It's Not Actually About the Horses

...it's about having a great time with your friends and celebrating the end of the year! So as many of you already know, Foxfield was this weekend and I had such a great time. There was so much Lilly and Vineyard Vines and so many sundresses and bowties that I can't help but wish we could have another go at it this weekend (instead we get Finals...how is that fair?)!

I went with my sorority but along the way saw friends and family and plenty of pictures.

my partner-in-crime

candid with the roomie

one half of the Monogram Fam

my sweet "roommate" from last year

cousin bonding

For those of you who are wondering, my dress was a Lilly Pulitzer from last season that I picked up in the Rue La La sale a few weeks ago. My hat is from Marley Lilly and they also sell a cross body similar to mine! If you missed that sale, but don't want to in the future, here is an invitation to join the site so you never miss an amazing designer sale!

xoxo,

SSP

A Day at the Races

Break out the sundresses and oversized hats, it is horse race season! I almost forgot that Carolina Cup is on Saturday because it is so darn cold here, I can't even imagine wearing a sundress right now! That being said, I did just order my dress for Foxfield and I am so ready for my first trip to the race (I was running the Nike Women's Half in DC last year). As I've mentioned before, I go to the Fall Gold Cup in The Plains, VA every year, but Spring races have a totally different feel. Don't get me wrong, I love the Fall race style because by that point I am sort of ready for furs and riding boots, but right now I am dreaming of sunshine and sundresses.

Fortunately the dress code for most races in the spring is the same, and as long as you stick with a cute summery dress and a sunhat, you should blend right in! These races are as much a fashion show as they are about races, in fact for college kids it is definitely more about the socialization. Seriously, one of the items to do on the UVA graduation bucket list is to see a horse at Foxfield...

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer is going to be the most common designer you see, but really any sundress will do. I mentioned my love of Lauren James before and Vineyard Vines always has great options, too!

Shoes: A wedge is okay, but do not try to wear a stiletto in the grass, you'll ruin your shoes and look silly. Personally, I recommend sticking with a flat sandal in the interest of balance, especially due to potential alcohol consumption...

Sunhat: This is as much a fashion statement as it is practical. Spending an entire day in the sun can result in a pretty nice sunglass tan or burn if you aren't careful. 

Small Purse: You'll want to have your ID and other necessities handy, so keep this close by. A small crossbody will stay out of the way and still perform the job you need it to!

Sunscreen: Sundresses are much cuter than the tan/burn lines they leave behind! Make sure to at least apply some before you head out for the day!

Drinks: It's a marathon not a sprint, y'all. Try to keep that in mind, especially if it's pretty hot out. Also, drink some water in between alcoholic beverages...now I sound like my Momma, oops.

Have FUN if you're going this weekend! I am so jealous, in large part because I just really want warm weather!

Happy Birthday, Lilly!

I'm sure many of you already know this, but today is Lilly Pulitzer's birthday. While she may have passed away, her legacy is carried on through her colorful frocks, memorable quotes, and inspiring life. She was a trailblazer and lived the life she wanted to live. It all started with a juice stand, then Jackie Kennedy making headlines wearing a kitchen curtain dress, and the rest is history. So thank you to "the barefoot queen of pink and green" for reminding everyone that life is a party and giving us the clothes to dress for it.
Oh, and these are a couple of quote images I made. I am trying to figure out Gimp because I don't want to pay for photoshop and I think I am starting to get the hang of it!

xoxo,

SSP

Thirsty Thursday: Cup O' Joe

I am a coffee addict. There is no denying it. I need my coffee in the morning, I accept my weakness and move on. Some of you say it's unhealthy...clearly this is because you haven't seen me try to function without the stuff. Sure, I try to wean myself off it a bit around finals (caffeine increases stress), but the rest of the year is all about starting the morning off with a cup of joe. 
In college, I tend to take my coffee on the go with me (sometimes it's my second cup, but who's counting). I have collected quite a few mugs over the years, though my go-to is definitely my 2013 Spring Training Tervis (or my Margaritaville one for the double-dose days). I try to avoid getting a cup at Starbucks if I can, especially for regular coffee. Plus, if you use your cup, you get a discount! So save the environment a bit and grab one of these chic mugs to tote your beverage around in.

Tervis Tumbler

These things rock. They're perfect for hot or cold beverages, come in several sizes and all sorts of patterns. I have both a regular and large Tervis and I alternate depending on what I'm drinking. Oh, and you can also get these monogrammed...double win!

Lilly Pulitzer Travel Mug

I mean, I had to include Lilly. It's cute and functional. Basically it takes all of my self-restraint not to buy one of these cute mugs. 

Magnolia Lane Mugs

You need one of these. No, I'm serious. Magnolia Lane mugs don't mess around with size, it's like drinking a fishbowl of coffee. I have a Virginia Tech one at home (I went there freshman year, don't judge) and it is my favorite mug hands down. Also, Magnolia Lane creates so many other adorable ceramic goodies, perfect for any hostess or birthday gift!

Pier 1 Imports Mugs

I love the happy and colorful mugs from Pier 1. My big gave me one of these giraffe mugs in one of my baskets during big sis week and it's my favorite at school. I sometimes race drinking my coffee down so the giraffe doesn't drown...yeah, I'm five, it's whatever.

Contigo Mugs

Back to a travel mug here with a super tightly sealed mug. Seriously, these things are amazing. I had one in High School that could easily keep my coffee hot for half the day as I sipped on it throughout the morning (you know, before I was a true addict).

What's your favorite coffee mug? Are there any other awesome travel mugs I missed?

xoxo,
SSP

Plan Away

Well it's the first day of class! I had so many back-to-school posts planned for last week and I am so sorry I didn't get to them. I had a whole plan, and then got super sick...like my Momma had to come pick me up and take me home from college sick. But, I am much better now and so excited for the first day of class! Since I didn't get to it last week, I know I have a lot of back-to-school prep left to do and I am sure some of y'all are in the same boat! 
I finally got around to ordering my planners and books (bank account hates me so much right now) and I wanted to share my thoughts on planners with you!
Normally, I just grab my favorite Lilly planner at the mall and go from there, but I actually wanted to try something a bit different and see if it benefits me this year. I am juggling way more this semester than in the past and I definitely had some reservations about trying to cram it all in that format. Since I spent so much time analyzing planners (actually though, it's sort of embarrassing) I am going to share some of my favorite systems with y'all.

Lilly Pulitzer

Duh, the iconic planner. You can't go wrong with the colorful pages and stickers that almost make you excited to write down that 20 page term paper...almost. There is plenty of room to write in this planner and the extra section dedicated to the months in the front is a nice long term flip through. Also, this year the new tabs are more durable and there's a new horoscope section!

Sarah Pinto

Well, this is my planner for the year. Sara Pinto planners are perfect for getting down to business. It has a cute and simple front cover design and no-fuss organization inside. Plus, the selling point to the organization freak in me was the to-do list section for each day!

Kate Spade

Okay these are new, and I am obsessed. I desperately wanted the polka dotted one, but I actually am getting 2 planners (yeah, I know, I'll explain later) and the price was just a bit more than I really wanted to pay for that...especially with the cost of textbooks. Also, love the quote at the beginning of each section. It's very similar to the Lilly one in that sense, basically as cute as a Lilly but with plain pages.

Erin Condren

I have never seen one of these in person, but I have heard rumors. This might actually be on my christmas list. This is the queen of all planners. I mean, it's called the "life planner" for a reason. You can plan school, social activities, work, basically everything in here. 

Google Calendar

Not to be a total grandma, but I cannot do online planning. I just struggle to remember it if I don't physically write it down. I am going to try to use my iPhone as a backup this year but we'll see. However, if you're tech savvy or always leaving your planner, this is for you. You can reference it anywhere and sync it with all devices. The calendar app on my Macbook, iPad, and iPhone is probably the calendar I'd use, but the idea of a digital calendar is great for on the go and it's free!
So I mentioned 2 planners...I am also getting a jumbo Lilly planner to leave at home. That way I can juggle social, school, extracurriculars, blogging, and maybe work. I just like the idea of having one for school and one for life in general for this semester.

What are you planning with this semester?

xoxo,
SSP

Designer on a Dime

I have an eye for designer things. Even when I am shopping at TJ Maxx or Marshall's, I always manage to pick up the bag or dress that is "marked down" for a steal of $150. I have always been this way, I am my momma's daughter.
Unfortunately, being a college girl trying to pay her way through school leaves little room for the fashionista in me to buy an endless supply of Reva flats, Lilly dresses, Yurman bracelets and Michale Kors watches. One day I hope that I will make enough money to do that, but for now, I am a bargain shopper.
I don't care if my shoes come from Nordstroms or Target because I like to shop to much. Sure, I could spend my money buying $100 shoes at the mall, but I'd rather buy 4 pairs of shoes from DSW or Target for the same price. At the end of the day, what really matters is that I like what I have got, not where it comes from.
Of course, there are other ways to go about getting designer clothing without breaking the bank. For example, today I got two packages from Lilly Pulitzer (I just couldn't justify not going back on a second time to get those dresses). Recently they had their New Years sale and I am not going to say no to dresses that are marked down from $100 to $35. I got my cute Lilly everyday dresses (and some presents for my future little) for a great price. Now, if you missed this sale, that doesn't mean that you are missing out on your Lilly forever. There is actually a facebook group called "re-lilly" dedicated to women who want to get rid of their lightly or never used Lilly dresses and they sell them at great prices. I have never personally used this site, though I plan to, but I have several friends who swear by it. As much as I love Lilly, people will start to notice if I wear the same dress to Gold Cup, Foxfields, and my cousin's graduation this spring. Instead, I am planning on using this site to recycle my dresses and not have to chop up my credit card afterwards.
Also, yes, I realize that 3 of the 5 dresses I bought from the Lilly sale are navy or black. I like basic colors, is that so wrong?!?! (I am trying to break out of that, I swear)

http://instagram.com/p/UXZKB2SAQU/

xoxo,
SSP

PS my lovely friend from Mortar and Pastel (@CatholicGirlProbs) pointed out that if you live in the DMV there are some great Lilly sales at the Bethesda, MD and Alexandria, VA stores