College Prep Marley Lilly Giveaway

Everyone should go over to College Prep, and enter the giveaway for a monogrammed tumbler!

These tumblers are awesome! They keep your drink cold, but the cup never sweats. They're great for hot drink too.

Separates Part 2

As a follow-up to my previous post, I'm going to showcase my love for cardigans. Seriously. I have an unhealthy addiction to cardigans. I wear one almost every day. They're a great transition from winter to spring also.

First the basics. A solid cardigan that matches almost everything in your wardrobe and can be dressed up or down is essential. I have a long sleeve grey one and a 3/4 sleeve cream one that have gotten lots of love over the past couple of years. It's also a good idea to really invest in something that's good quality. There's nothing harder than parting with a cherished cardigan, blouse, pair of jeans, or pair of shoes. It's even harder to replace said item. Trust me! I've tried!

Featherweight Cashmere Cardigan from J. Crew

Hearts Desire Cardigan from Anthro

Now for some fun! (Not that all shopping isn't fun...except for pants shopping, it's the devil.) I loooove love love the cardigans at Anthropologie! Really I just love anything they make, but I feel like their cardigans in particular just speak to me. The ones I've shown below are definitely statement pieces. Do not try to down play their patterns or pair them with other loud pieces. You'll just look like an explosion of color and patterns.

Oh Anthro, how I love thee.

Separates for Spring Part 1

Although I have a love for cute little dresses, separates are really where it's at. I love pairing different pieces of my wardrobe to make new looks, especially with statement pieces. Tonight (since I'm an insomniac I might as well blog) I want to highlight some skirts and shorts that I love.

It's getting warmer, and I've made the big step of pulling out my shorts and mini skirts and putting away my sweaters. This is a love/hate time of year for my closet. I love it because it means warm weather and sunny days. I hate it because it's so much harder to put together a "wow" outfit when it's 100 degrees outside, and really I just want to wear the bare minimum. I love layering sweaters, scarves, and coats in the winter. But alas, I'll just have to buy some super cute mini skirts and tanks to please my inner fashion diva.

Let's start with some basic shorts. Printed shorts are starting to grow on me, but so far I haven't been gutsy enough to purchase a pair. I like to stick to simple, understated shorts. J.Crew's 3 inch chinos are amazing! I bought my first pair last summer and practically lived in them. They're comfortable, cute, and great quality. They come in other lengths as well, but I'm entirely too short to pull off longer ones.

Left: J. Crew 3" chino

Right: Everyday Woven Shorts from Forever21

Moving on to skirts, everyone needs a good solid skirt in their closet. I am very picky when it comes to buying a basic skirt (or any basics for that matter). I always looks for something that's above the knee (I'm petite), not too short, and versatile.

Twist Hem Skirt by Lucca Couture from Urban Outfitters

(This color may seem odd for a basic, but you must remember I'm a student at Clemson. We wear A LOT of orange.)

Pleated Tweed Skirt by Adam from the Outnet

Finally, every girl needs a fun and flirty skirt! I am in love with both of these picks! I'm a total sucker for anything with a floral print and even more so for anything chiffon. Printed skirts are definitely a statement piece, so remember to wear a more subtle blouse and/or cardigan.

Tropical Garden Crepe Chiffon Skirt from Forever21

Whitley Skirt Mini Printed by Lilly Pulitzer

My First Real Apartment

Next year I'm moving into my first real apartment. I'm currently living in a tiny on-campus apartment that's managed by my school. I share a tiny bedroom with my roommate ( we'll just call her Philly Phan), which isn't terrible considering we're practically attached at the hip. Except there's a huge lack of privacy. Our other roommate (aka Obi Wan) has a room to herself. This tiny place has been great for the most part, but it's time for the three of us to have a more grown up place.

About a month ago we signed a lease for a great off campus apartment next year. Philly Phan, Obi Wan, and I have been like giddy little school girls planning the decor of our new place. We will actually get our own rooms and private bathrooms! Such a change from dorm life.

I've recently bought a comforter for my new room. It's screams CDK! I'm completely in love with it, and I've been building the rest of my room around it.

Coastline Comforter Set by Harbor House

I love the beach as you can see from the coral design, but I don't want to go over board with a nautical theme. Here's some other things that I've been stalking online for my new home...

I found all of these on Etsy (whoever created that site is my hero). The coat rack comes in a lot of colors, and I love the jar flower vase that it comes with! The birds are actually mirrors which is really fun. I've been eying them for quite awhile on Etsy. I'm toying with putting the frames and maps together. I just can't decide, but I love maps as accents in a home. These vintage ones are just so cute.

I'm so excited to move in next year. I've slept on a twin bed all my life, and I'm ready for a big girl bed in a big girl room!

Rain, Rain Go Away

It's a cold, rainy day in Clemson, SC. The worst part? It's supposed to rain all weekend! Don't get me wrong, rain can be very soothing weather when you can stay inside all day (or when you have a tin roof it sounds amazing). However, I still have classes and service projects and loads more to do today.

Since I've started college, I've become well acquainted with proper rain attire. There's no way to avoid the rain on a college campus. So I thought I'd post some things that I like on a rainy day.

A good umbrella is a must! Although gold umbrellas are the best, I find it easier to carry around a small one. Make sure it's of good quality too! Nothing is worse than your umbrella turning inside out on a rainy day.

Splash of Sunshine Umbrella from ModCloth

Rain boots are such a blessing in a torrential downpour! In the winter, I especially recommend boots that are lined. Rain boots will save you from puddles and wet feet.


Blue Corondano Rain Boot by Keen from Zappos
Skerry Vinter Rubber Rain Boot by Tretorn from Zappos

A raincoat is less essential if you have an umbrella on hand, but in college you can't avoid windy rain. Sometimes the extra coverage is necessary when walking from class to class. I'd recommend a quality brand like The North Face or Columbia because they will last you a long time.

Columbia Sportswear Women's Arcadia Rain Jacket from REI

A hot drink always makes a rainy day better! Whether your poison is coffee, hot chocolate, tea, or hot cider grab a cup and warm up! My personal favorites are a caramel macchiato, hot chocolate, or hot apple cider.

Always have a warm blanket waiting for you when you get home! Once classes are over, you can finally curl up in bed and enjoy the sound of the rain. Maybe even take a nap :)


Cable-Knit Throw from Pottery Barn


Hopefully the rain will clear up sooner rather than later, but for now I'm going to take a quick nap before I have volunteer tonight.