Diamond Rings and Other Things

My 18th birthday is coming up, which is a really important one, up there with your 21st birthday. I've been getting asked a lot by my parents what I want for my birthday and just the other day my mom and I stopped into my favorite jewelry store and I picked out 2 things. 

I'm going to start off by saying it is not my fault for having expensive taste, I solely blame my mother. Ever since I was little I was always well dressed in designer clothes and if there wasn't a label with a house hold name I knew, I wouldn't wear it. I guess you could say I'm a bit of a primma donna.

So we walk into this store and I knew the first thing I wanted was another monogram necklace, split chain, white gold, script font and with my initials in the order EMC. Once I got that out of the way I started looking around. Lately I've been wanting a blue topaz diamond ring but hadn't quite found the perfect one. I was browsing the ring selection when my eye caught something that I HAD to have. A halo diamond ring. It was perfect. I am so in love, just talking about it gets me so excited. I begged my mom, told her I needed it, that it was my 18th birthday that I would have it forever. She loved it too but was a little skeptical because it is a diamond ring, ad it does look like an engagement ring, but honestly everyone is wearing diamond rings these days, married or not married. I must have given her all the right reasons because I'm getting a diamond ring for my birthday. :) 

All I have to say is my future husband is going to really have to outdo this ring when he proposes to me. 

Tanning

There's nothing I love more than laying out on the beach all day and going home feeling refreshed and filled with vitamins from the sun. I get that same exact feeling when I step out of the tanning bed. I started tanning last year a month before prom and at first I was a little nervous about it. I got a  membership at a really nice tanning salon close to where I lived, everyone was friendly it was super clean, the beds were so nice and they sold great tanning lotions. They were also very knowledgable about tanning.  I learned a lot my first visit, like using lotions is imperative because the UV light will reflect off dry skin whereas lotion will help your skin absorb the light and the tan. I went every single day for that month and I didn't get burnt once or feel overly tanned. I felt amazing and my skin had never looked better. Not only do you feel good after tanning but you look so much better. I swear that everyone looks more attractive with just a little tan. Your skin glows and it makes your teeth look whiter and you look healthier overall. Since then I still go tanning, not as frequently since its not prom season yet! But I recommend tanning to everyone. It is so worth the money and you will love the results. 

North vs. South

Yes, the Civil war ended, but the war between fashion that divides the North and South continues to go on. 

The North

Bean boots and cabin socks fill our closets in the winter.

Football games are attended bundled up as much as possible in Patagonia and L.L.Bean apparel, with a cup of hot chocolate to keep warm. 

If you don't have a pair of Birkensocks then you might as well not even be living. 

Think Ivy league preppy, plaids, knee socks and penny loafers. 

Pearls.

Vineyard Vines.

Bean boots.

Riding boots.

Burberry.

Cape Cod Jewelry. 

Longchamp.

White pants. 

The South

Lilly Pulitzer is seen worn by girls all over college campuses for game day, bid day and recruitment. 

Jack Rogers are the most popular sandal seen being worn.

Seersucker. 

Pearls.

Big hair. 

David Yurman.

Cowboy boots.

Bows.

Kendra Scott.

Longchamp.

Why Every Girl Needs A Monogram Necklace

"If it doesn't move, monogram it."

Everyone has an identity, mine just happens to come in the form of a monogram on everything I own. Monogrammed rain coat, backpack, necklaces, ring, pajamas, sweaters, hats, tumblers, even my wall has my monogram proudly painted on it. It adds a little bit of class and personalization, I would monogram everything I own if I could. 

The one monogrammed item I own that I highly suggest every girl should own is a monogrammed necklace. 

A monogram necklace is like a little piece of your identity that you can wear every single day. Such a timeless piece will be in your jewelry box for years to come.  The only time you will need to change it is when you get married. 

Anytime you add a monogram to something, you make it your own and you make it unique. The look of a circle monogram in script font is the most classic way to individualize something you own and make it look 10x cuter. Ever since I was little I have always my monogram on everything I own and I'm going to continue this trend and pass it on to my daughters as well. 

Stop Using Song Lyrics As Instagram Captions

I love Instagram but I hate scrolling through my feed and seeing a selfie posted with Taylor Swift or Drake lyrics. Like we get it, you posted a selfie and now you feel the need to post a caption. Here's the catch; you don't need a caption. Please stop posting lame lyrics on a selfie or any other picture for that matter. I would honestly prefer it if you posted a selfie and just used a random emoji as a caption like most normal white girls. Stop trying to be different and use song lyrics that we all hear 12x a day on the radio from a way over played song. Or better yet, you don't need to caption your selfies. You're posting a picture that you feel and look good in, and we all get that. What more is there to say? Post your selfie, feel good about yourself and let your friends fill up that blank space with comments about how great you look, no need for a caption. 

25 Thoughts You Have While At The Gym

We all do it this time of year. Buy a gym membership and some new Nike gear and tell yourself that your going to look amazing by summer. We all have the same thoughts running through our head too as we drive to the gym. 

1. Buying all this new workout gear will make me want to workout more, I totally wont just end up wearing it to school.
2. Wow I look really pale in these shorts, I'm gonna tan before I work out today
3. Maybe I'll just tan today
4. I've been on the treadmill for 5 minutes that probably burned off like 200 calories, right?
5. Ew why am I sweating so much
6. Great, looks like all of America decided to go to the gym today
7. Working out for one day after Thanksgiving is not going to make you skinny, just saying
8. Is this person next to me on the elliptical really trying to race me?
9. I'm totally going to win though 
10. Time to go do abs
11. AKA lay on a mat for 5 mins listening to music pumping my self up to do abs then complete 5 lazy crunches and be done 
12. I've already filled my water bottle up twice while I've been here, is that excessive?
13. I don't know how to use that machine so I'm not even going to try
14. I'm gonna pretend I wanted to drop that weight that loudly
15. This playlist is amazing, makes me wanna run more
16. Wow running at speed 8.5 this is new 
17. Let's try 10
18. Nope too fast, play it off like your doing sprint sets
19. Wooo really breaking a sweat today
20. I feel like I've been here forever 
21. Ugh still look so pale and ugly
22. I think I'll tan twice today
23. Yeah I'm done working out
24. It's only been 30 mins?!
25. Back in the tanning bed

The Best Bikinis

Sure summer isn't for a couple months, but we should all be working on our summer bodies in the gym now and thinking about what kind of bikini were going to be rewarding ourselves with when we lose those few extra pounds. I have had my eye on a couple of different ones for a while now and although they are pricey, they are all worth it because they fit well, look great, and they last. I'm so over cheaply made Victoria's Secret bikinis. For a while that was all I wore but I got tired of that trend real fast when I looked into the bikinis they were making in Australia. 

Triangl bikinis have quickly gained popularity over the last few years and for good reason. I have two of these neoprene bikinis and I have never worn a more comfortable bathing suit. It hugs your body just the right way and the styles are so flattering. This year they brought floral patterns to some of their bikinis and I can't wait to get my hands on them. I say paying $80 for this bikini really isn't a bad deal at all. 

Crochet swimwear has been showing up a lot on beaches too. A bit on the pricer side Kiini, the top and bottom add up to almost $300 but once again worth it because of how amazing it looks on your body and the quality of the suit. I think these suits really bring out a tan too and I love the look of the crochet. I will totally be buying one of these this year. 

Selling out less than an hour after each new collection is posted online, Moana Bikini is one of the most popular bikini brands on Instagram right now. Pictures of tan and skinny girls lounging on the beach fill their Instagram, really making you regret everything you ate that day. But really, all the pictures they post make you want to buy one of their bikinis right away. If only they weren't so hard to get your hands on. I have my eye on when the next collection is coming out. ;)

Whatever your style is, one of these bikinis is sure to suit you. The best thing about them is how great they make you look and feel. I am so excited for summer so I can break out all my new bikinis and lounge on the beach all day. 

David Yurman and John Medeiros

John Medeiros was David Yurman's apprentice back in the day and now the two are both making beautiful jewelry. Recently I have been picking up a lot of John Medeiros designs. I currently own two of his bracelets and am working on adding more to my collection.

 

 His designs are timeless and classic and I love how shiny and bright they are. They really stand out with my Cape Cod bracelet and ring and complete the look of my arm candy. 

David Yurman however has all the diamonds I want. Tiffany's engagement rings have competition because David Yurman is really stepping up the game. Not only engagement rings, but beautiful diamond rings. One of these rings is at the top of my birthday list. 

A blue topaz diamond surrounded by almost 30 smaller diamonds. I am obsessed with this ring and I already have the matching earrings, all I need is the ring and necklace to really complete the look. 

This style of jewelry is so classic I think every woman should have some variation of it. Classic and timeless, this is something you will be passing down generation to generation. Worth the money, you will be wearing these pieces every day. Put these at the top of your list for Valentine's day and you won't be disappointed. 

Spring Looks

Spring is just around the corner which is my favorite fashion season. I love the pastel colors and florals and gold sandals that go with everything. Spring is also a great time because there are so many events going on all the time, which gives you a perfect excuse to look cute in coral. Whether its brunch on Mother's Day or Easter dinner, theres always something you should be looking good for.

Mother's Day for me consists of a ton of things, but the thing i enjoy the most would have to be brunch. Mimosas and fruit bowls can only be eaten in a Lilly Pulitzer shift dress with a pair of Jack Rogers. I love this blue shift from Lilly, the color is gorgeous and would look adorable with a white pashmina. Another great alternative to a Lilly shift would be a dress from Sail to Sable. This brand makes items that are timeless and classic and truly beautiful. 

Ham and colored boiled eggs go great with pastel pants and a flowy white top. A scalloped skirt and a pastel top is another adorable look while you dining at you country club or just in your better homes and garden kitchen. Wherever your eating, you will be the best dressed. Complete the outfit with Steve Madden Esme wedges, my personal fave and I believe they belong in every girls closet. 

 

Whatever you are doing this spring, make sure you do it in Lilly, I know I sure will be. 

Saving vs. Spending

A few years ago, any time I made a dollar, I had to spend it. I spent the entire summer lifeguarding, saving up thousands of dollars only to spend ALL the money I made within 2 months. I quickly learned this is not the way to be finacially stable and knew something needed to be done about my spending habits. 

I changed my spending habits, but it was not easy. I started out small, whenever I wanted to buy something, I asked myself if I really needed it (in most cases I just NEEDED those new Lilly Pulitzer shorts) and then I waited a week or 2 before buying whatever it is I wanted. After a little while of doing this, and still running low on funds, I moved to the next stop. To just quit, cold turkey and stop spending any and all money I made. 

I did not allow myself to spend anything for a few months and saved up all the money I was making. Then I decided to make a few rules for myself. These rules include:

• For every $1000 dollars you make you can spend $100
• You can spend that $100 every 2 weekends, other than that, everything goes into a savings account
• You don't need to go out to eat every weekend with friends, invite them over and make something out of what you have at home
• Be smart about what you spend your money on, a gym membership is good, a membership that delivers a pair of shoes to your door every month is not

Skiing

Sometimes I spend too much time trying to figure out the perfect outfit, in most cases it is well worth it. This weekend however, I am going skiing and I have been stressing so much over the perfect outfit for a week now. 

What color jacket should I wear? White pants or black pants? Faux fur headband or a fleece one? Should I keep my hair up in a high pony tail or leave it down? Should I use my gold skis to match my white pants? 

The real question I should be asking myself is why am I so worried about what I'm going to wear? I should be more concerned with the fact that I am going out skiing with my friends and were going to have a great day. But when I think about that, I think about all the pictures were going to take and then I remember why I need to wake up 2 hours before we leave to get ready to be on the mountain all day, and then it all makes sense again. 

So I have decided to wear my black ski pants, my bright blue North Face ski jacket that brings out my eyes, completed with white gloves, a white hat, and of course a white scarf. I will also be sporting blue Patagonia base layers to match my North Face. 

Urban Decay Naked Pallete

Some of my favorite make up products are from the brand Urban Decay. The quality of these products are amazing, they are long lasting and rich. My all time favorite product from Urban Decay is the Naked palette. 12 gorgeous shades of eye shadow in a clean looking palette that you can create so many diverse looks with is a perfect gift for any girl.
I particularly like the first palette the best because it has the most neutral colors in it some with shimmer and some without to create any look possible for an everyday look to going out at night with a smoky eye. The colors go great with every eye color, skin tone and hair color as well making this palette diverse for anyone.
The second palette also has 12 colors with more pinkish and gold tones, another great collection of colors that work well with any eye color. Anyone can use the Naked palette, and you can vary your looks from dramatic to natural. I suggest everyone goes out and spends the money because it is well worth it and you wont regret it. 

Long Healthy Hair

I have been growing my hair forever, I only cut it every few years to donate it. I love having long hair and I love everything you can do with long hair. If you plan on growing your hair out, there are a few things you should know. 

• Don't wash your hair everyday
• Don't use heat on your hair everyday
• Let your hair air dry
• Don't brush your hair when it is wet
• Don't pull your hair into super tight updos
• Treat your hair with the right products
• Use hair masks every other week
• Trim your ends every month to keep split ends from forming
• Don't over brush your hair
• Use leave in conditioner
• Instead of putting your hair up, put it in a loose braid
• Use fabric hair ties
• Don't over process or over dye your hair

My Biggest Regret

I have always been a blonde and I have always loved being a blonde. This year, in the middle of summer, when my blonde hair was at its peak of sun kissed highlights and salty waves from the lifeguarding every day, I had the bright idea to dye it a chocolatey brunette color. The day I dyed it, I was excited for a change, my long blonde healthy hair was soon going to be brunette and I couldn't wait. 

Until I looked in the mirror after, and my hair was black. The darkest black I had ever seen, I looked like Wednesday Addams. My perfectly toned bleach blonde hair absorbed the color too quickly and too well and my hair was black. I was mortified. I didn't look like myself and I couldn't even look in the mirror without crying. 

No one recognized me and no one liked the color. The bubbly blonde I had been my whole life had been transformed into someone I didn't even know. I went to work the next day with a hat and everyone was shocked. People truly did not know who I was or what I had done to my perfect hair. I couldn't take it I had gone into a depression for 2 weeks all because of my hair. I needed to go to a good salon that could fix my hair. 

Fixing a bad color is not easy and it is not cheap either. I walked out the salon minus $300 dollars but I looked just liked I had stepped off the cast of Baywatch with my long blonde hair. It wasn't the same exact blonde I had before, but a couple days of lifeguarding and sitting in the sun, my hair went back to being a perfectly bleach blonde toned color, the color I had been my entire life. 

My promise to myself after this was to NEVER dye my hair any other color than blonde because from that experience I knew I would never be happy if I wasn't a blonde. Since then I haven't dyed my hair and I do not plan on it either. Being a blonde truly is my calling in life. 

Stickers

I love advertising my favorite brands. Everyone knows the little pink whale is Vineyard Vines and when they see that cute little smiling whale sticker on my water bottle they acknowledge it and know exactly where its from. Or when people see the mountains they know its Patagonia, and the little blue fish is Southern Tide. People recognize these brands because they are iconic, and when people see them and recognize them, they want to go home and buy things from them. The best thing a brand can do is sell stickers to gain followers and to gain popularity with their brands. My laptop is completely covered with stickers like these, and I love the way it looks and the questions I get from people about where I got all my adorable stickers. 

Target

Oh Target. I can walk in there with absolutely no intention to buy anything and leave the store with a cart and a half full of things I "just had to buy" because it was "soooooo cute" or it would "go perfectly on my desk!" This Saturday after the mall I decided to stop into Target really quickly. That quick little trip turned into an hour of getting last minute finishing touches for my Halloween costume, candles, crafting supplies, makeup, and a fur headband for skiing along with gum and a binder that I was supposed to buy in August. 

My friend and I walked out of Target and I was confused, looking down at my bill I didn't know how I spent more money in Target than at the mall. 

Then I realized that Target truly does have everything you could need and more, and honestly if I was only allowed to shop at one store for the rest of my life it would be Target!

DIY Halloween Costumes: Serena and Blair from Gossip Girl

With Halloween 5 days away and some of us still scrambling to get our costumes together, I'm going to make it easy for you. Everyones favorite TV show, Gossip Girl has easy characters to recreate because of their strong personalities and iconic looks. 

It girl, Serena Van Der Woodsen can be done with a plaid skirt, white knee socks, a button up, a loose and messy tie, and a casual boho jacket thrown over the outfit completed with booties or heels. Serena's hair is often tousled and messy and her makeup is simple and fresh faced. 

Blair Waldorf is a bit more put together than Serena is. Her hair is usually pulled away from her face with a preppy headband and is done up in clean curls. Her lips and cheeks are blushed and her eyes are soft. Her uniform is always pressed and clean, her Tory Burch ballet flats match her knee socks perfectly. Instead of a messy tie, Blair usually finishes off her uniform with a neat tie or scarf. Blair's favorite way to top off the outfit is with a peacoat, a classic and preppy look. 

So grab your best friend and your old plaid uniform skirt from middle school and you can easily throw together this cute costume. 

Social Media

Everything we do needs to be documented on social media, we Instagram what were eating for brunch followed by an OOTD. That night, we snap a picture and #latergram it before we go out for the night. Through out that night we tweet about the dirty look the tall brunette girl gave you and add snaps to your snapchat story of you and your friends singing in the car. The next day its all uploaded on Facebook into some cleverly named album for 2000 of your closet friends and family to see. 

Maybe we don't realize it while its all happening but all this time spent on social media is honestly a waste. We spend hours trying to figure out the perfect theme and we make sure not to repeat outfits on Instagram. If you don't get more than a certain number of likes you delete the picture. We are getting so caught up in scrolling through our Instagram feeds and snapping pictures of whats happening to our friends we are actually missing out on those moments because we are so caught up in trying to show everyone else how much your having fun instead of just enjoying the moment. 

I will admit that I have been a culprit of all of this until I decided to delete my Instagram and Twitter and settle for just having Snapchat and Facebook. When I first told my friends about this they got genuinely upset that they could no longer tag me in Instagram posts or mention me on Twitter. It was as if I was no longer a part of the social media world. 

But to be completely honest, deleting these apps and deleting my accounts is a great opportunity for me to focus on college applications and it also gives me a chance to create an entire new social media base in college with new and different followers. Even though I'm no longer a part of my friends social media world, I have now become a part of the real world and I think thats better than any amount of Instagram likes. 

Planning with Lilly

I have been planning with Lilly since my freshman year. I need everything in my life to be super organized, or at least I need to have it look that way.

Lilly planners come in 4 different sizes for 2 very different people. You have the smallest planner, for people who basically just want to carry around something with Lilly's name on it. You have the medium agenda for people who want to look like they have it together. You have the large agenda for overachievers, and you have to jumbo agenda for people who want to seem really really important and want to make their social calendars look better than yours. 

There really is a Lilly Pulitzer agenda out there for everyone! 

Crafting

Lately I have been obsessed with crafting, everything from painting canvases to wine glasses, Modge Podging everything in between. It all started with Pinterest of course.  Just a couple of clicks on a sorority page brought me into the world of crafting. Painted paddles, picture frames and Lilly prints are spotted all over my Pinterest. 

I started with simple signs for my room. A "no lifeguard on duty", "work like a captain party like a pirate" and "life's at ease with an ocean breeze" sign line the walls of my room. Recently I have added a painting of hydrangeas and a wooden letter E painted with a Lilly Pulitzer print to my collection. Along with these painted crafts, I have also added cork boards filled with tags and cute greeting cards like a tag from my Triangl bikini and another tag from my Pura Vida bracelets. 

Any little accessory I can add to my room I am all for. I love to add the little details that pull everything together into one common theme of everything I love.