Dressing for New Year's Eve

   I love New Year's Eve - it's a universal holiday.  No matter your age, race, religion, or other categories you fall into, we can all welcome a new year.  A new year is full of promise and excitement, and new beginnings.  Out with the old, in with the new.  So of course, you need to look fabulous.  This year, I will ring in the new year with fireworks at the family ranch, so a cocktail dress isn't really going to work, but if I were going to a swanky party downtown, here's what I would wear.  My guidelines are glitter, black, and gold.

Lilly Pulitzer

Lilly Pulitzer

Nordstrom

Nordstrom

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What will you wear?

Headed Home

   By the time this post goes up, I will already be home, and well on my way out again.  I have an eventful holiday coming up, but it's all fun stuff, so it's all good.  Still, as I'm writing this, I am about 5 hours away from waking up for my ride to the airport at the crack of dawn, and so obviously this makes a great time to share my traveling tips.  Since I go to school about halfway across the country from my home (over 1,000 miles!), I only drive home for the summer: I fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break.  In fact, until last year (when I brought my car to school), I flew for every holiday.  Suffice to say, I have flown a lot in the last three and a half years.
   When I fly, I always make sure to have a few things with me, in my carry-on bags (I love that you can take two bags - it gives me room for all the odds and ends I forgot to pack in my suitcase).

1. Laptop computer and charger - because suitcases get roughed up, and I need my laptop to stay safe.  Also, it's great for watching movies.  Which brings me to...
2. Movie - I like to rent one from iTunes, so that it will be new and interesting.  This trip, it's Evening.
3. A book for pleasure - unless I have urgent homework, in which case I do homework instead.
4. A jacket - because planes tend to be cool.
5. Hand sanitizer and gum - to keep clean and fresh.
6. A water bottle, lip balm, and lotion - to stay hydrated, because airplane air is very dry.
7. Headphones - for the movie.
8. A notebook and pen - in case inspiration strikes.

Did I miss anything?

How To Host a White Elephant Party

 

   Hosting a White Elephant gift exchange has become my favorite holiday tradition.  It's a great way for us college students to get together and blow off some stress, while having some good, clean fun.  It's also a great way for all of our friends from different parts of our lives to However, it takes a little know-how.  Here's how you can prepare:

1.  Get things done ahead of time!  Refreshments always take longer to prepare than you think.

2.  Festive decorations are always a plus, and show some forethought

3.  The White Elephant Game: 

Unwrapping a gift

Also called a "dirty Santa", "Yankee Swap", or other names, the point of this game is humor.  I've been to serious games where guests swap Christmas ornaments, etc, but I prefer games with gag gifts (last year I gave away a set of my friends clothes, which he didn't know I had stolen).  I suggest you put a price limit or similar condition on the game (such as, you must give away something from your room).  When your guests are assembled and you are ready to begin, count the number of players.  For each player, number a slip of paper and put it in a bowl (so if you have 20 players, you have 20 slips of paper, numbered 1-20).  Each player draws a number, indicating which turn they will have.  When their turn comes up, they can choose to pick an item from the unopened pile, or steal someone else's gift.  I like to let my guests open their gifts, so stealers know what they're stealing, but you can keep them wrapped, too.  I suggest placing a limit on the number of times an item can be stolen (I say three times).

Once everyone has taken a turn, give the first player an opportunity to steal something.  If someone needs a reminder of which gifts are still "in play", they can call for a "gift check".  Make sure to ask your guests to wrap their gifts - otherwise, the least desirable gift will be left last, and there will be lots of stealing, and no one will want to take it.

Christmas To-Do List

   Finals are behind me, and I am officially on Christmas break!  As usual, I have made a to-do list for this wonderful occasion.  So I thought I'd share it with you.

1. Read for pleasure!  Water For Elephants and maybe the Hunger Games series?
2. Sleep.  Enough said.
3. Run (with my dog) more often.
4. Finish the sweater I am knitting (yes, I might as well start getting cats now, because that's where I am headed).
5. Cut my caffeine intake - not entirely, though.
6. Get a haircut.
7. Catch up with home friends and family.
8. Send out a billion cover letters and resumes (three cheers for the job search).
9. Catch up on Glee (my guilty pleasure, which I haven't seen since last spring).
10. Blog more often.

What's on your vacation to-do list?

What I Wore Wednesday

   You always need something to look forward to, I firmly believe.  I've been told that looking forward too much means that I'm not living in the moment, but looking forward doesn't have to be constant - it doesn't have to get in the way of daily life.  When you're bogged down and tired, it can be a great encouragement. Which is why my roommate and I always host a White Elephant Christmas Party on the Saturday between our college's weeks of finals (more on that later).
   Everyone, at some point or another, will go to a holiday party.  What do you wear?  There are a lot of temptations to go wrong - I've seen Christmas-themed headbands go wrong more often than right, and a Christmas sweater is never a good idea (unless that's the party's theme).  Head-to-toe red and green is almost always obnoxious.  I think the best course of action is to wear something ever-so-slightly dressy, with shiny accents.  Furthermore, you want to be comfortable enough to enjoy the party.  Here is what I, as a hostess, wore on Saturday:

Lilly Pulitzer "Devon" tunic

J. Crew studded belt

J. Crew leggings

Frye riding boots

Not pictured: J. Crew necklace (sort of like this)

What do you wear to holiday parties?

Final Exams: The Day Of

   My last post gave you a few of my strategies for a (relatively) good final exams period.  But after all of that studying, you eventually have to take your test.  Here's what I do on the morning of the exam to get myself through in good shape.

1. Wake up at least an hour before your exam (this is a tip from my SAT prep teacher - applicable to any test, really!).  You want to make sure your blood is pumping and you're fully awake!
2. Eat breakfast.  I don't put much weight in "brain foods", but eating a healthy breakfast before a test cannot hurt.  I usually eat apple slices and peanut butter  or a cup of oatmeal.  I recommend something with fiber and protein, so that you will stay full.
3. That being said, bring food and drink for your test.  Always, always bring a water bottle (exams are long, and thirst is distracting).  If your professor or teacher lets you, consider bringing a quiet snack, so that you don't distract people if you get the munchies.  I recommend a soft granola bar (such as a NutriGrain bar) or dried fruit (like raisins).
4. Pick your clothes carefully.  Anything too casual, for instance, makes me feel like I'm in pajamas, and I get sleepy.  However, business formal attire is not comfortable and therefore distracting.  I usually go with jeans or chinos and a button-down shirt.  
5. Same goes for shoes - don't wear anything distracting, but don't wear your slippers.  I always wear ballet flats, because riding boots distract me when I cross my legs, and sandals (in the spring) sometimes leave my toes cold.
6. Wear or bring a watch so that you can set a pace for your exam, then keep it.  Don't actually wear the watch unless you find it comfortable.
7. Don't wear any strong perfume - it may distract you or your classmates.
8. Sit in your usual seat, if possible.  You never know what kind of memories familiarity might jog - it might just help you remember the answer to that one question you forgot!
9. Take a break - most professors (unless they're just really cruel) will let you take a bathroom break. Do it.  Stretch, sigh, and give yourself a pep talk.
10. Breathe!  When people are nervous, they tend to take shallow breaths.  This feeds into feelings of stress, in my experience, and stress helps no one.  You have prepared for this; you can do it!

Fellow students, Christmas break is within reach!  You're almost there!

Final Exams

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   It's final exam season for college students like me.  By the time I publish this post, I'll be done with one, with four more to go.  These things are getting me through:

1. Coffee.  But not before bed - you'd hate to stay up too late and sleep through your exam!
2. The knowledge that it will all soon be over.
3. Making a study plan and sticking to it.
4. Taking regular study breaks and rewarding yourself for reaching studying milestones.
5. Exercise - to clear my mind and keep up my energy!

College students, how are you getting through exams?

Wonderful, Wonderful Headbands

   Remember my post about Advent Calendars?  A few days ago, I got a great little Advent gift from my mother.  Non-creasing headbands!  I have seen hair ties like this (another blogger calls them "big girl hair bows"), and I own a couple (and I use them all the time).  I didn't know these headbands existed, though,  and they are fantastic!  Mine is tie-died pink, as you can see.  They are stretchy, of course, but they "give" enough that you can wear it for hours without getting a headache.  It's my latest favorite accessory!

Grand Illumination

   Williamsburg has a wonderful winter tradition - the annual "Grand Illumination".  Each year on the first weekend of December, Colonial Williamsburg hosts special events and puts lights in every window (battery-powered candles now - too many fires with real candles).  To end the celebration, CW sets off a 15 minute firework display.  It attracts thousands of visitors from all over the state (and even further) - so of course I always go!  Here are a few of my photos:

My favorites are the white "fizzy"-looking ones. I hope this helps your Christmas cheer!

Christmas Lights! (via Pinterest)

I'm getting in the Christmas spirit... I hope you are too!

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One of my favorite holiday activities is walking around Christmas light displays.

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I can't wait to do this back home!

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Williamsburg has Grand Illumination (a fireworks show, more on that later) each year, but there's something special about a neighborhood putting on their own Christmas extravaganza.

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I can't wait to share pictures from Austin, but for now these will have to do.  Enjoy!

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Happy Advent!

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   This Sunday (November 27th) marked the beginning of Advent in the church calendar.  Advent is the season of joyful expectation of Christmas - the holiday celebrating Christ's birth (which probably actually happened in June or July, but oh well).  Traditionally, liturgical churches encourage their members to commemorate Advent by lighting an Advent wreath each night and reading a short Bible story.  Each candle making up the wreath (pictured above) represents one of the Sundays in Advent, so the wreath serves as a sort of "count down to Christmas".
   The most fun part of Advent, however, is the Advent Calendar.  It counts down the days in December until Christmas in a fun way.  My sister and I used to get Advent calendars with little flaps that opened up for each day with a funny picture inside, and last year my roommate got a calendar with a little piece of chocolate for each day.  My family, however, makes it a little more of a production now: we have a hanging calendar with a pocket for each day, and everyone in the family gets a small present each day (for instance, a pack of gum, a chocolate bar, a pair of colorful socks, a fun pen, etc).  My mom still carries on this tradition now that my sister and I are off at college (which makes finals much more fun!).  If you think this is as fun as I do, here is some inspiration to get your own Advent calendar going.

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Happy Advent!

What I Wore Wednesday

It's rainy in Virginia... I still couldn't resist wearing my new shoes.  Rainy weather does call for cozy clothes though, so I wore:

Target t-shirt (on sale for $9 - a steal!)

Jack Rogers shoes

Paige jeans

J. Crew puffer vest (looks like navy is sold out online, sadly)

 and a pink umbrella for some color!

We We We So Excited

   I'm thrilled about my first Rue La La purchase!  It was my first time getting something from one of these online, members-only sale sites, and my shoes were over 50% off.  One of Rue La La's great features is that even after something sells out, they will still try to get it for you if you request it (either by finding more samples to sell or by selling returned items).  That's what I did, and it was still at the same low price!  Rue La La also features preppy clothing lines, which I love.  The hefty sticker price for brands like Lilly Pulitzer or Vineyard Vines comes from the prestige of the brand - the clothing is good, but not hundreds-of-dollars-for-a-simple-dress good.  Sales, then, are ideal.
   Here are a few pictures of my shoes!  By the way, they fit perfectly true to size - my 8.5 pair fits like a dream.

They came early!  Great way to shake a case of the Mondays.

Classic Jack Rogers "Navajo" detailing.  Note the gingerbread house kit in the background...

Perfect fit!

If you didn't catch the reference in the title, watch this music video (especially 2:15):

Trimming The Christmas Tree

   In lieu of Black Friday shopping, my family has always gone Christmas tree shopping on the morning after Thanksgiving.  By early afternoon we have the tree up, lights on, and we put on the 1966 Trouble With Angels while we put up the ornaments (don't ask me why we chose that movie, it was so long ago that I've forgotten!).  Here's our progress in three stages:

Lights and silver ornaments - until we each turned 18, my sister and I got to pick out a silver ornament each year.  Each ornament has our initials and the date engraved on it, and they'll be a "starter kit" for trimming our own trees one day!

Lights, silver, and porcelain ornaments - we found these at a local (nice) hardware store a few years ago, and bought up dozens online when the store went out of business.  We give them as gifts, but put plenty on our own tree, too!  Someday, I'll convince everyone else to stop here: the tree has plenty of ornaments and looks sophisticated this way, I think.

The whole nine yards - my mom can't resist putting everything on there, down to the preschool ornaments my sister and I made at age 3.

How do you trim your tree?

Black Friday Loot

   Normally, I'm not one for Black Friday (I'm more of a "Cyber Monday" kind of girl - no crowds, no need to wake up before dawn), but I did get four wonderful things on Black Friday yesterday.  I don't know if they quite qualify as Black Friday shopping, because I wasn't fighting crowds, but here it goes:

2012 planner and pen from Silver Papery

Display at Silver Papery

This little gem of a stationery shop is right in my neighborhood!  I love that they carry Lifeguard Press products, but the Jonathan Adler planner I had my eye on was too flimsy (tragic), and this one looks a little more professional to me.  Also, this planner from Graphic Image (although the planner says "Post" on the back), and gives you a full page for each day with hour-by-hour scheduling.  I love it - I do this anyway!

Daily Planning Detail

Coffee mug and Lola Savannah Flavored Coffee

This coffee mug comes from TAG (or Trade Associates Group), but I found it at Central Market in Austin.  Just a warning - their website plays music, so don't be startled like I was!  I love how big the coffee cup is (see this post for more on my love for coffee), and how it gets wider, almost like a bowl (which, by the way, is how lattes are served in Italy, if my memory serves - they're practically in bowls). 

I am usually hesitant about making flavored coffee (better leave that to the pro's), but this blend sounded too good and I went ahead and bought some: Lola Savannah's vanilla cinnamon pecan coffee.  Oh goodness, it's amazing!  Definitely worth $9 a pound.  Lola Savannah's coffee is responsibly grown (see more here) and roasted in Texas.  Get some for yourself!

Rue La La

   Have you ever used a site like Rue La La?  It's one of several similar sites that are popping up which bring curated merchandise to their members for special sales (I'm registered with Rue La La, Rent the Runway, Kembrel, Shop It To Me, and Joss & Main).  Some of these sites have neat nuances: Kembrel is limited to college students, for instance, and Joss & Main specializes in homewares.  As far as I can tell, all of their sales come from sample sales, so there is a limited quantity, but such a lower price.  My first purchase shipped today (Wednesday), and it's due next week... I'm excited!  I can't wait to try on my shoes!

   PS - One thing I like a lot about Rue La La is that they include preppy companies - Lilly Pulitzer, Jack Rodgers, Vineyard Vines... I love it!

Winter Nail Polish

   We all know that colors are seasonal: you wouldn't wear the same colors on New Years as you would on Memorial Day Weekend.  So I've picked out a few fall nail polish colors to go along with seasonal trends.

1.  Au Natural

This shimmery, neutral color is my favorite!  It's not exactly new (I got it in my Christmas stocking last year), but it goes great with this winter's trends that feature neutrals and camel shades.  Image found here.

2. Wicked

Note: this is not black.  It is a deep, deep slightly-purplish red.  When I paint my nails, I typically use two coats, and this came out between a deep red and brown.  It's perfect with gold or other shiny holiday fabrics, and to go with rich, saturated winter colors.  Image found here.

3.  Power Clutch

Essie's website describes this as "gray-green", but it really comes out much more gray than green.  Below is a photo that demonstrates this (sorry for the poor quality; bad lighting in the living room).  It's a great neutral, dark but not too dark, you know?  Image found here.

My photo:

What are you wearing on your nails this winter?