Happy Monday! I was going through my Amazon Wishlist last week while searching for items to start listing for gift guides and also things to put on my own Christmas list for my parents this year. Taking a deep dive through my general Wishlist made me realize how random the items are that I save for later on Amazon! Everything from fashion and jewelry to books to miscellaneous household items. Since my Wishlist is so random, I thought it might be fun to highlight some of the things on there! Some of these I'll be adding to my Christmas list, some I'll probably buy myself next year, and some I'll probably realize that I will never actually need and won't order.
It might be the dead of winter here in Vermont, but that isn't stopping me from dreaming about Spring Break! That glorious week off in March was such a highlight of my college years, as I'm sure it was/is for many of you, too! Unfortunately, there isn't "spring break" in the adult world. 😥I don't have any fun travel plans on the agenda right now, as I'm having saving my PTO for the winter/spring months for some other reasons. That's the joy of being a grown-up! I hope sometime in the next couple years I can head somewhere warm and sunny at the end of winter again, but until then, I wanted to share some of my favorite online shopping finds that I would totally be ordering if I had a tropical trip on my agenda! I also thought it would be fun to share a throwback to what I did for each spring break in college... since I blogged all through my college years I have posts about every trip I went on!
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Part of the reason that shopping for Spring Break is so fun is because you can go wild with colors and fun trends! I love putting together bright outfits, so this was always like a color explosion for me with fashion after a long winter season. If you prefer to keep things more neutral or pastel with your outfits, you can always add in some bold accessories, like this beautiful beaded clutch or these fun purple mirrored sunglasses.
Swimwear is one of those things that prices can vary so much on. I have some bathing suits that I paid a bit more for that have lasted several seasons, which is great. But I have others that I buy cheaply and I might get a season or two out of them (sometimes more if they don't have a lot of chlorine exposure), and then when they're worn out, I can just purchase new ones, since they weren't expensive to begin with. Last summer, I tried out some bikinis from my favorite online affordable retailer, and I was amazed at the quality!! The ones I ordered I'll definitely be wearing in 2018, and I look forward to buying more as well. The ones I featured above are all under $15- how can you not order like 5 of them?!
Now let's take a look back at some of my Spring Break memories! Sometimes I take for granted the fact that I've had my blog for almost five and a half years... it is so fun to be able to look back when I want to on parts of my college years like this!!
2013: My freshman year of college Spring Break was actually a low point for me in all of college. (My OG Southern Belle in Training reader friends will remember this!) I got sick with a weird mono-type virus during spring semester of freshman year, and ended up missing almost three weeks of school, and was put on involuntary academic probation. I could not get over the virus I had, and I ended up flying home to Maine literally just to sleep in my own bed for a week and have my mom take care of me. This was also at the time when I began applying to other schools in North Carolina to transfer (I originally went to a Christian college in rural North Carolina, and then transferred to Queens University in Charlotte the following fall!), but doing college applications a second time was very stressful, in addition to being sick. Not a fun Spring Break!
Spring Break 2013: My best friend from Maine, Jules, came to visit me on one of my last days home!
2014: This year was a big step up from the previous year!! I debated going on a Bahamas cruise that a bunch of my sorority sisters were doing, but I didn't think I had the personality or interests for a traditional college Spring Break experience. A week of nonstop partying and hookups didn't really sound like my cup of tea. My dad and I ended up doing a trip together and it was the BEST! We spent a few days at an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic. This was one of my favorite blog posts from that year's trip, and a look at one of my early travel blog posts!
Spring Break 2014: First trip with my dad to the Dominican Republic
2015: My dad and I had so much fun in the DR the year before... we returned for another round! There's actually a more detailed story about why we went back again which you can read in this blog post. We stayed at a different hotel in 2015, but it was still an all-inclusive resort. This year's trip was more relaxing than our first time: we literally didn't leave the beach and our lounge chairs during the days we were there!
Spring Break 2015: Return to paradise in the Dominican Republic!
2016: It's hard to top a relaxing few days in the Caribbean... but I think my final Spring Break of college might have done just that. My dad and I decided to go on one final adventure together, but this time we invited my senior year suitemate, Caroline, to join us. We went to Orlando!! We did two days in Disney, and a day exploring Orlando and our resort in Universal. It was an absolute blast and one of my favorite memories from all of college. (Here's my Orlando Travel Guide from the trip!) The week finished by my mom flying down to Charlotte to help me and Ciera, my friend who would be my post-grad roommate, search for our first apartment in Charlotte. We were successful and the lease was signed that week!
And there you go- all of my college Spring Break memories! Please don't remind me that in May it'll be two years since graduation... it's starting to hit me that I'm actually an adult now and getting older.... ha!
Everything from my Spring Break Wishlist is linked below as well:
{My Halloween costume this year for work yesterday!! Follow me on social media @miss_alk}
Ramblings:
Happy Halloween! I hope that you had a great Halloween yesterday!! I dressed up for work in the costume pictured above. Most of you probably don't know that I was a competitive figure skater growing up! I never made it very high in the levels of competitive figure skating (There's like nine levels to compete through before reaching Senior level, which is the level skill of national competitions and Olympic skating.), but I do have some fun memories from my skating years growing up, before I stopped competing in middle school due to injuries. Anyways, when I was growing up I dreamed about being on the radio, and about making it in skating. ONE of my dreams came true this year, so I thought it was fitting to play tribute to the other dream- haha!! Some of my coworkers also dressed up for work, and so did one of my bosses' dogs, so it was a fun day around the stations. Did you dress up for work or school? I was a little bummed that I didn't go out this weekend for Halloween (I don't really have a social life in Vermont that accommodates that type of Halloween celebration) - but there will be future years for that, and I'm happy I could dress up at least for work!
Freaky Storm: A very odd and powerful wind storm hit New England in the early hours of this past Monday morning. There were winds between 60-80 mph all over Vermont- which is INSANE!! Wind storms like that don't typically hit New England. My power got knocked out around 3 am, and since I'm such a light sleeper without my white noise machine, I was awakened by the scary wind noises. I seriously thought that there was a tornado outside of my apartment, and it was pretty scary for a couple hours. Thankfully, the Burlington area had power back by morning, and there wasn't any damage to my apartment complex or the roads I take to work. Things aren't as great over in my home state of Maine though. This freakish storm broke records for the number of Mainers being without power, as of yesterday, over half of the state's residents (over 500,000 people), were without it!! I'm thinking of Maine this week and hoping everything will be restored soon.
Stranger Things craze: It seems like everyone that I'm social media friends with is freaking out about Season Two of Stranger Things being released on Netflix!! Someone please tell me that I'm not the only person who hasn't gotten the memo about this yet. I actually had to Google at work on Monday "What is Stranger Things" because I felt so out of the loop! I find that I don't really get into Netflix original series. I'm a big fan of a lot of shows that are live on TV right now, but I actually haven't watched much Netflix in several months now. Have you watched Stranger Things or any other Netflix originals lately? Or are you more a fan of shows on TV also?
Purchases:
I saw the cutest cardigan in the world on A Sparkle Factor's Instagram last week, and you bet I liked to know the deets on that!! Hahaha. Yes- as a blogger I use LTK sometimes too! I had to order one of them for myself. It will be perfect for the casual dress code at my work, and I can't wait for it to arrive.
Is it just me, or does it seem like the staple beauty products that you use in your daily routine always all run out at once? Mine definitely do! I use a few different mascaras daily (this winter I'm planning to do a post about my mascara routine!), but this one is my base mascara that I've been using for a couple years, so I bought a new tube this week.
Of course I also ran out of my favorite eyeliner, so I stocked up on that too. I am extremely loyal to this one- it makes doing cat eyes and wings so easy! I've gotten a lot of feedback in blog surveys and Insta Stories to see more beauty content on the blog- I promise that will be coming this winter, especially when it's too cold in Vermont to shoot a lot of outfits.
Wishlist:
The ideal holiday party dress!! So classy, and I'm getting serious Kate Spade vibes (a bit less expensive than Kate though!).
I think these brocade heels would look great against a white dress shirt/black dress pants office look or a simple and classic LBD! An easy way to spice up a simple outfit.
I started testing out using a Pop Socket on my phone a couple months ago- I'd never used one before and wasn't sure if I'd like it. I got one promoting the show America's Next Top Model that came in a PR package for the blog, so that's the one on my phone right now. The irony is I've never seen the show! But I did discover I love Pop Sockets. How cute is this one?! I really want to order it- would make a great stocking stuffer!
A pretty floral dress that's perfect to brighten up your fall wardrobe- and on sale right now too!
{This picture is a snap from dinner out in Charlotte last weekend - had to enjoy at least one more of my favorite milkshakes before the big move! Follow me on social media @miss_alk}
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training.
Ramblings:
Packing, packing, and (surprise) more packing: The majority of my first weekend back from Italy was filled with both unpacking my suitcase... and then a whole lot of packing! My moving date is just a week and a half away! In college, I was notorious each spring for doing a horrible job packing up my dorm room. My dad always flew down from Maine to help me load up and drive home, and I think each year he was a little more disappointed at how little I had done on my own. #MovingStressesMeOut I'm determined not to be that girl this time around, so pretty much the second that I got home I began packing. I might write a blog post next months about the order that I packed my apartment if y'all would find that helpful? Moving is never fun but I've been sticking to a room by room schedule this time and it seems to be making it a little easier.
Learning a foreign language: One of my minors in college was French, and I also studied abroad for part of Summer 2015 in France to continue learning the language. Despite all of that- I'm not fluent, and I haven't looked at any sort of French book in almost two years! My recent travels to Italy reminded me how useful a second language can be, and I hope that living so close to Quebec when I move to Vermont soon might motivate me to re-learn French again. This article that I found this week also got me thinking about foreign language learning!
Wedding Bells: Another reason that I've been on such a packing fury for the earlier part of this week is because this weekend I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding for the first time! My sorority sister Perrin is getting married here in Charlotte, and I'm so excited. Wedding festivities begin for the bridal party tomorrow! A lot of my good friends from college are attending the wedding, so I can't wait to have one last night with everyone before I move!
Testing Beauty Products: I've also received some fun PR beauty packages lately, so I've been testing lots of new makeup this week! Would y'all like to see a blog post review of everything soon?
Purchases:
Another purchase from Italy was this adorable (and very affordable!) off the shoulder dress. I just shot pictures for it so it should be on the blog within the next few weeks!
I also purchased a darling blush moto jacket from Zara while in Italy. This one is similar!
Wishlist:
I have so many trinket trays and ring holders and REALLY don't need another one...but how cute is this one! These also make such great gift items!
Since I'll be starting work soon I'm on the hunt for a great work tote. To start off I'll probably use a bag I already have, but how chic is this one?
I'm debating ordering some wall art for my new apartment to reflect my love for North Carolina. Maybe something like this print?
What are your plans for this weekend? I hope that you have something fun and exciting going on! 😊 Thanks so much as always for reading, and stay tuned on Friday for a fun beauty post.
Big things coming soon! That's all I can say for right now.... but God is GOOD and BIG CHANGES are happening for me. ☺️ I'll share more as soon as I can!
In this week's weird news... I read a lot of entertainment and weird news headlines early on weekdays mornings as apart of the prep work I do for my morning radio internship. This week, one of the weirdest stories that I've read yet while interning came across my computer screen! This Nevada man says that he runs his own mini nation... say what? Read all about it here- this story fascinated me and I had to stop reading it so I could finish my work for the day, haha!
Workshop! This weekend I have the really cool opportunity to teach a Social Media 101 workshop for other students (and even a few staff members) at my broadcasting school! I by no means call myself an expert in blogging or social media and I'm always looking to learn more about these platforms, but as many of my classmates are just beginning their journeys into the social media world, I am so excited to share with them some of the skills that I have picked up over the past few years with running my blog! If you have any links to articles or blog posts with great advice or tips with anything relate to social media, please leave them in a comment on this post or send them my way! I'd love to include a resource list for everyone coming to the workshop. I never thought that I'd have this type of opportunity in broadcasting school, so I'm really excited for it!
Purchases:
The bridesmaids in the wedding that I'm in later this spring have to wear nude pumps with our dresses, and I figured it was time to upgrade to a fresh pair! My previous nude pumps are a few years old, and a shoe like this is such a wardrobe staple. These are the ones I went with- I found them in a department store on sale for 30% off!
My lips have been exceptionally chapped this winter. I deal with chapped lips on the regular, but what I've been experiencing lately is pretty unreal. I've tried just about every variety of Chapstick and a lot of other drugstore lip products, but nothing was helping. While on a Target run, I spotted this lip product in a pharmacy aisle which I hadn't seen before, and I decided to give it a try. Y'ALL. GAME CHANGER. I haven't had chapped lips at all since I started using it a couple weeks ago! It's under $5 and I don't think I'll ever go without it again.
Wishlist:
Ugh y'all. Lots on my wishlist right now. This darling dress under $35 and absolutely the prettiest for spring. I might be ordering this ASAP.
These pretty floral heels have me dreaming about all of my favorite things about spring (and under $30!)
I'm rarely a fan of pleats in clothing pieces but this skirt might be changing my mind about that!
This jacket is on sale and I LOVE the green color.
My question for y'all this week: what are you looking forward to in the month of March? And again- please share any links with me to your favorite social media resources! Have a great Wednesday!
Best inauguration memes: While I have no problem discussing faith on my blog, politics is something that I don't enjoy writing about (or even discussing that much to be quite honest). I think a person's political views is a very personal matter, and I'm happy to say that I have friends and family whose views fall on all ends of the political spectrum. The inauguration last week was a day for some Americans to celebrate and some to mourn. HOWEVER: something that we all should be able to rejoice over, no matter our political affiliations, is this round-up of the most hilarious inauguration day memes! I'm always down for a good meme, and you have to admit that all of the election/inauguration ones were pretty spectacular.
My photographer: Last May, I started working with the fabulous Deeana Kourtney Photography for my photo needs on Southern Belle in Training. Deeana has been an absolute joy to work with, and many of our photoshoots were some of my highlights of 2016. She has her own photography blog as apart of her website, and yesterday she wrote the sweetest post all about how she began wanting to photograph bloggers. Check it out, and you'll also get to see some images from the very first shoot we did together!
Once a sister, always a sister: This past weekend, I went back to my alma mater for the day and attended an alumni social event for my sorority! Despite being very involved in Greek life in college, ADPi is something that I've taken a bit of a break from since graduation college (for various reasons in my life). But I was indeed reminded this weekend that sisterhood isn't just a college commitment, but instead truly a lifetime bond! It was really nice to see some of my sisters and catch up, and also fun to be back on my college campus for a bit. Despite still living in Charlotte, I can count on one hand the number of times that I've been back to my university since graduation.
Recent Purchases:
This retailer is having free shipping all week, so I couldn't resist the chance to pick up these pretty earrings! I've had my eye on these for months, my preference just goes back and forth between different colors. I eventually settled on black- partly because it will match so much of my winter wardrobe during the rest of this month and next, and partly because it coordinates well with a dress that I'm wearing to a rehearsal dinner this spring. Win-win!
Current Wishlist:
I went to the mall this week to try on something that I saw online (this dress!) - but I'm glad that I did as it ended up not fitting as well on me in person as I thought. ANYWAYS- while in store, I fell in love with these heels. They're so simple but so chic, and really a closet staple! (The color I want isn't currently on sale but I think I'm going to buy them as soon as they are.)
I think this pretty set would be so cute for attending a bridal shower, tea party, Galentine's celebration, or other upcoming spring events! And you can't beat the fact that it's currently on sale for under $40.
This chic blouse would go from work to weekend outfits so effortlessly.
I love warm weather so much that I always start browsing swimwear online as soon as the holidays are over. Even though I don't have any warm weather vacation plans coming up, I'm crushing on this bikini hardcore!
I hope that y'all are having a great week! No special question for y'all this week... but thanks as always for reading.
Christmas Gift Guides are to bloggers in November and December what Nordstrom Sale blog posts are to bloggers in the summer- aka what everyone is writing about! Obviously gift guides make for great blog content- lots of readers (and sometimes even other bloggers!) love to hear what other bloggers are recommending at the holiday season, and gift guide posts can be a great way to find items that you might not have known about or thought of. But sometimes, especially in the weeks right before the holidays, it can feel like all that's being shared in the blogging world are gift guide posts, and the content can be a little overkill.
A fun fact about me (that I've been doing since before I started blogging event) is that I like to get my holiday shopping done early. If possible- I like to finish my shopping on Black Friday- a day when many people are just barely getting started on their Christmas lists! There are a number of reasons why I like to get my shopping done early. For one- there is always a better selection at any retailer, online or in-store, the earlier in the season that you begin gift shopping. Two- budget-wise, you take a smaller hit to your monthly spending budget if you pace out shopping for friends and family over time. As someone who is on a tighter budget this year, I definitely will be breaking up my holiday shopping in pieces over the next couple of months.
I think that these gift items shown above would be awesome options for anyone looking for Christmas gifts for the ladies in your life this year! Whether that is best friends, sisters, moms, coworkers... the list goes on! Every item is under $50. Some are more practical gifts, like the makeup brush set, and some are just plain fun, like the mini state pendant necklace! And how cute would this spoon rest look in a Bachelorette Pad kitchen?! I might just have to get that for myself.
Happy Monday Friends! I feel like I've been starting a lot of my posts off by saying this lately, but my apologies for not being the most consistent blogger lately. With each week that gets closer to graduation, I have more and more things that are pulling me in different directions, in my real life, including a few situations that have arisen in my personal life that aren't the type of things that you can prepare for. Luckily this period of craziness should hopefully come to an end after May 7th (less than two weeks until the big day!), and I look forward to blogging on my regular schedule for the rest of the summer after this! I
Today I wanted to share some of the items that are on my current wishlist with all of you. Since I have had so much going on with both finishing up school and with some things in my personal life, another thing that I haven't had much time to do lately is shop. (This is probably good for my bank account since I have had some expenses come with my new apartment...) But anyways, despite the fact that I haven't had time to hit the malls lately, I always do keep my eye on trends that I'm loving. My current spring wishlist includes lots of bright and colorful items, and some pretty floral prints, found in both dresses and accessories! Of course I had to include a couple of lust-list items as well: I'm always dreaming of Tory Burch items, and I might just have to treat myself with graduation money to either the sandals or adorable crossbody purse featured here.
Lastly- I had to include in this list a pretty iPhone case fit for an iPhone 6... because yours truly finally has a new phone! After over two and a half years with my beloved and dying iPhone 5S, I am so happy to finally be in the iPhone 6S Plus Club! With my old phone, I was always partial to Lilly Pulitzer iPhone cases- I think that they are both cute and also are very protective for the price. But since there are so many options out there with cases for newer iPhones, I'm not sure if I'm going to go with Lilly again- any case recommendations are appreciated!
Hope that everyone is having a great start to the week, and thanks in advance for bearing with me during this time of more inconsistent posting!
My 21st birthday is coming up in just over a month (!!!), and I'm a firm believer in treating one's self for every birthday. No one is a better judge of exactly what you want for your birthday than you, after all! One thing that I'm definitely planning to treat myself to for my 21st (in addition to some exciting new beverage options ;-) ), is a new jewelry item from the Kendra Scott store in Charlotte. You may or may not know that Kendra Scott stores have this wonderful little discount policy where if you shop in one of their official stores during your birthday month and show a form of ID, you receive 50% off an item of your choice! That's right- 50% off a full priced Kendra Scott item- how amazing is that?! I know that I won't be able to pass up this incredible deal come September, so here are some pieces that I'm already looking at!
While I would love to add all of these pieces to my jewelry collection, I realize that simply cannot happen all on one birthday. So my absolute favorites out of these would probably be the stackable Ann rings (love the pretty neutral colors!), and the Gunmetal Frances Necklace. As of now I want to say that I'll be most likely to get one of those two things next month... but who knows, the Kendra Scott store of Charlotte always seems to surprise me! I also always love playing around with the store's Color Bar- I made my favorite KS earrings (seen in this post) on there!
This spring, I am in a mint and gold state of mind! Truth be told- I have been in this state of mind in previous springs. ;-)I have an adored pair of mint skinny jeans, my beloved gold Jack Rogers Navajo sandals, and I already own too much mint and gold jewelry to count! (On my necklace holders in my dorm room I have a whole hook dedicated just to mint statement necklaces!) But my obsession with this color combo is only growing this year. I decided to create whole wishlist of items that I would love to purchase in these beautiful shades (if I had an unlimited budget of course!).
The Kate Spade watch is probably at the top of my list. I actually do not currently own a really nice watch (a designer watch and a designer pair of sunglasses are two things that I don't own!), and I just adore the simple and chic looks of any Kate Spade watches- especially this beautiful gold one! And don't even get me started on this mint Tory Burch bag- *swoon.*
The chino shorts from J. Crew and J. Crew Factory are some of my favorites for summer, I already have a couple of pairs in other colors and wear them lots during the warmer months!! I love how pretty the mint shade looks. And they would go perfectly with this gold and white top that is also from J. Crew! These delicate stud earrings from One Kings Lane are a small way to add a little touch of mint and gold to any outfit. And lastly- how fun is this pillow from Francesca's?! They always sell some of the cutest accessories and home decor items in their boutiques!! I would love this pillow for my dorm room since my bedspread has hearts on it!
Are you also loving mint and gold for spring? Or is there another color combo that has your heart?
(This was a pre-scheduled post as I am currently halfway through my Spring Break vacation in the Dominican Republic! Lots of fun vacation pictures to come- but in the meantime please make sure you're following me on Instagram @miss_alk!)
Happy Monday, friends! I hope that all of you had a wonderful Valentines weekend! I'm so thankful that the weather is finally warming up in the Carolinas again. The snow from last week is already mostly gone, and temperatures this week will be in the 60s and 70s!
In honor of the arrival of the spring weather, I am bringing back Web Wish List! I have put together a little collection of some of my new favorite online shopping finds!
This necklace from the Kate Spade spring collection is even more beautiful in person!! I first saw it when I was browsing at Nordstorm a couple of weeks ago. The colors in this necklace are so vibrant, and I know that it would be the icing on the cake for many spring outfits! This necklace is priced at $148... not terrible for Kate Spade, but too much for this girl's college student budget.
This was another Nordstorm find from my mall trip a couple of weeks ago. Bunnies are my favorite animal, and I kind of have an obsession with anything that has bunnies on it. So what first attracted me to this phone case was the adorable rabbit... but then I noticed Big Ben in the background! Wouldn't this be the perfect case for me?! I LOVE bunnies, and I was just in London two months ago!! It's priced at $42 which isn't bad for an iPhone case. Depending on how many babysitting jobs I get in the next month I might end up buying this!
Throughout the next couple months, Lilly Pulitzer is teaming up with Estee Lauder to offer some adorable makeup bags that are free gifts with purchase for Estee Lauder. These bags (and make-up samples!) will be offered at various department stores and through the Estee Lauder website. I have never used any Estee Lauder makeup before, but these bags are so cute that it might be time for me to start using some!
Scallops are very in right now, but I have yet to find many clothing pieces with scallops that I really like. This dress is one way that I would wear the scallop trend though! I like the dusty dark pink color of it, and I like how the scallops are at the neckline instead of the bottom of the dress. I can picture dressing this pretty number up or down for various occasions! It is priced at $89.
Floral prints are my favorite type of prints to wear! I love the beautiful colors of this top, especially the pretty green that makes up the base color. A shirt like this is a spring wardrobe staple in my opinion! This blouse is currently priced at $36.
What are some fashion or beauty items that are making you think spring right now??
It's been forever since I've done a Web Wish List post!! Today I'm breaking away from my usual Polyvore collage format, but I'm still sharing some of my recent online finds that I'm dying to have!!
Oh my gosh I am in love with this dress! I'm not usually a big fan of neutrals, but I love how flowy and elegant this dress is. The sleeves are to die for! It has a high neckline which makes it modest, but it is definitely still fashionable! I could see myself wearing it so many different ways and mixing up my jewelry and shoes each time I wore it. The only thing that's preventing me from ordering it is the price tag... it's currently $48 on The Red Dress Boutique's website. I would probably pay that price for it if I saw it in a store, but since there would be shipping on this dress it would be a bit much. But hopefully it will come on sale! Red Dress does awesome sales sometimes, I got my birthday dress from there for only $22 (with shipping!) this summer!
Something that not many of you might know about me is that I have my belly button pierced! I did it last year shortly after my 18th birthday... I wanted to do something "wild" that wasn't illegal, immoral or permanent (like a tattoo). So I got my belly pierced! I've always thought that belly piercings are cute, and I like how you can hide them easily- or should I say hide them 98% of the time. I'm not big into crop tops so they only time it shows is if I'm in a bathing suit! ;-) Anyways, even though I got my belly pierced over a year ago, I've never changed the jewelry! Everytime that I've gone to the mall to look at rings none of them have really appealed to me. And I wouldn't want to order something that was going into my stomach on a sketchy website where the metal could be bad. But I was browsing Piercing Pagoda's website recently, and I fell in love with this gorgeous belly ring! I love flowers, and teal is my favorite color! I might have to think about getting this for next summer.
This is an item that sadly will not be leaving my wish list any time soon. at $495 it's wayyyyy out of this college girl's budget. But I had to include it. I've been drooling over Tory Burch riding boots for such a long time. I feel like they're the quintessential fall footwear! Just look at how beautiful they are- I mean c'mon! :-) Someday, I will own these. But I have accepted the fact that it might be awhile......
My sorority sister P got this pallet at our trip to Ulta this weeeknd, and I've been thinking about it ever since! It's such a great mix of eyeshadow colors, and I know that I would have way too much fun putting together different looks with it. This currently retails at $59, but it's a limited edition pallet, and I think that all those eyeshadow colors make it worth it! I might ask for a new eyeshadow pallet for Christmas.
What are some things that are on your wish list right now?
I love all types of jewelry, but I'm especially crazy about statement necklaces! They are such a simple and fun way to jazz up an outfit. They can turn a boring dress into a beautiful evening ensemble, and a t-shirt and jeans into a chic day outfit! Here are some of my favorite statement necklaces that are in stores now!
1. Color Collage Statement Necklace by J.Crew I pretty much adore all of J. Crew's statement necklaces. They're all so beautiful and detailed! But I especially liked this necklace because of the color combintation of the white and black against the bright colors. It makes this necklace versatile to match everything from an elegant black dress to a simple cardigan! This necklace is a bit on the pricy side though, it's currently listed at $165.00.
2. Newport Beach Beaded Necklace by Francesca's I just love the bold blue colors of this fun statement necklace! They're the perfect blues for summer, and I also like how this necklace is a bit chunky. It's priced at just $24.00, so what's not to love?!
3. Anna & Ava Beaded Starfish Statement Necklace from Dillard's Any type of necklace that has some sort of sea creature on it is a perfect summer staple, especially anything with a starfish! I already own at least a few starfish necklaces, and they're great to wear for nights out with friends in my beautiful coastal hometown. I like how the starfish on this necklace is positioned off to the side a bit, it gives this necklace a bit of uniqueness. It's priced at $50.00.
4. Shell Multi Strand Necklace - Multicolor from Target I have a few multistrand necklaces similar to this one and they're such a fun and easy way to add some color and shine to an outfit! Multicolor is a wonderful option because one of the colors in your necklace is bound to match or coordinate with at least one color of your outfit! This necklace is only $15.00 which makes it hard to pass up!
Are you into the statement necklace trend? What are some of your favorite stores to find statement necklaces at? In addition to these stores, I have found some of my favorites at Belk, Kohl's, and of course my favorite jewelry store, Charming Charlie!
It's been a little while since I last did a Web Wish List post. With the end of school so near and the start of warm weather, I've been dreaming non-stop about beach days and all of the cute accessories that go with them!
1. Towel: Beach Towel in Plum Crazy by Vera Bradley I'm a self-professed Vera Bradley fanatic, and I'm so excited that as part of their 2013 summer collection Vera Bradley debuted some beach items! This beautiful towel is one of my favorites. It comes in eight of their beautiful spring and summer prints! I would like it best in Plum Crazy because since beach towels are bound to get a little dirty its dark color would probably hide most spots. It is priced at a reasonable $35.00, depending on when I get a summer job I may be purchasing this!
2. Bikinis: Ruched Side Bikini Bottoms and Ruched Bikini Bottoms by Victoria's Secret PINK Bathing suits are one of my favorite things about summer. I love shopping for cute bikinis, and I liked both of these so much that I had to include them both! I'm never a fan of bathing suits with "string" bottoms, and I like how these have a little more coverage. Bandeau tops are very comfortable and removable straps are perfect for no tan lines! And aren't these prints too cute? The tops are both priced at $30.50 and the bottoms are between $18.50-$22.50.
3. Earrings: Lacquered Anchor Circle Studs by Forever 21 I adore earrings even more than Vera Bradley (now that's a LOT!). I love wearing cute little studs at the beach; they add a bit of bling to basic beach attire without getting in the way of hair or hats. But the key is to wear cheap studs so should you lose them at the beach you can easily replace them! These adorable Forever 21 earrings are priced at $1.50... yup, you read that right! I love their pretty pink color and the cute anchor design. Perfect for the beach!
Time for my second round of Web Wish List! Today I picked a beautiful necklace and three solid colored basics that would all coordinate perfectly with it. They are all in what I consider to be "Easter colors" and would be great things to wear in April and May!
1. Necklace: "Color Mix Statement Necklace" by J. Crew I can't exactly take the credit for finding this gorgeous necklace. I first saw this feautured last week on the blog A Preppy State of Mind. The author of Preppy State, Rachel, is one of my fashion role models because she always has the cutest clothes and accessories and this necklace is no exception! The colors in it are each so bold and eye-catching, and they all coordinate so well together. If it wasn't priced at $165.00 I would have snatched it up by now. :-)
2. Dress: "The Prettiest Pixie Dress" by ModCloth How cute is this little lavender number?! This is the perfect shade of violet for springtime, and I love the silhouette and style. Wearing it with some cute strappy sandals and the J. Crew necklace would be the pefect outfit for any spring formal event! The skirt looks so flowy- this would be the perfect type of dress to twirl around in. It is priced at $75.00.
3. Jeans: "Current Elliot Mint Green Skinny Jeans" by Montaigne Market I've been wanting a pair of mint green skinny jeans for awhile now, but since mint is so "in" this year there are many different shades available. Should I purchase a pair, I'd like for them to be the shade of these skinny jeans- bright enough to be really considered "green" but not too bright to not be considered in the mint family of color. I found this perfect pair on a website for a French clothing store, but I'm sure at least one US retailer sells something similar. Wouldn't these look awesome with a white v-neck t-shirt and the J. Crew necklace? In US dollars that would come out to $275... quite pricy but I think that's because of the difference between euros and US currency!
4. Shirt: "Petite Short Sleeve Button Down Blouse" by LOFT Shirts that are made of a light material with buttons and short sleeves are popular right now. I have one in mint that I wore in this post. I love this style because you can wear it with a pair of jeans for a casual look, or a skirt and heels for a dressy evening affair. This style of shirt would also look great with a statement necklace, and the J. Crew one would cooordinate perfectly! This dark coral color is also very versatile and would match a lot of things.
Have a wonderful Saturday dear readers! And remember, you still have a little bit of time left to ask me a question that I'll answer in my upcoming and first vlog!
I'm so excited to share with y'all my first Polyvore collage! Being a college student on a limited budget I don't have the funds the buy everything that I want. But the beauty of the internet is that I can browse my favorite brands and stores' websites to my heart's content, and share my favorite items with my fabulous blog readers!
Purse: "Flicker Fabric Tenley" by Kate Spade I must confess, this first item isn't exactly a web find. My one excursion over spring break was short day trip to a mall in Masschusetts with my mom. Since I was still recovering from being sick I wasn't feeling too well so we weren't able to hit up many stores, but I did spot this lovely little purse in Nordstrom on our way into the mall. Isn't it just darling?! I think I've said before how much I adore anything bright and floral, and this bag is no exception! Yellow isn't typically a color that I'm crazy about, but I think that the white strap and bold flowers look perfect against it. In the past I've been a fan of big purses, but after getting a small cross body Michael Kors bag for Christmas from some family members I've been looking at other bags in that style. I really, really, really wanted to get this bag but at $158.00 it's just a little too much for me to afford.
Cover Up: "Embroidered Cover Up" by Aerie A good beach cover up is something that I've been in need for for awhile. I prefer ones with sleeves for when the beach gets a little bit breezy! Back in March 2010 I picked up a great Old Navy beach cover up, but sadly the last few years have taken a toll on it and there's a large tear in one of the sleeves now. Anyways, this Aerie cover up is the closest thing that I've seen to what I'm looking for in my next beach cover up. I love the way that the bright lime green embroidery pops against the royal blue, and the tassles are a fun touch. It's priced at $39.95, maybe if it goes on sale anytime soon I'll buy it!
Dress: "Jordan dress" by Lilly Pulitzer I am so in love with this dress that it's not even funny. The first time that I saw this on the Lilly website I was like "Gahhhhh I NEED that!" Probably the thing that I love most about it is the color combonation of pretty blue and green stripes set on a white background, but the adorable bow and feminine cut of the dress just add to its charm. It would be perfect to wear to a spring wedding or for Easter if I'd be spending it in the South! I'm going back to Maine for Easter weekend so it would probably be too cold to wear anything like this... but that's unrelated. This beauty is priced at $288.00.
Pumps: "Love Me Nude Patent" by Michael Antonio Out of all four of today's feautured items, these are the ones that I'm most likely to buy (Or something similar to them, as I would never buy pumps online since I couldn't try them on first). I've been wanting a pair of nude patent pumps forever. Nude pumps are such a classic fashion statement that match almost anything and never go out of style. Their coloring gives them a less severe look than a black patent pump (Which is another fashion staple that I am proud to own!). According to Zappos.com (where they come from), they have a 4 1/2 inch heel, which I think might be a little difficult to walk in, but definitely would be worth it. They're reasonably priced at $49.00 with free shipping, but my guess is better deals can be found on similar nude pumps in retail stores.
Did y'all like this post? I hope to do more like this again soon since it was a lot of fun for me to compile all of my favorite finds into one cute collage. :-)
