just plain chic

Hello, everybody! Long time, no blog….but I still wanted to wish you all a (belated)  Happy Thanksgiving! What a great way to kick off the holiday season with a day full of good food, lovely family, and warm beds/couches to crash on afterwards… ;). I worked on college applications all weekend, and I CANNOT wait to be finished with them! Don’t get me wrong; I have worked very hard on them, and I definitely want to get into college, but they are pretty grueling. Though they have tired me out, the holiday spirit (mostly due to the decorations around my house and Christmas music playlists on iTunes ;) has kept me going!

Speaking of the holiday season, it has brought along with it some chillier weather into my hometown…thus, the tights are necessary! To me, this outfit is classic. You really can’t go wrong with a cuddly, camel turtleneck, and paired with this elegant, navy skirt, it reinforces the legacy of this historically-perfect color combination! To cope with the cold, I added these gray cable knit tights. I also slipped on sassy, Mary-Jane style heels for an extra boost. I am loving the vintage touch that this purse adds to the outfit, as well as the glimmers of gold from the purse and necklace.

Sweater: H&M

Skirt: J.Crew

Tights: Target

Heels: Target

Watch: Michael Kors

Purse: Thrifted

Necklace: Target

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Can you tell that I love Target a little bit too much?! And, with that, we reached the end of another P&P blog post. Let me know in the comments what you all did for Thanksgiving, and if you managed to snag any great bargains on either Black Friday or Cyber Monday! Thanks so much for taking time to read this post, and I hope that each of you has a fabulous day!

P.S. Here are some promo codes for the P & P readers who made it to the very bottom of this post!

Benevolent Jewels: PPCODE20 for 20% off of your purchase

The Shiny Mix: PandP10 for 10% off of your first purchase

spring forward, already!!

Hey, y'all! I'm here today with warm, spring NC weather and one of my favorite outfits to date! This C. Wonder tunic pairs with the navy fluted skirt (so in love!!) and the striped wedges in such a perfect and magical way (okay, I'm getting a wee bit out of control...<3). Therefore, this post is going to be pretty photo heavy (#sorrynotsorry)! 

The combo of this orangey-red (aka the 'scarlet red' crayon color) and navy screams for snacking on scrimps and cocktail sauce while lounging by the pool. All of the gold accents add to the nautical vibes of the outfit. And last but not least, those navy striped, woven wedges could not be more fitting for a summer picnic complete with a fireworks show!

In case you couldn't tell, this magnificent, sunshiny weather has me daydreaming of spring and summer days spent tubing or sun basking on a motorboat or having sunset dinners on the back of a yacht (à la Revenge!). This outfit definitely took some inspiration from the fashionable Ms. Emily Thorne of the Hamptons, but I digress. 

With spring well on its way, I've really been trying to think about the way in which I live my life and if and how I want to change it. Even though I'm technically "doing everything right" when it comes to school work, I want more. I don't want to steamroll through high school, textbook after textbook, without taking time to enjoy being (relatively) carefree while I still can. So, one of my goals this spring is to "blossom" in all areas of my life, besides academics: my family life, my faith, my friends, my service work, etc. I'll keep you guys updated on how everything's going from time to time, but I challenge each of you to find at least one part of your life in which you can culture yourself and blossom into the person you know you can be!

Outfit Details:

Top // C. Wonder (last summer!)

Skirt // J. Crew

Shoes // Target

Clutch // Michael Kors

*Fun Fact: My "clutch" is actually a MK cosmetic bag that came with an Estee Lauder purchase a couple of years back. Reduce, reuse, recycle, people!

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Thanks so much for taking your time to read this random and jumbled blog post! Let me know in the comments sections a) what your favorite thing about spring is, and b) how are you going to "blossom" in your life during this spring season. I hope each and every one of you has a extra fabulous day! 

*This post is not sponsored by any of the aforementioned brands. I do, however, have a coupon code with Benevolent Jewels (PPCODE20) that will give you 20% off of your purchase!*

how to: accessorize your school uniform!

Hey, everybody! I'm here today to gripe and complain about the dreaded school uniform....yuck. When it comes to boring school uniforms, you are forced to wear shapeless, solid colored separates that "give you a clean and presentable appearance." Ever heard that before?  I know that every school has a different variation of this form of unfashionable torture, so I thought I'd share my ideas on how to differentiate yourself from the monotonous sea of solid black, navy, and white polo shirts and khaki pants. 

1 // Choose your colors wisely!

Even if you can't wear patterns, you can still find great solid colors that suit your skin tone and make you stand out among your peers. For example, at my school, we have to wear solid colored tops with our school's logo embroidered on them. By choosing a soft lavender or a deep green, you can really emphasize your natural features while getting compliments on your unique color choice! 

Land's End has some great options for basic school shirts and is one of my favorite places to shop for flattering tops in vibrant colors. Quick tip: You can shop the regular women's t-shirts for school as well! Just call Land's End to place your order, and they will monogram those shirts with school logos!

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 You can't beat a classic v-neck tee, and this one comes in so many pretty colors!

(plus, it's on sale!!)

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 Loving the navy tips on this basic white polo, and paired with those polka dot chinos,

it 's too cute to pass up!

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Bright magenta + jeans + leopard flats = so cute! I love the way these

polos fit as well (not too boxy!).

2 // Khakis are... cute?

Khakis are a standard choice for bottoms in many school dress codes, and they can often look frumpy and unflattering. If you are required to wear them on a daily basis, you should really spend time making sure you find the perfect pair. Straight leg, bootcut, skinny, boyfriend, cropped... whatever floats your boat! Finding a special style that flatters your body type can make you look much more put together. Also, look into khaki skirts! Especially with the fluted skirt coming back into style (I die over J.Crew's version!!!), a khaki skirt is a way you can add some stylish flair to your outfit.

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Love the combo of army green, khaki, and warm brown!

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You'll definitely stand out in these unique red-brown khakis!

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The shape of this khaki skirt is so flattering, while still being
dress code appropriate!

3 // Belts are your new BFF!

One thing I love to do to spice up a boring "jeans and a t-shirt" outfit is to tuck in the top and add a fun belt. There are so many to choose from, and they are available at all price points. I love finding belts with unique patterns or fun shapes.
A great place to find affordable yet adorable belts is Target. As you can see below, they have everything from leopard to glitter! Their belts are always on trend, and I've found them to be pretty long-wearing, depending on the material. Here are a couple of my faves from Target's line!

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4 // Bold jewelry is a must!

I don't know about anyone else, but I definitely get into a jewelry rut where I wear the same things every day, which is great if you're in a rush and need to look presentable in 10 minutes. However, if you want to stand out in the crowd, you've gotta take some risks! Statement jewelry has been a constant in my wardrobe for the past few years, and I hope it never leaves! My favorite way to incorporate it into everyday wear is to wear navy on navy with a huge, blingy necklace and a pair of killer flats. So polished and chic!

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This Groop Dealz necklace really makes a statement with a splash of teal for spring,
and it comes at such an affordable price!

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This crystal and gold bracelet from Benevolent Jewels will bring some subtle
shimmer to any outfit!

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Benevolent Jewels hits a home run with this bold, floral tortoise shell
statement necklace!

*If you're interested in shopping these Benevolent Jewels pieces, use the promo code PPCODE20 to get 20% off of your order!

5 // Take a chance with some fun shoes!

Shoes are another great way to branch out in your otherwise basic wardrobe. I personally love to wear ballet flats on a daily basis (they add just a touch of chic to even the most boring of outfits!), but there are plenty of other options as well. Some of my other favorites include Sperry's (love my gold ones!), oxfords (classic or patterned!), and Dankso clogs (seriously the most comfortable shoes ever!). A fun pattern, color, or texture is a great way to differentiate yourself (not to mention a conversation starter ;). 

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I am all about anything metallic bronze, so these are perfection! :)

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How ladylike are these Old Navy flats? The gold heel definitely makes
these blush pink flats so much more fabulous!

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Navy and polka dots...how much better can it get?

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Thanks so much for checking out this blog post! Standing out in a dull school uniform is definitely something I struggle with consistently, so I definitely wanted to share my tips and tricks about how to jazz it up with all of you. If you have any further suggestions, please let me know in the comments because I'm always on the hunt for new ways to spice things up! Thank you all so much for your time, and have a great day!

**This post is not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned. I am part of the Benevolent Jewels Ambassador Program and do have a coupon code (PPCODE20) where you can get 20% off of your online order!**

arctic freeze!

Hey, guys! Today, I’m coming to you with perfectly coutured outfit but a frazzled mind… Last week, because of the snow, we had FOUR days off of school (you northern girls are probably laughing at us right about now!). Even though it was SO nice to have a break from the schoolwork and stress, I feel even more worked up and overwhelmed about this week’s workload because we have to cover two weeks’ worth of material in one. 

Do any of you who are also in school have any tips on how you stay organized and top of things? I always feel like there’s so much to manage and not enough time in one day to accomplish it all! I’m thinking about doing a post on my organizational system (anyone interested?) in the near future.

Anywho, I am in love with this gorgeous navy and teal lace dress (from Target… holla!). Though it is chiffon, it’s so easy to dress up or tone down for a more casual look. I know you guys are probably getting sick of my Personalized From Me to You monogrammed necklace, but I could not resist how nicely it paired with this shift dress. I kept the rest of the accessories neutral with a gold bag, nude flats, and navy and gold arm candy.

Dress: Target

Bag: Kate Spade

Necklace: Personalized From Me to You

Bracelets: KJP, J.Crew Factory

Shoes: Target

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Thanks so much for taking the time to read today’s blog post! I really appreciate the support from each and every one of you. I hope you all have a fabulous day!