Christmas OOTDs

I know I've been gone for a while now, and I apologize for that! There have been a ton of things going on in my life, and I needed a break before Christmas. Now that I'm back, I wanted to show y'all my OOTDs for the holidays. Here's what I wore on Christmas Eve.

Old Navy blouse (similar // similar) | Forever 21 skirt (old) | Black tights | Valentino inspired heels (c/o Lightinthebox.com) | Chain necklace | Michael Kors watch | Diamond studs

I'm such a fan of these heels! The Valentino Rockstud heels are so popular among fashion bloggers now, and when I saw Cara wearing her pink pair from Lightinthebox, I knew I wanted to add them to my order as well. They will be perfect for New Year's parties, as well as sorority events next semester. They are super high and after a ton of wear, my feet were a little uncomfortable, but I was surprised at how long I was able to wear them and that my feet didn't bother me the next day. A+ lookalike for Lightinthebox, I would highly recommend checking out these shoes!

Old Navy cowl neck sweater | Old Navy plaid pants (available in other colors here) | Black heels | Michael Kors watch  | Double pearl earrings (c/o Lightinthebox.com) 

This is what I wore on Christmas Day! I was super pumped to get these pants, the second I saw them online my mouth dropped wide open (I even sent a picture of my awestruck face to my mom lol). My original plan involved a white button down shirt and a red cableknit V-neck, but I bundled up in this cowl neck sweater instead since I spent the day at home with my family and grandma. 

I decided to try my Lightinthebox double pearl earrings for the occasion, and they were a big hit! I was skeptical to try them out at first because I have a tiny face and ears, but I have really grown to like the look of them on me. If you're not sure whether or not they will work for you, I suggest trying them for a fraction of the cost at Lightinthebox.com before investing in a more expensive pair. 

What do you normally wear on Christmas? Do you like to dress up or stay in your PJs all day? 

 P.S. Sorry for the poor quality photos. I am currently taking them on my Android phone, and am trying to figure out a better method (either a different camera app or a new camera altogether. also I need someone who will take the pictures for me haha!). Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Hang it on the Tree

Today's topic: ORNAMENTS! My personal favorites are frosted glass and super metallic. I don't know if there's a name for them, but I'm sure you know the kind I'm talking about. Last year for Christmas I got these two.

Fun fact about me is that I absolutely love travel and Spanish culture, hence the adorable pinata (it has sparkly ears!). Part of my family traditions is that we get new ornaments every year, and I can't wait to see what kind I get this year. Here are few cute ornaments that I adore!

All ornaments are from www.macys.com except for the taxi cab (www.cwonder.com)

I think the food ornaments are so cheeky and adorable! I love the snow cone machine, sushi, and hot dog cart (if you can't tell that's what it is from the image). The Yankee sweatshirt and Santa golf ball are exactly the things we would get for my dad - two of his favorite pastimes! And the flamingo holds a special place in my heart since flamingoes are my favorite animals! I already have 2 flamingo ornaments that I love dearly.

Do you have a favorite ornament? Comment below!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Hey everyone! Before I get started, I wanted to apologize for being so MIA. I just took my last final this morning, and so now I'm officially done with my first semester of college! It's exciting and sort of scary all at the same time, and there is way more on my mind than I can handle right now. A blog post about my semester should be coming shortly. 

But for now, Christmas is 8 days away - and you know what that means. I think that one of the last things people usually shop for is the stocking stuffers, since they are the tiniest and seemingly require the least thought. However, finding those perfect little items that are not completely useless is among the more challenging of the Christmas tasks. 

 Below I included some of the things I always get in my stocking, as well as smaller items that I think would work perfectly for beefing up those stockings (no one likes a limp, dead stocking hanging by the fireplace!)

lottery scratch-offs // jewelry tray // earrings // initial necklace // 
chapstick // chocolate // notepad // nail polish // headphones

What do you think you're going to find in your stocking on Christmas morning? Do you have any fun traditions during the holidays? 

The Many Faces of Christmas Trees

Every year I hope that this cute little photo will come around on my Tumblr so that it can be reblogged. I always think about what kind of tree-decorator I am and how I want my tree to look when I have a home of my own.

I didn't get as much done studying for finals yesterday as I wanted to, so this blogpost is super short and to the point! Things will pick up again soon when I'm home and have some time to relax. 

Which represents your Christmas tree style? Comment below!

Holiday Makeup Looks (feat. Lorac Pro Palette)

The best part of getting ready, for me at least, is doing my makeup. I probably own way too much and I don't even use half of it (like that super big Inglot palette I bought at IMATS two years ago). Don't worry, it will get used, but I find myself constantly gravitating towards my Lorac Pro Palette. It's my number one palette for every look, and I'd be dying to get my hands on the second one or the Mega Pro this Christmas. Here are four holiday looks I came up with using my Lorac Pro Palette for the holidays. If you don't have one yourself, any normal palette with neutral shades will do!

Lorac Pro #1 by timelessprep featuring a shimmer eyeshadow

1. Begin by using an eyeshadow primer. Take the shade Nude and place it all over your eyelid using a flat shader brush, going up to, but not past, the crease. Use packing motions instead of sweeping motions to make the color most potent.
2. With a fluffier brush, add Light Bronze to the crease. Use windshield wiper motions, starting in the outer portion of the eye and going only half way in. The color should be most concentrated on the outside of the eye and become smaller and less intense towards the center.
3. The color Taupe will go on the outer V of the eye for some added definition. Focus this color on the outer portion of the eye using a big fluffy brush and only add a little bit; it will go a long way.
4. Along the upper lash line, add the tiniest bit of Sable. Brush this color right along your outermost lashes for a hint of "eyeliner." 
5. Place the color Cream along the browbone to clean up any harsh lines and buff out your look.

Lorac Pro #2 by timelessprep featuring a matte eyeshadow

1. Begin by using an eyeshadow primer. Place the shade Light Bronze all over the eyelid. 
2. Add Mauve to the crease, using only a little bit; this color is very intense and can look too purple-y if too much is used.
3. Take Garnet lightly in the outer V. This color should be seamlessly buffed into the crease and pulled into the eyelid color for airbrushed style blending.
4. Add the color Cream to the upper browbone. Make sure to blend out any harsh lines and soften the crease with this color. 
5. With a very small pencil or concealer brush, place Espresso right along the lower lashline as eyeliner.

Lorac Pro #3 by timelessprep featuring a lorac eye shadow

1. Begin by using an eyeshadow primer. Pack the color Gold all over the inner two-thirds of the eyelid.
2. On the outermost third of the eyelid, place Garnet. Make sure to add this color only lightly and blend into Gold using small back-and-forth strokes.
3. Take the color Taupe and add it to the crease. Follow the natural line of where your browbone hits and push the color in to the socket of the eye.
4. Darken the outer V slightly with the color Espresso. Be careful to only add the tiniest amount to your brush before application.  
5. Place the color White along the browbone to clean up any harsh lines and buff out your look.
6. Finally, add the color Black on the lower lashline to emphasize the eyelashes.

Lorac Pro #4 by timelessprep featuring eye shimmer makeup

1. Begin by using an eyeshadow primer. Place Cream entirely over the eyelid.
2. With a fluffier brush, add Pewter to the crease, using windshield wiper motions.
3. Using the color Slate, emphasize the outer V. This color works perfectly with Pewter and will create a gorgeous, shimmery effect.
4. On the outer third of the lower lashline, sweep the Deep Purple shadow. 
5. Place the color Light Pink along the browbone to clean up any harsh lines and buff out your look.

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Which of these four makeup looks are you going to try this holiday season?

A+ Notetaking

Finals are officially upon us, and what better way to get motivated that to check out some gorgeous study sheets. I'm attempting to make some myself this year, but I doubt that they will look as awesome as these sheets do. My chem class allows us to bring one sheet of computer paper filled front and back to the exam, and I'm going to have to really cram if I want to fit in all the info I need. Hopefully you can get just as motivated as I do by checking out these awesome study sheets!

And if looking at great study guides isn't enough to get you through finals, here are some beautiful desks and study spaces that are meant to inspire!

What puts you in the mood to study? Is it some great notes? A great space? Share below! 

My Favorite Things: Tartan

I'm convinced that at the holidays, there is nothing better in the world than tartan. When I was out shopping over Thanksgiving week, all I wanted to buy were tartan items. Pajamas, scarves, clothing, anything with a plaid pattern needed to be mine. I've been wearing plaid a ton this season, and I'm waiting on a few more tartan pieces for Christmas. Here are a few of my recent outfits incorporating tartan prints, as well as some items that I asked for / bought for the holidays.

Check out my Tumblr for details on where everything is from!

Tartan by timelessprep featuring red pumps

Here are some of my picks for tartan items this winter! I bought the blue Old Navy popover and the pajama set during my break at home, and they'll be under my tree on Christmas morning! And let's talk about that J.Crew button down - it's one of the hottest items this year. I love the way Laureninlilly and Jadorejcrew wore it, and they're lucky they got their hands on it so soon; it's so hard to find now.

One of the most important things, in my opinion, is that it doesn't matter at all what type of tartan it is you're wearing, they all look fabulous! No two plaids are the same, but you can rock any of them during the holiday season.

Are you also mad for plaid? Or do you have another pattern that you prefer this winter?

Boost your Finals Week Concentration and De-Stress!

Hey there! The holidays are nice and all, but of course we college students (and high school students alike) have that one looming task that needs to be completed first - and by that, I mean finals. I don't think there is a single soul on this Earth who really enjoys finals; the hours spent crouched over library books, drinking too much coffee and getting far too little sleep, all for the price of what? That always seems to be the question. Why are we going on? Why do we let ourselves get sucked in by the ubiquitous force that is education? Wouldn't I be better off just living alone with my 20 cats and not worrying about school ever again?

While that definitely would be amazing and much less stress than actually taking our exams, a lot of times we can't avoid the overall anxiety that is finals week. Here I'm sharing some of my favorite websites and apps to help you get in the zone, tune out the outside world, and concentrate on your studies. Finals will be over before you know it!

www.coffitivity.com

This website is absolutely awesome! I never knew about it until I saw someone on Tumblr upload an Instagram photo with this website on their computer screen, but the minute I heard about it I checked it out, and I'm in love. The website is designed to mimic sounds made in a coffee shop, adding white noise that actually helps you focus on your schoolwork more than plain ol' silence. I have noticed that sometimes I'll work on a homework or essay without this playing in the background, and accomplish much less than when I start playing Coffitivity in the background. This is really great and I would highly recommend for finals week, especially if you can't get out to a real-life coffee shop. There's also an app that you can download from your App Store or Google Play so that you can take your coffee shop on the go!

www.rainymood.com

I love this website as much as I love Coffitivity, but it provides a different atmosphere. This plays the soothing sounds of rain, thunder, and lightning. The stormy tune may not work as well when you're trying to study, but it certainly will calm you down. I like playing this before bed or when I'm thinking about something that has been stressing me out. It's almost like having an iconic sad movie scene with the thunderstorm in the background, but it helps to calm you at the same time. Another really great website; I'm so glad I found it!

www.theinternetfireplace.com

You guessed it! This website plays the warm, crackling sounds of a fireplace, while showing a beautiful image of a fireplace glowing and burning on-screen. Again, these sounds can be very comforting and are sure to remind you of being home for the holidays. You'll be back in your bed at home and with your family soon enough, but for now try out the Internet Fireplace.

www.thequietplaceproject.com

This website has a lot of great features, but I always enjoy the 90 second relaxation or the Quiet Place which is another relaxation tool. This website also has lots of resources for people who are struggling and need an anonymous person to talk to, or want to know that everything will be okay. Check this out for a variety of reasons and make sure to send links to any of your friends that you think could benefit from the many parts of this website.

www.calm.com

This is my go-to relaxation website! They have really great guided relaxation as well as a good selection of music and backgrounds. I love that you can choose how long you want to relax for and there is a gentle voiceover that tells you what to do. I really love this and also like the mobile version for on-the-go; great relaxation source all around!

Following the paintbrush with your eyes without moving your head causes you to use EMDR which is a very therapeutic technique for combating anxiety/panic 

What do you do to help you de-stress? Good luck with finals, everyone!

My Favorite Things: Crew Socks

One of the first things I looked for this year on Black Friday was a nice thick pair of crew socks. I'm getting Bean Boots for Christmas, and since my feet are the same size as the smallest possible size I could order for women, I knew that I would need some heavy socks to make the shoes fit better. Naturally I could spend a ton on J.Crew or LL Bean pairs of camp socks, but I found a lot of great alternatives at Old Navy, which is always nice! 

I love the look of crew socks peeking out from the top of Bean Boots, and am so excited for Christmas (and snow) so that I can start wearing them!

Crew Socks by timelessprep featuring print socks

Do you like the look of crew socks? Where did you buy your favorite pair?

Apology

Sorry everyone! I'm not feeling well today :( I wish I could get a post up for you all but I'll do my best to post every day next week even though it's finals.

Xoxo,
Victoria

My BBFs (Best Blogger Friends)

Today I thought I'd take a break from the Christmas madness to tell you all about my favorite bloggers! There are some blogs and Tumblrs that I check EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. and I just can't get enough. I get most of my fashion inspiration online, and I love reading other people's asks! 

Monogram Meredith // Dash of Serendipity // Prep of the South // Boston Belle

Lucky Day Blog // Caralina Style // Southern Curls and Pearls // Pink Peonies

Ivory Lane // The College Prepster // Gal Meets Glam // A Southern Drawl

Also make sure to check out their Tumblrs; they're fabulous!

Do you follow any of these girls? Where do you get your fashion inspiration?

Christmas Wishlist

Hey there! Now that Christmas is fast approaching (I can't believe that by the time I get home, Christmas will be right around the corner), it's time to start making your lists and checking them twice. I'm all about a good Christmas list, and as a child was notorious for starting my lists the second my birthday ended in August. I'll never forget the year my brother and I both had 300 items on our lists since we just listed everything that looked remotely interesting from the Toys R Us catalog!

That being said, I haven't found too much that I want this year. I'm mostly interested in buying clothes, and a few of my Black Friday purchases are going to be wrapped up for me to open on Christmas morning.  Here are the main things I'm hoping to get! I know it looks like a lot, but chances are I won't be getting half of these things, and most are clothes or items I'll actually use as opposed to odds and ends.

Christmas Wishlist by timelessprep featuring a pink quilted vest

If you have questions about the specific items, let me know! What's on your Christmas list this year?

Dark Lipstick Trend

I have been waiting for E V E R to hop on the dark lipstick trend. I always see other people wearing dark lipsticks and I think that it looks absolutely fabulously. Take toopreppytofunction. She rocks the dark lip all the time, and I absolutely admire it. She's so bold; I don't think I would have taken that risk in high school. 

When I spotted YouTube Makeup Guru and my personal friend from home, IamJustaMakeupLover (Olena) wearing this dark lip, I was in awe. I needed to get on the trend. This instagram is just perfection, and the color she's wearing is the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Shameless. 

I was planning on getting some dark lipsticks sooner, but I think I was afraid that I would look like a clown or that my mom would wonder what the heck I was doing with dark lipstick on. Plus, I just can't get to a drugstore while I'm at school, and that's that.

While I was home on Thanksgiving break, I stopped by Harmon to pick up the makeup remover wipes I needed, and I snuck over to the Revlon section and looked into some of the dark lip colors.

The first one I got was Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mauvy Night. I remembered seeing it as a recommendation from either EleventhGorgeous or MakeupGeek. I watched a ton of YouTube videos early on this semester to find the colors that would work for me! This color is a bit more mauve instead of just straightforward dark. I like that it's pinky-purple and a good color for me to wear while I'm transitioning into wearing dark lipsticks. It also won't scare away all the people who are used to seeing me with bare lips!

I got another Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick, but this one is even darker. The shade is called Black Cherry, and it's toopreppytofunction's go-to lipstick. I hope I love it as much as she does. It's a Creme lipstick, so there's no sparkle and it will go on nice and thick. It looks like it's going to apply beautifully.

I got one more lipstick, but it's actually in the form of a Balm Stain. I really wanted the Shameless one Olena had, but my drugstrore was out of it and I thought it would be too purple for my skintone. Instead, I picked up the shade Crush from the ColorBurst Balm Stain collection. This one has a teeny bit of shimmer, but the color is in between the other two lipsticks so I think it will work out really nicely. 

Are you looking into the dark lip trend? Or are you more of a neutral lip person? Let me know your favorite lipstick color in the comments below!

Christmas Music is Back!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is that Christmas music finally comes on the radio. I'm sitting here in my dorm with all my Christmas decorations and listening to my favorite hometown radio station for Christmas music, so I thought now would be a good time to talk about my favorite Christmas songs and artists.

First things first, JOSH FREAKING GROBAN. His song Believe (featured in Polar Express) is on the radio right now and it's one of my favorites. This song is just everything good in the world and really puts me in the Christmas spirit. But whether it's this song or any of the other ones he sings for the holidays, Josh Groban literally always nails it. He might as well be the Angel Gabriel himself - his voice is just fabulous and I'm so jealous of how long he can hold that dang note at the end of O Holy Night. If you've ever heard it on the radio before, you know what I'm talking about. Listen to it here (and look at pics of this wonderful human):

Aside from Josh Groban, the holidays would surely not be complete without the wonders of MICHAEL BUBLE. This man is perfect. I adore his voice and he has that great old-school crooner sound which blends perfectly with the holiday season. His new version of Baby, It's Cold Outside with Idina Menzel is perfect, and the music video is even better. In my home, you can bet that Michael Buble will be playing on Christmas Day. 

Speaking of the 1950's sound, Frank Sinatra is another classic. His Christmas music is perfect and often the "common" version of the song that we hear endlessly on the radio. I'm a fan of anything Sinatra, and his Christmas music is no exception.

Andy Williams, Burl Ives, and Gene Autry are some other classic Christmas singers and are very popular for their music on the radio. I could go on and on all day talking about Holly Jolly Christmas, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Happy Holidays, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and all the others. They are simply the epitome of the season, and I love every chance I get to hear those songs.

Of course, last but not least, shoutout to home with Bruce Springsteen's version of Santa Clause is Coming to Town. There is nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, not to love about this song. The saxophone, the singing, the hilarious Santa laugh that Bruce's band members do throughout the song, and his undeniable laugh that he just can't hold back while performing live. The song is perfection, and I sure love my Springsteen!

Rock on, everybody! What's your favorite holiday tune?

My Favorite Things: Turtlenecks

In the past, I've always hated the strangling feeling of turtlenecks. Yeah, they keep your neck warm, but in reality, after a long day of sitting at school or home, a turtleneck can feel like it's wringing your neck. However, I absolutely adored this Forever 21 poncho I saw on Caitlin from Southern Curls and Pearls, and fell in love with turtlenecks all over again.

This week I've been home for Thanksgiving, and of course I went shopping - but what did I buy? I walked out of the mall with 2 turtlenecks in hand and another two on their way to my school. I'm absolutely in love with them all! I didn't pick up the same one as Caitlin because I couldn't find it in my size when I wanted to order it, but this Old Navy one is super similar (plus I just love anything Old Navy does). Check out my turtleneck purchases below:

Turtlenecks by timelessprep featuring a layered sweater

I also found this incredible gray turtleneck sweater with open sides from.... GAP KIDS! Seriously this sweater is beyond fabulous and so unique. Originally it was for my sister, but she didn't like the open sides of the sweater, and it fit me, so of course I had to snag it. I can't find a link since the item was no longer being sold in stores (thank you to whoever returned it to my local mall), but an OOTD and blog post on that sweater will be coming soon. 

Are you also loving the turtleneck trend? How would you style turtlenecks for the holiday season?