Shit just got real...Fashion on the Move!

Today my vision for Nic & Kat became one step closer to a reality...as I signed the paperwork to purchase a vintage Airstream it almost felt surreal...I thought to myself...Shit!!! I am really doing this! It's funny how a tangible item can make us feel that way...I have spent countless hours and efforts searching for the right trade shows to attend, completing paperwork, educating myself on fabrics and fashion, becoming a legal business, trying to develop a perfect website and brand, and obviously $$$....but for some reason signing the paperwork today to make this bad boy below mine made it all seem so much more real...

Knowing all the work that is going to be put into the Airstream to make it the perfect host for my store reminded me of when the World saw me in a different light. The Airstream above is plain...and for years people saw me that way as well...and to be honest, I was either too naive to realize it or was okay the way I was that  I didn't even notice I was being treated differently... but then, one day someone showed me what a little "polish" could do...how dressing to fit my body, a little makeup, and something on my feet other than tennis shoes could create a change in how people treated and responded to me....and if I'm truthful, I liked it. 

I'm not advocating that changing yourself is the right thing but I would be lying if I said once I was "polished up" that things didn't change for me...and before you say it... NO, its not fair...but it's life and while we don't have to fall into normalcy we do have to recognize our outward presentation is what creates and generates first opinions.

Okay, I'm off the soap box (maybe)...

 I think I'm excited about renovating this old metal bullet  because I know that the picture above doesn't scream glamour, beauty, or class...but neither did I for years....until someone showed me how... and therein lies my hope for my store and for life...not to change people but to give them tools to present their awesomeness through fashion in a World that chooses to see the outside before seeing the inside...

 I can not wait to document the transition of this beast turned beauty and share it with all of you! I hope in part you will be impressed enough to buy something once we are up and running :) lol... but I also hope that you will be inspired...to follow your own dreams, passions, and desires...no matter how big or small they may be! I am putting everything I have into this dream....both time and money...and my God it is scary...but I know that if I don't I will forever wonder "what if" and well I don't know about you but I'm not a girl who accepts "if's". :)

Till Next Time,

-N

PS: Note: If you see me on the road...I'm a rookie at pulling a trailer of any type so beware! lol :)

The Struggle of a Serial Overdresser

Let me start by saying...I love silk! Silk makes me feel classy, comfortable, and is one material I consider wildly transitional!!! I also love heels....tall heels because at 5'3 "ish" a little boost certainly helps! That being said....silk shirts and high heels don't exactly fit in everywhere...so often I feel overdressed....first World problems, right?!? So many people assume that when someone is overdressed it is because they are looking for approval, uppity, or don't understand comfort....for me personally I am often overdressed because silk shirts and heels are my comfort zone...they haven't always been but it's been years since I can think of liking some other look on me more....

I guess I am rambling on tonight because I hate and love that clothes can create an immediate reaction from people...that without a single word being spoken that an outfit can create a persona....that's pretty powerful.

We use clothes to identify ourselves and to create conformity...we define people based on what they are wearing long before what they are saying....and I'm sure a few people will read this and say "not everyone is like that" ---- but I beg to differ.....hipsters have a look, housewives, politicans, preachers, and just about every other label we give out has a type of "look" associated with it.

So my look....the typically overdressed, sometimes sassy, sometimes classy, and often times both is what makes me happy...tonight I guess I want to know what "look" makes you happy....

Until next time....cause I'm slipping into heels and silk and heading out! With a coat on of course 😘

Single in the city with nothing to wear

Being single is tough! In fact, my city is in the Top 25 of worst cities for dating....shocking to me because I feel Louisville is a friendly and open minded city with tons of options for singles looking for a suitor :) ...heck we have all seven of the arts, tons of great restaurants, and bars that stay open until 4 AM! Maybe I am lucky or maybe the single scene isn't as bad as they say...because personally finding a dinner companion isn't the hard part...it's figuring out what to wear! Women over analyze our date night outfits no matter if it is the first date or the fiftieth...we want to look cute, conservative, a bit sexy, not over-dressed, not under-dressed, and certainly memorable. When we walk through that door to meet you or open the door to greet you we want to create a feeling that is just "wow".....sure, makeup and hair play a part....but a great outfit; that creates a confidence that glows.

Here's the truth...when you are single you go out more...which means you dirty clothes up more, are seen more, and are dressing to impress...We don't realize it when we are getting dressed, but the reason we change our outfit time and time again before heading out the door is because it matters! A bad outfit...one that is too tight, too lose, was worn the last time you went out, or doesn't make you feel confident changes things. It will in many times subconsciously change your mood, reactions, and behavior. A bad outfit can turn a great date into an early night, make you change or cancel your plans, or even put you in a funk! None of which are good for dating, right?!?....so, how do you get "right" outfits without breaking the bank?  

1) Organize your closet

- Most people organize their closet by color or season. I suggest organizing your closet based on looks...we all have certain shirts or blouses that we only wear with certain pants or skirts....so organize your closet in a manner which creates your outfit options up front. Pulling one hanger out that staggers all the items that you know work well together allows you to have options yet still save time and hassle....don't return that bundle of clothing to your closet until it is 100% again. (hope this is making sense)

2) Be Honest

- We all have those outfits that we keep that are a little too tight, a little too short, or a little too much...box that shit up! Keep it for a year....if after the year you didn't miss it, still can not fit it, or have already replaced it with a new equally punishing reminder of yesteryear donate it and move on....there is nothing worse then feeling skinny and trying on "those jeans" and well....you know the outcome...lol

3) Shop Smart

- Buy items that will compliment the closet you already have....we should never have to buy an entire outfit unless it is a one-piece. Why? because personal style doesn't vary that much traditionally. When you look at your closet and think "I have nothing to wear" it is because you have something in mind that your closet can not currently create....figure out what you are missing....and if you are buying just to buy....because damn....it feels good :) then be cost conscious....if you are spending more than $100 that outfit better have a damn good purpose! 

For me, fashion is fun, intuitive, and therapeutic....a great outfit creates confidence, gives outsiders the first look into who you are, and creates smiles. In a World of "fuck boys", "trap queens", Tinder, Snapchat, and filters dating is anything but easy.....so let's at least make the process of getting "date ready" a little easier.....

Lastly, always dress for YOURSELF....if your date sucks you might have to go find a new one :)

A little sloppy, but it's been a long long day....thanks for listening....feedback is always welcomed! 

A snowball of emotions - The Art of Dressing In Winter

I don't know about you, but every time I get dressed during the winter months I go through several outfits or layers to find the outfit that is going to keep me warm and make me feel my best, and as far back as I can remember I have always love/hated my body....my girlfriends all say I should love my hourglass figure, my mother always said I should wear loose fitting clothes so I could appear thinner, and I always have found myself trying to pull off the right amount of class and sass...getting dressed can really wear a girl out! 

So, what is the solution? I can tell you my personal perspective...one which has dressed a body at a size 4 to a size 14 (all me)....so let me tell you what worked best for my 5'4 frame over the years.

At a size 12/14: I LOVED winter dresses with high-waist pantyhose or leggings....it was a great way to feel like everything was "in place", cute, and transitional enough to leave work and meet friends for a cocktail. Depending on your body type the type of dress you will want will vary....for me an a-line knee length dress with a v-neck and short sleeve was my favorite. The v-neck elongated my neck and highlighted my chest, the line of the dress allowed for my "problem areas" to be less noticeable, the length didn't create bulk but rather elongated my 5'4 frame, and the sleeve completed the look since I have a wider shoulder frame. On extra cold days adding a belted cardigan also allowed me to continue to showcase my assets  while adding non-bulky additional layers. 

At a size 8/10: I pretty much followed the same protocol as when I was a size 12/14. The only difference for me was starting to play with necklines. I also started to slowly integrate pants into my look, but never paired them with a jacket. The bulkiness of a jacket with my arms made me feel like "a fat man in a little coat". 

At a size 4/6: The truth is that you can get away with more while still feeling good about how you look. While confidence is achievable at any size...my personal reality is that with weight loss it became easier to dress myself in less time. At this size I started wearing pants and an occasional blazer. Often I wore a cotton blazer that was unstructured because I wanted the look of the blazer but my arms still had a hard time fitting into a blazer that was the right fit for me. 

My goal with Nic & Kat is to help women just like me....who want to look sexy, classy, and feel comfortable. Nic & Kat will create confident looks for women of all sizes with no item over $80. My goal is to create looks that will fit the personality you are feeling that day....because if we are honest, every closet has a little class, a little sass, and a hint of "oh no she didn't"! I can not wait to launch in March and I hope that I can help other woman achieve what I have in wardrobe...a timeless, comfortable and high fashion look at a price that still allows you to pay for dinner too! 

Till next time ya'll

Nicole

31, Single, and Unemployed.....My parents would be proud!

31, single, and unemployed... not exactly where I want to be but definitely where I need to be. If someone would have asked me at sixteen where I thought I would be today I would have told them married to a preacher and a couple kids deep. A statement that most people who know me would find hard to believe. 

What does 31 mean? Like everything else in life it's all in your perception... for me, 31 will be the age I make a bold move, the age I demand more from myself, the age I try something new, and the age I start my own business. For me, 31, is an in-between age and doesn't roll off my tongue well....I would prefer to say I'm 27 until I reach 35 just because I don't like the way it sounds and I don't associate it with anything grand... for some reason all the ages between 27 and 35 just feel blah to me. That being said, 31 is the age I am shaking up my entire life. I ended a 3+ year relationship, moved back to my home state, quit working in the only field I have known since graduating college, ended decade long friendships, and decided to buy a box truck and sell clothes out of it! I've never felt cool enough to do something this hip.... In fact, I've talked myself out of my trendy thoughts 1,000's of times... but for some reason at blah-ass 31, I finally decided to talk myself into something. 

What does single mean? At times, I feel like single means I have failed. Living in the Midwest can do that to a girl....I was raised ultra conservative... riding my bicycle off my street was a luxury I didn't see until I was a teenager, a boyfriend was out of the question, and a Godly lifestyle was of the utmost importance. For whatever reason being single at 31 makes me feel like I have disappointed God. A thought that I know is foolish yet lingers within me... being single makes me feel like I have failed... and while I don't long for companionship or feel focused on finding my life partner in the quiet moments of the night I find myself questioning why. Single isn't a bad thing, in fact it's a lot of fun....being single has allowed me to focus on being a better me, to learn more about myself, my desires, and my needs....and although I am still kind of new at it... being single is allowing me to find fulfillment in an entirely new way.  

Unemployed?!? What?!? Well, only sort of....starting a new business is a scary thing. No paycheck and no fallback plan takes a lot of guts. A new business requires so much belief, dedication, self-motivation, time, money, and faith....and if the truth be told doesn't give you much in return for awhile. But as a friend of mine always says: If you are going to be a bear be a grizzly....nothing in life worth having comes easy, and being an entrepreneur is a tail-spin of emotions most people never want to experience... but for this Kentucky girl turned woman it is exactly what I have been waiting for. 

So, do me a favor....follow my story....I cannot promise perfect grammar, spelling, or that an occasional curse word won't be in the mix, but I can promise truth, a few laughs, and some insight on the imperfect life of a single and unemployed 31 year old gal running after her dreams in high heels behind the wheel of a used box truck. 

A tank of gas or a click away....you choose your way. My online and mobile boutique launch in March 2017. www.nikandkatboutique.com