Homemade Halloween: Crazy Cat Lady

I love Halloween.  My favorite part of the season is seeing the creativity people put into their costumes.  I know it's super easy to go as "Sexy Stewardess" or "Sexy Cop" and if that's your prerogative, it's fine with me.  Not much creativity involved, but definitely easy and cute.  Personally, I like homemade costumes the best.  I already shared with you a great group costume idea, but for the actual day I went solo.  So this year, I decided to make my own sexy costume (emphasis on the sexy) for Halloween.  Enter: THE CRAZY CAT LADY!

Sweatshirt: thrifted

Elastic waist Mom jeans: Walmart

Glasses: costume shop

This costume was pretty simple to throw together.  I had the sweatshirt in my closet already because I saw it last winter and new I'd probably need it at some point in the future.  The wonderful mom jeans, tucked into my socks of course, are what really make this costume sexy.  The night before I wore this, I laid it out and sprinkled a little catnip on it so my two cats would roll around on it and get it hairy.  I brushed out my hair upside down while hairspraying it to get this lovely 'do. It was the finishing touch! 

For a little something extra, I enlisted my two best gal pals to dress and kitties.  What crazy cat lady is complete without her own little entourage of felines?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Jacket Required

Fall is here, and that means jacket weather!  I always hold off on wearing jackets in favor of running to and from my car shivering until about November anyway.  By the time I accept my fate and begin wearing my cutest lightweight jackets, it's coat weather.  I hope to get some mileage out of this shimmery black coat before I start bundling up for winter.

Top: Merona

Skirt: Banana Republic

Coat: mac & jac

Shoes: Steven Madden

Bag: Coach

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday!  Have fun this weekend, and be safe at all of your Halloween parties!  I can't wait to share my costume with you on Halloween Monday! 

What are you going as for Halloween?

Christmas in October

Many of you think Christmas is in December.  You are sadly mistaken.  Either that, or my boyfriend just couldn't wait two more months to give me part of my gift!  This weekend, my love gifted me with these great new Ray-Bans!  I mentioned how much I lusted after them in one of my Sunday Lust List posts, and boy does he sure know how to take a hint.  These babies are mine now, and I hope to get plenty of mileage out of them before the holidays officially role around.

 Sweater: Old Navy

Button Down: Old Navy (2007)

Jeans: Banana Republic

Cami: Victoria's Secret

Shoes: xhiliration

Ray-Bans: gifted

Speaking of the holidays coming early, I have to confess: I cannot wait for Halloween because the very next day is CHRISTMAS TREE DAY at Chez Kinsey!  I put up my Christmas tree and decorations November 1st (Thanksgiving what?) and don't really mind when people Scrooge over how early it is.  I have been ready for Christmas since March, so I am counting down the days until I'm watching Elf, putting up my tree, and trimming it with all my favorite ornaments.  I realize I'm a bit overzealous about this, but what are your thoughts?  

When is it okay to start celebrating the holidays?

PS Congratulations to Linda Yan, the winner of the Stella & Dot giveaway! 

Homemade Halloween: CLUE Characters

Hey everyone!  Halloween is coming up pretty quickly, so I wanted to share a fun idea for a group costume.  My buddies and I dressed up this weekend for Breakfast Club at Purdue, but this is a great idea for Halloween as well.  Breakfast Club is a Purdue tradition that includes getting dressed up in costumes and going to the bars at 7AM before home football games.  It's a great time to see everyone's creativity and camaraderie for my beloved alma mater.    
The costumes were pretty easy for us to pull together.  Most of what we wore was pulled from our own closets or a quick trip to the Halloween party store. We went at the characters from a favorite childhood game CLUE.

Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Miss Scarlett, Col. Mustard

We each got one of the weapons (wrench, rope, lead pipe, knife, candlestick, and revolver) and spray painted the gold.  Add in a hand decorated envelope to look like the one from the original game and we were set!  My costume cost me less than 5 bucks (candlestick, fake cigarettes and cigarette holder) and I don't think anyone spent more than $15.   If you're looking for ideas for a group costume, I suggest trying out the characters from CLUE.  We had a great time!

The Insult

I have a little story for you.  A bit wordy, but please bear with me. Yesterday, I was insulted big time by one of my therapy clients.  We had a pleasant session, and as I was walking her to the elevator she told me "We need to go shopping.  I need to take you shopping."  She looked me up and down, smirked a little and told me that many of the clients in her group therapy discuss my clothing.  "We all think that you need to update your clothes."  When I asked her what that meant, she gave me a pat on the back and a look of pity.  "Oh Kinsey.  You need to update your look."  Then she walked away and I was left standing in the hallway. 

I was embarrassed because she told me this in front of several other clients.  At first, I shook it off.  Oh well, someone doesn't like the way I dress.  That's okay, not everyone will.  Then I sat back and thought about the fact that she told me it has been a topic of conversation among people I don't even know.  I was sad, embarrassed and pretty mad.  I know that I can't please everyone, and I am well aware that my style is a little out there a times.  But to have someone say that to my face and give me a look of pity mad me pissed. 

As a mental health professional, I know that dwelling on the negative instead of looking at the positive can cause a lot of unnecessary stress.  I like the way I dress, and I feel comfortable in my clothing.  So why did this one lady get under my skin so much?  How is it that I can receive positive feedback almost daily from you, my wonderful readers, and people in my life, but this one negative comment put a damper on the rest of my day?  I thought I was past that point in my life where I cared what others thought about my life choices.

So this is where you come in.  As personal style bloggers, we put ourselves out there everyday. We need to be able to accept the good along with the bad.  Has anyone ever insulted your style either online or in real life?  How did you handle it?

Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a beautiful Stella & Dot necklace!

Here is how I styled the necklace yesterday, along with a Stella & Dot brooch

Blue Moon

I must be blue, because I have inadvertently worn blue three of the past four days.  I'm loving this monochromatic look, even if I am overdoing this hue.  This dress usually hangs on my wall as decoration, but today I pulled it down and threw on a sweater to make it more weather appropriate.  It is pretty dang cold outside here in Indiana, so I better get used to layering this season.  

Dress: f21

Cardigan: f21

Tights: HUE

Belt: Old Navy

Shoes: Mossimo

Necklace: c/o Stella & Dot

I don't know if I'm stuck in a color rut or if I just love blue.  Have you ever gravitated toward the same color or style day after day?

Don't forget to enter my Stella & Dot giveaway for a chance to win this necklace!

Rain Rain Go Away

It is cold and rainy here in the beautiful Midwest.  Fall hit like a ton of bricks this week, and today was the first day I had to turn on the heater.  Luckily, I have a ton of cute lightweight jackets to hold me until winter comes along.  Let me tell ya a little story about these boots.  I LOVE these boots, and I saw them from across a crowded Macy's and the basically called my name.  Kinsey, Kinsey come over and buy us!  Okay, who am I to turn down cute rainboots begging me?  I check the price tag.  10 bucks!  Marked down from almost $200 a pair!  The only pair left in the whole store (in Seattle, where rainboots are supa-necessary) and in my size?  Get out of town!  I snatched them up so fast I didn't even try them on.  BIG MISTAKE-O.  I get them home, super excited to show off my purschase.  I put them on only to realize they are TWO RIGHT BOOTS!  I have no idea where the lefty of this pair is hanging out right now, but it sure isn't on my foot where it belongs.  As you can see, I didn't let it bother me enough to shelf these beauties.

Jacket: Elle

Top: Mossimo

Skirt: Michael Kors

Boots: Macy's

Necklace, bracelet, brooch: c/o Stella & Dot

Have you ever been in such a frenzy to buy something that you don't even try it on, only to regret your decision once you get it home? 

Plus, enter my giveaway for your chance to win the Stella & Dot necklace featured on my blog today!

Stella & Dot La Coco Collection Necklace Giveaway!

 This great Stella & Dot necklace is part of the La Coco collection, and it is a versatile and chic addition for your jewlery collection.  I love this piece, because it isn't just a necklace.  It can be worn several different ways and styled to fit any taste.  It has a great detachable chain that can either lengthen the necklace or be worn separately as a bracelet.  Mixed with other pieces from the La Coco line, it becomes unique to your taste.  It has been a great pleasure to style this piece all week, and now it can be yours to style!  An independent stylist for Stella & Dot has graciously decided to host a giveaway so you can make this statement piece (a $69.00 value) your own!

Mandatory to be eligible for the giveaway (counts as one entry):

• Be a follower of In Kinsey's Closet by Google reader or Bloglovin
• Like Kelly Ann, Independent Stylist with Stella & Dot on facebook
• Comment below to let me know you've done so, and leave me your email so I can contact you if you win!

You can earn an extra entry for doing each of the following:

• Follow me on twitter
• Like In Kinsey's Closet on facebook
• Tweet or facebook about the giveaway (don't forget to include @theoriginalkinz so I know you did so!)

Check out a few of the ways I've styled this piece this week!

 

Entries will be accepted until Friday, Oct 21 at 10:00 PM Eastern time!

Olive Branch

This is one of those looked-better-in-my-head-than-in-the-pictures outfits.  Do you ever have those?  You think you look fab and realize you look pretty weird once the pictures turn out?  I regret not belting or tucking in this top, because it is just too flowy for my tastes.  It kept getting caught in the wind and billowing out, which trust me is not a good look.  I asked my boyfriend if this top made me look pregnant when the wind got it (trap!), but being a smart boyfriend he said "Uhhhhh, it's flowy!"  Paired with these olive cargo pants I've only worn once since buying them two years ago, this outfit is perfectly regrettable.

Top: Merona

Pants: LOFT

Shoes: Mossimo

Necklace: c/o Stella & Dot

Have you ever worn an outfit that seemed great in your head but horrible in execution?

PS, check back the rest of the week for your chance to win your own gorgeous Stella & Dot necklace!

Fright Night

This weekend, a group of my buddies and I went to a haunted house.  Now, you all know of my affection for sky high heels and pencil skirts, but something told me I would look a little out of place if I dressed in my go-to enseme for the evening.  This gingham shirt has been a favorite of mine since my sister and I bought matching ones two years ago.  Paired with some comfy jeans, flat boots (so I could run to escape all the ghouls that were out to get me), and a sleeveless sweater for warmth, I was ready to go!

Shirt: Mossimo

Sweater: Limited

Jeans: Gap

Boots: Mossimo

Necklace: c/o Stella & Dot

Bag: Coach

Belt: Charlotte Ronson

Hey ladies (and gentlemen, I know you read too!) do ya like this necklace from Stella & Dot?  It's a beautiful necklace from their La Coco collection that is super versatile and can be worn a ton of different ways to give you the best bang for your buck.  I wrapped it around my neck a few times for a choker effect, but it's just one of the ways it can be styled.  How would you like to WIN it?  Stay tuned in the next few days for your chance to score a Stella & Dot necklace!  I'll feature all the fun ways you can style this one necklace to give the winner some ideas.

Would you like to own this Stella & Dot necklace?

Sunday Lust List

Here are some of the items I'm lusting after this week.  My heart says "yes!" but my pocketbook says "no!"

Eastward Dress Coat from Anthropologie $149.95

Studio Blazer with Sequins from Zara $189

Vest from H&M $29.95

Ruffle sheath dress from Banana Republic $175

Matchstick jeans from J. Crew $88


What are you lusting over this week?

Animal Farm

This sweater is one I score this weekend on my thrifting trip.  Why anyone would want to give away an oversized wool sweater with animals all over it (and slightly smelling of marijuana) is beyond me.  Washed away is the smell of pot and now taking up residence in my closet is my new favorite sweater for fall.  It is so warm and cozy, and I can't wait to sit by a fire in it.   Maybe I'll even curl up with a good tabloid magazine book.  Who knows, I might even have my old copy of Animal Farm from high school.  Four legs good, two legs bad...

Sweater: thrifted

Tank: American Eagle

Jeans: Banana Republic

Boots: Steve Madden

I've looked at this sweater a lot the past couple of days trying to figure out all the animals it has on it.  Owls, snakes, spiders, birds, humans, turtles, cats, dogs... It's like a little Noah's Arc.  

Would you rock a literal animal print?