How to Rock at Weddings.

March 3, 2016 Mary Catherine Scott

Wedding season kicked off for me last weekend with the wedding of one of my very best friends. I couldn't love a wedding more - the love, the food, the drinking, the dancing, the crying, the dressing up with my friends - it's basically the adult version of a sorority formal, except, you know, way better.

I certainly didn't write the rulebook (nor do I always play by it) on how to rock at weddings. But I've been in a few and been to a few, and I've watched my friends who do rock at knowing the right move to make at all times. So I'm sharing their tricks in hopes that one will come in handy for you during Wedding Season 2016.

And any excuse to share my wedding photos again, right? ;)

DO dress appropriately.
One of the first things you notice about guests at a wedding is the fabulous attire being sported. I love to lust after dresses or jewelry or shoes (all the time, but particularly) at receptions. Underdressing for a wedding is an easy mistake to make.

A safe bet? If the wedding is at or after 6 PM, traditionally, the attire is, at a minimum, cocktail (a short or long dress for women, and a dark suit or tuxedo for men). Before 6, the attire can vary tremendously. You can usually take your cue from the invitation: if the invitation is colorful, or less formal, so is the attire. If the invitation is letterpress or engraved on thicker paper, the attire is more formal. And if the wedding is black tie, the invitation will almost always say so.

*Photo by Leslee Mitchell of Leslee Mitchell Photography.*

DON'T monopolize the bride.
Part of being a good guest is knowing when your time is up. A quick hug, a picture, and well-wishes are totally in order! The bride and groom are who literally everyone in the room is there to see, so they have to do a lot of small-talk. Old-school weddings may have a receiving line for the bride and groom, and in that case, keeping it short is more important than usual.

If you're really smooth (as either a bridesmaid or a guest), you'll keep an eye on the happy couple to make sure that they enjoy the party as much or more as they're greeting their guests. They might just need a helpful hand to take over the conversation with Dear Old Sweet Uncle Milton so that they can escape to the dance floor where they belong!

DO show up on time.
I have been that person: the church doors are closed, the music has started, and I am trying to creep in on a marble floor in my heels so as not to draw any attention to myself. ...guess what? Didn't work. This is such a simple tip, but if you're a person who is chronically late, a wedding is not the time to chance it. Leave extra early - ridiculously early, if need be - to make sure that you're in your seat before that processional starts!

DON'T bring problems to the family's attention.
I know, no-brainer, right? Wrong. You'd be shocked how many people I've actually seen come up to parents of the bride or groom (or worse, the bride and groom themselves) to report that "there aren't any more shrimp," or that "the parking lot is full." What?! No. A reception is the long-awaited celebration after months of planning - it's the ultimate in blowing off steam. The family should be living it up, not putting out fires.

So, in that light, DO be a proactive problem-solver!
If you're a member of the wedding party, this is your time to shine. Do the bridesmaids' dresses need to be steamed? Do it. Don't wait to be asked. Did the bride forget something at home? Go get it. Did one of the groomsmen leave some their button studs or cufflinks at their apartment? All you. Is somebody way, way too drunk already? Go get that fella a cheeseburger. Keep a comb, lipstick, and Band Aids in your pocket, because they're always going to be needed. Do this not because you want to be praised for it, but because you want to make this day perfect for your friend (and because if you've gotten married, chances are somebody did this for you).

DON'T take your own photos.
Obviously, if you're part of the wedding party, this isn't an issue. Take all the photos you want while you're getting ready, during the day of, etc. But if you're a guest, and you feel the impulse to reach for your iPhone during the ceremony, STOP. The couple has already hired a photographer! By pulling out your iPhone, you not only draw attention to yourself in what should be a holy moment of sacrament, but you also risk destroying the photo that the real photographer is trying to take. There is no reason for you to Instagram the bride walking down the aisle. Leave that to the pro's, and don't be the person who ruins the shot because your iPhone is covering up the groom's head. ...did that sound preachy? GOOD. :)

*Photo by Brittany Sturdivan of Love Be Photography.*

DO RSVP and send a gift.
This is maybe the easiest thing to forget. It's always a bummer when you get this text from the bride or groom, "Hey...just wondering if you'd gotten our invitation! We're trying to get a headcount!" Woops. This may be the only "tip" I actually have a personal trick for, but here it is: whenever I get an invitation in the mail, I RSVP RIGHT THEN. I know that I am so bad about forgetting stuff like this that if I don't follow the "do it now" rule, it won't get done. I also try to buy a gift right then online, and have it sent to their home. If I can't attend the wedding, I write short letter on the back of the RSVP card expressing my regret (which is always genuine; I hate to miss a party). This keeps those "WTF, are you coming or not??" texts from rolling in.

*Photo by my jankity iPhone, so...sorry about that.*

And to end us, another DO - Get out on the dance floor!
Every bride is hoping that their reception is a fun-filled dance party with the people they love most in the world. So if you notice that the dance floor is hitting a lull, get your booty out there and do something about it! A dance party is the easiest kind of party to start - people having fun on the dance floor is totally contagious.

Woo hoo! Happy wedding season, y'all! May the bands all be fun and the hangovers not be too terrible.

Oscar Gowns: Fetch or Wretch?

February 29, 2016 Mary Catherine Scott

The year I lived in Memphis, my friend Andy and I devised a ratings system called "Fetch or Wretch?" "Fetch," obviously, was derived from the classic film Mean Girls, and is the highest of compliments in the world of fashion. "Wretch," on the other hand, I think is pretty self-explanatory.

That year at the Oscar party we went to, he and I dressed up as glorified Joan Rivers clones and interviewed/judged all the celebs on a makeshift red carpet:

Obviously, we were very fetch (but also intentionally tacky, just like Joan.)

Being that I love fashion and that I love awards shows, I thought I'd run down my list for Fetch or Wretch: Oscars 2016.

Let's start with the good, in no particular order.

FETCH: SAOIRSE RONAN.

Saoirse (I had to attempt that spelling about 4 times) was nominated for Best Actress alongside some real heavy hitters last night for Brooklyn, where she plays an Irish immigrant to America. This dress is the epitome of right gown, right wearer, and right venue. And, as a little nod to her Irish role in the film, it's emerald green. My only tiny gripe here is that the skirt is sheer, which I'm sick to death of. But otherwise, perfectly fitted, perfectly styled, and if you look at any close-ups of her face, her makeup is FLAWLESS.

2. FETCH: LADY GAGA.

Say what you will about the meat-dress-wearing, arriving-in-an-egg pop star, but she knows how to nail it when it counts. I think this partnership with Tony Bennett has done her some good in terms of knowing when to class it up. Her hair and jewelry choices are exactly right. The fit on the bodice is not my favorite (in fact, in almost every photo but this one, it's downright awful) and it's doing weird things for her boobs. Overall, the look is striking and classic, but still different enough to be quintessentially Gaga. And we all know I love a jumpsuit.

...doesn't hurt that her man candy is in a perfectly fitting tux, himself.

3. ROONEY MARA.

I realize this one will be widely disputed. I am not in love with her weird topknot, but I think this is such a perfect look for her. Rooney Mara always goes for severe ice-princess on the red carpet, and she usually nails it. This dress, though not something I would wear, is the definition of Rooney Mara at an awards show - and because it's perfectly fitted and styled well (for her particular aesthetic), I love it.

4. CATE BLANCHETT.

I know, I know. Another controversial pick. But y'all, LOOK AT THE FIT OF THIS DRESS. Cate Blanchett is such a queen when it comes to style and posing on a red carpet, and this is just another entry in her reign of fabulousness. Though the details on this dress kind of grate on my nerves (like a hundred butterflies just landed on her simultaneously?), the color is lovely, the neckline is plunging without being vulgar, her head looks great, and the fit is literally flawless. As with most things, a little confidence in something unusual goes a long way.

5. NAOMI WATTS.

Miss Naomi was not up for any major awards, but she still brought the thunder without being too attention-seeking. The color, the beading, the fit, and the styling are all near-perfect in this look. She managed to nail it without taking attention away from award nominees, which is an art form all unto itself.

Honorable mention: Chrissy Teigan, who SLAYED us with her fabulous pregnant self. But she couldn't make my list because I am so sick to death of this naked dress trend WHEN WILL IT END.

Now, let's get to the struggle bus.

WRETCH.

1. Kate Winslet.

GIRL. What. Are you doing. This looks like the Titanic sank, you got up on that door, pulled a seal out of the ocean, clubbed it to death, skinned it, and wore it last night. Almost everything about this is bad, from the straight neckline to the fit to the scuba-suit weirdness to the loose and beachy hair when it should've been up. The skirt is puddling. The accessories are bad. I really can't say enough. It was a swing and a miss. But we love you, Kate. Do better next time.

2. BRIE LARSON.

Another choice that I know will be controversial. All I can see when I look at that party-streamer skirt is Paris Hilton circa 2002. The half-back hair looks far too casual (Jordan says when women wear their hair half-back it looks like Legolas) and needed more height, the belt is huge and clunky...I really was disappointed by this look, especially since she was picked to (and did) win. I'll give her some credit for fit - the bodice is beautifully tailored to her and the color is right, but the skirt and the details of the look overall make her a WRETCH. I genuinely feel like people are loving this look purely because she is absolutely glowing with happiness and it's distorting their judgment. Congrats on your win, Brie. Now send that dress back to the early 2000's where it belongs.

3. OLIVIA WILDE.

"Woof." That was me out loud when I saw this gown for the first time. At a quick glance, this isn't terribly offensive - a light colored, well-fitted gown. But the longer you look at it, the more problematic it becomes. While Cate Blanchett did a plunging neckline without being vulgar, this is a neckline that tipped the vulgar scales all the way over. Put simply, it's just too much cleavage. Olivia Wilde has lots of very square features, namely that fabulous jawline, but that means that whatever she chooses to wear doesn't need to further accentuate the squareness of her face. This neckline is rectangular, her choker cuts her neck in half and creates more squareness, and her hair is pulled all the way back, making her head a (you guessed it) square. She needed to soften this gown up - hair down, no choker, and this might have been a win.

4. JENNIFER LAWRENCE.

I. AM. SO. SICK. OF. SHEER. LACE.

I can't wait for this freaking trend to die. I know J Law has a contractual obligation to wear Dior, this look aged her about 20 years. It is SO deeply matronly while still somehow being super-sexual. I hate the tiered skirt, I hate the skin-toned underlay that makes her look naked, I hate the visible black boning in the bodice, I hate everything. Good for her for the hair color and the lack of sparkly accessories (which would've pushed this from just plain bad to stripper), but this is a HARD miss for me. Wretch. 100%.

5. RACHEL MCADAMS.

Dear Rachel McAdams,

Every girl in America wants to be you. You have a face like a damn painting. Your hair is like gold spun by woodland creatures. You are an American ideal. But if you think that in all of fashion-world, in all the design houses, that this was the right gown for you, then fire your stylist. The color is great, but that's about it. If you're going to wear something loose-fitting and body-skimming, the fit better be absolutely perfect. And perfect it is not.

And if you can't afford a steamer, you can borrow mine, Rachel. Those wrinkles from sitting down in the limo on the way there are half of why you are decidedly WRETCH.

See you tomorrow for Bach-capping, ladies and germs. Get ready for SEX ISLAND.

5 Things: Beauty Products I Can't Live Without.

February 19, 2016 Mary Catherine Scott

Good morning!

Hope everyone is gearing up for a relaxing/fun/exciting weekend. My brother and his girlfriend, Emily, are coming to visit us this weekend (!!!!) and we are basically exploding with joy a la Kermit the frog:

My favorite GIF of all time, in case anyone was keeping track.

This is certainly not a beauty or fashion blog, but I do happen to love both fashion and beauty products. That being the case, I thought I'd share some products that I routinely use - some tried and true, some new to me - but all of which I can't live without these days.

Walk with me.

1. Micellar water.

I've been using this product for almost a year now, and I can't believe how much I love it. Micellar water is used in place of a face wash. Inspired by French women (who are famous for their beautiful skin), micellar water cleanses your skin without stripping it. In fact (and this is the part that always makes my friends say, "What?!"), there's actually no water involved at all. You add this magical potion to a cotton round, swipe it all over your face to remove makeup (sometimes two are necessary if it's a particularly heavy makeup day), and your skin is smooth, clean, and cared for without the slog of splashing water all over yourself twice a day.

The magic of this product is in the micelles, which are simply molecules of oil in otherwise pure water, are attracted to the impurities on your face (dirt, makeup, etc.). They cling to and remove what you don't want on your skin, leaving behind a really moisturized and even tone.

If you're skeptical about this product, let me challenge you with this: remove all of your makeup and wash your face with a traditional cleanser. Then, use micellar water on a cotton round and swipe it over your face. You will be shocked at how much dirt and makeup has been left behind.

To read a little more about it, visit this link. After a year, my skin has never looked better or been more dewey and clean. Give it a shot.

2. Moisturizer.

I'm sure that everyone has their own favorite moisturizer, and this is mine. The smell always reminds me of watching my mom get ready in the mornings - makes me happy!

What I love about Oil of Olay is that their products are super gentle on my skin, and that this one includes an SPF to protect against fine lines and wrinkles.

If you don't use a moisturizer with SPF in it every day, watch this video and prepare to never leave the house without sunscreen again.

Long ago, I realized I'd never be blessed with a dark complexion. Jordan calls me "queso skin," because he thinks my extremely fair and easily scarred skin looks like the layer of skin on top of cheese dip at a Mexican restaurant. Because you can see my veins.

...cute, right? ; )

More than anything, what I've adopted since college is a regimented moisturizing routine that includes my face, neck, decolletage, and hands. Everything I've read about skincare regrets older women have lists that their hands were neglected from sun protection, so while their faces are supple and young-looking, their hands are leathery and wrinkled.

Don't forget the hands, you guys.

3. Spot treatment.

So, I'm finding it a little vulgar to talk about blemishes, but this is such a miracle product that I'm pushing past my discomfort with this subject.

I am lucky to have "normal" (not oily, not dry), fairly even skin, but sometimes everyone get a blemish. Recently, I had a particularly stubborn cystic bump that would not. Go. Away.

I researched every method on the Internet for getting rid of it - toothpaste, ice, you name it - and finally bit the bullet to buy this rather expensive (for its size) magic bottle.

Y'all, when I tell you that bump was gone in almost 24 hours, I tell you no lies.

The redness and soreness of any blemishes you may find yourself with, whether they're cystic or not, are immediately reduced by this formula. If you put it on before you go to bed, by the time you wake up, you'll see a difference.

I recently recommended this admittedly pricier product to a girlfriend of mine who is known for her thriftiness. She bought it, and now she swears by it. Even if you don't have a bump today, you know you will at some point - why not be proactive and make sure you have something with which to treat it? I'm telling you - miraculous.

4. Brow gel.

Anyone who knows me well knows that for years, I've been saying that "eyebrows make or break a face." Now, the entire world has caught on to my thinking - thanks, Kardashians, for making brows a thing people are universally obsessed with! Hehe.

On days when I'm in a hurry, I use under-eye concealer, a little mascara, this brow gel, and leave. Having neat, shapely brows makes my face look put together, even when I barely have makeup on.

This product is technically a clear mascara, but I use it as a brow gel and it works just as well. After filling in your brows, it's a great way to get them to keep their shape all day long.

Confession: before purchasing this product a few months ago, I would use a comb and hairspray to get my brows to stay in place all day. Classy, huh?

Okay, ignore the tacky selfie and ignore that I cut my face off - I took this to show how well this product works, but I look 100% cross-eyed in this picture, so...the rest of my face had to go.

I actually haven't had my brows done in months (because I'm lazy) and so this picture features them as grown out as they get, but filled in and styled with my brow gel.

The point is, brow gel covers all manner of sins.

5. Hair powder.

Shoutout to all my Southern girls - the higher the hair, the closer to God, amirite??

I have come to call this product "hair velcro." It is an absolutely unreal little powder that, when sprinkled on your scalp, gives you volume and texture that locks in freakin' place for hours and hours. You can lightly tease your hair and sprinkle this on to hold the shape, or use only the powder for nearly the same results.

I have lots of very fine hair, so getting it to hold a style has always been a challenge. This sweet little power is the antidote to having to carry around a teasing comb (because I do) in my purse for the moments when my hair falls flat as a board.

Okay, friends - now I'm inspired to go take a shower and get super-glam! But in reality, I'm going to put on workout clothes and clean the bathroom floor. Such is life.

Happy weekend!

5 Things: Kitchen Tool Roundup

January 29, 2016 Mary Catherine Scott

Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday.

RIP, Rebecca Black's career.

I've been cooking a LOT lately - like all three meals at home for the last two weeks straight. Being snowed in doesn't make for easy restaurant access! But, you know, snow - so definitely worth it.

I thought I'd share the utensils that I find myself reaching for over and over. This is not about featuring the "nicest" tools in my kitchen; rather, these are absolutely the most useful things I have in my kitchen. Not pictured: my Ove Glove. Which I actually use every day. So just pretend that's in there.

1. Stick Blender.
My trusty stick blender comes in handy when I need to blend batter, crush tomatoes, whip egg whites into meringues, or make the world's fluffiest scrambled eggs. It's way more convenient than lugging my large blender from its storage space underneath the counter, and it's dishwasher-safe, so the cleanup is so easy. You can buy this one here!

2. Single-Serve French Press.
I had never used a French press until we received one as a wedding gift, but it completely changed the way I drink coffee. French press coffee is so intensely flavorful. It requires no electricity - nothing but hot water and fresh grounds - and you will seriously never go back. This is perfect for mornings when I only want a cup, and would also be the ideal size to travel with or take to work. You'd never have to depend on someone to make another pot again. At $25, this is a steal. Buy it on Amazon here!

3. Biscuit Cutters in Assorted Sizes.
These bad boys are used a LOT in my house. For biscuits (obviously), but also for cutting consistently shaped cookies out of dough, cutting circles out of bread for eggs in a basket - I love that these guys nest into each other for easy, aesthetic storage, and allow me to make pretty desserts that are all the same size. Found them online here.

4. Miniature Glass Bowls.
Oh. My. Gosh. I love these bowls so much. These were literally #1 on my Christmas list this year. I use them to portion out ingredients before I start cooking or baking, to carry peanut butter in if I'm snacking on the go, to serve nuts on a cheese plate, for yogurt every morning - the list goes on and on. I have four bowls and four plastic lids, but I could have 50 and still find ways to use them all. Impossible to convey the value of these guys. This link has a version that's pretty close to mine - and on Amazon Prime, no less! Buy them. You will not be sorry.

5. Stainless Scoop and Cutter
Saved the best for last. Don't you hate it when you're chopping vegetables and you try to transfer them to your pan by balancing them on your knife, but they end up all over the floor? Worry. No. More. This tool is the ultimate in convenience for transferring any foods from one surface to another, for chopping those last few veggies you may have missed, and for tossing in the dishwasher when you're finished.

I got this tool in my stocking from my grandmother Nonnie a few years ago, and use it every single time I cook. It is my best friend in the kitchen. Buy one for $7 on Amazon here - I guarantee you, it'll be the best $6 you've spent in a long time. If you buy one and are disappointed, I'll buy you lunch.

Happy cooking! Have a great weekend, friends. See you Monday!

You have too much stuff.

January 13, 2016 Mary Catherine Scott

If you're feeling accused at this moment, rest assured it's because I have come to the conclusion that almost everyone I know has too much stuff. Chiefly, me.

You may be one of those wonderful, rare unicorns who is capable of getting a card from their grandparents and thinking, "This was so sweet. And I'll cherish the memory of getting this card. But the thing, not so much." Aaaaand into the garbage it goes. Because, #clean.

If so, you are a "Jordan." You are not a "me."

That 5th grade fun run t-shirt you gave away immediately? I still have it. Oh, did you want to see a note I passed with my friend Ginny Tyler in middle school? Gotcha. Gimme a sec and I'll root through MILLIONS OF BOXES to get it for you.

This is my life.

As I'm sure all of you who identify as My Fellow Packrats understand, getting rid of things is really, really hard. Every item is attached to a memory, and if you purge, you might forget it!

This problem, which had already consumed my life, compounded on itself when I got married. All at once, I was merging my (endless sea of) stuff with Jordan's stuff, then we got all of these unbelievably generous wedding gifts. And then, to add to the hilarity, my parents moved from Alabama to Oklahoma, forcing me to go over there and take every single one of the 30 (not an exaggeration) boxes of my old stuff to my 2/2 house in Homewood.

HOLY PANIC ATTACK.

Jordan didn't have tons of sympathy for me while sorting through literally decades of childhood memories (I could have been cleaning as I went, obviously), meanwhile I was feeling REALLY sorry for myself, a la famous ugly crier Kim Kardashian:

When I say I am a packrat, I mean that when I went to get my boxes from my parents, there was an entire large laundry hamper full of ONLY Chi O t-shirts. This is not a drill. This is not an exaggeration.

So I've been reading up on ways to de-clutter your life, because I just feel like it's time. Apart from the obvious physical nuisance that too much stuff is, it poses a moral question for me: why do I have this much stuff sitting around? Aren't there other people who could be using it?

In Marie Kondo's (who is a mastermind and you should look her up immediately) books, she proposes three ideas that have changed things at Chez Scott:

"Thanking something for its service." How beautiful is that? So: the items you're holding onto because they were gifts and you feel guilty throwing them/giving them away? Thank them for their service, and let them move to their next purpose.
Asking yourself, "Does this item spark joy?" She suggests confronting every single item in your house and getting real with yourself - does that item truly make you happy? If not, it's time to thank it for its service and say goodbye.
Making your items happy. Does that shirt look like it wants to be folded or hung up? Do your books need dusting? Treat your items with respect.

Jordan and I decided this past weekend that we needed a closet/clothing overhaul. Here was our method.

We each chose three items of clothing that we knew we LOVED and would never give away. Those items were our barometer for whether future items "sparked joy."
One person sat on the edge of our bed, and the other person held up every single item of that person's clothing, like a personal assistant (this is what made it fun). The person who owned the item directed the other person to place it into one of five piles:
1. Give away
2. Throw away (for items that are too damaged for anyone to get use out of)
3. Tailor/dry clean
4. Nostalgia pile
5. Keep in the closet

This may sound like a lot, but let me explain a couple of them.

3. Tailor/dry clean: We were SHOCKED at the number of items that we own and never wear simply because they're stained or ill-fitting. Jordan has so many shirts and I have almost 10 pairs of pants that just don't quite fit correctly. So we decided to nip this in the bud and finally give these items the respect they deserve.
4. Nostalgia pile: Jordan always laments that his dad didn't keep any of his shirts from growing up in the 60's and 70's, so Jordan wanted to make sure his future son has lots to choose from. These are the items that we don't wear enough to stay in the closet, but we want to hold onto for sentimental reasons. We also promised we'd go back through this box regularly to edit as necessary.

This process was AMAZING. I can't say enough about how freeing it was to see all the clothes we'd decided to send away from our house in some form or another. Here are our results:

White box is of stuff we're sending to my friends and relatives who wanted it, center box is the "nostalgia pile," and right-hand box is full of things we're donating.

All of these hangers represent clothes that used to be in our home, but aren't anymore:

And our bureau and chest of drawers, which used to be literally bursting (I couldn't fit any more of Jordan's t-shirts on his shelf so the shelves were buckled up) is now so minimalist that I can't believe we didn't do this years ago:

Sorry for the alarmingly bad photo quality here.

Ultimately, this process made us feel SO great and so much lighter, in a strange way. I will say, though, as much as I wanted to pat myself on the back, this is something that's so overdue. Ladies, I'm talking to us here - it's so easy to fall victim to the lie that more = better. It's the myth of the fashion blogger.

"I have a trench coat, but I don't have a sleeveless trench coat." - Something I have actually said out loud before.

"But I've worn this in front of these people before, I don't want them to see me in it again." - Another thing that has for sure come out of my mouth. Many times.

There are so many people on this planet who are scraping what they have together in order to make their lives work, and I'm sifting through boxes of clothes I never wear.

It's a gut punch.

Going through our clothes has now made me very conscious of what I'm going to buy in the future. I actually made a list of the things I need, like a new pair of tennis shoes (mine are actually falling apart) or a new pair of glasses for Jordan (his are eight years old), and I won't buy anything that isn't on that list.

Excess isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Especially when my neighbor doesn't have enough.

(Note: I'm aware that not everything I want to give away can be of use. Homeless shelters are constantly getting some things (like M-L men's shirts) and not others (like new socks or XXXL men's shirts), so it's worth researching what can be helpful!)

So, are you ready to feel better and do your part to help in the process - ready? GO!