The Sunnies Lineup

I don't really collect anything. I wish I did. I used to collect those state quarters, but then kinda forgot when they were only releasing 5 per year. That got old when I had to wait almost 10 years to have a complete collection. That's probably the closest I ever got to collecting anything. 

I do have a penchant for sunglasses. Back when it existed, I would CLEAN OUT the $10 rack of sunglasses at Nordstrom in the BP section. My choices have gotten a little better, and I try to take care of them better. I definitely see them investments now. I have a few I rotate through:

Ray Ban "New Wayfarer" (RB 2132)

It took me a LONG time to get used to wearing Wayfareres on my face. I thought they looked funny, but I LOVE them. They're my go-to sunglasses that will match anything. Often when people think "classic" they think of these exact sunglasses.

Costa Del Mar "Isabela" (Tortoise, Brown Glass 400 Lens)

These are my favorite of all my sunglasses. I wear them more often than any of the others because they're sporty-meets-girly-and-fashionably-large. They have been in a pair of croakies about since they day I got them too--Christmas 2011 along with my Wayferers!

Costa Del Mar "Harpoon" (Tortoise, 580 Green Glass Lens)

These glasses don't get worn too often, but I still am a huge fan! These were a gift from the folks over at Costa Del Mar and I'm always thankful every time I don these bad boys. These glasses are just B-A and I feel awesome when I wear them. I usually save these if we go out on someone's boat or if I'll be on the water. It's pretty hard to mess these up, so I know I can go in the ocean or water with them on!

(As an explanation to this photo, my friend Aly and I were "Mountain Weekend" for one of the nights of Halloween--in this picture, the sunglasses are on a set of croakies, but I'm still wearing them!)

Most recently, I've added a pair of aviators to the collection:

Ray Bay "Cockpit" (RB 3362)

Everyone says that aviators are good for any face shape, but until very recently, I had never had good luck finding a pair that was ok for me. I always felt like I looked like a lady cop in aviators! I then found the RB3362 and fell in love. There was also another pair that I liked--same no-lady-cop effect--but I ultimately decided on this pair. I am so excited to really try this out!

Are you big on sunnies? I LOVE them!!

xxKatie

My Summer Grind

My summer seems to have a decent pattern as of these last few weeks! My current summer essentials are:

Costa Del Mar Isabela: My absolute go-to pair of sunglasses

Lilly Pulitzer Agenda: I mistakenly thought that summer meant less plans. Nope!

Pinch: Our favorite place to hang out, Wednesdays are my fave!

CeraVe lotion: This is SAVING my skin from all my new acne medicine! I would recommend it if you have dry skin--it's TOTALLY worth every penny!

Wedges: What if I'm as tall as my dad? I've been all about the wedges and don't even care if they make me like 6'4''. That rules!

Pink Nail Polish: "Off the Shoulder" will be my next color! I bought it and I know I'm already going to like it. Wanna know how? When I got that pedicure, I got it in OTS! I tested the color out and it's a 100% match. Talk about a stylish subconscious! 

While it's a motley crew of summer staples, this is what I'm living off of these days! What are your summer must-haves?

xxKatie

P.S.: If anyone is heading to Columbia Style Week events tonight, I'd love to meet up--tonight is a meet and greet anyway! Snap a few photos for the facebook page ;) Send me an email (katie AT letsbepreppy DOT com) or tweet @letsbepreppy and let me know!!! I know some of my Columbia readers are in town and it's gonna be an awesome week of festivities!

Outfit of the Day: Double Duty

August 24 by letsbepreppy featuring j crew shorts

I wore this outfit yesterday! I was at work for a little to fill out some new-hire paperwork, had class, and had an Ambassador function last night! We're starting our Recruitment process for our new cohort of Ambassadors and we couldn't be more excited! Last night got us SO excited (complete with a group version of Rock, Paper, Scissors that I'm so game for playing again) to bring in the new crop and start giving tours again!

I had two days worth of outfits squished into one! I had my class/work/run errands outfit that I was in until about 6 and then my visitor center/University Ambassadors/tour guide outfit that I wear (a different version of) once a week, for football recruitment, and special events that the University hold that require the aid of student volunteers!

I get a lot of questions about what I typically wear to give tours in so the second outfit is common. We have pretty easy rules to follow: it has to be garnet and black, have Carolina on it somewhere and bottoms must be fingertip length or longer. You also have to wear shoes that you're comfortable giving tours in! This is a pretty common outfit for me to wear until it starts to get colder out here!

Be sure to enter Tuesday's Sassy Palmetto GIVEAWAY too!!

Is it still hot as heck by y'all? I can be in tops like these for the next few months!!

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: Traveling North

August 1 by letsbepreppy featuring tote hand bags

This was my traveling outfit for my flight up North on Monday! I hate traveling sloppily and I wanted to be warm in the morning when it was still dark out! Dad and I left SUPER early Monday morning and it's always chilly in the morning and on airplanes so I wanted to be prepared!

I wore Jacks because I'm most comfortable in them. They're easy to take on and off at different security checkpoints and look better than regular flip flops! I donned my gold ones because they match the little bits of lurex in the Karen top and it really pops!

In an attempt to travel light, I'm not checking a bag, but instead carrying on a big duffle and my purse tucked into a medium duffle. I'm a HUGE packrat and I like to have options so I always always always over pack!

Anyone else out there a heavy packer? ...Hopefully this trip I did better!!!

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: Pink & Black

Typically whenever I think of pink and black together, visions of teenage girls in punk rock outfits comes right to mind. Claire's baubles, shiny plastic and ripped jeans--all of which should be left in the stores--flood my outfit making mind, anyone else?

I rarely pair pink and black together in the summer. Heck, I rarely wear black in the summer (minus swimwear) because it gets so hot! A few days ago though, I wore a new J. Crew outlet skirt that I got awhile back (see here) with my Lilly Wynne top! I typically will wear my Wynne the one-shoulder way (Tip: in your Wynne, slip your arm through the smaller side, the ruffles fall just so as to "shut" over the arm hole!! Voila, a new one-shoulder top!!).

July 24 by letsbepreppy featuring a folding tote bag

I toned down the pink and black with fun pink McKims and my white top!

I would totally wear this skirt in the fall and winter with tights and a different warmer top! I really like it and when I initially bought it I wasn't positive how to wear it! I'm glad I've found at least one alternative way to tone down the colors!

Do you ever get confused with some of your purchases? Do you ever find them downright hard to match things with?

I sure hope I'm not alone!!!

xxKatie

Can Someone Help This Girl Out?

About a month ago a girl walked into the store with the best croakies I've ever seen:

I am obsessed! I can't seem to track them down ANYWHERE though! I even emailed Chums yesterday to inquire where I might be able to find these. My new Harpoon sunglasses from Costa del Mar are just CALLING for these!

In the meantime, I've settled on finding red Chums for my pair which are proving to be nearly as hard to find in person. I may just resort to buying them online, but I'd much rather walk out of a store with my new goodies in hand, just that kind of shopper! Effectively I'd be wearing these:

I love the red for summer but also may end up buying a Navy pair since they'd probably match more or another Palmetto pair like the ones I already have from OOPS. 

Has anyone ever seen these before? In the midst of searching for all of these, I had the brilliant idea of a Port/Starboard combination! This, however, I believe hasn't been created yet. 

I know they're also Christmas colors, but most avid sailors/people who live in a sailing town (like me) would know what this really means! Just a thought for all those fabulous sunglass retailers out there!!

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: National Wear Your Lilly Day

It has been quite the Lilly-fied week for me! I think that automatically qualifies it as a good week, huh? Anyway, National Wear Your Lilly Pulitzer day was on Tuesday and it took some careful planning for what I was going to wear! I decided on my Bowen Dress from last summer because it's got everything good that Lilly makes: animals, plants, bright colors, fun fabrics, a great shape, and is perfect for the summer!

June 21 by letsbepreppy featuring stud earrings

Jack Rogers flat leather sandals
$98 - piperlime.gap.com

Longchamp folding tote bag
$97 - nordstrom.com

Mikimoto short necklace
$4,500 - nordstrom.com

London Road stud earrings
£85 - johnlewis.com

What did you wear for National Wear Your Lilly Day?! Even my fabulous bohemian-wearing friend Colleen (whattup Cape Cod shoutout!!) knew it was NWYLD! So cool--she's so in the know! Did you add any photos to Lilly Lovers Days too??

xxKatie

Beach Bound: Goin' Costa!

In the words of the beach doctor himself, Kenny Chesney, I'm goin' coastal! About two weeks ago, one of my absolute favorite brands out there, Costa del Mar contacted me about their new line of sunglasses for ladies! Here are their newest 4 pairs:

As y'all know, I'm a huge fan of Costa del Mar! I have a pair of their larger sunglasses (I wish I known all these ones were coming out!) called "Isabela" in a tortoise frame! I'm LOVING those Hammock ones...I think Costa is channeling their inner Jackie O., right?! All these new glasses feature a bigger eye, a lightweight nylon frame and UV protection embedded in the lens. 

The "Little Harbor" mentioned above even has a design for Kenny Chesney--our man of the hour!

Good, UV blocking, polarized sunglasses are a MUST when heading to the beach! They make it easier to see, easier to read and just more pleasant to sit around and relax with! I'll be taking two pairs of glasses with me on my trip (and they typically travel in every bag with me too!):

My brand new Harpoon 580G on my fabulous new Lilly croakies!

My tried-and-true Isabela 400P glasses that I adore! This is a great pair for girls to check out if you're in the market for fashionable and great quality sunglasses! You can see how many times I've used them in my Polyvore sets--too many for Polyvore to show on one page! They live on a pair of pink Chums with teeny tiny palmetto trees on it!

Case in point, don't leave your house to go to the beach without great new sunglasses! Give my friends over at Costa some love! 

What are your favorite sunglasses? Do you have any Costa's that you recommend?

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

So somehow I forgot to do this last week. RUDE. Here we go making up for it all!

1. Thanks to Amanda, Amy and Skyler for all having birthdays this weekend. Y'all RULE.

2. Thanks to all of them having a Lilly-esque theme. It was great to get dressed up and have everyone lookin' great!

3. Thanks to Bayside Bride for providing me with so much these past two weeks! So much to work on, look forward to, and plan for the rest of the summer.

4. Thanks to Scotty McCreary for recording "For Once in My Life". It's slowing becoming one of my American Idol faves!

5. Thanks to the Lilly Warehouse sale--you got me a bunch of steals to be proud of for the rest of the summer and into the school year since I got a few transitional pieces too!

6. Thanks to Country music for being better in the summer.

7. Thanks to all the Etsy shops that have made this birthday season fun. I don't want to give anything away yet since it hasn't arrived, but thanks in general.

8. Thanks to Costa del Mar for reaching out to me. Y'all look for a post coming up soon to hear all about it! Doin' big things this week!

9. Thanks to everyone who's been reading this week. I think we're all SO busy and the comments and tweets me so much!!

10. Thanks to Polyvore who told me I've been in both the 77th and 74th most viewed profiles on the site!!! SO exciting!!!

xxKatie

Summer Essentials

Summer is good for warm weather, hanging out with friends, rockin' playlists and tanning. Here are some of my top choices for summer must-haves! They apply to girls and guys so keep that in mind!

1. White shorts: not only are white shorts flattering on nearly everyone, they make you look very tan. Find a good length that you like and voila you're set! I stick with the classic 5'' Chino shorts from J. Crew. Good length for me, crisp white color and durable! For guys, this can be adapted to khaki, just as versatile for summer days!

2. Koozies: you can't go through summer with a sweaty beverage. Koozie's keep your drinks cold and your attitude chill. Keep one (or 3) in your purse before you go out. I often coordinate mine with my outfit. Yep, happens.

3. Boat shoes: Since it's summer you need a pair of shoes you can throw on at a moment's notice and not have to worry about how they look or where you're going. Boat shoes can get wet, dirty, and keep you dry. They look cute with shorts, skirts and  capris. You basically can't go wrong tossing on a pair of Sperry's even if you don't know what the rest of the day my hold!

4. Sunglasses: Running around, day to day, sporting and sunning from the early morning hours into the night, sunglasses are a must. And there for so are croakies. Since I've gotten my Chums (different than your typical croakies but still "sunglass retainers"...) they haven't left my sunglasses! My favorite brands are Costa del Mar and Ray Ban for everyone.

5. Swimwear: Ladies and gents, swimsuit season is upon us! Embrace it with wild patterns, the brighter the better! Animal prints, floral prints, plaid, and polka dot--rock them all! I find swimsuits all over the place from Target to Victoria's Secret to Belk. They sometimes take a little more trying on than other swmsuits, but it'll be worth it once you find a brand you can stick to! Maybe you'll even be able to find your own teeny tiny yellow polka dot bikini!

What are your summer essentials? Something you can't go without??

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

Highlight of the week: Corey Smith on Sunday

This week was JAM packed with work and even a little teeny bit of play. I didn't speak to my parents for a whopping 4 days (that never happens, we speak everyday.) but I still have a lot to be thankful for:

1. A friend of mine who agreed to help tutor me. Big time.
2. One of my professors who FINALLY changed a grade from last semester. Although it took awhile, I'm still oh-so-thankful that he did it.
3. My econ professor for pushing our test to the Thursday after spring break instead of the Tuesday. We were all thankful.
4. Our shag class for being moved into a room with better A/C. Nothing says hot quite like the bottom floor of our gym's lack of A/C rooms.
5. My frog. I sleep with a stuffed frog. He didn't make it to Aruba and it was weird. He makes sleeping in my bed (away from my little fam) better.
6. Allergy medicine. Enough said. #SCpollenseemsworsethananywhereelse
7. For Glee's "Loser Like Me". Again, enough said. Y'all rock.
8. For next week to hopefully not be as difficult as this week. I really hope it's easier.
9. For polarized sunglasses. You make seeing the world so much easier. Once you go polarized, you never go back.
10. For St. Pat's yesterday. Even though I didn't participate fully in the festivities, I still had an awesome time and got to see Corey Smith. For only $12. I'm lucky. He was awesome.

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: Shagging Class Choices

January 24 by letsbepreppy featuring handcrafted jewelry

This was the outfit I wore to shagging! My shirt was a little different, but the color and sleeveless style from J. Crew was spot on! My shirt had a big rosette instead of the ruffles, but you get the idea. Our room was so warm that I can't imagine ever wearing anything besides sleeveless or MAYBE a cardigan. Anyway, it was super functional and the dress "code" was a pretty big range. A few of the sorority girls came in like 80's workout gear which looked a little out of place, but their leggings and t-shirts were comfortable for our "workout" type parts of class. Boys had all kinds of clothes on, but the most popular outfit of choice was a t-shirt and khakis with legal shoes (which ended up being, for most of us, socks). I had SO much fun and I can't wait to go back! I'm really looking forward to starting some of the harder moves and one of my close friends is pretty much a shag expert who even teaches at a local Jillian's! Depending on the weather and other variables Monday, I'll probably end up in a similar outfit!

xxKatie

Christmas Recap

The fam and I had quite the Christmas! First, Christmas Eve rolled around. We went to 6:00 mass (which was packed more than I've ever seen in Church).

My sis and I got pretty dressed up (excuse my no shoes...) and I wore a ruffle top from J. Crew and a shirred metallic skirt from H&M--they're having FAB sales so hop over there ASAP. I wore tall black heels (the ones I've worn for birthdays) that have trendy little zips on them. After Church we went to dinner with some family friends (and a future Gamecock!!) that lasted until almost 11, so we were all pretty tuckered out from it being Christmas Eve and all!

On Christmas morning, we got up around 9 and everything was unwapped by 9:30! All of us were extremely excited with our gifts! Here were some highlights:

Monster Mile NASCAR Tickets for Daddy!

+

Nook and matching Lilly case for Momma

My sister and I got some great stuff too! I got sunglasses (Tortoise shell Wayfarers and Costas!), a Patagonia fleece, the cutest retro bathing suit from VS, Lilly (of course...), pajamas, a VV shift and tote and long sleeve t-shirt and croakies, and lots of other stuff! I was so thankful for all of it and can't wait to add it to my existing wardrobe! 

After the unwrapping process, we headed North to New York for (what we thought would be) three or four days. We went straight to the family Christmas party at my mom's oldest sister's house (there are 7 sisters and 1 brother...) and met everyone there. It was a blast to see everyone, all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and all the relatives. We crashed at another sister's house after hearing all about the snowpocalypse that was about to hit the entire east coast. 

We woke up and heard that Long Island could be getting up to 16 inches of snow and decided to high-tail it back South to MD. My dad and sister left early early early on Sunday and my mom and I stayed until about 11am and then left. What normally takes between 3.5-5 hours took us almost 7 hours driving through snow and icy and slush (dear NJ, please start salting your roads.). It was scary and very nerve-wracking, so I'm glad we're finally home!!

I hope everyone had wonderful Christmases this year and are looking forward to the New Year!! Just a few days left!

xxKatie