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Sunday, November 10, 2013

Would You Like a Tour?

Some of my friends from school were going to the Drake concert since we would be on fall break at the time. So at the last minute, I finally got my tickets (of course the only seats left were horrible), put together an outfit and joined Drake for a night.


Top: black tube top folded in half
Skirt: my mother's maxi & DIY split by me
Sandals: Burlington
Collar necklace: ebay
Lipstick: Cyber by MAC


Drake came through with Miguel, Future and Jhene Aiko for the New Orleans stop of his tour. Miguel opened the show with a few of his songs and electric dance moves reminiscent of a James Brown/Prince hybrid. Much to my surprise, Drake followed immediately after him leaving speculation to whether Future was there.

After performing a few songs, Drake left the stage, and Future performed some of his songs. When Drake returned after a wardrobe change, he gave us more of his upbeat songs. Drake showed so much love for New Orleans, crediting my city as the reason he has a career and shouting out Young Money/Cash Money. He even had a bounce remix of "Hold On We're Going Home." Birdman hit the stage and performed "Stay Fly," which had to be my favorite part of the night. Growing up in New Orleans, the Hot Boys and Big Tymers have always been a big deal for us.

Another one of my favorite parts was the DJ section where he played some of Drake's older songs from his mixtape days. It's always the best when you have a crowd filled with people who know more than just what's mainstream.


As I mentioned, my seats were way up high, but I stood in the front for the entire show and had an amazing view. I always manage to get to the front for concerts somehow. :) Apparently where I stood was right next to the backstage area because I saw Miguel, Drake's father and some of the OVO crew casually walking pass.

Jhene Aiko, who is absolutely beautiful came out to assist Drake in the breakdown of "Come Thru" before they performed their duet "From Time."


At one point, Drake gets onto a riser that allows him to walk over the audience and talk to everyone. He shouted out people from every section, even all the way at the top. After he came back down, as a special gift for New Orleans, he showed us the "Worst Behaviour" video. He pulled up a sofa on stage for him and his crew to watch with us as well. The video features Drake's father rapping along with the lyrics in the beginning before Drake takes over. Take a look at some of the parts I recorded.


By the way, if there are any hardcore Drake fans, I have more of the video recorded if you'd like to see.






Saturday, October 19, 2013

DIY Halloween Costumes

Halloween is right around the corner, and if you're like me and don't have a costume yet, then this post might help you out.

Instead of buying a typical costume from a Halloween shop, try making your own. It's a guarantee that no one else will have it. Here are some of my favorite DIY costumes that I've come across.


This is probably my favorite! Can work as a birthday present or any other type of gift bag.

Turn yourself into pop art.


Rosie the Riveter 

I've NEVER seen this one done before - Jellyfish!


LikeWowLala on YouTube has a pretty good DIY Miley costume video. 

Couple/Group Costumes:

Bunch of Grapes - wear solid color top and stick bunches of balloons on.

Let me know in the comments what you'll be dressing up as for Halloween.


Sunday, September 29, 2013

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Style Crush: Aila Wang

Can I just take a moment to rave about this pint sized fashion killer who I want to keep forever? Aila Wang takes the crown for the most fashionable kid around; and dare I say, even among the ranks of adults two and three times her age. As the niece of fashion designer Alexander Wang, it would be difficult for little Aila to NOT be this dope.

Am I the only one who wants to put her on my shelf? Such a doll.

The shades, the sneakers, the stance, not to mention the mini Chanel bag. Boss. 
She does street fashion so effortlessly. Too much swag for that little body.


Yes, that's a custom miniature Rocco bag. Jealous yet?

I can only hope and pray that one day I have a child as adorably dope as Little Miss Aila. Until then, I'll just be admiring this tiny fashionista. 





Sunday, September 1, 2013

Nothing Comes to Sleepers But a Dream

Here I am. 20 years old. Senior in college, with only one semester left before graduation. And today it hit me. Hit me like a ton of bricks. After December, I'm done with school. Forever.

Time has always been my cushion. I've always thought, "Oh, I have time to figure that out." "That won't be happening for me any time soon." But it is. It crept up on me, and now the time is almost here.

I know exactly where I want to be, I'm just not sure how to get there. I'm looking into the face of my future, and I can't lie - I'm terrified. Terrified of the unknown, of what's next, of making the wrong decision, of... failing.

I'm sure there are tons of people in my position right now feeling the same way, but I only allowed myself about one hour of feeling this way, and then had to shake myself out of it, because I knew that would get me nowhere. I had to start contacting people, reaching out and sending e-mails letting companies know I'll be in the job market soon.

If any of these feelings sound a little too familiar, then it's time for you to shake those fears as well and replace them with opportunities. Make yourself so busy with promoting yourself and networking that you have no time to worry about what's next.

Get an internship.
By now you should have had one, or a few; but if not, start applying to some NOW. Companies look for people with experience. Ever notice how job applications always ask for previous related experiences? Well, you need experience just to get experience, crazy cycle, I know, but it's necessary so get to work.
Finding an internship isn't difficult. Depending on where you go to school, your college may offer an internship database. My school, The Manship School of Mass Communication at LSU does. More than likely you'll be able to find an internship related to your field right on campus via the various departments of the college. Apply. Apply. Apply.

Always take the interview.
Even if the job may not seem ideal, go to interview anyway, you may end up liking it, and if not, you can always decline the offer afterward.

It's never too early.
Over the summer, my ant asked if I had started applying and contacting PR companies for post-graduation employment. I looked at her like she was crazy and thought it was way too early. Turns out, I was the crazy one. It's never too soon to start contacting companies to let them know that you will be in search of a job within the coming months. Make that connection. They can always just keep your resume on file for the future. Some jobs have long training/hiring processes, so the sooner you get in touch, the better. If you wait, it could be too late.

Social Media
Twitter is good for much more than just sharing your opinions on celebrities, and trends - it's a great networking tool. You can use t to link with professionals in your field as well as view job listings without having to do in-depth searching.

Here are some useful resources:
@sweetcareers  provides useful tips and articles for college students to help transition to the working world.
@internshipjob is the Twitter feed of internships.com

Also check out the hashtags for what you're looking for #interns

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Affordable Dupes for Expensive Brands


The price of  just one tube of lipstick can run you $14 and upward depending on the brand. I'm going to provide you with some ideas for cheaper dupes that you can get in place of the more expensive brands. Same color, better price. I don't own all of these colors, but I've done some research to come up with the best alternatives.

I'm a huge fan of Nicki Minaj, so when her Pink Friday Lipstick - the perfect baby pink- came out for just a few Fridays, I made sure I was logged on at midnight to get mine. Most people weren't as lucky. The lipstick was Special Edition, thus is no longer available through MAC. If you absolutely must have it, you can still find it on eBay, if you're into that sort of thing, starting ay $70. But if not, try these instead.
NYX Round "Power
Think Pink
NYX Round lipsticks retail at about $4 each. "Power" appears to be a bit darker, almost lavender in the tube, but is actually light pink.

Wet n Wild lipsticks are available at most drugstores and are usually about $2. Its color "Think Pink" parallels to Pink Friday.






Tickled Pink

Pink Friday



On the subject of Pink Friday, the OPI nail lacquer from Nicki Minaj's collection closely parallels Wet n Wild's Tickled Pink nail polish, in case you can't find an OPI retailer. I own both of these colors, and you can't tell a difference between them.





Fleshpot by MAC
Photo taken from
 http://www.beautezine.com/db-mac-fleshpot/




If you're looking for a nude color, as I have been for the past few months, Fleshpot by MAC is perfect. Aside from the fact that MAC lipsticks start at $15, Fleshpot is a MAC Pro color (not sold in regular stores) so it would be pretty difficult to get your hands on.













I did a little research and came up with these alternatives:
e.l.f Mineral Lipstick Natural Nymph
NYX Round Lipstick - Echo
Natural Nymph
Echo
If you have a product or a specific color that you'd like to find an alternative to, let me know and I'll try to help you out.




Thursday, August 22, 2013

The City So Nice, They Named it Twice

     I just got back from my third trip to New York City. I've been in love with the city for years before I had even visited for the first time. It's such a beautiful place - full of life and dreams.

     I always get a window seat on flights, and my face (and camera) is pressed to the glass for the majority of the ride. The feeling of airplane takeoff is like no other feeling in this life. Everything is cleared on your runway, then you start moving faster than any car, bus or train can take you, forcing you to be pressed back into your seat, and before you know it, you're in the air. You're flying. The view from above is amazing, it doesn't rain at 30,000 feet. You have no idea what is going on below you, that's none of your concern. Reality for you is nothing but sky as far as the eye can see. You can't get any closer to Heaven.

     Times Square is one of my favorite places to be. The big city and bright lights make me happy. It's just something magical about that place.



     New York really isn't as expensive as it's made out to be. Food trucks and vendors are at every corner. While they aren't the healthiest choice, they'll provide you with a filling meal for a low price. You can have fun without spending much, as long as you have friends with you, a good time is sure to follow.



Crop Top: Boohoo
Shorts: DIY
Socks & bodychain: eBay
Shoes: Forever21
     I think after I graduate in December, I will apply to some jobs in New York, because it seems like a great place to be while I'm young. I people watching was on Wall Street for a bit and saw all the gentlemen with briefcases powerwalking in their suits, and I was just fascinated by the vibe. I'd love to work in a fast paced environment like that.
Sandals: Burlington
Jeans: DIY
Tank: Forever21


Thanks for showing me such a good time, New York.
Until next time!


Friday, August 9, 2013

What To Do With Your Old Clothes

     Got more clothes than you have space for, yet still, nothing to wear. The age old question - what on earth do I do with them? Donate them to Goodwill, hand them down to your little sister, just throw them away - Nooo! Don't do any of that. $$$ Make money off of your old, too small, never worn, still have the tags on and never will be worn clothes. How? By selling them of course.


Image    Your first option is the second-hand resale stores like Buffalo Exchange and Plato's Closet. At these stores, you bring in your unwanted items and a store associate evaluates them and comes up with a resale value while you shop around. Find out what's trending before you go so you can get the most bang for your buck. You get more of a value if you accept a store credit to buy new clothes, or youcan take your cash. I'd recommend the store credit because there's always some gems that you can't buy brand new in secondhand shops. One man's trash is indeed another man's treasure. 


    A rather new and great way to sell your items is through poshmark.com. Poshmark operates mainly through an iPhone app. It is an online community of buyers and sellers where you can list your items and people can like, share and buy them. You may be thinking what makes it any different from ebay. Well with Poshmark, you get to connect more with other users and the company covers all fees, shipping and postage at no cost to you- the seller. You can also negotiate prices and create personalized deals and trades for other people's items that you may like. Once you make a sale, you receive your postage via e-mail, and all you have to do is print it, attach it to the package, and send it off. It's a great tool, if you decide to register, let them know I sent you by signing up with the code HODHR. :) 

     Just a little added info that's kind of off topic in true Kaitlyn fashion, in case you're looking for something but have absolutely no idea what it's called, who made it or where to buy it - there's a solution for that as well. Wheretoget.it is a site where all you do is upload a photo and the web community provides you with links and prices to where you can find and purchase it. I'm on that site as well, so if you sign up, follow me.