top grammy's 2014 fashion!

Hey, y'all! I hope all of you had a fun weekend! So, last night, I was eye-deep in frilly, chiffon gowns, miles of red carpet, and many golden gramophones for the 2014 Grammy's...

Ever since I was little, the Grammy's is always my favorite awards show to watch because it features all of my favorite singers and has great in-show performances and tributes. But best of all, the fashion of the Grammy's is unlike many others. There must be an unspoken motto of, "Go big or go home," because the fashion is fabulously over the top. 

Here are a few of my favorite red carpet looks from the star studded event:

<via>

I love this black and white cocktail dress on Sarah. It brings the perfect amount of demure with the black velvet bow sleeves, but it also adds some glam with the black sequin trim. She paired it with a tousled updo, some strappy heels, and a red lip. The only thing I don't love is the bulky clutch, but the chic factor of this outfit outweighs it!

<via>

Taylor's gown looks just as stunning on TV as it does in photograph! Her platinum sparkles coordinate perfectly with her diamond drop earrings and her purple smoky eye. I love how the dress looks almost as though it chain link metal or mesh, which is a unique twist on the classic sequin gown. She looks elegant and perfectly coiffed for this year's awards show.

<via>

"Wow...," is the first thing I said after laying eyes on Miranda Lambert in this siren red column gown. This shade of red is a perfect match for her bronzed skin tone, and I love the pop of bright green from those statement earrings, (and of course, her husband Blake Shelton isn't a bad accessory either ;). Topping off this look with sideswept blond curls and a red snakeskin clutch was a fabulous end to the 2014 Grammy's red carpet.

. . .

I loved the 2014 Grammy's! There were some great dresses, performances, and winners last night. My favorites were Robin Thicke, John Legend, and P!nk! Let me know in the comments who you thought had the best dress or the best voice! Thanks so much for reading, and have a great Monday!

vintage, edgy, and trendy... all in one outfit?

Hey, guys and gals! I'm not really sure what inspired today's outfit, but for some odd reason, I feel like a Bond Girl (???). It's a very eclectic mix of vintage, edgy, and trendy...so, there's that. Even though these pieces seem to come from all over the map, I think they all fit together to produce a unique and eye catching product. 

That's one of the things I love about fashion: coordinating an outfit is like solving a puzzle; you have to find the piece with the perfect fit to complete the entire puzzle. I love the way the bold and sharp statement necklace clashes with the delicate, lace top, yet combined with the teal and brown checked skirt, they create a fantastic product.

. . .

Thanks so much for checking out this blog post! Let me know in the comments how you put eclectic pieces together to form a really great outfit. Thank you for your continued support, and have a fabulous day!

P.S. Great changes coming soon to the blog! Stay tuned for details! :)

Kate Spade Greatest Hits Sale!

Just FYI, Kate Spade has just announced one of their oh so fun surprise sales! They have some of their classic bags on a major sale right now! Click on the link here to check out their adorable bags!

Here are some of my favorite picks from the sale:

. . .

Let me know some of your favorite Kate Spade pieces in the comments! Thanks so much for reading, and have a great day!

freeballin'

Hey, y'all! This weekend has been very busy but oh so fun! On Saturday, we took my grandparents to see the UNC vs. Boston College basketball game, and it was such a blast! We somehow managed to get second row seats right behind the student section. As my grandmother said, "We could see the players' leg hair b/c we were so close!" I had such a fun time spending quality time with my family and watching Carolina win! :)

Spending time with loved ones is something that I truly cherish. I challenge each of you to call or visit someone, a family member or friend, with whom you haven't talked in a while. You should take advantage of every moment you can spend with them! :)

I do have a few pictures of the outfit I wore to the game and a few shots of Carolina in action! It really is a totally different experience to be up that close to the game (my standards have definitely been raised! ;).

 Aren't my puppies so adorable? They wanted in the pictures! :)

. . .

Thanks so much for checking out today's blog post! Let me know in the comments what you did this weekend and what you'd like to see next on the blog. Thanks for your support, and have a fabulous day!!

the liebster award!

Hey, guys! I hope you have all had a fabulous weekend! I am so sorry that I did not get to post yesterday, but Monday's post will be detailing what I was up to, so look out for that post! 

Anywho, I decided to post today because I have been nominated for a Liebster Award by Emily from Class and Sass! Thank you so much for nominating me, Emily! I am truly grateful. 

In case you guys don't know about the Liebster Award, it's essentially an award that presented to new bloggers with smaller followings. As Emily put it, it's basically an affirmation from the blog's followers saying, "You have great potential and keep it up!" (So, thanks guys :)! The main purpose of this award is to allow newer bloggers to network with and show support of other online bloggers, as well as help facilitate new blog followers to all of your favorite up and coming blogs!

Also, there are a few requirements for the nominated to do the following: mention your nominator with a link to their blog (Thanks, Emily!), answer the questions they provided in their blog post, tag 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers, and create 11 questions for each of them to answer! So, without further ado, let's get into the questions!

1. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

2. What trait do you love most about yourself, and how do you feel it contributes to your success as a blogger?

3. Which post of yours thus far has been your favorite post?

4. Why did you decide to start blogging?

5. If one song could describe your life/mood right now, what would it be?

6. How have your friends reacted to your writing a blog?

7. What are your top three favorite blogs?

8. Top three favorite stores?

9. Who's your favorite Gossip Girl character? And if you don't watch GG (watch it PRONTO), what's your favorite TV show?

10. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

11. What advice would you give to someone just starting up their blog?

1. My favorite thing about blogging would have to be the ability it gives me to express myself creatively in whichever way I choose and the subsequent feedback I receive from my followers! I love the freedom of thinking to myself, "Okay, what do I want to talk about today?" It's like having a best friend hotline that I can vent to whenever I want about whatever I want. I am so thankful for this opportunity and could not be more excited to gain even more friends to talk to along the way! :)

2. I think one of the traits that has really allowed to me to move forward in molding and expanding my blog is my resolve/ determinability (is that even a word??). Obviously, I can be super lazy some days, but if I get an idea in my head, I will mow down everything in my way until it's complete. I think that has really contributed to my blog because my love of fashion, beauty, and a happy lifestyle has propelled me forward in my quest to connect with and inspire  people via Poised and Preppy.

3. I think my favorite post thus far is probably my "hearts off to 2014!" because first of all, I loved that outfit :), and second, I was feeling so motivated to start this year off in the right way and looking back at it provides me with the inspiration to soldier on!

4. At the beginning of my blog, I really just wanted to share with you all my love of fashion and accessorizing. But after seeing how influential bloggers have become in today's world, I want to contribute not only fashion and beauty posts, but I want to talk to my readers on a down-to-earth level and let them know that my life is definitely not perfect, nor anyone else's, and give advice about how I've survived the struggles throughout my life (though they are minuscule compared to what many others live with daily).

5. Right now, the song "Listen" by Beyonce (from the movie Dreamgirls) really speaks to me and is helping work through some of the roadblocks that I've been lenient to address.

6. When I told my best friend that I was writing a blog, she was surprised because it was a side of me that I had kept hidden for a long time. However, she was very supportive, and I figured out that I and wasted a lot of time hiding something that I thought she would judge me for, when really, it was just another factor to strengthen our friendship.

7. My top three favorite blogs are The College Prepster,  A Lonestar State of Southern, and Summer Wind because they all manage the balance between being fashionistas and being real people on their blogs very well. I always get excited when one of their posts comes across my Bloglovin' feed.

8. I sound like such a typical fashion blogger, but my top three stores are 1. J.Crew, 2. Madewell, and 3. Kate Spade!!! :)

9. I've only seen Gossip Girl a few times, but not enough to really get into it, so I'm afraid I don't have a favorite character from that show. However, I have recently been watching Downton Abbey (season 4) and Revenge (season 3), and they are AH-MAZING!!! I am thinking of starting Scandal after these seasons finish, but if y'all have any suggestions, leave them in the comments!!

10. I have three places on the top of my wish list right now: New York City (never been there!!), Colorado (to go skiing), and South Africa!

11. The best advice I would give to a newbie blogger (not unlike myself!) is to add personality to your writing. I mean cute outfits are great, but if you don't open up and inject some warmth and humor into your blog posts, you're not going to amass a loyal following!

. . .

Now that I've answered my questions, it's time to create my own and honor 11 new bloggers that I think are off to a great start!

My Questions:

1. So, what's your story: how did you become inspired to start an online blog?

2. How do you keep up with creating, writing, and editing posts in a timely manner?

3. Who is your top style icon (blogger, celebrity, BFF, etc.)?

4. What are your top three movie/TV show recommendations right now?

5. What is one of your goals for 2014?

6. Which three items are you currently coveting?

7. Do you do any thrift shopping, and if so, how do you find the best deals?

8. Has starting a blog changed your life?

9. What do you want to accomplish though blogging?

10. If you could live in a different era, which one would you choose and why?

11. What is one thing you would tell yourself when first started your blog?

And, drum roll please, here are my nominations for the Liebster Award:

1. Bess from Belles in Bows

2. Abigail from The Girl in Pink

3. Emily of Pinch of Em

4. Daria of The Daria Diaries

5. Hunter from Prep on a Budget

6. Lauren of Styling and Profiling

7. Gracey of Stripes and Peonies

8. North Carolina Belle

9. Trish from A Pinch of Glitz and Glam

10. Raquel from Simply Raquel Collette

11. Alyssa from Lessons with A

Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this amazing experience, and I hope to see posts from all of my nominees in the future! :) Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

this or that tag!

Hey, y'all! Today, I'm going to be doing something a little different. There is a tag that has been going around through the YouTube beauty/fashion gurus called the 'This or That Tag: Beauty/Fashion Edition.' I really loved hearing the answers to these relatively simple questions because it gave me some insight into that guru's personality. I'm hoping that you will get to know me a little better today, and let me know in the comments if you would like to see another Q & A type post and if so, which one. Here we go!

<via>

-Makeup:

Blush or bronzer? Blush all the way! I think that it gives a more natural looking contour to my peaches and             cream complexion.

Lip gloss or lipstick? In the spring/summer, I like lip gloss because it requires no fuss and is easy to reapply. However, in the fall and winter, I get more inspired to get creative with my makeup and often try a bold lip, which I love to do! 

Eye liner or mascara? Mascara for sure! I loooove the way mascara can open up and brighten your eyes and basically give the 'push-up bra effect' to your eyelashes. Plus, my eyes are pretty small, so eyeliner just shrinks them even more.

Foundation or concealer? Concealer because I'd rather be able to spot-conceal than mask my entire face!

Neutral or color eye shadow? Can I say Naked (1,2, and 3)?

Pressed or loose eye shadows? Definitely pressed because I find loose shadows to be unnecessarily difficult to use.

Brushes or sponges? I have always used brushes, especially now that I have a powder foundation, but in the future, I'd love to try sponges to apply my liquid foundation because I've heard the coverage is ah-mazing!

-Nails:

OPI or china glaze? Essie, anyone?!

Long or short? My nails grow like crazy, and I'm lazy, so long nails sounds good to me (at least until I need to impress someone special...;).

Acrylic or natural? Au natural is the way to go!

Brights or darks? I love all of the bright colors, but I always end up going for a dusty rose pink or dark red/purple, so that's an ambiguous answer...

Flower or no flower? NO.FLOWER.

-Fashion:

Jeans or sweat pants? Umm, leggings? (Is the term 'common white girl' flashing in your head yet? ;)

Long sleeve of short? Long sleeved shirts are the best in my book because I get verrry chilly pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

Dresses or skirts? Ball gowns? But, honestly, I would wear dresses and/or gowns everyday if I could!!!

Stripes or plaid? Oooh, this is a hard one. I have a lot more striped items in my wardrobe, but I've had a serious crush on tartan plaid for the duration of fall and winter, so I'll have to go with (tartan) plaid for now!

Flip flops or sandals? Sandals because they are wayyy cuter than flips and inject style into those spring and summer outfits!

Scarves or hats? Scarves!! I love love love scarves,  and I seriously wish that Pinning a scarf meant adding it to my closet!!

Studs or dangly earrings? Stud muffins ;)

Necklaces or bracelets? STATEMENT NECKLACES ARE EVERYTHING!!!

Heels or flats? Ballet flats are an eternal favorite. I love the way they can make any outfit dainty. feminine, and classically chic.

Cowboy boots or riding boots? I have to go with riding boots on this one because I personally love the sleek appearance that riding boots can offer.

Jacket or hoodie? Vests please!! The J.Crew excursion vests, Old Navy quilted vests, and Patagonia fleece and furry vests are the perfect addition to spruce up a cold-weather outfit.

J.Crew or Lilly Pulitzer? J.Crew because they have classic pieces that I will continue to wear throughout the rest of my life, as well as more modern preppy pieces with a trendy spin, which I love 99.99999% of the time!

Tory Burch or Kate Spade? Though I'm lusting after a pair of TB flats, I have to go with Kate Spade on this one because their stuff is just so gosh darn cute (scrolling through their new arrivals literally melts my heart!).

Saks 5th or Nordstrom? I'll always be a Nordie's girl at heart!

-Hair:

Curly or straight? Back to the whole lazy thing, I almost always wear my hair straight because that's it's natural texture. However, I love the way naturally curly hair can be styled as well. It really depends on the person as to which style and texture I prefer.

Bun or ponytail? I think buns, messy and neat, give an overall chicer appearance to anyone's look, while ponytails can look sloppy at times.

Bobby pins or butterfly clips? Neither hold up this head of hair! :(

Hair spray or gel? Hair spray (?)

Long or short? (On me) Long because I can play with it in class (guilty confession... anyone else?)!

Light or dark? (On me) When I'm out in the sun frequently,  my hair turns my favorite shade of dark golden blonde, which I would prefer year-round!

Side sweep bangs or full bangs? (On me) I could never pull of full-on bangs, so side-swept bangs it is.

Up or down? (On me) My hair looks better in a style where my hair is down than up!

-Random:

Rain or shine? SUNSHINE!!!!!

Summer or Winter? Summer because that means a break from responsibility (for a little while!). Plus, frequenting to the beach every weekend is nice too!

Fall or Spring? Fall is my favorite season because of the crisp air and vibrant leaves!

Chocolate or Vanilla Vanilla all the way!

East coast or West coast? I'm a tried-and-true East Coast girl!

...

Wow, that was a lot of questions! If you made it to the end, congratulations :)! Please let me know if you like these type of posts in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading, and have a great day!

little weekends make the world go round!

Hey, everybody! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! This weekend was very relaxing and fun for me. I finally took some time for myself to get out of the house and do something different. On Saturday, I went to a 'Power Yoga' class (whatever that's supposed to mean...?), and at first, I was very skeptical. But surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed it, even though it was super hard (I have never sweated so much in my life!). Later that night, I went out to dinner and bowling with some of my friends. It was nice to do something low-key and get to catch up with everyone. It's the little weekends like this that can really change my outlook and perspective, as well as make me appreciate the simple things in life, like sweating up a storm, good food, and close relationships with friends!

When going out on the town on the weekends, I generally stick with the rule, "The simpler, the better." Therefore, all of my classic essentials are in heavy rotation. I've compiled a list of my ole reliable clothes, shoes, and accessories that I can throw on with any outfit and know it will look great. 

First, my monogrammed necklace...must I say more? It goes with everything, while adding some girly flair to every outfit. Next, my Ralph Lauren oxfords (I have quite a few... they're a guilty pleasure!) are literally the most perfect button down shirt. So easy, effortless, and versatile...simply

the best!

During these fall and winter seasons, my Patagonia vest has definitely been a staple in my wardrobe. It's so warm and cozy, while also providing a great alternative to a fleece or pullover jacket. Following that, my Michael Kors watch has been a must-have in my jewelry collection for a few years now. I'm so happy that I chose a gold and tortoise-shell pattern because it literally goes with anything and everything.

I purchased this Groop Dealz statement necklace earlier this fall and have been hooked ever since. I check their website a few times a week to scope out their cute, new stock. They've got great designer look-alike jewelry for fabulous prices (like super low! :). I wear this one ALL. THE. TIME. It's definitely worth checking out their website!

Can we just take a moment to appreciate these amazing boots (on sale now!!)? This camera, though it's a very nice one, is still not doing those boots justice. From the rich, perfectly worn, brown leather to the gold buckles, these boots can do no wrong. They work with casual jeans and a tee to a dainty blouse and skirt combo.They were a great investment, and I've really loved wearing them over the cold months.

I hope you all enjoyed my weekend escapades and list of classic essentials! Tell me in the comments what your reliable fashion must-haves are. Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

P & P's Picks!

Hey, y'all! I'm back today with a roundup of some of my favorite things from the past couple of weeks. These are things that I either use and love or things that are high up on my wish list! Be sure to leave me a comment below giving me a list of your favorite things!

1. ModCloth dresses

I don't know about anyone else, but I have always been inspired by the fashion of the 1950's and 1960's. I particularly love the dress necklines and silhouettes of this era. I find them to feminine and flattering any girl's body type. These are also at varying price points, which I love! Below, I've linked some of my favorites!

Dinner Party Darling Dress in Poppy

<via>

Empire State of the Art Dress

<via>

Darling, Please Dress in Jade

<via>

2. Divergent by Veronica Roth

I am a huge book worm! I love to read anything I can get my hands on, particularly fantasy or realistic fiction. Recently, I cannot get enough of the book Divergent. I haven't quite finished it yet, but I already know it's a winner. I've really been gravitating towards books in this genre, like the Hunger Games series and the Giver, that have fantastical plot lines while also touching on big political themes throughout. Anyway, this is a great read, and it's coming out in theaters in March 21st!

3. To-Do Lists

I go through phases where I love using to-do lists to stay on task and organized, and somehow I always find a way to get offtrack. One of my 2014 goals, as you all know, is to stay on top of everything, so recently I've been making a real effort to make a to-do list every morning. I wake up 10 minutes earlier than I normally would, and I think of as many things that I need to accomplish that day as I can while I eat breakfast. Here are some adorable notebooks and notepads that I would love to fill up with to-do's!

Kate Spade New York Spiral Notebook

<via>

Lilly Pulitzer Note Cube with Pen

<via>

May Designs Customizable May Books (craving one!!)

<via>

I hope y'all enjoyed my picks for this week! I am still trying to figure out how I can purchase everything on this page and not go bankrupt... ;). Please let me know in the comments what you are lusting after this week! Thanks so much for reading today's post, and have a great day!

makin' a statement

Hey, everybody! I hope that you all have been able to survive the sluggish return to reality that happened on Monday... I'm still recovering. To top that off, we have had record low temps of 14 degrees here in my little town over these past few days. Now, I know some of you northern ladies deal with this every day, and believe me, I feel ya!! 

To keep from freezing from head to toe, I've been adding a few extra layers here and there to keep me snug as a bug in a rug :). As you can tell from my recent #ootd pictures (follow me on Instagram, @poisedandpreppy, to see more!), I have a minor love obsession for the combo of camel and pink. I just love the way they blend together and can make any outfit look warm and chic. 

For starters, how sassy are these hot pink pants?! They command attention from everyone you meet and make you an instant icon ;). And paired with this camel turtleneck, they're hard to beat! To spruce it up even more, I also threw on a leopard print scarf to add some pattern (and snuggle factor!) to the outfit. Lastly, I added my regular jewels and this fabulous pair of black suede pumps. Does anyone else have a hard time walking in those teeny tiny heels? Well, maybe I'm just a klutz :), but I am really loving the thick heel trend because they give me a little more leverage while attempting not to wipe out.

camel + pink 

#workitgirl

my lovely dancing' shoes                                              

 pouting?

le details up close 

um, you can't sit with us... like sorry...

 hands on your hips!

turtleneck sweater: H&M (love this one)

hot pink jeans: Target (love these!)

black pumps: Isola

bracelets: J.Crew Factory, local boutique

leopard scarf: J.Crew Factory (sold out!)

What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments section! Also, I've been working to post/pin regularly, so if you don't already, go follow me on Instagram (@poisedandpreppy) and on Pinterest (Poised and Preppy). Thanks so much for reading, and have a great day!

From the Desk of P & P: NYX Butter Glosses

Hey, y'all! Today, I'm back with a new series on my blog called, "From the Desk of P & P..." These posts will be specific reviews of products, including clothes, makeup, skincare, decor, etc. Please let me know in the comments section if there is a particular category or product you would like to see! I hope you all enjoy these, and without further ado, let's get started!

Official Stats on NYX Butter Glosses:

-described by NYX as: "Buttery soft and silky smooth, our scrumptious new Butter Lip Gloss tastes as sweet as a sugar cookie—and makes your lips look downright luscious. Swipe it on alone or over your favorite lipstick for creamy sheer to medium coverage that melts onto your lips and is never sticky."

-available in 12 different shades, ranging from natural blush pink to candy apple red

-given an "O-ward" from O, the Oprah Magazine for best Spring Makeup in 2013

<via>

Personal Feedback:

On a trip to Ulta way back when, I picked up a NYX Butter Gloss in the shade 'Tiramisu'. Ever since, I've been wearing it like crazy. The shade I got is a "your lips but better" kind of color, so I wear it pretty much every day!
Right off the bat, the smell is enough of a reason to pay $5 bucks for it. It smells like vanilla or cookies or sugar and spice and everything nice ;). Seriously, it's the best! Also, to be a neutral shade gloss, it is surprisingly very pigmented.

It is so smooth and creamy but not super sticky, nor does it catch every single piece of your hair as you walk from the house to the car (does that happen to anyone else?!). Coming from someone with verrryy dry lips, I've found it to be pretty moisturizing as well. 

One of the down sides is how frequently you have to reapply the product. Because mine is pretty natural, I don't have to do this too often, but if you have a darker shade, it might be a bit more of a time investment ;).

NYX Butter Gloss

color: tiramisu

oh snap...gettin' fancy!

swatch with only one swipe... pretty impressive!

lips: bare

lips: glossed

kisses for everyone!


Overall Score: 7/10

I love the texture and appearance of this product; those both get an A+ in my book! However, the constant reapplication, especially for darker colors, deters this makeup item from being super stellar.

...................................................................................................................................................................

What is your favorite lip product? Let me know down in the comments section, along with any suggestions for future versions of this post. Also, check back on Wednesday for a snazzy #ootd! Thanks for reading today's blog post, and have a great day!