I hope everyone has been doing well lately! I figured I would post some pictures from what I've been doing these past few weeks in London!

I discovered Notting Hill, and all its beautiful flats

Had an amazing cappuccino at an old pub/cafe in Wiltshire, England

Checked out the Sherlock Holmes embossed tiles in the Baker Street Tube Station (which is near Sherlock Holmes' fictitious abode!)

Visited Laecock Abbey and its surrounding town, including a really cool church behind it!

Had the best breakfast the other day in a cafe right across from my flat!

And I've finally gotten to wear this necklace I got for Christmas - it's gotten a ton of use over here

Margaret Elizabeth Jewelry Amazingness

If you're anything like me, you find spending money on jewelry a little difficult. Not saying that spending money on anything is difficult for me, but if I have $200, I'd way rather spend it on a great pair of flats or a cute bag than jewelry. But my friends, I've found an exception. After reading about Margaret Elizabeth Jewelry's founder, Meg Galligan, and her AMAZING apartment on The Everygirl (here) I checked out her line's website. And y'all. All of her pieces are beautiful. Normally I'm picky when it comes to jewelry. I know statement pieces should be pieces that you don't spend money on in order to focus your spending on the classics, but I can't stand fake jewelry. Forever 21? Sorry. I can't.

Her pieces are on a different level. Not only is it beyond cool that she started her line in college and held her first trunk show in her dorm, but she left a stable job at Google to bank on her own success. She has giant lady balls. I don't know if I would be able to do that. And legit I love every single piece, which is as rare as liking every song on an album.

Here are some of my favorite pieces. Here is her website, what are some of yours?

Emily's SAG Winners

Even though I love following celebrity news (sorry, I'm a bit shallow in that department) and what they wear on the red carpet, I'm not crazy about blogging about them extensively. Most celebrities have stylists who help them choose their outfits, but I can't help talking about these two.

I was absolutely blown away by Marion Cotillard in Dior. How amazing is that dress? That blue is beyond gorgeous! It's so simple, but it makes SUCH a statement! When she gets it right, she really gets it right. Eddie Redmayne has had my heart since I saw Les Mis, the first time, not the second time, and I can't imagine anyone else being able to pull of a brown velvet Hugo Boss suit like he does. Doesn't he look so dapper?! 

What do y'all think of these two? Who did you think looked best?

Garance Dore and Stella McCartney

Being the Beatles fan that my parents raised me to be, when I found out Paul McCartney's daughter was a designer, I became a little obsessed. I think Stella holds a special place in most fashion-lovers' hearts. She is such a strong woman, she doesn't use animal products, and her designs seem to stun every season. She's so unique! What do y'all think? This interview really shows Stella as a real person, not some fashion designer "god." She's a normal, successful, cool woman!

In Review

Though I'll always love blogging, Tumblr definitely has a special place in my heart. I spend way too much time on that website, but I've found a perfect balance of the Tumblrs that I follow between my fashion side, humor side, southern side, and all out food-lover side. So, here are some of my favorite reblogged photos in review:

PS - if you don't follow me on Tumblr, you totally should here

If I Had It My Way...

TGIF, y'all! It's been a cold week in London (it snowed yesterday!) and I can't help but miss the weather in South Carolina just a little. I've been stalking the weather forecast and it looks like the high for next Tuesday will hit 50...yay! Cross your fingers that happens!

So while I sit here in my sweater and Uggs, this is what I'm daydreaming of if I had everything my way...

The temperature would be 65 degrees

The sun would be shining

My nails would be painted this color (with no chips, at that)

My hair would look like this

I'd be sitting in Regents Park with friends having a picnic

Eating these 

Sipping on this

And a handsome boy would have just brought me these

necklace, sweater, aviators, denim, satchel, flats

What about y'all? How's your week been? What would you do/wear if you had it your way?

Favorites: West Elm

One difficult aspect about being a college student, or even someone between phases in your life is the lack of stability. There are plenty of things to worry about: finances, work, school, changing responsibilities and positions. The lack of stability makes me crave somewhere to go that I know is mine. I've never been one to gaze at giant houses and wish that I could call one home. For a long time, though, with my living arrangements changing every few months, I've wanted somewhere to settle down and call home. By that I don't mean getting married or having kids (I'm only 20...I'm just now getting over my dread of doing laundry). I mean being able to drive to work, come home, and be surrounded by a place that I've worked on to make me totally calm and comfortable.

I can't say I don't drool over Rue Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, Lonny Magazine and these Glitter Guide home style posts and wish I could grow up already and make use of my interior design affinity. I 100% do. I know that someday I'll look back and wish I could go back to college. In a few years I'll have things weighing on my shoulders, like bills and insurance and loans that I don't have now, but can I just this once dream of coming home to a house with a coffee table, coffee table books, votives and a nice couch to relax on? Thanks. It's making me calmer already.

This is why I love Ed Sheeran

Interview Sucker

...is what I am. Doesn't matter if it's on Youtube, in a magazine, or online. I love reading interviews and profiles. I can't tell you how many interviews I've seen of Channing Tatum on Youtube. Though he is ridiculously funny and good looking, so maybe I can get away with that one without sounding too crazy. Anyway, I've found a lot of great profiles and interviews of some really successful women lately, and I'd thought I'd share some of my favorites!

Photo by Daniel King for ELLE

Kelly Ripa with ELLE - it's amazing how this woman literally does everything, right?!

Tina Fey with Vulture - another Reason to love Tina Fey...I know you don't need it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry (I'm not sorry)

Jenna Lyons by NYT - Jenna Lyons, though. Like seriously.

Stacy Smallwood of Hampden Clothing with Glitter Guide - I beyond love seeing great businesses in South Carolina (or just in the south in general...NY and LA get too much coverage anyway) being recognized!

Tyler Karu with The Every Girl - this chick is so smart and created her own interior design and house flipping business. Such an interesting combination, but it sounds like she's done amazing! Not to mention I LOVE her style...

Society6 Loves

I'm curious - has anyone bought anything from Society6? I recently discovered it, but didn't realize until today that you can get a lot of the prints on the site in different formats (like iPhone covers, pillows, cards, stretched canvases, etc.)! Granted, I found some weird things there. But if you sift through it, you can find some really cute things! I'm going to need to get this Hermes pillow cover as soon as I get home!

Have y'all found anything cute on Society6? Share!

1,2,3,4,5,6,7

J Crew Spring Lookbook Video

In case you're not on J Crew's email list (HOW DARE YOU), they've emailed us a behind-the-scenes video of the Spring 2013 collection that are so fun! I love getting to see J Crew behind the scenes!

Dreams - Augustana

I've pretty much been listening to Augustana nonstop since I've gotten to London, and this cover of Dreams by Fleetwood Mac is amazing. I almost love it more than the original, which is saying something.

Instagram Update: London Edition

I've been talking quite a bit about London (and I promise I will eventually not include it in absolutely everything I post), but I haven't given y'all any visual updates in a while! Here are some Instagram photos I've taken since I've been in this big, cloudy, cold city. By the way, it snowed today. The Southerner in me freaked. out.

Top left to right: Harrods at 5:00 when my friends and I went for tea, my first day of classes (elbow patch) sweater and necklace, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Bridge, me and my certificate saying that I climbed all 311 stairs to the top of the Great Fire of London Monument

Probably the Cutest Thing Ever

Being in London has come with a lot of changes...one of the biggest being no television. I've always hated when people snootily say, "I don't watch much TV." Even if they don't mean it like that, that's how it comes off to me. I love TV. I'm talking I could easily slump into my couch (or bed, whatever, no judgement) and go into a TV coma for a few hours. It doesn't even have to be good TV, though I think my show/movie preferences are amazing.

Anyway, since moving here, despite the goodness of Netflix and Hulu, I haven't been able to enjoy sitting and watching an endless stream of videos when I can't sleep. If I start a show series I'll stay up all night watching it. Enter Youtube. I'm a big Youtube fan. Especially when I find videos like this (that kind of make me miss my dog at home).



HOW CUTE IS THIS?! I can't even take it.

Different Styles

It seems like there are two types of women in London: the alternative (spikes, torn tights, platform patent leather lace ups), and the lady-like (full skirt, sweater, long coat, clean heels or flats). Well...maybe there's three. Tourists are included, but shouldn't count.

Either way, the women in London mostly wear dark clothing, which is something totally different from the South. We like color. Though we don't need as many layers, we make those layers count. We want the attention to come to us, whereas the women here seem to put more color in their makeup, hair or accessories. Want examples?

The Sartorialist

Tumblr

Emily vs. Lipstick

Enough of London - time to get back to the important things in life...like makeup. I, for one, love makeup. My fair skin and freckles don't allow me to wear as much makeup as I'd like to, but I suffice. I mostly focus on eyeshadow if I'm going out, but I'd love to be able to try out some bold lipstick like the women above. There's just a few problems.

Lipstick doesn't like me. If I find the right color, its texture is too thick, and I cannot deal with thick makeup. That's what being spoiled by a light tinted moisturizer will do to you. If the texture seems about right, the color is just a bit off. If you don't know, there's a big difference between a cool shade of pink and a warm shade of pink. So then, if you have to focus on warm vs. cool shades, you have to know which goes best with your complexion. No matter how many times I read it in magazines, I will never remember if I'm a cool or a warm (I feel like I'm saying Winter vs Summer, which takes me back to Full House or some 90s sitcom).

If, Lord help me, I do find the right shade and the right texture...my lipstick smudges. And I know I can use lip liner to keep it all in, but it seems like way too much work for some color that may or may not come off with my drink.

For now, I'll just stick with eyeshadow. If you've reached this point, thank you for staying through my rant. I really do appreciate it.

What about y'all? What is your verdict on lipstick? Any brands I should try?

50 in London

In my hopes to keep relatively organized (as much as I can) while in London, not only with school and changes in habits, but also in what I do with my time, I've created a list of 50 things I want to complete by the time I return to the US of A. Some of these are super small (like #1 or #3) and doable, others are a little more daunting (#50). I'll make sure to update y'all as I cross them off!

PS- When this post publishes I'll be over the Atlantic Ocean! Cross your fingers my plane stays in the air! :)

1. Decorate my dorm room!
2. Go on the London Eye
3. Wash and dry my first load of laundry ever in a laundromat
4. See Big Ben
5. Spot the coat of arms and dragon (if you don't know what I'm talking about, click here - it's so interesting!)
6. Find my favorite coffee place
7. Walk around Regents Park
8. Check out the Oxford/Cambridge Rowing Race
9. Give someone directions and actually know what I'm talking about
10. Visit the White Cliffs of Dover
11. Eat fish and chips
12. Be able to get to class by myself without having to look at signs in the subway
13. Pick up some English slang and subconsciously use it
14. Visit Ireland
15. Take fun street sign photos a la Winning London
16. Visit my friend Natalie in Madrid
17. Have a fun roomies night in to get to know each other
18. Have my first good cry in London (because I know it'll happen...)
19. Take a day to do nothing but explore fun shops
20. Introduce non-Southerners to grits
21. Take pictures with the guards of Buckingham palace
22. Find a new running route (and not get lost)
23. Visit the Gamecocks in London group to watch a Carolina baseball game
24. Go to a concert (i.e. Passenger in January!)
25. Sing at a karaoke night
26. Hail my first taxi
27. Go to Shakespeare's London Theater
28. Have a One Direction/Adele/Gwyneth Paltrow/other famous person sighting
29. Drink my first pint
30. Take photos in a red telephone booth
31. See a member of the royal family
32. Ride on the second floor of a double decker bus
33. Visit Buckingham Palace
34. Find my family's ancestors in the London archives
35. Perfect my British accent
36. Check out the London Ice Sculpting Festival
37. Receive my student Oyster Card
38. Take a walk around Primrose Hill, which is apparently where all the celebs live (maybe where I'll cross off #28?)
39. Take a picture at Abbey Road, where The Beatles photographed their iconic Abbey Road cover
40. Go to the London Zoo
41. Get a tattoo? (BIG question mark!)
42. Attend high tea
43. Have a fancy brunch somewhere that serves macaroons and mimosas
44. Go one week without looking like a slob in class even once
45. Go to a show of a local London band
46. Meet my first friend from London
47. See the Royal Albert Hall
48. Sneak a peak of London Fashion Week
49. Take a photo in London with the Southern Weddings issue I contributed to
50. Do the "Where the Hell is Matt" dance in fron tof a London monument (and have the video to prove it)

Home Sweet London

Before I go on the plane today I just wanted to say thanks so much to everyone who has offered me advice and followed me as I've prepared to go to London for the Spring semester! My flight leaves this afternoon and I can't wait to fill everyone in on how my trip goes. I'll be getting to London about midday tomorrow!

I've been talking about London a lot on here, but know that this blog won't become a London only blog - that is for my other blog, Emily and London (which my family and friends will be keeping track of, so it may be censored just a little). This blog will stay a style/music/fun place for me to rant...and a bit of London.

See y'all in London!

They're Only Shoes

I know in the back of my head that it's important not to focus on material things. The most important things in life are free, as the saying goes. But Coco Chanel also said "The best things in life are free, the second best are very expensive,"" which I think is SO true.

I'm what you would call a shoe hoarder. I buy shoes I don't need because they're pretty. But who among you can tell me honestly this is not the most beautiful pair of shoes you have ever seen? I feel wrong even calling them "shoes." They are art.

YSL

H&M

I think the best kind of marketing plan or advertising plan is one that doesn't seem like it's trying too hard. One that shows whatever you're selling is cool...just because it is. No reason. These H&M commercials (which just happen to feature two super attractive members of the male species) completely embody that and have a little humor. Which is making me swoon/drool/crave for H&M online shopping. Also for a boyfriend that I can clothe. Agree?


 

Airport Snugglin

On Friday I will be taking a short flight, then I'll have a relatively long layover, and then I'll be on the long flight to London. I'm fighting the strong urge to bum it when it comes to my clothes, so I'll go with some cute and comfortable attire.

Comfort is key, people. Comfort. is. key.

So are sweaters and music, but I digress.

What are some of y'all's go-to's for flying? The flight to London is 9 hours, so help me out!