Playing Matchmaker: Summer Nails

I always find that I have more time during the summer to paint my nails! I love going to the salon and finding new colors and brands to try out, and sometimes straying away from my normal colors. While I gravitate towards pinks and neutrals, sometimes a great blue or green can really jump out at you. What's the worst that happens? In a week the polish will chip off and you know for next time that Cotton Candy Blue wasn't your color. 

I've always been a wee jealous of my sister's nails (hi I know you're reading this) and she can literally pull off any color under the sun. The last time I saw her she was rocking OPI's "That's Hula-rious!" and so I highlighted it above a trendy color for summer. She's seriously hand model material! I think it would look great paired with a mauve color on the toes.

As for a classic look, I am always a fan of nudes and reds. My all time favorite nude, pictured above, is Essie's "Spin the Bottle" from Spring 2014. It's not a very common or popular color, and when my mom finally hunted it down and sent it to me at school I nearly screamed with joy. This looks great with a basic red on the toes, and is also office appropriate if you'll be working this summer.

On the opposite end of the spectrum we have bright and bold looks. These rainbow pairings of blue/purple and yellow/green are totally on point for the summer months. I think they would both be awesome and daring if you're looking for a fun summer look that is a little bit different. Nails in a unique color can really be the center of attention, and these definitely do the job.

As much as I try to stray from the norm, I always seem to come back to pinks! Light pink, hot pink, neon pink, doesn't matter. I can be seen sporting all different shades as the days heat up and I hit the beach. These colors are perfect for a girly look and make for a no-fail summer mani pedi.

The look I'll probably be rocking most this summer is the edgy gray and orange combo. This pair works because the gray is just neutral enough, and a cool toned orange pulls it all together. The gray pictured is another one of my all-time favorites, "Take it Outside" by Essie. Another non-cult favorite, I was so happy to snatch this up when I saw it in stores.

What's your favorite nail combo for summer? Or are you more of a matchy-matchy polish wearer? Comment below with your favorite nail color!

A Prom-ising Experience

Hey guys! Prom season is upon us, and in case you are still on the hunt for a prom dress, I wanted to talk about the things I looked for in a prom dress as well as show you some of the stunning dresses I found at Lord and Taylor online.

I went into prom dress shopping with a few expectations and ended up straying from what I had originally thought I wanted. But, in typical Victoria fashion, the second I saw the dress I loved, I was not going to stop until I had my hands on it (more on that later). Here's what I wore to prom: 

With my close friends from high school, Amanda (left) and Celina (right)

You can actually find the link to it on the Lord and Taylor website (except in navy instead of black) here. And apparently now they make a one shouldered option!

When I went shopping, I made sure to keep my "ideal dress list" in mind.

TIMELESSPREP'S QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHILE PROM DRESS SHOPPING

1 // Do you have a color that you really like? What colors look best on you? Are cool or warm tones better with your skin? Do you want a classic look or do you want to be bold? What about a print?

2 // What about straps? Are you going for a strapless dress? Or are strapless bras just too uncomfortable and so you need straps? Will your boobs be able to hold up your dress all night? What about one shoulder? Short sleeve? Long sleeve? Halter? V neck? What looks good on your body?

3 // Is there a specific look you are going for? Do you want to stand out in the crowd? Are you trying to look classic and simple?

4 // What kind of jewelry are you planning to wear? Is your ideal dress already blingy? Or will you wear a lot of accessories instead?

5 // How are you planning to do your hair? Long hair worn down can block any pretty embellishments that you might want to be seen. 

6 // Are you planning to wear heels? Dresses that skim the floor will hide your shoes if you choose to avoid heels and wear a flat sandal. Dresses with slits, high low hems, or shorter lengths? Not as much.

7 // How much alternation is required? If you're super short (like me) you will probably need to have your dress hemmed and maybe altered in other areas as well. Think about how much money you want to spend before heading out and give yourself a limit on the dresses you try on. (Fun prom fact: I went through so many alterations on this dress! I even had a full bra sewn to the inside because the v neck was so low!)

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Now that you are equipped with the list of questions you need to find your perfect prom dress, let's talk about some of my favorite picks.

Lord and Taylor is always my go-to store for dress shopping. I have found so many dresses I've fallen in love with at Lord and Taylor and they always have exactly what I'm looking for. Like this super cute pink dress, for example. I originally found this in stores and the size was just way too big for me - my mom ended up hunting it down at all the malls in our area just so I could wear it to my cousin's wedding (thanks mom!). Like I said before, once I knew that it was the perfect dress for me, I HAD to have it.

The pink dress we hunted down near and far. It's still one of my favorites!

Here are my current picks from Lord and Taylor, sorted by color category. Within each category there are a variety of styles.

Bright and Bold Colors

Dress 1 / Dress 2 / Dress 3 / Dress 4

Classic, Elegant Looks

Dress 1 / Dress 2 / Dress 3 / Dress 4  

Pastel Shades

Dress 1 / Dress 2 / Dress 3 / Dress 4 

Prints

Dress 1 / Dress 2

Those are just a few of my picks from Lord and Taylor this season! I love prom dress shopping and can't wait to see everyone's photos as prom draws nearer. What does your ideal prom dress look like? Post in the comments below or submit a photo to my Tumblr!

Coming In Clutch

Hey everyone!

This trend has come and gone from time to time, but right now the idea of quirky bags shaped like all sorts of things is something I'm really digging. I've talked a ton about that super awesome watermelon clutch, and while I was scrolling through nastygal.com I stumbled upon a ton more - lemons, evil eyes, cameras and more!

Modcloth.com also has a wide selection of bags, from ice cream cone shaped crossbodies to totes printed with The Very Hungry Caterpillar's cover. 

There are all sorts of fun and cheeky bags that are making their way onto online shops and boutiques, and I'm pumped about the ways that they can be worn for summer! 

What do you think of this trend? If you're a fan, what kind of fun bag will you be rocking this summer?

Prep for Less: Best Less Expensive Stores

Today's post is all about how to get the look for less! Scrolling through Tumblr at any given time and you will be sure to see lots of posts asking where to buy preppy pieces on a budget. There are tons of great, creative ways to do this, and all it takes is a little exploration!

Go to your local mall and go into every single store you can possibly think of. Even the ones where you're not 100% sure if you'll find anything you like. Sometimes you can find the best pieces in the strangest places, like the J.Crew Ski Sweater dupe that I found at CottonOn, or my favorite jeans from American Eagle - I never even stepped foot into the store for years!!

Below I'm listing some of the greatest places to find preppy clothing for less, and the pieces I love most from each place. Now get out there and get shopping!!!!

What to Buy

- Bathing Suits

- Chino Shorts

- Button Downs

- Blouses

- Sweaters

- Scarves

- Jewelry

- Pajamas

- TShirt Dresses

- Preppy/Trendy Pieces

- Puffer Vests

What to Buy

- Jeans

- Leather Flip Flops

- Ankle Booties

What to Buy

- Dresses

- Scarves

- Fun Tops

- Rompers

- Sweaters

- Skirts

- Jewelry

What to Buy

- Workout Gear

- Shoes

- Bathing Suits

- Makeup

- Nail Polish

- Hats and Gloves

- Stationery

- Lilly for Target (lol)

What to Buy

- Plain Long Sleeve Tees

- Plain Short Sleeve Tees

- Dresses

What to Buy

- Jeans

- Button Downs

- Sweaters

- Coats

What to Buy

- Fun Dresses

- Fun Tops

- Palazzo Pants

- Accessories

What to Buy

- Puffer Vests

- Button Downs

- Scarves

- Jewelry

- Tops

- Dresses 

- Skirts

- Chino Shorts

**Usually J.Crew's collections come out the next year as Factory items**

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These are only some of the great stores where I find my preppy deals for less! A little bit of searching is all you need to find the prices you love for the items you want. Comment below with any future Prep for Less post requests!

Love It and List It

Yo homies what's good!?!?!? 

Today we're talking about listing. Anyone who knows me would know that I love making lists and planning out what I'm doing. They help me stay on track and know what I have going on all the time. Since I'm involved in so many things on campus, sometimes I actually forget everything I have to do in one day, and lists are my #bae.

My big making fun of me during Secret Week.. -__-

I just Instagrammed this photo the other day and it sparked a lot of talk. I figured that you'd all enjoy hearing about how to make effective lists and the tips I have for doing so. Listing does not come easily to everyone, but they take very little time and can make you so much more productive if you know how to use them effectively.

Follow my Instagram at @victoriacgram

VICTORIA'S HOW TO AND TIPS FOR LIST MAKING

1 // Get some bright colored markers, pencils, or pens! I'm serious about this one. Do what you need to get yourself motivated. Tumblr users joke that we love buying office supplies because of the "illusion of productivity." I don't know about you guys, but when I go out and buy nice office supplies, I actually want to use them! If you need stickers and glitter and gel pens, go for that. I really like using Papermate Flair pens - they are my special list making pens and I don't use them for anything else.

2 // Keep everything in one place. I have a huge notebook that I keep my lists in, and so they're all in one place. I swear, this notebook isn't going to be filled up any time soon, so even when I'm a senior in college or post-grad, I will still have my trusty notebook for list making. It's a great way to stay organized and if you ever need to look back at an old list you made, you know where to find it!

3 // Figure out what you're making a list about. Do you want to write out your day and all you have planned? Do you want a checklist of work that needs to get done? Is it a grocery list? A shopping list? Don't try to mash them all together. Break it up, and make lots of little lists. Right now, I have tons of lists sitting as post it notes on my computer. Their headings are Service Hours, Receive, Outfits, Random, and Shopping, and no list has more than five items.

4 // Prioritize. Sort your list's items either by chronology or by importance. For the list I made above, I wrote assignments in the order they were due. For other lists, I will put the most important or most time sensitive items at the top so that they don't get forgotten or hidden in the middle of a list. If you want to make your list as you go and not think about ordering the items, use a red or other bold colored pen to *star* the important things!

5 // Keep your lists fairly short. Looking at a list that goes on and on can be very daunting, so if you keep your lists to a minimal length, you won't be as overwhelmed when it comes time to tackle your work. It can also work to break up your list by category so that you have a whole bunch of mini lists. This is sort of reiteration from Tip #2, but it's a good point to remember nonetheless.

6 // Checkmarks are key! People enjoy the feeling of accomplishment you get when you finally get to cross something off a list. I always keep a pen handy and either cross out, or check off (like you see in the photo above) the items that I have completed. It makes you feel good and motivates you to want to do more!

7 // Plan out your day like a pro. When you want to organize your day, arrange all your tasks into easy hour, half-hour, and fifteen minute blocks. Start by filling in all the times that you know you will be busy in class, at an event, eating, etc. Then take the leftover chunks and figure out what you want to do with your time. Maybe you're better at getting work done at night, but you want to get your laundry done during the daytime. Or maybe you need to wake up extra early that day and finish some work, and then you will give yourself an hour or two timeslot just for watching Netflix. Find a method that works for you, but always start with the big, unchangeable tasks and fill in the rest. Be flexible! 

8 // Don't be overbearing on yourself. I used to write lists where I would say "from 4-5 I'm working on this specific assignment" and if it took longer, I would get stressed out because then I couldn't fit everything I needed to do into my day. It was really stressful, but I was advised to not focus so much on the specfics - which assignments I wanted to work on from 4-5 PM - but instead highlight the important goal - getting homework done. This has helped me to not stress out because I know I have a certain chuck of time to work with, and the order in which I complete my assignments in not what matters. It also creates more flexibility in your schedule in case something runs early or late. You have the power to change your schedule if it's not too rigid! 

9 // Feel free to add to your list. If something new comes up that you need to do, don't be afraid to add to your pre-existing list, so long as it's on the same topic. If the thing you need to write down is completely irrelevant to the list you already have made, start a new one! Lists are meant to work for you however you need and use them, so don't be afraid to experiment with your list making!

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I think that wraps up all of my tips and tricks for making lists! Hopefully some of you found this helpful and can start making fabulous lists of your own. Comment below with any of your own tips, tricks, and thoughts about list making!

Shark Bait

Happy Friday everyone! Last night when I was drafting up my last blog post, I (of course) landed on the Kate Spade website. I promise that my intentions were solely for blogging, but as per usual I got dragged in. All I had to do was hit the "handbags" tab and I was swept up in a sea of nautical design. 

It seems that the trend is going less toward ships, sailboats, and anchors, but rather sea creatures! They are so fun and whimsical, and are wonderful motifs for the summer time. I've noticed that whales have had their time, but new sea creatures are making their appearance. Sharks, seahorses, crabs, lobsters - they are all popping up in the clothing industry. My personal favorite is the "Splash Out Melly" clutch from Kate Spade - I just love that shark fin!! 

What's your opinion on this trend? Is it the same old thing, or do you like the new sea creature motifs as much as I do?!

Wish Wish Wishlist: May 2015

Long time, no post! School has been crazy for a while now, and I've been spending a ton of time doing school and extra-curricular related things. Spring semester may mean warming weather, but it also means dance showcases, Accepted Students Days, and lots of work. 

Last weekend was our Homecoming, which we do in conjunction with our Lacrosse season (Go Hop!), and I had a complete blast with my sisters and friends. Then this coming week we have Spring Fair, a completely student-run carnival on campus. Lots of chaos and fun ensues, so I wanted to make sure that all my work was out of the way before the weekend hits! 

Now that I'm like waaaaaay too ahead on homework, I have a bunch of free time to think up some blogposts and write it out! Today I'm showcasing my May wishlist, since all I've been doing besides my work is window shopping online. I can't get enough of all the cute things that summer has to offer!

1 // Tassels

I am obsessed with all things tassels and I don't even know it. I was showing my roommate my Forever 21 shopping cart yesterday when she stopped me and said that she'd "have to cap the number of tasseled items I can order to three." I wasn't even thinking about it, but honestly everything is so much better with tassels. I had these items (one - two - three) in my shopping cart, and I could have easily added more. Also, as pictured above, the DIY tassel bracelet is all the rage. I have a ton of leftover friendship bracelet string back home - I know what I'll be crafting this summer!

2 // Going Out Tops

This is soooo important now that I'm going out more at school. When prepping for college, I didn't think that much about this, but you really do need clothes for going out! When most of my ensemble consists of button down shirts and cable knit sweaters, it's hard to figure out what to wear when you're headed out for a fun night, especially when you don't want to wear things you care about (note: frat houses are dirty, dirty places that also get really hot). This spring and summer, I know I'll be on the lookout for more tops to wear out, and my best friend has the same goal in mind, so I know we have some fun shopping trips in store. Let me know if you have any suggestions of where to search!!

3 // Bralettes

Along the same vein, bralettes have been on my wishlist the past month or so, and I'm looking to get my hands on some soon. They are great for layering under loose fitting crop tops and big tanks that have deep armholes. Since I'm little, it can be difficult finding tank tops that are good for going out and don't have gigantic armholes.. Bralettes are the perfect, cute fix to that problem!

4 // Delicate Jewelry

When I scrolled across this picture the other day I thought it was honestly so perfect. I love all her delicate rings (check out that #hashtag one though!) and her nail polish is spot on. Yay for pretty hands on Tumblr. I love the look of really simple, delicate jewelry and so I swooned when I got my Baublebar email today saying that they are having UP TO 70% OFF items in order to make way for new merch!! I have been on the hunt for the perfect simple gold necklace, and I loooove their Morse Code Initial Pendant. *swoons* It's on my shopping list for sure this month!

5 // WATAMELON

Gosh darn it this fruit is everywhere! I am dying (and based on the recent interactions I've had with my roommate, I mean DYING) to get my hands on a watermelon printed bag. While this Kate Spade tote really takes the cake, there are few smaller clutches and crossbodies that have caught my eye (one - two - three - four). I'm itching for one of these so badly, as I have romanticized visions of me at summer barbecues nonchalantly sporting my watermelon clutch and being the hot gossip of the day, as if I were Sarah Vickers or Caitlin Covington. #yesplease I'm all about the watermelone.

6 // Bucket Bags

Particularly in the color mint, these are a new favorite of mine. I don't know what I'm going to do with all these bags haha! But the new bucket shape seems to actually be very classic, and it's a fun twist on a little crossbody. J.Crew's awesome Downing Bucket Bag is great, and I found this super awesome dupe at Kohl's - for way less than half the price!

7// Dinosaurs

Jurassic World is coming out (check out this sick movie poster that I'm actually kind of afraid of) soon and that means that my brother and I get to relive our childhood days of watching Jurassic Park movies and having "Barbie Cruises" where Barbie travels to the Dinosaur Island on vacation. Dinosaur prints, dinosaur motifs, you name it, I'm freaking out over it! 

8 // Lilly for Target!!

My mom was my hero during this Lilly for Target madness! She scored tons of pieces at my local store and even said that people were not that crazy while shopping. Shocking, I know, given all the media attention LillyxTarget has gotten for being absolutely insane. I am counting down the days til I can get home and try on all the goodies my mom got, and see what fits! Everything is so adorable, and I'm grateful that I was able to get a bunch of things. Thanks, hometown, for not being Lilly obsessed!

9 // Throwback Styles

My style has been a complete throwback recently! From my white Chucks/striped tee shirt dress / denim shirt tied around the waist Full House '90s OOTD, to my current craving for bell bottoms, it's safe to say that I'm paying my respects to my elders as I appreciate some good old fashioned clothing. I want to rock some high waisted flares with a flowy top (I'm thinking tasseled top #1 from above) and some chunky heels or wedges. Then I can get my Saturday Night Fever audition tape ready, cuz I'm digging this 1970s trend. 

10 // Beach Cruiser

I love speeding around at the beach on a bike, and I have been in dire need of one for a while now. I want something super simplistic and in a fun color, like baby pink, or 1950s refrigerator green. And my mom and I are in loooove with the Lilly Pulitzer printed bikes - where can I get one?!

That's it for today - my Top Ten Wishlist items for May. Comment below with your wishlist picks!