Friday Favorites

TGIF amiright!? I don't want to be a total debbie downer but this week was by far and away the worst week of junior year. The first week back from spring break combined with multiple tests, AP exams just around the corner, and pre prom stress are never a good combination. Needless to say I am so excited that it is finally the weekend and have the chance to relax a little bit. My weekend is pretty low key, I am helping out at my class car wash, babysitting, and going to a spinning class. 

One: Newport

Last weekend Julianna and I drove down to Newport for the day. We walked around Bellevue Avenue to admire the lavish mansions- if you are ever in the Rhode Island area they are a must see! Afterwards we went to lunch at 22 Bowen's and caught up after being away for a week. The day was topped off with shopping and ice cream, needless to say it was the perfect way to end the vacation.  

Two: Flowers

Because this week was not the best, I kind of embraced the treat yo self attitude and went to Trader Joe's to buy flowers. Throughout the winter we didn't really have flowers in our house and I missed the colors and sweet scents. Aside from peonies, hydrangeas are my favorite flower. They are a constant reminder of summer on Cape Cod, which will always brighten my day! 

Three: Cape Cod

This weekend my dad and I are going down to the Cape for the day and I could not be more excited! I  have missed our house and being by the beach all winter and am in desperate need to be back in my favorite spot. I am going down in hopes to find a summer job, so wish me luck! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

April Playlist

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Seaside, Florida

Throughout my vacation, I had my camera on me all the time. The town of Seasides is one of the cutest coastal towns I have been to (Cape Cod will always be my #1) and I snapped so many pictures of the beaches, stores, and houses... you know you're in a pretty place when your memory card and iPhone storage constantly run out of storage! Though it is in Florida, there is definitely a Southern feel with all the porches, sweet tea, and accents. Each neighborhood is colorful and the white picket fences lining the streets are so quaint. Unfortunately this is my last post from break, so hopefully the weather here warms up so I can start taking more spring outfit pictures! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Saving

image via

One of the things I am most proud of from the past year is how much I have changed my spending habits. In years past I spent way too much money on things that I really didn't need. When I got my permit my parents told me they would buy me a car when I got my license. There was just one little catch, I had to pay for a third of it. So I had six months to change my ways and start saving. I'm not going to lie I was not psyched about this deal, however in hindsight I am happy that my parents made me do this because it did teach me the important lesson of saving. Here we are a year and a half later, I have had my car for a eight months, paid my share, and am somehow not completely broke. By no means am I an expert about this, in fact I am far from it, but I thought I would share a few tips and things I have learned along the way. 

+ Keep limited cash in your wallet 

I used to keep hundreds of dollars in my wallet because I rarely went to the bank to make deposits. News flash this is a horrible idea. I now never keep more than $40-$60 in my wallet at a time, this is just enough for coffee runs, and if I need to fill up my tank. Having less cash in your wallet helps avoid impulse purchases, losing money, and reminds you to go to the bank and deposit money in your savings account. 

+ Deposit majority of your earnings 

I do not have a job during the school year (still need to get a summer job ahh) and majority of the money I make comes from babysitting. When I get home from babysitting I always go to the bank the next day and make a deposit. Honestly, I barely keep any of the money I make in my wallet and on average probably save $80%. Compensation for the blog is always in checks which I really like because you have to cash it at the bank anyways so depositing it is a no brainer. 

+ Be Mindful of Spending Habits 

By no means have I shut off all of my spending, I think I have just been a lot smarter with what I purchase. I spend most of my money on clothes/shoes and at this point I am pretty content with my wardrobe. Each season I buy a few new things that I have been lusting over and maybe one big investment piece. 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

College Touring Recap: New England

It's mid-April of my junior year and it's safe to say the topic weighing most heavily on my mind is college. I know some people start their college touring before their junior year has even begun, but I, admittedly, was no where near that eager to begin going on tours. It wasn't until I went on my first tours a few weeks ago at Northeastern and Dartmouth that I realized how fun they can be. I thought they would be the necessary evil that would plague my next 6 months, but I was pleasantly surprised. As much as you may like a school in pictures, I personally think there is no way of knowing if it's the right "fit" until you walk around campus and see students in a natural college setting. For that exact reason, I left last week to look at schools in Virginia and North Carolina (post to come). I still have no idea what part of the country I want to spend my next four years in, and am just starting to get a feel for what size/atmosphere feels right. I'm sure that through writing these recaps I'll get to reflect in depth about what I liked and didn't like about a school. A win-win for both you and me, as I'm hoping this type of post makes an interesting read for our followers! Enough with the intro, here are my thoughts on Northeastern, Dartmouth, and Boston College!

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{Northeastern University}

Boston, Massachusetts, 17,990 undergrad

Northeastern was the first school I toured, so I really had no expectations going into it as to things I already knew I liked and didn't like about colleges. The school is located in the heart of Boston, yet it did have more of a campus then I was expecting for a city school. It is extremely urban, the buildings have a modern, sleek, feel rather than the gothic charm you find at a lot of older schools. Things that stuck with me the most was their incredible study abroad opportunities and their co-op program. This program allows students to work full time paid internships for at least one semester during their time at Northeastern. It is proven to help students find jobs after graduating and helps them to find fields they are truly interested in working in.  I loved the strong emphasis on research at Northeastern, and even liked the large school size. Not to mention the gym was absolutely incredible. However, I'm realizing more and more that while I want to be in close proximity to a city, I don't think I want to be directly in a city. Northeastern was a great place to start looking as it set my expectations very high. Side note: I didn't take a single picture at Northeastern because the weather was so bad and I didn't want to remember it in a gloomy light (that explains why the picture is found on Pinterest!)

{Dartmouth University}

Hanover, New Hampshire, 4300 undergrad

I'd always dreamed of visiting Dartmouth, eager to see the picturesque northern scenery and authentic campus. Even in New England's grossest time of year (aka mid-March), Dartmouth was still so beautiful. The buildings were exactly how I imagined, and the school is in a really cute, rural, setting. As one of the top schools in the nation, Dartmouth has so much to offer from incredible study abroad opportunities, to intimate, small classes to personally engage students in learning. However, from visiting Dartmouth, I was able to realize that, much to my dismay, the school was not for me. I'm looking for something in a more suburban setting and this school just felt too out of the way. Furthermore, it did feel a little small compared to other schools I liked.

{Boston College}

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, 9200 undergrad

Boston College has been on my radar as a place I might want to attend college since I was a little girl. Several of my family members are BC alumni, so I've grown up attending the football and hockey games, and am familiar with the campus. This "closeness" in both familial ties and geographic proximity caused me to resent even the thought of BC for a while, even though in the back of my mind I knew I loved this school from the beginning. Touring the school just solidified this feeling, as I recognized BC is everything I could ever want in a college. Particular things I like include the suburban location, medium size, and sporty feel. The one downside is definitely how close it is to home, as I always thought I wanted to go a little farther away for my college experience. Nevertheless, BC was by far my favorite of the northern schools I've seen, as it truly does hold a special place in my heart.

Have any of you toured colleges in the northeast?

xoxo,

Julianna

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This past week my school has been on spring break, so this is the first time in a long time I have been dreading the week coming to an end. I enjoyed the lovely Florida weather, lots of great food, and some much needed relaxation. Today Julianna and I are driving down to Newport for the day! After we get back from break we have less than two months left of junior year and before we know it summer will be here! 

One: Houses

My family and I went to Seaside, Florida for break and one thing that sticks out about the 30A area are the adorable homes. Driving though town there are so many insta worthy homes I thought I was in blogger heaven. Every house is so unique, yet they all look nice together lining the sandy beaches. There are lots of bright colors and palm trees making the neighborhoods very pleasing to the eye. There were a few open houses when we were walking around, so my mom and I decided to wander in and get a closer look. Each home had a small pool of its own, airy kitchens, and roof decks with gorgeous ocean views!

Two: The Beach

Obviously the main reason we went to Florida was to enjoy the sun at the beach. The week prior to our visit was very rainy, so the waves were much bigger than normal. However, spending summers on the Cape I have grown up loving the waves. I was right in my happy place with eighty degree temperatures and the refreshing ocean at my feet. 

Three: The Donut Hole

Last year for spring break one of the places we went to was the Donut Hole. It was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had, so naturally going back this year was a top priority. Breakfast is by far and away my favorite meal, and donuts are another on of my favorites so the Donut Hole is pretty freaking amazing! They have multiple locations in this area of Florida and I highly recommend going if you are ever there.

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Spring Breeze

 

sweater | shorts | bralette | necklace similar | sunglasses | sandals

This outfit could potentially be one of my favorite summer looks. The worn denim paired with a light sweater and sunglasses just screams the beach. I am such an ocean girl, so I was quite happy this past week being back in the salt water and relaxing in the sand. The sand in seaside is unlike any other sand on I have seen before, it's such a crisp white and so fine and soft. The water was refreshing and I was surprised by how big the waves got some days. 

Every year I wear a ton of sun screen on spring break, but my my Irish side never fails to show up leaving me burnt and resembling a lobster. Because of this lovely situation, I always want to wear loose fitting clothes that don't irritate the burns. The light sweater and bralette were the perfect combination for a breezy night. We went out to a casual dinner after I shot these pictures, so jean shorts seemed like the perfect item to complete the look. Personally, I find jean shorts difficult to shop for. Something is never right, the waist line is unflattering, they're too ripped, or the color is just not what I'm looking for. However, this year Zara pulled through. I ordered these shorts on a whim before break and they ended up being the perfect pair! I love the light wash and frayed hem. The only thing that I am a bit hesitant about is that they are pretty short so I don't think I will wear them to school. Besides that they are awesome and I know I will be getting a ton of wear out of them this summer at the beach, concerts, and on the boat! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Summer Heels

coral | navy | scalloped | nude | cork | wrap up | bow back  | pink | jacks

One of the main reasons I love summer so much is because of the fashion. Winters in New England are very restrictive style-wise and I end up wearing my bean boots and ugg moccasins on repeat. However, now that spring has officially arrived, my love for wearing heels and wedges has once again been confirmed. I am 5'6" and genuinely love my height, I never feel like I need heels, but if I do wear them I don't look ridiculously tall- except next to my mom who is very short :) 

Generally, wedges are my go to shoe for height because let's be real comfort is a major factor. However, I have been loving heeled sandals as well. The shoes I ordered for my winter dance were extremely uncomfortable, so I went to CVS and picked up some Dr. Scholls gel inserts and they made a huge difference! After that easy fashion fix, I have been way more open to heels and am lusting over the blue scalloped pair and pink suede pair above! I am sill on the hunt for a pair for prom, let me know if there are any heeled sandals you sear by! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Tassel Top

top | pants | shoes (last season)  similar

You know when you order a bunch of new items and plan a specific outfit in your head? That was this look. Earlier this year I saw Mackenzie style this top and knew I had to have it. As much as I loved the crisp white tassels, I just couldn't justify the $280 price tag. When I was browsing the Forever 21 website one night, I stumbled upon this top for under $20 and ordered it right away. It is still available in every size so if you are on the hunt for the perfect summer top, I highly recommend it and it runs true to size! 

On the contrary, I did make one splurge for this summer. Last year I was lusting over these Tory Burch wedges, but never actually pulled the plug. When I was still thinking about them this spring, I decided to see if I could hunt them down. I ended up finding my size new with tags in the original box on Tradesy for almost 50% off. I knew I wanted to buy a new pair of wedges this year, so when they just happened to have my size, it was a sign. They match pretty much everything in my closet and are so comfortable for having a five inch heel.

The first few days of vacation were on the chillier side (excuse my paleness), so I opted for pants at dinner. I purchased this blush pair at Zara a couple weeks ago and love them! Recently I have been trying to buy pants that are different from my typical jeans, so the frayed hem and color really spoke to me. Blush is a great shade for this time of year and it surprising matches a lot. 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! Today marks the official start of Spring break and I could not be happier. The stress of junior year has really hit me recently, especially with AP exams just around the corner. Here's to enjoying the next nine days of relaxation and sunshine!

One: Boston

Last weekend was probably one of the best weekends in a long time. All of my friends and I have such busy schedules that it is often time hard to all get together and catch up. Now that we all have our licenses, we have been driving in to Boston to do some shopping and go to dinner to mix things up. Julianna and our friend Clare are obsessed with Sweetgreen and they finally took me, needless to say the salads are delicious! After eating and shopping on Newbury Street, we made our way to the North end for coffee and dessert. If there is one thing I have learned this year, it is that making time to be with friends and get away from homework is so important. 

Two: Prom

Our prom is on May 13th and everything from dress craziness to proposals are in full swing. Yesterday, Julianna got asked at golf practice in the cutest way. I'm a sucker for a good pun and this did not fail to disappoint. Unfortunately, I wasn't at practice as I left early to go to Florida, but I am so excited for her! 

Three: Florida

My family and I flew down to Florida on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, yesterday was rainy so we ventured over to the outlets for a little shopping. I didn't end up getting new Ray-Bans, but I really like the aviators with blue lenses. The rest of our trip is supposed to be beautiful, so I am looking forward to relaxing at the beach, and hopefully getting a little bit of a tan! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Failure, in Hindsight

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As a little disclaimer, this post is fairly personal, but I recognize that many of our readers are high school aged and can likely relate. Bear with me :)

Until this year, I'd never really been someone who was afraid of failing. Getting a bad grade on a test, not doing as well as I'd hoped in a golf match, and other small "failures" were easy to brush off and forget a few hours later. Yet, the moment I walked into school the first day of my junior year, it just felt different. Suddenly it seemed like every single thing I did inside and outside of that building counted to my future, and that completely freaked me out. Sure, my teachers and advisors had been saying for years to get involved, get the best grades you can, and "make your mark" on high school, but in that moment it finally began to sink in.

I would say that 70% of the difference is recognizing how competitive college truly is. Daily, I hear of seniors who appear on paper to be the perfect applicant get rejected from schools they thought they would get into. I'd say the other 30% is realizing that I'm nearing the home stretch of my high school career; have I made the most of the opportunity? Are there classes I wish I took, clubs I wish I joined? Am I doing enough to make myself different enough?

Those are the million dollar questions that pop into my head on a regular basis. So, when I found out I had been accepted into my school's chapter of National Honor Society, I was instantly excited and spontaneously decided to run for a position on the executive board. I decided on secretary, wrote a quick speech, and handed my form in with confidence that things would work out.

A little background information...

At the end of my freshman year, I ran to be the treasurer of the class of 2017. Getting up on stage and speaking in front of 300 of my peers and teachers was honestly the scariest moment of my life. However after nailing my speech and feeling confident about my response from the audience, I truly thought I had won. As it turns out, I was wrong. I lost to the person whom I least expected and felt so, incredibly, embarrassed. From that point forward, I was never a fan of public speaking and was too nervous to run against another classmate for the entirety of my sophomore year.

Back to the present

For me, running for an NHS position was a big deal. I wanted to redeem myself, and, who am I kidding, it would be a nice addition to a college application. However when it came time to read our speeches to all the Junior members of the club, I found out I was running against three other girls. My speech went well, but I didn't want to get too hopeful, the odds were not in my favor and I sensed a repeat of freshman year. 

Tuesday night was the induction ceremony into NHS in which the club advisor was to announce the new executive board in front of all the students and parents. I told myself I didn't expect to win, that I would be okay with losing, and that I shouldn't be upset. Yet when it was time to announce the secretary and my name wasn't called, I still felt the shock and heartbreak that I swore to myself I'd bury inside. Losing is hard, especially twice, and I don't think there is any magic way of making it sting less. I got my hopes up, even if I didn't want to.

I've always been a fan of the saying that "when one door closes, another one opens" and I'd like to think that applies here. Over the past two years, I've become increasingly involved in my school's Green Team, Student Council, and Model United Nations Club. I know I want to hold a exec position in Green Team, and possibly even Model UN if it all plays out. I have found things in high school that I'm passionate about and I confident now that I'm doing all that I can to make the most of high school. Losing one election allows me more free time to run for a different position in another club. From failing, I feel as though I've made the greatest revelations about myself. Surely I don't know what the future holds, particularly in regards to college, but I at least can say that I'm doing my best. How could I ask any more of myself?

What are your thoughts on perseverance?

xoxo,

Julianna

Preppy by the Sea  

Blue Hues

tee | jeans | vest | sneakers

Spring is often times a very difficult season to dress for as everyday you can expect something different. Recently, I have been noticing that I gravitate towards the same few items in my closet this time of year. Regardless of the season, it's no secret that I have a thing for stripes. I have this tee in a few colors, they are under $15 and I honestly find that the quality is so much better than the J. Crew painter tees. Also, my ripped jeans are definitely a spring favorite. The light wash and subtle rips are perfect for the transition months! 

My converse have 100% been the best thing I have purchased in the past year. Initially I bought them the night before I went to Italy because I needed a pair of walking shoes, never did I imagine that they would quickly become one of my favorite pairs of shoes! If you are looking into converse, I highly recommend the white as they match everything, they also run really big. I typically wear an 8 or 8.5 and had to go down to a 7.5. What are your go-to spring pieces? 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Spring Break Bucket List

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On Wednesday night my family and I leave to go to Florida for spring break and I could not be more excited. Although I don't love New England winters, I think that the long months of cold make getting away to the beach that much better. For the past few weeks all that has been on my mind is sunny weather, bright clothing, and days at the beach. I want to make the most of my week away, so I came up with a little bucket list of things I want to do in Florida! 

read a book // One of my goals for 2016 is to do more reading in my spare time, and what better place to enjoy a book than the beach! Any recommendations for a light vacation read are welcome!

Get a tan?// I am currently extremely pale, so I am hoping to get a little bit of a tan throughout the week. Fingers crossed I skip over the lobster phase. 

Go swimming// This one is pretty obvious, but it has been way too long since I have been in the ocean. I am looking forward to having salty hair and sandy feet :)

Create a new playlist// Because I am going to be spending a lot of time at the beach and traveling, I want to make a new playlist. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting and listening to your favorite songs by the ocean. 

Get ice cream// Although I eat ice cream throughout the winter, I think we can all agree that it is so much better at the beach. Late night ice cream runs never fail to disappoint- especially when they have black raspberry and homemade cones. 

Go for a run// Obviously I am planning on eating a lot of yummy food- that's that vacation is for, right? However, I want to take advantage of the nice weather and sneak in a run or two throughout the week! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday everyone! It has been awhile since I had a friday favorites post up, so I am happy to be back into my blogging routine. This week has been yet another busy one. Both my AP Lang and History research papers were due, and we began our final quarter of junior year, needless to say there were a lot of late nights and early mornings. This weekend I think I am meeting up with one of my friends from camp, and going to Boston for dinner with friends! Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?

One: BC Splash

Last weekend Julianna, our friends Clare, Alison, and I all drove up to Boston College. Within the past few months the college process has definitely started to feel real, and I have taken any opportunity available to see schools or go to informational sessions. The BC Splash was a day for high school students to come to the campus and take classes taught by BC students. With classes ranging from nutrition to economics, it was exciting to get a better look at various courses and talk to students there about their personal experiences. 

Two: Ame & Lulu

Julianna and I have been absolutely loving our new duffels and are so excited to use them for spring break. Make sure to enter our giveaway for the chance to win a small duffel and matching make up bag in the pattern of your choice! 

Three: Hunters

Although it is April, Massachusetts is not quite on board with the whole warm weather thing. It snowed at the beginning of the week and now we are having lots of rain. I am getting tired of wearing bean boots, so my hunters are the perfect transition shoe for crummy weather! Hopefully the April showers bring us lots of May flowers :) 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea