Clemson Gameday

Oh my word. Tomorrow is about to be the biggest event of our entire football season, and I can hardly keep myself from doing a constant happy dance in anticipation. ESPN's College Gameday is hosting its first show of the 2013 season from Clemson!!

The show hasn't been here since 2006 so this is basically a huge deal for us. What makes it even more exciting is that we're playing The University of Georgia who we haven't played since 2003! Both teams are (preseason) ranked in Top 10 so it's sure to be an exciting game. All in all, it's shaping up to be an incredible weekend win or lose!

In the South we do football the right way. Our tailgates have a better set up than some people's living rooms and include every great food you can imagine. We deck out in our cutest outfits featuring team's colors, and we simply have way too much fun. There are a few ingredients that make a great gameday-

1. The perfect outfit-

Jean shorts and a t-shirt? Not in the South. Girls deck out in their sassiest sundresses, skirts, colored skinnies, or chinos and boys wear button downs, khakis, and loafers. Simply put- just because we're attending a sporting event (and it's probably 90+ outside) doesn't mean we can't look fabulous. I wrote this post about gameday outfits last fall- go check it out!

2. A great tailgate-

Clemson won Southern Living's best tailgate competition last year, and for good reason! Many people have satellite televisions with huge speakers, furniture, huge grills, heaters/fans, and as much homecooked food as you can imagine. Tailgating is an event in itself and many people come don't even go in the game since they have the perfect place to watch right outside the stadium (sidenote: I am a diehard Clemson football fan and always go into the game). Tailgate hopping is so much fun and a great way to spend the pre-game hours!

#3. A Passionate Team Spirit-

*all images via google*

One of my biggest pet-peeves are people who claim to be Clemson fans but don't raise their voice once during the game, or get quiet if we start to do badly. I am a generally tame person, but on Saturdays in Death Valley I become a crazy football lady. Regardless of the score I don't stop cheering from the minute the game beings until the very end, and I will inevitably lose my voice multiple times throughout the season because of this. I am insanely dedicated to cheering on my Tigers and doing everything I can to make the people around me excited about the game no matter what is happening. When I wake up the day after a game my legs and arms are usually sore from jumping around and waving my arms so much. The best way to have an amazing game experience is to throw your image to the side and make a fool of yourself for your team- trust me it's so much more fun that way. 

There you have it- my tips to an awesome gameday! How do you make gameday the best it can be? Any tips to share? I can't wait to hear! Oh and.. Go Tigers! 

-Lanie W.

My Last Bid Day

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned that I'm in a sorority here on the blog, but today I just had to share some memories because it's my last Bid Day ever. *cue the violins* In the fall of 2010 as a Freshman at the College of Charleston I went through recruitment and joined Alpha Delta Pi. I had no idea of what to expect about joining a sorority or what it would mean, but I was extremely excited when I got my bid! Here's a few pics from my first Bid Day in Charleston-

Bid Day 2010-

Throughout Freshman year ADPi gave me a sense of belonging and a place to fit in within (what seemed like) an overwhelming college community. However, I knew CofC was not the place for me and I transferred to Clemson for my Sophomore year. I affiliated with the ADPi chapter at Clemson after their 2011 Bid Day so I didn't get to participate in the activities that year. 

Last year my best friend transferred to Clemson and decided to go through recruitment. I waited with such anticipation as she went through rounds and by chance she fell in love with ADPi during the process. On Bid Day last year she received her bid to ADPi and we officially became sisters for life. It was honestly one of the most emotional/best days ever.

Bid Day 2012-

I can't believe this is my very last Bid Day! Being a senior is such a crazy experience because everything is my 'last' this or 'last' that. I am so excited for the girls who will find their home in Alpha Delta Pi today- it truly has been an incredible part of my college experience and I can't imagine not having my part of this wonderful sisterhood. Both Makenzie and I are taking 'littles' this year and I can't wait to help our new Alphas have the best, most memorable Bid Day experience ever! We live for each other. <>

-Lanie W.

Morning Routine Tips

Hello lovelies- Today I've decided to switch it up up on the blog and do a non-fashion post!

Morning used to be my least favorite time of day. I am a very hard sleeper and put my parents through agony each morning by being a horrible person to wake up. However, once I got to college and suddenly became in charge of getting myself up and to class on time everything changed. 

I am a creature of habit and love routines, after a while I finally found a morning routine that worked for me and I began to enjoy the start of the day! I love waking up earlier than I have to so that I have time to sit down and enjoy my coffee and breakfast instead of rushing around like a crazy person- here's a look at my typical mornings.

I usually wake up and go straight to the coffee pot- I like for the coffee to brew while I apply my makeup and get dressed for the day. (Multi-taskting really saves time in the morning!)

My makeup routine is super simple and easy. I'm very low maintenance when it comes to beauty products and like my makeup to look as natural as possible. I can seriously do my makeup and get dressed in around 8 minutes tops, which is perfect because as soon as I'm done the coffee is usually just finishing up brewing! 

Coffee and breakfast is without a doubt my favorite meal of the day. I tend to get obsessed with one certain food and eat it for years at a time. For example, for most of high-school I ate wheat toast, then I moved on to Cinnamon Life Cereal and skim milk, then whole wheat Eggo waffles. Now, I am beyond obsessed with oatmeal! I discovered OatFit my Sophomore year but never gave it the proper attention until midway through Junior year. Now, I can't imagine not eating it!

Lately I've been adding my own touch to oatmeal and it tastes even better. Chia seeds are a superfood that give a nutrient punch to the start of the day. After the oatmeal is done cooking (only 1:30 in the microwave) I usually mix in a spoonful of these little guys then add a few shakes of cinnamon, but my favorite add-in is definitely almond butter. I usually add a spoonful on top last then mix it in. Here's a look at my typical breakfast-

And there you have it- my mornings! What does your morning routine look like? Do you love your routine as much as I do? I can't wait to hear!

-Lanie W.

Brogues For Ladies

Happy Friday darlings! This is the last weekend without college football until December and I am oh so excited! Fall is the most busy and exciting time of year for me and I am giddy thinking about all of the fun things that will happen this semester! 

Last fall menswear inspired footwear was all the rage, and it seems that trend is holding strong this autumn as well! I played around with smoking slippers last year and loved them, but this year I might get the nerve to finally try brogues! I've seen ladies like a few of my fashion favs Olivia Palermo and Emma Stone rocking brogues in a metallic hue which adds a dash of girly chicness to an otherwise masculine shoe. 

What do you think about this daring shoe? It's definitely not a pair for those who don't want to stand out! How would you style metallic brogues? Let me know!

-Lanie W.

Style Crush: Alexa Chung

I'm having a serious UK obsession moment right now. I've been daydreaming about autumn in Ireland and England, and am totally nostalgic for my trip to London during study abroad Sophomore year. I adore the tradition and class that the United Kingdom embodies. One of the best parts of the UK is their style; they were the birthplace of prep after all! From traditional brands like Barbour to modern super-stores like Topshop they have it all.

Lately I've been girl-crushing on British darling Alexa Chung's cool preppy style. Take a look-

I love how she can go from girly, to classic, to trendy so effortlessly! Her personal style is fab and I can't wait for the weather to cool down so I can try out some of her awesome looks! Do you love British style as much as I do? Who are your favorite Brit style stars?

-Lanie W. 

Back To School Style

Hey y'all! The summer is officially coming to a close and many of us will be headed back to classes this week! While some may not be looking forward to giving up their lazy summer days I for one am so excited for back to school shopping and first day outfits! I just wrote an article for Modern Magnolias focused on back to school outfits that will look cute and cool at the same time during these sweltering late summer/early fall months.

Head over to the site and check out my outfit suggestions! Don't forget to post your back to school outfits to Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #MMBackToSchoolStyle - can't wait to see how y'all style my looks! Happy start of Fall Semester!

-Lanie W.

Color of the Moment: Turquoise

It feels good to be back! I had such a lovely time at home with my family last week- it's always nice to disconnect for a bit and focus on real life! However, it's time for a new school year and I couldn't be more excited! (I don't even want to talk about the fact that I begin my Senior year of college one week from today. Really, where in the world did the last three years go?!)

On a happier note, fall is coming and I am bursting with style inspiration! While I was at home I did a lot of shopping/September Issue reading and there are some great trends happening this season that I can't wait to explore! To start us off I want to talk about a color that I kept seeing everywhere- turquoise!

Personally, I've always thought of this pretty shade of blue as a summer color- it reminds me of the ocean, bright skies, and fun bikinis. However, turquoise is undeniably a huge color to try this fall! It looks fabulous mixed with neutral colors like cool camel, or even rich burgundy! Check out Blake Lively rocking a turquoise scarf with a classic coat-

There are so many ways to experiment with turquoise this fall- everything from ballet flats to sassy dresses are sporting this unexpected pop of color. How would you rock this popular hue? 

-Lanie W.

Interim

Hello dolls! Just popping in to let you know I'm taking this week off from blogging! I'm back home for the week (with limited internet) for a last summer fling before the craziness of the school year starts!

I'll be spending a good amount of time with my nose buried in September issues and am sure I'll have plenty to post about when I return! Until then I hope you all have lovely weeks! xoxo

-Lanie W.

Style Crush: Emma Stone

I like to think of myself as someone in the know when it comes to celebrities and pop culture, which is why I was super surprised when I stumbled across these fabulous pictures of Emma Stone a couple weeks ago while on a Pinterest spree. Who knew she had such perfect personal style?? 

It's so rare to see someone who works in hollywood with sleek, unfussy fashion sense; usually actresses are overly trendy with labels splashed here and there. I found it so refreshing that her layered ensembles consist of classic pieces in great solid colors. Take a look for yourself and see what I mean-

Goodness her wardrobe is so wonderful. Skinnies, ballet flats, ankle booties, crew neck sweaters, cozy cardigans, gorgeous leather handbags, classic accessories, and the most gorgeous coats you ever did see? All kinds of YES. She is now securely at the top of my celeb style crushes and I'm so glad I finally discovered this sneaky style star! Don't you just love Emma's classic style? I know I'm inspired! 

-Lanie W.