Monday, August 31, 2015

Gearing Up For College with Office Depot

Hello second week of school! In some ways it felt like I never left Furman and yet I am still in disbelief that I am an upperclassmen (there are juniors in high school that look older than I do).  With apartment decorating and getting settled back into the stresses that come with beginning a new school year I took a trip to get some of my favorite things, school supplies, at Office Depot and wanted to share my finds with y'all!


I tend to gravitate towards the same sort of school supplies each year but the wide selection available at Office Depot had me wanting to try all of their different products, specifically those from their own brand! Whether it be their notebooks, backpacks, or desk supplies I spent far more time than necessary browsing around since they have styles college students want at prices that are affordable!


After being in a trance due to all of the great options I forced myself to look at my list and begin gathering the products I actually came to get! For me, my first essential is without a doubt notebooks. I specifically love Five Stars 3 subject and 1 subject college ruled notebooks! The covers are durable, the pages don't tear out like some notebooks do, and they come in lots of fun colors with folders that match. Since I am taking four classes this semester (that is what all students at Furman do) I picked up four different Five Star notebooks and matching folders for each. These are light weight and allow me to fit all of my supplies for class and heavy textbooks in my back pack without feeling weighed down. I take all of my notes in these notebooks and use the folders to put my syllabus, study guides, article readings, and other assignments organized into the pockets. I really love having separate color coated supplies for each class since it is easy to grab them and go on my way out the door but if you don't mind having multiple classes in one place Office Depot had great binder options and stylish accordion folders that would put a twinkle in just about anybody's eyes!


Since notebooks aren't exactly useful without a writing counterpart I picked up two different styles of black pens. The first have always been my go to and those are the BIC Atlantis pens. They write so smooth and have a ball point which makes my notes smooth and smudge free. Another great thing is that they aren't expensive so you can stock up now and be set for the school year! A new type of pens I tried this year are the BIC Velocity pens which have a smaller point and are gel based instead of ball point. These have been great when I am writing to-do lists or notecards since they are a bit more fun to write with and I love the way they make my handwriting look a bit more professional. 


Highlighters are another must have for me and I always purchase Sharpie's packs of highlighters. I especially love these with the skinny tip and multitude of yellow highlighters since those are always the ones I run out of first! I highlight in my textbook, agenda, and even sometimes in my notes or on study guides I make and I find that that is a wonderful way to make key information pop. 

Lastly, notecards are my study tool of choice. Writing things down is a proven way to help you learn information and writing down key terms or facts onto notecards has been a way of quizzing myself on information that I have used since intermediate school. I like both ruled and unruled depending on the subject matter and I typically try to buy the least expensive versions of each since I go through them so quickly. Office Depot had a pack of 300 for a great price so I went ahead and got a couple and sadly am already realizing that I'll probably have to go and get more before the semester ends.


A word to the wise when you go into Office Depot, if you don't want to spend *all* of your money then don't go down their desk supply aisle. I was so tempted to buy one of everything. Maybe I should have since a stylish desk may make me want to study more! 

I will definitely be showing y'all how I organize my notes and organization posts of that sort in the very near future so be on the lookout for those fun posts! And for those of you just getting back into the groove of classes like me I hope you're having a great week.

 What are your favorite back to school supplies?

This post is sponsored by Office Depot, Inc. and Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Prep In Your Step possible! 

Friday, August 28, 2015

Step Into My Week

The school year has begun and that means … (drumroll please) … Friday Step Into My Week Posts are back! So, if you are new around here you may not know what this entails but basically "step into my week" is a play on my blog's name and is my way of showing you what I've been up to throughout the past week! I can not tell y'all how thrilled I was to hear that you enjoy these posts and missed them this summer since I always had hesitations that these posts may appear as me being lazy and coming up with a way of avoiding posting actual content. I love sharing my life with you through this means and am excited to be back doing so since I am easing back into a routine.

Recently I have come up with another fun way to share my daily life with you through snap chat (@prepstepsnaps) and I would love for y'all to follow along in that way as well! This past Friday I drove back to Furman to begin my junior year (I just typed sophomore and had to delete it, if that doesn't describe my disbelief I'm not sure what will). On Friday night two of my roommates and I went to watch the Furman Women's soccer team in their opening match which they won. Freshman orientation had just begun so it was a bit crazy but also very refreshing to see so many new faces on campus. Saturday we moved into our apartment living room and then Sunday I was able to move into my apartment bedroom, kind of a crazy two days! While neither space is finished the progress is coming along nicely and I look forward to sharing the final product with y'all. I was so glad to have my mom come up to help me move in and enjoy some of my favorite Greenville restaurants with me! If you're local, we went to Tupelo Honey on Friday night, Soby's Saturday night (my mom could not stop raving about their She Crab soup and I can't say that I disagree), and a new one to us, Stax before my mom left around 8:00 on Monday. And to be real with you, yes, there are always a few tears involved when leaving my house and family! 




I feel like beginning apartment life is almost like taking a big jump to adulthood even though I technically live on campus. My own bedroom at school is so new to me as is having a kitchen and responsibility of buying groceries and food to cook instead of just snacks! After breakfast with my mom Monday morning I hit the ground running when it came to getting a few more apartment related decorations and groceries. My big, Caroline and I probably hit every store in one area of town and met for lunch at Whole Foods. I had a meeting at 4:30 and then that night was one of the first back to school parties of the semester. I've never been a huge partier but back to school ones are always my favorite since you are able to see people you haven't seen since the previous semester. My pledge class came over for dinner at our apartment before we went and then we headed to the event! 




Classes started Tuesday and I have quickly discovered that it is a bit of a hike to get from my apartment to the main academic area of campus. I've decided that I really want to purchase a fit bit of some sort (leave your recommendation of which one below) to track my steps and mileage since I am walking a ton. I have also discovered that it is over a mile just to get to our gym from my apartment which makes getting there a workout in and of itself. Even with that, the pros definitely out weigh the cons of apartment life.

Wednesday was more of a full day for me since I had class at 10:30, 12:30, and 5:45 with an event at 4:00 representing my sorority in between. As much as I was dreading my night class prior to attending I think it will be a lot better than I imagined seeing as I have some fun friends in the class with me. After that class I went for a sunset run around our lake on campus (have I mentioned that Furman's campus is beautiful?) and came back and cooked myself dinner (rosemary chicken, green beans, candied pecans - yep those were home made too). I was pretty proud of myself and definitely sent a photo of my home cooked meal to my parents for them to have proof of my leap into "adulthood." 

Thursday was another day of getting adjusted back into the routine of classes and I spent a lot of the day doing reading assignments for class. This semester definitely seems to be a textbook heavy semester and it is so tempting to grab one of my books and read it comfily on bed instead of attentively at my desk but fortunately I haven't caved just yet (since making it three days is VERY successful). 

As for this weekend, there are other fun back to school parties and events happening and I am sure I'll be trying to get ahead on blogging as well but fortunately you'll get to see all of that in next week's "step into my week post."

For what has currently been on my radar around the web this week I have 2 incredibly cute kid videos (the elementary education major in me is showing) to share with y'all both of which my dad told me about! They are so cute and will surely put a smile on your face! The first one is a future cat lady and the second video involves twin toddlers who will surely remain a bit sneaky in years to come! 




Another video that I saw floating through Facebook and all around the web was from Taylor Swift's LA concert where she did a duet with Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe from Friends) and as a Friends fan myself I couldn't help but love a recent reference to Smelly Cat! 


I hope y'all had a great week and are excited that it is Friday! 
I would love to hear what you've been up to and if you're excited to have "step into my week posts" back in your blog roll! 

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Organization Inspiration

Having moved into my apartment on Sunday I have spent a lot of this week figuring out the best way to make my space functional and organized in a way that makes sense for my daily life. I am loving the layout and how I placed furniture in my room but I still feel like there is a lot of space that needs to be filled with art or other knick knacks since I have so much storage in this new room! 

As I always do when I am looking for a bit of inspiration I headed over to pinterest to look for some ideas for decorating and organizing. Usually I'll just scroll through the main page but this time I instead decided to look through some of the boards I already pin to with the most useful being my organize board. 

Since I am eager to share my finished apartment bedroom with y'all but don't have it completely situated I thought it could be fun to share some of my favorite pins from my pinterest spree with y'all! If you want to follow along you can find me on pinterest here.


Happy Thursday! One of y'alls favorite post series will be back up and running again tomorrow, see y'all then!

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

First Day of School Confidence Boosters

The first day of school is always a bit nerve wracking. I am a junior in college and still get first day jitters, and no it isn't from the coffee. Whether you've been eat the same school with the same people since kindergarten or you are a brand new college student I think just about everyone is a little anxious about their first day of a school year. Whether that be anxious-nervous like you're dreading it or anxious-excited like you're looking forward to it (Parent Trap anyone?) it helps to go into the day and school year with a bit of confidence!

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Although my first day of class was yesterday when you are in college the first two days both feel like the first day of school since you have different classes. While I obsessively check to make sure that my backpack is packed and my schedule is on my phone sometimes that isn't enough for me to feel confident for the first day. I have learned that that is ok but have also learned to implement a few great confidence boosters that I thought would be useful for any of you that may be a bit anxious about the first day as well!

Smile
It's hard to feel bummed or unhappy when you are smiling. Doing this is such an easy way to show others that you are inviting and friendly and will likely lead to more people wanting to talk to you! When walking to class each day it is hard not to be excited to see people I know so be sure to smile and wave to them as a familiar face definitely leaves me more confident.

Be Positive
No one likes to be surrounded by negative people all the time. By having a positive attitude you will likely be taking on the day with a better outlook which will hopefully in turn lead to more confidence. 

Say Hello and Compliment Others
While getting compliments is great giving them can be even better. If you love someones haircut or notebook be sure to tell them! This is a great way to strike up a conversation and get acclimated with others which leaves me less anxious.

Wear a Favorite Outfit
Being confident about what you are wearing is so important because it also leads to the way you carry yourself. Specifically wear some of your favorite pieces in the first few days of school so that you don't have to worry about your outfit and can instead focus on meeting new people and adjusting to a new environment. 

Sit Up Straight 
People seem so much more approachable when they aren't slouching. Whether you are sitting or standing making sure you have good posture is a great way to keep yourself engaged while showing others that you are confident about your work and serious about school.

Get a Good Breakfast
I can't do anything successfully when I am hungry and I definitely do not feel confident when my stomach is growling. Getting a good breakfast in the morning is crucial!

Go With a Friend
Driving to school or walking to class with a friend is a great way to calm any first day jitters you may have. I have discovered that my apartment is about a mile from my classroom buildings and walking to class with a friend is a great distraction from any thoughts that may be going through my head! 

Be Organized
I feel most confident at school when I have my act together and for me this comes by means of organization. Use a planner, write down your work, and come prepared and you will surely feel more confident about your day! 

Whiten Your Teeth 
I know I talked about smiling already but using whitening strips or something of the sort is a great and easy way to boost  your confidence. I find that I smile more after I've whitened my teeth and there are lots of whitening strips that are affordable that will allow this to be an easy way to boost your confidence. 

Don't Compare Yourself to Others
So you've probably heard before that comparison can be the thief of joy and that statement is so true. If you're comparing yourself to others it is going to be a lot more difficult to be confident in yourself so try to drop the comparisons and instead compliment people when you find yourself wanting to compare.

Listen to Your Favorite Song on the Way
I don't know about y'all but singing along to my favorite song puts me in such a great mood and always boosts my confidence. Listening to a great playlist in the morning had become my new favorite thing to do to boost my mood and confidence each day! 

Reward Yourself
One of my favorite tips! Rewarding yourself can be through a tasty treat at the end of a good day or a new but useful purchase that will make you excited and confident. A great reward to get could be a new piece of clothing that you fee confident and comfortable in! I am planning on rewarding myself with a back to school gift of a fit bit so that I can track how much I am walking around each day and find the trek to class more enjoyable and positive which will hopefully in turn boost my confidence.

Workout
I always feel much more confident after I workout and I also find that it is a great way to relieve stress. In the words of Legally Blonde "endorphins make you happy" and happy people appear more confident. 

And if you need an extra boost of encouragement then this girl is your go to, strive to be like her, I know I am! Remember, "you can do anything good!"

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

DIY Dorm/Apartment Headboard

Move in day for me was this past Sunday and it turned out to be quite the undertaking. I am a planner by nature and of course had been envisioning how my apartment bedroom would look all summer so I was very excited about finally moving in but also a bit nervous about if things would turn out as well in real life as they had in my head! 

Thankfully, my mom came to help me and although I was kind of stressed throughout some of the day overall she helped to make it look wonderful. This did however, take some preparation is advance as I insisted wanted to make a headboard this year as I had in past years. (If you haven't seen photos from my freshman and sophomore years of college then you may not remember the original DIY headboard post but be sure to check all of those posts out to see what I am talking about!) Fortunately my mom is pretty handy when it comes to assisting me with those sorts of projects so I gathered some supplies and we completed my headboard for my bedroom. 


The fabric I chose for my headboard is what inspired the entire color scheme for my bedroom and I am loving the way my room is turning out so far. I will definitely be sharing the finished result with y'all  but it may be in a few weeks since there is still a little bit of decorating left to do. I think the headboard really adds a nice touch and pulls the whole room together while making it extra homey!

Making a headboard (at least the past 2 times I've done it) hasn't been too difficult and would be an awesome addition to any bedroom not just a dorm or apartment! Here are the details about how we went about making mine this year for my full size bed! 

Supplies Needed:
- Luan Board (this should be cut depending on bed size but for my full size I went with 56 inches wide by 40 inches tall). I purchased it at Lowes and they were able to cut it to the proper dimensions for me.
- Fabric of your choice. (I ended up using 2 different fabrics)
- Foam, we always use a foam mattress topper.
- Thinner foam mattress topper, Walmart has great options for this! Batting also works great for this step.
- Circle Saw or Jig Saw if you're looking to cut your headboard into a different shape.
- Staple Gun + Staples
- Scissors
- Spray Adhesive
- Iron and Ironing Board

How to Make:

1. Gather all of your supplies. We did this the day before we started the project because we had some hiccups trying to get the wood. Some of the best advice I can give you is to get your wood from Lowes because they can cut it for you (many smaller hardware stores are not allowed to cut it for you). Lauan wood is sold for about $10 in an 4 X 8 sheet. We had the friendly man helping us at Lowes cut my sheet to the exact dimensions I wanted (56'' x 40'') which is so much easier than cutting it yourself. If you do choose to cut yours into a different size or shape be sure to sand the edges so they aren't so rough and won't snag your fabric! I chose to go with a square because of the fabric I was using to cover it and it's definitely the easiest shape to work with. 

 

2.  Instead of searching for foam an getting it cut from a fabric store my mom and I used a twin foam mattress pad ($10-$15) and pieced the foam so that it would fit the headboard size. Next, we took the headboard outside and used spray adhesive (follow directions on can) to attach the foam to the wood. After that we used another foam mattress pad (much thinner) over the entire headboard to soften up the edges and ensure that the foam would stay in place. We staple gunned that foam around to the back side and pulled tight as we worked around the headboard. 



3. Next you will want to iron out your fabric and then cut it so that you have room to fold it up along the back side and staple it but be sure not to leave too much excess because that can make it hard to manage. I made the mistake of not making sure that my fabric was wide enough so this was a slight set back but resulted in an even better looking headboard. So since it wasn't wide enough we took some of the solid fabric we were using for my bed skirt and covered the headboard in that and then centered the patterned fabric leaving a slight border on the sides of the other fabric. 

4. Finally, begin stapling the fabric to the headboard. We folded the corners like presents and it kept the fabric very tight however when you are doing the final side of our headboard be sure to pull the fabric pretty tight so that you don't leave any parts gaping!

This is my finished result in my new room! 



You now have the perfect headboard and it cost you less than $30! I am not sure exactly how much fabric we ended up using but I believe it was around 2 yards for the full size headboard.

Monday, August 24, 2015

How To Be A GREAT Roommate

Yesterday was move in day for me to kick off my junior year of college at Furman University. I still can't fathom the fact that I am an upperclassman AND am halfway finished with college. If anyone has any insight on how that happened I would love to know! One of my favorite things about Furman is the ability to live on campus all four years of college. Over the past two years I have lived in dorms with a roommate and this year I upgraded an apartment that I am sharing with 3 roommates! 

You could say I have a bit of experience when it comes to living with other people so I thought it could be helpful for any of you new college students to share the tips I have to make your living situation comfortable and cooperative! 


Although this year we all have our own rooms within the apartment we still have a great deal of shared space that needs to be respected so you can bet I'll be checking back to some of these tips myself to make sure that our living situation is a great one! 


1. Communicate Expectations at the Beginning | By starting out by clearly stating the expectations you each have, those expectations are more likely to be a reality. This beginning communication is crucial as you begin living together. If you're really particular about certain things, let your roommate know of that! communication is key for having a great experience!

2. Lock the Door | This should go without saying. I do not understand my friends who don't lock their dorm room doors! How terrible would you feel if you left the door unlocked and your laptop and great grandmothers pearl necklace were taken. Now picture if that same thing happened to your roommate and it was your fault. Locking your door takes about 15 seconds and is an easy way to prevent conflict. A fun bonding event could be you and your roommate shopping for cute key rings to keep your key on!

3. Give Your Roommate Alone Time In The Room | This is something that I think everyone should be conscious of and I personally had to focus on during second semester of this past year. It is unlikely that your roommate and you will have identical schedules so by just going to class you are already likely providing your roommate some time alone in the room. In college you are surrounded by people nearly all the time so a little alone time in your own space is nice! Go to the library or the gym to allow  them some alone time.

4. Respect Your Roommates Things | This is something you and your roommate can talk about when you communicate your expectations, as suggested in tip #1. I would recommend that you always ask before borrowing even if y'all decide that your stuff is my stuff and my stuff is your stuff.

5. Make A Roommate Agreement | Furman does this at the beginning of the year for all freshmen and that may be why so many roommate relationships are a success. This is a survey of sorts that we did with our RA that covered questions ranging from: How do you feel about room visitors? / What do you think of your roommate borrowing your things? These questions provided great insight into your roommates lifestyle.

6. Be Courteous of their Schedule | Your roommate goes to bed early and you need to stay up late and study? Turn off the overhead light and allow her to sleep and flip on your desk light so that you can still see to study! Today is your roommates sleep in day and you have class at 8:30? Try to turn your alarm off after the first couple rings and be quiet as you head out the door!

7. Be Clean and Cleanup After Yourself | Nothing is more annoying than coming back from a rough day of class to dishes in the sink and clothes strewn about because someone had a presentation today. You wouldn't want to do this to your roommate and hopefully your roommate won't do that to you! Your room doesn't have to be as immaculate as a museum but try to keep things organized and your stuff on your side of the room. Take turns taking out the trash and vacuuming the room!

8. Deal With Problems As They Arise | Don't let emotions and conflict build up between you and your roommate. If you deal with problems as they arise corrections can be made instead of you just assuming your roommate will pick up on your passive aggressive hints. Don't blow up on your roommate, everything after that will just be uncomfortable.

9. Be Intentional With Your Relationship | You're going to the dining hall to grab some coffee, ask if your roommate wants some or wants to come. Going to the grocery store, see if your roommate needs anything! Just by offering you are allowing your roommate to see that you want to get along and you are finding ways to grow closer. 

10. Offer Help | See that your roommate is struggling with something? Offer assistance! It won't go unnoticed and it's likely that help will be offered to you in return.

Didn't feel like reading that? Hear me discuss the same tips in this video I made for y'all!

I hope these tips help you to forge a positive relationship with you roommate! If you have any other ones I may have forgotten leave them below!

PS this is nearly identical to the post I did last year (here) which is to date my most viewed post ever! I thought that was a fun fact to throw in for y'all! Happy Monday! 

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Meet Madeline from Madeline and Company!

Preparing posts for this week has been an absolute blast since I've been ecstatic to share all of these various posts with y'all. This one is no different as I am excited to share my new favorite backpack with you as well as introduce you to the ambition teen behind the brand! 


I came across Madeline and Company on instagram last month and was floored to see that although the brand was launching the following month they had already built a successful following which couldn't be too difficult considering how adorable their backpacks are. When Madeline (seen above modeling 2 of her backpacks) reached out to me a few weeks ago I jumped on the opportunity to share her company with y'all in order to encourage her success. Madeline is a senior in high school who instead of spending her summer by the pool or hanging out on the couch created her own company and developed her perfectly preppy backpacks.


I had so much fun communicating with her (she's seriously the sweetest) and hearing all of her ideas and passion for the brand she's developed. Madeline volunteered to answer some questions about Madeline and Company as well as the back to school season that I am thrilled to be sharing with y'all. I did my best to think of some creative ones so I hope you'll enjoy reading through her answers and seeing the backpack I chose in action.


When did this design idea start coming to you and what was your biggest motivation for getting your brand started? 
I searched for a backpack for the past three years of high school, but I could never find one that incorporated everything I wanted. If I found a backpack that was functional, it would not be cute. If I found one that was somewhat stylish, it would be way too small. I definitely knew there must be other girls like me trying to find the same thing. My biggest motivation came from those around me. I have the best family, and I wouldn’t have actually followed through if it weren’t for their support. 


What design feature were you most eager to incorporate into your backpack design?
I absolutely love the stripe lining on almost all of the bags! It is something I really haven’t seen before in school bags, so I was so excited to add this fun little feature! The bag is designed so that it stands upright when you have books inside (unlike most backpacks I’ve seen), so you can always see the stripes when it is open! 

 
Where do you gain inspiration?
Everything! I absolutely love classic colors plus a little metallic. Between my Mom’s design books and old J. Crew catalogs, I’ve found plenty of classic meets modern design. And who doesn’t love Pinterest inspiration? 

What has been the most exciting part of the process in creating Madeline and Company so far? 
I’ve had several pinch-me moments so far, but probably one of the most exciting things has been getting the first prototype bag in the mail from the factory! To see something we had only envisioned and talked about come to life was really fun! 

I love that you are able to participate in these business endeavors with your mom! Since I always feel like my mom is right and her advice is accurate what do you think has been her best advice/input thus far? 
She has taught me when you believe in something, there is always a way to make it work. When we were designing our “about us” page, we were initially told that it would be too difficult to create our own styled photo. My Mom wanted to make it happen, and eventually we worked it out. I was ready to give up after we were told no. I’m so glad I didn’t because it’s one of my favorite parts of the website! It really gives people a glimpse of who we are!

Since you're not only a business owner but also a high school senior, what are you most looking forward to during your senior year? 
I go to a small high school, so I’m looking forward to all of the fun little traditions our school and community does for the seniors. I feel so fortunate to have grown up in such a tight knit community, so I know I will cherish our final year together.


What is your go to school outfit? And which Madeline and Company backpack color scheme do you plan to use on the first day?

I think I probably end up wearing something striped at least twice a week! My go to outfit would have to be a stripe shirt with white jeans and gold shoes. It’s something super easy to throw on, yet still looks pulled together. I haven’t officially picked out my backpack yet, but I’m leaning toward the navy with Carolina blue and gold. That could easily change, though––I like them all!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

My Go-To School Supplies

One of the best parts of going back to school in my opinion has always been new school supplies! When I was younger and had a list of items to purchase I would spend so long picking out my items so that they looked just right and were the way I liked them. Well, not much has changed aside from the fact that in college there are no supply lists and instead you get to choose the items entirely on your own. Good thing I can drive because I don't think any of my family members would want to come with me list-less to shop for school supplies since they know that could take forever. 

Over the years I've discovered which school supplies I like most and tend to gravitate towards the same products year after year! I thought it could be fun to share these favorites with you!


For me, I like to ditch the binders and instead stick to a folder and notebook combination. A matching color scheme makes these easy to spot and the duo helps to ensure that you don't just shove your handouts into your notebook with no rhyme or reason. Colorful pens pair perfectly with your agenda and if you couldn't tell, I love color coordinating! I'll be sharing my agenda organization but basically I choose a color pen for a class and stick with that all semester long and Le Pens are my go to and have been for years! Highlighters and black pens are a no brainer for me as are index cards for test studying and memorizing! Lastly, how cute is this backpack!? I have a post all about it tomorrow and can't get over how pretty and functional it is!

Want to hear me ramble a bit more about each of these products and a few other favorites? Watch this video I made for y'all!


I would love to know what your go-to school supplies are! 

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Last Minute Lilly Sale Favorites

I have had so much fun sharing sale tips and finds with y'all and wanted to pop back in to share one last round up before the sale ends this evening! The photos below are all ones I had taken to share on instagram (@prepinyourstep) throughout the sale so if you don't follow me feel free to check it out. 





The Lilly Pulitzer sale ends tonight at midnight so if you've been putting off some fun Pulitzer purchases then now is the time to pull the trigger. I found it useful in my last post to divide things up by sale so I've done the same for this post as well. If you've already shopped definitely leave me a comment letting me know what you purchased!


under $50: callahans (lots of prints + patterns) // racer back tank // patterned halter // iridescent dot tank // popover // workout jacket // beach tote // firework skirt // sandals 

Monday, August 17, 2015

Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale is Live + My Picks + Giveaway Reminder

Good Morning! If you couldn't tell my excitement in my last two posts (tips + giveaway) today is the day of the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale and I am pretty thrilled. Lilly hosts two major sales a year so when these come they draw a lot of attention with all of the fabulous deals from such a fun brand.
(This post will likely be updated a lot throughout the day so be sure to check back periodically).

The sale began at 8AM ET(ish) and lasts until Tuesday evening so there is lots of shopping to be done in this short time frame. If you haven't already checked the sale out then click on over as fast as you can to Lilly Pulitzer's site! If you're still on this page without shopping first then I am definitely questioning your judgement. 

Being on central time I set my alarm a bit too early for this being my last week of summer and was up and ready to shop as soon as the sale went live. This year Lilly has a virtual line to get into the sale which is something they've never done before but hopefully it helps to ensure that the site doesn't crash and payments can be processed. The only downside I see to this is that once you checkout once you're put back into line. While this may not seem like a big deal items in your cart are not reserved and checking out more than once is encouraged which could mean that you aren't able to peruse the whole site if you're hoping to snag whatever items are in your cart. That's just me thinking out loud though!

I, of course, had to go through the site once for myself before sharing tons of great finds with y'all but here they are! I have made it super easy for you by showcasing some of my favorite items from the sale in this image, linking the products below, AND including an additional way to shop at the bottom of this post! Hopefully this makes your shopping successful and a bit more fun and interactive! PS, many of these pieces come in different prints and colors! 


A breakdown of some great deals by price!



Under $20: tank // phone case // wristlet // necklace // flip flops 
Under $30: v-neck (lots of prints) // murfee scarf // phone cover w/ charger // cosmetic pouch // travel pant (such a steal) // ruffled top
Under $50: wrap // shorts // ruffle top // tunic // sweater // short // scallop shorts // halter

If you couldn't get your full dose of Lilly items from the sale I have an incredibly fun giveaway going on featuring Lilly items that would be perfect for heading back to school! You can see the giveaway in the original post here or you can enter on this post if you'd like by following the guidelines beneath the giveaway photo! 


What's included in the giveaway… 

How to enter the giveaway…
(ends August 23rd)

1. Go to Lilly Pulitzer's site and choose your current favorite print (prints page here).
2. Follow me on instagram @prepinyourstep.
3. Leave a comment on this post letting me know your favorite Lilly print, instagram name, and email address so that I can directly contact the winner! 

I'll be emailing the winner directly to get their shipping address so it is crucial to leave an email address you check often in your entry comment! I wish you all could win but good luck and happy entering! 

Be sure to enter that giveaway and also let me know what you may have gotten from the sale! Hopefully I'll hear all success stories and lots of happy Lilly ladies excited about their sale purchases!

Here are more of my favorites from the sale! Click the image to be taken to it on Lilly Pulitzer's site! Happy Shopping! 

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Lilly Pulitzer Sale Reminder + Lilly Pulitzer GIVEAWAY

If you didn't see Friday's post it is definitely not one you want to miss especially if you're a Lilly lover like myself! Although Lilly Pulitzer has been very hush hush about their sale but they just announced that the sale will be starting tomorrow morning (8AM EST) and continue through Tuesday. I hope to keep y'all updated through the blog and social media about the amazing deals (most pieces are around 50% off if not even more). Lilly did announce that this year the sale will be set up a bit differently and instead of everyone crowding the site at once you will be placed in a virtual line. Let's hope the line moves quickly but I guess we will have to figure that out in the morning. Before the sale begins however creating an account is the best way to prepare for successful shopping (other tips can be found here). I also think that having your web screen look a bit like this (with a few Lilly tabs open) could also prove to be helpful:

Lilly Pulitzer  | Lilly Pulitzer  | Lilly Pulitzer  | Lilly Pulitzer  | Lilly Pulitzer  | Lilly Pulitzer 

Since the way the sale works has changed I really would encourage you to read Lilly Pulitzer's sale tips here to be as informed as possible, especially if you're a first time After Party Sale shopper! 

To prepare for the excitement I am bringing y'all a fun giveaway that is perfect as we all prepare to go back to school! Entering is incredibly easy and these Lilly items would be just the encouragement you need to stay organized and hydrated as the new school year kicks off. 

What's included in the giveaway… 

How to enter the giveaway…
(ends August 23rd)

1. Go to Lilly Pulitzer's site and choose your current favorite print (prints page here).
2. Follow me on instagram @prepinyourstep.
3. Leave a comment on this post letting me know your favorite Lilly print, instagram name, and email address so that I can directly contact the winner! 

I'll be emailing the winner directly to get their shipping address so it is crucial to leave an email address you check often in your entry comment! I wish you all could win but good luck and happy entering! 

I hope that y'all are just as excited for the sale as I am and be sure to check back early tomorrow morning to see my favorites from the After Party Sale and let me know which items you may have snagged on super sale! 

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