All About Kimonos

Happy Friday (#tgif)! I have been seriously lacking in blog posts lately... I've been overwhelmed with various projects, my internship, my job, and making room for my family, friends, and events going on in my area! I apologize for my lack of posts, but you can keep up withe via Instagram!

I am a huge fan of kimonos. I bought my first one two years ago while traveling around Europe and I absolutely love it! I took my sister back to school shopping (already?) on Tuesday and couldn't help but pick up this tank top dress and kimono (similar here) from H&M. My sandals are old and I can't seem to find them online anywhere! I'm already head over heels for this kimono and easy tank dress. I know I'll be wearing them as much as possible until the weather gets chilly!

Shop kimonos here:

Cheers!

Staying Hydrated in the Dorms feat. Brita®

This is a sponsored post by Brita®. All opinions are my own.

 One of my biggest struggles the past few years is making sure I'm drinking enough water. Water is so important (duh, Connie), but it's so easy to forget to drink enough throughout the day! And without my mom to remind me while I was at college in the dorms, it was even harder. 

As my first year as a college student went on, I realized what items were really necessary while living in a dorm. In my building, the water fountain was all the way down the hall in the bathroom. The trip down the hall seemed so far away and wasn't ideal (I can be lazy). I've come up with a few ways to make drinking water much more of a habit while living in the dorms, keeping you healthy, awake, and happy.

Invest in a good water bottle  ||  Carrying a water bottle with you is the smartest decision you can make while at school (and ever). This Brita® bottle carries 20 oz of water, and by throwing it in your backpack before class and taking it out and setting it on you desk during lecture, you're set to stay hydrated while focusing in class! All Brita® products are BPA free and has it's own water filter. How awesome is that?

Buy plastic cups for your room  ||  I like to keep water in my water bottle and use plastic cups for other drinks, like home brewed iced tea! Having plastic cups is great because you don't have to worry about them breaking and glass shattering.

Stay perfectly hydrated with a Brita® pitcher  ||  This is by far the greatest solution to my stay-hydrated problem. Remember when I said walking all the way down the hall wasn't ideal every time I wanted water? Brita® is here to the rescue! You can fill up the pitchers and not worry about making multiple trips to the fountain during a study sesh (or Netflix marathon, let's be real ;)). Though the water fountain is drinkable water, it's not rare for it to taste a little funky. The filtration systems in Brita® products leaves your water tasting clean and great, which is a big deal for me. It's hard for me to drink funky tasting water! Plus, by investing in a Brita® pitcher (they're so affordable!), the amount of waste is greatly reduced, saving big bucks. As college students, we need to save as much as we can. How great is that?!

Brita® items are luckily available at Target, one of my number one spots for back to school. Knowing that Brita® provides products that leave my water tasting great, that their products are BPA free, and that they're so affordable, I know that the rest of my college (and beyond) years will definitely be hydrated.

What items do you use to stay hydrated? Do you have a Brita® pitcher?

Cheers!

Embroidered Chambray

Chambray Top (similar here and here)  ||  Leggings  ||  Flats (similar - super on sale!)  ||  Bag (similar)

Let me just start by saying that I am obsessed with this top I just purchased. I think it's flattering, I love the chambray, and the embroidery on it adds some fun! The craziest (and best) part? I bought this top for $4 at a Goodwill. Right? My friend Lydia and I popped in to see what kind of selection there was, and I couldn't pass up this top! It's in great quality and for less than $5, there was no way I was walking out of there without it.

Also, I can't rave enough about these leggings. I've definitely worn them in posts before (see here) and wear them all the time. They're thick, opaque, and so comfy! Plus they're under $20 ;)

My brother actually took these photos for me, I was impressed! I don't think he's ever used a DSLR before... I was out taking senior photos for him and his friends today, and the spots we shot at were too cute. I love the feel for cities, especially with all the old buildings and all that brick!

Do you have any great Goodwill finds?

Cheers!

Sorority Recruitment: Tips and Tricks - Guest Post by Viviane Nguyen

Pi Beta Phi Bid Day 2013 at Northern Arizona University

I am so happy to share this post with you! Viviane is a friend of mine that I met at leadership camp two years ago. It seems so long ago! Since then, we've kept in touch via social media (her Instagram is darling!) and she has recently begin the process of starting her own blog! Make sure to check back for the link after her blog has launched. During her first year of school at Northern Arizona University, she participated in sorority recruitment and found herself at home in Pi Beta Phi! I asked her if she would like to guest post about recruitment, being that I'm not in a sorority and can't speak with experiences. Here's what she had to say!

******

Formal recruitment can often be described as a mix of emotions, but it will be one of the best weeks of your life! You will meet so many people, get a glimpse of what it's like in each house and most importantly find your home away from home! For those of you who are going through recruitment this year, I decided to share a few tips from my experience!

1. Take care of yourself // Recruitment is physically demanding. Between a weeks worth of endless walking, standing for long periods of times and continuous talking, you will be exhausted. During your breaks, make sure to drink water and eat snacks if you become hungry. It's important to stay hydrated and healthy, nothing is worse than passing out!
2. Go through recruitment with an open mind // Your best friend may be in love with a sorority at her school, but it doesn't mean that you will fall in love with the same one at yours. All houses are different on each campus! Throughout recruitment you will hear other girls comment on who they loved and didn't, but just because their least favorite is YOUR favorite doesn't mean anything!
3. Be you // When choosing a house, you are ultimately choosing your home away from home. Remember that recruitment is a mutual selection process. Being yourself will allow you to meet people who enjoy being around the real you! Don't force a conversation if you feel like they aren't flowing. It's okay not to connect with everyone!
4. Expect to meet a lot of people // Get to know the girls around you, especially those in your Rho Chi group! You may potentially find some of your closest friends through this. Some of them may even end up in the same house as you! I met many of my closest friends on campus through my Rho Chi group and I still keep in touch with them weekly!
5. Take notes when you can // At my school we only have seven houses (which seemed hard enough), but I know that many campuses have larger amounts that range from 15-20! Although you may be attending parties back to back, make sure to take notes in between your breaks! You will want them to jog your memory when ranking houses later that night.
6. Take a moment and look around the room // On the last few nights of recruitment, start shifting your attention to the PNM's around you! Can you imagine yourself being friends with them? They will be the ones you'll be spending the next four years with!
7. You end up where you truly belong // The moment when you open up your bid card can either be exciting or heartbreaking. No matter what house you received a bid from, stick it out for a bit! Get to know your pledge class, the older girls and attend chapter events. I promise you will end up falling in love with your new home!

Heres to formal recruitment!

You can find Viviane on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram!

J.Crew Factory Fall Collection

{instagram}

Okay, can I just mention that I have been in love with the Factory's fall collection? If you didn't know, I work at the local J.Crew Factory in my area - it's only a fifteen minute drive from me! That being said, I'm always seeing what new products we're bringing in the day we get them. Working retail really isn't the most glamourous job, but there are some perks (like being able to snatch the item you want right away!).

The Factory's fall collection is killing it. There are so many pieces I want that it's making work incredibly hard and truly testing my self control. I love all the dark reds, the elbow patches, and jeweled collarbones. And we have cords! Cords are the perfect pant for fall and winter. Below are my current must-have choices.

stripes  ||  solid  ||  embroidered  ||  elbow patches

tee ||  skirt  ||  maroon  ||  herringbone

dark cords  ||  mint  ||  utility  ||  tunic

bracelet  ||  jewelry tray

Are there any pieces you're eyeing from the Factory store?

Cheers!

Monogrammed Sunnies + GIVEAWAY

How cute are these monogrammed sunglasses? They're the combination of my two favorite sunglasses elements: tortoise shell and monograms. Mandy from Capitol Letters sent these to me and when I received them the other day in the mail, I couldn't contain my excitement. They're perfect! In the week that I've had them, I've already received so many compliments. 

Mandy is seriously one of the kindest shop owners around! She was so excited to work with me. Her sunglasses are great quality and I trust that they're going to last for multiple seasons. Her shop is still pretty new, so make sure you check out her items - this vest is too adorable and only $30!

Mandy and I have teamed up to give a pair of monogrammed sunglasses to one lucky reader! You can use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Cheers and good luck!

This was a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Beach Bag Essentials

Wow, is this post delayed. Summer is halfway over for me - but I am aware that it's coming down to the last few weeks for semester students! When I was in North Carolina, I shot this post and planned on posting it while I was in Raleigh. That obviously didn't happen (oops!). I am however, posting it now.

Going to the beach or pool in the summer is an necessity. It's required, right? I wish. There are few things I enjoy more than being able to lay out in the hot sun, tan my skin, and jump in a pool. My best friend has a pool in her backyard and every summer we spend a ridiculous amount of time out there! Who could resist? From my experience, I've put together what items I always have on me when I'm heading to the beach or pool.

Beach Tote  ||  How does anyone manage without a great beach tote?! Owning a waterproof tote has been one of the best investments I've ever made - there'll be more on that later ;)

Beach Towel  ||  We all need a towel when we're laying out in the sun and swimming. Not only do they dry us off after a swim, they're comfy to lay on, super cute, and we can wrap ourselves in them if the day cools way down!

Sunglasses  ||  This is a no brainer. Sunlight leads to squinting which leads to wrinkles. They're important! Plus you can get really cute ones.

Sunscreen  ||  I am a huge advocate for sunscreen. Even when I use tanning oil, I make sure I buy an oil that contains some SPF. 15 isn't that much, but it's so much better for your skin than none!

Headphones  ||  I love having my headphones on me when I'm by the pool or at the beach. It makes listening to music while you're lounging easy, and listening to SnapChat videos a little less embarrassing (am I right, or am I right?).

Flip Flops  ||  This is another no brainer. I'm not trying to ruin my Jack Rogers by wearing them out at the pool! Old Navy, where mine are from, carries a huge variety of colors, and they're only $2.50!

Water Bottle  ||  A good water bottle is my best friend. I'm someone who gets so thirsty and seriously dehydrated far too easily, and that only gets worse in the summer. My Blender Bottle carries a great amount of water and you're usually able to find them for under $15.

A Snack  ||  Sometimes I find myself terribly hungry, after I've already made my way to the beach or poolside. That's why packing a snack is great! Cashews are perfect - they contain good fats and are filling! Eating a handful will satisfy my hunger until lunch or dinner.

Well that wraps up my list! Now tell me,

what are your essentials for a day at the beach (or by the pool)?

Cheers!