SOCIAL MEDIA

Friday, August 29, 2014

Cheers to the Weekend + Links

Weekend mode: ON

Are you as pumped for labor day weekend as I am? Although it's just one extra day off, it makes such a huge difference in extending the weekend! This weekend I'm hoping to get some things done, but there's also plenty of room for fun things. Hopefully I'll shoot some outfit posts for this blog because I've been slacking lately! Here are some fun links to kickstart your weekend!

+If you read yesterday's post you'd know J.Crew Factory is having a 40-60% off everything sale! I'm loving the men's flannels to be honest

+The Glitter Guide is sharing their favorite products for a no makeup makeup look (I'm all for natural beauty)

+I've been using my tumblr a lot lately so be sure to go follow me!

+Looking for dorm inspiration? Prep Avenue has the cutest dorm in the entire world (I'm not even kidding--take a look #preppyperfection)

+If you're looking for something hysterical check out the Photo Booth challenge by Miranda Sings & Tyler Oakley! I cried of laughter watching this

+Taylor Swift's new song Shake It Off is my current jam and if you haven't heard it you have go to listen!

Enjoy your long weekend!

Xo
Thursday, August 28, 2014

J. Crew Factory for Fall

They ain't kidding! J.Crew Factory has so many perfect pieces to transition your way into autumn!

I know I'm not the only when when I say that J.Crew Factory is killing it with their fall collection. I'm in love! They've brought back so many pieces from J.Crew's past fall collection and for a lower price! I'll admit that sometimes the quality of J.Crew Factory is less of J.Crew, but for a super stylish piece I'm willing to sacrifice! Right now J.Crew Factory is having a 40-60% off everything sale! Check out my favorite pieces below! I'm in love!

I will admit that I'm definitely going to be purchasing a few of these choices, but be sure that if you want a vest for the fall get it sooner than later! The vests from J.Crew sell out so fast it's ridiculous! I was going to get the herringbone one, but I opted for classic navy instead. I'm glad I did because when I saw the herringbone one in the store I just didn't love it. Get your vest while their still on the shelves!
Take a peek at what I've been loving! But..what do you love?

Xo
Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Undeniable Social Media

If you didn't already know, I'm currently collaborating with a ton of other bloggers including my pal Anna, the girl who runs it all, to create something amazing! Please stay tuned for when all the information is revealed and the website is finally launched (don't worry I'll tell all of y'all about it here!). I'm so excited for this to launch, but I am the manager of social media for the Undeniable report and I want you to follow us! We post tons of fun stuff and if you follow you'll be the first to know when the site first launches! All the links are below!

 via our Instagram
via our Pinterest
Go find us and chat via social media! 

Instagram //  Pinterest // Twitter // Tumblr 

Xo
Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Get It Done

School is back and along with it comes stress, homework and busy schedules. I've been slacking a little bit on the blog, but I promise that I'm going to be doing some better quality posts with lots of different things such as diy's, outfit posts, etc. Fun things are coming so stay tuned!
I know how stressful school can be, trust me I've been there! I'm actually currently there now! I'm writing this post fairly late at night and I still have a bit more homework to do. For those of us that are in high school it's ridiculous how much pressure is put on us. I'm a junior and we are expected to achieve extremely high ACT/SAT scores, be a part of sports and clubs all while maintaining and extremely above average GPA. Yes there are people that do that, but trust me I'm not one of them. Over the course of high school I've learned to prioritize. School is important, but to me it's not the most important.

Everyone always says that you have to get an education first before you can do anything, but I don't always believe this is true. There are plenty of people that have greatly succeeded without finishing high school or college. Now, I'm not recommending that you or myself drop out of high school or whatever,  I'm just stating a fact. 

So with these insanely busy schedules, we still manage (sort of) to get it all done. I'm going to share with you my tips to get it all done! This is just what works for me, but your system may be different. Please share below!

Write it out...I have the worst memory ever. If you tell me something I'll probably forget it within the next five minutes. Because of this I am constantly writing things down so I am sure to remember them. If I have a huge list of tasks to do I like to write each task down on a post-it note and stick it on the wall. This way I can more visually see what I have to do. Then once the task is completed I throw the post-it away. OK, so not the most earth-friendly habit, but it works!

Plan ahead and manage time...I have practice every day of the week (with the exception of Tuesdays which are optional, but they help with dance skills so I want to go). I get homework every night of the week as well. I blog every day of the week, besides Sundays, too. I have quite a bit on my plate and sometimes it's hard to get things done. Planning out your time and choosing to do things ahead of time is the best decision you'll ever make. I'm really trying to stick with it this year because I've done way too many projects/essays at the last minutes and I regretted not working on them sooner because they never turned out that great.

Let it go...We all want to get amazing grades in school but at some point you're going to get a bad grade. Don't let it bother you too much. It's just a fact of life. Sure you can work extremely hard to get your grade up in the class, but you learn from mistakes so you have to make mistakes at some point!

Use your time wisely...I'm an internet addict and I am constantly wanting to be exploring YouTube or Tumblr or whatever. But, during the school week I try to be very strict with myself of what I am allowed to do on my computer. I try to stick to just homework and blogging because those are the two most important things to me usually. If you want to have some extra time for leisure plan your time out so you can have this.

Prioritize...I  always have to go through my to-do list and think of the things that are the most important. Sometimes I get homework that's not that important and I can easily scramble it together at lunch. Other times it's crucial that I complete the assignment in entirety at home and make it nice. Be sure that what you're spending your time on is worth it to you and is also worth it in the future.

Let me know how you get it all done! 

XO
Monday, August 25, 2014

Back to School Workout

Even though I'm on the dance team at my school it's not always a total workout. We usually do some form of cardio at the beginning and some toning at the end, but sometimes we are just learning dances which is a lot of standing around. I'm not complaining, but sometimes I feel like I need another something to get my workout in. This workout is perfect for all of y'all that are feeling like me or that don't do a sport/activity in the fall. This workout isn't super time consuming which is fab because we all don't have time during the school year! 

Stretch // You should always start your workout with a good stretch to properly warm up. I honestly love to stretch! I may be biased because I am pretty flexible, but if you continually stretch you will become a lot more flexible and it will help you with whatever workout you are doing!

Run or Cardio // Personally I'm not a very good runner, but I've been really trying to improve my endurance and run more often. I recommend running slow and going farther because it will help you to build up your endurance. If I don't run super fast then I can run about 2 miles without stopping, but I'm working on building this up. If you're not a fan of running try some other form of cardio like biking, dance/zumba or using an elliptical. 

Tone // This is a great way to sculpt the fit body that you're looking to gain! Pushups & crunches are a great way to tone. There are tons of different options though such as lunges, v-dips, squats, jumping jacks, planks, etc. If you're looking for inspiration check out my fitness Pinterest board

Eating healthy is also a super important element of getting fit so be sure you're fueling your body with healthy foods and drinking lots of water!

Also a quick shoutout to my sister and one of my best friends on their birthday! Happy Birthday Kristen and Ava! Love you both!

XO
Saturday, August 23, 2014

Furry Friend

I'm in dire need of a pet! I haven't really had a pet my whole life besides fish which don't even count because they are too lame. I've wanted a puppy basically my whole life, but I recently have been getting into kittens and think they would make a fun companion as well! I'm sure that if my family ever did get a pet it would be a dog just because my dad loves dogs, but despises cats. I've been searching around my area for listings for pets, but my parents won't agree. I know it'd be a lot of work to take care of a new dog, but it'd be a ton of fun. I'm just not so sure I have the time at this point. Oh well, a girl can dream, can't she?



I pretty much just want The College Prepster's dog Teddy! He is the cutest!

Do you have pets?

XO
Friday, August 22, 2014

Falling into Autumn

It's almost that time of year again! I am so eager for fall this year just because I'm excited to wear comfy, warm clothes! I'm all about leggings, vests and boots! I've seen quite a few bloggers share their favorite fall pins and I thought I should do the same. Stay tuned for more posts regarding fall outfits, recipes and everything in between!
 I wouldn't mind if I had Kiel James Patrick/Sarah Vickers/all their friends sweater collection! Look at how fun their printed sweaters are! Swoon!
 Something about the fall just screams Starbucks (or maybe that is just the common white girl in me).  Maybe this year I'll branch out from my classic caramel apple spice!
 I'm in dire need of some bean boots this year and I'm determined to get them! They would be the perfect addition to my fall ensemble!
 Omg caramel apples! I'm so excited for these! And just apples in general! Honeycrisp apples are the epitome of perfection in the fall!
How fun is this bucket list? I probably won't do a few of these things, but a lot of them sound like a ton of fun! Especially watching Hocus Pocus -- it's my favorite Halloween movie!

XO
Thursday, August 21, 2014

School Organization

via
It's no secret that organization is key to success in school (especially high school and college), but for some of us it is difficult to stay organized. I know that in the beginning of each semester I start out fresh with folders and notebooks labeled and organized, but by the end of the semester everything is pretty much just thrown in my backpack. This year I want to try as hard as I can to avoid this because finals and AP's are always left at the end of the semester and staying organized until this very last bit is crucial to success! These are my essentials and tips for staying organized this school year!

Agenda // I did a whole post about agendas here, but having an agenda is crucial for staying organized. Towards the end of the year last school year my agenda totally fell apart and I was going without an agenda for a while and I became so disorganized! The agenda you use does not have to be Lilly Pulitzer however! Even using the one provided by the school is a great option, but if you're looking for a cuter choice look at Lilly Pulitzer or Kate Spade!

Notebooks + Folders // One tip that I got from a friend of mine was to use folders and notebooks of the same color for the same subject. I love this idea! Although, I'm too lazy to actually use folders and tend to slide papers in the little pockets in the front of my notebooks. This year though my notebooks have a folder as the front cover which is totally genius!

Pens, Pencils, Etc. // Keep all this stuff on hand and in a pencil pouch! If you're just shoving your pens and pencils into the bottom of your backpack you're going to have a lot of trouble finding things. Trust me, I've been there. Also, I'd keep a limit on the number of writing utensils that you lend out over the course of the year. I'm all about sharing and lending a hand, but sometimes it's just irritating knowing the person you lent it to most likely won't give it back.

The Night Before // I cannot stress how important it is to do things before you lay your head on your pillow and shut your eyes for the night. If you have practice after school get your bag ready the night before. Pack your lunch, backpack, and all homework the night before. I'm the kind of person that always wakes up late and this saves my life in the morning. Plus, it keeps you organized so you're not cramming everything in your bag as you run out the door!

Coffee & Breakfast // Some people are so against teens drinking coffee on a daily basis, but hey if you're going to fall asleep in your first period class you better sip that caffeine girlfriend! I'm not a huge fan of coffee, but when you're light on sleep you need a little pick me up. Breakfast is also super important to starting your day off right. I am trying super hard to actually eat breakfast this year because I've definitely skimped in the past years!

XO
Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Tumblr

I've recently rejoined the tumblr website with a new and improved tumblr for this blog! I had a previous one that was "trendy" dare I say, but I wanted to create one that went along with this blog. I personally love tumblr just because it's like Pinterest, but more visual. I also love that it's your own website so it's totally customizable! Be sure to check out my new tumblr and go ahead and follow me for further updates!

XO
Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Summer Recap

Sadly today is my first day back at school. There's something so refreshing about new school supplies and reuniting with people you haven't seen all summer, but I'm really not looking forward to my junior year. Thankfully this summer was a ton of fun filled with trips, hanging with friends and just having a good time. There were definitely too many days that I didn't do anything at all (because I'm the laziest human on earth), but sometimes you need some of those days. Here's a little recap for you!
 Plenty of Photoshoots :: This photo was a fun little outtake from the many photoshoots that I had this summer. Summer is the best time to take photos just because the world is definitely the prettiest. Huge shoutout to my favorite photographer, my cousin Carly!


NYC :: New York was probably my favorite part of this summer. I had never been before and it totally exceeded my expectations. It's safe to say my heart belongs to New York City now, rather than Los Angeles. The Smart Girls Conference was amazing too! It was so great to meet bloggers in real life that I've connected with via the internet! Totally amazing to meet Anna and Hunter too!

 Wisconsin :: I have to admit, for a long time I hated the state of Wisconsin. I think it was because I had only been there a few times, but now I seriously love it. My family goes every year for a fun family trip and it's always a huge highlight of my summer just because I get to spend so much time with my favorite cousins!

Clearly that wasn't all, but those were definitely some of the highlights of my summer. I'm so sad to go back to school mainly because I have to get dressed on a daily basis. Tweet me ideas of back to school outfits!

XO
Monday, August 18, 2014

White on White (featuring eShakti)

I'm a huge fan of the monochromatic outfit. All black, yes. All white, yes please! I think monochromatic outfits are so chic and they look so put together even though you can pair anything together when you go with all one color. I'd stick to black and white though. I've been loving these white jeans this summer as well because they go with everything! I've always loved the look of white jeans, but I thought that if I bought some I'd never wear them. I was wrong though because I love wearing these! This top is so perfect as well! The pom pom detailing, swoon! I was contacted by eShakti and fell in love with their site once I peeked around. The coolest thing about their website is that every item is totally customizable. I'm tall so it's great to be able to find pieces that will be long enough for me. Also you are free to customize the cut, sleeve length or overall length of the piece. If you're totally into the v-neck you can have your piece cut that way. If you wanted this top, but with longer sleeves, feel free to customize! Please check out their website because it's so unique and there are so many fun pieces! Check out the way I styled my new favorite top from them in a whiteout look!

*Fun fact: my friend and I actually went into the woods to shoot this outfit post, but it was super muddy and my shoes got all ruined so that's why you can't see them in the pictures. Or the bottom of my jeans because they were covered in mud!




PS :: I cut my hair! It's way shorter so stay tuned for a post coming soon abut my hair!

XO
Saturday, August 16, 2014

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies


Is your mouth watering yet? 

Recently I've been having a lot of stomach issues and I somehow concluded that gluten was my problem. For the past few days I've eliminated it from my diet and truth be told it has actually helped a lot! Now that I'm not eating gluten my stomach problems are nonexistent! I am still trying to find recipes because you'd be surprised at the things gluten is in (a lot of things), but the other day I made this amazing gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe. I will never make regular cookies anymore just because these are so good! I wish I could take credit for the recipe, but I found it via an awesome gluten free blog

Here's the recipe! If you think they won't be good just because they're gluten free don't be biased! My brother and a bunch of his friends ate these cookies even before they knew they were gluten free and loved them!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup gluten free oat flour (this was pretty easy to find in the gluten free aisle of my grocery store)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the butter and sugars using an electric mixer. The mixture may be crumbly. Then add the vanilla and egg and beat until it is smooth.

2. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients (soda, salt, flour). Slowly incorporate this into your wet mixture. Beat until well mixed, the dough could be sticky.

3. Fold in the chocolate chips! Scoop out the dough onto the cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes! And you're done!

I promise you these cookies are the best thing ever! Give em a try--and if you do, let me know how you liked them!

XO
Friday, August 15, 2014

Why I Blog

I feel like I don't do enough posts where I'm just talking about life and you, the readers, get to know me! I wanted to share with you a more personal post today and give you insight into why I blog. It's no surprise that blogging is a ton of fun, but clearly there's a lot of work that goes into it so why do I blog?

The main reason why I blog is to connect with others. I never really thought about this when I first started blogging because I didn't think I'd actually have any readers. Now that I do it's amazing to see people comment, talk to me on instagram or tweet me. Overall from blogging I've met so many amazing people (many thanks to the Smart Girls Summit last summer). Connecting with people through blogging can be a bit odd just because you don't formally know the person you have "met". It's still an internet relationship so it's hard to totally get to know a person. But once you meet them in real life it's such an amazing connection. 

I remember when I was going to the Smart Girls Summit and had emailed a few fellow bloggers telling them that I was so excited to meet them IRL! I was telling some of my friends about one blogger in particular, Anna, and they were asking me if I was nervous to meet her. I quickly responded no, but then I asked myself if I actually should be nervous. I realized that I had never met Anna before and I didn't know what she would be like exactly. Clearly we had a lot in common and we bonded over similar things online, but we never made a connection in real life. When it actually came to meeting her I soon saw that I had nothing to worry about because things were not awkward whatsoever and we were fast friends. I'm so glad that I've made amazing friendships through blogging and I can say that some of my best friends are girls that I have met from blogging.

As well as meeting other fabulous people, I blog because I want somewhere to explain myself.  I'm typically extremely quiet the majority of school. Most of my friends would say I'm outgoing around them, but that's mainly because I'm comfortable around them because I've known them forever. In school, however, I'm pretty reserved and I like to have somewhere to express myself. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true! My blog is my place to say what I want, share my ideas and just be myself. That's why sometimes I get offended when people are constantly shoving ideas at me about what I should blog about. I like to have my blog just be mine (I was a selfish child) and be allowed to post whatever I want.

I like to have my blog be my place to be creative and share my opinions, ideas and outlook on pretty much everything. I love sharing the latest (preppy) styles, outfits and my personal lifestyle. I'd be lying if I said that I don't look forward to posting every night. I usually stay up until midnight just for my post to go live so I can take a look at it and see how things look. I've become pretty obsessed with blogging since I began and I can't help but be proud of what I post every day (well most days I'm proud).

Now that you see why I blog, you might be curious to start one too! If you're looking to start a blog (which I highly recommend) feel free to email me for help! Also, stay tuned for a blogging for beginners post! Also, let me know if you like these more personal style posts. I want your feedback!

XO
Thursday, August 14, 2014

Bloggers with Class Award

I'm here with another award, but this is a completely new award! I was tagged by the actual creator of the award Cathleen via Classy Cathleen! Be sure to go check out her blog because it's fabulous!

What do you think it means to be classy?
To be classy I think it means that you are just generally dress nicely and always be put together (oh and never scandalous!). Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's definitely is the epitome of a true classy lady.

Who are some of your role models?
Definitely Blake Lively because she's perfect and seems like such a genuine person, but also Jackie Kennedy and Lilly Pulitzer.

Who are some of your style icons?
Blair Waldorf & Serena Van Der Woodsen. Even though their just characters I'm obsessed with their style.

Pearls or bows?
I know I'm not going to sound preppy but I'm not a huge fan of bows, but I love pearls!

Who/what inspires you?
What inspires me is definitely my future. Whenever I'm starting to lose interest in something that I'm doing, or feel like something isn't worth my time I just try and remember that what I'm doing is definitely going to help me in the future!

What is your favorite color?
My top favorite colors are navy, mint, gold and light blue!

Do you like the classy style? What are your favorite pieces/trends of the classy style?
I am a fan of the classy style, but I don't wear it all year round. In the summer I tend to sometimes stray from the preppy/classy style just because I'm a California girl at heart. When I decide to dress ultra classy I'm a huge fan of dressing up any outfit with pearls! Navy and black are also two of my favorite colors!

What are some of your favorite quotes?
I'm obsessed with quotes, but here are a few top favorites:

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

"Go the extra mile, it's never crowded."

"Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and think about what could go right!"

Why is it important to have class?
For any girl I think being classy is important because it overall gives you a good reputation. I'm not saying you should care what others think about you, but being known as a classy girl has never been a bad thing.

Why did you start a blog? When did you start it?
I started a blog after seeing an old friend of mine that had her own. I was hooked! I started this current blog just about a month ago, but I have had two previous blogs before this. I began blogging in May of 2013. If you want to see those blogs check out my FAQ page. 

A special thanks to Classy Cathleen for tagging me! Be sure to check out the Bloggers with Class Google+ community! Here's who I nominate:

Undeniably Anna
Prep Northwest
Prep on a Budget
The Preppy Sisters
Preppy Girl in PA

And if you're reading this feel free to do the tag as well! XO!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014

4 Pinterest Accounts to Follow

Pinterest is my guilty pleasure. I might even like it more than instagram (OMG!). It's such a great place to collect your ideas, look for inspiration or just explore! Whenever I'm searching for ideas for a blog post Pinterest is my go-to. The best tip to making Pinterest your absolute favorite website ever is to follow people that pin fab things! I can't tell you how bad my old Pinterest account was because I was following all the wrong people. I thought that I should be following people that I knew (like instagram), but in reality you should be following people with fabulous taste. These are my top favorite Pinterest accounts.
 PB Teen // Not only is PB Teen my go-to place for anything and everything interior design, they also have a killer Pinterest account. Aside from the fact that they pin the greatest design ideas for different rooms, in addition they pin the best DIY's ever! Their blog The Style House is also too fab!
 KJP // If you follow Kiel James Patrick on instagram you know just how amazing he is. He is the classiest and most fabulous dresser and is always looking dapper. His Pinterest of course reflects this and there are also pins of his fiancee Sarah Vickers and her style is to die for.
 Glitter Guide // I'm seriously addicted to the Glitter Guide website in general and their Pinterest is absolutely perfect. They pin the majority of their images from their site and it's perfect for inspiration for everything! 
Undeniable Report // Headed by the very tasteful Frannie the Undeniable Pinterest account is killer. I seriously repin pretty much everything that I see from it! It's so eye catching!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Haircut?

I just posted yesterday about my hair and how I like to style it. With summer sadly coming to a close I think it's time for a new look and to chop off some dead hair. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do, but I do know that I want to make it a lot shorter than it is now. But, I need your help! Comment below and help me out saying what haircut you think would be good for me. I'll list a few options of what I'm thinking below but feel free to put in your own ideas! Thank you!

*keep in mind the pictures might not be the exact color of my hair, but I'm just taking notice to the cut/length*



Comment below! XO
Monday, August 11, 2014

How I Wear My Hair

I am one of those people that is usually pretty lazy when it comes to hair. Occasionally I'll put forth the effort to straighten it, but it never seems worth it to me. I wanted to share my every day hairstyles that I usually wear. Let me just say that I can either love/hate my hair on a day to day basis. Some days I wake up and my hair just looks fabulous, but other days it looks so horrible that I just want to crawl into a hole. I'm currently contemplating getting my hair cut (and/or colored) so we'll see how much longer my hair actually looks like this haha!
 Straight // This picture is from a while ago (as you can probably tell) because my hair is way lighter and way shorter. I had recently gotten a haircut and started using blonde shampoo because my hair was too dark for my liking. I straighten my hair not that often just because it's so much work, but I do love the way that it looks when it's straightened!
 Side Braid // Probably my most worn hairstyle is a side braid. It is so easy for any bad hair day! I just throw it into a messy braid--oops I don't even brush it. I definitely wear my hair in a side braid too often but #sorrynotsorry.
 With a Cap // One of my favorite ways to wear my hair! I love baseball caps so much like they are my favorite things ever. I own quite a few, but I think I should buy more. This is one of my favorite hats because it is so broken in. When I wear my hair with a baseball cap I like to just wear it down. Is it weird I sleep in baseball caps? It makes my hair dry better!
Au Natural // Like I said I'm probably the laziest person ever so I tend to wear this hairstyle all the time. It's a struggle to wear my natural though because some days it looks absolutely disgusting. This was one of my better hair days clearly.
Saturday, August 9, 2014

Blogger Bliss {Belles in Bows}

Another new series! I'm seriously trying to get this blog rolling with tons of new and fun content! I knew I had to feature other bloggers with Q&A's and some general info about them. To kick this series off, a personal favorite blogger of mine Bess! I have followed her on instagram for a long time, but never realized she had a blog! Of course when I found it I loved it! She's seriously the cutest thing outfit and her style is perfectly preppy! She reminds me a lot of Sarah Vickers with her classic prep look. And let me just say her and her boyfriend are the cutest thing ever!

Meet Bess!



How cute is she? I'm in love with her style!

How did you come up with the name of your blog?
I really wanted something that spoke to my Southern roots and was a catchy, memorable name! So, southern belle + bows (it rhymed...plus who doesn't love bows?!). I was really cautious not to do something time-sensitive (like a stage of life) or "trendy" because I didn't want to regret my blog name down the road.

How would you describe your style in 3 words?
Classic, minimalistic, and fun! I like to think of it as Palm Beach meets Nantucket.

What's your most worn piece of clothing?
My white Ralph Lauren oxford!

What are the top things every preppy girl should have in her closet?
OCBDs, loafers, dark denim, a blazer, a classic shift dress, Jack Rogers, a neutral skirt, and pearls!

What are your favorite accessories?
Pearl earrings, gold bangles, and I love my Vickers bows from KJP!

Be sure to check out her blog Belles in Bows!

XO!
Friday, August 8, 2014

Instagram vs. Reality

I've seen countless posts with this topic and I thought it was too fun not to post about! Instagram is one of those places where you want all your pictures to be eye candy, but usually the actual picture does not capture what was actually happening. It seems as though every blogger that posts has this perfect life and everything is so organized, but through these posts I've managed to see that this isn't usually the case! Here's a few of my pictures and what was really happening.

 Instagram...It's time for bed and I'm just sleeping with a perfect braid draped on my sheets and wearing some cute pajamas.
Reality...It took me 20 pictures to actually get this one right. I had to re-do my braid to make it look nice and put on some pearls to make the picture cuter. After about 10 pictures I finally got my pillow in the right spot, but I had to adjust my braid way too many times.
 Instagram...I was just out for an evening stroll with my favorite purse and my camera. I happened to walk by some pretty flowers so I thought it'd be a quick Instagram photo.
Reality...In NYC we walked about 2 miles to get to our restaurant and I was exhausted. I took this photo 30 times while we were walking, but finally found a candid location. I took a bunch of photos before I could get the focus right and actually get my purse and camera in the shot. By the time I was finished I had to chase after my sister and mom to catch up with them.
 Instagram...Casually dining at Tavern on the Green and the bread and menu looked too pretty not to take photo. 
Reality...I took a business card at the restaurant when we walked in knowing I would want it for an Instagram photo. Once the waiter brought us bread I wouldn't allow anyone to eat any until I finished getting the perfect photo and it took about 30 tries.
 Instagram...Just casually taking a photo of my OOTD and showing off my sunglasses.
Reality...This was my first Instagram post for @sprinklesofkate and I had no idea what I was doing. It took me at least 40 photos to actually get the right one and get my entire outfit in it. Also I felt the need to adjust my hair perfectly to get it in the photo.
Instagram...I bought some cute new cards and wanted to show them off to my followers.
Reality...I've bought so many cards in the past week that it's ridiculous, but here's more to add to the collection! Behind the picture is a calendar, but I needed something pretty with some gold. I had to erase some of the writing on the calendar so that you wouldn't see it too.

This post was so fun. What us bloggers will do to get the perfect Instagram is too crazy.

XO!
Thursday, August 7, 2014

Grapefruit Margartias

As I was exploring iPhoto the other night I stumbled upon some old photos of a drink recipe. I meant to post this on the Undeniable magazine, but I somehow ended up losing the photos so I wrote about a different drink recipe. Anyways, I still think there needs to be a few more fun get togethers in my life before my summer comes to a close. These grapefruit margaritas would be the perfect addition to any party!

Here's how to make them!

ingredients :: 

1 grapefruit
2 limes
ice
a sprinkle of sugar
salt for rimming
lime or grapefruit garnish

1. Simply juice the limes and grapefruit. Put the juices into a shaker along with a sprinkle of sugar and a bit of ice.

2. Shake! *Rim the glasses with salt for an extra kick* Pour!

3. ENJOY!

Let me say this recipe is a bit tart so beware of that when making it. Be sure to shake it with some ice to make the drink icy cold. Also, add in some sugar and shake so that the drink is sweeter!

Here's a look at the finished product!

Yum! Recipe via Apartment 34.