Preppy by the Sea Turns One!

365 days, 250 blog posts, 2 girls, and countless lessons learned. Over the past year we have most definitely had our ups and downs here on Preppy by the Sea and want to share our top five best posts and top five worst posts to celebrate our one-year anniversary. We started the blog last summer pretty much out of boredom and it has now become a passion that we love! The past year has been full of learning experiences that were crucial for the growth of our blog. First, we struggled with the formatting of blogger. If you work on this platform you probably know that it is not exactly user friendly and we are still getting the hang of things. We have had the privilege to collaborate with other companies and learn from other amazing girls in the blogger community. Between BlogLovin', Instagram and Twitter we have gained so many followers and viewers, so thank you to everyone who has followed us through our journey. Throughout the next year we hope to maintain more consistency with our posts, expand our connections and continue to work on the appearance of the site. Without further ado, let's get into the fun!

THE WORST

We have had our off days and want to share with you what we think are the top five worst posts from the year...

1. Fashionable Fall

Here we have our overall worst post ever, fall was definitely not looking super fashionable in this post, just click the link- laughs guaranteed!

2. A Night in Newport

A valid attempt but it just failed so miserably. The pictures are crooked and there are hardly any outfit pictures...

3.The Navy Days

A picture speaks a thousand words! Plus who doesn't love hanging on trees :) 

4. Boots, Vests and Shades for Winter Vacation Days

I don't even know, it's just rough. The outfit had potential, I guess...

5. Happy New Year

I just got my new camera for Christmas and still did not really know how to use it. Also, Note to self don't blog while watching the ball drop at a party with tons of families, the result is far from perfect. New Years resolution- use more than two pictures in a blog post. 

Honorable Mention

Maybe not the worst, but still pretty bad…

Did Someone Say Whales?

Nope, I'm pretty sure no one said it. Shoutout to the blog moms for the idea to use the whale decoration as a prop. It was a bad one. 

THE BEST  

Going through the blog and looking at the best posts makes the past year so amazing. Despite some days where there was a lack of motivation or crazy busy schedules the final result of these posts makes it all worth it!

1. A Sumer Night in Our Favorite Whites

This post was from last August yet we think it could always remain our number one post. The lighting at our country club was perfection that night, white dresses are so classic and the quality is great! 

2. A Day at the Sea in the Maxi

This post just has some fun memories attached with it and the photos are super cute! We were bored one day last summer so we went to T.J. Maxx and bought matching maxi dresses, later we took pictures down at the beach! It was a fun day and one of our first posts. 

3. Styling Bean Boots

Bean boots are my go-to winter shoe for New England weather, so I thought I would do a post styling them with three completely different types of outfits. This picture went "viral" on Pinterest, it is one of the first things that comes up when you search "frat collection" and it has literally brought in 1/10 of our total page views! 

4. Anchors and the Ocean Blue

This post is the first time pattern mixing is shown and it looks adorable! These are definitely a favorite pair of Lilly shorts- who doesn't love anchors!?

5. Clear Skies in California

The outfit is this post is pretty simple, but I don't think that the scenery could get any better- absolutely breathtaking!

Honorable Mentions

Although these posts did not quite make the cut for the top five we did not want to leave them out! 

Fair Isle Fun

The scenery is exquisite, the outfit is adorable; this post JUST missed the top five.

Sea Breeze, Smiles, and Patriotic Style

The outfit in this post is a great example of casual spring attire. Plus, who doesn't love a beach setting?

Pop of Pink

The most recent of the posts to make the list, Pop of Pink is a great example of how far we have come as bloggers! The quality of the pictures and and vibrant colors are awesome.

Weather for a Jeweled Sweater

Overall, just a really nice post.  Solid outfit and scenery along with being well accessorized. Plus, that jeweled sweater from J. Crew is by far my favorite winter sweater.

So what do you think?  Did we miss a really good post or overlook a bad one? Let us know what your favorite Preppy by the Sea post was and other thoughts in the comments!

xoxo,

Catherine and Julianna

Preppy by the Sea

Simple, Sophisticated and Summery? No Big Heel!

I absolutely love getting dressed up in the summer, the clothes are more colorful and the shoes are so fun! Whether you are going out to lunch or dinner with friends or family, throwing together a cute outfit is always exciting. To spice up a simple summer day outfit and transition it to a more dressy look I added some chunky jewelry, my monogrammed necklace and of course wedges! Wedges are definitely one of my go-to pairs of shoes when I get dressed up in the summer because they are comfortable to walk in and offer quite the height boost- I am 5'6" so with these wedges I am 5'10", who doesn't love gaining a few inches when getting dressed up!? 

J. Crew paper bag skirts are perfect because they can be easily dressed up or dressed down. When it is so hot in the summer sometimes I just want to pull my hair up, adding a ribbon makes the simple style look a bit more put together. 

As I have said in posts before, pairing a statement necklace with a smaller and more dainty necklace adds a nice contrast to the look. 

shirt- Red Dress Boutique (Old) Similar Here  | skirt- J. Crew Factory | statement necklace- Etsy | monogrammed necklace- Etsy | bracelet- J. Crew Factory | wedges- Target (Old) Similar Here

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea

July 4th Stylings for the Patriotic Prepster!

Alright everyone, who is excited for the 4th of July tomorrow?  I know I am!  Whether you are having a casual barbecue with friends and family or doing something more formal, I hope we all have a fun way to celebrate this summer holiday.  Today, I styled two different outfits that are both casual, yet classy and keep to the spirit of patriotism.  

Here's the first outfit.  This would be good if it is going to be a little chilly wherever you're celebrating the holiday.

I absolutely love this maxi skirt. It's perfect for both spring and summer!

How cute are these lobster earrings?  A great accent for July 4th attire

And now let's move onto the second outfit.  A little more casual and definitely meant for a warmer day. The pattern in the shirt completes this look!

I love the bow detail on this top!

How cute is this bouquet?

Outfit #1

Shirt: J. Crew Factory | Skirt: J. Crew Factory | Shoes: Tory Burch (similar) | Earrings: Etsy (similar)

Outfit #2

Shirt: J. Crew (similar) | Shorts: J. Crew | Shoes: Jack Rogers

I hope everyone enjoys the holiday and has a cute outfit picked out!

xoxo,

Julianna

Preppy by the Sea

Pattern Perfection

What would my summer wardrobe be without patterned shorts?  I honestly don't know!  I wear patterned shorts most days in the summer; and the days I don't, my top has some pattern to it.  Being my Lilly-loving self, I adore wearing pink and green in the summer.  Both are statement colors that are both fun, yet sophisticated.  When I walked down to the dock today to take pictures, I was blown away by how windy it was (pun intended)!  At least it was a warm breeze.  Speaking of wind, apparently we are supposed to get a storm on July 4th.  I'm just wishing that the weather stays this nice through the holiday in New England!

 Although I haven't had them for long, these are my favorite pair of Jack Rogers!

I can never get over this beautiful view!

Shorts: Lilly Pulitzer (similar) | Shirt: J. Crew | Shoes: Jack Rogers | Bracelet: C. Wonder (similar)

xoxo,

Julianna 

Preppy by the Sea

Patriotic Playlist

With Fourth of July just around the corner, I thought I would quickly share my patriotic playlist! Most of these songs are country because let's be real, country songs are the most patriotic and are perfect to listen to while enjoying food at a BBQ! What are your favorite American songs?

xoxo,

Catherine 

Preppy by the Sea