Merry (late) Christmas!

Better Late than NEVER!!

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I had a wonderful day full of reminders of how blessed I am. I'm going to share my awesome gifts once I return from Pennsylvania. Currently... on a train up north to visit family and see my aunts beautiful big new house. I just want to take a second to thank everyone for their constant support and comments about my blog. In 2015, I plan on taking it a bit more seriously. I know I haven't posted in a while, but I had lots of performances and then dreaded finals.... 

I hope everyone continues to enjoy their time off and spend some quality time with their families

XOXOXOXO

-Rachel 

The most colorful of fridays.

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to be with family and give thanks for the blessings one is given. However, Thanksgiving is then immediately followed by a day full of crowding, spending money, rushing and"in the moment"deals. This day is called ...black friday.... and I am one of the lucky few who gets to work in retail that day! YIPPEEE!!!! but actually...
 Unfortunately, due to the "high demand" of ignorant people and the immediacy of the American culture black Friday has now been merged into Thanksgiving Day!
This is something I cannot stand, while I love a good bargain, why do we now have to rush our meal times to make sure we can get in line and beat the crowds?
I usually always go black Friday shopping. While crazy and busy, I love the festiveness, I love to see big families out together, and the Christmas decorations just put me in the holiday cheer.
There are some stores which I would never dare to enter, aka best buy, Walmart, target.. but mall stores are usually not to bad because of the in-and-out nature that they provide.

I'm working at Old Navy on black Friday and that is one store that generally gets hit pretty bad,
Coming from someone who loves to shop, and works in retail here are some tips for Black Friday:

1. Now because of the openness into Thursday Night shopping around 6 in the morning is way less crowded that it used to be.

2. Check and see if your store allows you to buy the wrong size of something, return it and get the right size of the item with the same black Friday deal.

3. Be nice to your cashiers they are having a very rough day...........

4.Many black Friday deals are also available online before cyber Monday, so shop in your PJS!

5. 40% is basically the "good deal" in clothing, black Friday actually isn't the best time on average to shop for clothes so setting this measurement as a deal breaker will allow you to prioritize your shopping

6. I think Karma always follows you, don't be rude and push other people around, who knows how they may able to help you that day and in the future.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Halloween Update!

Hey guys! I told you I would update you on my costume! 

 I Was a Gumball Machine

I already had the skirt and bandeau. I used pompoms and hot glue to make the top then duck tape for the silver!

In total my costume cost me 6 DOLLARS!!!>>>We were Skittles for Dance Class

Dont Fake it Till You Make It.

So recently I've had a lot of girl struggles in my life. Family drama, school drama, and really the hardest one..friend drama. The lesson I've learned most in college and really the dance scene is that some people are just plain       F-A-K-E. 

People use you to their advantage, one day you can be close but if they feel like they can't use you for something they see you as invaluable and break your trust.
 I am very lucky to have gotten extremely close with three girls that I can call my true friends in college. I recently had a self reflection on my life and realized that these 3 girls were the only ones who made me feel like a better person and that this was how true friends were supposed to act.
I wasn't being taken advantage of nor was I feeling belittled by harsh words and comments. Real friends listen. I am a very stubborn individual and a lot of the time I force myself into believing that fake people are actually my friends. Then I take a step back and realize that they are not offering advice and wisdom but yet tearing me down.
 This is such a harsh world full of many different individuals and its hard to place your trust in others. I've learned a hard lesson by having my trust continuously torn down and broken. But at the end of the day now I know who my real friends are and that they build me up, listen, and offer something that I don't encompass which in turn makes me a better person. 

“An acquaintance merely enjoys your company, a fair-weather companion flatters when all is well, a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.” 
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Putting on my Face

So it is no surprise just how much I love makeup. I wear literally a full face of makeup to class everyday, which is sometimes silly because I sweat it off in dance class. However, there is something to be said about staring at yourself in a mirror for hours and being able to like what you see.
My favorite makeup brand is:
CLINIQUE

When I switched from drug store makeup to "big girl" makeup I started with bare minerals at first which I loved, but it didn't have enough coverage (I still use the powder ). Now,  clinique doesn't clog my pores and doesn't make me break out. I use their eye shadow, mascara, blush/bronzer, chubby sticks, foundation, powder, lip gloss,the Happy perfume, and the 3 step skin care system ( I highly recommend this!).

My go to concealer is benefits Erase Paste. Its simply the best for under-eye circles. It doesn't just cake under my eyes it covers and lasts for a long time. I think I had a pot of the concealer for over 6 months.

MY MAIN POINT IN THIS WHOLE POST...............
is talking about how I save on makeup.

Ebay is great for buying bundles.

Since I know my skin color number for clinique I don't have to try on the different options. I've bought some GWP's  (gift with purchases) on ebay because they are such great travel sizes and you can bid on them and wind up with a great deal.

But speaking of GWP's... Today my mom and I went on a makeup shopping spree.. I was running low..of literally everything and my bank account was about to take a hit but luckily my mother saved the day. We went to Macy's and bought my powder and foundation and they were having a GWP deal for limited time.  

Sometimes Its worth it to spend money on skin care and makeup, I can find deals on ebay for products I know will work or bundles that I cant pass by. Often though, department stores will include a GWP that will make the deal worth it! I suggest buying at these times, they also make great gifts!

Spooktacular Savings

Lets be real for a second.
  I love parties,
I love to dress up and  go out especially when there is a theme. So Halloween has always been a fun occasion to wear something spectacular. Every year I try to be something creative and original. Now, I have been a cat and a bunny (who hasn't) but I like putting my own twist on things and making my own costumes. My mother always handmade my brother and I's costumes growing up. She would buy old prom gowns from the thrift store and I would be Miss America or she would buy material and create my own costume. Frankly speaking, the costumes you buy at the store are cheaply made and overly priced!

Pinterst is full of amazing diy Ideas! I highly suggest snooping around to find something fun and different. My costume last year was inspired from a picture I found off of Pinterset.


 Last year I was a Scarecrow! I used costume makeup for the face painting, my roommate's floppy hat, and a flannel and TADA costume for under 4 bucks!

 with some of the room mates^

^^^^^I will admit I looked scary at first glance, especially in the dark. I spooked myself a couple of times!

<<<<This is the start of my costume this year! any guesses as to what I'll be??? I will update when complete!

Why Does Pre-Owned Have To Be A Bad Thing?

So many people have a problem with wearing used clothing. Personally I do not. While certain things I want to be mine (ie undergarments) I believe that buying used is just as good if not better that buying new.  When people turn their nose up to pre-owned items I like to point out these things..

1. When you buy previously owned, it is usually cheaper even if it has only been worn once. The price still drops. Which means you can get a shirt regularly 80 for 65 because someone wore it to a lunch decided they didn't like it and took it off.

2. People try on clothes all the time, this means bodies have been in the clothes you call "new". Washing a garment disinfects any previously owned odors. However, if it comes from a home with smoking or pets the seller usually informs the buyer. This allows the buyer to be informed of the environment and to then decide if the allergens are worth the risk.

3. When an item looks just as good pre-owned as it does new it means that it is made with quality. Some items will fall apart after the first wash, When you are buying pre-owned items you do need to notice wear and tear but if the item has been washed multiple times and it looks pristine, then you know the stitching is made with quality and that the fabric and dye will not fade.


I bought my Hunter Boots Pre-owned on Ebay and saved around 80 dollars. They had been worn once and have barely any wear on them. I've been saving up for these boots for a long time, so to finally get a pair and save a bundle made me overjoyed.
This is how I wore them for the first time:

It was chilly in Fairfax on this rainy day so I styled my hunters with a monogram, a polka dot cardigan and my favorite AE jeans. 

p,s, I advise knowing your size before you buy, I tried on my Hunter boots at Nordstrom before I looked for them online.

The Non-Sorority Sorority Girl

Sooo I've been in a rut for a couple weeks because I realize how much I regret not going greek.

 
As a dance major I chose to focus on dance and not rush, as my parents have provided me with expensive training for this career choice since I was 5. The struggle however is that every time I go into a store that sells Lilly I realize just how much I would have loved to be involved with greek life. Being a dance major requires a lot of time and devotion, so I didn't want to risk my profession by being distracted with sorority obligations.

Being Non-Offiliated is harsh. My entire life I have been a part of (and/or lead) clubs, honor societies, and organizations. Sister-hood is something that I know I would have loved to be a part of. Also, I cant deny that cute shirts, school spirit opportunities, crafts, and parties are also a turn on to greek life. As a prepster I find that this culture usually regards sorority life as a tradition and a no-brainer. However in my special dance major circumstance I realize that having one foot in and one foot out of an organization is not something that I would want to be a part of. I love to be involved, and not being able to commit my full time and energy towards something would be devastating. ASlo,,, can we talk about expense. Im paying my way through college and I have barely enough to buy groceriers, how would I ever pay for dues? I guess all-in-all I would have made it work. however, I have to accept that my decision has lead me to where I am today. It has given me the opportunities and paths that have changed my dancing for the better. And also my dance major family at GMU is something I could never replace.  College is what you make of it, so you better live it to the fullest or you'll look back and realize that you let an opportunity slip through your fingers!
-Much love
Rachel


MY MASON DANCE COMPANY FAM:

Dorm Room

I've been crazy busy for the last few months and I have let my blog slip through my hands. However, I am back, and I am really excited to share my diy creations for my dorm room! I ditched some of the Lilly Pulitzer this year in exchange for a more Kate Spade vibe. My mom and I had a hard time fitting everything in the van this year I was so squished on the way back to GMU.

I made all of my canvas decorations by hand.
 I used fabric left over from my head board to cover one of the canvases and then used gold tool to make a big fluffy bow!

my headboard is also something I was so excited about. I used a diy guide found on my Pintrest to make it. It took a lot of hard work but it was well worth it

I really wanted polka dots on my wall.. After all what's a kate spade room without gold polka dots?
I tried to find removable wall stickers but I couldn't find affordable ones. I was determined to diy and then I ran across these Wilton Cake Cutouts. The size was perfect and they were so affordable. I spray painted them using Krylon Metalic Paint. And then used the ever useful command strips to secure them on the wall.

With the same spray paint I painted these intricate bottles I saved  from last year, a lamp,  and also my metal shelf for my tv.

I did a lot of handy work putting together my room. I bought a couple shelves and these added for great storage.

I also bought ruffle pillow shams and had them monogramed.

I used a Styrofoam board to cut out my own monogram and spray painted it gold (This was not so easy)

I used colorful paper to back my pictures and put them in a collage over my desk.

I bought this really cute rug from Marshalls which put my room all together.

I love my cozy and colorful room! I believe in making my dorm as comfy as possible that way it makes me excited to go home every evening!

Thrift Store Goodies

I popped in to a thrift store today and found some awesome deals.

I found pink chino 5 inch shorts and a classic tea length green and white seersucker dress. 

The dress is jcrew. And the shorts are merona. I love merona shorts and own a couple pairs, they are cut very similarly to jcrew's but are about half the price. 

Here are the two items.{ I really need to get better lighting} 

This is how I styled the dress. I added my favorite white lilly pulitzer bow belt and some strappy nude heels. All I need is a big monogramed marly lilly hat and I'll be set!

I'm also thinking about making it a little shorter. This will enable me to wear it more often.

This is how I styled the shorts. With a lace lilly pulitzer blouse and a pearl headband. Just add some jacks, and it's a perfectly preppy day outfit!

My joe fresh ensemble

I pulled my joe fresh outfit together with my navy shorts and pink striped boat neck top. I added my lilly pulitzer bow belt and my navy and white jacks to give it more preppy flare. This was a great outfit for work!

Joe Fresh @ Jcpennys

So today my mom and I went shopping...
I got a great new beach sent from Bath and Body Works called Oahu.
I also stopped in to Jcpennys to see if anything caught my eye.
And then I remembered about Joe Fresh...

I Love the Simplicity of it all. 
   
Think J.Crew on a budget.
Boat-neck tops, clean-cut bottoms, fun patterns, and great basics. I found an awesome pair of navy shorts ON SALE. On top of everything  I browsed the clearance section and found  TOO  much.  They had great sweaters on sale for 4 dollars that i stocked up on. ( See my post about past season shopping). Also found a cute nautical anchor shirt that looked like it popped out of a J Crew catalog. My favorite part about Joe Fresh is that its made well. As a seamstress, I only buy clothes that will last and these products are made and lined very well for the price. I strongly suggest taking a look at this section in your near by Jcpenny!
-Happy shopping/saving!

 

Instagram/Facebook Sellers

Okay so this is a very new saving method that I have discovered recently. Instagram and Facebook are becoming more and more about promoting businesses. I started following a couple of preppy resale instagram accounts and I find them rewarding . I have never bought anything from these sellers but they offer a large range of sizes and items.
Also, I am a big fan of Re-Lilly. its a resale Facebook page that allows sellers to advertise their Lilly garments and they group them by sizing. This makes shopping much easier!!
 I hope to make a purchase soon from one of these sellers. You need to have a Pay-pal account for most sellers, but some sellers arrange with their buyers by email.
 Have you ever had a successful buy from an instagram or facebook resale site?

Off Season Shopping

Everyone knows this trick,but so many forget about it. Yesterday I was browsing through the clearance at work (Old Navy) and found a sweater for .47 cents. yes this is ridiculous as it was a 34 dollar sweater. I also found a simple tailored red long sleeve shirt, and a olive green lace top. All in all, with the addition of some sperry-like boat shoes I spent about 19 dollars.

Often brands have a certain wait time on their clearance items. I know from personally doing markdowns that clearance items get marked down about once every 2 weeks. now the real treasures are the off season finds. When a store sells out of an item and are left with one or two, they mark down their odds and ends. Sometimes items are found throughout the store, hidden behind racks or under piles, and even returned by a customer, thus causing them to be marked down even more because they are so past season.




Sometimes you have to do a little digging to find great deals. This means having the patience to go through sizes that are marked wrong, checking tags to make sure they are all the same price, and often dealing with the unorganized mess that hinders the name CLEARANCE SECTION.

Once the battle is over however, you will feel much more appreciative of your little off season treasure.

As always
-Happy Shopping. :)

Ebay Shopping

Ebay is my best friend.
Okay my obsession is a little ridiculous. I literally get an adrenaline rush during the last few minutes of the bid. I have won some treasures.. and lost alot, but that doesn't stop me from trying my hardest to find the best deals. Ebay is a great place to find makeup on crazy discount. I wear clinique makeup as it does the best in keeping my skin clear. I have bought several of my eye-shadows from Ebay. You can find "lots" ( a Ebay term for a grouping) of makeup sets for 70% off the original prices. I have also found some of my favorite Lilly pieces on Ebay. I bought a pair of pants for 12, and a brand new skirt for 9!

These are my Lilly finds along with some Jcrew chinos I got on Ebay as well.










Now you have to be really careful who you buy from, I've waited 3 months for products expected to be shipped and delivered within weeks. I've also never personally dealt with fraud on Ebay, however I know it happens to shoppers who are not extremely careful.
Here is how I safely shop on Ebay:
1. Check out your buyers profile
2. Make sure they have a good rating and reviews
3. Look at thier other products and see how they relate
4. Are they shipping from out of the county? If so, delivery might take longer
5. Contact your seller through a message
6.If you are suspicious you can always cancel a deal, however ebay only lets you do this a limited amount of times.


Happy Bidding!

Monogram Phone Backgrounds

Monograms....the preppy girls best friend. I myself, have about 40-50 things monogrammed in my room alone. I also love when my technology is monogrammed. I have looked at many monogram backgrounds on Etsy that you can purchase and then save to your phone, but my absolute favorite way to personalize my iphone is through the  monogram generator in the Marly Lilly app. Besides the amazing shop, and bargain features, this app lets you create your monogram with several different customizable features...and the best part ITS FREE!   This is my current background. I suggest downloading the app from the App Store and then exploring the great deals Marly Lilly has to offer.

Hi I'm Rachel, I have a  passion for dance, monograms, pink, and all things preppy. I love classic lines, bright colors, and the girly attitude of the prepster lifestyle. However, with these cheerful colors comes a not so glorious price tag. With brand names such as Lilly Pulitzer, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren, trying to keep up in the preppy world of fashion can be expensive. I am without daddy's wallet , nor a girl who comes from a  lineage of money, I am a normal middle class college student facing college tuition and trying to support myself. However, I love to search for great deals and bargains. I am a Pinterest junkie and find myself spending hours pinning preppy inspiration and DIY crafts. Through thrifting and bargain hunting I have found some amazing preppy finds, and this blog is dedicated to the awesome encounters that  have come from these treasure hunts.