Christmastime

I hope you are all having the best Christmas filled with friends, family, and maybe some fun new gifts. I've been in Sanibel, FL since Sunday and it's absolutely perfect for the holidays. Here are a few Instagrams of what I've been up to:

My brother and I on Christmas Eve, the island is filled with pretty lights! 

My family exchanged gifts before we left for vacay, but I decided to surprise them with a few more goodies on Christmas morning. Wrapping gifts is my fav!

It's not Christmas without a selfie in a Santa hat

My mom and I made a sand snowman on the beach today :)

A bike ride lead us through a jungle filled with pretty twinkling lights

Definitely the best way to spend Christmas day!

What are you doing for Christmas this year?

Going Organic

I've been trying out some all organic beauty products, and let me just say, I'm in love.

I was recently out to dinner with a friend for her birthday, and her boyfriend got her a lotion that she was so excited about. She literally was freaking out. I never heard of it before but definitely wanted to know more because of her reaction! The lotion was Juice Beauty's Stem Cellular Moisturizer and she told me she swears by it. I tried a little on my hand and immediately noticed it smelled so good. Very lemon-y and fresh. It also made my hands super soft almost immediately.

So being the person I am I went to the store a few days later and picked some up myself. After using it for a few weeks I'd never go back to the lotion I was using before! I put it in on my face every night and my skin has been super soft ever since. People keep telling me how nice my skin looks, I swear this lotion is magic. I also picked up some hand cream and have been using it all over after showers! It's also amazing!

Green Apple Firming Body Moisturizer | Stem Cellular Moisturizer 

I highly, highly recommend this lotion if you're looking for something new to try! It's not oily (which is a big factor for me) and feels amazing. 

Have you tried organic beauty products before? What do you think?

The Holiday Season!

This time of year is great for so many reasons. I love all the pretty ornaments, sparkly lights, making snowmen, giving gifts and of course holiday parties! What could be better than putting on a sequin skirt, big jewelry, some fun heels, and partying with friends and family? Nothing, in my book.

 Yesterday my family had our company Christmas party at a really pretty country club. My mom and I went in the photobooth and played around with some of the props, it was so fun!

 

Get ready for a photo overload, of course I had to take lots of pics. I'm wishing I had KJP photo skills right about now!

The Christmas tree in the foyer was gorgeous! 

My mom and I in front of the tree. 

Pretty fireplace

I loved these gold reindeer centerpieces

I wore a little black dress with a fun crisscross back paired with a J.Crew necklace and strappy heels! 

This necklace is gorgeous, I absolutely love it

Last but not least, I've been getting the OPI gel manicures, and I recently got black polish with gold ombre glitter, I think it'll be just perfect for New Years! 

How is your holiday season going?

Kate Spade Surprise Sale!

Oh how much I love waking up to a Kate Spade Surprise Sale (and sometimes shopping during class, oops!). There are so many things I'm in love with! I also think the Halloween themed banners are adorable :) Here are some of my favorite items:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

How cute are those yellow flats? I kind of love them! 

Leave it to Sarah Vickers to rock them. Don't forget to shop fast! The items sell out really quickly. 

What are some of your favorite?

Quilted Coats for Winter

When I left my apartment this morning I was absolutely not ready for the wave of freezing cold air that hit me. Literally, it feels like it could snow at any minute. Today was the first day it has been so cold, and my lightweight North Face raincoat is definitely not going to cut it any longer. 

During the cold months I usually rely on my warm and cozy peacoat, but I'm kind of loving some of the quilted coats I've been seeing popping up. I think it might be time to add some new jackets to my wardrobe!

Barbour | L.L. Bean | J. Crew

Do you have a quilted jacket you love? 

Favorite Fall Nails

Oh how I love breaking out the fall nail polish! Bright pinks and reds are great in the summer, but something about dark nail polish feels so cozy and chic. My nails never go unpainted, and right now I'm wearing OPI's I'm Not Really A Waitress. It's a really pretty dark red with a lot of shine, I love it for fall!

Side note, Pinterest inspired me to make chocolate covered ghost cookies and they are DELISH! Anyway, here is my list of favorite fall colors. Jewel tones are my absolute favorite, and I'm also loving metallic for fall. Gold nail polish is a new obsession of mine!  

1. Butter - British Racing Green

2. Essie - Bahama Mama

3. Butter - Saucy Jack

4. Essie - After School Boy Blazer

5. Butter - Union Jack Black

6. Essie - Hot Coco

7. Nars - Versailles

What are your favorite nail colors for fall?

Time spent unhappy...

A little pick-me-up for this gloomy Thursday. The cold gross weather always puts a damper on my mood, hopefully this thought will cheer you up to!

If that doesn't work, check out today's #tbt. My brother and I were Ariel and a cowboy for Halloween '97 :) How great is that wig?! 

Hope you're having a great day!

The White Tee

The white tee is undoubtedly one of the most essential pieces in a wardrobe. Being in college at a school where everyone dresses very casually to class, I find myself rocking a white tee an awful lot. Whether it be with a simple pair of jeans, leggings and riding boots, or paired with a cute jean jacket, it's versatile and super easy to style.

Whowhatwear, one of my favorite fashion blogs, wrote a post today on ways to style the classic white tee, and I really loved some of their ideas. Here are my favorites, and how I would work their tips!

1 | White tee + leather 

Shirt | Pants | Loafers

2 | White tee + neon

Shirt | Skirt | Necklace | Pumps

3 | White tee + statement bag

Shirt | Jeans | Bag | Sunnies

4 | White tee + sequins

Blazer | Shirt | Pants | Pumps

What's your favorite way to style a white tee?

Adjustment Season

This time of year is always a strange time for me. With a break in the weather, leaves turning, and wardrobes becoming more cozy, fall is a naturally a time of change. But it is also a time of change for me personally. It seems that every year at this time my life makes drastic shifts that can sometimes be scary to deal with. Moving away from home and into a new place with new people, as well as going through a break up, have definitely been the hardest changes for me over this time of year I like to call "adjustment season."

Yesterday in class my professor asked the question, is it a basic characteristic of human nature to resist change?

Yes, I absolutely think so.

Change is hard and can be scary. You can try to avoid it as much as possible but it's part of life. Even though I know this is a hard time, somehow things always have a way of feeling normal again. Wherever you end up, even if it's different than what you wanted, is where you're supposed to be. My challenge for myself is to embrace and accept change, because that's the only way to continue growing as a person.

The leaves changing is one of the most beautiful parts of fall, and really of any time of the year. It just goes to show how beautiful change can really be.

Have you been going through any changes? How do you deal with it?

Color, Sport, Leather

T-Minus one week until Labor Day, aka the official last day of summer. It's almost time to say goodbye to the beloved white jeans, but hello to the fall layers! J.Crew put together several outfits for fall under the categories Color, Sport, Leather, and Camo. Here are my favorites!

Sweater | Chambray | Boy Trouser | Pumps | Bag | Sunnies  

Sweater | Top | Pants | Watch | Pumps

Top | Pants | Necklace | Pumps

What looks are you loving for fall?

Keds for Kate Spade

I have just recently discovered how essential a good pair of sneakers really is in your wardrobe. I don't mean athletic sneakers, I would definitely not wear them when I'm trying to look nice. But a cute pair of sneakers can totally come in handy during in-between seasons like fall and spring. I would wear them with a cute pair or shorts or even a little sundress.

I love the new Ked's for Kate Spade line, colorful sneakers with apples and polka dots! I especially like the white/black pair.

Jump Sneaker | Kick Sneaker

What do you think of these sneakers? Do you have a pair that you love?

How To Get Along With Your Roommate

Having a roommate can be difficult no matter what year in college you are, and just about everything has at least one bad experience. It's just part of college. Personally, my roommate freshman year was so hard to live with. She was sloppy, lazy, partied WAY too hard (I'm totally down for partying, but not when you're sick every night), and just plain unpleasant to be around. Luckily now my roommate is my best friend and we get along so well. We've had the last couple years to figure out how to keep the peace, so I've put together a few tips for having a drama-free year. 

1 | Set ground rules
Before even beginning your year together, it's important to set ground rules. This will prevent lots of drama from even happening in the first place. Set some rules about who cleans what and when, how messy you're willing to let your room get, and how often and when you're allowed to have guests stay over. Believe me, you might think these things are not a big deal at first, but they can quickly become a problem.

2 | Be flexible 

If you want to keep the peace you have to compromise. If your roomie does something little that bothers you, if it's not really a big deal then try to brush it off. For example, if she likes to stay up late on the computer while you're trying to sleep, invest in a cute sleep mask so the light doesn't bother you. Sometimes it's better to let little things go then to start a fight.

3 | Take time away from each other

Even if you love your roomie, it's always a good idea to take some time apart. It's super easy to get sick of someone where you spend every waking moment with them. Go to the gym after class, get dinner with another friend, or head to the library for a few hours. If you spend too much time together the little things can really start to bother you. Taking some time away will keep things going strong for you and your roomz. 

4 | Respect privacy and boundaries 

Even though you share the same room it's important for you and your roommate to have your privacy. If they are just getting out of the shower and going to change, leave the room for a few minutes. If you know they're having a personal conversation on the phone, give them some privacy. Yes, it is your room too, but eveyone likes a little privacy every once in awhile. It's all about respect.

I hope some of these tips help if you're getting a new roommate or even living with your best friend! Here's too a happy, drama-free year!

What are some of your tips for getting along with your roomie?

Liebster Award

Hunter from Prep on a Budget nominated me for the the Liebster Award yesterday and I'm so excited! The Liebster Award is give to recognize smaller blogs (less than 200 followers) with great potential. “Liebster” is German for “favorite.” So this award is the “favorite blog award!”

I did some online perusing and found these rules...

• Thank the blogger who nominated you along with a link back to their site.
• Copy and paste the award on your blog.
• Answer a few get-to-know-you fun facts that the nominator would like to learn more about you.
• Pass along this award to other deserving bloggers (5 minimum).
• Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog.
• Be sure to share your get-to-know-you fun facts with your nominator.

There are a million different rules online, but Hunter posted to list 11 facts about yourself, answer 11 questions by the person who nominated you, then nominate 11 other bloggers and have them answer 11 questions. Phew! 

So, on to the facts!

1 | I'm studying Communication Management and aspire to work in marketing. Oh, and I graduate in May (but I'm in denial so, shhh.)
2 | I straighten my hair just about daily because it is a curly mess otherwise!
3 | My favorite nail polish is OPI My Chihuahua Bites or Essie Bachelorette Bash
4 | I have a sick obsession with stationary and other tabletop trinkets
5 | I drive an "atomic blue" Honda Civic and it's my baby!
6 | I'm a sister of Pi Beta Phi, ppl <3
7 | I studied in Rome last summer and it was the best experience of my life. I absolutely fell in love with Italia!
8 | I was cheer captain in high school and miss it so much!
9 | I love 90s music! Summer Hits of the 90s is my favorite Pandora station
10 | Charlotte is my favorite Sex and the City character because she is classy and fabulous
11 | I have a Westie named Scottie and have always wanted a pet bunny!

Question from Prep on a Budget

1 | What genre of books/movies do you like?
A little bit of everything as long as there is a good story line and realistic characters

2 | What trend are you loving?
Leopard print, loafers, peplum shirts, and lots of beaded deatil

3 | Where is your ideal vacation?
Laying on the beach with a cocktail and a good book!

4 | Navy or Pink?
If  I can't have them together, I prefer pink!

5 | Who or what inspires you the most?
Classic styles like that of Jackie O inspire my wardrobe, as well as modern fashion bloggers!

6 | What type of music do you like?

A little country, a little pop, and a little indie!

7 | What store do you find yourself shopping at constantly?

J.Crew and Nordstrom are the two biggest!

8 | What is your guilty pleasure movie or tv show? 

Dirty Dancing, Tangled, Million Dollar Listing, and Keeping up With the Kardashians are definitely my guilty pleasures. But let's keep that on the DL :) 

9 | What is your favorite animal? 

Cute little puppies

10 | What is your favorite dessert?

Chocolate mousse. Or really anything chocolaty. 

11 | Why did you start blogging?

Love of fashion/style/accessories, love of writing, finding a new hobby that I love, and meeting other great bloggers!

My nominations are...

Rachel - Sunshine and Sinatra

Olivia - Prep Essentials

Rachel - Glitter & Bow

Christine - Girls and their Pearls

Rachel - Makeshift Munch

Charlie - The Preppy Graduate

Megan - Summers in Seersucker

And the questions...

1 | What is your current favorite fashion trend?
2 | Why did you decide to start blogging?
3 | What is your dream job?
4 | What is your favorite nail polish color to wear?
5 | Ballet flats or heels?
6 | How would you describe your style?
7 | Favorite stores to shop at?
8 | If you could purchase one investment piece (expensive bag, pair of shoes, etc.) what would it be?
9 | What is the story behind the name of your blog?
10 | If you could live in one city, where would it be?
11 | What is your favorite meal to cook?

Thanks again for nominating me, Hunter! You're the sweetest!

Friday Favs 8/16

Happy Friday! I hope your week was fantastic and your weekend is going to be even better! As I mentioned in my last post this week was super busy for me, I packed everything up and moved to school! I'm finally feeling pretty settled besides forgetting a couple items at home, oops!

Anyway, here is what I'm loving this week.

1 | Loafers

Monogrammed Slipper | Suede Loafers | Calf Hair Loafers

When loafers first started getting popular I wasn't sure about the look. To be honest, I thought they were just plain ugly. Like, a smoking slipper? What? However, the style is starting to grow on me and I'm now coveting the J.Crew leopard pair!

2 | My kitchen! 

I'm having so much fun decorating/setting up my new apartment, and I'm in love with my kitchen! To be honest I'm really just psyched about the fact that I finally have a dishwasher at school. Yay! 

3 | DIY Vases

I love the look of these vases; colorful, simple, and chic. I'm always looking for cute new, and easy, ways to decorate and these look great! Check out the DIY here. 

4 | Ben's Garden Trinket Tray

Definitely words to live by. This tray from Nordstrom would look so cute on a coffee table or vanity.

5 | Dream Closets

I'm swooning over all of the gorgeous dream closets on Pinterest. I love this closet for the mirrored top on the dresser and the Moroccan tile wall! So pretty! 

What are you loving this week?

Hope you have a great weekend!

Life Update

Hello from Dayton, Ohio! Yesterday I packed up my life into two cars and moved into my new apartment! I'm loving it, it's nice and new with lots of space for the 4 of us. I'm working on getting into a new routine after so many things have changed in my life this week, and more blog posts are sure to come! Can't wait to see what this year brings! Thanks for being patient as I re-adjust!

Friday Favs 8/9

Happy Friday to you! I hope you all had a great week and are gonna have an even better weekend. Here are a few things I'm loving this week- 

Denim Jackets | A perfect summer-fall transition item. I love denim jackets paired with maxi dresses, patterned button downs, or bright pants. I like this one from J.Crew or this one from Gap!

Party Tonight | I'm loving this quote right now; Live for today, plan for tomorrow, party tonight!

Sparkle Pedicure | Yesterday my mom and I went for pedicures and I decided to try something a little different! I got white polish with ombre coral color glitter on top! Very fun and sparkly for the end of summer!

Monogrammed Vase | These vases from Etsy are so cute! They are super pricey, so I would substitute for a glass vase like this one.

Pink Shutters & Doors | I love this look. So pretty and girly and looks really welcoming!

What are you loving this week?

Have a great weekend!

In honor of Shark Week...

...some fun shark themed items for you!

Shark Box | Tooth Bracelet | Throw Pillow | Shark Print Scarf |
Shark Tooth Slippers | Shark Wall Art | Shark Pouch | Save the Sharks Palette

Remember, live every week like it's shark week.

Anthropologie Finds

Last night I met up with a friend for dinner and drinks at this great restaurant called Paladar. I've never been there before but the food was absolutely delicious! I got the Chimichurri Portobello Grill which is a portobello mushroom on top of spinach and rich. So. Good. Oh, and the blueberry lemon mojito was delish as well.

Like a little (alcoholic) fruit salad in a glass. 

I picked up these bad boys from Amazon as well, and was super excited to wear them for the first time. Only $9 too! 

Anyway, after dinner we stopped into Anthropologie and I decided I had to create a lust list because I saw so many things that I loved. 

1 | There were SO many cute books in store that I wanted to buy all of them and stack them on a coffee table. And maybe read some too ;) But really the covers are all so pretty. I flipped through (and fell in love with) The Gospel According to Coco Chanel, Lunch in Paris, Paris Street Style, and Les Petits Macarons.

2 | You can never go wrong with a stripped tee. I like the little details on the Fairfield Top - the leather pocket and button-up back make it special!

3 | I saw the Cadet Argyle Satchel on display and fell in love. I LOVE the color and the tassel on the zipper!

4 | Anthro's perfume bottles are so pretty and delicate. I saw a set of three in the store and thought they would look so great on the mirrored tray on my vanity!

5 | Prettiest teacup set ever. Makes me want to sit on a terrace overlooking the countryside and sip fine tea. Haha.

Hope your Thursday is going fabulously! 

Back To School Essentials

One week from today I'll be moving into my new apartment at school! I love move in and I can't wait to get back. The beginning of the year is great because the weather is nice, people are outside on their porches, and everyone is just plain excited to be together again. 

I will be a senior and yes, I'm totally depressed about it. School is my happy place and I don't want to leave! However I am excited to see where the next step in life takes me. ANYWAY, for those of you also going back to school (or starting for the first time!), I've put together a list of essential items for making it to class in style. 

Tote | I use a Longchamp Le Pliage to carry around my books for class and love it. I can literally fit anything and everything in this bag, it's great. If you're looking for recommendations, check out this post!

Rain Jacket | I can't even tell you the amount of times it has started to rain while I've been in class and I get suck walking home in a downpour. I've learned the hard way to bring a rain coat with me, just in case. I use a North Face rain jacket, but I also love this monogrammed jacket from Marley Lilly, or this one from Etsy!

Supplies | One of the best parts of starting a new year is stocking up on new school supplies. Fun pens, pencils, and other desk accessories make taking notes and writing papers so much more enjoyable.

Agenda | I don't know where I'd be without a planner! I literally can't remember anything unless I write it down. I use it to keep track of assignments, sorority functions, and football games too! Some of my favorites are the Lilly agendas, the new Kate Spade agendas, and May Books!

Hydration | I seem to enjoy life more when I have a drink in my hand. Whether it be coffee, water, or Diet Coke, it helps me get though class. I like this monogrammed Tervis tumbler, or this one from Etsy. Of course I couldn't leave out a monogrammed to-go Wine tumbler! So awesome!

Comfy Shoes | Comfy shoes are crucial for walking to class, especially if you're running late (like me 90% of the time). Comfy sneakers, sandals, or ballet flats are my go-to.

What are your BTS essentials?

Leopard Lust

I know I've mentioned it many times before, but I really love leopard print. It is easy to wear because the colors are neutral, but it adds a little extra pattern to spice up an outfit. I love it for all seasons, but with fall on its way I especially love calf hair to add some warm texture. I've put together a few of my current favorite leopard items, as well as looks that I love. 

Sunnies | Watch | Bag | Pumps | Scarf | Phone Case | Bangle | Belt | Flats

There are literally a million ways to style leopard, but I personally like little pops of accessories that don't overwhelm the outfit. I especially like it paired with chambray, stripes, and other neutrals! Here are some of my favorite looks-

via
Leopard blazer with chambray and neutral accessories

via
Leopard scarf with stripes and mint shorts!

via
Leopard blouse with black skirt (shout out to the sock bun, too.)

via
Leopard clutch with camel dress


via
Leopard with a pink shoe, so cute!

via
Leopard gloves, how amazing are these? DYING. 

What are you favorite leopard items? How do you style them?