March 31, 2014

Spring Layers

After school, I went up to J. Crew with my mom. I was beyond excited to find this excursion vest in the sale section, it was the only one left and it just happened to be in my size! As seen quite frequently at J. Crew, everything on sale was an additional 40% off and I scored this vest for $47! In the fall I purchased a sand vest from J. Crew Factory and wore it to death, now I have an additional one in my closet that will add a pop of color to any outfit. Here in Massachusetts, we will not be expecting warm weather anytime soon, so layering bright colors is a go-to Spring outfit. 


I went to the outlets this weekend and picked up this adorable scarf for spring. 

Unfortunately, it has rained for the past three days. My Hunter boots are most definitely going to be seen a lot in the upcoming weeks (at least it's not snow)!


Despite the dreary weather, spring is in the air!

Shirt- Ralph Lauren (Old) | Jeans-Joe's Jeans | Vest-J. Crew (Sold Out) available on eBay | Scarf- Gap Outlet similar here | Boots-Hunter | Pearl Bracelet- Crewcuts Factory | Silver Bracelet- Local Boutique 

xoxo,
Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea


March 30, 2014

Show Us Where You Work!

Hi guys, so I know that a few other blogs along with us are participating in the "Show Us Your Work Space" post.  Such a cute idea and we're super excited to be participating!

Without further ado…here is my study where all of my work gets done!

My ultimate favorite place to study, get homework done, or just relax is in one of my beanbag chairs!  They're so comfortable and cozy and perfect for my work space!

What would I do without my pencil case and pens…I'd be a total mess.  I use colorful pens for everything.  To me, it makes homework a tad more enjoyable.  I purchased my pencil case from Barnes and Noble this fall, it was part of the Jonathan Adler collection for Barnes and Noble.  I absolutely love it, it's the perfect size!

Fun Fact: I'm slightly addicted to stationary.  Theres so much of it in my desk, room, it's pretty much everywhere.  I think it adds to your personal style; every girl should have some quality stationary!
And of course, I could not live without by Mac.  I've had it for about a year and a half now, and I'm not  sure how I handled my schoolwork before without it! 

What are your must haves when you're doing homework? Diet Coke, candles, chocolate (or sweets of any kind?)  Let us know by leaving a comment, it will give us some ideas for our workspaces too!

xoxo,
Julianna 

Preppy by the Sea

March 28, 2014

Stress

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack of blogging this week, both Julianna and I have had a CRAZY week. I am beyond thankful that it is finally Friday because I am pretty sure this has been the most stressful week of the year (hence the blog post title). Starting off on Monday I had a history essay due, Tuesday I had a rough draft of an essay due, Wednesday I had a biology test, Thursday I had a History test and today I had two french quizzes, a math quiz, an English paper due and a speech. Whew that was a lot. With the the end of the third term approaching quickly, I know that I can expect a tremendous amount of work. I am not going to lie, I get stressed out pretty easily and this week I have had my fair share of emotional break downs. Blogging about the negative aspects of life is not something I like to do, however I think that stress is a good topic to discuss. Life is crazy, we try to balance so many things, from sports to school and a social life.

This week I quickly realized that I had to put school work before blogging.  Although I hate not blogging for so long, this was necessary for me to do in order to feel satisfied with my assignments. This week, my time management was definitely put to the test because golf has gotten into "full swing". After this extremely stressful week, I decided that writing about how to deal with stress would be a nice and relaxing end to the week. I'm just going to put it out there, I am a Pinterest ADDICT. Pinterest is a beautiful thing, if you are in the mood for quotes, travel, DIY ideas or fashion inspiriting it's all there, in one spot. Last night I found myself pinning lots of quotes. When ever I am stressed, pinning quotes gets me so relaxed and inspired. With warm weather and spring break approaching, I also love looking through spring outfits and getting ideas or finding new clothes that I love. These are a few of my favorite quotes that I stumbled upon last night.

via pinterest
via pinterest
Stress tests your character, it can bring out the worst of you. You have the power to over come it and make choices that will make your life so much more pleasant. When ever I have a bad day or a stressful week I enjoy reading other blogs. Every blogger is so different and reading their thoughts and ideas is inspirational and sometimes comforting. Last night I was reading The College Prepster's post Connecting the Dots about some of her ups and downs in college and the success of her blog. Not everything goes as planned and perfection is something incapable of striving for. Putting your best effort into something, that is your "perfect". Henry Ford's quote, "failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently" has such a good vibe. There is really nothing worse that putting all you time an effort into something and not doing as well as you had hoped. Learning from our mistakes can be motivational and coming back stronger the next time makes all the stress seem unimportant. I know this post was very lengthy but with all the stress this week, I felt the need to put all my thoughts into a post. As for now, I will catch up on a little One Tree Hill and enjoy a relaxing night. If all else fails, remember stressed spelled backwards is dessert. If nothing else can fix it, I guarantee some chocolate chip cookies will :)
xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea






March 22, 2014

End of Winter- Last Call for Plaid!

 The cold winter months have begun to come to a close, meaning these are the last few days to wear my favorite plaid items! I got this dress for Christmas and did not get to wear it as much as I had hoped, however I know that it is a piece that I will have in my closet for a very long time. As much as I love my winter clothes, I am extremely ready to move on to the warm spring months and brighten up my wardrobe with some Lilly Pulitzer, Jack Rogers and  J. Crew chino shorts!


I promise the dress is not high-low, not sure why it looks that way in this picture! 
(I'm not a fan of high-low things) 

Always adding a monogram...

A bow makes everything better!

Dress- Gap (Sold Out) | Necklace- Etsy | Boots- Dolce Vita 

What do you want to get to wear one last time before the cold is officially gone?

xoxo,
Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

March 20, 2014

Thoughts for Thursday- If I Had 5,000 Dollars

Let's all take five minutes and think…

If some (very generous) person walked up to you and gave you 5,000 dollars, what would be your first reaction?  What would you do?  What would you buy? Where would you go?


Okay, the shopaholic that I am, of course the first thing I would want to do is go shopping!

My Lilly Shopping Bag

  Peyton Sweetheart Dress- $278                                         Callahan Short in {I Herd You}- $64                                             
Now lets go to J. Crew Factory

Navy Anchor Collector Tee- $31                                            Factory Scalloped Lace Stripe Dress- $90    

                  Factory Printed Loafers- $68

Let's buy some sandals

Tory Burch Jameson Sandal- $275                                  (New) Jack Rogers- $118            
I could go on forever shopping for clothes, but lets skip to a different category!

Iphone 5s (My 4s has gotten so slow, I'm wishing for a new phone now!)- $199

And of course it needs a case…                                               …and maybe some headphones
Kate Spade iKat Case- $40                                                          Liily Pulitzer Earbuds- $28


And now for some modest traveling.  Catherine and I have been dying to go to Charleston, SC for a while now, so I would most definitely hop on a plane with my fellow blogger and go south!

Charleston for a few nights- I'm gonna guesstimate $2,500 if we hit it right


And my grand total is… $3690
I know what you're thinking, I said $5,000, I'm $1,310 short.

Well, believe it or not, that was on purpose.  I'm you're typical girl, I love to shop for and buy things, but you wouldn't be able to buy anything if you didn't save some of the money you received.  Although I spent most of this magical money on this fictional shopping spree, I think I would have felt awful if I spent it all at once and didn't save it for later.  Even here, I think I got a little (okay a lot) carried away!

I really want someone to give me $5,000

xoxo,
Julianna 

Preppy by the Sea

March 17, 2014

Irish It Was Spring

 Happy St. Patrick's Day, hopefully you all remembered to add a little green to your outfit today! After the weather tease last week "Irish" it was Spring so badly!

How cute is this little shamrock koozie that I received with my order from www.countryclubprep.com, I'm obsessed with their website, they have free shipping and a rewards program!

A little sparkle never hurt anyone!

Colored cords are my go-to pants if I am looking for a pop of color.

Why am I wearing Sperrys in 25 degree weather? Mistake number one of today...

If you don't have the pearl statement necklace from J. Crew I highly suggest that you purchase it ASAP! 

Shirt- J. Crew Factory (old) similar here | Pants-J. Crew | Necklace- J. Crew Factory (Sold Out) Same necklace at J. Crew| Belt- Ralph Laurensimilar here | Shoes-Sperry | Bracelet- J. Crew Factory

xoxo,
Catherine

Preppy by the Sea

March 15, 2014

Closing in on Spring

Well, it's mid-March and I can officially say spring time is almost here in New England! So excited to be able to go outside with just a light jacket and not be cold!  The snow has almost completely melted and the color is coming back in the trees and grass.  Here's my outfit for the first (real) day of spring!


You could say I have an obsession with this necklace...



What I'm Wearing
| Jacket: J.Crew Factory (not available online) | Top: J. Crew (similar here on Ebay) | Jeans: J. Crew Factory | Necklace: J. Crew | Shoes: L.L. Bean

Only 3 months until summer…
xoxo, 
Julianna

Preppy by the Sea



March 13, 2014

Thoughts For Thursday- Spring Break Essentials

Recently I have been getting really excited for spring break, which is in April for my school. I have seen lots of "Spring Break Essentials" posts and videos and thought it would make a fun Thoughts for Thursday! If you are on break right now, I hope you are having a blast! Leave a comment saying where you are going, we would love to hear about your exciting adventures!

Spring Break Essentials
                                                                                               
                                     
1. Jack Rogers
Jack Rogers are my go-to summer sandal, you can dress them up or down and they add a cute pop of color to your outfit. On spring break theses sandals are perfect to pack because they don't take up a ton of room in your luggage. Wear them with a simple tunic coming from the pool to grab some lunch or pair them with a fancy dress to wear to a nice dinner!

2. Hats
Hats, Hats, Hats! I could not survive a spring break trip with out one of my favorite hats, they keep the sun out of your face and are so adorable! Within the past year I have developed quite the obsession with baseball hats and am loving the gingham Southern Proper "Frat Hat"the Vineyard Vines "Whale Logo" hat and the Southern Marsh blue and white seersucker hat! Sun hats are also a staple, I have one from C. Wonder (monogrammed of course) the big floppy hat is such a cute piece to wear at the beach!

3. Tumbler
Obviously if you are at the beach it is going to be super hot in the sun, so always have a tumbler filled with ice water with you! If you don't have a tumbler, I suggest the Lilly Pulitzer ones, the patterns are so fun and they are only $16.

4. Sunglasses and Croakies
Sunglasses are kind of a given, however some people do not always think to bring croakies. Last year, I went to Turks and Caicos for spring break and we rented paddle boards and a sail boat. I was so glad to have my croakies on the trip because I knew I could wear sunglasses in the hot sun on the water with out the fear of losing them.

5. Tote Bag 
A tote bag is probably the most versatile thing you could bring on spring break! I take my tote bag as my carry-on for the flight and when I arrive at the resort pack it up with things for the beach and pool!

6. Sunscreen
You will get tan if you wear sun screen and the entire vacation will be more pleasant because you won't be terribly burned! I am not saying that you need to wear 100 SPF but at least wear some so you don't look like a lobster!

7. Monogrammed Bandeau/ Bathing Suits 
Last summer, Julianna and I purchased monogrammed bandeau bathing suits from Modern Monograms on Etsy, I got a white top with the navy circle font monogram. These tops are seriously so adorable! If you are a monogram lover I highly suggest purchasing one for this spring break or summer! A packing tip I have is bring suits that you can mix and match, it will prevent major over packing and you can still wear a different combination every day!

8. A Simple Wedge
Wedges are super comfortable for walking around and they are perfcet for a nice dinner. I suggest packing a simple pair that you can wear with multiple different dresses.

9. Rubber Flip Flops
When walking to the beach or the pool, you will not want to wear nice sandals like Jack Rogers, so it is important to pack a pair that can can wet! Last year I purchased a pair from Tory Burch, they are a little bit pricy for rubber flip flops however, they are SO comfortable and you can dress them up. I always get a pair of junky flip flops from Old Navy, I believe there are 2 for $5, so they are perfect for the beach and if you lost them it would not be a big deal. Rainbow flip flops are also a favorite, they have really good support and are super durable!

10. A Good Camera
I love taking pictures, I think that they are the best way to capture a memory of a special trip. We all have phones with decent quality cameras, however a real camera is definitely a must for a vacation! The quality of your photos will be much greater with a nice cameras and the battery life is so much longer than an iPhone.

11. A Good Read for the Beach
Sitting on the beach is my favorite part of vacation, and there is nothing like reading a good book under the shade of the umbrella. Last summer I read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, if you have not read it yet I highly suggest bringing this one on your trip.

12. Lotion
I usually get burned over spring break so bringing a moisturizer is a must! Make sure the lotion is under 3oz. if you are not checking your bag!

13. Nike Shorts
I live in Nike shorts at the beach, they are so comfortable and dry quickly.

14. T-Shirts
Oversized t-shirts are also a go-to, I wear them with my Nike shorts. My favorite t-shirts are from Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines and the Fraternity Collection.

15. A Fancy Dress
I always bring a few nice dresses with me on vacation for dinners. How cute is this Lilly Pulitzer shift dress? I would also suggest packing a cardigan to wear with the dress incase it gets cool at night.

16. Casual Sun Dress
Last year on spring break I got burned so badly and the last thing I wanted to do was put on a dress that was tight and irritating on the burn. The simple chevron dress is loose-fitting and you can still dress it up with a cute statement necklace and wedges or wear it to a casual lunch. Boutiques have lots of cute simple dresses, the fabric they use is super light weight and they dry quickly, which is always good if they get wet by the pool!

17. Cute Shorts 
Lilly Pulitzer Callahan shorts and J. Crew Chinos are the perfect shorts to bring on spring break, wear them to lunch or if you go on any adventures! I always feel like I always over pack shorts because I end up just going from a bathing suit and t-shirt to a dress and wedges, there is not much in-between at the beach!


Here are my Favorite Vineyard Vines baseball hat and Lilly Pulitzer You Gotta Regatta dress from Spring break last year! 

I hope this was helpful if you are getting ready for a spring break trip! Everyone have a great break, whether your going on an exciting trip or staying home! 


xoxo,
Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea


March 11, 2014

A Statement Shoe for Spring

It was 62 degrees today here in Massachusetts and I am officially in the Spring mood, despite the fact that it is going to snow again this week! I recently purchased these C. Wonder leopard loafers and I am in love! I have been eyeing leopard print shoes since the fall and I'm so happy to finally have a pair, they are so cute and add the perfect pop of pattern to any outfit. 

I love the elbow patches on this sweater, it's the little details that make a simple piece.  


My mom had these adorable yellow tulips in a mason jar on our kitchen table, being the blogger that I am thought they would bring a little bit of spring to this post! 

This belt is such a staple in my wardrobe, I think every girl should own a gold belt because they go with everything! 

More Spring Fun! 

Sweater- Forever 21 (Old) | Jeans- 7 For all Mankind | Necklace- J. Crew | Belt- Ralph Lauren Similar Here | Shoes- C. Wonder | Bracelet- J. Crew Factory

xoxo,
Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

March 10, 2014

New Platinum Jack Rogers!



via Instagram http://ift.tt/1nD2FdZ

The Monogram-a-holic Tag

It's "Monogram Monday", so what better post to do than the Monogramoholic Tag! This tag was originally created for YouTube by Daria (xcgal98)Courtney (classyxcourtney), and Danielle (themakeupbydanielle), I really liked this tag and decided to do a blog post version of it! What's your favorite monogrammed item? 

The Questions
1. Do you know the origin of the monogram?
I did not know the origin of the monogram, however I looked it up and they were originally placed on Ancient Greek coins. 

2. What is your monogram?
My monogram is cCb

3. If you could change your monogram would you?
I would change my monogram just because I don't like having the two C's right next to each other. Not to think super far into the future but, if I marry someone with a last lame that begins with a C my monogram would be cCc and I definitely would not love that...

4. What is your favorite monogramming font?
I like the classic script font.

5. How many monogrammed items do you have?
I think I have around 15 monogrammed items, but I'm not exactly sure...

6. What is your favorite monogrammed item you own?
I think my favorite monogrammed item would have to be my monogrammed necklaces, just because I wear them so often and they go with everything! 

7. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you love monograms?
I think I would go with a 9 because I love monograms, but I don't put them on every single thing in my sight. 

8. What is your favorite place to order monogrammed items from? 
I have ordered most of my monogrammed things from Etsy and marleylilly.com, so I think those would be my favorites! 

9. What do you plan to monogram next?
I really want to get a monogrammed cross-body clutch for this summer and a sticker for my laptop. 

I thought that to go along with this tag it would be fun to show you some of my favorite monogrammed things!

Monogrammed navy blue pullover with a coral script monogram 

My monogrammed necklaces 
Circle Font in 1.25" 
Scrip font in 1" 
Purchased from monogramonline.com

This bathing suit is the sole reason I am ready for summer! 
White bandeau with a navy circle font monogram 


I Tag 
If I did not tag you feel free to do this on your blog! Let me know about your post, I would love to check it out! 

Happy Monogram Monday!
xoxo,
Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea