Valentine’s Day is all about the love—friendship love included! So to let you all get to know me a little better, my best friend and co-blogger Lexi (of Basically Bubbly) and I decided to answer a few questions about ourselves, first-date-style.
Lexi: I started Basically Bubbly while in college as a way to express my creativity. At the time, I was a full-time engineering student and I felt trapped without any way to explore colors, fashion or my interests. Now, my blog is just one of the dimensions to my personal brand. I love spending time exploring my passions and expanding my business.
Korin: I began hellokorin my first year of college, as a way to collect inspiration and stay creative during an academic-heavy time. Over the years it has evolved with me, as I’ve discovered my personal style and passions. I would love for it to become a way for me to share my love for interior design, organization, & event planning with the world, as a business.
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L: Being outdoors with the pup + Jas, whether that’s a picnic or trip to the lake or hiking. Then coming home, eating something delicious for dinner and painting while the sun is setting.
K: Brunch, a good thrifting/antiquing trip, and then winding down the evening outdoors with my guy, a grill, and good friends.
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L: Boho Chic.
K: “Easy sophistication.” I like to look polished but effortless—never stiff.
L: Emma Watson, hands down.
K: I have to be cliché and go with Taylor Swift. She seems like a genuinely kind person, which is such an attractive quality, and she doesn’t take herself too seriously. (Bonus that I wouldn’t have to squat to take a photo together!)
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L: Anthropologie. It’s filled with everything wonderful for both my home and closet. I always tell Jas I could live in their stores every time I walk in.
K: I’ve gotta go with ASOS. The clothing is great quality, and they have a good mix of timeless, classic styles and fun pieces.
L: I can’t decide between my jeweled white blouse from Anthro or my favorite pair of boyfriend jeans. Both are pieces I have to force myself away from when I walk into my closet every morning. Too bad it’s considered bad taste to wear the same thing daily. Haha.
K: My leather jacket. It fits so perfectly, and can make any outfit look put-together instantly!
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L: Cell phone (mostly for the camera), chapstick (the plainer, the better) + sunnies.
K: Mascara, chapstick, and a spare hair tie.
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L: Dior Addict Extreme 789
K: I typically go bare on my lips, but when I want to add a little color I love using a lip crayon in a berry hue.
L: I LOVE those $1 face masks from Walmart and always make an excuse to set aside time once a week for myself, the tub + a face mask.
K: I recently invested in a really good moisturizer, and it feels so luxurious every time I put it on. I’m usually a drugstore-brand kind of girl, but treating my skin to a great moisturizer every day is better for my complexion AND my mood:)
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L: If it’s brown leather, leather all the way!
K: Leather.
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I wanna get to know you, too! Answer these questions and post them to your own blog, facebook, or leave them in a comment here. And tag your best friend to answer them, also! xo
Have you ever bought a dress you love for a date, only to find he’s taking you somewhere completely unexpected and you’re not sure it’s appropriate? Or, have you ever not purchased an amazing dress because you’re afraid you won’t get enough use out of it? Never again, ladies! Below is the inspiration you need to get the most out of every item in your wardrobe. I’ve picked out a gorgeous Valentine’s Day date dress and showed you how to style it for three very different dates:
Date #1
coat | dress | necklace | clutch | sandal
Date #1
coat | dress | bag | earrings | wedge
Date #1
coat | dress | bag | tights | bootie
What do you think, do you style your pieces in lots of different ways? Or are you a don’t-fix-what-isn’t-broke kind of girl when putting looks together? And if you’re planning a V-day date night, I’d love to see the look you put together! Tag your photo on Instagram with #hkholiday.
It’s finally February, and you know what that means—Valentine’s Day will soon be here! I’m not usually a big celebrator of this holiday, but it’s just so darn hard not to love all the love, ya know? So over the next couple weeks, I’ll be spreading a little love of my own with some V-day versions of #hkholiday. First up: a few gift ideas for your sweetheart or bestie!
1. west elm “eye love you” keychain – who couldn’t use a (cute) daily reminder?
2. uo heartbreaker sunglasses – these are so fun! and now she can actually look at you with hearts in her eyes:)
3. orelia arrow stud earrings – play cupid with these adorable little arrows
4. succulent heart garden – flowers will fade, but these gorgeous succulents will be a lasting reminder
5. capri blue jar candle in “volcano” – red, hot, and burning, like your love!
PS—keep an eye out for more Valentine’s gift inspiration from basically bubbly!
This is such a powerful quote to me, and I want to print it out and plaster it everywhere! I hope when I look back in 50 years, or even in just a few years, that I see that the choices I’m making are ones that lead me towards what I want, not simply choices that are guided by worry.
It may be because I have my own mini home office redesign on the brain, but it seems that gorgeous, chic work spaces are everywhere I look lately (case in point: this article, this article, and this pinterest board). I pinned some really great office spaces on my own interiors board this week, so I decided to pick a few of my favorites to recreate for you! Below I’ve shown you how to get a room that looks pretttttttty close to the photo. And, because you know I’m always looking for a deal, I’ve also put together a room with a similar look, but for a lot less.
office space #1
office space #2
office space #3
Which look is your favorite, or have you spotted another office space you’re crushing on? Share it with me below!
xo Korin
Who here hates checking bags? I know it can’t be just me. Not only do I not trust airlines to get my luggage to the correct destination (especially when layovers are involved), but I just flat out don’t want to spend the money. Besides, why bother when you can fit everything you need into one small bag? Check out how I’m packing 10 items for 10 days of Christmas vacation, plus a few packing tips to help you decide what goes and what stays below:
1. Stick to a color scheme; this makes it easy to mix and match your pieces. I prefer neutrals in my everyday outfits anyway, so this is pretty easy for me. When packing for my trip, I’m sticking to black-based neutrals with one colorful sweater and a turquoise necklace for a pop of color.
2. Pick out your must-bring pieces, and build around them. Have a dress that you absolutely have to bring, and it goes so great with those flats? Pick out a few more outfits that will go with the flats, too. Dying to show off your new blazer? Pick out a few outfits to style it in different ways.
3. When packing for winter, pack in layers. You’ll definitely need a sweater and coat for any time spent outdoors, but hanging out inside with your entire extended family might get a little toasty. Pack a range of fabric weights and sleeve lengths.
4. Prepare for a range of occasions. Pack things that can be dressed up for a nice dinner out, or dressed down for hanging out with family. A black dress is perfect for this; wear it alone with some jewelry for a fancier look, or layer on a sweater to tone it down.
Get the details on all the pieces below! And for tips on packing those items without wrinkles, check out this cool post. Happy travels!
For a lot of people, myself included, the holidays are usually a time for traveling. This year Ginger is coming along, so that means I’m down to one overhead bag and Ginger’s carrier. While packing 10 days worth of clothes, accessories, and doggy supplies into my trusty yellow bag is going to be difficult, one way to create space is to pare down my beauty routine to the essentials. I don’t wear a ton of makeup regularly anyway, but like most of the ladies I know, I’ve amassed more than my fair share of products. So if you’re jet-setting this Christmas, instead of just tossing your entire cosmetics bag into your suitcase and praying for the zipper to close, give my trusty makeup essentials a try!
Have you tried any of these products? What are your beauty essentials when traveling? Comment below, or use #hkholiday to share your holiday travels!
XO Korin
If you love decorating for the holidays, but don’t love the idea of trying to cram a 6-foot tree and mounds of garland, lights, stockings, and other decorations into your apartment, you’ve come to the right place. Getting into the Christmas spirit doesn’t mean having to squeeze past the tree to get to the bedroom or eat with your dinner in your lap because the nativity set and snow globes and stocking holders are crowding every flat surface within sight. I’ll show you how to get maximum festivity with minimal square footage in just a few easy, creative steps:
The golden rule for decorating an apartment: small space = small decorations. Opt for a miniature tree, and hang fewer, more deliberate ornaments. Not enough space for a full wreath? Hang a few fir sprigs tied with a pretty ribbon!
An easy way to save space with decorations is to hang them up on the wall! Try out a fun Christmas tree alternative, or hang ornaments from a light fixture! And instead of bulky figurines taking up valuable space, hang festive banners or wreaths on the walls.
Decorating can start to feel cramped when you add special holiday pieces to your existing decor; try swapping them out instead. Box up your everyday dishes and give them a rest, swapping them with fun holiday plates and place mats; stash your normal throw pillows away and replace them with Christmas-themed ones; and switch out the art on the walls with framed holiday pictures or lyrics to your favorite Christmas song!
I wanna see your apartment’s holiday style! Snap a pic of your digs and tag me @hellokorin_ on Instagram.
downsize: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
think up: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
take turns: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
XO Korin
hellokorin 