Kendi Everyday

Saturday Nights and Sock Buns

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:34:00 +0000

[Blazer: Similar | Tank: Similar | Jeans: (Similar) | Shoes: Payless (similar) Clutch: Melie Bianco ]
Our date nights rarely consist of us actually going anywhere that warrants me dressing up or wearing heels. Does this stop me? Never. But the good news about running down the street for pizza is that a tank top is perfectly acceptable on a Saturday night. I tend to think that wearing heels trumps any casual piece you are wearing; it tends to balances out the casual. Unless it's pajama jeans, of course, and then all bets are off.
It's hard to get over the fact that I'm wearing a sock on my head. Via the loving Pinterest, I learned how to put a sock on my head, wrap my hair around it and fool you into thinking my hair is full enough to make this pretty little bun. It's been way too long since I've been able to do a blogger bun; it feels good to be back. Even if it involves foot gear and deception.

Bold Kitty

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Pants: Gap | Shoes: Payless (similar) | Scarf: Target | Watch: c/o Fossil

I'm really glad cuffed and ankle length pants are coming back in style. It makes it a lot easier to find pants as a tall girl. And even if these pants aren't supposed to just come to my ankle, I shall tell people they are. (Notice that when I sit they come up to my calf. They are supposed to be that way, I promise...)
Directly after these photos were taken, I sat in my car and cursed the wind for a good 5 minutes for 1) messing up my messy bun and 2) making my scarf look like it was trying to eat my neck. Then I asked Bryan if there was a place in the world with no wind and it was always 70 degrees outside. He said nowhere, but I'm still hopeful this place exists. And when I find this place I will move there and wear scarfs and messy buns all day, every day. **Update: After many comments from dear readers, it turns out this place does exist -- it is a special place called San Diego. I am packing my bags today.

Buildings and Books

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:08:00 +0000

{Blouse: Bloom | Skirt: Loft | Boots: Fossil | Watch: c/o Kenneth Cole}

Up until this morning I thought that this shirt had books on it. I kept calling it my library shirt and my husband kept correcting me, to which I just rolled my eyes. What does he know about fashion? But it turns out he knows more than me as these are buildings and not books. Sigh, and I call myself a style blogger...and a college graduate.

It felt like spring this morning when I went outside and I immediately became giddy. I can not wait for spring; it is my favorite season of all time. Which means it's almost time for bare legs, wedges and patios-- AKA the most wonderful time of the year. (You probably thought Christmas was the most wonderful time of the year, but I'm sorry you are wrong.)

Going Out

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Blazer: Target (Similar) | Shirt: Bloom | Jeans: Gap | Shoes: Payless (similar) | Clutch: Brahmin
This is my typical "going out" outfit. And by going out I mean we went to dinner at 5:15 and were home by 7 to watch 'The Voice'. But enough about my exciting night life, back to the outfit. I don't know when a blazer ended up meaning a 'night of fun' in my mind, but it does. I reach for it any time we go out. I guess I mean business when I party.
I've hit a milestone. We took these photos in broad daylight with people around. If you've read my blog for a while, you know my impending fear of people. In fact, it looks something like this:

There is no other way to end this post except to just walk away from the computer slowly. Which I am doing now.
(PS look below to see if you won the Bloom giveaway!)

You are all winners in my heart...

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:44:00 +0000

Thank you all for the sweet entries in the giveaway last week! It was so fun to read them and see your responses. If it would be possible to be best friends with all 1800 of you, I would. (Sleepovers obviously would not be an option.)

Winners of last week's giveaway are...

(I know I said 3, but I couldn't help myself, ok?)

Congrats, everyone! Send me an email and we'll hook you up. ;)

Leopard Bottom Jeans

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:34:00 +0000

{Similar Shirt, Jeans, Clutch, Heels}
Well I'm back in town and $30 lighter from, sadly, the penny slots. I didn't dare to really gamble, because let's be honest -- I've got chump written all over me.
So I picked up these jeans at Target a few weeks back for $23 (yes for less than my Vegas loss). After seeing these in all of my magazines, I knew I had to find me a pair. Although completely smitten with the idea of wearing leopard print on over 60% of my body, I wasn't convinced that I could pull them off. But for $20 (and a bag of Sour Patch Kids) I thought why not? I'll try any trend for around $20. You can quote me on that.

Viva Las Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:11:00 +0000

We left for Vegas on Sunday night to go to the Magic trade show. (This is for apparel, not actually for magic supplies. Although going to a magic convention is on my top ten list of things to do in life.) And as we've found out taking outfit photos in a tiny hotel room is not legit, so I'll just distract you with some Instagram photos for now.

And yes I did win $.01. Jealous?

Weekend Style

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:05:00 +0000

{Similar Sweater, Rose Jeans, Purse}
I have worn this outfit a minimum of two times in the last three days. (If I told you three times, you'd probably judge me, so let's just pretend I've only worn it twice.) There are a few reasons this might be the perfect weekend outfit. It's comfortable but still put together, I'm wearing a weekend acceptable heel and it fulfills my fascination with colored pants.
Please ignore the sunglasses. The light was much too pretty to pass up even through all of my make up left my face for the day. And trust me, no matter how pretty the light is, tired melted make-up face is seriously scary.

Win a $50 Gift Card to Bloom!

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:08:00 +0000

To say thank you for the sweet response to Bloom's online launch this week, we are giving away three $50 gift cards! All you have to do is:

1. Visit Bloom's shop and pick out your favorite item.

2. Leave a comment below and tell me how you'd wear that piece!

Giveaway open until next Tuesday, February 14th at 10 pm. Open to US and Canada readers.

______________________________________________

The winner of last week's Lily Boutique giveaway is...

Congrats, Sofia! Email me :)

Black and White

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:10:00 +0000

{Top, Skinny Pants, Similar Heels}
I think because of my fashion blogger ways I try to do more than I should at times with an outfit. If I just put an easy blouse on with a pair of pants, like today for example, my mind starts running -- "you could add a vest! a scarf! a hat! think of the accessories!!!!" (My mind is the Target lady from those holiday commercials, by the way.) Then I think what is wrong with a little bit of simple? Simple never hurt a cute outfit, right? Sometimes simple is the best policy. After honesty, of course.
Exactly one month from today I'll be speaking at the Texas Style Council conference. I'm just a tiny bit nervous. And if I'm a little bit nervous now, just think -- by March 9th I'll be a complete wreck. It's going to be awesome, you guys.

Jumping the Gun

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:21:00 +0000

{Similar Cardigan, Blouse, Skirt}
Yesterday's semi-warm weather got me all gushy inside for spring. In other words, I should have worn tights today. It is not bare leg weather yet. The optimist in me is hoping for sunshine by noon. Or maybe I'll just run home for some tights.
I braved Target at 8:30 am on Sunday to check out the Jason Wu collection. There were surprisingly no crowds (and none of these people) and I pretty much had the collection to myself. I picked up this number I'm wearing and this top, too. I was a little sad I didn't get in a fight with anyone for my sizes, but I still pushed over a rack just for the sake of it.

Soft and Sweet

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:56:00 +0000

{Similar Sweater, Skirt, Similar Boots, Watch (c/o Kenneth Cole)}
It's one of those weird days where it's not quite cold but it's not quite warm. It's really the only time where a sweater and bare legs actually makes sense together. And then I wanted to look cute but be comfortable, too. Apparently today I want to be on both ends of the spectrum.
Also you can't see this but I was about two feet away from construction men that were pumping what was possibly sewage water onto the street as they were watching me snap photos. I ask you -- is there anything more awkward than taking outfit photos in front of construction men? Only if my third grade teacher and high school ex-boyfriend would have been passing by, then that would have been slightly more awkward.

Now Open!

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Although I'd really like to bore you with a poetic and poignant story of when I opened my first lemonade stand in 3rd grade that will certainly bring a tear to your eye, I'll keep this short and sweet. Bloom is now online. I've picked a small collection from the retail store to share online with you guys. Hope you enjoy!

And here are a few pieces that I've been taunting you with that are now available online:

1/2/3

*Keep your eyes open for a Bloom giveaway this week!

Last Saturday and This Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Last Saturday I wore this outfit, so appropriately I would post it exactly one week later. Working retail means that even Saturdays I must get dressed up. This doesn't mean that I haven't spent hours trying to make sweat pants and heels work, but alas it just doesn't. There is just something about stained sweat pants that doesn't read "well-dressed". Quite the shame.

So this Monday is the launch date of Bloom online. I am excited/nervous/nervous all in one. But mainly excited....and nervous. But excited.

Have a good weekend, friends. See you on Monday.

Chocolate and Wrinkles

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:02:00 +0000

{Oxford Shirt, Pants, Heels, Tote}
Let me tell you something: J.Crew might be full of lies. You opened their catalog and there are the models, perfectly dressed with no wrinkles. So you think to yourself "oh! wrinkle free pants!" and you buy them. Lies. You see, I ironed my pants this morning, got in the car for 20 minutes and drove to work before taking these photos. What I did not do was roll around in bed, jump on a trampoline, or play with a group of small children while wearing these pants. The truth is those J.Crew models do not ever move once they put their clothes on and they probably iron the pants right on them. Those aren't smiles you see, those are smirks from the pain.*
Is it too early to dress up for Valentine's? And by Valentine's I mean that time of year that I buy myself 4 bars of chocolate alone at a Target on a weekday night? I didn't think so. It's never too early for Valentine's day.

*That's probably a lie, too.

Win $50 to Lily Boutique!

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:13:00 +0000

This week you have a chance to win a $50 shopping trip to Lily Boutique, an adorable online shop! All you have to do is:

1. Visit Lily Boutique's shop and pick out your favorite item.

2. Leave a comment below and tell me your choice!

3. "Like" their Facebook page for a bonus entry (and tell me below!)

Giveaway open until Sunday, February 5th at 10 pm. Open to all readers. Check back next week to see if you are the winner!

________________________________

This week we have 2 giveaway winners!

For the Shop Ruche giveaway....

Congrats, MacKenna!

AND

For the Blowfish Shoes giveaway....

Congrats, Kathleen! Email me here :)

Gentle Giant

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:58:00 +0000

{Dress, Similar Jeans, Heels, Similar Cardigan, Watch (c/o Kenneth Cole), Necklace}
So this is technically a dress, just not on me. That's what happens when you are the tallest kid in 7th grade and no one asks you out for the next ten years because your height intimidates every single boy, even the male teachers. (wait -- how did that anecdote get in here?) You see, you can't always trust a dress. So instead I tucked the ends under and now I have a shirt. And yes, that last sentence did make me feel like a giant.
I'm pretty sure this is my "if I were an elementary art teacher" outfit. Why elementary art? Simple: high school girls scare me and I'm terrible at shading.

Off Duty

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:58:00 +0000

{Similar Tee, Similar Pants, Flats}

It's true -- there are days I don't wear heels, I don't shellac my make-up on and I simply don't dress up. As of lately there have been many of these days. Of course you don't know about these rogue outfits because I rarely take photos on my off days. Why? Because I don't want to bore you with my t-shirts that I sometimes sleep in and wear the next day, and a random pair skinny jeans that I've worn for 4 weeks straight so they are stretched out and make me feel skinny. But today I am going to be honest -- today I am a bore. So here is an off duty outfit to lull you back in to your Monday afternoon nap time. Wait -- was that a yawn? Oh, you don't take a nap at your office? Liar.

Win a Your Choice of Shoes from Blowfish!

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:45:00 +0000

This week you have a chance to win any pair of Blowfish Shoes! All you have to do is:

1. Visit Blowfish's store and pick out your favorite pair.

2. Leave a comment below and let me know your choice of shoe!

Giveaway open until Sunday, January 29th at 10 pm. Open to U.S. and international readers.

________________________________________________

Check back in just a bit for the winner of last week's giveaway!

Dot Com

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:02:00 +0000

{Similar Sweater, Skirt, Belt, Similar Heels}
Ah, color blocking. Wait -- this is still in right? If not, I'm bringing it back from the good ol' days of last summer. Color blocking is so hot right now, if you didn't know...
So it's true. You can now go to kendieveryday.com and find my blog! It only took me two years and a month of blogging to register and re-direct my domain. Technology! And since I'm so savvy on the internets, I actually have no idea if this jacks up RSS feed or anything. If it does, my bad. If it doesn't, I'm a freaking genius.

Good News!

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Let's just get this out there: I'm terrible at making announcements. But I have exciting news, so I'll give it my best shot. Next month Bloom is opening online! What is Bloom you say? Well I opened Bloom, a little boutique in McKinney, Texas, last September right? And every once in a while I'll sport something from there (that's what the 'bloom' tag is, if you were ever lost on that). But unless you lived close by, you weren't able to buy the items I wore. Next month, select items from Bloom will be available online -- a small peak into the retail store. Right now Bloom's site is getting a facelift, you can check our progress out on Bloom's Facebook page or right here, of course. I will not leave you hanging.

Till our undetermined date in February, how about a few shots our first photoshoot to hold you over?

See you guys and this cute little model in February. (Just kidding, I'll see you tomorrow.)

White Not

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:59:00 +0000

{Dress, Similar Blazer, Similar Heels}

Excuse the wind blown hair. My wind machine is acting up again.

Let's be honest, this combination was kind of a no-brainer. White and black with white and black? Done. By the end of the week I need a no brainer kind of outfit. I also need a weekend, ice cream and a really bad chick flick to watch. Who's with me?

Third Grade

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0000

{Sweater, Chambray Shirt, Similar Jeans, Similar Wedges}
Let's be honest -- I would have gladly worn this outfit in third grade. Of course I would have most likely won best dressed for third grade; I judge this mainly on the basis that most 8 year olds don't wear heels and I don't have lunch crusted on my face. Now that I think about it, I'd pretty much face off with a third grader any day of the week on any topic besides Geography (simply because I realized where Hawaii was just this year and I don't own map pencils). But even as a 27 year old, it feels good to be wearing hot pink pants with a polka dot sweater AND to know where Hawaii is on a map.
Elementary my friends, elementary.

Win a $100 Gift Card to Ruche!

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:34:00 +0000

This week you have a chance to win a $100 gift card to Ruche! To enter, all you have to do is:

1. Visit Ruche and pick out your favorite item.

2. Leave a comment below telling me what you'd choose if you won!

** Bonus entries for mentioning anything you like about one of their current features:

The Ruche Ladies | One Week to a New Closet | Seasonal Solutions

Check back next week to see if you are the winner! Giveaway open until Sunday, January 22nd at 11 pm.

(Really) Wide Leg

noreply@blogger.com (Kendi Lea) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

{Similar Shirt, Heels}

Three things about silk pants: 1) constant wrinkles 2) the wind hates silk and 3) constantly worried about stains. I have banned myself from eating anything greasy today along with anything that involves ketchup or wine or blood. (Blood is such a pain to get out of silk.) It's that or eat with my pants off, which I typically wait until 5 pm to do that.

I found these pants at Anthro for $20 (down from $198. It's almost like they paid me to take them off their hands) and I bought them on a whim. The very next day I saw this image on Pinterest and was so glad I took a risk on my wide leg maxi silky sultan pants. I really don't know what to call these things.

(Excuse the weird pouts. Apparently when it's cold I make 'sexy come hither/I just ate a lemon' face.)