New Year Resolutions and How to get Motivated!

We made it! It's officially 2017. A brand new year.  A change to wipe the slate clean if you so please.  I always get excited for the new year.  I know there is a lot of negativity around setting new years resolutions, but in my opinion, it is admirable to try and better yourself! I shared a few more thoughts about new years negativity in my new Odyssey article.  If you would like to read it click here!
Anyways, I thought I would share a few of my resolutions and how I motivate myself to fulfill them!

My first goal is to bullet journal.  A few years ago, I made the goal to become more organized and really utilize a planner.  Since then I become a devote planner user, and have never been more on top of things in my life.  This year, I really want to bullet journal.  Not only about assignments and tasks that I need to fulfill in that day, but personal and spiritual goals that I'm trying to achieve. I purchased a notebook at target for only $3 to really jump start my bullet journal journey. I'm not sure where this journey is going to take me, but I'm excited to get started! 

Sometimes, goals are hard to achieve because life takes over and we lose track of them.  That's why I'm a huge believer in writing your goals down! Go to target, buy a notebook, write it on your calendar, write it on a sticky note and stick it somewhere, whatever you do    Write   It   Down!

I can't stress that enough. Maybe it's because I'm a visual person, but writing things down really helps me to visualize my goals.

Another goal for the new year is to really take my blog to the next level!  I've recently bought a camera and have been experimenting with it! I'm also in the process of buying a blog theme for this site! Blogging is something I love to do, and this year  I am really going to try and take more time doing what I love! I'm planning on using my bullet journal for some blog ideas as well! 

I also picked up this adorable note pad to jot down some ideas.  Like I said, writing things down is such a key for me! There is nothing worse then forgetting an idea that comes to you at the strangest time.  So this year, I'm writing every idea down! 

All in all, new years is such an inspiring time! New years is a time to start fresh, and become inspired again! I hope your new year if full of blessing and love! Happy 2017 everyone!

Until Next Time

Pinky and the Prep

Julie

Top Outfits of 2016

2016 was a special year for me. I got my first job, graduated high school, and started college! I also celebrated my second anniversary of this blog and Instagram! 2016 was also another great year for fashion and makeup! I bought some great pieces, discovered some new brands, and tried out some great products... but those products will be another post ;) Anyways, I thought I would count down my top nine outfits of 2016!

This first outfit was an easy chose! This dress was one of my favorites. I bought it at Old Navy for $10 this summer.  It was the perfect length for me! Being 5'8" usually dresses are too short on me, but this dress was perfect! It hit right above the knee making it appropriate for work and going out.  I paired it with my tie up flats from Gliks.  I feel like those shoes were the shoes of the summer! I saw them everywhere, and they were super comfortable! To top off the outfit I paired my bright pink bubble necklace from Gliks.  This necklace was the perfect pop of color for any summer or spring outfit!

Next up was one of my go to summer to fall looks.  It starts with this beautiful tie dye Piko top from Gliks.  It is super soft, but still looks presentable because of the beautiful tie dye! I paired this top with my go to capri pants.  These jeans are by the bran Kan Can and are from Gliks.  They are insanely comfortable and are super cute! To top of my look I wore my most worn sandal of 2016: The Sanuk Sandal.

This outfit may be similar to the last, but it features my favorite bralette of 2016, this beautiful patterned bralette by Free People. I paired it with a double sided v-neck Piko top.  The v dips low in the back exposing the beautiful bralette! Since distressed denim was huge in 2016, I  had several pairs. This pair is from Forever 21. Last but not least I ended with outfit with another pair of my beloved Sanuk Sandals.

Next up is the outfit I wore for "Wear Your Lilly Day" or more commonly known as The First Official Day of Summer. This is from the Lilly for Target collection.  This maxi dress is super comfortable, and such a statement! I paired it with a thick teal beaded necklace which matched perfectly with the teal in the dress! 

Next up is another super comfortable outfit! This kimono is gorgeous and super comfortable! I paired this kimono with a mint green Piko top that matches the mint green flowers on the kimono (I know, another Piko top.. but these things are really the best!) Paired with this outfit is another great pair of Kan Can jeans!  The distress of these jeans is perfect! And surprise surprise, I paired this outfit with yet another color of my Sanuk Sandals! 

From the waist down this outfit is the same as the last (because come on, how cute are these jeans?) But this top is amazing all because of the back! The back is partly lace! I paired this top with an off white bralette and it makes the back even cuter! The cut of this shirt is also super cute and could flatter any body type! This top was purchased at Gliks!

During the fall time, I was obsessed with vests (when I wasn't in leggings and tee shirts going to class.)  This vest was one of my go to vests.  This vest if from Macys, and the plaid underneath is from Charlotte Russe. On the bottom I wore one of the softest pairs of jeans that I own. These are from Charlotte Russe and have the perfect amount of distress. To close the look off I added a chunky heeled bootie from Macys.

This next outfit is dressier than my usual looks, but still super comfortable! This tee shirt dress is from Old Navy! I love their dresses because they are long enough for me! Not to mention it is super soft! This blanket scarf has also been a huge favorite of mine through fall and winter! This scarf is from Gliks and matches almost anything! I finished the look with a pair of heeled black booties!

 My last outfit is one I wore just this week but I love it! I got this tie up sweater at the Gliks after Christmas sale! It was an amazing sale! This sweater is super soft, but not too heavy. The lace up top has also been a huge trend this year and this sweater hits the nail on the head! I paired this look with another pair of distressed denim from Charlotte Russe and finished it with a classic black riding boot!

While 2016 wasn't the best year in history, it definitely had it's high points, and I will remember it with fond memories! I hope that you all have a fantastic start to 2017 and make this one of the best years yet! Happy New Year!

Until Next Time

Pinky and the Prep

Julie

Easy and Inexpensive Dorm Room Decor!

Hey ya'll! Welcome back! Today I wanted to show you all how I have decorated my dorm room! A few disclaimers, my dorm room is small, and definitely not the most decorated! I just added a few touches to make it feel a bit more homey! I hope you all enjoy and maybe get some inspiration as well!
First things first, the theme of my room was obviously pink.... hello! I'm pinky and the prep! But I figured I should add another color so it is not a pink overload! I picked grey and pink! Since the biggest "decoration" in a room is the bedding I started with a pink comforter from Macy's. I added some gray and white chevron pillows and a throw blanket to seal the the deal! I also added some pink "garlandish" decoration to the top of my bed to add some fun! I found this garland at Target for only $1!  I also bought this super comfortable circle chair at Target.  It is amazing for lounging around and working on homework!

The next area I had to tackle was my closet.  At my dorm, our closets look like holes in the wall! I knew I had to cover that up, and a shower curtain fit perfectly! I went with a gray damask print to add some dimension to the room! I bought the curtain off of amazon for only $15.  On my side of the closet I also hung up my initials.  I got these gold metals letters from Michael's for around $8 a piece! 

If you read my "life update/ Instagram round up" you might of already seen a sneak peak into what my desk looks like. To maximize my  storage I just added some pink and blue desk organizers from the dollar section at target! I bought two of the double drawer sets to store my makeup, and two of the upright paper organizers for pallets, pencils, and my brushes!! I also added this super cute 2016 frame from Francesca's that I found on clearance!  

Before moving into college, I watched a lot of "dorm room tours" on YouTube.  Something almost all the videos had in common was Christmas lights! I found mine at Walmart for $3! They fit perfectly over my window.  I also used clothes pins to pin pictures from the lights. I love the way it turned out! And I am reminded of some great memories and friends every time I look up at the pictures! 

The final "decor" in my dorm room is my wannabe gallery wall! I just added some artwork my friends made for me, a sign from Francesca, and a dry erase calendar from the target dollar section! 

I hope you all enjoyed taking a look into my dorm room. Even though it is not extravagant, and not everything matches, Its home for the next 8ish months!! Thank you all for joining me!

Until Next Time

Julie

Pinky and the Prep

Life Update/ Instagram Round Up!

Hey ya'll! I feel like this past week has been the longest week ever! Some of you may not know but I recently moved to Kansas to attend University.  I have officially been  moved in 2 for weeks  and I feel like I am settling in well. College life is definitely different than life back at home, but I have made a lot of great friends and am loving this college town! Even though my room is small and not as elaborately decorated as some dorm rooms, I thought I would show you all a sneak peak at my desk and how I organize it. I am planning on doing a whole post about inexpensive and easy ways to make your dorm room more spacious and feel more like home!

All my drawers and upright organizers I found at Target in the dollar isle! My makeup brush holders are also from Target in the same isle.  My makeup mirror is from Walmart, and my beloved lamp is from amazon.  I also have to give a huge shout out to my Lilly Pulitzer agenda. There are so many more things to balance in college besides classes, and my planner is the number one reason I have been able to stay on top of everything! 

My agenda is the Lilly Pulitzer 2016-2017 Tusks in the Sun Jumbo sized planner, you can purchase it here. 

Since this is kind of a two in one blog post I also wanted to give you all an update on whats been going on my Instagram! You can follow me here! My two recent pictures have been some sneak peaks at a fall look book coming very soon!  I am also collaborating with some awesome bloggers along the way! Check out my Instagram to see who I collabed with this week!

Now it just has to cool down a little bit in Kansas so I can start wearing some cute fall clothes! Who's with me?

Thank you all for joining me in this more informal blog post!  I hope everyone has a great beginning of fall, whether you are headed back to school or work!  

Until Next Time

Pinky and the Prep

Julie

Whats in my Pool Bag?

Summer is officially here and that means its time to head to the pool! Swimming has always been one of my favorite activities. Laying on a float, soaking up the sun, drinking peach tea, and reading a good book are the key ingredients to the perfect pool day! Since I had such a fun time showing you all what I kept in by bag, I thought I would do an updated version for summer!
First off my pool bag

This bag is from an Etsy shop named "The Chevron Owl."  It is huge, it holds all my lotions, cover ups and towels! It also has a zipper at the top which I love! It makes the bag more secure and prevents things from falling out. 

Next up in my bag is my beach towel.  It is hot pink and huge! I got it at Target at the Lilly for Target event. 

Of course I also have to bring some sunscreen.  I am extremely fair complected, so sun screen is a must! Recently I started using Sun Bum.  Its vegan, dermatologist tested, and has a great consistency.  It feels more like lotion, than a thick sun screen.  I also like to keep a tanning oil with me.  Even though I don't tan well, I try everything I can to get a summer glow. My favorite is the Banana Boat SPF 15 tanning oil. I also always keep my Yeti with me. It's perfect for pool days! I leave it by the pool all day in the heat, and my drink is still ice cold! I also always keep some sunglasses and my Lilly Pulitzer krockies. And lastly I always have a hat! No matter how much sun screen I put on, I sill get burnt! So a hat is essential for me. This hat is from the Fraternity collection. 

I hope you all enjoyed sneaking a peak into my pool bag! I hope your summers are filled with days spent laying poolside! 

Until next tile

Julie 

Pinkyandtheprep 

Preppy Girl Tag!

Since I call myself "Pinky and the Prep" I thought it was only appropriate to do the Preppy Girl Tag!

I hope you all enjoy, and if you think that you're preppy, try the tag!!
1. Your definition of preppy?
I think preppy is classic clothing, always put together and classy!
2. What's your favorite brand?
Well above all has to be Lilly Pulitzer, but that's not my wallets favorite! I also love Tommy Hilfiger and of course all the southern brand like Vineyard Vines and Simply Southern.
3. What's your favorite Lilly print?
Tusk in the Sun
4. J. Crew or Sperry
Sperry
5. Opinion on Oxfords?
I think the shirts are adorable, although I do not own one, and I am not sure if I could pull one off.
6. Duck Boots, Ridding boots, or Hunters?
For day to day I would have to pick ridding boots! But duck boots are a close close second.
7. Navy or Black?
Navy all the way!!
8. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love J. Crew?
I feel like this is going to be an unpopular answer, but I don't shop there much.. so I'll have to give it a 6.
9. Favorite Ralph Lauren item?
Oddly enough, their jeans are my favorite! They are so soft and super flattering!
10. Pearls or Bows?
Pearls!

New Wet and Wild Cosmetics Review

Wet and Wild cosmetics have always been some of my favorites. They do not test on animals, are found at most drugstores, and are an amazing price! While some products are hit and miss, I've usually had great luck with Wet and Wild products! I also wanted to mention that at my local CVS they are currently having a "buy 2 wet and wild products and get the 3rd free" 

The first product I tried was their  new formulated blushes. I first purchased Rosè Champange after my sister pointed it out to me at target. 

This color is GORGEOUS! It's a dusty rose champainge and looks great with a tan! It is the perfect summer glow color. 

The second color I picked up was Pearlescent Pink. This color is also gorgeous! It is a bright coral like pink. 

As for pigmentation, these blushes hit it out of the park. They are soft, creamy, and lay on the skin realy well. I have nothing but good things to say about these blushes! 

(Rosè Champange left, Pearlescent Pink right) 

I did want to mention there is a third color of blushes that came out with the new collection that is a deeper wine color that I have yet to try. But I am confident that it shares the same great quality these blushes do! 

Next up I purchased the Megaglo Illiminating Palette in Catwalk Pink. I was super excited when I saw this at CVS, because I love highlighting especially in the summer! The colors appeared vibrant, and I saw some shades that I was even interested in trying out on my eyes! 

Just as with the blushes, they are soft, creamy, and lay well on the skin. According to the packages, they are the same new formula as the blushes. I was a little bit let down when I swatched them. They still had a great consistency, similar to the blushes, but the color pay off was not as high.

Even though they are not as pigmented as the blushes, they still look beautiful on the skin. I found swirling them together and placing that color on the cheek bones gives a glowy iridescent look! 

Also out of the Megaglo collection I picked up the contouring palette in the shade Dulce De Leche. 

Again, these had the same great consistency that all the other products with this new formula possess. Like the Illiminating pallete, I wasn't super impressed with the swatches. But once I got these powders on my face I was instantly hooked! 

They blend beautifully! And the cooler toned bronzer is perfect for getting a strong contour. The banana shade powder also looks great under the eyes. It helps my concelar to stay in place all day. 

Moving away from powders, I picked up the " All Day Wear Photofocus Setting Spray" So far I have been impressed with this setting spray. It's not too heavy, and it leave my face feeling fresh opposed to wet. It doesn't claim to be a Dewey or Matte finish, but I do find that is keeps my makeup locked in, and prevents me from getting oily. 

The last product I tried out was the "Fine Lines Felt Tip Liner" in black noir. I am a religious liquid eyeliner wearer, so I am always on the hunt for the next best thing. When I saw this on the shelf I knew I had to give it a try. 

It claims to give you ultimate control, that it is smudge proof, and that it is long wearing. I 100% agree with the control aspect. It's super easy to glide along my eye and get a straight line. It is smudge proof, but isn't the most long wearing eye liner I've ever worn. While I didn't see a waterproof version when I was at the store, I bet the waterproof version would be more long wearing.

The pigmentation however was amazing. It is super black, and it is easy to create a thin, or thick line. 

That wraps up my review on some of the new Wet and Wild products! Let me know if there are any other products from this line that I need to try! 

Until next time

Pinky and the prep

Julie 

Current Summer Favorites

The weather is warming up, the rain is leaving, and the pools are open.. must mean summer is here! Since it is officially June, I decided not to do a May favorites but instead start with a current summer favorites! I hope ya'll enjoy and have a fantastic start of your summer!
First up is southern tee's.  Simply Southern, Southern Shirt Co, The Fraternity Collection,  Lily Grace, and Vineyard Vines are just a few of my favorites! They are comfortable, and super cute! They also make the perfect summer outfit.  For running around town, I throw them on with a pair of Nike shorts and call it a day. For a daytime outing, I'll throw one on with a pair of boyfriend jeans!

My next favorite has been boyfriend jeans, specifically distressed boyfriend jeans.  A few places I have purchased mine are Buckle, Gliks, and Forever 21!

Next up on my favorites is bralettes! Pictured above, I am wearing one of my favorite Free People bralettes. I love to wear mine with the Piko double V shirts! They dip low in the front and back to show off the bralette. 

Since I am not in school during the summer I have had a lot more "me time" to do the things that I enjoy! One of my favorite things to do is get my nails done! I've tried acrylics and regular polish, but for about 3 years now I have been a gel nail addict. This past week I was at the salon, and my nail technician suggested I try the powder dipped nails. Making a long story short, I have loved them so far! Later, once I wear them to their fullest and have them removed I will make an in depth blog post comparing them to gel and acrylic. 

Finally, my last favorite has been stacking dainty necklaces. This obsession may have been set into motion by my most recent Kendra Scott purchase. I bought one of the Elisa pendant necklaces. It is gorgeous, and pairs beautifully with other necklaces! I have worn it with almost every outfit and loved it! Can not wait to purchase more of these! 

Thank you so much for joining me today! 

Until next time

Pinky and the Prep

Julie