Game Day: Girls in Pearls

Who is ready to watch UVA trounce get annihilated by Oregon today? Well, if you want to watch it and you aren't in Charlottesville...it'll be on ESPN2.
I love college football. The tailgates, the hype, the fashion, and the fans. Admittedly, the game isn't a big deal at UVA but we get to dress cute and tailgate on the lawn, which is a plus. We're a notoriously preppy school (apparently credited with making duck boots popular?) and for football games it's "Girls in Pearls, Guys in Ties." Dressing for these early games is pretty easy because it just involves throwing on your Jack Rogers or cowboy boots, a sun dress, and pearls. I'll do a post about cold weather games later...but it is just too nice out today to think about stuff like that.

Sundress

I think I might actually be wearing a skirt to today's game, but still, same idea. A google search for game day dresses will result in several websites with adorable school spirit outfits. Some of the sites even separate the dresses by school color which is an awesome time saver. 

Boots

I love wearing my cowboy boots because they're sturdy and I am not worried about getting them trashed while I stand on the hill at the game. Plus, sundresses and cowboy boots go together like peas and carrots!

Jack Rogers

For those days where it's just too hot to wear your cowboy boots, or if you want to show off that new pedicure, Jacks are the way to go. Like the game day dresses, you can easily find these in almost every school color and they even sell college and sorority themed ones specifically!

Crossbody bag

I wish I'd had the forethought to buy a monogrammed bag for football games. I have my coral one, but obviously that doesn't go with my school's colors. Any crossbody will do, its just nice to have somewhere to keep your keys, phone, school ID, and a bit of cash.

Pearls

Naturally...you need these! Freshwater pearls are more than affordable if you find the right vendor. There are always glass pearls too if you're on a tight (college) budget. The advantage of the pearls is that you can literally change your outfit 60 times and they will still go perfectly with what you're wearing!

Sunglasses

Prevent those crows feet! Get some sunglasses so that you can actually enjoy the game...a lot more fun than squinting! Oh, and don't forget your croakies! Seriously, I don't care if you don't like how they look. A pair of sunglasses on croakies trumps a busted pair on the ground any day!

Again, I know that different schools have different dress codes. At tech we just wore a VT shirt and shorts...I loved that simple look plus seeing everyone in maroon and orange made the stadium look awesome! Also, just throwing this video clip of the greatest game I've ever attended in here...seriously, I still have dreams about this game. 

Happy Game Day!

xoxo,
SSP

Fall Essentials: Kicking it Off

I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but I have kind of been in the process of a closet overhaul since high school. It wasn't that I had bad style back then...I've been preppy since the day I was born (yeah, I did have the embarrassing denim skirt and popped polo phase...who didn't?), but I sometimes bought cheap, trendy pieces that sat in my closet making it look infinitely more full than it was. 
From now on, I am all about the reusable, multi-outfit essentials (plus the occasional fun piece...they're necessary). I decided to share some of my favorite additions for fall, even if it is still hot outside...but it's okay because the Pumpkin Spice Latte is backkkkk!

Factory Accordion Pleat Mini

I did not buy this in every color...okay maybe I did. Whatever, I am in love with this skirt. It is a great wool blend that is perfect for chilly fall and winter days. I am debating returning the gray one because it feels a little "Catholic School Girl Uniform" to me, but they really are the best. Skirts that sit higher on me tend to be more flattering and I just love the way these fit.  The skirt doesn't have a lot of give and I wanted it to look a bit more A-line so I went with the 6 instead of the 4. (this skirt order was a fiasco for me and I literally ended up with 16 of them....you probably think I am kidding, but I'm not)

Penny Loafers

Okay, I love these and while I don't have them, I am desperate for a pair. I don't know if I prefer the darker burgundy or tan, but they're a great shoe. The advantage of these is that they're more substantial than a flat, but can easily be worn with a skirt too...perfect for those of you trying to cram a wardrobe into a dorm room. My desire for these may also stem from my love of Nancy Drew books when I was younger when I read them all (in numerical order because I can't deal with reading books out of order).

Ponte Pants and Leggings

Ponte is basically a gift from God. I'm serious, if you haven't tried these leggings yet, do it now. They're so comfortable and much more substantial than leggings (great for girls like me who have a butt!). I got the J. Crew Gigi Pant, but they're a bit long so I need to get them hemmed (also order a size down!). I also ordered the C. Wonder Jodhpur Legging in their (awesome) labor day sale in navy. I figured a Navy legging was good for me to have, plus I love the patch on the inside of the leg...cute detail!

Fall Coats

I didn't get much use of these my freshman year at Virginia Tech since it goes straight to winter with that wind chill, but I got so much use out of my LL Bean Barn Coat last year. While I'd love a Barbour, there is no way my budget will allow for that expense until I graduate and get a big girl job. I also picked up a cute J. Crew jacket (similar) in their August sale and am really excited to have it to add to my fall wardrobe. 

Button-ups and Popovers

I love button-ups and have started to develop quite the collection. They're perfect for jeans, skirts, or any bottom you pair them with. They add an effortless level of completion to any outfit. Popovers are also great, I got my first one recently and I am thinking of adding more. They're a little less formal and perfect to pair with leggings.

I'll do a couple more fall essential posts in the coming weeks...I just couldn't wait to share some of my favorites! What are your staple fall pieces?

xoxo,
SSP

Back To School Resolutions

Oh right...I blog. Sorryyyyy for my absence but life has been crazy busy. There is just something about the first week of class that demands you to have no free time and as many coffee dates and meetings as humanly possible. Seriously, my little and I were texting about getting lunch and she went to one place four times since classes have started...craziness!
Anyways, this hectic schedule got me thinking. Being involved is great and I totally encourage everyone to do it. I actually am working on a new outlook this year. Obviously my transition to UVA was tough and I didn't throw myself into the experience as much as I wished I had and now I am aiming to make up for lost time. 
Get involved, meet people, develop relationships, take classes you are interested in and love college. I realize that sentence sounds simple, but until you don't work on it, you really have no appreciation for how crucial those steps are.

First day of my 3rd Year!!!

yeah, roomie and I match...casual

I am planning to be busier, more active, and happier this year. I believe in New Year's Resolutions, but I also believe that resolutions are a personal thing that can come around at any time. This year I am making a couple for myself based on the academic calendar and I encourage everyone to do the same:

Sugar Snap Pearls' Resolutions:

Raise $1000 for Relay for Life

Run 2 half-marathons (messed up feet are a no-go for the full thing)

Give back to the community through service

Learn conversational Spanish

Become more fiscally responsible

Blog 4x a week...yay

Get my class reading done ahead of time

Make a firm academic/future plan

Finish decorating the apartment!!!

What are your school year resolutions?

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

Desk Obsessed

Okay, I am obsessed with my new desk! Seriously, it is amazing what some knobs and a few coats of paint can accomplish. While I am not ready to do an apartment or room tour yet (so much decorating left...but it's already the most amazing apartment ever), I do want to share this desk and vertical file shelf. 

So I got this old desk from my Momma's boyfriend because its the perfect size for me. I don't study at my desk a ton because I am better off getting serious studying done at the library, but it's really nice to have the option. 

This was a super simple project, but it did take a bit longer than anticipated because of work schedules, paint drying, stenciling, and a couple of design overhauls. In the end, I love this and it has totally won the prize for "Favorite Room Decoration." 

To paint this I used Behr paint, furniture primer, a Martha Stewart Stencil, and Anthropologie knobs.  

Not only did I paint the desk, but when my momma and I came across these filing units in TJ Maxx, we knew they were perfect for my room. I love having a place to store important papers or documents that's easy to sift through. This was a really, really simple task. All I did was prime it, paint it, and then paint the brackets and put them back on. 

Now these project may seem like a lot of navy in my room, but my room is MASSIVE and has white walls. I need all the color I can get! And I know I am not giving away my room yet...but here is a hint for those of you who've actually read this whole post:

Oh, and I can't wait to show you my closets...yeah, plural...

Have you ever up-cycled furniture before? 

xoxo,

SSP

Nothing Is Impossible

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says 'I'm Possible'."

-Audrey Hepburn

Well I am back in Charlottesville and taking the day to (attempt to) shop the Lilly Sale and get some housekeeping done. Blogging will back in full effect tomorrow. For now, I leave you with one of my favorite motivational quotes as I look at my growing to-do list for the week!
OOOH, I cannot wait to show y'all the apartment...seriously, I'm in love with it!

xoxo,
SSP