July Favorites!

July Favorites!

The month of July is over which means it is August. That also means that school is almost here! I leave super early to go back to school because of rush and everything so I will be back on August 8th. I am so excited to go back but at the same time I don't want to actually do work... I'd rather be with my friends and go to my clubs then actually do homework. But none the less I am still super excited for the month of August. However what were my favorite things of July? Well here they are! 

 

Crafting: This month I have probably been to the craft store at least 6 times. I have been working like a crazy person crafting for my room, my future little(s), my big, and for my friends birthday! I wanted to get everything done ahead of time so I didn't have to worry about it once school started. As of now I have one more thing to do then I am done! But, I have done lots of little projects this month and I love how they turned out. I can't show you guys yet because I still have to give my things to everyone but I will be sure to do a post on all of my DIY room decor and sorority gifts. 

Visiting friends: This month I have been all over the place visiting friends. I have been to Iowa a few times to visit Pi Phi's and go back to Ames for a weekend. It has been great seeing some of my college friends during the summer time because I miss everyone so so much! Also, at the end of this month I will be going to Tennessee to visit my friend who goes to University of Tennessee which will be super fun! (Be on the look out for a post on my vacation to Tennessee!) 

Andy Grammer: At the beginning of the month I went to see Andy Grammer in concert. Ever since I have been OBSESSED with him! I love his music and I wish I could re-live that concert because it was so fun. 

5 Seconds of Summer's new album: I have mentioned 5 SOS in a recent monthly favorites post but they are here again. They just came out with their new album and to say I'm obsessed is an understatement. My top songs are Mrs All American, End Up Here, Beside You, and Heart Break Girl! 

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: The Nordstrom sale is the most wonderful time of the year, besides Christmas. You can literally get anything you need for fall at the fraction of the cost. I always get my shoes from this sale for the next school year. This year I picked up a great pair of midi boots, a black pair of riding boots, and a pair of Tory Burch flats. Be on the lookout for a blog haul from the sale!! 

Follow Me Around: Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium 

This past friday I went the aquarium downtown Chicago. I love going to the aquarium because who doesn't love fish, whales, and dolphins??? No one. You are never to old to go the aquarium! It was a fun day and I went with my good friend Maureen and my mom. It's our little tradition to go in the summer so it was fun to go again. 

My Outfit: 

Shirt: J Crew 

Shorts: J Crew 

Necklace: J Crew 

Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider 

Bracelets: Alex and Ani 

Watch: Michael Kors

Behind the little food court they have a great outdoor seating area. We always take pictures out here because of the stunning back drop. 

Random giant mac and cheese noodle?

This jelly fish reminds me of fringe that you buy at the craft store. Does anyone else think that? 

We went to a super cool jelly exhibit in the aquarium. The amount of spongebob references I heared in the 15 minuets we were in there was insane. I have to admit I made a few of my own. 

A super cute seal waving at the crowd. 

Four Years of 1D

4 fabulous years of my favorite band... One Direction 

As some of you may know one of my all time favorite bands is One Direction. As cliche as you may think they are I love their music. It has gotten me through some tough times (I know cliche but it's 100% true!). A few days ago One Direction turned 4 years old which is kind of crazy! I followed them from basically the beginning of their careers and now three albums later I still love their music. And it doesn't hurt they are all gorgeous. 

So here is a little of my favorite One Direction things.......

Yes I did buy their school supply collection at Staples last year... No shame! 

You have to watch their video diaries from when they were on X-Factor! This will be the reason you fall in love with them! They are just a group of silly guys doing what they love. Also they look like little babies in these! 

One Thing is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite songs of theirs. I normally am more die hard fans for their non-singles but this has to be my top favorite song. I don't know why but I love it <3 

I did this doodle last summer and I'm still obsessed! Hairy style says this quote in their Best Song Ever music video. BTW that music video is the best thing on the planet. 

One Direction + Teen Vogue is pure perfection. I don't think it gets any better then that! My two favorite things combined. 

This is my favorite song on One Directions newest album! This song is such a great song to put a smile on your face :) 

Another shot from the Take Me Home Tour! What a great night it was. 

A picture of Niall from the Take Me Home tour! He is my FAVORITE member of the band. He literally is my "type" down to a T. 

This is another one of my favorite One Direction songs! 

Back to College: 5 bags you need to bring!

Its that time of year again, back to school time. This can only mean new school supplies, an obnoxious amount of "back to school" ads on TV, and getting back into the swing of actually having homework. Well there is one plus side to going back to school and that is back to school shopping! From school supplies to clothes I think back to school shopping is my favorite time of the year. It means new clothes, new fall trends, and colder weather which means more layering (and less sweat)! 

But, going to college is a whole new ball game when it comes to what you will need. Your pencils and folders are the least of your worries when shopping for college. So, I decided to make a whole new series called Back to College. In this series I will give my tips and tricks for college life. From what you will need to advice on how to survive! 

My first post in this series is 5 bags you NEED to bring to college! Some of you may not be bag or purse gals and I totally get that (well not really but I'll roll with you). However, there are some bags that you need to get to be a successful and fashionable student. 

Large Crossbody | Mini Crossbody | Duffle | Backpack | Longchamp tote

1. A backpack: Duh! A backpack is a clear essential and must have for college. If you think you are going to carry around a tote bag all year you are in for a rude awakening. You may think your new Macbook is pretty light. Maybe it is, mine sure isn't, but even so you need a backpack. I had to carry textbooks to class sometimes everyday. The last thing you need to be doing is lugging a bunch of books in a tote bag or large purse. Trust me on this one its not going to work. Backpacks are for function, sure there are cute ones out there, but you need one that is going to get you through hell (aka finals week). I've had to carry text books, sewing supplies, and my laptop all at once for a whole semester. I would probably have been found dead on a sidewalk if I didn't have my backpack. IN OTHER WORDS just buy a backpack. Everyone else will have them so its no big deal. 
2. A duffle bag: I learned a lesson the hard way, you should always bring a duffle bag to school. I love this Vera Bradley one because you can easily fold it up and shove it in any spare space that you have. Going home for a weekend or even a week is kind of hard if you don't have a duffle bag to pack your stuff in. Also, these are ideal if you are visiting a friend at another school or for overnight formals. They fit A LOT of stuff and they are pretty light. 
3. Small crossbody: A small crossbody bag is ideal if you just want to run to the dining hall, grab a movie with friends, or if you want to go to a party and travel light. Most of the time all you need is your school ID, money, and your phone. So, small purses like this one are great to use when you just need the basics. 
4. Large crossbody: I always carry my Marc Jacobs large crossbody bag when I go out. I like having what I need with me at all times. So, a bigger crossbody is great if you are like me. You can fit what you need but it can stay around you all night. 
5. A tote: A Longchamp or any other tote is a great bag to have on campus. Some classes you might need hardly anything. Just grab your tote and you are good to go. 

OOTD: Wedding Shower

Wedding season is here! 

As many of you may know, this is prime time wedding time. Whether you are going to a wedding, a wedding shower, or a bachelorette party weddings are a big deal this time of year. This past weekend I attended my first ever wedding shower! Crazy I know, but at age 19 not to surprising. But, the wedding shower was for my old babysitter. It's kind of crazy to think of her as a grown up with a job versus my super fun play date who happened to make sure I didn't burn down the house. In regardless the shower was GORGEOUS and I am so happy for her! 

The outfit I wore consists of a simple navy dress with some fun fringe like detailing. It has halter style straps with a higher neckline. I thought earrings were more appropriate than a necklace so I went with bold earrings from Baublebar. I love this dress because it is a little longer on me which makes it less of a going-out dress and more of a classy affair dress. The main reason I got this dress was for recruitment so you may see this again in another post next month! For shoes I stole these fabulous brown leather heels from my Mom. It pays off having the same shoe size let me tell ya! My bangles and bracelets are all from Kate Spade or Alex and Ani and then I have my favorite watch on, of course. 

I recently picked up this Kate Spade bangle and this beaded Alex and Ani bracelet form Nordstrom Rack! They were both a great steal. 

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I am OBSESSED with these Baublebar earrings. They are currently on sale at the Nordstrom Anniversary sale! You may have seen them in my N Sale picks post last week. I ended up getting them. I couldn't resist! 

There were these super cute floral arrangements on all of the tables! Mason jars are always a good idea. I love the cute and southern inspired look they give off. The lights in the jars gave the arrangements a special touch. 

Where it's from: 

Dress: Tobi 

Earrings: Baublebar (on sale at Nordstrom) 

Bracelets: Kate Spade & Alex and Ani 

Watch: Michael Kors 

Shoes: BCBG 

Baseball Cap Collection!

For those bad hair days....
I love baseball caps recently! I wear them a lot when I am at school mainly to mask bad hair days but also to add a little something to my outfits. A lot of my hats range from brands and colors so I have a pretty good collection I think. My personal favorite hats are from Vineyard Vines. I have two, both pink (not sure how that happened), and they are great to throw on with just about anything. Recently I just got a new Ralph Lauren hat and it is red with a blue logo. It goes with all of my nautical looks perfectly!

Preppy Diaries: Scallops and Statements

Pretty Pastels

This dress is one of my all time favorites. If you don't keep up with Sarahbelle93x on Youtube she also has this dress! I actually unknowingly got it, just because I was obsessed, and soon after she featured it in one of her videos! But, in regardless if you like Sarahbelle (which you should) this is one adorable dress. I love the scallop detailing on the hem and the sleeves. Also, the shape of the shift is actually flattering. As a shorty I struggle hardcore in the shift dress department. However, this one luckily fit perfectly! I ordered it off tobi.com and I have had amazing luck there with dresses specifically. If you are a short individual (like myself) I would highly suggest ordering from them. I wear an x-small if that helps you with sizing (I am 5ft and normally wear a 00). Ordering online is super tricky for me because normally I never know how things are going to fit. But, I can almost always count on Tobi for something cute and something that fits!

For accessories I wore a fun and bold statement necklace. I love how the colors of the necklace compliment the dress and they don't over power it. I also wore a pair of simple bow earrings, some bangles, along with my classic gold watch. My shoes are just simple white and gold sandals from Target. 

Where it's from: 

Dress: Tobi.com

Necklace: Dry Goods 

Shoes: Target 

Earrings: Kate Spade 

Bracelets: J Crew & Alex and Ani 

Watch: Michael Kors

Tobi is having a site wide sale right now! 50% off everything!

These sandals are a great neutral shoe. I love the gold detailing because I wear gold basically everyday! So, these sandals always match my jewelry. 

On Instagram: 

4 Reasons Why You Want to Be Blair Waldorf

5 Reasons Why You Want to Be Blair Waldorf

Basically, I am obsessed with Blair Waldorf. From her style to her lifestyle she is my spirit animal. For those of you who haven't watched Gossip Girl (if thats you, you need to fix that asap) here are 4 reasons why you basically want to have Blair's life. 

1. Her style. Blair's style is pure perfection. She always looks classy, sophisticated, and colorful. There hasn't been one thing that she has worn that I haven't been obsessed with. 

This is one of my favorite Blair outfits of all time!

2. She has Chuck Bass. Chuck freaking Bass. I cannot describe my love for Chuck Bass. Basically he is completely terrible but wonderful at the same time. That is what makes him perfect! Sure Blair and Chuck have rough patches but their relationship is something I can only hope to find. 

Ugh where is my Chuck Bass?

3. Rocking BFF. Blair is of course not complete without a perfect best friend like Serena. Again, they for sure have their rough patches but at the end of the day they are for sure the best best friend couple in the history of TV bffs. 

My best friend and I are essentially a real life Serena and Blair. Except we don't fight as much (which is a good thing).

4. Dorota. Every girl who watches Gossip Girl wants their own Dorota. She is not only a best friend but also a nanny/ maid.... So basically she is there whenever and wherever. Also, Dorota is a fabulous spy. I would not be opposed for someone to do my snooping for me. 

Yes Dorota. Yes. 

Throwback Thursday: Early 2000's playlist

Oldies but Goodies

Recently, I have been kind of obsessed with old songs. I don't know why but I just want to listen to old Brittney Spears and songs I loved when I was in the 2nd grade. So, here are a few of the best songs from the early 2000's that I for sure jammed to when I was younger. Which one of these songs was your favorite? Tell me in the comments below!