Seersucker Season

Tomorrow is Easter, which means it is finally okay to wear seersucker again-if you're a stickler on that rule like I am! There are still supposed to be a few more colder days Tues-Thurs of next week, but I'm hoping after that it will start to be consistently warm so I can wear my seersucker shorts and skirts a lot! Here are my favorite seersucker pieces this Spring!

From my closet (and currently available in stores and online):

JCrew Factory Seersucker Mini in Classic Navy
I got this last year and J.Crew Factory has brought it back this season!

Lilly Pulitzer Adeline Dress in Hotty Pink Lucky Seersucker

This dress was part of the Lilly Spring 2012 line and they have brought it back for Spring 2013! This was my Easter dress last year and I will wear it again for Easter this year since it will be a little too chilly for the strapless dress I originally planned to wear. 

J.Crew Factory 5" Seersucker Shorts in Neon Persimmon 

Looking forward to debuting these soon!

J.Crew Factory 3" Embroidered Seersucker Shorts

I love the super preppy combination of seersucker and embroidered lobsters as well as the color combo of mint and coral!

J.Crew Factory Seersucker Skimmer Pant in Deep Peri

I can't wait to wear these! They are super versatile and can be worn to work, on vacation, and on fun outings with friends.

And here are some additional cute seersucker pieces available from preppy brands this spring:

Lilly Pulitzer January Skort in New Green Lucky Seersucker

I love the pockets and the scalloped hem on this seersucker mini. It's also available in Hotty Pink Lucky Seersucker.

Lilly Pulitzer Buttercup Shorts in Flutter Blue Lucky Seersucker

This precious scalloped seersucker shorts are also available in Hotty Pink Lucky Seersucker.

J.Crew Factory Seersucker Pencil Skirt

This is the ultimate preppy professional piece and would also be great for church.

JCrew Factory Seersucker Ruffle V-Neck Dress in Neon Persimmon

This style is also available in blue ivory.

Vineyard Vines Seersucker Ruffle Wrap Dress in Breaker Blue

Vineyard Vines Seersucker Scallop Hem Margo Skirt in Bermuda Pink

This is a longer version of the January Skort by Lilly.

Vineyard Vines Patchwork Margo Skirt

This is absolutely adorable!

Do y'all have any of these seersucker pieces? What are your favorites? 

-L

xoxo

Featured Outfit: Go Tar Heels!

In honor of March Madness starting so soon, I need to share an outfit that showcases my Tar Heel spirit. When UNC has a big game, I like to wear Carolina Blue even if I'm not going to the game. (Which is usually the case during basketball season since tickets are sooo hard to come by.) I wore this particular outfit this past Saturday, but unfortunately it didn't bring much luck during that painful game against Duke. I'm hoping my boys will have a chance to redeem themselves in the ACC Tournament this weekend. Nevertheless, it's still a great UNC game day outfit, regardless of the outcome!

Top: Vineyard Vines; Jeans: Citizens of Humanity Avedon Skinny; Shoes: Tory Burch tan Reva flats; Earrings: Kate Spade; Cocktail Ring: Kate Spade; Pearls: Spirit Pearl

-L
xoxo

Think Pink!

Of course I never need a reason to wear pink, but one of my favorite things about October is that pink is everywhere in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wearing pink during October is especially meaningful because it brings attention to the year-round battle against breast cancer. So in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month here are some lovely pink things:

Lilly Pulitzer Breast Cancer Awareness Murfee scarf (Fall 2010)

Close-up of the print-you can see the pink ribbon. Lilly donated proceeds from the sale of every scarf to  the American Cancer Society. I love mine and was super excited to win it in a raffle two years ago!

North Face Denali Jacket in Razzle Pink

Cooler temperatures means time to break out the North Face fleece. Their Denali Jacket is a classic with exceptional quality and it comes in a pretty pink.

Lilly Pulitzer Elsa Top in Neon Bright Pink

I love the Elsa Top by Lilly- I have a cotton one in a similar shade of pink. This is a great top to wear with skinny jeans and cowgirl boots or Tory Burch flats.

Lilly Pulitzer Swift Vest in Lilly's Pink (Fall 2010)

I love my pink Lilly fleece vest-it's great to wear on days when it's not quite cold enough for a North Face.

J.Crew Factory Cardigan in Bright Azalea

J.Crew makes the best classic cardigans. A pink cardigan is a perfect polished preppy look for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Vineyard Vines Cotton Coral Lane Sweater

A cozy cable-knit sweater is another classy preppy way to wear pink.

UNC baseball cap

A perfect way to wear pink and show team spirit.

What are your favorite ways to "think pink" with your wardrobe?

-L

xoxo

Koozie Coolness

I am a firm believer in the notion that one can never have too many koozies. This preppy accessory is a year-round essential, but is especially useful for pool and beach time in the summer, and tailgates in the fall. I rarely leave the house without a koozie in my purse. I am so used to using a koozie that it just doesn't feel right to drink out of a can or bottle without having one. Since we have several weeks of summer remaining and then tailgate season following that, I thought I would share some of my favorite koozies. The majority of my koozies are Lilly, not surprsingly! Whenever they release koozies in new prints, it's hard to resist adding another one to my collection. 

Here are the Lilly koozies currently in my collection:

Scarlet Begonias (from Spring 2012). You can probably still find this in stores.

Nice to See You (Fall 2011)

 Limeade Floaters and Hotty Pink Bloomers (Spring 2011)

Luscious (Fall 2011) and Mulit Lilly Patch (Fall 2010)

Lilly Carolina Cup 2011 and Do The Wave (Spring 2011)

I have a skirt in both the Scarlet Begonias and Hotty Pink Bloomers pattern so it is always fun to use the matching koozie whenever I wear the respective skirt. My friends definitely get a kick out of it!

And here are my favorite Lilly koozie prints from Fall 2012 that have just recently become available: 

Lilly Pulitzer Gimme Some Leg

I really want this koozie-love the flamingos and it matches my planner in this print!

Lilly Pulitzer See You Later

This would be a great game day koozie for any Florida Gators fans!

And here are some koozies I love from other brands:

Vineyard Vines Patchwork Koozie

Vineyard Vines Vineyard Navy koozie

I have this one! The reverse side has the VV whale logo.

Marley Lilly Monogrammed Koozie

Marley Lilly is known for her monogrammed items. You can choose your koozie color, thread color, and font. This would be a great option for a game day koozie in school colors. You can also opt for a name or a single initial. 

What are y'alls favorite koozies? And where are your favorite places to use a koozie?

-L

xoxo

Friday Favorites

Hope y'all have had a great week! Time for some Friday Favorites!

3/4 Sleeve Dress:

Lilly Pulitzer Balletta dress in Skye Blue Exbloomsion (from Resort 2010). The picture doesn't do this super cute and comfy dress justice. It looks great belted and unbelted. Even though the material is cotton jersey it looks nice and put-together for a variety of events (informal weddings, football tailgates, Sunday brunch, etc).

Tote Bag:

Vineyard Vines UNC Classic Tote. The canvas tote bag by VV is a preppy classic, and the Carolina blue silk trim with UNC logos makes it even better. It is the perfect size-holds a lot but not too overwhelmingly large to use as an everyday purse if you desire. Unfortunately Vineyard Vines currently only has a few schools available online in their Collegiate collection-they used to have a much larger selection. 

Cardigan:

Lilly Pulitzer Caroline Cardigan in Lagoon Green. This 3/4 sleeve cardigan is perfect for year-round wear. And since I am petite I love the fact that it hits me right at the waist. The green color is gorgeous and goes with so many items in my closet.

Dessert:

Breyers Blasts Oreo Birthday Blast. Breyers was on sale this week so I bought this treat to try and absolutely love it! It is a birthday cake flavored frozen dairy dessert with sprinkles and Oreo bits! Breyers Blasts are comparable in nutrition to low-fat ice cream. The Oreo Birthday Blast has 130 calories and 4.5 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving.

Wall Plaque:

I love this wall plaque about the South that my best friend got me for my birthday a couple years ago. It's pretty self explanatory! Click on the picture so you can read it better. You can buy it at Swoozies.

Devotional Book:

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It is difficult to put into words just how amazing this devotional book is.  No matter what you are going through are what phase of life you're in each day's reading will speak to directly to you and bring you great encouragement and comfort.

Have a great weekend!

-L

xoxo

Beach Gear!

Hey y'all! Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and moms-to-be out there! And sending prayers up for everyone who has lost a mom or a child in the past year. This year I went to the beach with my mom and dad for Mother's Day weekend. I enjoyed being at the coast for the first time since Labor Day 2011. Here are some of the essentials I take with me for an afternoon of relaxation on the sand.

1. Lilly Pulitzer Insulated Cooler. This is marketed as a cooler but I use it as a beach bag. It comes with a pink Lilly Pulitzer bottle opener as well!

2. Lilly Pulitzer Insulated Lunch Tote. Perfect for keeping drinks and snacks cool!

3. Lilly Pulitzer Koozie. A cold drink just isn't the same without a koozie, and a Lilly koozie makes it even better! The print shown here is Scarlet Begonias but I have multiple prints in my koozie collection!

4.Vineyard Vines flip-flops. This particular patchwork style is not available online right now but you could potentially find it at a Vineyard Vines outlet or browse the Vineyard Vines flip-flops collection for similar styles.

5. Lilly Pulitzer re-usable sandwich bag. These are great for holding snacks that don't need refrigeration or just random loose items you keep in your beach bag. If you use them for food, they are washable.

6. Calvin Klein sunglasses from TJ Maxx. I know I've mentioned these in several posts already, but they are great sunglasses that I found a couple years ago and I get frequent compliments on them. 

7. Lilly Pulitzer sunglasses strap. The Lilly sunglasses straps are available in multiple prints. The one pictured here is Scarlet Begonias. They are reversible and have print on one side and a fun saying on the other.

8. Lilly Pulitzer Tunic. I use a Lilly tunic I found on sale last summer as a cover-up. This exact tunic is no longer available but you can find a similar style here.

9. Tommy Hilfiger towel. You can see a tiny bit of my pink and green Tommy Hilfiger beach towel that I found at TJ Maxx a couple years ago. It has green and white stripes with pink flamingos, and is extra long-which I love!

Add a good book and a great bathing suit, and you are ready for a day at the beach! Just don't forget to wear sunscreen and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated! I'm thankful it has been consistently warm, but can you tell I'm excited for it to be summer already!

xoxo

Bathing Suit Bonanza

Hey y'all! So we are just a little over two weeks away from Memorial Day weekend, which marks the unofficial beginning of SUMMER-my favorite season! Which means lots of time spent at the pool and beach! However, it is not too early to begin shopping for a bathing suit, especially since in the South we have already had many summer-like days. And while a lot of pools may not open until Memorial Day weekend, many people are already taking advantage of residential pools that are open for use right now. Plus it's not too soon to take a weekend trip to the beach or the lake to get a head start on soaking up the sun. Just be sure to wear sunscreen!

Here are a few swimsuit suggestions. The first three featured are from Old Navy, which is currently where all my bathing suits are from. With all the wear and tear swimsuits withstand from the sun, salt, chlorine, and sunscreen stains, I don't like to spend a whole lot of money on one bathing suit. Plus I like being able to get several so that I can have multiple looks for the pool and beach. Set A is an Old Navy two-piece mix & match combo I just purchased this spring. I was in desperate need of a bandeau top since all of my other bathing suit tops are halter-style. The past few summers I have gotten really bad tan lines since there is no way to undo the straps while laying out without flashing everyone at the pool or beach. So incorporating a bandeau top into my line-up will hopefully alleviate this issue! Also, I really wanted to get more tie-bottoms, since you can adjust them for that perfect fit. With basic bikini bottoms I get what I think is the appropriate size to have adequate coverage, but then they end up stretching out really badly throughout the summer. Set B is another Old Navy set I just purchased- a string bikini top and tie bottoms in a fun print. Although they are called "string bikini", I still feel that they provide ample coverage. As a general rule though, I usually size up from my normal clothing size when buying bathing suits just to make sure they aren't too skimpy. This is just my personal experience and preferences-try them on and decide which size you feel most comfortable in! Set C is an Old Navy mix & match set with halter top and basic bikini bottoms. I have a couple suits like this that I bought in previous years. Although I prefer the tie-bottoms, this is still a flattering style that I recommend. I would suggest finding a string bikini bottom that matches the halter top you want. Old Navy swimsuits are inexpensive, but you can wear them for more than one summer! This is definitely my top bathing suit shopping destination. You can find suits with a flattering shape, bright colors and prints, and a great price!

Set A:

Old Navy Swim Separates Bandeau Top

Old Navy String Bikini Bottoms (both pieces featured in Madagascar color)

Set B:

Old Navy Mix & Match String Bikini Top 

Old Navy Mix & Match String Bikini Bottom (both pieces featured in Warm Floral)

Set C:

Old Navy Mix & Match Halter Top

Old Navy Mix & Match Bikini Bottoms

The next two-piece set featured is from Target. I have never purchased a bathing suit from Target before, but I saw this polka dot bandeau top and tie-bottoms online. It is another cute suit for a great price that would be worth trying out.

Target Mossimo Bandeau top

Target Mossimo side-tie bottoms

The remaining suits are out of my bathing suit budget, but I still wanted to include them because they are cute options from some of my favorite brands. If I had to choose between a Lilly dress or a Lilly bathing suit I would pick the dress, and I would choose another pair of Tory Burch flats over a Tory Burch bathing suit. However, if you are willing to splurge on a bathing suit then check them out! And if not you can admire from afar like me :)

Lilly Pulitzer Boardwalk Bikini Ties Top with Sandy String Ties Bottoms

Tory Burch Mixed Print Bandeau Bikini Top and Banded Bikini Bottom

Vineyard Vines Whale Watching Bandeau Top and Ring Side Bottom

Have you bought any new bathing suits yet for the upcoming summer? Where are your favorite places to shop for swimsuits? Are bathing suits a "save" or a "splurge" item for you?

xoxo