Shirt-tail Style

So my obsession with J. Crew is no secret at this point. Pretty much anything they release is right up my alley. Their fall line has definitely been on point lately, so I've been keeping an even closer eye on their site than usual. While scrolling through the new arrivals I came across an adorable sweater and was suddenly reminded of a certain 90's Nickelodeon character...

I mean, right?! Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees the resemblance. Sidenote: as a kid it took me so long to realize that he was actually wearing a layered shirt/sweater rather than a dress! While the sweater may be reminiscent of the lovably dorky Arnold's attire, it's still decidedly cute and a perfect option for late summer/early fall. The layered style gives the illusion of a super put-together outfit, but since it's only one piece it actually requires minimal effort to style. Here's how I would wear it-

How do y'all feel about shirttail style tops this fall? Are you going to embrace the "Hey Arnold" look, or pass on this vaguely 90's trend? Have a lovely weekend! xx

-Lanie W.

Varsity Blues

The varsity look is definitely one of those tried and true classic styles that seem to resurface every few years. This time around designers have really focused on the double arm stripe reminiscent of old-school football jerseys. The layered stripes provide a simultaneously sporty, yet preppy vibe that makes even a simple t-shirt or cotton dress feel elevated.

In this in-between time of the year it's hard to find a style that can work for the boiling weather while also providing a distinctly fall aesthetic. By incorporating one of these pieces you can give your wardrobe a refresh while also staying comfy in the crazy temperatures! Here's my favorite varsity inspired items from around the web-

I'm straight up obsessed with that navy/red J. Crew sweater! Oh, and that adorable varsity jacket? I found it in the boys section of Gap. Less expensive and the perfect mix of navy, white and tan? Win. #yourewelcome ;) Happy shopping!

-Lanie W. 

Fall 2014 Ad Campaign Favorites

One of my favorite little traditions is scooping up the September issues of my favorite magazines as soon as they're released. Before I had constant access to the internet (oh yes, the dark ages people) magazines were my way of escaping my small, southern hometown and entering the world of fashion and fun. I would literally run to the mailbox each time a new issue was released and then spend hours pouring over the contents and tearing out pages with my favorite looks.

I remember one particular August morning I was home alone and certain that my September issue of Seventeen had come to our P.O. box. However, since I wasn't able to drive yet I had no way to get to the post office to check. I vividly recall setting out on my bike in the sweltering heat and getting so excited when the magazine was sitting prettily in our box! To this day it's still one of my favorite issues, even if it did have Ashlee Simpson on the cover. ;)

Nowadays I can peruse fall ad campaigns online without having to wait for a magazine to arrive, but it's still nice to see them in person. After looking through the September issues of Glamour and InStyle I've simply fallen in love with the rich colors and unique textures that are being featured this season. Here's a peek at my top three favorite fall 2014 ad campaigns -

Kate Spade || jazzy jewel tones

Michael Kors || glamourous twist on luxe textures

Tommy Hilfiger || rugged, layered all-american ensembles

Ah, I'm so so excited for autumn and getting to try out looks inspired by each of these gorgeous campaigns! Which is your favorite? 

-Lanie W.

Trending || High Waisted Denim

Oh J. Crew, you always manage to make me fall in love with things I didn't even know I wanted. The latest fashion need they've inspired? High waisted skinnies. As a petite girl I've always shied away from high waisted things because I felt like they overwhelmed my shorter frame. However, when I spotted the Lookout high-rise Cone Denim jeans in the September Style Guide I fell in love hard.

Leave it to the 'Crew to change my mind on this cut of denim in a major way. I've never wanted a pair of jeans quite as much as I want these babies. I mean, come on. Just look at them -

*insert heart eyed emoji* So dang chic. The higher waist makes such a subtle, but lovely impact on the traditional jean silhouette that I can't get enough of. Paired with a striped top and gorgeous loafers it's the perfect blend of classic simplicity with modern twists. I could 100% see myself wearing these every day in the fall and well into the winter (although living in Florida is likely going to make my cool-weather clothing irrelevant, but I digress).

My graduation money is currently burning a hole in my pocket and I really want to pull a #treatyoself and buy these pretties before I change my mind. Do y'all think I should take the plunge? Let me know! Happy weekend!

-Lanie W.

Styled || Design Darling Necklace

Roughly two years ago I discovered Mackenzie Horan's blog and online boutique Design Darling and instantly fell in love. I still remember ogling over the adorable merchandise and overall visual perfection of her blog, and have been a follower ever since.

After obsessing looking through the site I discovered the tortoise shell link necklace and it immediately went to the top of my wish list. I've asked for it for Christmas the past couple years but it always seemed to be sold out. Back in July I went to the Smart Girls Conference in NYC and met Mackenzie in person for the first time. While we were chatting I mentioned how I had been lusting after the tortoise necklace for so long and when she told me that Design Darling would be having a sale in August I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to finally purchase the necklace for myself!

I ordered the necklace on Sunday and when it arrived on Thursday morning I was super excited and pleasantly surprised by the speedy delivery.  I immediately put it on and wore it to a farewell girls night dinner with my best friend. It was the perfect addition to my usual summer uniform of white jeans and a solid color top and made an otherwise plain outfit feel special. I can't wait to play around and see how it can spice up other looks!

PS: Thanks to my brother who snapped these for me outside of our winery. #youdabest

Have you purchased something from Design Darling? How would you style this necklace? Can't wait to hear!

-Lanie W.

Change

The other day I realized something scary to a Type A planner like myself - the only thing that's constant in life is change. Change is inevitable, but it's something we struggle so hard to resist.

In life we can only look back at the past with certainty. We have no clue what the next day holds despite how much we strive to plan out every single moment. Something unexpected will always happen and deter our original, futile attempt at "plans". But what else can we do? We have no idea what's coming so the only way to cope with the uncertainty is to anticipate and structure our next steps.

My life has been in increments thus far. When you're a kid life is structured by school. You know that next year you'll be in ____ grade with ____ people in _____ town. Nothing really changes. Then you go to college and settle into your routine with classes, and friends, and football, and finals, and summers off.

Then... you graduate. And all of a sudden life hits you in the face. The rug of routine and structure you've had for the last 22 years is pulled out from under your feet and there's just this giant stretch of time sitting in front of you. I used to measure my life in semesters, but not it just seems like an endless string of years with nothing to break them up. It's honestly hard to wrap my mind around, and my structure-loving self is flipping out a little bit.

Life is much more fluid and shifting than I originally imagined. Once my Disney Internship is over and I get a steady job it's going to be week after week of working 9 to 5. It's incredibly overwhelming to think that this is how it's going to be for the rest of my life. I know I need to take it step by step, but without my semester by semester schedule I'm entirely unsure of how to go about this.

Restructuring the way I look at life is one of the biggest mental challenges I've experienced and I hope that I'll find a way to figure this next step of life out. The post-grad side of things is much more different than I originally thought, and I have a feeling things are only going to continue to get more and more confusing. Here's hoping I can embrace the changes and learn to roll with whatever life throws at me next!

Ps: Sorry for the lack of post Friday! I was moving my younger brother into his freshman apartment!

-Lanie W.

My First Kate Spade

You know those rare occasions when you're shopping and all of a sudden the stars align and you find exactly what you were looking for, but better? This is exactly what happened to me while searching for a graduation dress a couple week ago. I originally planned on wearing an adorable Lilly shift that my mom found back in the spring, but when I finally tried the dress on it sadly didn't fit. The dress search got put on hold when summer and everything got crazy and before I knew it graduation was a week away and I still didn't have a dress.

My mom and I went on a very last-minute mission on the last day of tax free weekend hoping we'd find something. After looking in a few stores we walked into Kate Spade where my mom spotted a gorgeous orange and white dress in the sale section. I crossed my fingers and flicked through the rack and was so excited when I found one in my (typically hard to find) size.

I immediately went to the dressing room, slipped it on, and squealed with happiness when it fit perfectly! The sales attendant then brought me a gold bow belt which pulled the whole look together and added a fun touch to a classic dress. When I realized that it had pockets I just knew it was meant to be!

I seriously felt like a princess all day and did not want to take the dress off! From the neck line, to the full skirt and pockets I'm still obsessing over how lovely (and comfy) it is. I'm so happy Ms. Spade was able to help a girl out. Now I'm just searching for any excuse to wear it again. ;) 

-Lanie W.

Sideline Sweetie

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to attend a Rich Girl Rags photo shoot with my good friend Charlotte. She's been modeling for them this summer and I've had the best time getting to know the Rich Girls family with her! I happily spent the afternoon watching the girls do their modeling thing and assisting the stylist here and there. My favorite part was getting to take over their Instagram and Twitter accounts for a bit! It was too much fun and really made me realize just how much I love social media/fashion.

The look-book they were shooting that day their Sideline Sweetie line of gameday attire. As a crazy obsessed Clemson fan, I was in football/fashion heaven. Their spirited options are a perfect combination of cute, affordable, and unique. There's nothing worse than wearing a dress you love only to see 15 other girls wearing the same thing #amiright? I've added a couple of my favorite (Clemson) looks from the shoot below, but you can read my post and explore the full look-book here!

I had so much fun at the photo-shoot and writing the post to go along with the look-book. Hopefully this is just the first of many Classically Current/Rich Girl Rags collaborations - I have a feeling there are even better things to come. Be sure to explore all the pieces from the look-book here! Happy shopping! xo

-Lanie W.

Clemson - A Love Story

When I think about Clemson I think about love. The people, the campus, the athletics, the town, the history, the traditions... everything about this place makes my heart so, so happy. It sounds super cheesy, but every day I spent as a  Clemson student was a dream come true.

I honestly don't know how to explain the overwhelming feeling that fills me up every time I walk on campus. I'm just filled with joy and awe that I got to spend three years living, learning, and making countless memories in this little college town. I met people and took classes that challenged and inspired me in the best way, and grew into a person that the 18 year old me wouldn't even recognize. Most days I couldn't wipe the smile off my face while walking from class to class admiring the beauty of my school and thinking about how darn lucky I was to be there.

Clemson absolutely changed my life for the better in a million and one ways. I became an English major and discovered my passion for writing. I took classes and met professors that pushed me to be my absolute best. I studied abroad and had an incredible time exploring Europe with my fellow Clemson students. I affiliated with my sorority which gave me some of my best friends/sisters. I fell in love with fitness and became a Zumba instructor, a position that pushed me physically and taught me so much about leadership. I spent three amazing football seasons cheering for my Tigers like a crazy person and got to experience some incredible games. I met people who will be my best friends for the rest of my life.

I will walk across that stage today with my head held high, and more love and pride in my heart than I know what to do with. It's so hard to close this chapter, but I have peace of mind knowing how blessed I am to have been even a small part of this wonderful university. It's all thanks to my Great-Grandpa who started our family's Clemson tradition back in 1919. Hopefully one day I'll get the chance to thank him for inadvertently leading me to this special place.

It breaks my heart that college has to end and that I can't just be Clemson student for the rest of my life. However, I know that Clemson will always be a part of me and that I'll forever be proud to call myself an alumni of this university. The absolute adoration I have for this place will never go away and I'll be back as much as possible. While my path may take me away from Clemson, a big piece of my heart will always remain in this special place. There really is something in these hills... Go Tigers!

PS: Special thanks to my talented Godmother who took these sweet pictures - I'll treasure them forever!

-Lanie W.

Boho at the Beach

So as I was going through my phone yesterday (trying desperately to purge some of the 1,000+ pictures I'm currently hoarding) I found some outfit snaps from the beginning of summer that I never got around to posting. It's so crazy that these pictures were taken almost two months ago - why oh why does summer seem to get shorter every year? This was my last "real" summer to relax, travel, and do nothing since I'll (hopefully) have a career the next time this year, and I definitely enjoyed being able to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted without having to worry about school or work. However, all good things must come to an end. We wouldn't appreciate our down time without the busy times in between.

I wore this outfit to dinner one night during our beach vacation and really loved it's easy simplicity and balanced mix of preppy and boho. My white Old Navy skinnies are definitely a huge summer staple since they pair with just about anything (like this embroidered blouse at J. Crew Factory). I'd be lying if I said this outfit hasn't been in heavy rotation throughout the past few months #outfitrepeater. If it ain't broke, don't fix it - right?

Sigh, I've already lost so much of the tan I had in these pictures. Summer is definitely winding down, but I'm determined to make these last two weeks count. Here's to soaking up the last couple weeks of freedom before starting my new job at Disney! If you need me I'll be pool/beach-side with a book in hand. xo

-Lanie W.

Off the Grid

Ah Monday, we meet again. This weekend was filled with fun outings and I'm sad to see it go. Friday was spent in Charleston hanging with my Godsister Charlotte while she modeled in a Rich Girl Rags photo-shoot (more on that later!) and exploring new areas downtown. Saturday evening I got to see my bestie, Emily, who was in town for the weekend. Her cousin's band (Stray Local) was playing at a local restaurant and it was so fun to catch up while enjoying a drink and good music.

On Sunday my Mom and I braved the (ridiculous) crowds for some tax-free weekend shopping. I snagged some really cute things, but the most exciting purchase was finding my graduation dress at Kate Spade! It's my first piece of KS clothing and it's safe to say I'm in looove - can't wait to share pics with y'all soon!

One of the more practical things I scored was a black skirt at J. Crew Factory, and it made me realize just how little black clothing I own. I hopped on Pinterest to look for ways I could incorporate more of this staple hue into my wardrobe and stumbled upon this cheeky black and white grid pattern trend! It's definitely outside of my comfort zone, but I'm really digging this simultaneously retro yet fresh take on a classic color pairing.

I how love this pattern seems so simple but really pops when styled the right way. It looks great alone as the focal piece of an outfit or mixed with other patterns. Of course after a little digging I found photos featuring two of my favorite style icons, Blair Eadie and Olivia Palermo, rocking this bold look. These ladies can do no wrong I swear.

What do you think? How do y'all incorporate black into your wardrobe? If you have any tips for a #navyornothing kind of girl I'd love to hear em :) Hope your week starts out on a happy note! xo 

-Lanie W.

Pre-Fall Favorites

Happy August everyone! We've officially entered the last full month of summer - a month that's going to hold an unparalleled amount of major life changes for this girl. For starters, I graduate from the best college ever exactly one week from today (I'll spare you the nostalgic freak out for now, but just know that it's coming). That in itself would be crazy enough, but a week later we move my younger brother up to Clemson to begin his Freshman year and I move to Orlando to begin my five month internship at Disney. Phew. Basically, I need all the prayers and good vibes possible for me to make it through the month in one piece!

With the end of summer looming retailers are decidedly focused on fall clothing. It always frustrates me that they release these pretty cool-weather items that I won't be able to wear until October at the earliest, but I digress.

Of course my tried and true favorite, J. Crew, is already killing it and making me want to spend all the money I don't have on their new arrivals. From Factory to the regular store I'm crushing hard on the mix of sporty/feminine styles and colors they're currently focused on. Mossy greens, dusty greys, and misty blues mixed with neutral accessories and dainty gold jewelry make old standards feel fresh. Here's a look at my favorites thus far-

|| Factory || 

|| J. Crew ||

Those owl loafers and high-waisted jeans are calling my name (along with everything else #letsbehonest). What pieces are you in love with? Tax free weekend in SC begins today so I just might have to snag a few of these while the prices are reasonable. Happy shopping! xo

-Lanie W.