Gift Guide: Hostess with the Mostest

Gift guides are back (see Monday's guide here) and today we're talking about hostess gifts. Whether you're staying with a friend over a holiday weekend or going to a Christmas party, the Holidays are always full of fun events and it is always good to not show up empty handed. These gifts span a variety of price ranges, making them perfect for any hostess!

Evelyn Henson Map Print- Getting your hostess a map of an important city (whether it's a city you traveled to together or her hometown) from Evelyn Henson is such an unique gift and would really show how grateful you are for her. This would be perfect to give if you are staying overnight at someone's house over the holidays

American Ornament- Ornaments are such a cute and easy gift idea. I especially love this American one from Swoozies, so cute!

Draper James Coaster Set- Draper James has so many cute items it's slightly ridiculous but I love these holiday coasters as they are so darling! Definitely would be a fun gift for a holiday cocktail party

Kate Spade All in Good Taste Book- I bought this book earlier this year and it is so fun. I love all of the etiquette and party-throwing advice, which makes the perfect gift to give to a hostess!

Anthropologie Dish Towel- Anthropologie's home decor and accessories section is the cutest and I absolutely love this dish towel. It is so cute and would be perfect to bring along with you to a Christmas party

Kate Spade Cutting Board Set- I absolutely love Kate Spade's home section and this cutting board is a part of a set that would be so cute to give as a hostess gift. I mean, who doesn't love Kate Spade?

North Carolina Cutting Board- This cutting board comes in several different states and you could even show up with some cheese and crackers on it for a party. Definitely a fun statement piece!

Lilly Pulitzer Soap Set- Perfect for the southern hostess or the hostess that already "has it all". You can always count on Lilly for fun pieces and this soap set is no exception!

What are your favorite hostess gifts? Let me know in the comments!

How To: Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Even just after Thanksgiving last week, I definitely need to get back on track with healthy eating and my usual workout schedule. The holidays are definitely a fun and exciting time of year but they can also be unhealthy with the amount of sweets lying around (hello Christmas cookies) and a lack of working out (who wants to work out when I could be sipping a Peppermint Mocha and watching Elf?).

It is possible to be healthy during the holidays and not go crazy at the same time. I am a firm believer in balance and not depriving yourself (so I will not be telling you to never eat cookies again around here ever).

image via

Schedule in workouts

With a busy calendar, it can be hard to find the time to workout. Sitting down at the beginning of the week and scheduling all of your workouts, whether it be signing up for classes or just scheduling 3-4 PM at the gym on Monday, is such a great way to prioritize working out in your schedule

Splurge only on what you love
The holidays always has a plethora of treats available and odds are, you probably don't love everything available. If shortbread cookies aren't your favorite, don't waste your calories eating multiple shortbread cookies just because it's there

Park farther away
Whether it's at the mall or just at school or work, park your car a little farther away from the entrance than usual. Even though it may not seem like a lot, it certainly adds up and gives you a few extra minutes of walking.

Drink lots of water
Some drinks, such as soda, have a lot of sugar and calories in them, which adds up quickly! Water is zero calories and so important to your body so it is so essential to make sure you're drinking enough water (I typically try to shoot for half my body weight in fluid ounces)

Balance the Treats

If you're going to a Christmas party later in the day, today probably isn't the best day to have Chick-fil-a for lunch. It's totally okay to splurge on your favorite holiday drink from Starbucks but maybe you should opt for a healthier dinner later on. Balancing the not-so-healthy with the healthy ensures that you're eating somewhat decently

Keep Consistency
If you regularly go to the gym three times a week, try to keep that the same during the holidays. If you normally wake up at 6 AM, this probably isn't the best time to start waking up at 5:45. The holidays are busy enough so I would try to keep what your body is used to as consistent as possible (within your control of course)

Sleep!
The holidays are always a busy time of year and sometimes sleep is put to the wayside. I recently watched a documentary in my AP Psychology class about sleep deprivation and it was so interesting how sleep deprivation, even in just an one week time period, affects your body. Even though it may be hard, allow yourself to get your 7-8 hours every night and you will feel so much more energized because of it

How do you stay healthy this time of year? Let me know in the comments!

Gift Guide: Monogram It

Happy Monday y'all! Even though I am bummed to be going back to school (especially with a project due and several tests this week), I am so excited because today is the start of all of my holiday content on Chic in Carolina. I wanted to wait till Thanksgiving was over to share everything Christmas with y'all and have some fun posts up my sleeves for the next few weeks!

Today is my first gift guide and I wanted to start off with everything monogrammed as you should provide some extra shipping time for monogrammed gifts. Monogramming a gift is such a special touch because it really tells the person you're giving too you're thinking of them due to the extra effort of getting the item monogrammed!

Monogrammed Weekender- If you saw my Christmas List last week, you know how much I love this weekender. It would make the perfect gift (for people other than me as well haha) as it is so classic and practical for weekend trips or vacations. Plus, the monogram ensures it will never be mixed up with someone else's luggage.

Pajama Set- Even though the image doesn't show a monogram, there is an option to monogram these pajamas! Pajama sets are so cute and I love the idea of adding a monogram to it

Monogram Cookie Cutter- I have definitely pinned this cookie cutter a few times on Pinterest and it is just so stinking cute!

Monogrammed Makeup Bag- This bag matches the weekender and is so cute! If you really want to go the extra mile, it would be fun to throw in a few nail polishes to give to a friend

Monogram Tassel Keychain- One of my best friends has a similar monogram keychain on her keys and it's so cute! I love that this one has a tassel as well- it would be a perfect gift for a friend or for a secret santa exchange!

Monogrammed Acrylic Catch All Tray- I have a similar tray on my dresser and I absolutely love it. There is so many uses for this style of tray- displaying your favorite jewelry, holding a few essentials on your bedside table, or even your keys in an entranceway. 

Monogrammed Acrylic Letter Sorter- This would be such a perfect gift for a blogger or even a student! I have this on my desk (which you can see here) and it is so perfect for organizing and holding my agenda, to do lists, and other items. Plus, it is currently 20% off till midnight with the code HOLIDAY

Kate Spade Cedar Street Maise- Gifting this bag would definitely be a bit of a bigger gift but this purse is gorgeous and would definitely be the star of Christmas morning.

PS- Cyber Monday deals are still going strong! Be sure to check out my sale roundup post to see all of my favorite sales

Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sales

Happy Saturday y'all! I initially scheduled this post to go up Monday but decided to move it to today to allow y'all more time to shop and to ensure less items to sell out. I am not a big Black Friday shopper as I would rather avoid the crowds and stay at home but you can't beat the online deals and it is so nice to get ahead on holiday shopping (or pick up a few pieces for yourself- I don't judge haha!)

Anthropologie
30% off everything with code LETSGO

Ashley Brooke Designs
25% off everything with code ALLTHEGIFTS + free shipping

Bloomingdale's
15% off orders between $100-$199.99, 20% off orders $200+

Design Darling
20% off everything with code HOLIDAY

Draper James

30% off sale items and free shipping

Drybar

20% off all products, tools, and kits

Evelyn Henson
15% off any order with code COOKIES, 20% off orders $50+ with code PRESENTS, 25% off orders $100+ with code SNOWMEN

Fraternity Collection
50% off with code GIVETHANKS (use my code KATIEMASTRONE16 for an extra 10% off)

Jack Rogers
Up to 50% off select styles

J. Crew
40% off with code HOLIDAY

J. Crew Factory
50-60% off everything prices as marked, extra 40% off clearance with code HAPPYSALE

Kate Spade
30% off with code THANKFUL

Kendra Scott
20% off everything with code SALE20

Lauren James
25% off all regular priced items, 40% off sale

Lilly Pulitzer
Earrings with $75 spend, statement bracelet with $150 spend, jewelry box with $500 spend

L.L. Bean
20% off when you spend $50 with code THANKS20

Old Navy
50% off almost everything

Tory Burch
30% off orders $250+ with code THANKS

Tuckernuck
20% off everything with code GIVE20, 25% off orders $500+ with code GIVE25, 30% off orders 1,000+ with code GIVE30 

Vineyard Vines
25% off almost everything with code HOLIDAY16

What sales are you shopping today? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: November 18-24

Happy Friday y'all! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and it's great to think there's still 3 more days of the weekend! I'm so excited to have a fairly relaxed day as all that is on my agenda is decorating for Christmas (!!!) and going to Pure Barre (to work off all of that turkey haha).

Friday was quite a busy day- it seemed like there was so much going on with Spirit Week ending and also with tests and assignments due before Thanksgiving Break began on Tuesday. After school, I was home for a little bit and then I babysat.

Kona has been obsessed with sitting on my mom's tote bag- we call it her "tote bed" haha

Saturday morning, my mom, brother, sister, and I got up bright and early to go volunteer at my Church's Christmas Bazaar. My mom and I have been volunteering for years and it is always so much fun (you can read about last year's Christmas Bazaar here). After the Bazaar, I am always ready for Christmas haha!

My mom and I had a few errands to run afterwards, including buying our turkey at the Fresh Market. Last year, we bought this Peppermint Bark at the Fresh Market that was amazing and I was so excited to find some while we there (I may or not have eaten a ton of it haha).

I had a few things to work on during the afternoon, including baking brownies and getting ready for Homecoming!

Saturday night was my Senior Homecoming Dance, which was so much fun. It was great to see everyone in my grade outside of class and also to just spend the night dancing! I wore this fun Kate Spade dress that I wore for Christmas last year, which was perfect for the occasion.

Since I got home fairly late since I had to clean up after the dance, I slept in, which honestly was amazing. My mom and I ran out to Target a bit later in the morning. I love going to Target and honestly haven't been in such a long time since I've been so busy but it was so fun looking at all the different products they have (including this little flamingo dog toy!)

Since I already finished my homework, I spent the afternoon cleaning my room and blogging. I also fit in a Pure Barre class, so all in all it was a productive day!

Monday was a fairly easy-ish day. It was a dress down day for NHS and then I didn't have Faith Formation so I wound up working in the afternoon.

After nannying, I had a bunch of homework to do and I may or may not have bribed myself to do it with the help of Trader Joe's pumpkin macarons (one of my October Favorites), which are so yummy and fairly affordable for macarons!

As it was the last day before Thanksgiving Break, Tuesday was such a busy day with a bunch of quizzes and assignments to work on. Not to mention, the day seemed to just drag on! After school, my brother and I shot some pictures for Wednesday's outfit post and then I went to go nanny!

Wednesday was my first day of break and I thankfully was able to sleep in! I hung out at home all morning and then went to my favorite 12 PM Pure Barre class. After class, I was able to use my coupon from the 20 in 31 challenge to buy a few things and then I had a few errands to run. I wound up nannying in the afternoon and made sugar cookies and decorated them with the little boy I nanny. When I got home, my family had some family friends over, which was a lot of fun!

Yesterday, as you know, was Thanksgiving and I am so thankful that I was able to spend the holiday at home this year. My mom and I spent the morning and afternoon baking and cooking everything for the big meal. We had dinner with our family friends who are our old next-door neighbors and it was such a great way to spend the holiday. I certainly ate way too much food and will need to go to a few extra barre classes to burn it off ;)

And a few more from my Instagram stories this week:

On my Radar:

1. It's Black Friday and the deals have definitely begun. I will be sharing a big round up post of my favorite sales bright and early Monday morning but for now I would check out the sales at J. Crew, Tuckernuck, Evelyn Henson, and Tory Burch!

2. Seriously love these shaggy sweatshirts from Lauren James- plus they have them for selection colleges!

3. Have y'all seen Cara's apartment tour? It's seriously so cute!

4. I am obsessed with Kate's new site design- it's so pretty!

5. Love this outfit from Annaliese

Be sure to check out this week's posts:

Chic in Carolina's 2016 Christmas List ⎢Pump Up Playlist ⎢What I'm Wearing for Thanksgiving ⎢Thankful

Happy Friday!

thankful

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! Even though I try to be thankful for all the blessings in my life on a daily basis, the holidays are such a wonderful time to reflect on all that what we have to be thankful for.

I'm so thankful for my wonderful family, my sweet friends, and all of the opportunities that I have. I'm also so thankful for all of y'all who read my blog and everything blogging has provided me with. I'm looking forward to spending time with my family and family friends today and eating (lots!) of amazing food!

from my senior pictures

I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving full of family and food!

What I'm Wearing for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I am so excited about it! This is the first year that my family has been home for the holiday since my freshman year as we typically go to Alabama (read about last year's Thanksgiving here and here) and I'm so excited to be at home this year as "there's no place like home for the holidays".

I talked a little about my family's tradition for Thanksgiving a few weeks ago in my Thanksgiving Outfit Inspiration post as Thanksgiving for my family is always on the more casual side. I love dressing up but want to be comfy as well, making this the perfect outfit. I totally forgot that I featured this. exact. outfit in the outfit inspiration post but I guess that serves as a testament of how I will actually wear the outfits (or something similar) in those types of post. I am currently planning on wearing this exact outfit tomorrow, which I'm so excited about!

I picked up this gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer dress during a trip to the mall earlier this month and honestly I didn't even notice it online or on the racks of the store. The salesgirl who was helping my mom and I out in the fitting rooms was wearing it and it looked gorgeous on her. My mom suggested that I tried it on and I then fell in love with haha. It is so flattering on yet is a stretchy material making it perfect for Thanksgiving! Outside of Thanksgiving, I have worn it to school already and it is such a versatile piece as you can wear it for so many different occasions!

Dress- Lilly Pulitzer Riding Boots- Tory Burch (similar + on sale) Tassel Necklace- Kendra Scott Watch- Kate Spade Bracelets- David Yurman (similar)

What are you wearing for Thanksgiving? Let me know in the comments!

Pump Up Playlist

As I mentioned in last week's Workout Motivation post having a good playlist is crucial for motivating yourself to workout. In that situation, listening to Adele probably isn't your best bet so I decided to put together a playlist for y'all that would work perfectly!

This playlist is a fun mix of both pop hits and country favorites (my two favorite genres to listen to) and is perfect for so many situations. It's great for during your run, your drive to school or work, listening to while doing homework, or even during a party!

image via (I found it through Pinterest)

What are your favorite pump up songs? Let me know in the comments!

Chic in Carolina's 2016 Christmas List

I'm in total disbelief that this week is Thanksgiving and that the Christmas season is about to start- I'm so excited but can't believe it as it feels like last Christmas was just yesterday. Last November, I shared my Christmas List with y'all and I thought sharing this year's list would be a perfect way to kick off my Christmas themed posts and gift guides.

Just as a disclaimer, I do not intend or expect to be receiving all of these gifts for Christmas.

Barbour Jacket- I've decided that I want a navy jacket for Christmas but I can't decide between a quilted Burberry, a classic Barbour, or a quilted Barbour. I've loved the Burberry for years but it has the heftiest price tag making this decision so hard

Hunter Boots- My mom bought a pair of Hunters this time last year and I've been jealous ever since (we're unfortunately not the same shoe size). I love the color shown as well as this lighter pink pair and this coral pair but the darker color in the graphic is on sale!

J. Crew Pajamas- Pajamas are one of those little luxuries and these J. Crew ones look so comfy and perfect for chilly winter nights (that I don't want to think about yet). Obviously, I can't say no to anything striped too!

Drybar Curling Iron- My current curling iron has definitely seen better days. Ever since getting my hair done at the Drybar while I was in New York in the Spring (which you can read about here), I have been dying to try all of their products and I definitely think their curling iron would be perfect.

Tory Burch Wallet- This wallet has been included in my past few "wishlist" posts and I love it. It's such a classic and it would match my Tory Burch tote!

Tory Burch Wedges- I saw these wedges online and just fell in love with them. I mean they're navy, they're so classic, and they have a bow on them! Plus, they're currently on sale too!

Lilly Pulitzer Dress- I tried this dress on a few weeks ago during a trip to Southpark Mall and it is so cute!

Monogrammed Rain Jacket- Call me crazy but I have already started thinking about college. One of the things I've heard you need is a rain coat so I love this monogrammed one or something similar!

Anthropologie Mug- After breaking my Anthropologie mug a few months ago, I have been telling my family that this would be a perfect stocking stuffer. Even though it's totally #basic, this mug is so cute!

Kate Spade Leggings- I'm seriously obsessed with these leggings. I've been wearing leggings so much lately between Pure Barre (read about my first class experience here) and nannying, so I think these will be a perfect addition to my collection. I mean look at those bows!

Saint James for J. Crew Striped Shirt- I tried this shirt on over the summer and even though it is a bit expensive for a striped shirt, it is so comfortable and cute on!

Monogrammed Weekender- I have been obsessed with this weekender for years and think it will be perfect for weekend trips, especially since I'll be heading off to college next fall!

What is on your Christmas List this year? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: November 11-17

Another week, another belated My Chic Week post. Since it was Spirit Week and the one of two full weeks in November, it was naturally quite a busy one- leaving me very limited time to blog. Thankfully, next week is a very short week with only 2 days of class before Thanksgiving- which I'm so excited about!

I had both last Thursday and Friday off of school, allowing me to sleep in Friday morning. After breakfast and just relaxing at home for a while, I went to a Pure Barre class. I met up with my family and then some family friends afterwards for lunch at a nearby restaurant and then I had a few things to work on at home. My family and I went over to our family friends's house for dinner, which was a lot of fun.

an iPhone snap of Wednesday's outfit post

I was able to sleep in again on Saturday morning and then went to another barre class. The 20 in 31 challenge ended on Wednesday so I had a few classes to fit in to make the challenge. After class ended, my family and I headed off to go pick up our new puppy, Kona, which you can read about in Monday's post.

After picking up Kona, I read a book all afternoon for my AP Lang class and later that evening, I went to go babysit.

Sunday morning, I woke up early (well at 7) to go to a Pure Barre class. Later in the day, I nannied for a few hours and then headed home to relax with my family for the rest of the day.

Mondays always seem to be super busy for me as I had a lunch to go to for NHS, a test in my AP Language class, and then Faith Formation and Pure Barre after school.

Tuesday, thankfully, was a much calmer day as I didn't have too much going other other than nannying in the afternoon.

From Tuesday's post (image from this post)- I didn't actually get coffee and macarons on Tuesday ;)

Wednesday was seriously one of my busiest days this semester so far, starting on the early side with a 6 AM Pure Barre (the last one of the challenge!). My school day was pretty typical and then after school, I met up with one of my friends at a coffee shop to work on some Service Committee stuff (well we were supposed to- it turned into catching up with her, which was so much fun!).

After grabbing coffee, I headed right to my nannying job. I wound up working later and then headed home to eat and then studying for a test and a quiz that I had the next day.

Before Thanksgiving Break, I have so many tests and quizzes spread out between Thursday, yesterday, and then on Tuesday. I had a test and a quiz on Thursday making the day be a bit crazy! Thankfully, I finished them and I'm thankful it's the weekend!

On my Radar this Week:

1. Tomorrow is my Senior Homecoming and I'm so excited about it. Stay tuned for more details next Friday!

2. Serious kitchen goals right here- I mean, look at that!

3. Love this outfit from Kelly!

4. I found this Town and Country article so interesting!

5. Dorothy is one of my favorite bloggers and I loved reading more about her experience as her sorority president

Be sure to check out this week's posts:

Meet Kona ⎢5 (Easy) Ways to Grow Your Blog ⎢Cashmere & Ruffles ⎢How to Actually be Motivated to Workout

Happy Friday!

How to Actually Be Motivated to Workout

Working out is one of those things that I have realized is such an important part of my daily routine. Before discovering Pure Barre (which I feel like I talk about all the time on the blog haha!), working out was a bit of a struggle and not something I particularly liked to do (maybe it was the fact running was my go-to). I probably worked out like twice over the course of my entire junior year, which probably wasn't the best idea considering my stress level junior year.

Motivating yourself, however, is such an important part of going to work out as my barre teachers always say, "80% of your workout is getting yourself here". Once you get int the workout mindset, you're pretty much set so I decided to share with y'all some motivation tips to help you start your workout.

image from this post

Schedule a Class

This has been a game changer for me as I cannot tell y'all how many times I would say "I'm going to go on a run after school today" only to go home and decide not to. I started doing Pure Barre in June (which you can read about here), which has been great because you have to sign up ahead of time and there is also a two hour cancellation window meaning if I decide not to go to class within 2 hours of the start time, I am still charged for the class. That alone has been a huge motivator and having it scheduled into my calendar really helps me put aside time to workout.

Change into your Workout Clothes

Personally, if I put my workout clothes right when I get home from school or have them lying out for an early morning workout, I am more likely to actually go and workout.

Listen to the right Playlist

When driving to barre class, the music I listen to on the drive over really has an impact on my mood (whether I'm upbeat or more ehh) for my workout. Be sure to listen to music that is more upbeat (not the time to listen to slow or sad music) to set the tone. I'm planning on putting together a post with some of my favorite "pump up" songs so look forward to that!

Positive Affirmations

This may just be my personality but if I become really negative with myself, that is never going to happen. To prevent this from happening, be positive and turn, "I hate running" to "I'm going to go for a quick run and then I'll do ______".

Set a Goal

I don't know about y'all but if I set a goal, I will reach it. Setting a goal, whether it be to workout three days a week, go to 100 barre classes, or to finally run a __ minute mile, is such a good motivator as you will work harder to reach it.

Go with a Friend
I typically go to Pure Barre by myself because of the hecticness of my schedule but if you really want to get a workout out, text a friend and go together. This makes the workout a bit more fun, making a bit easier for you to get up and going. Not only do you get your workout in, you also get to catch up with a friend, which is always a good thing!

How do you motivate yourself to workout? Let me know in the comments!

Cashmere & Ruffles

Today is an exciting day here on Chic in Carolina- the first outfit post of November! During the school year, I typically don't have as much time to shoot outfits for y'all, which makes me so sad. Over my long weekend, my brother and I shot this outfit, which I am honestly in love with it.

I picked up this fun Kate Spade ruffle top last month on sale and it was one of my October Favorites. It is honestly perfect for every occasion as I've worn it to school and wore it out to lunch before taking these photos.

It has finally cooled down a bit here in North Carolina, making it the perfect time to break out two of my fall favorites: cashmere cardigans and riding boots. Cashmere is obviously quite a splurge but I've bought a cashmere cardigan during the past two Lilly Pulitzer sales and have gotten so much use of them as they are so soft and cozy yet super chic as well (see another way I styled this cardigan here).

Every fall, I love breaking out my riding boots and this year is no exception. Mine are Tory Burch from last fall but I managed to find them in stock still (and on sale!), which I linked below. I wear riding boots all the time during the fall and winter, making them such a practical investment!

Cardigan- Lilly Pulitzer (similar) Ruffled Top- Kate Spade (on sale!) Jeans- Lucky Brand (similar + on sale) Riding Boots- Tory Burch (on sale!) Purse- Longchamp Watch- Kate Spade Bracelets- David Yurman (similar) Sunglasses- Kate Spade

Happy Wednesday y'all!