I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I had an amazing Christmas, and I'll share some of my favorite gifts later this week, but right now I'll focus on the next holiday: New Year's Eve! With so many holidays (not to mention finals!) crammed into the month of December, it's easy to become overwhelmed. If deciding what to wear tomorrow night when the ball drops is stressing you out, hopefully the collage below can give you some inspiration! Silver and Gold are the unofficial colors of New Year's Eve. I've compiled some of my favorite pieces so you will be ready tomorrow night, whether you choose to wear silver or gold or both!
With less than a week to go before Christmas, every radio station is playing Christmas music, the kitchens are all stocked with Christmas cookies, and the trees are covered in ornaments and ribbon. It's a time to reconnect with family, and friends you haven't seen all semester. A time to read that book you've been wanting to read in front of a blazing fire while drinking a mug of hot cocoa. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you can't escape the feeling. It's infectious.
To celebrate the season, I decided to make a wallpaper inspired by Bing Crosby's White Christmas. One of my all time favorite Christmas songs. Check out my Pinterest for some holiday inspiration!
May your days be merry and bright...
Desktop Wallpaper | Right click on the image above and select "Save picture as...". After it's saved, find the file location. Right click on the image and select "Set as desktop background".
Phone Wallpaper |Open this page on your cell phone. Click on the image above to open to full screen. Click and hold on the image and save to camera roll. Then set the picture as your lock screen and wallpaper.
iPad Wallpaper | Open this page on your iPad. Click on the image above to open to full screen. Click and hold on the image and save to camera roll. Then set the picture as your lock screen and wallpaper.
Facebook Cover Photo | Right click on the image above and select "Save picture as...". Upload to Facebook and position.
What's your favorite holiday song? Tweet me @TheArgyleGirl
I'm back! I'm finally finished with finals and the semester is officially over. Cue deep sigh of relief. Now that I'm not busy with school work, I have more time to devote to this blog (which I am super excited about!). I've decided that I am going to post three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This way the posts will be more scheduled, I won't be stressed tying to get a post up each day, and you (my readers) can know when to expect a new post. As usual, Wednesdays will be devoted to my Looks for Less series.
With the holidays upon us, I thought it would be appropriate to do a {Holiday} Looks for Less inspired by J. Crew! I took the cute cream sweater, A-line skirt, and metallic heals and added two of my favorite things: polka dots & gold. Plus, it's about a quarter of the price of the J. crew alternative. This outfit is perfect for any semi-formal holiday party. See below the picture for links to the outfit pieces.
Finals certainly snuck up on me this year. Last week I had about 3 major projects due and 2 papers as well (#ProcrastinateMuch?). When the weekend came, I took a huge sigh of relief. And then I realized that I only had one week to go before finals.
I've certainly been spreading myself too thin, lately; doing a little bit of homework, a tiny portion of a project, a few blog posts, etc. I put so much pressure on myself to be extremely involved in everything that I end up doing the bare minimum in every aspect of my life. That's not right. So, with finals right around the corner, I want to put the majority of my focus on getting my school work done and acing those finals.
Follow these 10 easy steps to ace finals without losing your mind:
#1. Plan, Plan, Plan, and Stick to it!
This semester being an exception, I always create my plan of attack at least three weeks before finals. This involves my planner (complete with 3 different kinds of tabs, hundreds of sticky notes, and note cards paper-clipped inside), an oversized monthly desk calendar, and about 100 additional colorful sticky notes. I've found that focusing on one chapter of each subject a day works best, but if you are more cramped for time, focus on previous tests, and put more emphasis on what you have been learning recently. You can't study for your math classes the same way you do your English classes, so know that it's okay to branch out and try new ways of studying. If you are looking for a new strategy, try this website. They break down college study strategies by subject and have some really great ideas!
#2. Study in Groups
You have to be careful with this one. If you surround yourself with people who "want to do well" but end up roping you into watching TV or going shopping, then it will hurt you. Try to find people to study with that are smarter than you, or are better at some aspect of the class that's not really clicking for you. It's okay if these aren't the people you normally hang out with. In fact, it's better if you don't study with the people you normally hang out with, because this will cause you to fall into your normal routine of just hanging out. Plus, it's harder to back out of studying when there are other people involved.
#3. Take Study Breaks
This is extremely important in making sure you don't lose your mind. A good way to manage your time is to study for an hour and then spend about 10 minutes on a break. Don't fall into the trap of the internet. Countless precious study minutes have been wasted on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and other websites. Some good break ideas would be to eat a healthy snack, take a quick walk around campus, or paint your nails. Remember, the idea is to get you away from your textbooks and your computer screen. Twenty minutes of cardio a day is said to improve memory, so get out there and move around!
#4. Don't Worry About How You Look
I mean it! Honestly, most people will be too worried about their own finals to take much notice in what you choose to wear, anyway. Dress comfortably and simply. Pearl earrings can go a long way in dressing up a simple outfit so that you still look put together and classy. Think about it this way, the less time you spend on getting yourself ready, the more time you can devote to sleeping, or more importantly, studying! An extra ten minutes in the morning may be just enough time to review your flashcards once more before the exam.
#5. Take it One Subject at a Time
Don't have five different intimidating textbooks out on your desk at the same time. Trust me, you will not absorb the information through osmosis just because the book is next to you. Even though it won't feel like it, every time it is in your field of vision, you are devoting a portion of your precious time to worrying about that subject. So, if you're not studying that subject at this time, cover it up and get it out of your sight!
#6. Get Lots of Seep
If you are tired when you sit down to take your final, you will not do nearly as well as you could have. I'll admit, that when someone boasts that they "haven't slept in 3 days" because they were "up all night studying", it might seem like they are more dedicated to getting an A on the final, but trust me, an alert brain is a happy brain! And sure, coffee will help, but the buzz you get from your $5 Starbucks latte can't compare to what you are capable of when you are fully rested. Plus, studies show that when you study right before you go to sleep, you remember the information better. So give in and take power naps!
#7. Meet with Your Professor Outside of Class
Go to office hours! I've heard many a professor say that "it's much harder to fail a student that you know." If they recognize you and know your name, they may be more lenient in grading your exam, especially if they give partial credit, there is an essay, or if there are short answer questions. Plus, this is a great way to get any questions you may have about the material covered on the exam explained. Your Professor is the one who made the exam, so they may even be able to answer questions or give you hints that you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else!
#8. Listen to Music with no Words
This one might seem weird, but when you are studying while listening to the latest hits, at least a portion of your brain is focused on the lyrics. The best way to put 100% of your focus on the information you are studying, is listening to classical music from composers like Mozart. Studies show that music with 60 beats per minute (bpm) aid in the retention of information. Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D has shown to not only relax, but to improve test scores. Take a listen!
#9. Prioritize
This is especially important if you are pressed for time. Classes that are worth more credits should be a priority, because if you get a lower grade in them, it will lower your GPA more considerably than a 1 credit class. Focus on the basics and the big ideas. Even if you don't have all the details, it's easier to fake it when you can bring it back to the big picture idea.
#10. Embrace the Challenge
Don't just take finals to be done with the semester. Walk into that final like you own the place. You've worked hard! Now all you need to do is transfer that knowledge onto a piece (or pieces) of paper. When you sit down in your chair, don't worry about if you studied enough or if you forgot to study something. That's done and the time for that is past. At the moment you pick up the pencil, you know what you know, and nothing will change that. Just do the best that you can with the knowledge that you have acquired throughout the semester.
Good luck with finals!
xoxoxo
The Girl in the Argyle Sweater
*** Swoozie's has 15% off their favorite items until 12/8 with code: REVEAL ***
**** J. Crew has 30% off presents until 12/8 with code: PRESENTS ****
***** Chloe + Isabel has 25% off everything until 12/11 with code: FRIEND *****
I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving filled with delicious food and shared with their loved ones! With Black Friday over and Cyber Monday upon us, I figured it was high time I posted this year's gift guide. Below you will find some of my favorite gifts (all under $45!) from my favorite stores plus links to the store's gift page and Cyber Monday sales long with each site. Now is the perfect time to buy that expensive gift you've been thinking about for that special someone! Happy shopping!
It's that time of year again! We are bringing boxes up from storage, planning recipes, and decorating our house for the holidays. Yesterday, my family and I were feeling especially in the holiday mood. We brought up bin after bin of decorations and spent hours deciding where to put them all and what looked best where. We put up four garlands, brought out two nutcrackers and watched three years worth of past Christmas home videos. It's always fun to see our reactions to presents we got when we were little. One year when I was 5 and my sister was 3, every present was "just what we always wanted". Of course, being sisters, we used to fight over whose doll was whose and it's really funny to go back and watch what presents we opened because at least once per home movie, my sister or I will say, "That was mine!" about a certain toy that the other one claimed.
This time of year always seems so magical. Even more so right now because of all the twinkle lights! It makes me want to drink hot cocoa, wrap presents, and watch old home videos of Christmases past.
What do you do to decorate for the holidays? What is your favorite holiday home video moment?
I've been using a lip stain lately instead of my normal lipstick, because the lipstick doesn't seem to last the whole day. I love that I can put on the lip stain once in the morning, and my lips look nice and colored the rest of the day. The only downside, is that my lips get dried out very easily. I've been relying on my grapefruit Burt's Bees lip balm to get me through it. No more chapped lips for me! It's 100% natural and is the perfect thing to keep your lips from chapping in this cold dry air we've been having. Highly recommend. I'm thinking of switching to a less summery flavor, though, with the holidays approaching. Any suggestions?
It seems like midterms just ended, but finals are already approaching. My campus just got a Starbucks in our bookstore and it has only fueled my addiction. It's so nice to carry around a warm cup of energy in the morning, especially when my classroom is chilly. Since this is a fairly recent obsession, I still don't have a go to coffee. I've been trying to try a variety of different drinks to find out what I really like. Right now, my coffee of choice is a Salted Caramel Mocha. What drink should I try next?
3. Elbow Patches
I recently got this sweater from Macy's and I love it! I'm having so much fun matching my elbow patches to my boots. The sweater pictured above is from J.Crew and I want it more than I should. For a less expensive alternative, here's one from Lord and Taylor, here's one from Gap, and here's a really cute one from Walmart, of all places. Here is a tutorial from A Beautiful Mess showing you how to add your own unique elbow patches!
I've finally given in and put a pair of bean boots on my wish list this year. During that rainy spell earlier this month, I was really regretting not having a pair of my own. My ballet flats don't seem to cut it when I have to be outside for too long, and as the weather only promises to get colder, I think boots are going to become more of a thing for me.
No, I don't post a lot of pictures on Instagram (I'm hoping to post more frequently soon!), but I love seeing all the pictures from people that I follow. It's really good for outfit inspiration. I feel like Instagram is such a more personal form of social media. Instead of just hearing what everyone is doing, you actually get to see it!
The song has been stuck in my head for the past few months, and now the music video is all over the place. I have to admit, I love how inspirational this music video is. Whenever I hear it and I'm in the car, I sing at the top of my lungs and it is a mega confidence booster!
What are your current obsessions? Please tell me I am not alone!
xoxoxo
The Girl in the Argyle Sweater
*** Tommy Hilfiger has up to 50% off gifts until 11/26 ***
**** J.Crew has an extra 40% off sale items with code: STYLETIME through 11/18 ****
***** Kate Spade has an extra 25% off with code: HOLWD13 through 11/16 *****
Happy Thursday to my lovely readers! This time of year, it seems that everybody gets into a slump. We're in between holidays, classes have become routine, and don't even get me started on work. Sometimes, we just need a little pick-me-up, a little inspiration, to continue. I'm here to tell you today that you are beautiful, the sun will come out tomorrow, and the best is yet to come. If I'm not convincing enough, maybe some of my favorite inspirational pins from Pinterest will do the trick. They seem to work exceptionally well with me.
I know most of you probably have inspirational boards on Pinterest (and if you don't, check out my board "Inspire Me" on Pinterest if you need some ideas! It's never too late to start a Pinterest board!), but when was the last time you actually took the time to look at it, read the quotes, and allowed yourself to become inspired? For me, personally, it's been way too long. So, look at some of my favorite inspirational pins below, and take some time today to look at your own inspirational board. It's the perfect thing to inspire you to finish the week strong.
It's most definitely feeling like fall, now. Starbucks has their Pumpkin Spice Latte for sale, stores are preemptively putting out Christmas decorations, and the flu is spreading around campus like mad. You're hearing from it's latest victim. Seriously, I've been in bed for the past few days and I've missed class (not to mention a very important exam that the Prof won't let me make-up). I hope none of you have fallen victim! But enough whining from me... Onto today's Looks for Less!
Today's Looks for Less is inspired by Tommy Hilfiger. I am obsessed with pretty much everything TH #itsaproblem, but the way they paired the chevron dress with the blazer? It's the perfect way to transition into the cooler weather we've been having. Don't get me wrong- navy is my favorite color- but I think the red and black could really bring this look into the wintery months. This outfit would look really cute at a holiday party, on a date with your special someone, or even just a weekend shopping spree with the girls. The outfit is very versatile and I love that! Not to mention the argyle socks the model is wearing: #socute
Show of hands, who got overwhelmed with midterms this past week? *raises hand* I'm so #guilty of this. At least once each semester (twice if you count finals), I drop everything to focus on school work. Chores, family, friends, and sadly, even blogging. But, a few days ago, my friend and her family invited me to go to the pumpkin patch with them. I knew that I needed to take a break from studying, and the pumpkin patch was the perfect fall getaway.
The farm we went to just opened to the public this season and it was gorgeous. Settled right in the heart of the Blue Ridge mountains, complete with hay rides, pumpkin picking, and of course, a corn maze. Now, one of my other friends hates (read: is terrified of) corn mazes, and I always teased her, because it's just corn. But after my harrowing adventure, I will never tease her about it again. My friend, her parents, and I decided to do the "harder" phase of the maze, first. This phase consisted of answering trivia questions- you get the right answer, you know which way to go. Get the wrong answer, and well... you go 20 minutes out of your way.
We made it through the first phase no problem. Easy. Baby stuff. So, while my friends parents went off to get something to eat, my friend and I decided to do the "easy" phase to kill some time. Let me tell you, it was not easier. This phase kept repeating the same pattern over and over until I thought we would be stuck in the corn maze. Forever. We answered one of the questions wrong and spent 20 disorienting minutes wandering the maze aimlessly. One of the trivia questions was so hard we had to consult Google. Seriously, who knows how many kernels there are in a typical bushel of corn off the top of their head? (For the record it's 72,800). By the time we finally reached the end, I'll admit, I was kind of freaked out (read: terrified) about corn mazes.
Apart from the insanely hard corn maze, the barn had really cute pumpkins! The buttons and ribbons on this one? #Perfection. I think it's a really pretty alternative to painting a pumpkin and a whole lot cleaner than carving one.
In the pictures above you can see what I wore on the outing. I am absolutely head-over-high-heels for this Tommy Hilfiger sweater. It's perfect over a button down blouse or just a lacy tank top. I'm seriously considering buying one in every color. Obviously, pearls are always a must, and my black boots were great for the mud that comes with a farm.
Introducing the Great Pumpkin himself! I'm embarrassed to admit that before this trip, I didn't know white pumpkins really existed, but as soon as I saw this one, I knew it was the one. Doesn't it remind you of the pumpkin from Disney's Cinderella that the Fairy Godmother turns into a chariot? Now all I have to do is decide on how I'm going to decorate it!
Well, I would say that the trip was definitely a success, but let's just say, I won't be venturing into a corn maze any time soon.
Anyone else find the Great Pumpkin? Any ideas on how to decorate mine?
Yes, today is Thursday, and I normally do these on Wednesdays, but I was so excited about yesterday's post that I forgot it was Wednesday. So, without further ado, today's Looks for Less is inspired by J.Crew! I absolutely love the light jeans paired with a creamy sweater over a white blouse. It's a very classic fall look. In my hunt to find a cute alternative for J.Crew's sweater, I came across the argyle sweater and couldn't pass it up! J.Crew has the cutest clothes, but they are pretty expensive. Get the same Look for Less by following the links below!
I watched a Hallmark movie last night about how meaningful letters are. Be it a first letter home from college, a birthday card with $20 in it from your dad, a love note, or a last letter home from Afghanistan, letters are priceless. They have their own personality. They carry messages of holiday cheer, mournful comfort, or thinking of yous. They come in all forms. Today's modern letters are short, in Times New Roman, and automatically "corrected", but they still hold that same spirit of the old fashioned handwritten letter.
My first year of college, three of my close friends and I decided to exchange handwritten letters. We went on a special shopping trip before we went our separate ways and gathered up monogrammed stationary, colorful cards, and stamps. We bid farewell promising lengthy letters detailing our college adventures. I sent out 3 letters my first week of classes and received 3 back a week later. But that only lasted for about a month. Life got in the way. The wait between letters seemed too long and we'd forget whose turn it was to send one. The hardest part was waiting for the Pony Express to deliver.
There is definitely something special about opening the mailbox and finding that letter you have been waiting for. I also found that we talked about things that we wouldn't talk about over text. Things that simply can't be condensed to 140 characters or translated into "text speak".
My friend's personalities really came across in their handwriting. Throughout the long letters, I could tell which parts were hard for them to write, which parts they wanted to emphasize. Some letters jumped from one thought to another, while others were very structured and had correct grammar. The communication felt much more real. Another thing about hand written letters- there's no spell check. Or back button (if you write in pen like I did). I know my letters were filled with little doodles in the margins.
So take the time today to write that letter you have been waiting to write. If you don't have anyone to write a letter to, address one to your future self.
Do you still write handwritten letters?
xoxoxo
The Girl in the Argyle Sweater
***ShopBop has 25% off with code: INTHEFAMILY25 until tomorrow***
Inspiration. Pretty much everyone on Pintrest had a board dedicated to it. It's what gets us through the rough patches and leads us to reach for higher goals. One person who inspires me is Audrey Hepburn. She had such a classic and glamorous style. Not to mention amazing posture and grace. One of my favorite quotes of hers is: "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" This inspirational quotes inspired me to create a set of Audrey inspired wallpapers!
Desktop Wallpaper | Right click on the image above and select "Save picture as...". After it's saved, find the file location. Right click on the image and select "Set as desktop background".
Phone Wallpaper |Open this page on your cell phone.
Click on the image above to open to full screen. Click and hold on the image and save
to camera roll. Then set the picture as your lock screen and wallpaper.
iPad Wallpaper | Open this page on your iPad. Click on the image above to open to full screen. Click and hold on the image and save to camera roll. Then set the picture as your lock screen and wallpaper.
Facebook Cover Photo | Right click on the image above and select "Save picture as...". Upload to Facebook and position.
Tomorrow is Columbus Day and I have gathered up all of the exciting sales from my favorite preppy websites to get the weekend's best deals all in one place!
J.Crew: 20% off your entire purchase in stores and online with code: SHOPNOW until Monday at midnight.
J.Crew Factory: 50% off EVERYTHING including sale items in store and online until Monday at midnight.
Swoozie's: Additional 30% off all sale items in store and online with code: SALE30 until Monday at midnight.
Bauble Bar: 10% off your order of $50+ with code: FRIEND10, 15% off your order of $100+ with code: FRIEND15, and 20% off your order of $150+ with code: FRIEND20 until Sunday at midnight.
I hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing long weekend! Happy Shopping!
Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week! I'm so glad the weather has sorted itself out and decided to feel like autumn again. Anyone following me on Pintrest can tell that I am fully embracing fall!
Today's Looks for Less is inspired by Tommy Hilfiger's Surely You Vest look. I just love the color combinations in this outfit. Navy, orange, green. Perfect fall colors! The original outfit isn't even that expensive, but if you are looking for something cheaper, here is an alternative. I think the navy turtleneck with the green vest on their own would look very nice, as well.
It's that time of year again! Cyber Monday is right around the corner... sort of. But with 56 shopping days left until Cyber Monday, Vera Bradley is celebrating with a huge sale! 70% off everything in Plum Petals, Floral Nightingale, and Deco Daisy. Plus, save 60% on anything in Blue Lagoon and Viva La Vera! I am beyond excited. Shown below are some of my favorite items in those patterns.
I highly recommend the All in One Wristlet in Deco Daisy. My sister has it and it looks really nice! The inside is a black and white hounds tooth pattern that is totally in this fall. I have had the wristlet in a few different patterns now, and let me tell you it is my favorite wallet! I use it for absolutely everything.
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