Ready to Relax

It was such a beautiful day, and I had just enough time to take a few blog pictures!  The ocean breeze ensured the temperature was not too hot; perfect for swimming and boating.  The one downside was that I got a pretty bad sunburn.  As Catherine would say, "I look like a lobster!" I guess next time I definitely need to put on some more sunscreen...

 I kept my outfit simple; no accessories except for my sunglasses.  I feel that in the summer, jewelry everyday isn't always necessary

Shirt: J. Crew Factory | Shorts: J. Crew | Shoes: Tory Burch (similar)

The summer in New England has just begun and it has been wonderful so far!  What fun things have you guys been up to this summer?  Let us know in the comments!

xoxo,

Julianna 

Preppy by the Sea

American Pride is Hard to Hide

Fourth of July is by far and away one of my favorite holidays, every year I am away at camp during this time, however there is no lack of festivities there! I love pulling together the most patriotic outfit possible and though thought I would share a few of my favorite red, white and blue items! Let's start getting excited for the 4th! 

monogrammed bandeau | needlepoint hat

tee shirt | chubbies

tumbler | krass & co. shorts

dress | flip flops | seersucker shorties

The first thing that I am loving is the American flag monogrammed bandeau from RahRah Designs, I have a white one with a navy monogram from Etsy, but this is the cutest thing I have seen! Sometimes fourth of july bathing suits can get a bit over the top but this is the perfect combination of American pride and simplicity, plus you can definitely wear it through out the summer! The Smathers and Branson navy american Flag needle point baseball hat is so adorable, I have seen it at In the Pink and definitely want to purchase it. 

Next up we have shorts and I will assure you that there is no shortage of fourth of July shorts on the internet! The first pair are Chubbies, which are mens shorts, however I have seen girls wear them and honestly I kind of want a pair... Krass & Co has a cute pair of "Sam's Shorts" with stars and stripes and the Lauren James red seersucker shorties with stars on the sides are to die for! 

If you are going to a fancier party, the Lilly Pulitzer McCallum fitted tie back dress in "Sparks Fly" is absolutely perfect! The back of the dress has a super cute little bow with a gold zipper and the skinny stapes eliminate the inconvenience of  a strapless dress while still staying cool on a hot day! Vineyard Vines flip flops with the American flag are also fun and could be rework through out the summer. Finally is the Tervis Tumbler, these would be such a cute hostess gift or if you throw a party ever year add them to you collection of festive plates, trays etc. 

Enjoy the BBQ's and parades and pull out your best red, white and blue, stars and stripes! The more festive the better because, American pride is hard to hide :)

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea 

Lime and the Polka Dots

Long time no post, yesterday we had our last finals and it is officially SUMMER!  As you may have noticed, I love adding a pop of color to my summer outfits! Recently, I was at J. Crew and found these lime green chino shorts on sale for $17 and knew that they were the perfect piece to add to my wardrobe! J. Crew also made a paper bag skirt in the same color which is an adorable summer staple. Sometimes I find that it can be difficult to pair neons with a lot of my clothes, but I have found that navy and white basically solves that problem. This shirt is white with black polk dots and the ruffle detail on the collar is super unique! In the fall or winter, it would also be perfect for layering with a sweater.

What girl doesn't love peonies!? 

I kept the jewelry pretty simple in this outfit... I'm just wearing my silver signet ring that I wear everyday!

        

Always add a pop of pink :)

shorts- J. Crew | shirt- J. Crew Factory (Sold Out) similar  | sandals- Jack Rogers

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

Camp Crazy: Clothing

When it comes to packing for camp, you could say that clothes are one of the most important things to bring, so here is the final section of the Camp Crazy collaboration! I go to camp next saturday (June 21st) in New Hampshire where the weather can change drastically, so when it comes to packing my trunk looks prepared for January weather and for 100 degrees! 

In the mornings/ at night/ when it is rainy, it can get pretty very chilly (especially the sprint from the lake back to the cabins)! For cooler weather I bring a spirit jersey/ long sleeve shirts, lots and lots of sweatshirts, leggings and sweat pants. On top of all this, for rainy days pack a rain coat, rain boots and if you have them bring L.L. Bean duck shoes. Duck shoes are so much easier to quickly slip on than rain boots and they will keep your feet dry. 

Despite those yucky rainy days, the weather is typically beautiful and I will wear summer clothes. Pretty much everyday I will wear nike shorts, a tee shirt or a pinnie (if it is really hot) with sneakers or flip flops. When it comes to flip flops, I always bring my rainbows and then a cheap pair from old navy to wear to the showers and at the lake. When packing, remember you can never pack too many pairs of socks! Finally, bathing suits. I try to bring bathing suits that can mix and match easily, to try and not over pack too much! This year I will be part of a ceremony where you have to wear green bottoms and a white top, so I will be bringing a pair of green chino shorts and white shirt. On the last night of camp, we have a banquet where everyone gets dressed up and takes lots of pictures.  I am pretty sure that I will bring a Lilly shift dress for this! 

When packing everything into your trunk, try to roll all of your clothes, it will save you a lot of space!

Just a little proof of the complete chaos of packing,  plus last year I started at 10:00 the night before oops... 

Words of wisdom from the "pro" 

DO NOT start packing the night before when you are half asleep and MAKE A LIST! 

Last year I forgot to pack sneakers and we had to find a random Sports Authority in New Hampshire to pick them up on the way...oh and also I forgot a pillow, shout out to my cousin who left after me and brought me one! Needless to say last year I was a disaster with my packing and my family still makes fun of me. I promise I have never been this forgetful before :)

Check out Maggie's post on her blog here!

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

Southland Cotton

 It's almost finals and after that it is Summer, so guess what that means? Oversized tee shirts and nike shorts! We have a new company that makes the perfect shirts for your lazy summer days, southlandcotton.com! Southland Cotton's shirts are super soft and they come in a wide variety of styles. The company is based out of Tennessee and was started in 2013, they value customer service and the quality of their products. Check out their Instagram, @southlandcotton for more fun pictures! 

Julianna wearing the Short Sleeve Watermelon Front Print Shirt

Catherine wearing the Long Sleeve Plum Purple Prepster Pocket Shirt

We are definitely obsessed with the Freedom Flag Pocket Shirt, perfect to wear to Fourth of July BBQ's and to the beach! Pre-Order yours today! 

What's better than cute and comfortable shirts? Cute and comfortable shirts that are on sale! Lucky for you, we have a coupon code 'preppybythesea10' to receive 10% off your next purchase! 

xoxo,

Julianna and Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

Camp Crazy: Random Reminders

Today is part two of the Camp Crazy collaboration and we are talking about some random essentials! Every year when I get to camp, I always realize there is something that I never would have thought to bring or something small that I totally spaced when packing. Even after years of going, someone in your cabin will have something that you want to add to your packing list the next year. Here are a few of my "Random Reminders" to you! 

Crazy Creek- 

These little chairs are so popular at our camp, they are perfect for sitting around on the floor of the cabin or all camp cook outs! available here

Baseball Hat- 

Sunny day? Rainy day?  Haven't taken a shower in a day or two? Baseball hats are perfect for practically any camp day! 

Small Backpack-

 Use for hikes or day trips 

Lots of Stamps- 

I always bring way more stamps than I could ever need and end up lending them to my friends! If your camp has a store you can always pick up extra there

Dress-up Clothes-

We have all kinds of crazy lunches or themed days at camp, 80's day, Olympic Day, Book Character, Tacky Tourist, etc. 

I also recommend bringing a shirt and a pair of shorts in the same color because sometimes each cabin/ age/ top bunk/ bottom bunk etc. is assigned a color for games like capture the flag! (ex. red shorts and red shirt/ blue shirt blue and shorts is the most common)

Scissors-

You don't actually realize how much you use them until you forget them (ex friendship bracelets, cutting tee shirts etc.) 

Laundry Bag-

Try to keep all your dirty laundry organized 

Shower Caddy- 

As I mentioned in the Beauty Essentials post, keeping all the things you need in the shower in one caddy makes life so much easier when walking to the bathrooms 

Sharpie-

LABEL ALL YOUR CLOTHES 

Notebook-

Use a notebook to write down some of the activities you do each day to remember later!

Deck of Cards-

Camp is the only place where I actually play cards, but on a rainy day a game of BS or spoons is a great cabin activity! 

Water bottle-

This one is kind of obvious, however I recommend bringing two or three and put some stickers or something on it so you know its yours. I guarantee at least 50 other girls have the same blue CamelBak as you

Camera- 

Bring a real camera not one of the disposable ones from CVS, not only are they batter quality but you can also put them on your computer when you get home and share them with your friends! 

Check out Maggie's post for more random reminders for camp packing! 

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea 

Camp Crazy: Beauty Essentials

I am so excited to announce that today is the beginning of the collaboration with Maggie from  www.maggieroyce.com called "Camp Crazy". Maggie and I were talking a few months back and coincidentally, we go to the same camp! After chatting for quite some time and comparing our memories and experiences, she came up with the great idea of doing a collaboration series about camp! The series will consist of three sections that will be posted over the next ten days. Sleep away camp has been one of the highlights of my summer since I was in elementary school, it is a chance to escape the "real world" for a couple of weeks and enjoy the simple things life has to offer! 

Because camp packing is quite the process, we have divided it into three separate sections and today is "Beauty Essentials". This title is actually quite ironic because there is not much beauty involved with camp. For us, makeup is not allowed (except for our banquet night) and there is a pretty good chance that showers will not happen everyday, so these are pretty basic essentials. 

The list...

• Shampoo & Conditioner- Before my first year, my mom's friend told me to buy a scent that I really liked because it would always remind me of camp which is SO true! 
• Body Wash- bring body wash instead of a bar of soap because it will stay clean
• Shaving Cream and Razor
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush & Toothpaste- bring two toothbrushes, I always seem to lose mine or drop them in a pile of dirt
• Floss- bring the flossers, they are so much better and more convenient than a roll of dental floss 
• Toothbrush Covers- keeps your toothbrush clean 
• ChapStick- being out in the sun all day dries out your lips, plus I hate going to be without putting on some ChapStick 
• Sunscreen- bring spray, it is so much easier to use if you are in a rush 
• Tide Stain Sticks- literally my holy grail, spill something at the dining hall, tie dye gone wrong? This thing has you covered and your friends :)
• Face Cream
• Face Wash
• Lotion- bring lotion with a cap that goes on and off or one that locks so that it doesn't get all over the place
• Wash Cloths- bring a couple, you are relying on the sun to dry things out and having a dry one is definitely prefered  

At our camp, the bathrooms or "jons" are not attached to the cabin, so we have to walk to them when you are going to take a shower. I suggest bringing a shower bucket to keep everything in and a robe! 

Make sure to check out Maggie's post here! If you are a counselor or attend a camp let us know, we would love for you to join in on this collaboration! 

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea 

Pop of Pink

I have been loving simple cotton shift dresses, they are easy to style and so comfortable. A couple weeks ago, I stumbled across this dress in the kids section of Old Navy on sale for only $8!  In the Spring and Summer, pink is one of my favorite colors to style and I loved the color blocking detail of this dress. When I purchased it, I knew exactly how I wanted to style it. The hot pink in my J. Crew inspired necklace is exactly the same color, making it the perfect pairing. 

These rhododendrons are such a pretty contrast with all the greens, plus they match my dress!

The boat neck on this dress is the perfect detail 

I love this Kate Spade wallet, it adds the perfect pop of color to any summer outfit!

dress- Old Navy Kids (on sale for $8)  | sandals- Jack Rogers | wallet-Kate Spade | necklace- eBay (sold out) Same Necklace Here

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

It's the FINAL countdown

As the title of this post says, it's the final countdown to Summer and to the dreaded final exams. Back in January we did a post about study tips for mid year exams, so I thought we should do an updated one for finals. Our last day of school is not until June 18th, however I know many schools get out earlier so here are some study tips!

Let's start off with the electronics...

The number one thing I suggest doing when working on your computer is turning off the wifi. Every time an email comes in on my laptop I get a notification, and we all know J. Crew has a sale every other day which can get quite tempting after staring at history notes for hours upon hours. Turning off your wifi will stop you from getting distracted and you will not burn a hole in your wallet. Suggestion number two, put your phone on silent and charge it in a different room, once again this will remove the constant distraction of texting, social media, etc. Although it is important to remove your phone when you are studying, set up a time to FaceTime a friend in one of your classes. When I try to study with friends in person we almost never accomplish anything, but I rely on FaceTime religiously to discuss questions and study. This is a great way to clarify things you are a little iffy on and not get super off topic. Finally, as I mentioned in the midyear post, use word or Google Docs to create a study guide with friends in your class, this makes all those terms and key topics a little less daunting, plus if you are only given a small section to complete you are more likely to get better information, which will benefit everyone! 

Eating 

It is important to eat well when you are testing, here are a few of my favorite snacks...

• smoothies (see my favorites here)
• fruit, with warmer weather and summer quickly approaching the produce is so delicious!
• pretzel crips with hummus or cheese
• luna bars
• greek yogurt, granola and berries
• skinny pop popcorn 
• chips with salsa or guacamole 
• not exactly healthy, but Talenti salted caramel gelato is definitely my weakness with the warm weather, if you have never had it you are seriously missing out! 

Organization

I am such a stickler for organization and using my agenda is a must. I use the Lilly Pulitzer planner and I love how it has a monthly calendar as well as a week by week. I use the monthly calendar to write down all of the due dates and set aside time to study and the weekly pages to write down daily assignments. When studying for finals I like to choose days to study certain topics we have previously covered to make a small dent each night, starting a few weeks before the actual exams.

Weekends 

Use your weekends to your advantage, I cannon emphasize this enough. Although watching your favorite show until the wee hours in the morning may seem nice and relaxing, try to go to bed at a decent hour on the weekends. Getting sleep while you actually can is important, so don't waste it because you will regret it by the middle of the week when you are running on limited sleep and caffeine. Finally, do something outside! I like to go for a run in the morning after breakfast because the the day has not gotten too warm, but the sun is still out making it the perfect weather. If you live near the beach or a lake, spend some of your weekend there and enjoy the day maybe even toss some flashcards in your beach bag and get some studying done by the sea :) 

What are some study tips that work well for you?

Good Luck!

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea