That's the Hair Circle of Life. When you grow it out you get tired of it, need a change, and go in for a shorter cut. This cut amuses you for some time but then you start to miss the flexibility of long hair (despite the fact that you never did anything with it when it was long except throw it up in a pony tail) so you grow it out again!

So until my hair completes its cycle, here are a few fun things I plan on doing with it:

Glamour.com has a great slide show of 27 April hair ideas.

The Floppy Bow Headscarf tutorial from All This Happiness

I can always draw inspiration and tips from Sidewalk Ready.

Now that my hair is one length I might try my hand at a messy french twist from Real Simple

The Small Things has awesome ideas for shoulder length hair

More than likely I'll just be rocking a stubby pony tail until the weather heats up and my hair starts growing out, but if anyone has any sage advice about how to stop the cycle, I'm all ears!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Cell Phone Artist

Was in the spring cleaning mood and thought I'd release some pictures from my phone.


//That puppy? Not mine, just hanging out with him (we named him Teddy!) // First signs of Spring. // Although this picture of the Viking has been here before, it reminds me of how depressed I was after I lost a potential job and I rolled out of bed to find him playing the gutair for me. He's pretty much the raddest. // A sneaky crayon hiding on the crown molding at Giordano's// Teddy! // The viking hates Steak and Shake so it took much persuading to get him to come with me. // Viking trying on thrift store coats for his acting class. He too is a frustrated stylist and jacked this up to look like a victorian era suit // Just a pigeon, taking a nap on the el platform // My hair, oh my //

Like many doomed people out there I don't actually own instagram. I'm sure I could download some kind of knock off, but up until now I've just been using Picnik, but they shut down on April 19th so then what will I do?