Fridays Remind Me of My Favorites

11. home videos

12. hardwood floors

13. Asian food

14. the way a horse smells

15. Christmas lights

16. fresh flowers

17. pearls

18. UT football games in Neyland Stadium

19. getting out of class because of snow

20. organization

-Lauren



Songs of the South

Music truly says quite a bit about someone, and if you ever check their iTunes and peek at their "Top 25 Most Played" then things can get personal...real quick. I am not exactly willing to hand over my list of most played songs, anyway. Which is neat because you always hear of artists saying their music speaks when their words fail. I couldn't agree more! I'm no singer or song writer, but I love figuring out someone's favorite genres and artists when I'm getting to know them for the first time and so that is why I decided to share my favorites with y'all! While my favorite genres and artists tend to stay the same, I hope to share my favorite songs each month and find it interesting to see how as the seasons change then my song preferences will probably follow the trend.

Favorite genres: Alternative and Country hands down, and I can't pass on a good acoustic version of any song.

Favorite artists: Taylor Swift, Kip Moore, Hunter Hayes, Ed Sheeran, Landon Austin, and ... One Direction :)

What I Was Listening to in December 2013:
Young Love by Kip Moore
Sweet and Low by Augustana
Shake it Out by Florence + The Machine
Drink a Beer by Luke Bryan
Hold Me by Weezer
Up All Night by Jon Pardi
Missin' You Crazy by Jon Pardi
Chillin' It by Cole Swindell
Those I've Loved by Eric Church
Buzzkill by Luke Bryan
Let Her Go by Passenger
Sundress by Landon Austin

 

I shall leave you with one of my favorite music videos currently, and sorry if there is a side effect of missing summer after watching it...

 

-Lauren

What is a Monday Without a Manicure

A girl can never have too many nail polishes, and since I haven't counted mine in years then I don't think there is ever a final count of one's nail polish collection. Nail polish is definitely one of those beauty items that I use to express myself the most and tend to experiment with far more than I do with clothes and accessories...maybe. I am pretty predictable when it comes to my style, some might say, but I think my friends and family can agree that they never know which polish I will be wearing next.

 

I am going to keep a list going of my favorite shades of polish each month to go along with each season, and will be posting photos of some of my favorites that I actually end up wearing and loving throughout the month.

 

For starters, I am going to share a list of my favorite brands and why they stand out in my collection, and a list of brands I dislike and why I tend to stay away from purchasing them in the future. Also, I will list brands I want to try but just haven't yet. I absolutely love painting my nails and use it almost as a stress relief and a way to express how I feel at the moment, but I definitely have it down to a science and really like the process I have created so I will also be sharing that as well.

 

My favorite nail polish brands:
(in no particular order)
OPI - thick brush, smooth application, large handle, long lasting, approx. $9.00
Deborah Lippmann - amazing glitters, smooth application, unique range of colors, approx. $17-22
butter London - "3 free" polish, unique range of colors, smooth application, long lasting, approx. $15
Revlon - smooth application, long brush, long lasting, under $10
Sally Hansen: Complete Salon Manicure - smooth application, long lasting, unique brushes, under $10
Sally Hansen: Triple Shine - smooth application, great glitters, long lasting, unique brushes, under $10
nails inc. - unique range of colors, small bottle, smooth application, under $10
Lancôme - very smooth application, rich colors, long brush, approx. $15

 

My least favorite nail polish brands:
(in no particular order)
Essie - dislike the design of the bottle, thin brush, pastel shades never apply correctly, wide range of colors, under $10
Julep - design of bottles are too small and not practical, good polish but dislike the bottle shape, wide range of colors, approx. $14 and under
Sephora by OPI - wide range of colors but I dislike the thin brush, good polish, under $10
Sinful Colors - wide range of colors, under $5, brush is thin, good polish
 

Brands I want to try:
Dior
Marc Jacobs
Illamasqua
Zoya
 

The nail polishing process:

1. Apply cuticle remover to your cuticles and let sit for 2-3 minutes, push back cuticles, and wash hands with soap and warm water.
2. Take nail polish remover to remove any previous polish or residue from your nails.
3. Cut nails and file to desired shape.

4. Apply a clear base coat to prevent staining, longer lasting polish, prevent chipping, and allow for smoother application of the shade you choose next. Making sure the base coat dries.

5. Choose a color and apply two coats, or more depending on polish. Making sure to start at bottom of your nail near your cuticle and working your way towards the tip of your nail applying even and smooth strokes. Allow enough time to dry.

6. Apply a clear top coat to ensure your polish doesn't chip, lasts a long time, and remains shiny.

-Lauren

Too Late for a Wishlist?

It never hurt anyone to make a wish list for Christmas, even if it is five days away...

 

It is always a tradition of mine to make a list of things I want for my birthday and Christmas the day of Thanksgiving to rummage through the sales papers advertising for Black Friday. I would neatly cut out my favorite items and tape them onto a blank sheet of printer paper, being careful to label which store, color, and size, and cheekily hand it to my parents and Memaw before they started their holiday shopping. Although, this year was different as I flipped through the advertisements, I realized I couldn't find anything I wanted. Don't get me wrong, I had some pieces of jewelry and clothing items in mind, but they were all on the Internet... That's the moment I knew I was addicted to online browsing. I say browsing because it takes a lot for me to take the plunge and actually purchase something online. I realized I was growing up because the things I admired weren't found in your average Black Friday sales or advertisements and this led me to my first Christmas list made electronically. Others might say they know they've grown up when they pay their first bill, but I guess we all hit that wall at different points in our life...

 

It is highly unlikely any of these items will make their way under the tree this year, but it would be wrong to break tradition and there is always shopping after the holidays before I have to start my spring semester...

 

So without further ado, I have comprised a list of items I have been pinning on Pinterest and eyeing this winter season. (P.S. be prepared for a lot of J.Crew.)

 

 

1. J.Crew collaborates with Sperry Top-Sider quite a bit and I fully support their cause. Duck boots are cute already, but J.Crew and Sperry put a unique twist on these winter staples. I got my first pair this time last year in the brown and red tone. The shearling lining keeps your toes nice and toasty, but the playful colors and patterns give them a preppy essence.

 

 

2. If you combine jewels and llamas what do you get? I don't have an answer for that, but I have really fallen in love with J.Crew's llama sweater and you can count on me making a visit to my local J.Crew to try it on for size very soon.

 

 

3. Coats are one of my weaknesses in the winter time, and if you are an avid Gossip Girl fan like me then you know how much of an impact a coat can have on an outfit. And you guessed it, J.Crew has a cloth trench that has gorgeous button and buckle detailing. Not to mention, the frosted citrus color is just plain beautiful.

 

 

4. Us girls are allowed to dress down sometimes too, ya know? This Patagonia pullover is exactly what I'd wear on a cold morning to class or if I went on a hike with my family. A patterned one is my first choice!

 

 

5. Every Southern belle needs a pair of cowgirl boots and I embarrassingly admit I do not own one single pair. It is my mission to get a pair this winter, at least before the 2014 football season, anyway! Ariat has the most comfortable pairs of boots that I've tried on so far, and the styles are very rugged yet fashionable and this Sahara style fits what I've been looking for.

 

 

6. I am a lover of makeup, and Bobbi Brown makes gorgeously pigmented shadows and blushes that I've always wanted to try. This Old Hollywood eye shadow palette and shimmer brick in particular are my current obsessions.

 

 

7. Everyone needs a watch. Well, two watches in my opinion. An athletic one such as an Armitron or Timex that can get wet and dirty, and a fancy one to dress up that arm because what's wrong with checking your wrist for the time instead of being rude and checking your phone every so often. Kate Spade will always be my favorite designer and her watches never disappoint. Besides, who can resist that cute little pink spade among that simple silver.

 

 

8. On campus it gets pretty chilly during the transition from fall to spring semester and gloves are my friend. I really need some that are compatible with my phone, and these Nike running gloves are perfectly girly with the pink and polka dots. Not to mention they are tech friendly!

 

 

 

9. Statement necklaces, statement necklaces, statement necklaces! I can't say it enough and I can't seem to buy enough. I drool over J. Crew's jewelry but never actually purchase them. I have to justify the amount, and figure I should wait until I get a big girl job. For now, I will just scroll through the website and add more to my wish list.

 

 

10. Last but not least, thought I'd throw in an item that is forever on my wish list...

 

 

 

I wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, and don't forget to make your own list!

-Lauren