Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Lilly...It Runs in the Family


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Winning on Ebay

Hey Preps!

Today I won two items on Ebay, and thought I'd share them with you:

Madras Dress from J. Crew
$9.95 including shipping


Polo Ralph Lauren
Polo Dress
$15.95 with shipping

Now that's not too shabby.  If you haven't ever used Ebay, I recommend checking it out.  However, be sure to look at each item and it's description very carefully before bidding...however as a prep, it is a great place to find vintage and traditional clothes that many of the brands no longer carry.  

Do y'all use Ebay?

Monday, July 25, 2011

Outfit of the Day: Just Keep Swimmin'

Hey Preps!

(Shirt: Polo Ralph Lauren Crewneck Tee
Shorts: J. Crew Critter Shorts 
Belt: Polo Ralph Lauren D-Ring Ribbon Belt
Bag: Random TJ Maxx Find...MADRAS
Watch: Vera Bradley)

Guess what?

There are fish...Swimming all over my shorts! Too bad you can't really see them :( rats!
But they are layered over the shorts and stitched on.  
They make me happy.
I just looked down, and yep there they are...a bunch of little fish!  

I miss the J. Crew that had more of these kind of shorts!

However, today they are my motivation...and I seriously can't stop singing in my head:
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming swimming."
Like Dory from Finding Nemo.

Do you think I'm a freak yet?  
Because guess what...I'm once again alone in my Student Center at school.
I might sing out loud...as soon as I know a few more people are gone...

Oh...
My shoes felt left out...
so I thought I'd let you know I'm wearing Sperrys

And yep...that is a Silly Band around my wrist. 


And yes...I am kissing my bear.
He reminds me of Pat.
That justifies it. 

I can greatly tell it's a Monday. 

Some Beach...Some Where: Three Islands

Hey Preps!

As August quickly approaches, many are trying to fit in one final hoorah as they escape to their favorite beach getaways.  I have one friend off to Nantucket, another to the Keys, and their is one thing they both have been in search of...beach coverups!

As I was sitting at a wedding the other day (without air conditioning), my family all in Lilly, I was thinking that with the heat wave we were having, it would have been nice to have even a more lightweight fabric on than my dress.

So, I went on the search to find some great beach coverups and tunics that could double as a great lightweight dress or shirt.  This is what I found...

...A company called Three Islands.  For those of you watching the Bachelorette last week, you may have noticed one of Ames' brother-in-laws wearing a lightweight purple button-down shirt that was quite a flashy and gutsy thing to wear on national TV.  Good for him, for it was Three Islands!

Three Islands is inspired by coastal living, and their vibrant and convenient attire is modeled after their motto: "Color outside the lines".  They certainly did just so when creating their clothing line, and of course I have to show you a few of my favorites!


(all photos courtesy of Three Islands)
Julie Dress
This light-weight cap-sleeve dress is perfect for a hot summer day.  It comes in four different vibrant patterns, and is perfect to wear over a bathing suit...or alone with a pair of espadrilles. 
Kathleen Top
Perfect paired with a pair of linen pants or capris.  This top has no buttons and is a very casual fare that can be a fun summer option when looking for a little something extra to wear as a top.  

Beach Tunic Long
This tunic is conservative enough to wear as a dress!  Three quarter length sleeves, and the lightweight material makes it perfect for a night out in a beachy town.  Or a night anywhere suffering with last week's heat?



Beach Tunic Short
In my opinion, you can never have enough tunics.  These are just perfect for wearing over bathing suits to and from the beach/pool.  The patterns above are my favorite, but they come in other great patterns as well.  

For the men brave enough to wear Three Islands, here are a few of my favorite items:

Boxers
Maybe you are too scared to wear the shirts offered by Three Islands?  These are a great alternative!


 Long Sleeved Shirt
Ames' brother-in-law was sporting this shirt on last week's Bachelorette show.  I was very proud.  Ames' was one of my favorites because of his intelligence, character, and of course his preppy style.
Short Sleeve Shirt
I love this lizard pattern!  It is definitely something my dad would wear at the beach!

What do y'all think of Three Islands?

Hope y'all are having a great start to your weeks!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

All In

Hey Preps!


Today Pat has made me the happiest girl for a very long time.
We celebrated our "anniversary"
Sadly we can't be together...

But I thought I would celebrate via a random post.

I love you Pat. 

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Saturday Ponderings

Hey Preps!

Random, but I came across this piece of almost poetic advice...and thought I would share it with y'all.


Wear Sunscreen
Mary Schmich

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.
Oh nevermind. you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.

But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked.

You’re not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future. or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum.

The real troubles in your life are to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts.
Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy.
Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind.

The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive.

forget the insults. if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives.

some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t.

maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.

what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can.

don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old.

and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it.

Advice is a form of nostalgia.
dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…

Hope y'all have a blessed weekend!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Bow Ties with a Twist of Creativity

Hey Preps!


Today I was on Twitter, and came across Starboard Clothing Co., an Annapolis based company that specializes in bow ties for the sophisticated Gent.  From reading my past posts, you know my extreme support of those who dare to wear bow ties.  If you don't know my love for them, you can read my enthusiastic past post by clicking here.


Starboard Clothing Co.  is a very new company, starting in 2010 by creator and owner, Benjamin Meredith.  A full-time attorney, Mr. Meredith decided to start creating bow ties to give his typical business attire a bit of preppy flare.  From there, he took off with many friends asking for him to make them bow ties as well...talk about an inventive and successful man!


What is so unique about Starboard Clothing Co. is the culture entwined with each bow tie.  From gingham and seersucker bow ties, to tattersall and madras bow ties...everyone can find something they will fall in love with.


Of course I found a few that I fell in love with (and might purchase as future gifts for Pat).  Not only are these patterns my favorite, but the naming and thought behind each bow tie are exceptional.


"Annapolitan Patchwork Beau"
(all pictures courtesy of Starboard Clothing Co. website)

Starboard Clothing Co.'s Website States:
"The Annapolitan Patchwork Madras Beau is a personal favorite of our founder Ben Meredith. This bowtie features a fantastic set of madras prints that scream summer day on Mainstreet in Annapolis, Maryland.
Due to it's multicolored nature, this bowtie can be paired with almost any jacket or suit, but we'd recommend sticking with solids. You can never go wrong with a white dress shirt and navy blazer, but this tie is versatile enough to be worn with most solid linen and summer colored blazers."


Just from being in Annapolis so frequently, I have come to associate Madras with the summertime there. This bow tie truly does scream traditional Annapolis Style.  
"Navy Midshipmen Gingham Beau"


Starboard Clothing Co.'s Website States:


"The Navy Midshipmen Gingham Beau features a light-weight cotton Gingham fabric with a tight Navy Blue Gingham check. The bow itself is double interfaced for the perfect amount of "pop" to your bow.


This tie will look great with practically any suit or blazer. It's sure to be a favorite of those who live in or around Annapolis."

I find this bow tie perfect for any midshipmen.  The fact Mr. Meredith named this bow tie after them is just perfect, and it truly saddens me that they have to wear their uniforms to football games...for this would be the perfect bow tie to wear to such an event.  
"Lilly P. Tribute Beau"

Starboard Clothing Co.'s Website States:
"The Lily P. Tribute Beau features a mid-weight cotton fabric that ties easily and holds its shape all day.
I can easily recommend this as an addition to any wardrobe. It looks great with a White Shirt and a Navy Blazer and is perfect for those Spring and Summer weddings coming up on your calendar faster than you realize. This bow is also perfect to coordinate with your wife or girlfriend's favorite Lily Pulitzer dress."

Well Mr. Meredith, you sure did have your thinking cap on for this one.  I can't even count the amount of time I have wanted to buy Pat and bow tie that matched one of my Lilly dresses.  You nailed it.  I am certainly in love.  
"The Independence Beau"

Starboard Clothing Co.'s Website States:
"Made of 100% cotton the Independence Beau is the Starboard interpretation of a stars and stripes tie. With a simple red, white, an blue strip pattern, this beau will be a hit not only on the 4th of July, but all year round.
As always a blue blazer is perfect for this bow, but it's also fantastic for your favorite Seersucker Suit."

One thing that I do love about those who have classic style, is that they usually take great pride in our country.  This bow tie is the perfect example of so.  It's colors are versatile and can be worn regardless of whether it's an American celebration or not.  

In addition to these bow ties being a great addition to any preppy wardrobe, the prices are reasonable, and the creativity behind each bow tie really has caught my eye.  I would truly like to congratulate Starboard Clothing Co. on winning such a picky bow tie critic over.  I am incredibly impressed, and truly think they need the recognition they deserve.  

Definitely check Starboard Clothing Co. out!  
For the ladies, the have great nautical themed croakies you can sport:
And these bow ties are great gifts for any classy fellow!  
Hope y'all are having a great start to your weekend!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

J. Crew and Military Boys

Hey Preps!

Currently I am working a doozy at work.  Well...not so much working...more so much being bored.  So, one of the things I like to do when I am bored is hop on over to Tumblr and start picture stalking.  Today I came across this picture from a J. Crew catalogue and couldn't resist but sharing:


Okay, so if you look closely, you can see that the military fellas in this picture are not American...but nonetheless are in some kind of cute Naval attire.  Don't you think?  However, these girls are just the cutest, and I definitely appreciate the outfits they are wearing.  I absolutely love pairing cardigans with simple dresses, and these cardigans are just perfect!

J. Crew REALLY needs to use guys from the Naval Academy in their ads if I do say so myself... 
I actually was browsing pictures and found an old one from before Pat and I were dating that kinda reminded me of the ad above:


Back in the day, when I went to school in North Carolina...I thought April in Annapolis was freezing...
Now I think it's warm!  Oh how things change...Kind of like how Pat and I are the furthest away from each other in this picture?

Probably because I thought he was a creep!  You can read about it here!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Get Knotty!

Hey Preps!

A few months ago, Pat saw this Smathers and Branson needlepoint belt that he was dying for.  It had every popular beer imaginable on it...but was not in either of our current price range for belts...given that we both travel to see each other so much, and are in other terms poor, budgeting, college students.

So, I was browsing a while back, and came across Knot Clothing & Belt Co.. I was so pleasantly surprised!  From "D-ring" to leather tab ribbon belts...Knot Clothing & Belt Co. are the best!  The pricing is very reasonable, especially for a college student given what a great quality you receive.

Wanna know the best part? They had a BYOB Belt that was just as detailed as the needlepoint belt Pat had drooled over.  It is even so detailed that the "Corona" found on the belt has a lime on the top (my favorite beer if you wanted to know...especially with a lime)!

(Courtesy of Knot Company&Belt Co. website)
The D-Ring BYOB Belt

You bet I bought this belt for Pat!  He loves it!  His adoration for it was shown when he decided to wear it to the Annapolis Cup (croquet) this past year, with an outfit that has won him on several nationally known websites such as Gawker, the Huffington Post, and Brooks Brothers Fan Page (even though we weren't too happy about Gawker...ahemmm)

Pat and I at the Annapolis Cup...Pat in his finest, BYOB Belt on :)

Knot Company&Belt Co.  offers such a great variety in preppy and nautical belts!  Their sizes work for both gents and the lovely ladies, and I have been having a tough time deciding which belt to purchase!

Here are a few of my personal favorites:


"Why Knot Rum" Belt


The Original Knot Belt

Aren't these just great?  Definitely be sure to check out Knot Clothing&Belt Co.!
Hope y'all are having a great week!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Seize the Carpe

Hey Preps!

Where have I been?

...at the Naval Air Station, Oceana, in Virginia Beach.  Visiting Pat of course....

Pat is on a pilot cruise there as part of his summer duties to the Naval Academy.  Although we spent most of the time at the beach.  Take a look:

at Dam Neck Naval Base (where the SEAL team that killed Osama Bin Laden is stationed)


He's so handsome :)

Inside Pat's flight squadron in Oceana...they fly F-18s

At a Greenlight for Pat's Commanding Officer of his squadron...it's where you go to the C.O.'s house and drink all of his beer...sound fun?


I didn't swim D1 or anything...had to wear a kiddie vest to kayak in 3 feet of water

So excited to kayak!


Ahoy there!

In love with the Chesapeake's ecology...sound like a science nerd...well...I am.

Little boy!


Our own private beach?







Spanish moss forest...farthest north it grows

Ghost Crab










It was such a great trip!  Also a real eye-opener what my future would be like with Pat.  I got to see what life by a base would be like, what deployment is like, and what being part of a squadron would be like for Pat.  Every summer the midshipmen from the Academy have to go on a cruise...Pat wants to be a pilot, and has been lucky to have a great deal of pilot cruises and aerospace engineering internships...so fingers crossed that he will get pilot as his service selection this December.

Concluding from this trip, I know that no matter the distance or lack of communication, or moving that being with Pat will entail in the future...he's worth it.  I wouldn't give up what we have for the world.
 Just makes me appreciate him that much more!

Stay tuned for an actual post later!  Sorry I have been so busy!