Quack Quack!

I spoiled this post a few days ago when I posted my duck boots! I've had these LLBean Boots for a few years but I hardly ever get the chance to wear them in South Carolina!

Although it probably wasn't even "cold" by most of y'all's standards, it was CHILLY for us here! Read: I actually had to wear a winter coat. YUCK!

They had been calling for rain on-and-off and so I decided boots would be the best choice.

I have the LLBean 6'' Boots and they work perfectly for my climate and usage. I didn't need lined ones nor did I need really tall ones. Mine are EXTREMELY comfortable, especially the fat rubber heel. To me, they feel more like heavy running shoes than snow boots.

If you aren't on the Bean Boots bandwagon (say that 5 times fast!) you'll need to know that if you buy yourself a pair, you'll need to go down a size(s). I normally wear a 10.5 and actually ordered the women's 9 believe it or not. They still fit with fat socks. They aren't roomy, but the fit is great in the 9. The laces will also take a little getting used to, but they're nothing a double knot can't fix!

I think Bean Boots might be the ONLY perk of it being this cold!

xxKatie

The Faux Fur Vest

I took the plunge (albeit late) and bought a faux fur vest. I saw the one I wanted in a store in our mall called "XSRE". There isn't much about it online, but it JUST opened up in the mall. It's primarily all accessories (get the name? Admittedly it took us awhile...) with a few clothing type items but almost all forever21 caliber baubles. 

This Club Monaco version is the closest match I could find to mine, but mine's darker brown. I was feeling inspired after my friend Alli had visited me and worn her knockout one. After that I was hooked. I was on the hunt! I finally found mine and it's VERY loose fitting, one-size-fits-all type deal but I really like it. It's a little late in the season to be starting to wear it, but I'm looking forward to trying it at least through January. Here's hoping (but not really) that there are still a few cold days in there!

What do y'all think of this fur vest trend? How do you wear your vests?

xxKatie

Quilted Coats

Quilted coats are a great staple for southern fall and winter. Clearly it's only STARTING to get cold here in SC, and my folks in Maryland have had a relatively mild winter as well. There's no need to break out my big North Face parka that has all kinds of contraptions that can zip into it to make it warmer. Instead I've been donning my trusty Lilly quilted coat from a few years ago that I snagged on sale:

I like to fold up the sleeves to a bracelet length so the floral underside is exposed! 

A girl walked into the store the other day with the CUTEST C. Wonder quilted coat:

It also comes in khaki, orange and green, but she looked so great in the navy! It was slightly tailored at the back and wasn't so bulky like some quilted coats can be.

I love the red color of this Barbour jacket! Barbour is an obvious choice for jackets, and this red one is too much fun. I love this for fall Gamedays too!

LL Bean is a tried and true preppy staple. Classic lines with a clean shape, Bean quality is unmatched. Unfortunately this one isn't available online, but I'd sure be hunting for this if there was an LLBean by me!

 This winter white quilted coat is the closest match I could find for my jacket--they both have belts and a diamond quilted pattern!

Do you have a go-to light jacket for before real winter strikes?

xxKatie

Chilly Weather Corduroys

I will openly admit, I have a VERY difficult time spelling "corduroys"...I don't know why, but I am AWFUL at it!

Cold weather is definitely around and hanging out to stay with us, at least here in Columbia, SC! It's definitely that time of year, and one of my favorite trends that have transitioned into fall/winter from summer is colored cords! It was colored jeans and fall/winter has turned into colored cords! 

Too much fun!

Pink is my favorite choice--I have a pink pair that I love!

I haven't seen a pair this blue color in person, but it sure is pretty!

Black cords are a must-have for any fall/winter wardrobe!

Although I'm not sure I'm rocker enough to pull this look off, I am IN LOVE WITH that shade of cords!

Printed cords seem to be popping up too! This houndstooth pair is great!

xxKatie

Foul Weather Wellies

It was POURING last night. The kind of rain where I feared time and time and time again that my car window were open (they weren't) and I got nervous anytime I saw a sky-filling bolt of lightening.

I have these tall, candy pink Hunter Boots (Wellies) that I love! I sometimes hope that the weather will be bad, just so I can wear them! They gained a good bit of fame at Carolina Cup, when I was featured on the Lilly Pulitzer Instagram:

I love these boots and got them NEW for a HUGE steal on eBay! (I then made the mistake of accidently sending them home to my house in Annapolis...not South Carolina...)

As I type this post and it's raining cats and dogs, I'm secretly hoping that it's still not so nice weather in the morning so I can rock these boots!

Here's to foul weather wellies!

xxKatie

Carolina Cup: It's A Wrap!

CAROLINA CUP WAS A BLAST!

(Photo thanks to the Lilly Pulitzer Instagram, seen here!)

I can't explain how much fun I had! I spent about 2/3 of the day working and the other 1/3 popping around from tent to tent making the rounds to say hello to everyone!

As you can see, the day started out a little wet. And by a little I mean a few raindrops less than pouring. I had my fabulous pink Hunter boots on to stay dry and un-muddy! It worked out perfectly for the morning, but thankfully it perked up a bit and our weather majorly improved!

This is another view of my outfit:

As you can see, once the weather changed for the better, I slipped into my Platinum Jacks and was good to go!

And my Carolina Cup bangle stack:

It was a combo of bangles from my own collection including J. Crew and KEP Designs!

The dress on the left, the Lilly Pulitzer Lottie Dress in the Multi State of Mind Patch was probably the most popular dress that I saw! I don't think I could ever get sick of that patch though because I always learn new things when I see it!

Some of my favorite parts of the day were meeting LBP followers and Twitter friends, like sweet Morgan here! I felt like I knew her already and we both go, "I'M SO GLAD TO FINALLY MEET YOU!!" when we saw one another!

I was also SO excited to meet Sally, our fabulous Lilly rep who has made SO many of my important outfits possible (read: Cup, 21st Birthday, etc.)! How cute does she look in the Ricci shift in that same patch!? Kathryn and I had to snag a picture with her!

I was able to sneak off for a little while to find some of my friends and we all snagged a few pictures together!

All in all, Carolina Cup was a HUGE success! I don't know how I can beat it next year! I can't say thank you enough to all of the wonderful Lilly ladies who took me in as one of their own, LBP followers who came up and chatted, friends who paid me visits, and everyone else who made this such a fun day! This was TOTALLY the BEST CUP EVER!

Until next year, Carolina Cup!

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: Ruffle a few Feathers

March 21 by letsbepreppy featuring a cuff bracelet

I have finally broken out one of my favorite tops from last summer, the Wiley Tube Top! (Good news: I know that Lilly is remaking this WONDERFUL staple of my closet this summer!) The Wiley features such a fun ruffle across the top and comes in a few other colors too! (A ruffle often helps us girls out who could use a little assistance up top...if you know what I mean!)

This week the weatherman had been calling for rain and high temps, but since we're in South Carolina, all we got was the hot weather! ...and pollen, but y'all have seen enough of my stuffed up tweets about my allergy issues! I was excited to rock my Wiley when it was 86 degrees on Wednesday if you could ever believe that! Late March and it's already 86 degrees! I can't imagine what the summer is going to be like, but it should be toasty!

The Wiley Tube Top is absolutely one of my favorite tops that Lilly has ever produced. I tend to go up a size, so it's not as constricting, but it also gives you the chance to tuck it in, which I did and added a belt! It adds a little bit of flare to your outfit and can make it look more polished. I like wearing the tube top loose with white jeans and when it's really hot out, that way it's not tight or too close to your body!

What are some of your favorite hot weather staples? I'm all about shorts and fun, frilly tops like this!!

xxKatie

Outfit of the Day: Pink Icicles

March 6 by letsbepreppy featuring frye boots

So, when I was packing to come home, I was NOT expecting as chilly weather as it's been! Yikes! I sure was in for a surprise! Thankfully, I keep my warmest pink North Face parka at home since it never gets cold enough to wear it at school. I've been donning it because of the chilly temps and wind! I also went to our local H&M (I desperately wish we had one somewhere close to school--while H&M isn't always the best quality, if you're in a pinch, chances are you can find something that will work for your occasion whether it's business-y, fun, or somewhere in the middle!) and picked up an awesome cardigan that I've seen floating around blogs:

Thankfully I did because I didn't bring any warmer tops home with me! I've been feeling like a total pink icicle though--so cold and in ALL pink! Kinda fun too! 

While back I also found a pair of Hunter boots on sale online for $50! I had a $30 credit and so my new fabulous pink Hunter boots (also pink) were only $20!

Unfortunately, I accidentally shipped them HOME to Annapolis instead of Columbia so I had to wait like a month to finally see them! They arrived right around Valentine's Day, so imagine my wait.

So here I've been, the pink icicle! Is weather perking up for you? I know in South Carolina, we're in shorts these days and I'm LOVING it!

xxKatie

Colder Weather

Every week as I either get ready for class or work at the store, I always tune in to watch the Today Show! I like Matt, Money 9-1-1, the Friday concerts and even Hoda and Kathie Lee. Sometimes they can be kinda annoying, but sometimes they're fun!

One time I did like them was the day Hoda introduced us to "Colder Weather" by the Zac Brown Band!

It describes my trek back up North to a tee! I could feel it during my drive get colder and colder and colder until today when I was a PREPSICLE! (I can't take credit for that one though, I wish! A girl I went to high school actually called me that!)

At one of my stops near the exit to Boone, NC, I even saw my breath!!!! I got out of the car in yoga pants, sneaks, and a long sleeve t-shirt to get gas and nearly FROZE! Quite the homecoming for this girl who wore shorts to her Friday final. Craziness!

What's the weather like for you at school vs. at home? Just like me? Totally the opposite?

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

1. I am thankful for my parents for listening to me complain about the coming week. It's homecoming week here at USC and is very fun, but I'm a homecoming chair, so it's also very VERY stressful and intense. Major props to Brandon, Jenn, and Sara who have all been in my position in the past.

2. I am thankful that this week will be over soon enough. See above point ;)

3. I am thankful that I've found two GREAT fall nail colors to choose from on Sunday! Check them out:

Geranium

Size Matters

4. I am thankful for the WONDERFUL employees/volunteers of Charleston Fashion Week! They have been SO helpful with rescheduling with my schedule and both friendly and flexible. I imagined they would have been rigid but instead CFW was great! (My manicure will occur after the audition so a potentially bright nail color isn't distracting!)

5. I am thankful for the retreat I was a part of on Saturday. It was so nice to be away and out of Columbia in the cool weather as well as on the water. Water and being close to water helps calm me and I believe does wonders for the soul.

6. I am thankful that it's really starting to get cold here in Columbia!! I can transition into full-blown tights and boots and dresses! It's so exciting!

7. I am thankful for all the exciting events coming up before the semester ends! I'm also thankful that this semester of tough lectures and tougher exams is coming to an end. To think that first semester of my junior year of college is almost over BLOWS MY MIND!

8. I am thankful for all the new candles in my room. I find it relaxing and calming which is ironic because my Momma HATES candles! I can't think of very much she hates more than candles!

9. I am thankful that I am almost done using my BlackBerry!!!! I hope I can get an upgrade over Christmas break or after the new year and I can say sianara (how do you spell that??) to this stinky phone!

10. I am thankful that I get to see some of my cousins this week! I haven't seen them in a few months and they'll be spending some time down in my neck of the woods from New York!!

xxKatie

Mineral Power

I've been converted to a Bare Minerals user.

I'm sure you all can remember when I had my acne issues over the summer and started using Clinique Acne Solutions. When I arrived at school, it was MUCH too heavy and I was sweating it all off under my sunglasses and around my hairline. I consulted friends about what to switch to and no one had any great suggestions.

I used to use Bare Minerals when I was like a junior in high school but it was so messy at the time and had a really weird scent that I stopped using it. I remember one year literally ALL of my friends got the starter kit for Christmas and we all compared our shades and what eye shadows we all had! So funny, I remember like it was just yesterday! 

Anyway, I went to the Bare Minerals store here in Columbia and had a real consultation and had the wonderful lady help match my skin tone and make recommendations for me and my situation about two months ago, right when school started. She was so nice and not pushy at all which I found very refreshing for a makeup store! We settled on a color, added it to the new and improved kit and then I got a fun shimmer for going out and the Bare Minerals version of blush. She LOADED me up with freebies including eye liner, eye shadow and lip gloss, all FULL SIZED, not just the teeny tiny free sample sizes. 

I had a great experience with it and I'm still using the kit I got. I really like the way it feels on and find that sometimes, even the "Mineral Veil" tends to cool my skin. I haven't been broken out from it and I find that it has great coverage for when I need it!

Does anyone else use Bare Minerals? Do you swear by a certain makeup? Is there any part of the product line that I just HAVE to try? (Product line...I have a marketing test tomorrow...can you tell?)

xxKatie

Giveaway: Stadium Stompers!

For any of y'all that follow college football, you'll know we started LAST weekend for most of our schools! For all my Carolina Gamecocks, we are just itchin' to get a real home game in Williams Brice like nobody's business! This week the Gamecocks take on the Georgia Dawgs between the hedges down in Athens. I have a lot of friends going and they are going to have a blast!

Knowing typically Southern weather it's going to be crazy hot and insanely humid. The worst though, are games when it rains. There's nothing worse than looking fabu in your Gameday dress and having to tote a yucky raincoat around just in case. Well, that is until now:

Want to win a pair?

My personal favorite--South Carolina!

They literally make pairs for all of the following schools:

Tennessee, UVA, Ole Miss, Auburn, West Virginia, UNC, LSU, Richmond, Alabama, (dare I say it) Clemson, UGA, Texas A&M, USC (the real one AND the other one), and MANY more! There are so many combinations and you can shop by color or product!

Here are ALL the ways you can win:

1. For 1 entry become a fan of Stadium Stompers on facebook  

2. For 1 additional entry (2 total) become a fan of Let's Be Preppy on facebook

3. For 1 more additional entry (3 total) follow Stadium Stompers on Twitter

4. For 1 more additional entry (4 total) tweet about this giveaway!

5. For 1 more additional entry (5 total) post about this giveaway on your blog!

6. Leave all entries in ONE comment on this post!

Enter by 11:59 by NEXT Friday! Can't wait to see which girl from which school wins! Go Gamecocks! Go SEC!

Good luck y'all!

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

1. I am thankful for Bodypump. I did it Sunday night and it was a great reality check into how out of shape  (my arms especially) I am. I am making a commitment into going 3 times a week to get my bootay in shape!

2. I am thankful today is my first tour! I am SO excited to get back into the swing of things! This week will be great to finally hit my stride and get into a real rhythm!

3. I am thankful to be working! I am lucky enough to have gotten a job that I am already loving here at school! The ladies I work with have really taken me under their wings and teaching me things I haven't quite learned about Columbia yet!!

4. I am thankful that my parents are coming to visit me soon for the Navy v. USC home opener game! I got a little homesick over the weekend for   a little while and I can't wait to see them!

5. I am thankful to be reunited with my fabulous roommates! It has been so much fun to see them and hang out with them. And I'm pumped we're friends with our neighbors--it's like having 5 roommates instead of 2!

6. I am thankful that it is going to stay summer here for much longer. At first I though I'd hate it being so hot here, but no, this weather rules. 

7. I am thankful I am still staying in touch with my friends from home, the summer, and even last year. Y'all have no idea how much it means to me and how grounded it keeps me. I love each and every one of you!

8. I am thankful that I have FINALLY found some decor for my room!!!!!! I have been on the lookout for something to hang on the walls and I have finally found something that I like and fits me so well! I am getting 4 11x14 posters BUT that's the only detail I am going to give y'all for now! Oh yeah, and it'll arrive with the arrival of my next paycheck! I've desperately needed something to hang to make it feel a little more like me, so this will be the perfect touch!

9. I am thankful for my calendar and agendas that were both organized yesterday!! The new calendar is hung appropriately and color coded for each event coming up!

10. I am thankful that CAROLINA FOOTBALL is right around the corner! We are 12 days away from our season opener!!

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

Yet another week I hardly remember...this next coming week is my last full one at home! CAROLINA BOUND SO SOON! I can't wait for what the rest of the summer has in store for me!



1. Thanks to rain. I think you're coming around and fingers-crossed with knock out alllllll this INSANE heat. I would prefer the state of Maryland to not be "white hot" on Weather.com.
2. Thanks to the Market House for FINALLY OPENING. Woo, it's sure taken a long time but these vendors are pretty yummy and I hope they stay!!
3. Thanks to the South Carolina State Fair for posting their performers!!!! It's like I can FEEL being back at school already!!!!
4. Thanks to everyone's patience last week with all the emails--I PROMISE I will get back to you as soon as I can!!
5. Thanks to knocking another book off of the book list! #anotheronebitesthedust
6. Thanks to my floor for being such a great shelf for stuff. With all of our family in town, we "joked" (as in said in a joking tone but really meant) that no one wanted to stay in my room. Well, humph, my room wasn't looking for any new tenants! Take that y'all!
7. Thanks to ALL the packing I've done for school. Not.
8. Thanks to my job, internships and getting ready for the next few weeks for keeping me busy. A friend of mine from school, (Timmy, I'm not sure if you read LBP but here's your shoutout) and I were talking that we've just about hit the ready-to-go-back point. Both of us were glad to have been home for the summer, more than thankful, but we're both ready to see everyone!!
9. Thanks to my fabulous friend for being able to talk me down this week! It's been one of the most hectic I've had all summer--and I'm not even in school ANYMORE!
10. Thanks to everyone who participated in my boots poll! I'm excited to post more--kinda a fun reader input option on facebook! Feel free to let your opinion be known! Not a facebook fan yet--JOIN THE CLUB!

xxKatie

Drink Recipe: Wild Berry Iced Tea

So I'm completely stealing this recipe from a woman I work with. She introduced it to me and since I tried it I can't get enough!

For this wildberry iced tea, all you do is combine 2 kinds of tea bags, sweeten to taste and add accoutrements as you wish.

Take one bag (or more if you're brewing a pitcher or larger amount) of Celestial Seasonings Wild Berry Zinger and one bag of a Green Tea of choice (I just used Celestial Seasonings too because they were close on the grocery store shelf).

+

And let it steep for 5-10 minutes. It will be a peachy-pink color and have a very light scent. It is VERY refreshing as is, but with a sprig of mint or a lemon it really does the trick!

It has gotten SO HOT here in Annapolis, we're breaking records left and right. The last thing I want is a soda and I get sick of boring old water so this really does the trick!

Once you're done steeping, let it fully cool and throw it over some ice in your favorite BIG ol' iced tea tumbler!

My three faves!

What are your go-to summer drinks?

xxKatie

Quack Quack Quack!

About a month ago my Momma called me inquiring about duck shoes. Not only were these your regular Bean boots or anything. Nope. They're pink and shiny and have my name written ALL OVER THEM. Here they are:

Sperry Topsider does Duck Shoes

It is supposed to be rainy, rainy, and more rainy here at home so I'm wondering if these will make their big debut this week! Should be fun to take for a test run huh? Looks like chances are they'll be debuting with the khaki monster (the nickname for my rain coat) and a big ol' umbrella too! Hopefully our power doesn't get knocked out because we resorted to this (although this isn't me...):

And if anyone saw my tweet, I said, "Why yes we have resorted to hand puppets in the ceiling via candlelight. My dog/alligator is chomping and eating everyone." My dog was kind of missing that top ear so it more resembled an alligator. We seemed to enjoy ourselves for enough time because the power ended up coming back on before we went to bed. Thank goodness that AC came back on just in time!!

Anyone getting a lot of rain this week? It's just about time for those summer soakers to start...

xxKatie

Weekly Gratitude

1. Thanks to this cute little dog for making me smile every time I look at it.

2. Thanks to the Carolina Cup for providing me a very much needed pick-me-up for the rest of the semester. I've been so busy with schoolwork and other stuff recently that Saturday was the perfect mini-escape from it all.

3. Thanks to my friends who like to eat dinner with me at night. All of our little chats about boys, snacks, dresses, banquets, homework, and everything else you can stuff into an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner from cici's.

4. Thanks to Wal-Mart for putting candy at such ridiculously low prices.

5. Thanks to TLC for running a Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta on Sunday morning when I couldn't move because I was so sleepy and allergy-ridden.

6. Thanks to my fabulous tutor who literally is changing my semester. From confused to little-bits-of-confidence in a class I perpetually struggle in is unbelievable. 

7. Thanks to the absolute pouring rain this past week. You have done wonders for my allergies. Now that we have nice weather again, my nose is stuffy again. I took you for granted.

8. Thanks to the fabulous boy from my shag class who said hello to me on my tour. I wasn't sure you recognized me, but when you did it was so much fun! #classfriends

9. Thanks to everyone's advice via twitter. I needed to know of a tailor here to drop a hem for me on a dressy dress and within 10 minutes I got 2 responses telling me the same place! Voila!

10. Thanks to all of my readers--700 fans this week and 200 facebook fans! Wow!

xxKatie

P.S. (literally P.S. not just an added note.) 11. Thanks to the wise wisdom and advice of a friend. She handwrote me 2 letters that changed my day. Annap sCe, I owe you so much--look for your return letter soon.

Outfit of the Day: Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts

In the words of "Shots" by LMFAO, I decided to adapt it to my own OOTD. It is currently the PERFECT climate here in SC. You can wear shorts and at night all you need is a sweatshirt. Simply phenom. I wore this last week:

March 15 by letsbepreppy featuring a sterling silver monogram pendant

It was so comfy and relaxed. I'm LOVING this presummer condition before it really starts to heat up. We're very lucky right now other than the allergies that I'm currently suffering from, but still pretty lucky compared to the North where it's only beginning to warm up!! What are the temps like by you??

xxKatie

10 Day Forecast: What Do I See?

Sun Sun Sun and SPRING BREAK!

I'm totally suffering from spring fever! I can't get over this weather, I had my first tour Tuesday and it's going to start to get even nicer out! Get me to vacation!!!

xxKatie

January Jacks

Now that it's officially February, I can brag all I want that I wore my Jack Rogers in January and I wasn't alone. (#improudtosay) SO many girls on campus broke out their JR's during our heat stroke that hit in the middle of January. It was unseasonably warm and we didn't need coats, boys were in shorts, and everyone was breaking out their sandals. I have five pairs of Jack Rogers and would sincerely recommend buying each of my 5 colors for different reasons. I would also like to point out that I've never paid full price for any of my pairs! Here are my 5:

1. Platinum

These will always and forever be my favorite, go-to pair. They match everything (like I say every single time I write about them) and you can dress them up and down. They are so versatile and you simply can't go wrong buying them whether they're your 5th or 15th pair of JRs!

2. White

I've only had my white pair since Christmas of '09 but they're slowly becoming a top choice. I know there are a lot of rules concerning white shoes yadda, yadda, yadda. I love my white JR's and if you ask most owners, I'm sure they'd say the same thing. You can't exactly wear these with everything, but they do look good with a lot. I wouldn't wear these with dark jeans/jeans ever because the denim ink would easily be able to transfer to the edges of the stitching.

3. Gold

A lot of people don't own the gold, and instead opt for the silver Jacks. I like gold especially when you're tan and very summery. Gold Jacks are a great way to be able to wear gold shoes in the summer very easily without feeling to dressed up. The shade of gold that JR uses is a great summer jewelry shade too, so adding to an outfit is very easy. These look great with all your essentials: shorts, white shorts, skirts, dresses, jeans, you name it!

4. Black

These are a classic pair of JR's. My mom has these too and we both wear them all the time. These are great tour-giving-shoes (once broken in, of course) and match a lot! I don't wear the black with much of my Lilly since it doesn't match, but for summer basics and Carolina outfits, you can't go wrong with the black!!

5. Silver

Silver JR's are my most recent Jacks purchase! I don't wear them too often yet, but they're a great alternative for going out. They're definitely the shiniest Jacks that I own (not only because they're new, but the silver is just VERY shiny/metallic) but fun to add jewelry to--just like the Gold. Pretty much once you get one of the metallics, I promise you that you'll want them all. You'll realize that you have outfits that just match one metallic better than the other, trust me...it happens!!

What are your favorite Jacks? I'm looking into getting a fuschia pair with the white stitching or maybe the light pink with white stitching! I kinda consider my collection of Jacks "the neutral collection" because overall, you can pretty much wear these with anything!! If you can tell, all my talk about sandals is really making me think of the warmer temps!!

xxKatie