11.30.2013

A Blog Divided

So sorry about the lack of post yesterday, y'all! I worked all day at J. Crew for Black Friday and it totally slipped my mind on Thursday (aka Thanksgiving) to write a post! However, today is a special day that definitely deserves a post of its own so I'll let it slide :)

As you probably know, I am a Senior at Clemson University in South Carolina. Even if you've never been to SC, you've probably of the Clemson/Carolina rivalry game. Today marks the 111th time our teams will play one another, and over the past century an *intense* rivalry has formed. Growing up in South Carolina you are either a Gamecock or a Tiger- and your family likely makes this choice for you before you are born. Things can get pretty heated between these two dedicated fan bases, and the winning team earns bragging rights for an entire year.

I've attended many Clemson/Carolina games in my lifetime. Yet, I've never taken time to see things from the other side; the Gamecock side. Because of this I decided to team up with Emily from Cooper & Thames who is currently a senior at Carolina! I love her blog, and she's pretty much the only Gamecock I would want to guest post with! ;) So without further ado, here are Emily's  favorite things about USC!

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This evening will be my last Carolina-Clemson game as a student, and though it won't be the last I enjoy, it has brought about a little nostalgia about my time at USC. I started college at the College of Charleston and transferred to USC at the beginning of spring semester my freshman year, but USC couldn't feel any more like home. I've grown and learned a lot about myself here and I've made some of my best friends at this university. I've made some really bad and incredibly good choices here. I've had nights I'll never forget and nights that I wish I could remember. So what are the things I love most about USC?

1. The community: At a big state school it's easy to feel small and a bit lost amongst the 30,000 other students who walk the same cobblestones next to you every day, but once you join a program and start getting involved, it's amazing how easy it is to feel like a part of something big. I was never one to join every club, but through classes, business groups, and even being in the mass of students at USC football games, a sense of family could not be more tangible. It's powerful and gives you a sense of purpose and belonging.


2. The campus: USC may be smack in the middle of downtown Columbia, but the campus is a place all its own. On campus it's easy to walk down the street to as many different bars, restaurants, and clubs that you want, but you'll also find the Horseshoe, with its enormous oaks and maples, lined with centuries old buildings, in the middle of campus. Eating lunch from Russell House on a blanket with friends on the Horseshoe is a rite of passage as a student at USC that I've taken advantage of plenty of times throughout my time here.


3. The football: Let's be honest, there is no way I could have left this off the list. I grew up in a strictly garnet and black household, so being in the student section at Carolina football games, with the rest of Williams Brice stadium, is something of dreams. Not only are you a part of an extended 82,000 person community, but you're one of the lucky few that stand beside the athletes on the field. We cheer, sing, scream at the top of our lungs to push the Gamecocks to victory, and when we sing the alma mater at the beginning and end of every game, we fully believe in every word.


Here's a health, Carolina. Forever to thee.

11.27.2013

Thanksgiving Style

Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone! I hope you're all traveling safely or have already arrived at your destination! Turkey day has always been a tricky day to dress for in my opinion. You want to look put-together, but comfy at the same time since you'll probably be eating your weight in yummy food. To give you a few ideas of what to wear tomorrow I've put together a few polished yet cozy looks that can easily take you from kitchen to table, to shopping and football!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

I hope you each have a wonderful holiday full of food, happiness, family, and lots of gratitude! We really are so very blessed! Happy Thanksgiving!

-Lanie W.

11.25.2013

Friendsgiving

It's Thanksgiving week!! I'm so excited to go home for a break from the massive amounts of school work that I've had lately. For example, even though we only have class Monday and Tuesday this week I have a 5 page Shakespeare paper due tonight at 9pm, and a 3 page paper for my Sign Language class due at 4pm. Therefore, this post is going to be short and sweet. Tonight my girlfriends and I are getting to have a 'friendsgiving' meal before we all head home for the holiday, and I can't wait!


I'm bringing roasted veggies since they're super easy and a recipe I've pretty much mastered. Here's a few links to some easy Friendsgiving/paleo/gluten free recipes I've pinned to my Thanksgiving board! Hope they bring you some yummy inspiration!








Hope y'all have a great Monday! I'll be back on Wednesday to share some ideas of what to wear to your Thanksgiving get-togethers!

-Lanie W.

11.22.2013

Semi Formal

Woo hoo, it's the weekend y'all!! Senior year has been full of 'lasts' and this weekend is no exception- Saturday is the last home football game of the season.  Not only is it the last of the season, but this will be the last football weekend before my friends and I graduate in 2014! Some graduate this coming May, some in August, and some next December- but who knows the next time we will all be here at the same time. It's so crazy to think about us all going in different directions in less than a year, and I plan to savor every moment and make the absolute most out of our time together!

Tonight is another last- I have my last sorority semi-formal! In honor of this occasion I've picked some great options that would work for any cocktail or holiday party! I'm seriously obsessed with all of these looks! Getting dressed up is so much fun, and one of my favorite aspects of this time of the year! Take a look at my six choices that would look fabulous for whatever semi-formal occasion you have coming up!


Semi-Formal

So great, right? Ah, there's just something about putting on a pretty dress and heels that just makes you feel special!  I can't wait for tonight, and know that this semi will be extra special since it's the last one! Hope you all have wonderful, special weekends! xoxo

-Lanie W. 

11.20.2013

Skirts + Tights

It's officially cold y'all, and my poor legs haven't seen the sun in quite some time. I've been wearing nothing but jeans and cords for weeks, and honestly I've gotten tired of pants already. I want to wear dresses and skirts again, but need to stay warm at the same time. This only means one thing... it's tights season! I have to dress up for my sorority's weekly chapter meetings, and leggings/jeans are forbidden. After wearing yet another pair of cords last week I've realized that I really need more skirts. I've been on the hunt, online of course, and have found some really great options that could easily pair with tights! Take a look-

skirt + tights #1

skirts + tights #2skirts + tights #3

skirts + tights #4

What do you wear when you have to 'dress up' during the winter? Can't wait to hear your suggestions!

-Lanie W.

11.18.2013

Motivation

I'm not sure how this happened, but we only have TWO normal weeks of class left until the end of the semester. Next week will be a short week because of the Thanksgiving holiday, and our finals begin the second week of December. Eep! I honestly don't have a single day without some sort of paper or project to be working on from now until December 13th, and it's making me slightly crazy already. I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way and wanted to share some quotes (from my Pinterest) that have helped me when my stress is at an all time high.

1 // Start each day on a positive note! There are so many wonderful things in life to be thankful for- don't let a hectic schedule get in the way of that! 


2 // Don't give up when things seem overwhelming! Wake up each day and make the choice to do everything in your power to accomplish your goals!


3 // Remember that your worth is not determined solely through your academic performance! You are so much more than just a student!


4 // Make a conscious choice to be happy no matter what your situation may be! 
Attitude > circumstances


5 // Tackle each assignment/paper/project one by one. Set manageable goals. Don't get discouraged! 


I hope this helped motivate y'all and gave you the boost you need to make it through the day, week, or rest of the semester! Remember, no matter how impossible things may seem sometimes- we can do it!!

-Lanie W.

11.15.2013

Target Treasure: Cashmere Sweater

Hey y'all, well another week is in the books! This weekend sadly isn't looking to be much fun for me- I have an 8 page draft of a research paper due Saturday night so my life will be all about paper writing until then. I hope y'alls weekends are looking much better than mine!

I haven't done a Target Treasures post in a while and when I found this gorgeous (and affordable!) cashmere sweater on the website last week I knew I just had to share! This sweater comes in a variety of colors and would look great with just about anything! Here's a few of ideas of how I would style it-


Target Treasure- Cashmere Sweater

1// with jeans & animal print for shopping and lunch with friends
2// with dressy capris & metallic flats for a holiday get together
 3// with leggings & loafers for a casual day of studying or lounging

How would you style this sweater? Hope you all have an amazing weekend full of relaxation and fun! 

-Lanie W. 

11.13.2013

Feelin 22!

November 13th has become a very special day to me over for the past four years- it's my sweet boyfriend's birthday!! We started dating our Senior year of high school and it's so crazy that here we are, still going strong, our Senior year of college! I love this man so much, and am so proud of the person he has grown into over the past four years. He is honestly the most caring, thoughtful, kind-hearted, and genuinely good souls I have ever had the privilege to know. He would do anything for anyone, and is definitely the go-to Mr. Reliable of our friend group. We've been friends since High School and have definitely grown up together- so in honor of his birthday here's some (slightly embarrassing) pictures of us over the years- enjoy! 

My 16th Birthday Party (2008)
High School Graduation (2010)
Freshman Year (2010)
Sophomore Year (2011)
Junior Year (2012)
Senior Year (2013)
I feel so blessed to call him mine, and I hope to celebrate many many more birthdays with him in the future! Happy birthday Brandon, I love you!

-Lanie W.

11.11.2013

Essie Winter 2013

The holiday season is almost in full swing, and that means life is about to get crazy! This time of the year is so busy with finals, papers, projects, and special events galore. What better way to take a break from the madness to indulge in a fresh mani in festive colors from the new Essie Winter 2013 collection!? Pretty holiday polish makes note taking and paper writing so much better in my opinion! Here's the six fabulous shades that are each perfect in their own way- 

1// Toggle to the Top


2// Shearling Darling 


 3// Warm & Toasty Turtleneck

4// Sable Collar

 5// Parka Perfect

 6// Mind Your Mittens

Which are your favorites? I know I'll probably be rocking Toggle to the Top the entire holiday season! #obsessed! 

-Lanie W.

11.08.2013

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday y'all! Today I thought I'd wrap up the week by sharing what I've been loving lately, here we go!

1// The fall foliage in Clemson that has been at a peak lately - the leaves are just gorgeous!

2 // This jazzy Thanksgiving Playlist (I'm a total sucker for holiday music)
3 // This fabulous hot chocolate recipe - perfect for chilly afternoons full of snuggling
3 // This look. Aviators + messy bun + statement lip = easy & chic.

4 // Most of all I'm loving that the 2013 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived in Manhattan! #ChristmasNerd 

What are you loving this week? I hope you all have a joy filled weekend! 

-Lanie W.

11.06.2013

Pops of Plaid

No other print screams 'holiday' quite like plaid. As soon as November rolls around I fall back in love with this classic pattern, it just reminds me of everything cozy and happy! I'm not quite ready to dive into Christmas completely (we still haven't had Thanksgiving!) so adding this pattern to my life is the perfect little dash of pre-Christmas cheer! Last winter I was on the hunt for the perfect plaid scarf, and I finally found one in Charlottesville last weekend for a steal- I can't wait to share it with y'all! Take a look at some of the many ways to incorporate this holiday inspired style into your life!

As a cozy scarf
For your morning coffee or tea
As the perfect casual accessory
As pants paired with a cozy sweater
Does plaid remind you of the holiday season? How do you incorporate this cheery pattern into your life?

-Lanie W.