Lately... (Part 4)

Happy Wednesday y'all! I originally had an outfit post scheduled for today but the weather has been quite gross so I wasn't able to shoot any outfit pictures for y'all! Hopefully I'll be able to take some today for tomorrow's post though and in the meantime I figured it would be a great time to share another Lately post with y'all!

image via my Instagram

Eating... all the sweets! I gave up sweets for Lent this year so I've been so excited to be able to eat sweets again haha although the Easter candy that is currently sitting in my room may be my downfall...

Drinking... lots of water to reset after Spring Break (ironic after talking about eating too many sweets haha). My mom and I are also doing a detox tea this week to get back into healthy eating!

Listening... to the Chainsmoker's "Paris", Selena Gomez's "It Ain't Me", Little Big Town's "Happy People", Old Dominion's "No Such Thing as a Broken Heart", and Josh Abbott Band's "Amnesia". Country music is definitely one of my favorites year-round but it's so much better during the spring and summer for some reason!

Wearing... Lululemon's Align Pants! My parents got me a pair of these for my birthday since I've been wanting a pair of black Lululemon leggings for both barre and college this fall (I have a pair of black leggings from Spilts 59 that I love but they have built-in sticky socks so they aren't the best for casual wear) and my mom has a pair of these and loves them. I totally understand why because they are so comfy (seriously they're so soft) and I've been wearing them nonstop the past few days!

Loving... the Lilly Pulitzer new arrivals for summer! My favorites out of the collection are this coverup, these skinny jeans, these shorts, this top, these scalloped shorts, this shift dress, and this dress!

Reading... I just finished Big Little Lies, which I loved, and I want to read Emily Ley's Grace, Not Perfection next!

Watching... Pretty Little Liars! Honestly, this show has started to frustrate me in the lack of answers and endless plot holes but the ten final episodes just starting airing last week so naturally, I need to watch in hopes they can answer all of my questions haha.

Needing... to get back into a routine! After Spring Break last week and a sick day yesterday, I am definitely ready to get into my usual routine of school, homework (well maybe not that haha), barre classes, and nannying. I know that sounds totally weird but I feel so much more productive when I have a routine to stick to!

Excited... for college this fall! I just found a roommate and signed up for orientation last weekend so I am so excited to start finding pieces for my dorm and for move in day in August!

Wanting... this shift dress, these sandals, these bow shorts, this blouse, these Clemson Jack Rogers! I did a lot of shopping while in Florida so my wishlist is a little bare haha!

Hoping... that summer hurries up! I only have a few more weeks of class, which I know will go by quickly but I am so excited!

What have you been up to lately? Let me know in the comments!

AP Exams Tips & Tricks

It's the last full week of April, which means that AP exams are right around the corner for everyone in high school! Last year was my first year taking AP exams (AP Literature and AP United States History) as I did not take any AP classes sophomore year. I learned a few tips and tricks during the week last year that really helped in terms of studying and stress management so I figured I would share those with y'all today. Whether you're taking your first AP exam this year or you're a veteran when it comes to AP testing, these tips should help!

Start studying early

Haven't started yet? Now is probably a good time to start! Not only does studying early help you learn the material better, it also reduces stress since you aren't going to have a "I know nothing and I'm going to fail" freakout the night before the exam.

Utilize review books or videos

On Amazon, you can find review books for every AP course and they honestly help so much. All the ones I've used recap the content you should know for the AP exam and serve as a nice refresh for your studying. Last year, I used Crash Course videos all the time for my AP US History class and definitely recommend them. They have all sorts of subjects and break down each course into 15 minute videos that, as the name suggests, teach you everything you need to know about that topic. I haven't used them as much this year just because of the classes I'm taking but they are a great free (!!) study tool!

Review in the way that works best for you

Don't force yourself to study in a way that doesn't work for you because 1. you're not going to learn the material as well 2. it wastes your time. If you've been doing well in your class all year, study for the AP exam the same way you study for any other exam.

Make sure you have everything you need

Do you need a pencil for your exam? Pen? Both? Look up everything you need (you can usually find it on College Board's site) and put it into your bag. 

Get enough sleep the night before the exam

In all of my AP classes, my teachers heavily stress this. All of the studying you did will not pay off if you're sleep deprived so be sure to head to bed early even if it means losing a bit of studying time. As every teacher loves to say, "If you haven't learned it by now, you won't learn it" so you may as well get some sleep!

If you don't drink coffee regularly, don't drink it the morning of the exam

Sticking to your routine is key here. If you don't drink coffee everyday, the morning of an AP exam isn't a great time to start because if you're not used to that much caffeine, you may be jittery which won't help when taking the test.

Dress comfortably and in layers

We're allowed to dress down for AP testing so I definitely recommend that you dress comfortably. At my school, we always take AP tests in the gym, which sometimes can get very cold, even in May! Be sure to know where you will take the test and plan what you wear around that. Last year, I wore norts, a tee, a pullover, and sneakers for both of my exams.

Plan something fun for after the exam

After approximately four hours of testing and countless hours of studying, you deserve to do something fun afterwards to celebrate. My entire class usually goes out to lunch afterwards since we don't have to go back to class and it's always so fun! 

Any tips you would add? Let me know in the comments!

White Graduation Dresses {Collab with Amy of Pastel N Pink}

Today is my first day back to school after spring break and rather than dwelling on that, let's talk about something a lot more fun...graduation dresses! After today, I only have sixteen more days of class in my high school career which is so exciting! Obviously, I have more days than that till graduation but it's still coming up quickly!

Whether you're graduating from high school, college, or even middle school, a cute dress is a must for the ceremony and following celebrations. Today, I'm collaborating with my friend Amy of Pastel N Pink to share with y'all the cutest dresses for graduations. She is a current senior in college here in Charlotte so be sure to head over to her blog for lots of cute picks!

Some high schools, including mine, require that girls wear white dresses for graduation so I'm sharing lots of cute white dresses that are perfect for graduation today! Even if you aren't required to wear white for graduation, it is such a classic color for graduation and will definitely look good with any color gown (ours are royal blue so I'm thankful I don't have to find a dress to coordinate with that haha).

lilly shift with gold detailing (which I tried on in this post) ⎢long sleeve dress with lace detailing ⎢floral dress with straps ⎢lace dress (featured it in another color in my easter dresses post + it's under $60)

off-the-shoulder dress (under $60) ⎢fit & flare tie dress ⎢seersucker dress (which I styled in another color here) ⎢lilly shift with fringe detailing

Are you graduating this year? Have you found a dress yet? Let me know in the comments!

My Chic Week: April 13-20

Happy Friday y'all! I am so sorry that this post is going up late- my family and I drove home from Florida yesterday and I spent yesterday afternoon unpacking so today's post kind of got pushed to the back burner.

Anyways, as y'all probably have figured out by now, this week is my Spring Break so I spent most of my break down in sunny Florida to celebrate Easter with my family. I am a bit bummed at the prospect of going back to school on Monday but, thankfully, I still have a few more days of break!

We drove down to Florida last Thursday so nothing too exciting to report to y'all on haha!

lilly pulitzer leggings

We took two cars since Kona's crate is so big but look how cute she is!

Once we arrived in Florida, we unpacked our stuff and then took the dogs for a walk to stretch everyone's legs after being in the car all day. My grandparents's neighborhood has a huge field right next to the playground and I may or may not have forced my little sister to swing with me haha.

Friday was my 18th birthday so I slept in before eating a yummy birthday breakfast of donuts and cinnamon rolls (breakfast of champions y'all!). I went to the grocery store with my mom to stock up on essentials and we made a stop at Starbucks on the way home so I could use my birthday reward.

My cousins came into town on Friday so after they arrived, we headed down to the beach for the afternoon.

We celebrated my birthday Friday night with dinner at the beach, which was so much fun as my family is literally the sweetest.

My siblings made me a Lilly Pulitzer inspired birthday card that I thought was too cute not to share! Clearly, they're the ones who got the artistic genes haha!

Saturday started off on an exciting note as my mom and I went to the Drybar so I could get my hair done. I went to the Drybar last Spring Break when I was in New York and I have been obsessed ever since. Unfortunately we don't have a Drybar here in Charlotte so when I found out they opened one in Jacksonville, I knew I would have to visit. It certainly did not disappoint and I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

After the Drybar, we headed back to my grandparents's to do all of our favorite Easter traditions: dying Easter Eggs and then decorating a bunny cake. The kids (my siblings, my cousins, and I) are in charge of decorating the bunny cake and it certainly looks interesting with seven people trying to decorate it at the same time.

Sunday was Easter, which is one of my favorite holidays! My family and I woke up somewhat early to see our Easter baskets and then to get ready for 9 AM Mass.

shift dress ⎢similar purse ⎢watch

After Mass, we went back to my grandparents's house for an Easter egg hunt, which was a lot of fun. We had some time before brunch began, so I had my brother take some pictures for Monday's blog post.

On Easter, we always go to brunch at my grandparents's country club and it is definitely one of my favorite meals of the year. This year did not disappoint with everything from breakfast foods to childhood favorites to steak to delicious desserts. They also do an egg hunt at the club before brunch and even though I have aged out of participating, it was fun to watch my younger cousins.

After brunch, my entire family just hung out out by the pool and looked at pictures from the day.  I may or may not have eaten another piece of cake too haha!

Monday morning, my aunt and I went to a Pure Barre class at the studio near my grandparents's house. It was definitely nice to get a workout in after all the sweets I ate during Easter brunch and it was fun to share Pure Barre with my aunt. After class ended, my family ate lunch before going to the beach for the afternoon. After a few hours at the beach, we made a stop for ice cream on the way home, which I always love haha.

bikini top

jack rogers

Tuesday, my aunt, my mom, and I went shopping at a nearby shopping center, which was a lot of fun. The mall is outside and is so so so pretty, which makes shopping even more fun! We stopped in J. Crew first, which wound up being great as I found so many cute pieces there for spring and summer that y'all will definitely see on Chic in Carolina soon!

Left: seersucker shorts

Right: off-the-shoulder top ⎢linen shorts ⎢sandals

ruffle top

We then went to Anthropolgie, Athleta, and Vineyard Vines before going into Tory Burch. I had a birthday coupon and wound up getting these ballet flats that I'm so excited to wear. We had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, which was so yummy, and then went into Sephora before heading back to my grandparents's.

similar sunglasses ⎢sandals ⎢similar purse

My cousins and sister went zip-lining Tuesday afternoon so my parents, brother, and I went to the beach for a laid back afternoon, which was so nice. We had dinner at my grandparents's and I was so excited to watch Pretty Little Liars that night- I've been watching since freshman year and even though the show drives me nuts (anyone else?), I need my answers haha.

Wednesday was our last full day in Florida so we decided to take the dogs to the beach in the morning before the beach got too crowded. This was Kona's first time at the beach and I think she really warmed up to it haha. We grabbed Starbucks for breakfast before heading back to my grandparents's to pack up all of our stuff (which you may have seen on my Instagram story).

tory burch wallet

Since it was our last day in Florida, we decided to go to the beach in the afternoon. I love the beach and wish Charlotte was a bit closer to the beach so it was nice to lay out and take a nap (haha), take a walk along the beach, and wade in the water.

My family and I then went home to shower and get ready to go to dinner at my grandparents's friends's house, which was so yummy!

As I mentioned before, we headed back home yesterday. We decided to leave a bit little than we usually do so I was able to sleep in before getting everything ready to go. The car ride was pretty uneventful, which is a good thing when it comes to road trips, and once I got home, I unpacked and also ran a few errands.

On my Radar:

1. The Tory Burch Spring Event is this weekend! Save 20% off purchases of $300, 25% off purchases of $500, and 30% off purchases of $750 with code SPRINGEVENT

2. Obsessed with this hot pink bedroom!

3. Shannon is one of my favorite bloggers and I'm so excited for her big move to Savannah!

4. Love this outfit from my friend Amy

5. Sephora is having a sale this week too! Get 10% off if you're a Beauty Insider with code BISPRING and 15% off if you're VIB or VIB Rogue with codes VIBSPRING and ROGUESPRING. In my cart is this powder foundation, this moisturizer, and this hair mask!

This week on Chic in Carolina:

18 ⎢Easter in Lilly ⎢15 Fun Facts About Me ⎢Jack Rogers vs. Tory Burch Millers ⎢Escaping Burnout

Happy Friday!

Escaping Burnout

It's starting to get to the point of the school year where you don't want to do anything. Summer is close but not close enough and the warm weather doesn't help with productivity. Even though I've been on Spring Break this week, I've still been feeling burnt out when it comes to inspiration for new blog posts.

Burnout is totally normal but it does make you feel unproductive and just kind of "ehh". To beat my little bit of blogger burnout this week, I decided to share my tips for beating burnout, whether it is in blogging or in school work (slightly ironic though haha!)

Take a step back

Rather than forcing yourself to continue on with the project and roll out mediocre work, take a step back from whatever you're working on. Whether that means leaving the room for five minutes, shutting your computer for a moment, or just taking a moment to think, stepping back allows you to re-focus on whatever you're working on and re-inspire you.

Look for inspiration
When I'm stuck out what to blog about, I always love to either spend some time on Pinterest or looking at other blogs (using Bloglovin). When looking at other blogs, I obviously don't copy their ideas but sometimes inspiration strikes when looking at other blogs. Other ways to find inspiration? Taking a walk, spending time outside, or even flipping through magazines!

Get outside your comfort zone
After staying in my usual routine for too long, burnout seems to intensify a bit. Even though I love routines, sometimes breaking out of those helps to see a situation in a different way and also helps with beating burnout.

Ask for other opinions
Ever notice when bloggers ask for post requests? This, at least for me, helps to overcome the "I have no idea what to blog about situation" as someone usually has something they want to see on Chic in Carolina. Even if you're not a blogger, asking for other opinions definitely helps. I know I sometimes get too invested into projects and a particular way of thinking in terms of how to do something so other people's opinions usually helps with coming up with a solution for a project or realizing what direction to take with it.

Give yourself a break
I think of taking a step back as a quick break but sometimes a longer break is necessary. Whether it's going to workout, watching an episode of TV, or taking a nap, it's sometimes good to spend time away from whatever you're working on.

Also, it's good to know where the line of pushing yourself too hard is. With the end of the school year just around the corner, it is easy to push yourself to your limits to get it all done. I know for me this means staying up too late to study more or finish up assignments- getting school work done isn't necessarily a bad thing but I also know I need my sleep haha. When you're about to reach your limit, remember it's okay to step back and take a break (or go to bed earlier!).

How do you escape burnout? Let me know in the comments!

Jack Rogers vs. Tory Burch Millers

If there's one thing for spring you should splurge on, it should definitely be a good, high-quality pair of sandals you can wear all the time. If you follow any "preppy" blogs or Instagram accounts (be sure to follow me on Instagram!), you have probably seen both Jack Rogers sandals and Tory Burch's Miller sandals.

I am definitely not a big flip flop person but I wear either Jacks or my Millers every day during the summer. They are both such classics and versatile so I decided I would compare these sandals for y'all to make your decision a bit easier.

image via my Instagram

I bought my first pair of Jacks freshman year and literally wore them until they fell apart last summer (rip haha!). Jack Rogers sandals can honestly be dressed up or down: I have worn them with norts and a tee, with chino shorts and a cute top, and with dresses. They have so many colors available and you can even monogram them! 

Jack Rogers are pricy but they're less expensive than Tory Burch Millers as most pairs are $118. I do get a lot of use out of both pairs of my Jacks so I get my money's worth (same goes for my Millers too!).

Jacks are meant to be broken and worn in so note that your shoes won't look shiny and new forever. My first pair were somewhat painful to break in but the two pairs I got last year weren't bad at all. The navy sole of my navy Jacks did get all over the bottom of feet though haha.

image via my Instagram

Tory Burch Miller sandals are a bit pricier than Jacks as the average pair of Millers is around $195 but I really love that they have less of a break in period than Jack Rogers. They are a bit dressier also as they make any outfit look more put together and they don't look good with norts and a tee like Jacks do.

They also show less wear and tear than Jack Rogers due to the material. Other than some scuffing on the toes, my Millers that I received as a Christmas present sophomore year still look pretty new.

One thing to note while shopping for Millers is that they offer two different finishes of the leather. The first pair of Millers I have is a patent leather, meaning it is more shiny and I have worn them to the beach without worrying about ruining them. Most of the Millers available on Tory Burch's website are a regular leather that are more of a matte finish.

I honestly can't choose a favorite between Jacks and Millers but I would recommend purchasing Jacks first as they are such a preppy staple and are a bit more affordable!

Are you Team Jack Rogers or Team Millers? Let me know in the comments!

15 Fun Facts About Me

Yesterday I sat down to write this post and honestly had no idea what to write about. I typically try to schedule my posts over the weekend so I don't have to work on them during the week but the post-Easter brunch food coma was too real on Sunday so I only scheduled yesterday's post.

I then realized that I haven't shared a "get to know me" post in a while so why not? I love reading about other bloggers and peeking into their lives so I figured this would be a perfect post to share with y'all today: 15 fun, random facts about me that you may or may not already know about me!

image via my Instagram

1. I am a super picky eater and have always been. I don't like a lot of things on my food and only like certain fruits and vegetables.

2. During the school week, I always have a turkey sandwich on a roll with honey mustard, apple slices, and rice chips (or pita chips or pretzels). Like every day of high school, I've eaten this lunch haha.

3. I absolutely love mornings where I don't have to set an alarm but even then, I will still wake up around 8:30 AM.

4. My goal in life is to own a beach house in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. I better start saving now but a girl can dream haha!

5. My go-to outfit this time of year is a pair of Lilly Pulitzer chino shorts, a tee or a tank, and Jack Rogers or my Tory Burch Millers.

6. I find shopping by myself oddly relaxing, whether it's at the mall or at Target.

7. I am definitely a big purse kind of a girl and I have always been. I like being prepared and big purses let me tote my stuff around all day. Like seriously, I use a giant boat tote for a school bag and I get asked all the time if I'm going away for the weekend...

8. My favorite emoji is the sassy hand girl emoji (duh!)

9. A messy room stresses me out so I have to clean my room and put everything away before I can be productive.

10. My go-to Starbucks order is a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte.

11. I stink at painting my own nails but I definitely feel more put together with my nails done.

12. Even though I love brunch, I am not a big fan of breakfast. I don't like eggs and only really like breakfast on the weekends when I can have pancakes, muffins, or something good haha!

13. I work best with a busy schedule- I don't know what to do with myself when I don't have anything to do!

14. I don't watch a lot of TV (I didn't have time starting junior year so it kind of stuck haha) but make an exception for the Bachelor and Gossip Girl on Netflix.

15. Easiest way to make my day? Fresh flowers, an early bedtime, a coffee catchup with a friend, or a yummy dessert.

Do you share any of these fun facts? Let me know in the comments!

Easter in Lilly

Happy Monday y'all! Easter is always one of my favorite days of the year and I hope y'all had a lovely Easter. One of my favorite traditions is to wear a Lilly Pulitzer dress and I even got my mom to join me this year haha. I "discovered" Lilly in the eighth grade and have worn Lilly for Easter every year since. Freshman year I wore a fit and flare that I love and was actually my first Lilly dress (#youneverforgetyourfirst). I shared my outfits from sophomore and junior years on the blog so it's always so fun to look back at those.

This year, I decided to wear this classic shift dress and I'm so glad I did because it is so cute on. A bit of a heads up though, it does run a bit small and short. I sized up one size from my typical Lilly size and it's still a bit short (but I am 5'7).

I love that the print is so fun and spring-y as it was perfect for Mass in the morning and then brunch at the country club in the afternoon! I will definitely be wearing this dress a lot for different events this spring and I'll also be sharing more of what I did on Easter in Friday's My Chic Week post.

Shift Dress- Lilly Pulitzer Wedges- Jack Rogers Purse- Tory Burch (similar) Watch- Kate Spade Bracelets- David Yurman (similar)

Happy Monday!