FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES: MY FUNNY VALENTINE

Let's get over the fact that Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday for a second, and move on from the nausea we feel induced by the overabundance of pink and red heart-shaped garlands everywhere and the overconsumption of chalky conversation hearts (seriously, why do those still exist and why has no one thought to change the formula to make them taste less like I'm licking the underside of a granite countertop?). Instead, let's focus on how Valentine's Day is just another day where we can celebrate something wonderful: love.

Tara + Daniel!

When Tara B. first asked me to do this love-themed collaboration with her, I was super excited. I had stumbled on her blog when the sweet man in her life was "just" a boyfriend, and was there to read about the exciting engagement as well as the beautiful wedding that transformed this loving boyfriend-girlfriend duo to a loving husband-wife duo. I actually cried when reading Tara's wedding post -- because I just felt like it was a clear case where love triumphed. These two people who loved each other madly, purely, and dearly could finally celebrate that fact with the world. This type of crystal-clear love makes my heart flutter with hope and light more than any Hugh Grant movie could ever aspire to. Head on over to Little Girl Big Closet to scope out more of this gorgeous couple -- I swear you can see their warmth radiating in every photograph.

For this project, Tara B. had requested a light, humorous write-up on the subject of love and relationships. Perfect! I thought. After all, what is love and relationships if not fun and hilarious? But then I started to write this post and my mind went blank, as it is apt to do when it is most inconvenient. So, rather than stress myself out over a post that is supposed to be light and fun, I thought I'd just take you on a stream-of-consciousness journey of what I know about love with Boyfriend. Take notes. There will be a quiz afterwards.*


Love is one of those things that's universally understood. It transcends language, cultural, religious, age, and gender barriers. No matter who you are, where you came from, and where you are going, you know what love is -- to an extent, anyway. I don't pretend to know everything there is to know about love and relationships, but I do know that it can bring as much heartache as it can bring joy, and it can leave you soaring in the stratosphere as much as it can leave you dredging in the depths. In short, love is infuriatingly perplexing, like aeronautical physics and all six seasons of Lost. But at the same time, love is simple, like the absurd swelling of warm fuzzies I feel whenever Boyfriend surprises me with a kiss on the head or delivers a pick-me-up-off-the-ground hug.

My love with Boyfriend is by and large a simple one. Boyfriend isn't my better half -- he's just a rad dude I enjoy being with. I say this because I'm a whole person all on my own, and so is he, but we made the shared decision that two rad people being together is much more crazy amazing (cramazing?) than one rad person on his or her own.




Boyfriend and I are just two people who enjoy one another's company. We help each other grow and learn. I taught him that there is much more to the joy of eating than just fast food and uh... more fast food. Now he knows that he in addition to Whataburger, he is also a fan of sushi, pho, Cantonese-style Chinese food, and Thai cuisine. On the other hand, he taught me the finer points of Nerf gun wielding. Now I can shoot down a target the size of a Monopoly game piece from across the room with suction darts. Trust me. That's impressive.

We're both still on the journey of growing up and figuring out our lives and ourselves, and let me tell you, that journey is a lot more enjoyable when you've got a rad person to share it with. We've figured out how to do my taxes together, decorate an apartment together, cook many a delicious meal together, and plan trips and careers together. Big things and little things alike are just more wonderful when you're sharing it with someone you love and love being around. I mean, how much more boring would commuting to work be if Boyfriend weren't there to join me in talking like a 1920s gangster?




So all in all, make it a point to spend your Valentine's Day (and all other days) with someone you love, whether it's your hubs, boyfriend, brother, sister, mother, father, best friend, cousin, or pet goldfish. If it can make commuting to work more enjoyable, it can make everything more enjoyable.

Finally, a special thanks to my photography aficionado, Karen Ho! She captured all of these moments at Boyfriend and I's old high school and made it so much fun. Check out her site, and if you're ever in Texas and are looking for someone awesome to come along and document your adventures, give her a shout! She's amazing!

*just kidding. there's no quiz.

Also also, a giveaway.

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: TIGHTS + SANDALS

Hello all to the final day of Breaking the Rules Week. It's been a blast, and I definitely will be doing another feature that you guys can participate in again soon (once I think of a brand spanking new theme)!

Let's dive right in to our final rule: Never wear tights with sandals. So without further ado, here's my brazen sin against today's sartorial commandment:

Now, I definitely don't advocate donning tights with flip-flops or anything (because really, how is that even possible?) (toe tights?) (eww), but tights with a nice substantial "sandal" can definitely work. I got these wedge sandals from Macy's a while back during one of their insane sales. I've unfortunately worn them only twice before the weather turned cold, so imagine how surprised I was when I ended up loving the way they look with tights!

The key to making sandals work with tights is to make sure that you choose a sandal with some weight to it. These have thick straps and a solid construction, which lends itself to looking appropriately cold-weather when paired with tights. Flimsier, more whimsical sandals may look too summery to work. Since mine are clearly sandals too, I paired them with matching black tights to downplay the sandal-ness. I can see the same method working on espadrilles, too!

And now, your wonderful outfits --

First up, we have Lisa's (Confessions of a Call Center Gal) rebellion against the rule. Before I even get to the sandals, I just want to tell Lisa that I pretty much want to swipe that skirt from her. Subtly shimmery and such a pretty silver color! I absolutely love it with the lilac-y cardigan, too. Lisa's sporting a nice sandal-style pump here, which has that necessary weight and heft we mentioned earlier in the thick straps, suede material, and square heel. It's definitely a chic look that proves open-toed (and open-sided) sandals can come out to play even when it's gray outside!


Next up, we have Felicity's (oh my my, oh) fashionable shunning of fashion rules. Her sandal is essentially a classic peep-toe black pump, which I absolutely believe can be worn with tights in every which manner and still look amazing. Felicity's blue tights work well to heighten the quirky factor of wearing open-toed shoes in the winter, and it brings a level of edge to an otherwise already sleek and elegant outfit. I adore the look of the belted cardigan!


Finally, we have Jen (Vintageglammz) rocking an awesome sandals with tights outfit. I love her long-blazer-with-dress look, and the white tights are a nice touch. The entire ensemble has a preppy feel to it because of the plaid dress, blazer, and white tights, but the peep-toe pumps just add a bit of kick (get it? shoes? legs? kicking? nevermind). I can totally see Jen strolling around a prep school in this, garnering disapproving looks from the school marms because of the outfit's sassiness, haha! Amazing!

So what have we learned about making sandals work with tights so that you can get more wear out of them when the warmer temperatures have gone? Keep the sandals weighty with thick straps, a solid heel, and a substantial material. Also, if you want to downplay the fact that you are indeed rocking sandals with your tights, choose tights that match the color of your sandals.

Well, that wraps up Breaking the Rules Week. Have a great weekend, and I'll see you all Monday with our regularly scheduled programming!

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: MONOCHROMATIC

It's the second to the last installment of Breaking the Rules Week, but we're not slowing down just yet! Today, we are breaking the old adage to never wear one color head to toe.

And here is my flagrant defiance of the anti-monochromatic fashion law:

Yeah, the shoddily drawn heart is there because I am ashamed of how pudgy I've gotten and I was committing some serious muffin-top crime in that photo. I changed into better fitting pants afterwards (still black) that solved the problem, but I didn't have enough time to snap new photos.

I didn't realize beforehand that I don't actually own any tops and bottoms in the same color, especially since I had already put my only navy blue skirt in the hamper. Thus, my only real option was to do a highly predictable all-black outfit. My apologies for a lack of creativity on my part, but I'm sure the following ladies more than make up for me!

First up, we have Sarah (That Damn Green Dress) wearing an awesome cinnamon-y outfit. All of the main pieces are J.Crew and she mentioned that dressing monochromatically with J.Crew is pretty easy -- as she said on her latest blog post (which features more amazing monochrome ensembles), "Emma Pillsbury's secret is revealed!" I really love what Sarah did with breaking up the single-color look with interesting details, like the ruffles on the cardigan, the jewelry, the shiny belt, and the shiny shoes.


Next, we have Heather (commonwealth girl) doing another take on the "wearing one color head to toe" rule -- wearing essentially the same color, but in different shades, which is a great way to pull any outfit together. She's donning one of my favorite shades from J.Crew, too: burnished olive! It doesn't surprise me that J.Crew is so prominent in this particular challenge, as one of the best things about J.Crew is their amazing color selection.


Finally, we have JG (Stuff Jewish Girls Like), sporting her very own blueberry-inspired outfit. But rather than looking like Violet from Willy Wonka-dom, she looks cute and polished! Different materials and textures break up JG's monochrome look, such as her skirt with button details and the wonderful seams on her shoes. In fact, I could hardly even tell that she was wearing all the same color when I first saw this!

[UPDATE]

Eeek! I accidentally left out a lovely blogger who sent in a monochrome outfit too. So here's AppGal (Musings on the Mountain) with a beautiful blue-hued look! I absolutely love how sleek she looks, and the top, cardigan, and skirt make this look like a great dress. In fact, if there were a dress out there that looked like this, I'd be all over it. Take note, retailers!


All in all, to make your monochromatic outfit work without looking like a Power Ranger, take a lesson from these gals: wear varying shades of the same color or break up the ensemble with interesting textures and details on the pieces you choose.

Join me tomorrow for the very last installment of Breaking the Rules Week -- wearing tights with sandals. Got a submission? Send it on over to amy.kelinda@gmail.com. See you all then!

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: SPRING IN THE WINTER

Well, well, let's just get to it, shall we? It's Day 3 of Breaking the Rules Week here at ke.KE, and today's broken rule is: Never wear spring colors and prints when the weather is decidedly un-spring-like.

Here is my cheeky heedlessness of that unjust maxim (how many more ways can I write this sentence? MANY):



As long as you're warm, I don't see anything wrong with wearing spring prints and colors in the winter. After all, who couldn't use some bright springy colors and patterns to perk up those dreary gray wintry days? If you feel too odd wearing florals and vibrant hues in the winter, try adding some more autumn-y colored pieces to the outfit, like my black tights and burnt orange cardigan. This could help "winterize" any spring piece!

And now some fabulous winter-time spring looks from you guys --

First up, we have Tara (Mix and Match Fashion) with an outfit that makes me yearn for warm, sunshine-y days. The skirt is bold like wildflower fields in full bloom, but the rest of the colors are wonderfully wintry. That blue top and soft gray-lilac cardigan remind me of ice ponds and the color of the sky right before it snows, which are perfect to help "winterize" this otherwise spring-perfect outfit! Also, I love how her cuddly pup is in the background, checking out the passersby downstairs, haha!

Here we have Lisa (Respect the Shoes) sporting a vibrant spring green in the dead of winter. Seriously, how refreshing does this color look now that we haven't seen a single blade of green grass in months?! She topped it off with a warm blazer and snug boots, which works to not only keep her warm, but also to "winterize" the bright green color. I absolutely adore this, and Lisa, you look amazing in green.


Here, we have Allison (Smart and Sassy with Sprinkles) wearing a floral dress at a time when few flowers are in bloom. Still, looking at this ensemble, I don't think, "Why is she wearing a spring dress when it's barely breaking 10 degrees outside?" Instead, I just think, "AMAZING." Dark floral prints are absolutely fall and winter appropriate -- even more so than spring appropriate, in my opinion, despite them having flowers on them. Her jacket and scarf make it an even more cohesive cold-weather look, and I love the rock-and-roll edge this outfit has!


Next, here's JG (Stuff Jewish Girls Like) take on bringing springtime to winter. Her photo even sells that wonderful contrast between barren, snowy weather and a cheery spring ensemble! JG told me that she got this amazing See by Chloe dress for a scant $18 while thrifting -- $18, people. That is unheard of! I really love the colors JG has going on here -- the dark background of the dress, the yellow tights, and that awesome green cardigan all make this look so vibrant against the more muted colors of winter! How could you not smile if you passed her in the street?


And last but not least, we have Peggy (She Hath Done What She Could) wearing a deliciously punchy outfit! Really, these colors look almost good enough to eat, haha! Am I the only one who feels that way about certain colors? (anyone? anyone? no?) The blouse and skirt undoubtedly brighten up a cold morning, while the snuggly socks and boots keep it seasonally appropriate. And as always, I adore Peggy's loose curls. Envious.


So what have we learned about bringing spring into the winter time? Stay warm, think bright, tone down the vibrancy with some more autumn-y colors, and that cutting up 4 pounds of potatoes and celery root for a gratin is hard work without a mandoline.

Okay, that last part has nothing to do with anything, other than that it is true. My hands still ache.

Join me tomorrow for Day 4: wearing a single color head to toe. If you have an outfit for this, send it on over to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: TABOO COLOR COMBINATIONS

I'm glad Day One went so well, so now we can buzz right on into the second installment of Breaking the Rules Week. Today's broken rule? Never mix navy and black or brown and black.

Per usual, here is my flagrant shunning of that old sartorial commandment:

Navy and black together forever. And if you count the brown in the belt, then that's two illegal color combinations being attempted here. I think the main issue with black and navy blue is that the shades can look really similar -- so much so that the wearer runs the risk of looking like she just didn't realize that her slacks were navy blue and not black.

The trick then is to make it obvious that you are perfectly aware of the hues you're donning by keeping the contrast apparent and mixing in some navy blue accessories. You can't tell from the pictures, but my belt has a navy blue and white pattern on the band, which signals, "Yes, I realize my skirt is not black."

And some wonderful taboo color combinations from you guys --

Here's Lisa's (Respect the Shoes) take on color palette audacity -- which, as you can see, is not very audacious at all! Brown and black look amazing together, and maybe those who oppose this pairing have only ever seen it where the brown color is a deep brown, which looks too close to black. To avoid this and make brown + black work, do as Lisa does and make sure your brown accessories are lighter and brighter. The green cardigan is such a refreshing touch, too!

Next up, we have JG (Stuff Jewish Girls Like) and her take on close-hued ensembles. I know I said earlier that having things too close in color can make an outfit disaster, but JG shows that it can be done! Her look works because even though the cardigan is navy and the cords are a deep purple, it's obvious that the two choices were deliberately put together. Also, wearing navy blue pants with this outfit might make it too blueberry-ish, so this works in my book! I'm also kind of (really) obsessed with the blouse JG's sporting too...

Here we have Sara's (You, Me, & Anthropologie) take on blue + black, and isn't it a lovely look for sure? Again, reiterating that a surefire way to make these taboo combinations work is to make one color obviously different from the other, Sara has paired her black pieces with a bright blue dress. No one will ever think she didn't realize her dress wasn't black, haha! This look is simple and absolutely lovely.

And now, we have Elena (Caffeinerd) with her rebellious color rule-breaking ensembles. Both of these outfits prove that having a black dress with brown accessories is anything but wrong. In fact, I think the brown accessories vs black accessories makes both outfits much more fun and youthful, and when are those two adjectives ever a bad thing? (okay, well maybe "youthful" is bad when you're trying to buy liquor with a fake ID, which I DO NOT RECOMMEND, KIDS)

And last (but not least!), we have the ever-adorable Susan (Little Miss Fancie Pants) rocking a double whammy: black + brown and pattern mixing! The black acts as a nice neutral against her tan and brown pieces, which are the obvious stars of the show, so this color combination works. And who doesn't love a good plaid? Susan's also been feeling under the weather lately, so be sure to do your Get Well Soon dances for her! You know I'm doing one right now for ya, haha!

So here's what I learned from my foray into taboo color combinations: Keep it contrasted and keep it deliberate.

Thanks again to the ladies who sent in their outfits, and I'll see you all tomorrow with Day 3: spring florals and hues in the wintertime. If you've got an outfit for tomorrow or for any other upcoming day (check the schedule at the bottom of this post), email me at: amy.kelinda@gmail.com to be featured!

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: PATTERN MIXING

Welcome to Breaking the Rules Week, where each day we'll feature a fashion rule that we're going to smash to smithereens -- and look amazing doing so! Today's broken rule is: Never mix patterns.

And here is my example of arrogant disregard for that limitation:

I found that staying within the color palette of my boldest print (the Reed shirtdress) helped the outfit from getting too Crazy Town. The striped belt picks up the blue in the dress, and the khaki-colored cardigan acted like a neutral despite having a pretty distinct print. I originally had on some polka-dotted tights as well, but it was a little too much look.

And some beautiful pattern mixing outfits submitted by you guys --

Here's Tara's (Mix and Match Fashion) take on pattern mixing, and how spot-on is her blog name for today's feature? The striped cardigan has a very subtle print from afar, so it almost acts like a solid piece with the lovely abstract print cami, which is why I think it works so well. But the fact that the cardigan is actually striped just gives it a fantastic bit of edge. The overall look is professional and polished! And hello, cute brooch!

And here's Lisa's (Respect the Shoes) rule-breaking ensemble, which is a bolder and wilder look! The gingham and stripes really shouldn't work together, but by keeping one print large and the other small, it manages to look cohesive and sassy without veering off into crazy. It doesn't hurt that Lisa's pretty sassy in general from her blog, so having the right attitude definitely helps! Also, pops of coral? Yes, please!

Last, but certainly not least, is Sara's (You, Me & Anthropologie) rebel outfit, which is actually quite sweet. The adorable polka-dotted skirt and printed top work wonderfully without looking like an overload of print because she anchored the ensemble with some solid colors in the cardigan and tights. And the pop of color in the shoe makes it all complete! Watch out, Sara -- you may see me stealing this whole outfit from you in the future, haha!

So overall, you can definitely make pattern mixing work by: keeping your printed items within the same color palette as your boldest piece, pairing louder patterns with more subtle ones, making sure that one pattern is smaller than another, or diffusing the look with solid pieces.

Thanks again to the lovely ladies who sent in their outfits, I really loved looking at them and picking them apart to figure out what it is that made them work so well! Again, if you want to submit your outfits for this week's features, check out the schedule at the bottom of this post here and email them to amy.kelinda@gmail.com at least the night before the post is scheduled to run.