Kate Klein Design

Frugal Fashion

Katherine Klein — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:16:50 -0700

Check out the Fall Fashion Preview in Juice this week. This week's edition highlights trends for fall from work to weekend. Sarah Dose of Juice gave me the challenge to select fall pieces from large discount retailers. Of course, instantly, a big red bulls-eye popped into my head, but...I was not allowed to go to Target. Instead, I perused the isles of Wal-Mart and K-mart and found some great outfits and separates for both men and women!!

My favorite finds came from K-mart...a black pencil skirt and pair of black patent leather ballet flats. Both items great for work. It was difficult to choose only a few pieces for men. I found Wrangler jeans, in a dark wash, paired them with a chocolate brown waffle knit shirt detailed with a screen-printed crest on the front. Layer with an orange plaid shirt and you have a stylish but casual weekend outfit for fall...all for under $40.

Check out my finds at dmjuice.com. It was a fun challenge and I think both retailers carry a stylish and super-affordable selection of clothing to fit your lifestyle!

Photo on Flickr by rantfoil

Room Makeover

Katherine Klein — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:38:24 -0700

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!! We are well underway in the Juice/Kate Klein Design Room Makeover contest!! I can't reveal the winner or the before/after shots for a few more weeks!! Sorry!!

I selected a fun paint color for the contest winner and coincidently she shared that she has carried almost the identical shade in her purse for years because she loved the color. I think we are off to a good start!

On another note, check out piperlime.com this week. (I have referenced shoes from the website in some of my previous posts). Right now, the company is holding a contest called "Be a Designer." Tell Piperlime why you should win an all-expense paid trip to NYC and have the opportunity to design a pair of shoes to be sold exclusively on Piperlime.com. Yes, I have already entered!! The contest runs until August 14 so check it out!

Photo on Flickr by AmberLu

Insalata Caprese

Katherine Klein — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:18:00 -0700

Okay...this is a repeat. I published this post back in April. Insalata Caprese is my absolute favorite summer salad! One of my friends brought me tomatoes from his garden yesterday, and it has inspired me to prepare the salad this weekend. Insalata Caprese is absolutely delicious with home grown tomatoes, so now is the perfect time. AND...I absolutely love the photographs my neighor Holly captured from our April photo shoot. Enjoy!

Last weekend our neighborhood gathered together and had a BBQ. The evening was warm and I thought it would be the perfect time to make Insalata Caprese. Insalata Caprese is an Italian salad that literally means Salad of Capri. Capri is an island off of Italy. The recipe is simple and only takes minutes to make!

All you need are tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. I like to add balsamic vinegar to complement the olive oil but the authentic Italian version does not include balsamic vinegar. Vine ripened tomatoes in the summer months make this salad irresistible.

I can't wait until summer to make this salad so I usually use plum tomatoes in the interim. Try stacking the tomato and mozzarella slices. This makes for an impressive presentation. If you are using plum tomatoes as I did above, try slicing the tomatoes in half. After slicing tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, drizzle olive oil and balmsamic vinegar (optional). Add salt and pepper to taste. This dish makes for a striking presentation with minimal effort!

I must take this opportunity to introduce my photographer, Holly Eggleston. Holly was so kind to share her talents with me and take photographs. I hope to share more of her talent in upcoming posts. Thanks Holly!

Photos by Holly Eggleston

Greg is Going to Cali

Katherine Klein — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:26:47 -0700

Meet Greg. Greg is a friend of mine who is headed out to sunny California soon! He grew up in Iowa and is a graduate of Iowa State University. He will join his adorable girlfriend in California at the end of August. Greg will continue to work in the financial industry when he relocates.

My mission? To find affordable, yet stylish work AND casual attire for him. To the left, is a before shot. The guy doesn't necessarily need a makeover. His outfit looks great...although he did say we may be able to work with the hair a bit! Greg is a young professional who needs to dress the part but is on a budget just like many of us. I know that his job in the financial industry will require suits, shirts, ties, khakis, you name it!

My goal for Greg is to find some versatile clothes that he can mix and match as well as some key, foundation pieces to his wardrobe. I will show him how easy it is to dress for success and keep some change in his pocket...maybe to save for something small, round and sparkly...

Check back mid-August to see the "after" photos and send Greg off West!!

Fashion Camp Right Here in Iowa

Katherine Klein — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:43:51 -0700

Cotton and General Growth Properties are conducting seven, week-long fashion camps across the country this summer. Guess what? Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines is one of the locations participating in the camp. Right now, this week, General Growth Properties and Jordan Creek are hosting 28 vibrant high school students participating in Cotton's Fashion Camp.

I was honored to be the guest speaker today and share my story about Kate Klein Design. All the students are from Iowa and the majority of the women and one gentleman are from the Des Moines area. Many attend Central Campus in downtown Des Moines. The camp is led by producer/art director/stylist Karl Marshall and his wife from Dallas, TX and sponsored by Seventeen Magazine. The students were awesome and asked great questions! It was apparent that many of them were incredibly enthusiastic about the fashion industry.

I had a blast and it was exciting to see men and women so passionate about what they want to accomplish. I hope I impressed upon them that they can pursue their dreams right here in Des Moines, IA. Sure, NYC and LA are the fashion hot spots but GREAT things can be accomplished right here in the Midwest!!!

Thanks again for having me and I look forward to working with many of you soon!

Dress for Success

Katherine Klein — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:42:12 -0700

I read an interesting article in the Business section of the Des Moines Register today. The article, "Casual attire causes confusion and some backlash" by Stephanie Armour of USA Today, provided an update on corporate attire and the confusion of employees who attempt to adhere to one's corporate dress code.

It was a timely read because as many of us know companies are reverting back toward more conservative work attire after the dot-com boom inpsired casual dress. According to Armour, younger employees are more likely to push the envelope, rankling more veterans who have worked in offices where suits and skirts were expected. I do agree, employees, particulary younger employees, have his or her own opinion of office appropriate work attire. The article continues to say that the mishmash of conflicting policies has created confusion and a host of fashion faux pas.

Not every work enviroment calls for a suit and tie. I had a similiar conversation with a gentleman last week. I said to him that you have to dress the part. Please do not get me wrong, khakis and polos shirts are great in the appropriate work environment. Ask yourself...what kind of work do you do? What kind of industry? What is the office environment? Do you see clients daily? What kind of clients do you call on?

It is true what they say, how you dress and present yourself does play into your oppporunity for a promotion. Don't come dressed for work ready for the weekend. Please keep your work attire separate from your weekend attire. I think too many people arrive at work on Friday morning already checked out for the weekend. And... my favorite, when in doubt, don't.

Dressing more appropriately in your place of employment and adhereing to company dress code will make you sit up taller in your chair. It has been proven that employees are more productive when dressed appropriately for the workplace. The stairs at the Tippie College of Business in the John Pappajohn Building, at the University of Iowa, are steep and each flight requires a sharp turn. The stairs were purposely constructed this way so students walked with confidence and had no choice but to hold their head up high. Be proud of who you are and what you do. Take pride and present yourself appropriately to your clients and co-workers.

Photo on Flickr by frscspd

Well-Traveled

Katherine Klein — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 21:38:01 -0700

Michael Libbie asked me on his show to suggest a home decor idea that one could use to decorate from an everyday object. I have a stack of vintage luggage displayed in one corner of my living room. I am going to move them into a bedroom to serve as a nightstand. The three pieces of vintage luggage are simply reproductions from Hobby Lobby. Stack three hat boxes on top of an armoire or pile three suitcases at the foot of your bed to add interest to a bedroom. Luggage can also be stacked by a sofa to serve as an end table. Use a few suitcases for actual storage and place on the bottom shelf of a bookcase.

Vintage luggage and hat box replications are readily available at craft stores. I have found unique pieces at boutiques, for a slightly higher price tag. The three pieces I own have a tattered newsprint design. If you find a solid color suitecase add some interest and add vintage travel labels. Vintage travel labels can be found at craft and scrapbook supply stores. A great deal is from stampington.com. The site sells 24 sheets of "Bon Voyage" labels for under $14.00 (see image to right).

Love those red shoes!!

Photo on Flickr by koreana

Insight On My Interview

Katherine Klein — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:02:18 -0700

Thank you to Michael Libbie of Insight Marketing, Advertising & Communications, for the invitation to be his guest on his Sunday morning radio show, Highway 6 - Your Road to the Country, on 98.3 WOW-FM. I met Michael at an executive speed networking event this past June. Michael and I caught up and chatted this morning. It was my first radio interview so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Michael made it easy to converse that I think I had relaxed a bit by the first commercial! Michael has a great radio presence. I highly recommend to listen each Sunday morning as well as read his blog.

Michael was so kind to promote the Juice/Kate Klein Design $1,000 Room Makeover contest that runs thru this Wednesday. I do know entries have been submitted to Juice but you still have a few more days to submit your photo and tell us why your room deserves to win the makeover!! I can't wait to select a winner!

Thanks again Michael! I had fun and apologize for being directionally challenged, but relieved I found the studio in the nick of time!

Accents Made Easy

Katherine Klein — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:29:33 -0700

I have another EASY idea to share. I know I have said this before, but I like to find different uses for everyday objects. I hope I'm not starting to sound like a broken record! Haha! The photo to the left is a candle ring that I hung on a doorknob with a satin ribbon, to resemble a wreath. The door I chose is in a hallway and the candle ring adds interest and a little personality. It is best to chose a door that does not get much use. For me, it is my water heater closet and I never open the door...and when I do, it will probably be time for a new water heater!

I recommend purchasing wide satin ribbon to hang a candle ring over a door knob. In the fall, I use one made of autumn-colored leaves and a chocolate brown ribbon. The candle rings are available at various craft stores and many disount retailers carry a small seasonal collection during holidays. This one is easy, inexpensive and takes less then a minute to put together. Who doesn't want to save time and money??

Seven Budget Friendly Ideas from Nate Berkus

Katherine Klein — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 05:03:11 -0700

Since we are on the topic of home interiors and room makeovers, I thought this might be a fitting post to kick off the week. Check out seven budget friendly decorating tips from Nate Berkus on lifestyle.msn.com today. Nate is Oprah's decorating go-to guy. Nate suggests some great ideas for your home that cost almost nothing!! One of my favorite ideas is to frame a meaningful note or letter to display on a buffet table or bookshelf.

Photo courtesy of blog.sofeminine.co.uk