31.1.13

flats flats flats

flats




i have this issue every winter in which i get in the rut of wearing boots everyday. while i LOVE boots, i tend to get tired of them and just want to be a bit more casual. the flats shown above, are three types of shoes that i am putting on my spring wish list.

the basic flat// to be honest, i do not own just a basic black pair of flats, so when i saw these shoes with spikes, they were to die for. pretty and simple, the perfect addition to any outfit.

the printed oxford// i have some simple gray oxfords, but i want some that are more on the funky side, like these leopard ones.

the chic sneaker// i have recently really been wanting to pair my colored skinny jeans with sneakers... so i have been dreaming of these snakeskin ones.

all three of these fun flats are on my "clothing wish list", what is on yours? ... or am i the only one who has one of those? (:

xo. cate 

27.1.13

in my room: the bookshelf wall


after my family's recent move, i have been slowly but surely working piece by piece on the small details of my room. so far, the area that has had the most improvement is my bookshelf wall. i mostly used items i already had to create the look i wanted, and added a few fun items along the way to make it perfect. enjoy!


1/ full view. i painted an old bookshelf my grandfather built light gray (same as my walls, to blend in) and filled it with my books, and topped it off with everyday needs and fun decorations. as for the wall behind it, i bought a map and hung a string of photos beneath it to add some personality.

2/ bottom two shelves. i filled these shelves with my book collection... after eliminating a ton of old magic tree house books they all finally fit!



3/ top shelf. this is where i keep my collection of bouncy balls, my current reads, and a tray full of daily necessities (not pictured).



      

4/ top display. last summer, i did a little diy by adding pretty scrap book paper in a picture frame to create a dry erase board. i also have a jar full of pens and sharpies (and sand) that hold up a couple of my favorite key chains. 



5/ owl knick knacks. i do not know if you know this about me, but i love owls! a friend have me these cute little guys as a house warming gift a while back. i am in love.



6/ jewelry. i found this perfect ring holder from anthropologie
 around the holidays and it is great for my gold jewelry.



7/ paper clips. my step sister gave me these lovely paper clips also from anthropologie for Christmas... she knows me too well (:



8/ photo collage.  i hung a few of my favorite photos on a piece of lace (from you guessed it... anthro) with my flower paper clips. 



9/ on my map. blue- places i want to go, pink- places i have been. this map helps me keep dreaming of travel and keep track of the experiences and memories i have had so far! 

hope you enjoyed taking a little peak into my new room. i feel like it is progressing slowly, but decorating a little at time is helping bring it all together.

xo. cate

20.1.13

the color: emerald

The color: emerald green

The color: emerald green by catemarg featuring a green sleeveless dress


i have seen it just about everywhere, so i am pretty sure that the color for spring is emerald. i absolutely love this color and how it really brings a sense of unique elegance to an outfit. it is a color that is still very understated in an outfit, yet still makes a big statement. emerald is a great color for accessories, such as a satchel bag, nail polish, or statement necklace. however, i also love to wear it in clothes; this velvet dress and wool skirt are both so pretty and fashion forward. two items that normally would not be seen in the color, emerald, are these awesome lace up booties and eye makeup pallet. if you decide to buy emerald shoes, i would not spend a lot of money on them since it is just a trend that may not last forever. i have been seeing emerald eye makeup everywhereeeeee... while it seems strange to put green on your eyes, i have come to find out that if you do it in a subtle way it can be very pretty (especially if you have greens eyes, wink wink).

hope you are liking "the color" series as much as i am, and enjoy learning along with me about new trendy colors of the moment.

xo. cate 

18.1.13

expectations vs. reality

in my favorite movie of all time, 500 Days of Summer, there is a scene that shows two sides of a story: his expectations and the reality. being me, the first 5 times I watched the movie i always just looked at the expectations. why? because it is simply prettier, easier, and has a better ending.

in life, I feel like that is what we do a lot of the time. we focus on our expectations of what we want to happen, and truly believe that that is what will be reality. sadly, no. our expectations of having a pleasant family reunion is not reality, our expectations of how good that cup of coffee will be is not reality, and our expectation of what each day will bring is not reality.

for example...

i love green tea. i love frappuccinos. i love Starbucks. so, i thought that all three in one cup sounded amazing. boy was i wrong. it was discussing! my expectations of enjoying a new drink were destroyed by the reality of the first sip. if you ever think that this sounds somewhat good... it is NOT. 

while this message seems somewhat of a "oh thanks for telling me reality stinks" story, it is not. i firmly believe in having dreams and goals in your life, and to expect good things to come of them, but sometimes that is not always the case. we should look forward to a good future, yet not let it control us, but also realize reality, but not let it become us.



xo. cate

8.1.13

the color: oxblood


 
 
oxblood love
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
this year, i will be this starting a new feature called the color, which will show a color that i am loving at the time, pieces i like in the color, and how i would style them.
 
to start off, you all know that i am somewhat obsessed over the color, oxblood this winter. it is a great substitution to purple or red in your wardrobe, and looks good on all skin tones. i am currently loving oxblood in small doses-- such as a nail polish ( i have Essie's Sole Mate), a clutch, tights (they have some at target for under 15 bucks!) or a scarf. also, if you want to be more bold with this trendy color, try a fit and flare dress like the one shown above, or rock some oxblood jeans with any neutral top. last, if you want to try out this color in a comfy way, order a Toms sweatshirt in oxblood rather than a basic gray or black!
 
 
xo. cate

4.1.13

2013.



 




 
 
2012 was a big year for me. a year full of change and life lessons. i have a feeling that 2013 is going to be not as crazy, but who knows, right?! i have big goals for this year, a few of which i will share with you today:
 
fashion goal: spend on clothing basics-- and of course the first item i bought this year was this sweatshirt. everyone needs a graphic sweatshirt, right? or is that just me trying to justify that i did not already break this resolution?
health goal: choose water over sodas--i have come to realize that water is just better all around. how it took me 15 years to figure that one out, i do not know.
blog goal: new design on blog-- hopefully this will happen. right now, my blog is in a transitioning stage... cannot decide what is next. help me out and leave a comment for tips!
other goals: call someone once a week-- i have realized that most of the time the only way i talk to people when i do not see them face-to-face is either through texting or social media. this needs to change.
other goals: find something to look forward to every week-- i need something that will get me through the week, whether that is a Starbucks frap or knowing that i will put aside an hour or two to watch Gilmore Girls at the end of the week.
 
also, my word of the year is BOLD. i want to try new things that i never thought i could do and smile a little bigger and laugh a little harder. (:
 
 
 
i know that in one year one cannot change every aspect of their being, and that is not what so called "new years resolutions" are about. they are about reflecting on the past year and seeing what you can do to make a difference in your life or in the world this year. make sure to be specific and realistic as to what you want to achieve yet know that the sky is the limit, so do not let anyone hinder your goals.
 
xo. cate
 
 
outfit details: -Neiman Marcus sweatshirt- target/ boho long necklace- american eagle/ purple cords- american eagle / shoes- urbanog.com