Getting More for Less & My 5 Essentials | Katie

Cha-Ching! Are you ever in the situation where you feel like you are spending more than you are buying? This thought usually rises to my attention when i'm back to school shopping! Take it from a fellow shopaholic, getting home and seeing that you didn't buy as much as you had thought is a terrible, awful feeling. This post is going to give you a clue as to how to get more for less and to leave you looking fabulous. 

Scenario: You walk into a store and the first thing you see is the most gorgeous top ever. You walk over in awe to get a closer look. Unfortunately the only thing that captures your attention is the pricetag. Ugh. Something you want so badly to be able to afford but you know that you just can't. There is a reason as to why this is happening. Stores have many ways to trick you into spending more money! One of them is putting the most expensive things in the front so they are the first things you see. Something to try: Walk straight to the back to the store. Start shopping from the back and make your way up. You will find yourself getting much more than you had previously intended.

“So before you choose something, think of yourself wearing it, say to yourself, is this me?” 

-Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side. I think the key to any kind of shopping is buying what you feel confident in.When you are back to school shopping I think that it is important to focus on something that you love and not what is popular. Buy things that suit you and your style. If you just own it and be confident, it won't matter if it's not the latest trend. 

 GIF by: Tumblr

Buying simple things is crucial when back to school shopping. You can mix and match, layer, accessorize, dress up, or dress down basic articles of clothing. For instance buying a plain white t-shirt would create so many outfit options. You could wear it with jeans for a casual outfit, with leggings for a comfortable outfit, or with a skirt for a dressy outfit. Here are a few essential things that might inspire you on your shopping spree:

•  Plain t-shirts~Whether they are white, black, red, or blue, get some that are comfortable and are a perfect fit!
• Some kind of denim~ It could be a chambray, a jean jacket, or even a pair of overalls! Trust me, anyway you decide to wear these, it will be super cute! They match with almost everything and can really amp up your outfit.
• A statement necklace~I don't know about you, but I am 110% a jewelry person! And statement necklaces have been the most helpful things to me when I'm pulling together an outfit. They can dress it up or down, add a pop of color, or step-up your style. 
• A GOOD pair of jeans~I can not stress enough how much you need a good pair of jeans. Making sure they fit you everywhere is vital. Bonus points: Get some that are super comfy! I usually buy mine at American Eagle because they have such great quality and they fit really well.
• Shoes that go with everything~ It's 6:30 A.M. and I have the cutest outfit picked out. I've eaten, brushed my teeth, and fixed my hair. All that's left is picking out a great pair of shoes. But I don't have anything to match my rockin' outfit. I think it's necessary to have a good pair of shoes that match everything. Some of my favorites are white Keds or Converse, a brown pair of boots, and some black heels or flats. 

Shopping at the back of the store and moving up, staying confident, and getting the essentials are just a few tips I have for you! I anticipate that you will have an awesome school year and make memories that will last forever! I hope our Back to School week long series helped you in some way and that you continue to follow 2 Blondes & a Redhead in the future. 
Be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin' and like our facebook page for updates on our blog! Our next post will be on Wednesday the 12th of August. 

XOXO

Katie
  Click here if you missed any of the back to school posts.

Follow

Summer Parties~What to Wear

Do you ever have those times when you feel like you have absolutely nothing to wear? That happens to me whenever I have an event that I need to go to. Summer parties can sometimes be difficult to dress for because of the hot weather. Here are a few outfits that you can wear if you have a summer party to go to.

I ordered this dress from Francescas online a couple months ago. It is a casual dress you can wear anywhere. If you needed to you could dress it up with a statement necklace and heels. Or you could just wear some Keds or Converse with it to make it more of  a casual day-to-day outfit. 

I am in love with this outfit. It’s super comfortable and it looks really nice and classy. I got the shirt at Versona and the shorts at Ann Taylor.

This outfit is super casual but also super cute. You can definitely wear this if you wanted to stay cool and comfortable. I got this shirt on sale at LOFT for $8 & the khaki shorts from LOFT on sale also.

Stepping Into Summer~Outfit Inspiration

Along with some lovely assistants, many outfit changes, and some technical difficulties, here are a few outfits to inspire you this summer. Some casual, some dressy, they will leave you feeling fabulous (and maybe with the need to go shopping). These outfits were purchased from a number of places. Most of them are in a reasonable price range because I shop way to much to be spending a great amount of money. Hope you like it!

A special thanks to my model, Lexi. A huge thanks to her niece, Brooklyn, my assistant photographer. 
Xoxo, Katie

Stepping into Spring- March favorites

In with the spring out with the winter. Spring is my favorite season. It’s not too hot, it’s not too cold. It’s just perfect. This spring I have tried out some amazing new products and also have repurchased some old ones. Here are my March favorites…

Beauty Favorites
OGX Thick and full shampoo- I have purchased two bottles of this. It leaves my hair feeling clean and voluminous. Not to mention it smells amazing!
Cool Coconut Surf Body Spray- I have been loving this fragrance this spring just because it isn't too strong. It smells like coconuts and it is amazing. 
Bathandbodyworks.com

Skin Favorites
St. Ives Exfoliating face wash- This has been a life saver. Winter just ended and my skin has been unbelievably dry. I have no words for how awesome this is.
Island Margarita Hand Sanitizer- This is one of my favorites all year round. I always have this hand sanitizer on me. It smells so good!Make-up Favorites
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara- I have used this so much. It really lengthens my lashes and makes them look so full. Even though it's more on the expensive side, it's definitely worth it.
The nudes eyeshadow palette-I don't usually use a lot of eyeshadow and this provides me with just a few simple colors at a great price.Random Favorites
Song- My favorite song this month has been "Four Five Seconds" by Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney.
Food- Apples. I don't know why but I feel like I have been eating an apple every single day, haha.


Would you like to see favorites every month? Comment what I should post next!

xoxo
Katie

Outfit of the Day

Here is my outfit of the day!! Please excuse my terrible selfie taking and the shadows, haha! I wore this one day this week and I thought you might like to use it for outfit inspiration.
Shirt- Versona $16.99
Chambray- Versona $29.99
Jeans- Target $29.99
Shoes- Sperri $45.99
Necklace- Versona $19.99
What else would you like to see on the blog? Let me know in the comments! Thanks!
xoxo Katie