festival fashion.

Fun Fun Fun Fest 6 in Austin, Texas was, well serious fun fun fun. A perfect combo of great music and people watching. And the ladies in Austin know how to rock fall fashion. I got into stealth mode all for the sake of bringing my blog readers some pics of great outfits. 

Current trends that I saw and am loving:

1. shorts with boots

2. fringe everything

3. over sized tops

4. leg warmers under boots

5. tights under shorts

homemade costumes from Black Swan.

You may recall this post from last year.

Seriously, Black Swan is my all time favorite movie.

It’s just perfection in my mind

(disturbing & beautiful)

Since I work with feathers (check em ouuuut here, great Christmas gifts), and I literally have a TON of feathers and hot glue laying around, I really wanted to make a swan costume.

As did my lovely friend Erin who completely agrees with me about the greatness of Black Swan.

The result: I was the White Swan and she was the Black Swan. I made the feather bodices and feather head pieces for both costumes. We bought tutus and leotards from a local dance store.

Here is a step by step photo guide of the creation experience:

 I used Velcro to attach the feather bodice to the leotard.

We used my old Pointe shoes from WAY back in the day. 

  I did our makeup to mimic Natalie Portman's in the movie. With a lot more glitter involved.

 I made two of these for the White Swan headpiece and I used a featherband for the Black Swan.

[KatBeckDesigns]: summer collection is on ETSY.

KatBeckDesigns etsy shop. click....

check out and purchase all my new headbands!

Scent-sational.

I splurged yesterday and bought the scent

I have been dying to wear since I first got a sample bottle.

Couture Couture by Juicy Couture.

It’s subtle but grabs your attention. Makes me feel sasssssssy.

I LOVED Amor Amor by Cacharel (thanks to Megan) when I was at Clemson.

Sarah Jessica Parkers’s Lovely was a past favorite

 because I thought it gave me good luck at interviews (superstitious- nooo).

 Ralph by Ralph Lauren is a favorite and reminds me of Ms. Cline.

And any Britney Spears brand perfume I smell- I see Paige’s little face.

Euphoria by Calvin Klein is my sister and Ashleigh’s fragrance.

It’s got to be one of the best aromas on earth.

Leslee let me put on a little Lola by Marc Jacobs and now I have to get some. 

It smells as good as the bottle looks.

I love coordinating perfumes with your personality.

What’s your signature scent?

I heart denton

Nicholas & I have been living in Denton for over 2 years now and I am FINALLY starting to feel like a part of this (very) little city. I mean- I spend most of my time working in Dallas so it’s rather rare to get to experience as much of Denton as I’d like. But I’ve discovered some little places on the Square that make me love love love this town.

The Chestnut Tree
My friend Emily(a fellow NCer) manages at this perfectly quant restaurant and gift shop. I walked in to the smell of fresh baked cookies and the sight of fabulous little sundresses. The shop is open for breakfast and lunch and they have the most refreshing menu around.  Chandeliers and greenery hanging above with dim lighting creates a majestically relaxing atmosphere.

Vigne Wine Shop and deli
Have I mentioned how much I adore red wine? I mean- I survive off of the $3 bottles at Wal Mart on most days of the week just to get my “fix” but I am learning to truly appreciate savoring a glass of wine at Vigne’s weekend tastings. I took my mom when she was in town and we got a great deal of $5 for 4 samples of red wine with the most passionate pourer EVER! He is a TRUE wine coinsurer. I love listening to his explanations of the flavors you’ll find in the wine and where they grapes were grown. I went back a couple of weeks later and we got to sample 9 glasses for $15! The last sample was from a $60 bottle and was seriously to die for. Apparently you get more wine for your dollar on Saturdays because they don’t have to preserve the bottles as they do on Fridays. I haven’t even gotten to the food yet. They have some great classic sandwiches all with a little twist.  The cheese sampler platter with our wine was DIVINE as well as the bruschetta ( and I don’t even eat tomatoes).  If you go- you must try the peanut butter chocolate desert. It’s pretty much a gourmet Reese’s cup and then some.

Ladida.
Really cute boutique. Sells a lot of Judith March. They have some really unique accessories (locally made stuff too) as well as a huge collection of Toms (they even have wedges woo woo). Kinda pricey for my taste, but they always have a stunning selection of sundresses.

Yogurt Fusion.
An entire wall of so many yogurt flavors- cake batter, peaches, red velvet, the list goes on.  Oh- and the toppings bar- to die for. TONs of fresh fruit, chocolate bars cut into pieces, and CEREAL (seriously- try captain crunch). You pay what it weighs. Absolutely my favorite treat and a great location (sorry Yogurt story, a bench on the square is a much better view than the busy highway).

35 conferette (formerly North X 35)
My first  music festival experience. Nice way to get broken in- just a couple of miles from our apartment so we got to go back and forth as we pleased.   Three days of average 72 degree weather- beat that! It’s impossible. Saw some really talented bands. Dr. Dog was my favorite new discovery.  !!!’s (pronounced chic chic chic) lead singer was Freddy Mercury’s child, I swear. His dance moves were beyond entertaining. Big Boi rocked my socks off. I kept thinking “is this really happening” to myself.  I got to hear rosa parks, so fresh & so clean, bombs over Bagdad, kryptonite, I like the way you move, and MRS JACKSON. Dream come true. Honestly if Andre 3000 would have been in attendance- I might have died, so probably a good thing he wasn’t.  It was a pricey pricey weekend but well worth it for the music and the people watching. Denton is such a stylish little city;  thigh high socks, MAJOR pattern tights with shorts, totally vintage dresses, wide rimmed glasses, and the man BEARDS- I knew we had hipsters here but there’s almost entire scenster society right in this little Texas town.

get nude.

SHOEs that is.

Nude pumps are a necessity in any woman's wardrobe.

I have always loved the shade because it automatically elongates your legs and gives you a lean look. PLUS- they go with pretty much any color/pattern: all black, all white, patterned dress, bold solid colors, pale solid colors. If you don’t have a pair- get some.

Here are some of the best recent articles on Beauty:

The Best Makeup Shades for All Skin Tones: 

10 Makeup Shades That Look Good on All Skin Tones 

via Hello Beautiful

Find Your Perfect Foundation:

A Guide to Types of Foundation Makeup

via Makeup for Acne and Sensitive Skin 

Find Rankings for Online Beauty Schools: Rankings for Online Beauty Schools 

which was featured on online business degrees

Pretty Hairstyles:

5 Sexiest Hairstyles for Spring 

via Cosmetique Blog

featherbands for your spring wardrobe.

hey friends.

Just posted some new designs on Etsy. 

katbeckdesigns@gmail.com

guest post: casey cline. top 10 pretty little products.

When I first started wearing makeup and learning how to do my hair, I was a little tornado of disaster.  First of all, I have crazy wavy baby hairs that never grow out.  I didn’t understand back then that I should first apply some sort of healthy product to my hair, then blow dry, and then, if I have to, use a flat iron.  Instead, I was flawed in thinking that I could straighten my hair while it was still wet.  That meant a lot of sizzling, smoke, and bad terrible hair days. 

My makeup and skin routine wasn’t much better.  I remember buying those Noxzema cleansing pads and using those to remove my makeup.  Now, I don’t know if you recall this or not, but those pads were strong and sometimes burned (and I have ultra sensitive skin).  Imagine using at least 5 every day to take off caked-on makeup.  Yikes.  No wonder my skin was dried out and blotchy red.

Fast forward a few years and I’m thankful to admit that I’ve learned how to take care of my hair and skin properly.  It doesn’t hurt that I’ve also learned about other great products along the way.   

So now let me present to you a few of my favorite pretty little products (and a few other extras I enjoy).

1. Pond’s Cold Cream:  A far cry from the Noxzema pads, this cream is timeless.  A makeup remover that simultaneously moisturizes?  Yes, please.  Plus, it has bonus sentimental value for me: my mom has always used Pond’s, so I can’t help but think of her every time I use it.

2. Essie Mint Candy Apple: This nail color is part of the Winter 2009 Essie collection and I’m still obsessed.

3. Walgreens Twisted Peppermint body lotion: I found a bottle of this in my Mom’s bathroom when I was home over Christmas, and I had to steal it (Sorry Momma!).  The smell is sweet, but not overwhelming.  But the real kicker here is how amazing it feels on your skin!  The hint of peppermint makes it go on smooth and minty fresh.  I’m not sure if this is still even available, but I know Bath & Body Works has a version that I’ve yet to try.  Hopefully it holds up to the Walgreens.

4. Moroccan Oil: This is on the pricier side, but worth the splurge.  Not only does it protect your hair from heat damage, it keeps fly-a-ways smoothed down (without weighing down the rest of your hair) and smells incredible.

5. Rosebud’s Salve (in a tube): I was first introduced to Rosebud’s Salve by a friend back in high school, and have been a fan ever since.  Imagine my delight when I realized they’d started selling it in tube form (so no more messy lip gloss fingers)!

6. EBoost: A yummy alternative to Emergen-C, my boss discovered EBoost and I have to admit I prefer it.  My favorite flavor is acai pomegranate.

7. Grapefruit:  I’ve recently fallen in love with this fruit, even going so far as to buy a special sectioning knife and grapefruit spoon.  Grapefruits are relatively low in sugar (compared to other fruits) while simultaneously low in fat and high in fiber.  Oh, and they’re delicious.  Win win win win.

8. Black coffee: I know there is a lot of back-and-forth regarding whether or not coffee is good for you, but as an avid drinker, I’m surprised to admit that after years and years of adding milk and/or cream and sugar, I’ve converted to black.  It’s been a very recent change, but somehow my taste buds have adapted and I’m now a big fan!  Whether or not you think coffee is healthy, at least the lack of sugar and milk is.

9. Body Pump: Straight from the website: “BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast!

I’m starting to realize how important and effective strength training is, especially as we ladies start to get older.  Adding light weight-training to your regular workout produces faster and more beneficial results.  If your local gym doesn’t offer Body Pump, I suggest any similar class or even buying a few light dumbbells and looking to the latest issue of Women’s Health magazine for workout ideas you can incorporate on your own or even at home.

10. The Steam Room: I fell in love with the steam room at my hometown’s YMCA and was thrilled to find that my new local gym has one as well.  Going into the steam room for 10-15 minutes after my workouts is like the icing on a good exercise cake.  It opens my pores and relaxes me to the max.  I always leave feeling refreshed and at ease.

meet casey samantha cline. she is 25 today by the way!

and she lives in NYC> super jealous.

love her genuine laugh here.

breaking it dowwwwwn.

my high school ladies.

what happens in vegas...

guest post: megan beasley. rock your style.

Ok so, when Lakathryn asked me to do a guest blog post  on
“how to be the flyest chic in town”
I must say I was sure that I was the right person for the job. I mean, let’s be honest I’m pretty fly for a white guy. But seriously, she mentioned maybe writing about my love for art (particularly body art) and I thought I could do something cooler than that. No one wants to hear me rave about my new super awesome Bubo (Athena’s metal owl from the Clash of the Titans) tattoo that my brother gifted me for Christmas (done by the amazing Dave at Devine St. Tattoo in Columbia, SC) or about the the Centaur outline that is “coming soon” probably when I go to Tejas in June. 

So after discussion, we decided that, since I get told more than anyone else, probably in the world (except GAGA), “Only you could pull that off” that I would write about how to own your look! I have always been a free spirit when it came to my look. As Kathryn knows, to me, style is not about a shirt or having 20 pairs of jeans or 50 pairs of shoes. It is about pairing that shirt with the oddball scarf, vintage bracelet, $10 clearance jacket, the absolute perfect pair of skinny jeans from HandM, simple canvas flats (Vans or Toms) during the day and those boots I got at Rue21 one day for $6 at night, and of course that fly featherband at all times! People ask me on the reg where I shop, and I honestly cannot come up with an answer. I find unique items anywhere from Clothing Warehouse in Greenville, SC, to the amazing stores on South Congress (the “Soho” of Austin, TX/aka SoCo),  to (deep longing sigh) Modcloth.com! 

The moral of all these plugs is that you don’t have to fall into any category when it comes to your style, just be brave and who cares what other people are wearing, or if people might make fun of you for being your own. I look at it like, hey, at least they are talking about something other than themselves (which, in case you didn’t know is all that women talk about).  As Kinsey Gray knows all too well it’s not easy to walk into my closet and borrow something to wear, for most of my clothes look pretty regular to the “untrained eye”.  Now, if I’m there, I will take that black shirt from American Apparel that I cut up to fit just the way I wanted that Kinsey has been sneering at, throw a big Salvation Army necklace (that has been shamelessly tied together fifty times) on it, a funky vest from Urban Outfitters, point her to the right jeggs and boots, slap some Midnight Cowboy on those baby blues and all of a sudden she’s the hottest chic at the bar!

So sitting here in my  peep toe shoe-string tie wedge mary janes from Lulu’s.com, pink/brown/purple/blonde hair, beautiful artwork that I wear underneath my clothes, and the art that is my outfit,
I encourage every woman to take chances with your style and with life. 
Be bold, make mistakes, be embarrassed; but most importantly, find out who you are and be yourself.
THE END

meet meagan player beasley. yes player is her middle name.

just hanging out with mary jane. my old car my dad still drives.

from the featherband photoshoot.

rock it.

just being super fly of course. brick walls always help.

circa 2005. first clemson football game of the season.