When Crystal asked me to contribute to her blog, I was surprised and humbled. I don’t consider myself a fashionable person. I wear clothes that feel good, that I can afford, and are practical for the weather. If I could, I would wear pjs everywhere. On any normal weekday, I wear what I like to call “teachery” clothes. I am an instructor at Kansas State University and I am completing my dissertation to FINALLY be done with school! On teaching days, I wear dress pants or a skirt, a button up shirt with a jacket or cardigan, and eclectic jewelry to add some spunk.
This day, however, was a different day. It was date night! My husband and I dressed up to celebrate his successful defense of his Master’s thesis and our first anniversary as a married couple. Since this was a big occasion for us, we went all out and went to the swanky Harry’s Uptown in Downtown Manhattan, Kansas. We never ate at Harry’s together and we had a few thoughts about the restaurant that it would be stuffy and cold. It wasn’t! Although it looks like a replica of the Titanic, it was a very relaxed atmosphere. The chairs at our table did not match and reminded me of the chairs that the old couple in the movie Up sat in. I told my husband that we needed to get a pair of chairs like those!
I was also a bit concerned that our attire wouldn’t be formal enough. You know when you use the word “attire,” snootiness and pretension is expected. We put our irrational preconceptions aside and dressed according to how we wanted to express ourselves for that day. I wore a dress that Crystal scouted for me out in Seoul. I love the detail on the collar, the vibrant blue, and the delicate pearls on the cuffs. To go along with the dress, I wore the cutest belt with bow that Crystal again found for me. I love earrings! I wore earrings reminiscent of Indian design that I bought from Icing. My purse reminded me of roses petals, which was a detail in my wedding dress. Since we were celebrating our anniversary, I made sure to include that little touch. I found it on Idelli from a company called Lulu. I can’t stand my legs being cold. I always where tights if I am wearing a skirt. I found a pair of tights with great detail and warmth at Target. Shoes are little tricky for me to find because of my mobility issues, but I found a great company that makes adorable, affordable, and practical shoes for me. No, it wasn’t Crocs (although I do wear them)! It was Miz Mooz! I fell in love with the oxblood/burgundy color, detailed stitching, and how comfortable they are. To top it all off, I wore a white and black hounds tooth woven coat from Trendz to make the turquoise of the dress stand out even more.
Picking out something to wear and putting it on takes the least amount of time for me when getting prettified. Hair! Hair! Hair! I have a LOT OF HAIR! My hair is in its natural texture. I stopped chemically treating my hair almost five years ago. The mass on top of my head is a kinky curly texture. Some may think that hair that is not colored or chemically treated would be so quick and easy to take care of. NOT TRUE!!! I spend quite a lot of time maintaining my hair. I use Mixedchicks shampoo on days when I need to remove product build up and As I Am co-wash on other occasions to clean my hair without stripping it of its natural oils. Next, I use argon oil and Mixedchicks leave-in conditioner to feed my hair. Curly and kinky hair gets thirsty. Moisture is necessary! I tend to comb out my hair with a double-barreled comb from Ouidad to get all the snarls out. Then I rake and shake to find my natural curl pattern. I may define curls around my face by wrapping small sections around my fingers and then I let it air dry. This is a 30-45 minute process.
Makeup…I adore makeup! My current love is Bare Essentials. I start of with the purify cleanser, which is very gentle. Next, comes moisturizer with SPF 30. I am adamant about protecting my skin. I use the primer as well. A little goes a long way! Before using primer, I would have to use more makeup to get the same coverage and it would not last the whole day. With this primer, I don’t have to do any touch- ups throughout the day. The greatest product from Bare Essentials has to offer is their foundation. I use the matte foundation to cut back on my shininess. Color, or painting as I like to call it, is decided upon again where I am going and how I am
feeling. On this night, I wanted to be classic and sultry. I kept a clean yet contoured face and eye, and the focus was on my lips. I used an aubergine lip color.
My husband appreciated how I looked, but more important was that we could spend quality time together ooey-goo-ing all over each other. I have to say my most precious accessory is my husband. He goes well with whatever I am wearing!
At dinner, my husband and I relaxed, played, and enjoyed great food! If you every have the chance to stop by Harry’s be sure to try the tomato basil bisque and barramundi with creamy risotto! Delicious!
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