Junior Year House Tour: Kitchen & Living Room

I am SO excited for my next few blog posts as I am sharing a tour of my house that I am currently living in for junior year! I lived on campus for my first two years of college (in a dorm freshman year and then on my sorority hall sophomore year) but moved off campus for my junior year! My roommate from last year and I are living in a darling two bedroom house this year and we love having more space from our teeny tiny dorm.

Today, I will be sharing pictures from our first floor (living area, kitchen, laundry, and powder room) as well as bit of our shared space upstairs! I shared the inspiration for our downstairs area over the summer and I love how it came to life!

When you walk into our house, the first thing you see is our living room and kitchen. Our house came furnished, which is nice as we didn't have to worry about buying a couch or any big pieces of furniture. We wanted to have the space be pink and girly and I think all of the colors work super well together in our space and it's the perfect spot to hang out with friends!

(sorry that you can see the flash in my camera in the tv!)

Our kitchen is fairly big and has a lot of storage, which is super nice. We didn't have to bring a lot for this area but I love how modern it is!

Underneath our stairs, we have a closet that has a bunch of mechanical stuff but we also use as extra storage. I bought a cart from the Container Store to hold extra things so this is really just a storage space.

As you walk to the back of the house, we have a long wall with the door to the under-the-stairs closet. On one side, I have an abstract-ish canvas that my little and I made and the other has a bunch of pictures. My mom gave me this picture holder (for lack of a better word) my freshman year but I haven't had the space for it until now.

At the back of our house, we have the laundry room and guest bathroom. The laundry room isn't anything exciting but is super practical. The guest bathroom is super nice as whenever our friends come over, they don't have to go upstairs to go to the bathroom. We kept it fairly simply with the decor but I think it looks cute!

Next to our laundry room is our back door. Honestly, it is nothing too exciting as it is just a mulched area with our trash can with a view of our neighbors' back doors and trash cans.

At the bottom of the stairs, we had a bit of space that we weren't quite sure what to do with. I had this bookshelf at home so when my parents came for family weekend, I had them bring it and it works perfectly for the space! We jazzed it up with pictures on the wall and then some knick knacks!

When you walk upstairs, we have our linen closet, where we keep extra towels and cleaning supplies, and then each of our rooms. We have a wall in between our two doors so I took a bunch of art prints that I used in both of my dorms to make a small gallery wall.

As you head down our stairs, we have a small wall so I put a canvas that used to be in our sorority's chapter room there. It's not the cutest but it's more sentimental than anything!

Living Area

Accent Chairs: Home Goods

Square Frames: Amazon

Accent Chair Pillows: Target (similar)

Accent Table: An old table from my house that my mom and I repainted!

Gold Picture Frame: Ikea

Candle- Diptyque "Mimosa"

Flowers in a Mason Jar: DIY (everything from Michaels)

Couch Pillows: Anthropologie and Pottery Barn

Lamp: Ikea

Side Table Picture Frame: Ikea
Coaster: Anthropologie (found in the sale room at the Charlotte store)

Rug: RugsUSA (under $100)

Tray: Lilly Pulitzer (old Gift with Purchase)

TV: Amazon

Tassel Banner: DIY (blog post with instructions coming soon)

Pebbled Picture Frame: Target (no longer available)

Hourglass: Ikea

Gold frame: from my bedroom at home

Books: "Grace, Not Perfection", "All in Good Taste", "Whiskey in a Teacup"
Gold Candle- Capri Blue (bought at Anthropologie)

Basket: Target
Curtains: Target (held up with a tension rod and command hooks)
Abstract Canvas: DIY

Kitchen

"I really love carbs" Sign- Hobby Lobby

Keurig

Toaster- Target

Utensil Holder- Target

Tea Towel- Swoozies (available on Etsy)

Paper Towel Holder- Target

Letter Board- Christmas gift (similar)

Candle- Marshall's

Storage Closet

Cart- The Container Store

Guest Bathroom

Power Room Sign- Target

Canvas- Hobby Lobby

Hand Towel- Home Goods

Rug- Home Goods

Bottom of the Stairs

Bookshelf- old from home

Square Frames- Amazon
Picture Frames- Home Goods
Trays- Lilly Pulitzer (no longer available)

Upstairs Gallery Wall
Flower Print- Evelyn Henson
"work hard so you can shop harder"- Sweetly Sally Designs c/o
Clemson Print- Swoozies
Aloha print- a gift from when my parents were in Hawaii
Brunch print- Evelyn Henson (old)

Stay tuned for pictures of both Rachel and I's bedrooms! Thanks for reading!

My Chic (Past Few) Week(s)

Happy Monday y'all! It has been a hot minute since my last blog post so I figured there is no better way to get back on track than with a new My Chic Week post! I have had this post in my drafts for quite a while so grab a coffee (it's Monday, you need it) and let's catch up!

Let's back up to 3 Fridays ago, October 4. I only have one class on Fridays, which isn't too bad honestly. I then had a pretty chill afternoon at home and attempted to get some homework done. Some of my friends came over to watch Gossip Girl and hang out, which was so fun.

It finally cooled down that Saturday and was an overcast day, making it perfect for sleeping in and having a lazy morning. I went and picked my sorority little, Nora, up at her apartment then we went to Michael's and Chick-fil-a. I had a blank spot on my wall in between my kitchen and my living room and wanted to fill it in with an abstract canvas. Since I couldn't find anything that was perfect, I decided to have a little crafternoon, which was so much fun!

Once we finished, I dropped Nora back off before watching Gossip Girl and going to bed early!

I have been so productive on Sundays lately and this one was no exception. I did homework, cleaned, went to the grocery store, and then made some pumpkin bread!

On Monday, I had my two classes and then afterwards, I went to the library to study for an exam I had the next day. I wound up running into my friend Olivia, which was fun as we were able to study together for a bit. I then went to the gym before going home to shower and eat dinner.

I made pesto chicken for dinner (using this recipe) and decided I need to tweak it a little!

Tuesday was another busy day of classes and after class, I went to the gym (pretty sure lol) and then worked on a group assignment with some of my education friends.

On Wednesday, I had my two classes then came home to change into teacher clothes. For my physical education class, we have to go observe in an after school program so I did that with some of my education friends to get our assignment done!

I usually have three classes on Thursdays but my afternoon one was canceled so I got to go home at 12:15 instead of 3:15! After class on Thursday, Rachel and I drove to Anderson as she needed to get her tire fixed. We had Panera for dinner and then drove back to Clemson.

Friday morning was pretty typical as I had my math class. Rachel wasn't able to get her tire fixed the day before so after my class, we went back to actually get it fixed. We decided to take advantage of the afternoon and run a few errands while we were in the area.

Our friend Madison came over to cook dinner, which was a lot of fun, and then a few other friends came over to hang out that night!

Our Fall Break was two weekend ago but we had a home football game so I stayed for the game and went home on Sunday. I slept in before trying on multiple outfits and getting ready! Our friend Madison is the absolute best and came and picked us up. We then hung out at her house for a bit before tailgating and going into the game. Clemson beat FSU, which always makes for a good Saturday. After the game, we wound up going to McAlister's for a late dinner and then stayed up far too late watching TikToks lol.

My Game Day OOTD- Dress: SheIn (borrowed from Rachel) Flatforms: Nordstrom Earrings- Sheila Fajl Necklace: Kendra Scott Apple Watch Bracelet: David Yurman Purse: Tory Burch (similar) Sunglasses: Tory Burch (similar)

Rachel and I left Clemson at the same time that Sunday and got Panera for breakfast before going home from break. My drive was fairly easy and I was home by lunchtime. I had a chill afternoon at home and then went to meet one of my best friends from high school, Meredith, for coffee. Our fall breaks just so happened to overlap and I was so glad we were able to catch up as it had been a hot minute!

I then went home to have dinner with my family and celebrate my younger brother's birthday (which was that Tuesday). Even though I have a kitchen in my apartment, there is nothing like a home-cooked meal!

On Monday, I slept in before walking my dog and then going to a Pure Barre class. The class was so good and it was fun to be back in the studio, even if it was for only one class. I then met my parents for a lunch at one of our favorite spots nearby.

That afternoon, I was able to pick up the two little boys I nanny up from school, which was so much fun! I'm so glad I was able to spend some time with them.

On Tuesday, I slept in a bit and then went to the mall! I needed to get another knob from Anthropologie in case I buy another side table for my bedroom next year and couldn't help but look around! I wound up trying a few things on and couldn't leave without a new candle!

dress

left: dress

right: sweater, jeans, sandals

I then went to my eyebrow threading appointment and had lunch at home. I got my things together to bring back to Clemson and then took Kona for another walk!

I got my hair cut on Tuesday (I actually cut a good bit off) and then had dinner with my family before  heading back to Clemson!

On Wednesday, it was time to get back into the swing of things after fall break, which definitely wasn't the funnest time as I had quite a bit of homework to catch up on. Rachel and I went to Publix and had fajitas for dinner, which were so yummy, then I was back to working on a paper for my math class!

yeti ⎢blue light glasses ⎢agenda

On Thursday, I had my two morning classes then had lunch on campus with one of my friends. We then grabbed Starbucks and went to our 2 PM class. After class, I came home to do homework for a bit before going to a meeting. After my meeting, I met a few friends at Esso for Chicken Tender Night. On Thursdays, they run a special where you can get 50 cent chicken tenders and while we don't go every week, it's always so fun when we do!

Happy Monday!

What I ACTUALLY Wear to Class as a College Student

I am so excited for today's post as it's an idea that I have had for a while. I always struggle to share fashion content for y'all as honestly getting all dressed up is a pretty rare occurrence as a college student. If you don't know, I am a junior Elementary Education major at Clemson University in South Carolina (can I get a Go Tigers?) and our campus culture is very casual. Most people wear athletic clothes to class and I honestly could tell you the amount of times I've worn jeans to class on one hand.

Anyways, I thought it would be fun to show y'all what I actually wear each day for a week!

Monday, September 30

Tank: Lululemon (similar) Tennis Skort: Lululemon Sneakers: Nike (similar) Apple Watch Bracelet: David Yurman

Tuesday, October 1

Clemson Panhellenic t-shirt Shorts: Nike Sneakers: Nike (similar) Apple Watch Bracelet: David Yurman

Wednesday, October 2
Old sorority t-shirt Shorts: Nike (similar) Sneakers: Nike (similar) Apple Watch with Kate Spade Band Bracelet: David Yurman

THURSDAY

Thursday, October 3
Tee: Lululemon (similar) Shorts: Lululemon Sneakers: Nike (similar) Apple Watch with Kate Spade Band Bracelet: David Yurman

Friday, October 4
Old sorority t-shirt Shorts: Nike Sneakers: Nike (similar) Sunglasses: Kate Spade (old) Apple Watch with Kate Spade Band Bracelet: David Yurman

I hope y'all liked this more "real life" post and let me know what you wear to class in the comments!

My Chic Week: September 27-October 3

Happy FriYAY! I am so excited for today's post as it's one that I love sharing with y'all but hasn't made an appearance on Chic in Carolina in quite a while (to say the least)...My Chic Week! For all of those who are new around here or just need a lil refresher, My Chic Week, or MCW for short, is a series where I recap my week and go over everything I did plus share pictures (you can check out previous editions here)! I am low-key noisy and love reading about other bloggers' "real" lives so this series gives y'all a bit of insight into mine!

The start of the semester has been so fun (and slightly crazy) here at Clemson and it's crazy as there is only one week till fall break (which is the half-way mark of the semester)! For now, grab a coffee (maybe a PSL if you're ready for fall!) and let's catch up!

Fridays are always nice since I only have one class so I have a bit of time to get ready in the morning before going to campus. I have my math class on Friday so I went to that and then it was the weekend! When I got home, Rachel and I ran an errand then grabbed some Chick-fil-a for lunch.

Rachel was out of town this weekend as she went to the Clemson-UNC game so I had the place to myself so I was able to get a lot done. I worked on a homework assignment and washed my sheets before picking up my little, Nora, to go to Target and Trader Joe's. I had a few things to cross off of my to-do list in terms of house decorating (stayed tuned for a house tour soon!) and thankfully Nora wanted to help me out. We ordered pizza and made cupcakes, which was super fun, plus we got a lot done! I then dropped her back off at her apartment and went to bed somewhat early!

Nora designed my memo board in my room and I love it- stay tuned for a guest post soon!

basket

I slept in on Saturday and then did some blog work and homework! I then went over to my big's house to watch the football game! The game wound up being a tight one so we were all on edge the whole time. After the game, my friend Olivia came over to hang out at my house with Nora and I, which was a lot of fun.

pink and orange throw pillows

Sunday was a "get my life together" kind of a day as I slept in before giving my entire house a deep clean. I then got a lot of homework done and was able to get ahead on some blogging as well. Once Rachel got back, we watched the new episode of Grey's!

Since I don't have class till 10 on Mondays, I'm able to sleep in a bit, which is nice, before getting the day started. I had my two classes then came back home to eat lunch and work on homework all afternoon. Rachel and I went to the gym after her class, which was kinda annoying as somehow every single elliptical was being used so I had to switch things up a bit. I then came home to quickly shower and eat before heading over to one of my friends' house to work on homework together.

I got to campus way earlier than I needed to on Tuesday morning, which honestly was nice as I had 30 minutes to get some work done in the education library so my morning started on a productive note. I then went to my first two classes, had lunch with friends (and spent too much time making BuzzFeed quizzes), and then went to my afternoon class.

left: day designer (currently on sale!) ⎢yeti

right: Apple Watch ⎢bracelet

I went home to do homework for a bit and then went to go pick my friend Caroline up at her apartment before going to a workout class. We have gotten into a good routine of going every Tuesday to barre and it's always fun to catch up as well as get a workout in.

I came home to a sweet fall care package from my family, which was the sweetest surprise!

Wednesday was honestly a pretty normal day- I went to my two classes and then worked on some homework! Nothing too riveting!

My Physical Education class on Thursday was at the on-campus gym, which is always an interesting start to the day. I then had my second class of the day before meeting my roommate and two of our friends for lunch on campus! We then walked to class, had my last class of the day, and then went to the gym before heading back home. The rest of my day was pretty relaxed as I showered and put on my pj's at like 7 (did not go to bed then haha!) then just working on some homework.

On the Blog:

How to do it "all" ⎢September Favorites ⎢Fall Wishlist ⎢What to Keep in your Bag for Gameday

Happy Friday!

What to Keep in your Bag for Gameday

The best time of the year is already here...college football! While I wasn't the biggest football girl before college, you can't help but love gameday in the fall at a big state school! Gameday isn't just about the football game- it's an all-day event with lots of tailgating leading up to the game!

Many stadiums have bag regulations for what you can bring into the stadium so packing everything you need can be a bit tricky as you need stuff to be prepared for the day but can't bring too much due to the size of your bag so I decided to pull together the essentials for your gameday bag and share them with y'all!

the bag

For my eighteenth birthday (before I started college), I received a smaller Tory Burch bag that is orange that I use for gameday! They unfortunately don't make it anymore but here is a similar option. Another great option is to get a clear purse, which usually allows you to get a bit of a bigger bag. I am just extra and can't go anywhere without a bag but I know some of my friends just use a phone wallet and that's it!

keys (image via)

Even though I tend to overpack for everything, gameday isn't really the time to do that as 1. you can't fit that much into a small bag 2. you don't want to be stuck carrying it around all day. So think essentials and that's it. Of course, keys fall into that category! If you're not driving, just bring your house key so it's less things to carry!

student id, regular id, debit/credit card (image via)

Continuing with just the essentials, you definitely need these! At Clemson, they sometimes ask for your school id when entering the student section (even though we have wristbands) so I usually bring that just in case. Regular id is good to have on hand plus your debit or credit card is handy if you need to buy anything!

hair tie

I always have a hair tie on hand for gameday because especially for the first few games when it's boiling out, you get to a point when you are done with your hair and just want to put it up!

sunglasses

I never go anywhere without sunglasses and gameday is no exception!

lip balm

My lips always get so chapped and I feel like this is one non-essential that I love keeping on hand! 

sealed water bottle (carry with you!)

Most stadiums allow you to bring in a sealed water bottle, which I definitely recommend doing! The first few games of the season are definitely hot and you will want it (plus the stadium water bottles are usually expensive). I usually grab one while I'm tailgating and bring it into the game with me so I have one.

What do you keep in your bag for gameday? Let me know in the comments!

Fall Wishlist

It's officially October and I am so excited for fall, even if South Carolina isn't wanting to let go of summer temperatures quite yet! Since I can't exactly start wearing fall clothes without having a heat stroke, I decided to round up some of my favorite fall pieces to share with y'all in the meantime. Hopefully, we'll be able to wear cute fall clothes soon here in the South but in the meantime, I'll still be drinking pumpkin spice lattes (just iced for now!).

Lake Pajamas- My Lake pajamas were one of my September Favorites and I definitely think I need a pair with long pants to wear in the fall and winter. They are the comfiest things ever and totally worth the splurge!

Free People Dress- This dress gives me season 1 of Gossip Girl Blair vibes (I think it's the ruffles?) and I think it would be perfect for semi-formals, nice dinners, or even Thanksgiving. Plus, it's under $100!

Ruffle Neck Blouse- I love the ruffle detailing of this blouse and also the color! I think it would be perfect for everyday wear or a business casual look.

White Sweater- I had to get rid of my go-to white sweater at the end of last winter as it had definitely seen better days so I have been on the lookout for a replacement. I love that this sweater has a fun neckline to give it a bit of "something" but isn't a tight turtleneck either!

Printed Shirtdress- I'm starting to think about adding more "teacher clothes" to my closet as I will in the classroom more often next semester and love this dress for fall and winter. Just add a pair of flats and maybe a cardigan and you'll be good to go!

Black Jumpsuit- Black isn't necessarily what I think of when I hear "Lilly Pulitzer" but they knocked this jumpsuit out of the park. I absolutely love the bow detailing and it is so pretty. Now, I just need an excuse to wear it!

Orange Sweater- I have this sweater in a different color from a few seasons ago and I love it. It is loose and comfortable without being frumpy and baggy. I love this bright orange color and think it would be great for gameday once it gets cold outside!

Tunic Dress- I love how simple yet cute this dress is! I think it is perfect for the beginning days of fall where it is still warm out as it is a fall color but isn't too heavy material-wise either!

What is on your fall wishlist? Let me know in the comments!

September Favorites

Happy October! At the start of each month here on Chic in Carolina, I love sharing my favorites from the month before and since it's been a while since my last monthly favorites post, I have a quite a few favorites to share with y'all!

Lake Pajamas- Paying this much for pajamas is a tad bit ridiculous but they are seriously so comfortable that I dread taking them off in the morning. I bought mine during the summer sale but they are such a great little luxury! I did size up to a medium so they would be loose and comfy!

New iPhone + Case- I had my old phone for just over two years and it was just being a pain in the butt with battery life! I splurged on a XR and absolutely love it so far. I went a few days case less (a risky move considering I was at home nannying with two kiddos who love holding my phone) and ordered this phone Kate Spade case off of Amazon! It is a tad bit high maintenance with the tag line "hold my calls" but I think it's funny!

Trader Joe’s Rose Water Toner- A really random TJ's purchase that I am loving so far! I spritz it all over my face after washing my face in the morning and at night and it is so refreshing!

Metal Reusable Straws- I drink a lot more water when I use a straw but feel like a horrible person using a plastic one. We have a bunch of these metal straws at home and they are so handy- I brought one with me to Clemson and need to order more!

Scout Lunchbox- Now that I live off-campus and don't have a meal plan, I usually bring a lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays as I don't have enough time to go home between classes and don't want to buy something on campus. I bought this lunchbox over the summer and love it- I had one in this shape in high school but I, of course, love the gingham.

Drybar Hot Toddy- A random find as my roommate and I were walking around in Ulta. The heat protector I was using isn't technically a heat protector so I figured I should buy a real one. Just like all other Drybar products, this does an amazing job and smells amazing!

Lilly Pulitzer Pullover- This was one of my After Party Sale purchases and oh my gosh, it is one of the comfiest things ever! I sized up one as I like to wear my t-shirts very oversized and wanted to be able to throw this on over a t-shirt. I wore this the whole weekend I was in Vermont and am now waiting for South Carolina to cool down so I can wear it again! I couldn't find it for the sale price but it is available here.

What were some of your September Favorites? Let me know in the comments!