Winter Break Bucket List 2015

One of the best parts of winter break in college is that you get to spend more time at home than normal, which also means lots of extra time to do all sorts of fun things! I'm so thankful for a nice relaxing break before I have to head back to school, although my winter session yoga class should be a ton of fun too!

How To: Dress for the New Year with Style

The New Year is just around the corner, and one of the best parts of this time of year is dressing up for a great New Year's Eve party! Here are my best tips for making a strong impression for the New Year and dressing to perfection.

ONE | Leather - You can't go wrong with something a bit edgy but classic, like leather leggings. They add just the right touch of festive to your party look.

TWO | Velvet - The New Year begs for a warm, wintry fabric like velvet. This off the shoulder dress keeps the holiday spirit bright and is oh so elegant. For men, try a fancy Velvet Jacket Tuxedo like this one from The Black Tux.

THREE | Fringe - Fringe has been all the rage this fall and winter, so there's no reason why you can't add it to your holiday look. This dark green skirt from H&M is perfect for a night watching the ball drop, and won't break the bank! Pair it with some black swiss dot tights for an extra fun look.

FOUR | Fur - Pom poms are the newest trend in fur, and they add a playful touch wherever they're added, especially on shoes! These heels are glam and totally on trend, so you'll stand out at your New Year's party!

FIVE | Gold hardware - Another classic is gold hardware. On bags, shoes, clothes and jewelry, you can't go wrong with something gold this holiday season. Dress up your party clutch with gold  accents and you can't go wrong!

SIX | Beading - A fun top decked out in sparkles and sequins is a must have for holiday parties. This Topshop cropped blouse has enough structure to be dressed up for a more fancy event, but is still youthful and trendy.

SEVEN | Embellishments - #treatyoself this holiday season with a pair of investment heels. You'll be sure to wear these embellished pumps forever, and they match any outfit! 

EIGHT | Feathers - A feathered frock is such a fun way to make an statement at this year's New Year party! Stick to a basic color like black and let the feathers do the talking. Add some glam dangly earrings for more pizzazz.

Nine | Emerald - A nice holiday color like emerald is great for gowns, if you'll be attending a more formal or black-tie affair. Again, stick to a simple shape and amp up your look with accessories and bling.

If you're looking for formal menswear this holiday season, be sure to check out The Black Tux for your tuxedo rental! What are you doing this New Year's Eve?

Coming Home

So it's 12:30 AM and I still have a week of finals ahead of me. As I sit here wondering how I wasted an entire day that could have been put toward productive studying, I can't help but thinking about everything that has happened in the past year, and about how much I can't wait to be home.

Last fall semester, I returned home to an inevitable breakup and spent an awful lot of time questioning what direction my life would have taken if things didn't go the way they had. My whole first semester of college seems like a blur, and aside from classes and dance, I can't say that it was utterly eventful. I was going through the motions because I had plans back home, and while I'm thankful for everything that relationship taught me, I was being held back. 

For months I kept telling myself that if I could just make it sorority recruitment, things would work out for the better. I would find my group of friends. It would be easier to do things. I would have a place where I belonged and could shine and feel on top of the world. And then recruitment came, and all that I knew to be good and true seemed to disappear. The plan, the path that I convinced myself would lead me to happiness, was shifted, and the ground gave out beneath my feet. I will never be able to fully thank the two incredible souls who cried it out with me on Bid Night, because the words I will never forget are "if we're going to do this, we're doing it together." 

Saturday, the 19th of December, officially marks one year of being single, and I have learned more about myself in the past year than I ever have before. I've become more positive, developed a "take no one's crap" attitude, and made myself a leader. I am dancing my heart away, choreographing pieces, and finally feeling contentment in that group of friends. I am heading the online media for my sorority (#LeadingWomen), am on as many committees as I can fit in, and have realized that Kappa Alpha Theta is exactly where I am supposed to be. I don't think I've ever had a better year. 

I've also realized that there are two types of homes. Whenever I come back to New Jersey, I feel this warm sense of security and family, the way you feel after a long vacation. It smells the same as it always did, and it looks the same (except for that new addition, lol), and it reminds me of times bygone. I look at my bedroom the same way I look at my mother's room when I visit my grandma - a standstill time capsule of a life that once was. It no longer feels like my room, it feels like it only belongs to my younger self. Like a memory of a past life. 

Today, home means something different. Home is finding friends in my major who are just as passionate about sustainability and climate as I am. Home is having someone who will wake you up on registration day and blast Christmas music with you the second Halloween ends. It's eating dinner consistently on Tuesday night at 6:30 and people who ask if you ever turned in that paper about the US-Israeli relationship. Home is the nights my best friend and I crammed into one twin bed, and the midnight adventures around the dorm to find out what floor that cute boy lives on. Home also means chapter meetings and and pasta dinners and having people who bring you paper flowers post-recital. 

I'm ready to get out of here for a little while, to be home with family and to celebrate Christmas. But as excited as I am to head back to New Jersey, in three weeks from now I'll be coming back home. 2015 looked good on you, Hop.

*This blog post was written on Saturday the 12th of December*

My December/Holiday Wishlist

 

To end my gift guide series, today I'm covering my holiday wishlist aka just things that I've had my eye on or find interesting. Sorry there are so many shoes, mom.

TURTLENECK SWEATER | This is pretty self-explanatory. There is nothing better in this world than turtleneck sweaters, and I particularly love the deep cranberry and florescent pink colors of this J.Crew style.

FUN RINGS | I haven't really gotten into experimenting with rings, but I love the way they look on others, particularly with a fresh manicure. I have been eyeing the BaubleBar Matrix ring for such a long time now - I think it would be the perfect piece to kick off my ring collection.

BEAUTY BLENDER | Mostly because I always apply foundation and concealer with my fingers, and I'm wondering how it would apply with a damp sponge instead.

LEATHER BAND WATCH | I wear my rose gold Michael Kors watch every single day, but some outfits call for a more sleek, sophisticated watch, and the leather band adds that classic touch. 

SUEDE SKIRT | Suede is so popular right now, and I think this skirt would take me back to my elementary school days. Plus, I have been head over heels with anything inspired by the 1970s, so it seems like an obvious choice.

SIGNET RING | Another piece I have been longing to have for quite some time now is a monogrammed signet ring. So traditionally preppy that it's almost a little insane, but I love it. 

CHELSEA BOOTIES | While I absolutely love my black heeled booties, sometimes my feet need a break, and black Chelsea booties with a flat heel are the way to go.

LACE UP FLATS | Next in line to "I've never worn a pair of leggings" is that I've never really owned ballet flats. Shocking, I know. But the idea of lace up flats is a tad more unexpected, and it's a trend I think I can actually get behind, unlike plain ballet flats. 

BLACK SWEATER | I own a very simple white sweater and I wear it all the time (I really do mean all. the. time.) I think having a black one as well would be great since I know I'll get a ton of use out of it. I can already think of 100 different styling ideas.

LEATHER SNEAKERS | I wrote a whole post about how much I love my friend's leather sneakers. The quilting on these Steve Madden kicks adds a little bit of girly flair to them. So cute.

FAUX FUR VEST | Another fall and winter staple for the #basicpreppygirl. This adds a whole new level of texture and dimension to an outfit.

ABALONE EARRINGS | These Kendra Scott abalone shell earrings make me swoon. They're more of a summer item, but I can't wait for the day when they're finally mine!

BURT'S BEES CHAPSTICK | It's pretty much standard at this point that I'll get Burt's Bees in my stocking at Christmas. I'm already running low on my last tube (sad face) so this gift may come a little early this year.

MINI MAB TOTE | I'm not a huge purse person, just because I don't think they're very practical in college. However, I can't get my mind off the Mini MAB tote from Rebecca Minkoff. I'm dreaming of one in an eye-catching color instead of a neutral so that it adds a pop and stands out no matter where I go.

MAKEUP BRUSHES | I have a few makeup brushes that I swear by, but are super old and definitely need to be replaced. Nothing fancy here - I love the Sonia Kashuk brush sets that you can find at Target!! 

FLANNEL SHIRT | This particular J.Crew flannel is so on point. I love the white base and the oversized plaid. It's not your stereotypical Christmas plaid (which I also love) and think that it can add nice variety to your wardrobe while still being comfy and warm.

PLEASURE READING BOOKS | I actually like reading, when it's not a textbook and when it's something interesting or motivating. Mindy Kaling is hilarious and I'm sure her books are just as great!

CHRISTMAS SWEATER | It goes without saying that everyone should at least have one ugly Christmas sweater. This one is perfect because it is designed to be super vintage and ugly, and so it will never go out of style. Which is relative because, ya know, it's an ugly Christmas sweater.

WALL CALENDAR | Wall calendars are very important to me, both for keeping track of what I do every day and also for aesthetic purposes. It's a little tradition  in my family to get a new calendar every year on Christmas day!

NEW BALANCE CLASSIC SNEAKERS | The only athletic shoes that I can rock with jeans, for when you need more support than Converse and more style than Asics.

BLOCK MONOGRAM | I love my script monogram, and a circle block monogram is just about as edgy as I can get. I love it's more modern look.

CRYSTAL PENDANT | Once again, Jacqui gets the shoutout for rocking her crystal pendant on the reg. I became obsessed with it and of course, need my own now.

IVORY DRIVING MOCCASINS | Another summer-y item on my list are these driving moccasins. I remember back in high school seeing this girl with impeccable style rocking them and the image has not left my head since. Be it white, ivory, or even light pink, a pair of soft pastel driving mocs will find its way into my wardrobe sooner or later.

ANTLER JEWELRY DISH (OR JUST ANYTHING ANTLER THEMED) | I saw this antler jewelry dish in another blogger's gift guide and I think it's the cutest thing. Also gold deer heads are a huge thing in wall decor now, and I might actually be falling for them. 

GOLD NAIL POLISH | I love the Fall 2015 collection that Essie released, and this bronze-y gold was the shade that stood out to me most. I'm curious what it would look like on the nails.

NUDE LIPSTICK | Over the past few months I have begun to accumulate a lipstick collection ranging from almost-black to cotton candy pink. I haven't found a good nude yet, but Revlon Super Lustrous is my go-to so I'm sure they make a shade I will love.

CAMEL COCOON COAT | Camel coats scream grown up sophistication to me, and I love the idea of wearing a long coat in the winter with a dress or pants and heels. The cocoon shape of this coat is a bit more unexpected than a traditional peacoat, and I love it so much.

That's it for this holiday gift guide!! I hope that you were all able to find something that worked for this year's gift giving. Since today is the last day of classes, I'll be taking a short hiatus during finals so that I can focus my energy on studying. I'll be back when I get home, though! Happy holidays and happy finals period, everyone xoxo

Holiday Gift Guide: Under $35 (Perfect for Best Friends!!)

Let's talk small gifts, perfect for your friends this holiday season!

COLORING BOOK | These adult coloring books are all the rage right now and it's easy to understand why. Coloring is actually super fun and can relieve stress because of how mindless the work is. At least for me, picking the colors and making the designs look nice is one of my favorite parts of coloring, and I love the detail that goes into paisley and mandala patterns. We bought my friend a coloring book for her birthday (although it was Disney princess themed, to be honest) and she absolutely loved it - I think this gift would be great for a large variety of people!

NOTECARDS | Having a set of notecards is always important. You never know when you may need to thank someone or write a quick note to your grandmother, and having a nice set of notecards can make you feel so grown up. Every once in a while I have to break out notecards to write a nice handwritten note, and I feel so much better than if I were to send an email or write on a piece of plain paper. This gift can be cute and useful too, which makes it perfect for almost anyone!

STEMLESS WINE GLASSES | These holiday themed wine glasses are oh-so-cute!! There are certainly a lot of wine lovers out there and these glasses would be a hit with sooo many people. Plus I love the idea of stemless glasses because I always worry about how fragile the stems are, particularly with college students who don't always take the best care of things.

PHONE CASE | Phone cases are a great way to accessorize and add personality to your outfit. They come in so many patterns and colors that you can always find something that works, whether you're aiming for funny or chic. I'm actually laughing at myself for picking this bee phone case, since my best friend is highly allergic and terrified of bees, and yet whenever I look for whimsical gifts for her I somehow end up in bee-territory.

CANDLE | Okay, so I know we're not supposed to have candles in our dorm rooms, but for those that can, candles are a great gift. They certainly add a home-y vibe and make a space feel more cozy and welcoming. Yankee Candle and Bath and Body Works have a ton of great options for the fall and winter time which would be perfect to give as gifts for your friends (especially during B&BW's great sales, you can get a lot of candles at a really great price!)

DESK CALENDAR | Rifle Paper Co makes really incredible paper goods, including notecards, journals and calendars. This desk one is adorable and showcases unique artwork to represent some of the world's most famous and beautiful cities. These also come in wall calendar format and are simply chic - their style of graphic design is really popular right now and is popping up everywhere. Calendars are ideal for the busy college girl who needs to keep track of all she has going on!

NECKLACE | I was searching online for my sister when I came across this necklace - which I absolutely adore. One of my good friends and sorority sisters has an awesome crystal pendant necklace (Hi Jacq!!) and ever since I saw her wearing one I have kept my eyes out for a great crystal necklace. This one from Nordstrom is great because the blue color is just a little different, the gold fringe is so on-trend, and the price point cannot be beat! I hope to see this one in stores when I go shopping.

NAIL POLISH SET | I don't know how, but college girls are always managing to do their nails, and we love to share polishes. Sets are great because you can always give them to one nail-obsessed bestie, or you can split up the set and give a different color to each friend a super mini stocking stuffer.

JEWELRY DISH | As I've mentioned before, I love jewelry dishes. They are great for keeping your most worn pieces out so that you can grab them quickly, and they add a nice decorative touch. I bought a jewelry tray over the summer and I'm actually surprised at how much I use it. This little dog tray is the perfect addition to any room and is just the right size.

EARRINGS | Wow am I in love with these constellation earrings. I'm not a super huge fan of ear crawlers or mismatched earrings, but if I were to try out the trend, this is how I would do it. These are simply fabulous and would make a great gift for a friend who really loves accessorizing or simply has a passion for the stars and space. Honestly the perfect gift.

MONOGRAMMED KEYCHAIN | I recommend these keychains all the time and think that they are super cute because they can be customized. You can totally mix it up by using a favorite color combo or even university colors for a friend and making the piece really special to them. Plus it's something that everyone can use and love!

CHRISTMAS SOCKS | This one shouldn't need an explanation, but I'll go ahead and be brief - Christmas socks rock and they are just the most fun, silly, cheeky gift ever. Especially if you're obsessed with Christmas. Which you should be. My dance team has a Christmas party every year where we do a sock exchange and I'm crossing my fingers that I can get/give some pretty festive socks this year. Plus the Nutcracker pair I showed above is on my wishlist - I want to wear them with leggings and Converse and be totally obnoxious about the fact that yes, my socks have little soldiers on them.