In Exactly One Month...

I will be flying over this...

The thriving metropolis of South Bend, IN (sarcasm)

...to drive up to this...

The most beautiful campus ever (no sarcasm)

...and I'm so excited!!!

My roommate and I video chatted for about 2 1/2 hours yesterday to discuss our room. There are going to be monograms (obviously). I'm looking forward to seeing my friends, going to football games, and getting back into my old school routine, but I think what I'm looking forward to most is what's going to be different this year. I'm much more involved with student government and hall council, and I'm finally taking classes that are going to be 100% applicable to my career. It's also going to be pretty awesome to know where I'm going and how everything works.

The Sadie Shop

In my excitement for the start of the new semester, I've been looking for some more ND accessories. The other day I stumbled upon this hair bow and there is no chance that I'm going to school without it. A bow will be the perfect girly accessory for football games, where everyone wears the same unisex shirt that is incredibly unflattering. How cute are those polka dots?
I found this by searching "Notre Dame" on Etsy. Every college girl should do this! You're sure to find lots of unique ways to show school spirit.
As there's only 4 weeks until I go back to school, I'm going to do one post a week with a college-related subject, so be sure to comment or email me at somethingpreppy [at] gmail [dot] com with any suggestions or questions!

Outfits Inspired by France

After a very long plane ride, I'm home! I loved loved loved France (who wouldn't?). It was an amazing trip. My mom, sister, and I got to go to Paris, Avignon, Nimes, and many more. Something that surprised me while visiting all of those cities was how diverse they all were. Even though some were in pretty close proximity to each other, the architecture and feel of the cities were very different. In honor of that, I'm going to share with you guys some outfits inspired by my favorite cities. Enjoy!  

1) Paris

Paris doesn't really need much of an introduction. When I was there, I noticed that most Parisians favor the same type of city-chic that many New Yorkers do. Obvious labels are uncommon, and the goal is to make understated pieces shine with bold accessories. The outfit below is almost an exact replica of one that I wore in Paris.

Outfit information on Polyvore

2) Marseille

Marseille is a beautiful port town in the south of France that also happens to be France's first city. As you can see in the picture, the colors of the architecture, boats, and ocean are all extremely vivid. While I was there, it was fairly hot, so I stuck to wearing a dress. This outfit is inspired by the bright colors of the port. 

Polyvore

3) Monte Carlo

We went to Monaco at the very end of our trip, pretty much just to be able to say we'd been to Monte Carlo. While walking around, I noticed that there were a lot of royal guards (according to Google, they're technically called gendarmes). I made this outfit inspired by their uniforms. PS props to them for being able to wear pants in that sweltering heat. 

  

Polyvore

 As much as I loved France, I'm very happy to be back home. If you want to see more outfits like these, you can follow me on Polyvore under the username: somethingpreppy. 

International Carry-On Essentials

I am so so so excited to be going to France very soon! I'll be traveling all around the country for a while, so last night I spent a good amount of time preparing what I'm bringing. I'm very fortunate to be able to say that I have been out of the country many times (as well as a lot of traveling within the US), so I have a lot of experience with packing for long trips. Below are my lists of essentials for your carry-on!

1) Passport (and cute case!)

My sister got me a passport case before a trip to Ecuador years ago. I love how it protects my passport, prep-ifies it, and helps me stay organized during hectic traveling.

Kate Spade

2) Versatile tote

I've used the same Longchamp Le Pliage Large every time I've traveled since the beginning of high school. It's great because it's roomy and light, but still looks good if I want to take it out to dinner with me.

Longchamp

3) Good headphones

No matter where you're flying, there always seems to be an unhappy baby on your plane. These headphones have such good sound quality (and intense bass) that they help cancel out noise while listening to your favorite songs. Even though they may not be the prettiest, they're definitely the best.

Beats by Dr. Dre

4) Eye mask

I started becoming obsessed with these at school when my roommates and I had really different sleeping habits. They made it so easy for me to fall asleep, even with all the other lights on. On long flights in less than ideal sleeping conditions, these are a must. They also come in handy if you're sharing a hotel room with any family members who stay up late.

Pinterest

5) Glasses (if applicable)

Obviously not everyone wears glasses, but if you do don't leave them in your checked bag! I used to fly with my contacts in because I thought I looked bad in glasses, and it was torture. The dry air on the plane and the sleeping I did on the flight made the contacts dry out, causing my eyes to get all red...not attractive. Now I always wear glasses on the plane because they're definitely the more comfortable option over contacts (and I finally got some cute ones!)

Tory Burch

6) iPad/Kindle

I've always been a Kindle girl, but I just got an iPad mini and I'm so excited to travel with it! These are awesome on planes for games, and watching movies, as well as making reading easier since you don't have to lug around all your books (pre-Kindle era, my carry-on used to weigh about 15 pounds because of books).

Apple

What are your travel essentials? Where should I visit in France!?

Things I'm Loving: Pastel Nails

Butter London Kerfuffle, Essie Lilacism, L'Oreal I Do, Butter London Fiver, Essie Fiji

A few days ago, I began doing some planning for my trip to France (more on that to come!). I figured I'd start small by deciding what color nail polish to wear. I was able to narrow it down to five choices, but beyond that I was torn. In an effort to make a decision, I painted each of my nails a different color to see which looked best on my hands. 

The embarrassing thing is, I still can't choose! Since having this funny color combination on my nails, I've really started thinking about how much I love pastel nail polish. That may sound dramatic, but here's why pastel is the best:

1) The colors remind me of Easter and summer, so looking down at my nails always makes me happy

2) They add a pretty pop of color to a look without being overwhelming or drawing too much attention 

3) They look pretty and classy on every skin tone

4) Pastel colors are the perfect way to add a touch of summer to any outfit!

What are your thoughts on pastels? Which is your favorite color? (Please help me choose!!)