Warmer Weather, Cooler Colors

On Sunday, I gave y'all a preview of my love for mint. Today I was so happy to break out my new sweater, it is the perfect weather for it. I knew I wanted something comfy since I have to spend the whole day studying for an exam and writing a solution to North Korean Nuclear Proliferation (super fun) so leggings were a must.
I am going to keep this post short and sweet since I have to get back to my studying, but I hope that the weather is cooperating where you are and that y'all have a wonderful day!

sweater: H&M // leggings: Marshall's // shoes: Steve Madden // necklace: Fornash // bracelets: not available anymore

http://instagr.am/p/XDVfV1SAUE/

Also, tomorrow I will have some exciting news about my blog tomorrow. And don't forget to follow my blog on Bloglovin' since Google Reader is going away!

xoxo,

SSP

Rainy Day Monograms

I am so excited to finally debut this. I wore it last week on my rainy day in Florida and it took all my self-restraint not to just show it off then. Of course, I was secretly hoping for a rainy day today so that I could actually show it off...well, I got one. I woke up to snow! Yeah, March 18th in Virginia and it's snowing? Clearly Mother Nature is lost or spiting me for wishing for a drizzle. In fairness, it is drizzling now but it is really cold too. I was not feeling like another "How to Style Duck Boots" outfit post plus I had a 9am exam so running leggings and a sweatshirt it is. At least my rain coat looks cute...even if it is tucked under my Eddie Bauer Down Vest.
Anyways, back to the coat. I got this one from Marley Lilly. I have raved about this site before and I will again. As great as it is to find stuff on Etsy, Marley Lilly has the most comprehensive site for monogrammed goodies I have ever seen and their customer service is outstanding (I had a slight thread color panic on my derby hat last year). I got the Eddie Bauer rain coat, and while I love it, I would recommend the heavier one if it is going to be your primary rain coat just because I prefer a bit of weight to mine usually (but this one is great!). If you order the coat, you have the option of getting the chest, hood, or both monogrammed, obviously I chose both. I think any of the options look good, it's just a question of how obvious you want the monogram.

Marley Lilly: Monogrammed Black Cherry Eddie Bauer Rain Jacket

Also, don't forget to look out for next week's Monogram Monday...I know y'all are going to want to win the giveaway!

"My rule is, if it it's not moving, monogram it" -Reese Witherspoon

xoxo,

SSP

Minty Fresh

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today is one of my favorite holidays of the year. Sure, it isn't a day of gift giving (bummer), but it is still one of the greatest days of the year! First of all, I am mostly Irish and my name means Ireland. And if that isn't enough, green is one of my favorite colors, so a day devoted to wearing green is a win in my book. One of the best things about the color green is that there are so many shades of it. This year Emerald seems to be the color of the year, but this spring is all about mint. Yep, ladies, get a bit of a tan because the washed out, faded mint is going to be coming out in full force.  I love this color. I bought a cardigan and shorts in mint at the J. Crew outlet in Florida, and then got the mint H&M sweater I feature in this post while back home. Seriously, I wish I had bought this sweater in a couple of colors, it is so cozy but cool because of the loose knit. Embrace the mint, have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day and drink a beer for me while I study for the exam I have tomorrow!!!

Minty Fresh by sugarsnappearls

H&M Sweater // Skirt // Vince Camuto wedge // Clarks flat // Kate Spade shoulder bag // Watch // Kate Spade Earrings // Etsy Necklace // Hair Bow // Mint Lip Balm // Essie Nail Polish

Slainte!
SSP

p.s. please don't forget about following me on Bloglovin (link in sidebar)! I would hate for y'all to miss my upcoming giveaway!

Don't Feed the Alligators

adios, boys. thanks for a great couple of days and some awesome wins!

Unfortunately, today was a chilly and drizzly day. I mean, it poured this morning and despite that I decided to go for a run. Big mistake. By the end of my run I was wringing out my shirt a la Bruce Springsteen (watch here [2:16-19]...dang, he's sexy) and my shoes felt like blocks of concrete with all the water in them. 
I had been so excited about my outfit for the game, too. I had planned to wear one of my favorite cotton Lilly dresses, but that ended up getting scrapped in favor of boyfriend jeans and a rain coat. I love my boyfriend jeans. Gap seriously makes an amazing pair, they feel like pajamas! Today was an especially good day for these pants because we spent a lot of time in the car driving an hour and a half to the game in Port Charlotte (Spring Training home of the Tampa Bay Rays), outlet shopping (heck yeah) and then dinner and back to the hotel after.

top: H&M // jeans: Gap // belt: my momma // shoes: jack rogers // purse: H&M // bracelets: Fornash (seriously, when don't I wear Fornash) // ring: The Jewel Box //sunglasses: Ray Ban with Lilly croakies

http://instagr.am/p/WxVQYCSAT-/

If you were wondering about the title of the post, it comes from a sign we saw by the pond outside of the stadium. Yeah, they get alligators that swim through the drainage pipes and hang out there. I really didn't want to take the photo because I could easily see one of their fresh slides right by the sign. How do I know what an alligator slide is? Thank you, Swamp People.

"dad, hurry up and take the picture so I don't get eaten" cue nervous half-smile

Oh and as for shopping, I got a couple of great pieces at the J. Crew outlet. I finally have some mint to incorporate into my wardrobe! Now if only the weather would warm up so I could wear it. Ugh, I don't wanna leave this Florida weather behind.

xoxo,
SSP

Coral Clutch at the Park

I am so excited to finally debut this clutch. Seriously, I have been waiting for today and it took all my self-restraint not to use it yesterday. Today we watched the Yankees take on the Cardinals back at Steinbrenner Field, our last game there this year because tomorrow we make the 1.5 hour haul to Port Charlotte to see them at the Tampa Bay Rays park (no idea about the name).
You may notice that I am wearing wedges and shorts. I had mixed feelings about this style until recently. I think that it is a really cute look that makes your legs look long and lean (short girl win!) but you ahve to be careful with it. There is a fine line between cute and trashy. These J. Crew Boyfriend shorts aren't too short or tight, so it works. Anyways, I am so excited to debut this bag and basically carry it every chance I get. Did I mention that I snagged it for $23 (including shipping)?!?! Yeah, mega win in my book.
Oh, and this picture was taken in front of the Lou Gehrig sign in the area where they display the retired numbers. Reading all those names reminds me we have had some talented players on the Yankees! 27 rings and counting!!! 

top: Lilly Pulitzer (couldn't find it online) // shorts: J. Crew // sunglasses: Ray Ban (Lilly croakies) // clutch: Cordial Lee (facebook) // bracelet: GroopDealz // shoes: Nine West (similar)

http://instagr.am/p/WuaGpayARb/

dinner outfit (Lilly dress, Fornash jewelry, Target shoes)

Oh, and before all you ladies discover the talented Yankees prospects I've seen at Spring Training, I have dibs on Corban Joseph (plus he has a cool name). I'm just saying...

xoxo,

SSP

Mustang Sally

Another day of baseball, another late outfit post. That's just the type of week I am having and I can't complain about that. Today we went to see the Yankees take on the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin at the Florida Auto Center Stadium. It was our first time at this stadium so wearing these wedges was taking a bit of a gamble from a walking perspective (sometimes parking is far away) and I lost out on that gamble today, but it was totally worth it! These shoes are destined to be a wardrobe staple and I have only had them for 72 hours. I saw them on Target's website a while ago and fell in love, but of course they were sold out. Luckily, my local Target had them when I was running my errands before departing for Florida and I snagged a pair. I really want them in red too, and maybe black, and I guess if I am buying both of those I should just complete the set and get the teal ones too? Yeah, I kind of like these shoes...

top: Old Navy (last year) // skirt: J. Crew // bracelets: fornash and H&M // purse: H&M // shoes: Target // cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft (not pictured)

http://instagr.am/p/WruQyUSAcD/

changed into a Shep Shirt and cropped pants for a chillier evening on the boardwalk...and yeah, I ate that whole cone of custard (so yummy!!)

http://instagr.am/p/WssEKuyAYO/

Now, you might be wondering what any of this has to do with Mustang Sally. Well, after the game we decided to stay in the Clearwater/St. Pete's area for shopping and dinner. We stopped off at The Old Snack Shack in Madeira Beach for a Hawaiian Shaved Ice and got snack and a show. Yes, ladies and gents, while sitting there enjoying our snack and staring out at the beach, an overly-tanned middle aged man with his nipples pierced wearing jeans with leather chaps over them and no shirt (hence me knowing about the nipple thing) started to perform some classic rock songs. It was all fun and games as everyone took photos of this spectacle until he came over to me and started to serenade me. Yep, he came and sang "Mustang Sally" to me, thoroughly enjoying my complete embarrasment at being singled out. It was definitely an experience I will never forget.

hiding from him as he approaches...Dad just took pictures and laughed

xoxo,

SSP

p.s. get excited for tomorrow's OOTD/Monogram Monday...I know I am!!!

From the Plane to the Park

Today was one of those days that required three outfits (only 2 featured). Sometimes, travel days are just like that! For the rest of my trip, I will be continuing the multiple outfit/day trend because I always change out of my ballpark clothes for dinner, and I will try to post both each day if I can.

Outfit #1:
Traveling from DC to Florida requires some planning on the outfit front. Nothing like leaving a place in 30 degree weather (it was 7am...also, not a fun time to be at an airport without coffee) to fly to 75 degrees and sunny. I chose a maxi dress because A) it feels like pajamas B) it can cover both the two climates I was traveling between and the ever unpredictable temperature of the airplane. Also, you never know what the plane schedule and delay situation is going to be and if we ended up having to go straight to the ballpark, I wanted to be prepared.
I love this dress and the best part about it is that it was $12. That's right, I spotted it while checking out at Wally World (Walmart) with my momma at school this fall (Walmarts in college towns rock) and decided that I didn't care where it was from, I liked it and it was cheap so I picked it up. Plus, worst case scenario, if I sat in something or spilled something in the airport, I wouldn't be terribly upset since it was so cheap.

dress: Walmart // jacket: Garage (way back when it was decent) // earrings: J. Crew // bracelet: GroopDealz // shoes: Jack Rogers // nail polish: Essie "watermelon"

http://instagr.am/p/WpP_6gyAaY/

Outfit #2:
If I am going to be in Florida for 5 days, you better believe I am getting a tan. I try to avoid wearing shirts with straps to the ballpark after a super attractive tank top tan from last year and this outfit was just that. I know baseball like the back of my hand, I spend my spring break with my dad watching the Yankees, so I feel like it is okay to look cute going to the ballpark. Well, really it is always acceptable to look cute going to the game, gotta impress those baseball players (am I right or am I right?) Sorry for the overwhelming athlete love today...I can't help it. 

top: Target // shorts: J. Crew // purse: H&M // bracelets: Fornash and Fornash // shoes: Jack Rogers

http://instagr.am/p/WpT_4uSAQi/

xoxo,

SSP