2-0-1-3

I've always favored even numbered years (I'm OCD like that), but little ole 2013 proved to be a great year regardless! One of the best parts about the year was growing Southern Preppy Chic! I'm so close to one hundred followers (currently at 94) and I hope to cross that milestone off my list in 2014! Here's a look back at some of my favorite posts/moments from this past year!

Nominated for two Liebester awards 1 // 2

Went on a spring break cruise with my best friends

Celebrated my 21st birthday 

Started writing for Modern Magnolias

Celebrated SPC's first blog birthday

Participated in my last Bid Day and Gameday

Did a blog link up with Emily at Cooper & Thames 

Was featured on Clemson's College Fashionista 

Had a great Thanksgiving & Christmas 

I'm still in the process of writing/finalizing my goals for this coming year, but it's shaping up to be one of the biggest transition years of my life - I'm (gulp) graduating from college in August and for the first time since starting school I have no idea where I'm going to be next fall. This is both terrifying (because I love to have a plan) and exciting because I also have an adventure loving side. Regardless, I know that God has a plan and I have to put my trust in Him to guide me where I'm supposed to be!

As we reflect on the past year and look forward to the next let's not get so wrapped up in what we did/didn't do, and remember that the most important part of life is simply trying our absolute best to be good people! I wish you nothing but success and happiness in the coming year! xx

-Lanie W.

Wrapped Up

Well happy Friday and last weekend of 2013 everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas! Ours was wonderful- a day of exchanging gifts, hiking in the mountains, eating yummy food, playing board games, and enjoying each others company. Today we're heading to Atlanta to spend the weekend with my mom's sisters and their families and I'm so so excited to see them! Since I'm going to be out of town this weekend today's post is super quick, but be sure to keep up with me via Twitter and Instagram!

I'll be back on Monday with a 2013 wrap up and a look at what's to come in 2014! In the meantime have a blessed weekend and enjoy these last few days of the year! Much love. xx

-Lanie W.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,

let your heart be light,

from now on our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,

make the yuletide gay,

from now on our troubles will be far away.

Here we are as in olden days,

happy golden days of yore,

faithful friends who are dear to us,

gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together,

if the fates allow,

until then we'll have to muddle somehow,

so have yourself a merry little Christmas now. 

Just stopping by to say Merry Christmas to you and yours. I pray your day is nothing but happiness and love. Make sure to pause and remember the reason for the season and today's sweet festivities- the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope you all are having yourself a merry little Christmas! xx

-Lanie W.

It's Christmas Eve, Eve!

Oh my gosh, the countdown has officially kicked into high gear- Christmas Eve is tomorrow!! I have to admit, I got my post title from my girl Eloise (see picture below). Her Christmas movie is one of my absolute favorites, it's just so happy and adorable!

Break has been so great and relaxing so far. Here's a peek at what I've been up to these past few weeks!

Lazy mornings in front of the fireplace

Christmas tree shopping with my silly brother

 Sweet quality time with my pups

 Christmas shopping downtown Savannah

Visiting my Grammy on her 84th Birthday

Present wrapping with the boyf

Exploring the Holiday Festival of Lights in Charleston

Today we're doing Christmas with my Dad's side of the family then tomorrow morning my Mom, Dad, Brother and I are heading to Blowing Rock, NC to spend a few days in the coziest cabin. We hit the road again on Friday to Atlanta for the weekend for Christmas with my Mom's side of the fam. It's going to be a jam packed week! I hope each and every one of you has a joyous holiday filled with happiness, love, family, friends, and lots of Christmas Spirit! xoxo

-Lanie W.

College Fashionista

Right before I came home for break  last week I was asked if I would like to be featured on my college's chapter of College Fashionista- of course my answer was a huge "yes!"  I was so excited and honored to be chosen since I'm a big fan of the site and I have been following CF for years! Check out my outfit and interview below, and be sure to head over to College Fashionista to see if your school has a chapter! 

I'm wearing: Merona sweater, Old Navy jeans, AE desert booties

CollegeFashionista: How would you describe your personal style?

Lanie Woods: My style is preppy and classic, with an occasional trendy element. I love simple, clean-cut clothes that never go out of style like a great pair of riding boots or a white button-down. I am a huge J.Crew addict—their clothing really embodies the style I love, and walks the classic/trendy line so perfectly.

CF: Who and where do you look to for style inspiration?

LW: I read a ridiculous number of fashion blogs and get a great deal of inspiration from those and Pinterest. Other than that I really love the classic style of ladies like Olivia Palermo, Sarah Vickers, Reese Witherspoon and Alexa Chung. 

CF: What has been your favorite trend this fall? And what is a trend you have seen, but haven’t tried yet?

LW: A trend that I’ve been into this season is boyfriend jeans. I’m typically a skinny jeans girl so they’re a bit out of my comfort zone, but once I tried them I fell in love. They’re so comfortable and look great with flats and ankle booties. As far as a trend I’ve seen but haven’t tried, I love the over the knee boot trend, I just think they look so chic! I’m fairly short so I feel like they would swallow me, but they look so great on taller girls! 

CF: What is your favorite season to dress for and why?

LW: Overall, I would say fall is my favorite season to dress for. I love the easiness of being able to throw on a pair of skinny jeans, riding boots and a sweater, and instantly feeling put together. I’m also a big layering person and love adding a scarf or cardigan to complete a look.There’s just so much more versatility in fall clothing that I can’t get enough of.

I hope each and every one of you has the most amazing weekend- take time to soak up every bit of joy you can. In the midst of last minute baking and shopping be sure to pause and appreciate how wonderful your life truly is. We are all so blessed! xo

-Lanie W.

Target Treasures

Eep, can y'all believe Christmas is ONE week from today?? Sometimes I think I almost love the buildup to the holiday more than the actual day. The anticipation of Christmas is so exciting and I love having such a wonderful day to look forward to! With just one week left your shopping is either completely done, or you haven't even started.  Personally I just finished mine up this morning, woo hoo!

I was perusing Target yesterday on a shopping trip and saw the most gorgeous plaid Merona scarves in, get this, the men's section! They are so so soft and the best part is that they're currently on sale for $12!! Last year the plaid Merona scarves sold out before I could get one, and once the word gets out about these they're likely to go just as fast! Go scoop one these babies up before they're gone, no one has to know they're from the guys section! :)

PS- It's National Free Shipping Day! Go check out what retails are participating here! Hope the rest of your shopping goes smoothly! The countdown is on!

-Lanie W.

Little Luxuries

I have a theory about Christmas presents- sometimes the best gifts aren't the most extravagant, but the simple. We tend to think presents have to be huge declarations of love, but there is something to be said about giving/getting pretty versions of those little items we use each day. Things like coffee cups, cozy throws, and yummy candles can elevate a regular day from blah to wonderful. We typically wouldn't justify spending a little extra on a these items, so that makes getting them as gifts so great! Here's my picks for these simply lovely items!

What's your gift giving strategy? Do you go big or stay sweet and simple? I know I would love to recieve any of these pretties myself! Hope your holiday shopping is going well! xo

-Lanie W.

Charleston Christmas

Happy weekend y'all! It's my first school-free weekend since August and I am relishing in the relaxation! Late yesterday afternoon one of my oldest friends and our moms jumped in the car and headed to Charleston for a Christmas filled evening of shopping, eating, and drinking in the Holy City at the 5th Annual King Street Shop Walk. We had access to exclusive discounts and yummy treats at most of the stores on King Street and had such a good time shopping around downtown. 

I layered an oxblood sweater over a chambray shirt and paired it with my favorite dark skinnies and ankle booties. The best of the outfit, thought, was that I finally got to wear my felt hat I bought earlier this fall! So exciting. 

After the shop walk there was an after party at the Charleston Place Hotel who always has the most fabulous Christmas decorations. We spent a few hours laughing, dancing, and being goofy in general while soaking up the Christmas atmosphere in their beautiful lobby.  

We wrapped up the night with coffee at my Aunt's house a few blocks from King. She seriously have one of the most gorgeous Christmas trees I have ever seen in person! It's huge.

Oh I seriously just love Christmas and Charleston. It was such a great night spent with some of my favorite people! Hope your weekends are going well! Be sure to spread some Christmas cheer wherever you go! :)

-Lanie W.

Bookworm

Finals week is almost over (hallelujah) and I am about to have three whole weeks away from school work which means one thing- I can read for fun again! As an english major I have to read so many assigned books during the semester that I really don't get time to read for fun. Because of this I keep a running list of books I want to read over breaks and thought I would share some of this list with y'all! The best part of these books is that they double as pretty coffee table decoration once you finish reading. Take a look at my five picks this year-

Kate Spade Things We Love

Garden & Gun Southerner's Handbooks

New York Times 36 Hours in US & Canada

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

Eloise: The Ultimate Edition

What books have you read and loved lately? Let me know so I can add them to my list! 

-Lanie W.

Color Crush

Happy Monday y'all! It's finals week here in Clemson and my second to last finals week ever, eep! While I'll actually be spending my week writing papers and essays, I'm day dreaming of pretty holiday parties and what I would wear to them! After browsing around online last week I started to notice a common color scheme in this years holiday collections- blush pink and black! Everyone from Tory Burch to Old Navy is embracing this trend and I think it's just perfect! Throw in a little sequin embellishment and you've got yourself a gorgeous and sassy holiday outfit! Take a look at my blush and black picks below!

Do you like this color trend? Which items would you choose for a holiday party? I'm leaning towards the blush F21 blouse, black sequin tanks, and embellished blush skirts! Pretty clothes are the best way to chase away the Monday blues, don't you think? :)

-Lanie W.

Beauty Buys

I'm the first to admit that I'm pretty much a fail of a girl when it comes to the makeup and beauty side of things. My routine has always been super simple (foundation/blush/mascara), and I've always had a bit of envy for girls who are talented at utilizing the more complex items that I have never dared to try.

Somehow over Thanksgiving Break I stumbled upon Sarah Belle's Youtube Channel and got hooked. (I seriously have watched so many of her videos in the past week - whoops!) Her look is super fresh while at the same time really accentuating her natural beauty in a great way. She totally inspired me to expand my knowledge/use of makeup way past where I currently am! I am almost 22 for goodness sake, it's about time! (hehe)

After this dose of inspiration I added some of the beauty items she raved about her her videos to my own Christmas Wish List: the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, the Hot Tools 1 inch Ceramic Curling Iron, and the Urban Decay Naked Eye Shadow Palate.

Other than Miss Sarah's recommendations I added a few other beauty items I'm currently lusting after- 

The adorable Julep 'Little Lights' nail polish set is seriously just perfect for the holidays! I would wear the red and green for Christmas and the electric blue and gold for New Years! 

Of course I had to add the Tory Burch Perfume, which I'm sure is on every girls wish list this year! I've smelled samples and it's just wonderful- as if I would expect anything else from her! 

I am a big blush person, so when I saw the Bobbi Brown Cheek Tint on Design Darling and read the super positive product reviews, I decided I need to try it for myself!

Last, but certainly not least, I included the Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Brush. I have heard rave reviews about this special brush since middle school and have always wanted one. Apparently it works wonders for the hair with only a few strokes - plus, it's just so pretty!

What are your favorite beauty items? Share them with me! 

-Lanie W.

Santa Baby

I love to make lists. Each day I write out my schedule step by step, and I have specific to-do lists galore on my phone, but my favorite list just might be my Christmas List! I have been pinning pretty (and functional) things to my wish list boards for the past few months and have narrowed it down to the top 10 items I need in my life!

Clockwise:

1. J. Crew Kiki Ballet Flat 

2. Sole Society Jess Riding Boot

3. J. Crew Grey Plaid Shirt

4. Marly Lilly Navy Monogrammed Weekender 

5. Design Darling Navy Monogrammed Stationary 

6. J. Crew Turtleneck 

7. J. Crew Shirttail Mini 

8. C. Wonder Card Case 

9. J. Crew Blackwatch Plaid Shirt 

10. Polar Fit Watch 

What's on your list this year? Let me know in the comments (or paste a link if your list is online!) Can't wait to see what y'all are asking Santa for, and be sure to be on the lookout for some more gift guides to be posted throughout the month! 

-Lanie W.

Welcome, December

Hello there, and happy December! I hope your Thanksgiving breaks were wonderful- mine was great but it flew by! On Thanksgiving day my family and I drove over to Savannah, GA for our turkey day feast. We ate at Garibaldi's downtown and it was so delicious! The best part of the meal was the sweet potato cheesecake, oh my word. I'll be dreaming about it for weeks! 

After lunch we walked around downtown, it's such a beautifully historic city and I'm so lucky that we live so close to such a special place! Of course I had to rope my brother and mom into snapping a few pics, what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't? Take a look below-

I'm wearing: J. Crew Factory Skirt - Gap Sweater - F21 Plaid Shirt - Barbour Jacket - Delias Boots 

How dapper does my brother look? I love his style and like to think that I influenced his love of classic clothing ;) Can you believe he's 4 years younger than me?? 

It was a great break from college life full of food, family, friends, and no school work! Today begins my craziest week of the semester - pray that I make it out alive! Hope your last weeks of school go as smoothly as possible! We can do this, the end is in sight! 

-Lanie W.