On a scale of one to making eye contact with a stranger while eating a banana. And winking...

...How awkward would it be if I started wearing these around?

xo kate

Adorbs.

Lovecats: Blair and Chuck

Have you guys been watching Gossip Girl?

You know I love her--xoxo--but I have not been enjoying the continued separation of Chuck and Blair. If there were ever two lovecats that deserved a break, it was these two scheming upper-east-siders. For reals.

I fully recognize that in order to keep the plot interesting, suspenseful and compelling, they need to present our beloved manipulators with challenges to their relationship.  I fully recognize that if Chuck and Blair were too happy for too long, I might get bored.

Might.

Maybe.  Possibly.  Probably.  Not.

But you know what else makes a plot boring?  Babies. 

Yep.  I said it.  Ha.

Don't get me wrong:  like many 27+2 year olds, I am baby obsessed--and that is putting it mildly.  I have tried to kidnap my friend's children.  Literally.  And it didn't go over well, I'm afraid. 

But when young characters on escapist teen dramas have babies, it never goes well. They become mothers with real problems (ie Andrea Zuckerman and Haley James Scott).  And we don't watch GG for insight into real problems.  I want Blair to sport the newest dress from Victoria Beckham's new line...not a breast pump.

How do you think Blair will deal with this transition?  What do you think the writers have planned? What are your predictions for the couple?

Girl Crush: Wendy's Lookbook

Do you guys know Wendy?  She's bubbly and stylish and smart.  She is a genius at pairing outfits and even more brilliant at wearing scarves...no really.

Check out her blog here.

And be prepared for some fashion wizardry below.

Kris Humphries was never in the wolfpack.

I love Kim Kardashian and I don't care who knows it!

Mostly, I love her sense of style and her hair.  But I do also respect her close family ties, as well as her seemingly never ending search for true love.

With the recent news of her marriage and subsequent 72-day-later-divorce, many have questioned my continued love of Kim K, citing numerous examples of how she not only spends her days whoring herself out to the media, but also duping and stealing from the American public.

Let me be clear:  Kim K is not my moral compass.  She is my style icon.

More specifically, when I'm in a tricky situation or forced to make a difficult decision, I don't ask myself, "What would Kim K do?"  Quite the contrary, my dear Watson.

Rather, Kim is my compass when I'm shopping.  Or dressing for a date.  Or trying to figure out how fake eyelashes work.  (FYI: they remain a mystery)

Kim K is never going to be compared to Mother Theresa or Audrey Hepburn.  Instead, she is going to be compared to Marilyn Monroe...another gorgeous, curvy, iconic female with a sassy attitude and a questionable code of ethics.

Moving on...

While I freely admit that I love Kim K...I cannot say the same about her new (but-soon-to-ex) husband, Kris friggin Humphries.

He is a dink.  A very tall, a very lame, rink dink.

I knew he was a dink from his first appearance on the trash television show, all the way to his very cliche and staged marriage proposal...complete, of course, with candles and petals and bended knee and dufas written all over his huge face.  Playa, please.

In fact, I disliked the dufas-dink so very much that I never even watched the entire wedding special...which says quite a lot given my aforementioned love of Kim K.

And now the marriage is over.  What a shock.  (Picture me feigning surprise and dripping in sarcasm all at once.)  Everyone is wondering:  was it a sham all along?  A flirtation that was milked for all it was worth? A little bit of puppy love mixed with the unmet potential for something more? A ploy for ratings? An opportunity for a bigger paycheck?  An opportunity to have a huge party and wear all kinds of glamorous clothes?  A sucker punch at the sanctity of marriage?  Another example of what is wrong with the values of this country?  All of the above?

Yes.  Unfortunately for Kim. All of the above.

But I'm not that surprised and I'm not that offended. Personally, I've always been a fan of twist endings and cliff hangers.   "Who hired Kris Humphries?" is almost as compelling as "Who shot JR?"

Almost.

The next time they hire a husband for Kim, I hope it is at least someone I can respect and look up to...

Excuse me while I go remove my tongue from my cheek, and please keep yourself occupied with this: http://www.vice.com/read/i-am-suing-kim-kardashian

On October 3rd he asked me what day it was. I said October 3rd.

Mean Girls references aside, I have some very important information for you.  One of my personal favorites, Mindy Kaling's blog, Things I Bought That I Love, is back!  It's in a new form -- a tab on her new website, The Concerns of Mindy Kaling.  The link is here.  I'm pretty sure it's sad that this is the best part of my life right now, but this is the best part of my life right now.  Thank you, Mindy.  Love, DC area first-year teachers.

xo kate

Things I've missed since I've been gone...

I've been gone from W&W for so long that there are a lot of things that I've missed that I would normally have commented on.  So, rather than leave a gaping hole in your internet lives, I'll just go back through and give you a summary of September 2011.

September 11.
I got a free ipad, moved into a new apartment and spent a lot of time in urgent care for this gross eye problem I'm having.  (That's as far as I'll go.)  It's wasn't exactly a day of remembrance for me.  But I did listen to Acoustic Sunrise and they had a 9/11 tribute that was fan-tastic.  I heart acoustic music.  Also, this is what my closet looks like in my new apartment:

Okay, that's a lie.  But it's almost that good.

September 12.

My Pats started the season on Monday Night Football in Miami.  And won. 

September 18.

My man Kyle Chandler final got the recognition he deserved at the Emmy awards.  If you have any doubt in your mind that Friday Night Lights was the best show on television over the past few years (and one of the only good things Direct TV ever did), just watch this.  Tell me you're not moved.  Just try.

Man, I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

Also, people wore dresses.  Here's what I thought of them.

The good:

Click for larger image.

Jane Plimpton, aka the mom from Raising Hope, look totally -- and completely surprisingly -- smoking.  Maria Bello doesn't get older, she gets better.  Count me amongst the biggest John Krasinski and Emily Blunt fans and this dress is super pretty.  It's been a long time since Julia Stiles has looked this good.  Julia Stiles has never looked this good before.  Jurnee Smollett is so cute and this dress is e-mazing.  I really miss FNL.  You know, in case that wasn't clear from the rest of the post.

The bad:

Click for larger image.

There's something about Heidi Klum's dress that reminds me of the circus.  That's not a complement.  I feel like this dress is ugly and makes Gwyneth look like she isn't the skinniest person ever.  That's tough to do.  Dianna Agron is apparently done with   school roles.  So she's dressing like she 50 and trying to win a walk-on part on Dynasty.  If you're as cute and funny as Ellie Kemper, why not wear a dress and hairstyle that does absolutely nothing for you.  Speaking of bad hair, Zoe Barlet, what are you thinking? Oh, Brittany, I love you so.  But I do not like this.  It makes me dizzy to look at.  Julianna Margulies, you are so beautiful, why would you make yourself look so bad?  Olivia Munn has definitely had better days.  Not exactly showing Justin what he's missing.

September 25.
My Pats collapsed against the Bills.  It was upsetting, horrifying, stupefying, ugh.

September 26.
I discover that new Rihanna song and my walk to work got so. much. better.

Other than that, I just taught and planned, planned and taught, taught and planned, and had daily mini-breakdowns about why I ever took this job.

xo katei

Stick to the code.

Ahoy mateys!  In honor of International Talk like a Pirate Day, I bring you simple fall nautical fashion, matched with gorgeous Stella & Dot accessory accents.  I'm not a pirate expert per se, but I suspect this pairing will bring out your inner buccaneer.

To finish this look, I recommend a slightly heavier than usual eyeliner, dramatic lashes, and a subtle lip.  Savvy?

International Talk like a Pirate Day by dfestino featuring jersey shirts

Gryphon jersey shirt
$65 - theoutnet.com

Single breasted blazer
$130 - topshop.com

Dsquared wide leg pants
$388 - shopbop.com

Tods patent leather heels
£130 - flannelsfashion.com

Leather clutch
£89 - debenhams.com

Smudge Pot « Stila Makeup « Mecca Cosmetica
42 AUD - meccacosmetica.com.au

Hourglass. Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Nectar, Hourglass
£21 - liberty.co.uk

Shu Uemura False Eyelashes Smokey Layers
£13 - liberty.co.uk

Megan McDevitt - Stella & Dot Stylist
$62 - stelladot.com

J'adore this commercial.

Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe and Charlize Theron star in the new Dior commercial--filmed at the Château de Versailles. I don't think advertisements get classier than this.

Yes is the word.

Two weeks from today!

“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” -Jack Handey

Dallas is hot.

I'm ready for autumn.

How bad do you want it?

JLo and Puffy reunion.  Please, God, let this happen.

xo kate

These are my new shoes. They're good shoes. They won't make you rich like me, they won't make you rebound like me, they definitely won't make you handsome like me. They'll only make you have shoes like me. That's it. ~ Charles Barkley

These are my new shoes.

Or rather, shoe.

I got it at the Winchester Hospital ER. 

And it only cost me a $40 co-pay. Don't you just love a bargain?

It came with a sweet sprained ankle too.

Lame?  Verrrry.

But the story has an upside. In addition to the sexy shoe that I get to rock all week, I was reminded why my dad Vincent is the best dad in the world.

As my ankle starting swelling to a size that seemed larger than the Situation's ego, I called my dad, swore a lot, and begged him to help me. Twenty-five minutes later, we were en route to the hospital.  Through a sprinking of tears and a deluge of f-bombs...

Dad: What the hell happened?

Me: It happened so fast...I don't even know. What I do know is that my ankle hurts and I am humiliated. Mortified. I fell in front of a group of colleagues. And I'm wearing this dumb skirt. Why did I wear a skirt today, Dad? Shit. I hope no one saw anything...do you think anyone saw anything? 

Dad: Well I don't know about that, but... I think you look very pretty today.

How much do you love this man?

How much do you love Charles Barkley?  Trrble.

Dress the part

This is too ahmazing not to share.   Would you rock the wolfpack chic look?  I totally would!

Courtesy of Carolines Mode

"You know what's not one of a kind? A twin." -Ross Gellar

Fashion icons in the making.

Confession: I have a weird fascination with the Olsen twins, who turned 25 this week -- marking 25 years in the entertainment industry.  They've been wildly famous since they were six months-old and are the youngest self-made millionaires in history.  Kate-Mary and Ashley have also managed to take maybe the most popular and successful tween brand in history and translate it into two hugely successful high-end adult lines, The Row and Elizabeth and James.  And, in my experience, they are just really easy to root for.

But that's not really want interests me.  I think I'm more into the twin thing.  There are so many young, rich famous people in Hollywood, but there is very rarely a set of two.  Plus, I think that everyone who's not a twin is sort of weirdly interested in twins.  What most it be like to have another person in the world who is exactly like you?  Can they really hear each other's thoughts?  When a set of twins is famous I think it delights us, because it makes it more appropriate to stare and wonder and ask inane questions, since people are always staring at and wondering about and asking inane questions to celebrities anyway.

Embracing all the 90's had to offer.

Also, the fact that MK and Ash seemingly really are together all the time, even as adults, is super interesting to me because it fits into so perfectly with every narrative I have for them in my head. I love when people live up to my expectation.  I saw an episode of Ellen last fall when she asked the twins if they were really together as much as we thought that they were, or if it just seemed that way because they were photographed together and did joint appearances and stuff.  They answered that they were actually together much more than people thought -- from about 9am to midnight every day.  How do they not get sick of each other?  How does it not just drive them crazy that people confuse them all the time?  Maybe when you've made your fortune and career off being one half a whole, you just can't resent it? Maybe it's like a biting the hand that feeds you type thing?  Or maybe they really do like each other a lot.

All grown up.  Still together.  Still rich.

But all this is not the point.  The point isn't the twins, it's who the twins are dating.  Obviously.  This week it was announced that Ashley is hooking up with Justin Timberlake.  (You know I don't approve because I like Justin with Britney.)  So that was weird news.  But then Mary-Kate had to go and outshine Ashley with her own hook up rumors with Kanye West.  I literally don't know if I could conceive of a weirder couple.  I just don't even know what to say about this.  And, like everything about the Olsens, I'm intrigued.  I kind of hope it works out.  (See? They are easy to root for.)

What do you guys think about the twins new beaus?

xo kate

In the wolfpack: Scott Disick and his walking stick

You either love him or hate him. Or maybe you love to hate him.

No contest: Scott Disick is the most polarizing personality on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, including any of its spin-offs. And yet, he is also in this wolfpack.

How can that be, you might ask?

Well, first of all, this wolfpack is not all hugs and puppies and cotton candy. We need some edge. We need some grit. Diversity. We need some hot messes. We might even need an asshat. There is one in every group.

And Courtney's BabyDaddy is our asshat. He's stylish. Confident. Persistent. Resilient. Refined (at times). And dare I say it, hilarious.

Case in point:


And yes, he is also a terrible drunk.  With anger issues.  He's a little too cocky at times.  A little too crass.  But he's trying to change, and I will support him through this attempted transformation...which might fail...

I think it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "speak softly and carry a big stick;  you will go far."  Maybe he was talking about men like Scott Disick.

Too much?

Black and yellow

More Bruins love...

Working out with Joanne in my living room.

At the movies, waiting to see Bridesmaids.

At the Derry NH flea market, scoping out fake bags. 

At Gran Gusto in Cambridge for my mum's birthday.

Stand by your man

I cannot tell a lie.  I'm not a HUGE hockey fan.

I mean, I like it.  I enjoy watching games.  I love the energy.  The speed.  The fights.  The finger biting.  The broken noses.

Regardless of my history with hockey, I am ready to commit now...when it matters.

Am I a fair-weather-fan?  Probably.  Do I care?  Nope.  

In order to demonstrate my new found loyalty, I am building Bruins outfits for different parts of your day.  24/7 black and yellow spirit.

First things first, how do you support your boys while you are in the office?  How do you blend "Go Bs!" with    a steering committee meeting?

Cardigan: H&M
Skinny Pants: Gap
Tanks: H&M
Watch: Birthday Gift
Shoes: Marshalls
Necklace:  Jess LC

Loving and Lusting: Jess LC Bags

Confession:  I used to be an impulse shopper.  I never quite reached the levels of The Girl in the Green Scarf, but I had my share of inappropriate retail therapy moments; they usually went something like this...

Oooh pretty. Shiney. New.

Me likey. 

 Cha Ching.
Joy!

I am, however, reformed.

Over the past few years, I have evolved into a very careful and thoughtful spender. I make wishlists.  I read reviews. I seek out knock-offs and imitation pieces. I scour sale pages and clearance racks. I wait and contemplate big ticket items for 3 days (sometimes more) before I fork over the dough.

I should mention that I have revised my definition of "big ticket item" to mean: items over $40.

This has led to more dollars in the bank, decreasing student loan totals, and wouldn't you know it, a more cohesive wardrobe that better expresses my personal style.

The quick thrill of an impulse buy has been replaced with the steadfast pleasure of knowing that I made a wise (and fun!) decision for not only my closet, but also my ING account.

With this is mind, I thought I would share with you an item that I am currently loving and lusting: a piece from Jess LC's new  Lake Shore bag line.

I have been lusting over this little piece of heaven since the Lake Shore line launched earlier this month, and I have decided to commit. I am convinced that this is the perfect spring tote.  It is large enough to come to work with me.  It is stylish enough to accompany me on a date, and yet relaxed enough for a Saturday full of errands.   What do you think? 

See the entire Lake Shore line here: http://www.jesslc.com/collections/lake-shore.