Tuesday, Shoes-Day

The shoes complete the outfit and this girl most definitely has a pair for every outfit!

I may be a little bit of a shoe fanatic, but what girl isn't?! I have a few go-to pairs of shoes for the summertime. From flats to heels, here are the shoes I couldn't live without:

 1. My Lilly Pulitzer Jelly Sandals are my go-to shoes! They're so comfortable and versatile. I found them on sale at a boutique for $19 and honestly don't know what they retail at. Regardless, they're awesome! I'm so sad that they aren't for sale right now... I think they can probably be found online. If you come across them, snatch 'em up!

A girl can't go wrong with Nike Free Runs. They're perfect for a game of tennis or running errands on a Saturday. My Free Runs definitely get plenty of use. I'm going to have to buy a new pair before I leave for college in August, and I'm loving these blue-green ones! 

Sperry Topsiders are THE classic summer shoe. They scream life on the water and are comfortable to the max! They can be dressed up or down and are perfect for almost any occasion or type of weather. While I love all of the fun colors and most of the designs (but I HATE the sparkles), I find that the classic browns get the most use and look the best- the more worn they get, the more character they have!

No matter where you're going, you've got to have shoes on so make sure they're fabulous. On days where I dress up more, I love my Lilly 1 1/2 inch wedges. They're the perfect balance of classy and comfortable. When I'm on vacation or away from home, I always make sure to pack my nude heels in case I need to really dress up an outfit.. or just want a little more height :)

What are your summer shoe favorites?

WISHLIST UPDATE: look what is currently in the mail!

Yes, I finally did it. My new Jacks are on the way :)

Wishlist Wednesday

I am adopting this trend from Hannah at the Pink and Green Prep.

It just always looks like a fun post and who doesn't have an ample amount of things on their wish list? I'm going to narrow my wants down, but here it goes!

Beauty: Tarte Glamazon LipStick

I saw these on SarahBelle's channel in YouTube and fell in love! First of all, I never have been one to stray from my trusty chapstick so the fact that I like a lipstick is a little crazy for me! But, these just look so fun and youthful while also allowing to dress up my makeup or play down my eyes in exchange for my lips. 

Clothes: Jack Rogers!

It's no secret that Jacks have been on my wishlist for quite a while. Now that it's summer, I've been working more. My next paycheck is definitely going towards some shiny new Jacks!

Books: Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style

Okay so I'm a little bit obsessed with the WASP, Ivy League lifestyle. This book has been on my wishlist (and in my Amazon cart) for quite some time. It looks so intriguing, but I don't really have a place for "coffee table books" so until then...

Accessories: Bows & Monograms!

So Etsy has got my monogram obsession even more... obsessive! There is every font and size you could ever want. And the bows. OMG the bows. 

Odds & Ends: Luke Bryan Tickets

Okay so Luke Bryan is on tour this summer with Florida Georgia Line. Basically the best concert ever, and this girl wants to go! Ticket prices are a little bit steep, but I might just go for it because this is going to be the concert of the summer- I can just feel it! 

 So I probably could have gone on and on with my wishlist. Having the extra cash plus graduation money just causes my wants to grow and grow... and grow! But, I'm really going to work on saving so that I can indulge a little bit in college. Eh, we'll see how that goes.

For now, here's to not breaking the bank!

Going Greek

I'm so excited to get involved in college!

I want to do charities, ambassadors, maybe some sports, and so much more! Of course, going Greek is a huge option and Purdue has quite the greek life program. I'm a little nervous because my major is such a rigorous one, but it can't hurt to at least rush and see what it's all about! My mom was in a Chapter at Purdue, as was my aunt and great-grandma, so I've got some help in the legacy department :) I've also got friends and family friends who have been telling me all about greek life and making me so excited! 

Lilly Pulitzer Sorority Line is wonderful! 

There are 26 PHA Chapters at Purdue, and I've narrowed my top choices down to three or four. I have 3 relatives who are Pi Phi members, so there's a legacy there. Then I also have a Chi Omega

family member. Additionally, I really like Purdue's Delta Gamma and Kappa Gamma houses, reputations, and philanthropies.

Going away to college and being immersed in all kinds of opportunities is so exciting! I really can't wait to get there and get involved! I'm not sure that Greek life is going to work with my studies, but I think it's definitely a priority of mine and I want to make it work if nothing else! Also, I really just want an excuse to buy Lilly Pulitzer and Jack Rogers sorority items! 

Summer Wish List

Summer means shorts, dresses, sandals, and oh so many bright colors!

As the self-proclaimed shopaholic that I am, I have a mile long list of summer clothes to buy. Bigger paychecks, graduation money, and babysitting all means one thing: shopping! 

I've narrowed my wish list down to a few items that I need in my closet... soon!

So, I used to think that Jack Rogers looked like shoes more fit for my grandma than for myself. But they've really been growing on me and I'm thinking that I might need to buy a pair this summer! I'm still deciding on color, but I'm loving the navy and white, the gold, and the plain white. For my first pair, I really want something versatile and that I can dress up or down. I've put probably more thought into these shoes than necessary, but I really just want the perfect pair!

This dress. Okay so I'd be happy with anything off the Lilly summer line, but this Cambrey Dress is basically the most perfect dress ever. It's so classy and is perfect for nautical summer trips as well as into fall. Even more perfect: I got the summer GWP dates in the mail today... so guess what I'll be buying?

Only I would be the one to add summer reading material to my list of summer wants. But, I'm going to need some good reads for by the beach, laying out at the pool, and traveling. I've got quite a few books that I'm planing to read, a few of which include Mrs. Kennedy and Me, The Freshman 50, and any F. Scott Fitzgerald. I've jumped the gun a bit and started reading This Side of Paradise. You can follow all of my summer reading at my Goodreads page :)

The countdown to summer is now in the single digits, so my motivation is at an all time low.

All I can think about is pool time, beach time, and being with friends! All of the fun colors of summer collections are not helping, and the emails about all the sales going on aren't much help, either. Hopefully I can get through these next days in one piece.

Freedom is just around the corner!

On a Budget

One of the hardest goals I've set for myself is to budget my spending.

I never used to be a big spender. In fact, I was always one to save and save and save until I could buy something really cool! But, then I got a job, a steady flow of money, and discovered the world of online shopping. Enter, my shopping addiction.

My first goal was to begin saving 10% of any amount of money that goes into my bank account. Not a hard goal. Actually, I've been saving more than 10% on average and have allotted this saving to future indulgences... in college. Hey! A stressed girl needs some retail therapy.

I got this app, Mint, which has been so eye opening! It makes pie charts of all categories of spending, allows you to set budgets, and really helps plan for the future! As nerdy as it sounds, It's kinda fun to play the "game" and watch my savings go up while my spending goes down. It's kindof horrible with summer collections coming out... but the waiting and saving and thinking about my purchases has saved me a ton of money. And, I'm happy that I can save money now so that I can "live large" later!

But seriously, this goal hasn't been easy at all. I want so badly to buy some new Jack Rogers or Lillys. The thing is, I can! I just have to wait, budget, and enjoy at a slightly later date. The dresses will still be there in two weeks, and it'll be much warmer so that I can wear them then, too.

While saving and budgeting may seem like something for a 30 year old to do, 

good habits lead to a good future :)