Starting Over

Wow its been awhile. Too long. Somewhere in between school and in general, life, I lost the reason I wanted to start this blog. I know, its only been a couple months since I wrote my first post, excited for my new hobby, but I think I've changed. Actually, I know I've changed. Cliché, right? Maybe its a good thing, the fact that I'm not behind a computer everyday typing, maybe not.

This isn't the end for me though, I've created a new blog that doesn't limit me to my possibilities. There,  the limits are endless and it will basically be my diary, open for the world. There, I won't pressure myself to take and upload photos and I'll post at my leisure. Its summer, so hopefully that'll be more often than not.

freshhe.blogspot.com

xx, Madison.

Spring Break

Spring break... Or lack of... has sprung up on us yet again and even though I didn't go anywhere (#lacrosseproblems) I did get to go into the great city that is New York not once, but twice. I know, getting crazy. Both times equally amazing. 

The first time was planned and the second was completely spontaneous, which is always a great thing. On Monday, I was lucky enough to go to the Broadway show, Newsies, as a fun little thing to do. The show was so good and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something fun to do in the city. We went out to dinner before to a restaurant called Becco's and lets just say that the food was phenomenal. I got the tri pasta special that included spaghetti, ravioli with a creamy cheese filling, and another pasta that I unfortunately don't know the name of. All of them were equally amazing, but there was so much I was pretty much stuffed. I did have a little room for dessert though, I had the chocolate mousse cake *drools.* I regret not taking photos for you all, but I was too caught up in the moment I guess.

The next day was a spontaneous, short afternoon in Soho, which in my opinion is a absolute must if you're visiting the city on vacation or something. It's a shopaholic's heaven. You got your high end stores like Chanel and Burberry, your in okay priced stores like J.Crew and Anthropologie, and then you got your inexpensively priced stores like H&M and Old Navy. Our first stop was to a crêpe restaurant called Vive la Crêpe. It was a cute little place we stumbled upon while trying to find where to park (which let me tell you, is nearly impossible in this area of Manhattan). I got the tomato, mozzarella, and basil crêpe. Unusual choice right? Well, I don't regret it at all. So good. (I know, I need to find some new ways to describe things.) We then went to the C.Wonder flagship store down the street. Oh my goodness, it's my new favorite store. It had so much cute jewelry, clothes, and even home ware and all at an even price. I definitely spent three times the amount of money there than anywhere else I went. Maybe I'll do a haul? Still on clothing and things we popped into Rag and Bone just for a browse and the workers in there were so nice that I felt bad not buying anything in the end, but who am I kidding? I cannot afford anything in there. I will say though that their workers were some of the nicest I've ever come across. Feeling hungry again, we went to Georgetown Cupcake *swoons.* If you're ever looking for a good cupcake stop in there and you'll be good to go. We walked around for a bit, but that was pretty much it. Short, no hassle, that's what I like to hear. 

Kate Spade New York.

I loved the contrast of a high end store to the graffiti. 

Got a little messed up in the car, but *heart eyes.*

Until later,

xx, Madison.

Have you ever been to Soho? What do you like to do there?

Inspiration

Lately, I've been experiencing some extreme writer's block. Like I'll write half a post and decide that it's pointless and I hate it. This has been happening for a week and I started to feel like I'll never get out of this rut that is writer's block. Everyday in English, we have to write for ten minutes about a given topic, or just free write. I never fully complete any prompts, mostly because I always choose the given topic, but I wonder, how can I write endlessly on any boring topic when I can't even write a blog post about whatever I want? Its simple, because I have to. It's different when you have to do something for school versus your totally optional blog. It's different when your writing just for yourself versus for an audience, I want to write something everyone will find interesting, not boring and pointless.

That leads to the purpose of this post. I realized that in order to write something I'll find worthy of my blog, I need inspiration. I need to dig deep to that part of me that wanted to begin a blog in the first place and write from that part of me. Not the part that just does it because it needs to be done. I think in order for this to work, I need to constantly remind myself that this is what I want to do and it should be fun, not a job. Yes, it is harder than sitting on my butt and watching TV, but it's fun for me. I love that satisfaction of hitting the publish button and seeing that people have actually read my work? I love that even more. So I guess the purpose of this post is to tell you guys that, even when you feel like all is lost, don't worry because inspiration is just around the corner waiting to be discovered and remind you why you love what you do. For me, it could be a simple post idea or another blogger finding success in something they love to do. For you, it could be something completely different. Just don't give up.

Until later,

xx, Madison.

What is your inspiration? 

My Summer Wishlist

Recently, I talked with you guys about things I bought keeping in mind the warm weather. Since then, I've been thinking about new clothes - lighter clothes at least - and wanting more (of course). With that, I've also discovered a new, well new to me, online store and dropped a few things in my imaginary cart. I kept in mind all the pricing, a new obsession of mine is finding the best deals, so all the products are fairly inexpensive. Although I'm sure you could find a more high end version of each item. I decided to write this post to show all of you what styles I'm looking forward to wearing this summer.

Lots and lots of maxi. Now I've never been into the whole maxi skirt/dress craze. I always thought that I'm way too short and a long skirt covering my entire legs will only make me look shorter. Even though I loved this style on everyone else, I always thought it just wasn't for me. Not anymore! I was recently in J.Crew and saw their striped maxi skirt and though, "yeeeaaahh, I could rock that!" So now I'm on the hunt for all things maxi. I think that they could go really well with a pair of wedges or a pair of cute sandals and I can't wait to rock this look this summer. These are two of my favorite maxi items I've found so far:

If you watch Zoe (Zoella) on Youtube, you 

would know that she featured this dress in 

her recent haul. It looked so nice on her 

I'm dying to give it a try for myself!

Thought this would be the J.Crew skirt didn't you? It's not! Like said before, I'm kinda into looking for deals and found this gem at Target (aka, my go to deal finding store).

Swing Dresses. Again, I never jumped on the bandwagon with this one because of my body shape. Lately, I've been accepting my body shape and thats been letting me wear more styles. Shift dresses is something I will be trying (definitely) to wear this summer. They're so nice and flowy for the hot summer and will be perfect for all sorts of occasions.

I've never been one for paisley either, 

but this dress was love at first sight!

Tank tops. This isn't something I refused to wear up until now, but I'm going to try to wear more flowy tank tops (not a big fan of really anything tight) that are versatile and easy to wear. I'm going to try to go for the staples like greys, black, and white before I get into the crazy stuff though. I also thought a white tank top would look perfect with the maxi skirt! I've found great tank tops at both Everlane, Target, and J.Crew. Although, I'm sure most places sell them.

I didn't put any pictures in hoping that you all know what a basic tank top looks like.

Here are some other things I really want to get to wear in the summer!

Plus black bottoms (Target) 

To go with the dresses right? (Nine West)

Target

Plus matching bottoms (Target)

Until later,

xx, Madison.

What are you looking for in summer?

Sports Preseason

If any of you noticed, haven't been writing everyday lately like I normally do. If you can't tell by the title, its because of preseason and just lacrosse season in general. From now until around June, I'm just going to be posting on days where I have the time and when I have an idea that I think all of you will really enjoy. I don't want to have written out a full post and not have anyone like it... What's the point? So, from now on, all of my posts will be quality, but they won't be posted everyday. They will be posted when I have little school work to do and enough time to write a quality post. Maybe in the Summer when I have all the time in the world I'll go back into my normal everyday schedule, but for now, this has to do.

Now that I got that off my back, there are a lot of things I have to say about preseason. First off, my legs are dead. In mucho pain. It always makes me wonder if I will ever go back to normal and have it not hurt with every step I take. Whenever I know I'm going to be sore, I do everything humanly possible. I ice, I stretch, I put on this weird arthritic cream, I use icy-hot, I even use this massage bar from Lush that I love even when I'm not sore. (I mean everything in Lush is great so...). I love this massage bar because it smells great and massages my skin so that they (temporarily - I don't think anything would permanently ease my pain) feel great. The smell is light and fresh so its not too over powering and you can use it everyday. As you all can probably see, my muscles are a big issue at the beginning of the season.

Something else I'd like to touch upon is hydrating. It's so important and so often overlooked. If you're not hydrated, you won't be able to do any of the sprints and may end up getting sick, which no one likes to deal with. Soo, drink up! Like five bottles a day. I'm serious. That may seem weird to some of you, but trust me, it's key to any running sport.

Something that's equally important is training in the offseason. You don't want to just pick up your stick that first day. You have to be prepared and be training even when the Spring seems centuries away. Even more important though, running, see I put it in bold to emphasis how important it is. Try to run everyday to make sure you stay in shape for the upcoming season and don't have sore muscles. Clearly I'm a bit of a hypocrite on this one, but I'm trying to get better.

Someone can learn a lot by just one day of practice and years of practice. They are all so important and I hope you utilize them!

Until later, 

xx, Madison.

What are some of your big tips for surviving preseason?

Imagine Dragons Concert

I had the luck of getting tickets to the Imagine Dragons concert a couple months ago, and the concert was yesterday! It was amazing, of course, although it could've done without two opening acts. Opening acts will probably be the death of me, I mean they're not bad, I just didn't come to see them. Anyways, the concert was so good and we had no disturbing people around us (another concert annoyance) that I only took some photos. You know how sometimes you take photos at a concert and you don't really pay attention, so they turn out awful? Yeah, well I kept this in mind and only took photos I knew were going to be good because I knew I was going to share them with you. Without further ado, here they are:

It was a hike to get this photo, I climbed all the way to the top!

A friend of mine took this, she's an amazing photographer!

Just one of the lead singer of Imagine Dragons.

These were taken with an iPhone, so I'm sorry these may be not up to par to other photos, but I thought you all may like to see them!

To the concert, I wore my black thick lulu lemon leggings, riding boots, a hot pink J.Crew tank top, and a plain black sweater. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos, but it was a pretty simple outfit, so I hope you can imagine it easily!

Until later,

xx, Madison.

Do you all like the Imagine Dragons?

Scheduling Tips and Tricks

My organizing post is by far my most popular post, so I decided to make this a little series. A tips and tricks series where I tell you guys my suggestions/advise on a specific topic. Today I'm going to tell you my tips and tricks on scheduling. With school, sports, and work, my schedule is pretty jam packed, so I have to really plan out what I'm doing and I've managed to pick up some useful tactics.

Stick to your schedule. I talked a bit about this in my organizing post, but its just so important for keep a good schedule. Do not push everything back and expect there to be enough time. Its just not going to happen and you'll end up being stressed and tired and wishing you'd just done your work earlier. 

Plan early. What I mean by this is that you shouldn't plan to start something at eight o'clock at night because it could either take you five minutes or three hours. Start your work early and it will get done early. (I value my sleep so this is number one for me.)

Write it down. Write down your schedule so that you don't a) forget anything or b) leave anything until the last minute. Not leaving things until the last minute seems to be a reoccurring theme here... Nevertheless, it's probably the most important thing ever to having a good schedule.

Give yourself a break. I know way too many people who pack their schedules and have no time for themselves. It's work, work, and more work. Giving yourself time to relax is so important because you cannot work yourself to death day in and day out. Relaxing will ensure that you don't get too stressed and always have an open mind.

I hope these helped, I know they help me!

Until later,

xx, Madison.

What are your best scheduling tips?

Review: Bamboo Anti-Breakage Thermal Protectant Spray

Mouthful, right? This product is pretty much your typical heat protectant, nothing really special about it. Don't get me wrong, it works. I've had heat protectants that don't protect my hair at all. This one does. One thing it doesn't do,  it doesn't heal my already broken hair. I guess that's a long stretch, but I think the perfect heat protectant would be something that did that well. Something else I don't like about it is that it doesn't protect my hair 100%. What I mean is that after a couple weeks, I notice that my hair has gone dead again.
Although it says to use on damp hair, I've found myself spraying it in when my hair is dry right before I straighten it. I think it works. If you spray too much in, it will make your hair look greasy, but if you spray the right amount in, I think it protects my hair a lot. Plus, it makes my hair naturally straight, what I mean is that I find my hair looking fuller and healthier when I spray it in dry. Sometimes when I straighten my hair, it turns out flat and dead. Not with this. For that, I praise this product.

Can we just take a moment for the unique packaging!

I'm probably really demanding with my products, but I just know exactly what I want in every product. Overall, I would definitely recommend this product as it is drugstore and does protect to some extent, but it's not the best product I've ever tried.

Until later,
xx, Madison.

What is your favorite heat protectant? I love getting recommendations!

Oscars Recap (2014)

Okay, so the Oscars were awesome. Ellen did a fantastic job as host... the selfie with a lot of the stars that got 2.6+ million retweets *amazing.* The dresses *amazing.* The dresses were so amazing (in my opinion, not one bad fashion mishap) that I decided to do a post on my favorite dresses from last night.

Jennifer Lawrence. I mean obviously. She's the best, my favorite actress. In my eyes, she can do no wrong and her dresses at every award show are always on point. This one is no exception for this one at the Oscars. She was one of the only ones to wear a bright color and it is perfect.

Lupita Nyong'o. So gorgeous. So exquisite. I'm in love with the dress and definitely wish I could pull it off. There are little sparkles in the dress that makes it even more perfect. The simple accessories complete the entire look.

Sandra Bullock. This is my dream prom/awards show dress. Its elegant and had a lot gorgeous detailing, but it wasn't too over the top. And her hair. Perfect. And her jewels. Amazing. I love this entire look as much as I loved Gravity (a lot).

Sally Hawkins. I thought this dress was like something royalty would wear. It has every detail imaginable and they all worked so well together. I loved the long sleeves as well, not many people wore long sleeves and she pulled it off so nicely.

Until later,

xx, Madison.

What was your favorite Oscar dress this year?

Lovely Lilly Pulitzer

It's no secret I love Lilly Pulitzer. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love everything they sell. I wanted to share with you guys some of my favorite things they are selling for this Summer and Spring! I've definitely written way too many posts about the warmer months, but I cannot wait any longer... I'm hating all this snow!

Callahan Short in Pink Pop Southern Charm. I've had these saved as a tab on my laptop for a while now, I'm in love.

Briella Fit and Flare Dress in Pool Blue Southern Charm.
This would be perfect for both a nice dinner and a daytime party. Fit and flare is also key to my body shape.

Keene Bandeau and Surf's Up Bottom in I Herd You. I've never had a Lilly bathing suit, but this Summer I am determined to get one and this one is perfect.

Kristen Leather Wedge. Because every girl needs gold wedges in their wardrobe.

Even though I love pretty much everything in the Lilly store, I thought I would narrow it down to a couple of items.

Until later,

xx, Madison

What are some of your favorite items at Lilly Pulitzer?

(Not So) Lazy Saturdays

My day has consisted of organizing, cleaning, working, babysitting, and catching up on some of my favorite blogs. I tried to fit in a little laying around and watching TV time... Can't you tell? All this can get my stress levels going up and up so it's important to keep myself in the right mindset. I have certain things that I like to do to keep myself in the right mindset and thats what I'm going to share with you today!

Music. Music keeps my mind so calm and relaxed no matter how unrelaxing it may sound. My music style varies to calm Colbie Caillat to extreme pop like One Direction to hard core rap like Kanye West. As of right now, I'm listening to Imagine Dragons's album Night Visions and loving every minute of it. I'm going to their concert in a week from now and so excited (blog post definitely to come).

Running. Now, I didn't go running today probably because its 20 degrees and I'd rather not freeze, but when its not below freezing, I love running to exert any gathered energy and clear my mind.

Showers/Baths. In my mind, both are super relaxing. I know people love just baths for relaxing, but I find both relaxing. Unless I have a lovely Lush product with me, I actually prefer showers.

Reading. This can range anywhere from a chapter out of a book to a celebrity gossip magazine. Today, I was more in the mood for catching up on my People magazines (which I haven't read in forever) and the Free People catalog I got in the mail.

Oscar prepping. Now this only happens once a year and usually lasts around ten minutes. I myself filled out the Oscar ballot I got in the People and discovered this amazing article I found while The Preppy Post Grad's posts. Look how amazing!

Getting comfy. All I did for this was stay in my pajamas all day and sit in bed while typing my posts and reading blogs. It is definitely something I should do more often.

I think the most important thing to do to keep a clear mind is to just not worry. Everything will get done, and everything will be okay at the end of the day no matter how much you have to do on any given day.

Until later,

xx, Madison

What are some of your favorite things to do to keep a clear mind?

Monthly Favorites: February 2014

This month went by fast. Maybe because its only 28 days, but I feel like it went by way faster than that. I don't really know what it was, maybe I was just really busy. Anyways, here are my first monthly favorites of The City's Prep.

1. Bliss Body Butter- This. Is. Amazing. The smell, the texture, everything. My two favorites are the grapefruit + aloe (this one reminds me of summer) and the lemon + sage scents. They are to die for. I normally hate body butters/moisturizers because they always leave my skin sticky for a bit, but these are amazing, they don't leave me feeling sticky at all. There aren't enough words to describe these.

2. Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara- I have heard no one talk about these. It's all about the Falsies mascara from Maybelline, but, whoops, I have never tried any Falsies. I'm always really skeptical about trying new makeup, even if it has the best reviews. Anyways, this mascara is wonderful. I hate when mascara gives off that kind of fake look, but this one makes my lashes look so full, voluminous,  and natural.

3. Bobbi Brown Blush (Washed Rose)- This was given to me as a little freebie when I shopped at the Bobbi Brown counter around a month ago. It's one of their Shimmer Blushes and I love it. It is perfect for having that outdoors Winter look that is exactly what I want for this time of the year. Did I mention how pigmented it was? So pigmented. 

4. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder- Coming home from school, I always look so worn out and all my makeup has worn off. With this powder though, most of it stays (I mean, noting can beat the gross humid air of a classroom) and my face doesn't have a greasy look/feel to it (which is always a plus). I bought mine in the transparent color so I can use it all year round and I definitely will!

5. Clinique "Almost Lipstick" Lipstick- This is one of those thing you have in the back of your makeup drawer and you retry it and you don't know why you forgot about it in the first place. Because of this, mine is in the old packaging (I much prefer the new packaging), but I suspect it's still the same great product. It's a sheer finish, so on the outside it looks scary (It is a dark color), but in reality, it is an amazing pinky, purpley, red. By the way, I'm awful at describing colors. Mine is in Black Honey and I love it so much, it definitely won't get lost in the back of my drawer again.

6. Bobbi Brown Eye Repair Cream- Now, let me just get this straight, I don't have wrinkles or anything. So you may be asking yourself, "Why does she need eye cream?" Well, these are amazing if you have horrible dark circles under your eyes and I find my eyes are so much brighter after applying this. Also, concealer glides on so smoothly with it on which is a big help for the delicate skin underneath the eyes. This was also given to me (a smaller test version obviously) as a freebie at the Bobbi Brown counter.

7. Garnier Intensely Smooth Leave-in Conditioning Cream- This is perfect for frizzy hair. After blow drying my hair, it is so sleek and smooth that I don't even have to straighten it which is amazing because I won't be killing my hair as much as I usually do. It says on the bottle to use the matching shampoo and conditioner, but I don't and it is still amazing. I might have to invest in the other products to see how wonderful they all are together.

I really hope you try these products because they are all worth it.

Until later,
xx, Madison

What were some of your favorite products in February?

*All photos were taken with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i except the Garnier Conditioner as mine is absolutely disgusting.

Happy March!

Perfect Outfits: School (Casual)

I think I'm going to start a "series" as you could call it, for outfits that I might wear to whatever event I'm writing about. Clearly today I'm going to be showing you all what I would wear to school on a more casual day by the the title.

This sweater by Urban Outfitter is my go-to when I need something warm and comfortable. It's amazing.

The leggings... Oh my goodness... They are a dream, definitely worth every penny.

I don't have these boots, but if I did I would definitely wear them everyday. (Tory Burch- I couldn't find them on the website unfortunately)

I hope you enjoyed this quick little post!

Until later,

xx, Madison

What is your go-to comfy outfit for school?

Some Light Reading

I've been reading a lot more recently and I've got some great books to share with you!

1. The Fault in Our Stars: Oh my goodness, this book. It made me cry, laugh, and think - it has great quotes that someone can really be inspired by. If you are only going to read one book on this list, read this one.

2. The Mysterious Benedict Society: This book is so clever, once you've finished reading it, you can't stop thinking of the little details around you. I love it.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Its so beautifully written. Words cannot even describe. It shows true friendship and love. And thats what everyone needs.

4. Pretty Little Liars series: Of course this is on here. Yes, its getting dragged on a little too long in my opinion, but its amazingly haunting. Its so unrealistic, its realistic and thats what makes it scary.

5. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: This whole plot line is so cute and the four stories are all so different that it never gets boring.

Please read these if you are looking for something to read! They are all worth it!

Until later,

xx, Madison.

What is your favorite book?

Organization Tips and Tricks

Being high school, I've learned how to organize my work, yes, I am still working some nights until ten, but thats just because of the ridiculous amount of work my teachers decided to give me that night.  Anyways, here are a few tips and tricks that I've picked up:

1) Do not procrastinate. We've all done it. We all know not to do it, but its key to not having hours and hours of work to do. Do everything as soon as possible.

2) Write down what you have to do. If you write down what you have to do (like homework, schedules, random things, etc.) you'll either a) remember it anyways or b) be reminded. Writing it down will insure that you never forget anything. Don't just write it down anywhere though! Write it on post it notes, in agendas, somewhere you won't loose it.

3) Plan everything out. Plan what you're going to do that day. Don't just sit on the couch doing nothing (procrastinating). Example: "Okay, I'm gonna go to the gym, shower, eat, do my homework, and then go to bed." This way you always have something to do and stick with the plan!

4) Color code. This might be the left brain in me speaking, but I find color coding notebooks, subject, jobs, etc. makes organization so much easier.

5) Keep clean. My room is a disaster, its disgusting. I'm an absolute hypocrite when it comes to this, but I find when my room is clean, its also organized and makes doing work so much easier.

I hope these helped!

Until later,

xx, Madison.

What are your tips for getting organized?

Spring Haul 2014

With Spring right around the corner, I was in dire need of some lighter clothing. I had the itch to shop. So thats what I did. I bought clothes I thought would be very interchangeable with other clothes. Which I love for any season. Anyways here what I got!

J.Crew Chinos- I fell in love with these as soon as a saw them. I'm definitely trying to lean towards more patterns this year instead of just solids. I couldn't find these online :( if you do, leave a link in the comments!

J.Crew tee- I love tshirts in the Summer/Spring and this one is no exception. It has cute painted polka dots and I know I will get a lot of wear out of it! I bought it in the next size up because I like it better when tee's are baggy, I find them more comfortable and versatile! 

If you clicked on the link, it was the closest thing I could find on the J.Crew website, sorry, but its very similar!

J.Crew earrings- Fell in love with the color instantly, I also fell in love with the price... They were $20 in the sale section then an extra 40% off (which is great compared to the original $35). I can tell I'm going to get a lot of wear out of these all year round and I'm so excited.

Gap infinity scarf- Because I need more scarves *extreme sarcasm* I thought this would be the perfect one. The material is so light and soft that it will be perfect for Spring and Summer nights.

Gap essential tee- More orange, I'm definitely leaning towards the brighter colors this year, I am done with Winter! Again, I bought this in the next size up.

I bought these all separately, but this outfit is too adorable not to share!

Button down- Gap denim shirts are great, and this one is no exception. I needed a light washed denim shirt and I'm so glad I finally have it!

Skirt- Madewell, you've done it again. I'm in love. There's nothing more to really say.

Necklace- I've been eyeing a similar necklace from the Bauble Bar, but I saw it at Nordstrom's and needed it! I've been obsessed with statement necklaces lately.

Until later,

xx, Madison

Have you bought anything for Spring? If so, what?

ps. I was going to upload this earlier, but it all got deleted when my phone died! I'm certainly going to stick with typing on the laptop!

Shopping Preppy... Cheaply

Its no secret that shopping in "preppy" stores can get expensive. I don't know what it is, but shopping for preppy clothes is budget busting. Nevertheless, there are some stores that sell very, very similar clothing styles for a lot cheaper. Here are some of my favorite stores that don't break the bank:

1. Old Navy- I love Old Navy, its inexpensive, but is still great quality. Their jeans are to die for. Seriously. Being 5'1 it gets pretty hard to find jeans that fit well, but Old Navy jeans are just amazing and fit me extremely well. Everything about the store just ticks all the boxes for me.

2. Gap- The Gap is the most expensive store on this list. I'm not saying it's expensive, but compared to the other stores in the list, it is. Gap and Old Navy are run by the same company, you know that just by going on the website. So they have similar quality and style, perfectly preppy in my opinion, but people who don't normally dress that way can still enjoy shopping here. My personal favorite here are there denim button ups, they're amazing. I also love the sweater collection they have.

3. H&M- H&M is perfect for buying the basics and staples every girl needs like t-shirts and tights and things like that. I have the best cable knit sweater from here in a lavender/perriwinkle sort of color. Although it isn't the most "preppy" place, I find it perfect for looking for the staples at an inexpensive price.

4. Francesca's- This store isn't as preppy as it used to be, but I still love the jewelry collection they carry. They have the best statement necklaces at cheap prices and you can still get some good clothing in there even though they've sort of changed there style.

5. J.Crew Factory- The regular J.Crew can get expensive, that's no secret. But the Factory is perfect for shopping the same style on a budget... I tend to go here to buy J.Crew shorts as they don't really tend to change season to season and they offer the same bright colors that I love.

I hope this helped some of you on a budget while shopping for the warmer months coming ahead of us. I know I will definitely be going to these stores to prepare for Summer!

Until later,
xx Madison.

What are some of your favorite stores to shop at when on a budget?

Surviving the Weather

It's no hidden secret if you live in the Northeast, or pretty much anywhere else in the United States for that matter, that this winter has been hard. Like mega-ultra hard. Like record breaking hard. Six snow days and counting hard. It's also no secret that most people are done with this weather. I myself, a winter lover, just cannot wait until the snow melts and I'm sitting on the beach in 80 degree air. But with the melting comes puddles. And I mean a lot of puddles. If you're not prepared you will get wet. My favorite way to keep my feet dry in all the puddles are most definitely my Hunters. They are durable, comfortable, and adorable, they are the three "ables" a perfect rain boot must have and 

Hunter has done it. I also feel that a key clothing item to survive the wet is not only the perfect shoe, but the perfect coat as well. Even though I do love my sweatshirts and windbreakers, I find that the perfect fashion choice has to be my J.Crew Downtown Field Jacket. Its light and a great quality fabric. Similarly, I love my Old Navy Lightweight Tie-waist Jacket. Again, a very similar durable quality fabric and lightweight. )Remember, I picked these jackets because I'm hoping the weather won't drop back down to 20 degrees! You'd freeze if you tried to wear these jackets in that kind of weather!) I took Charlie for a walk today and it smelled like the beach, hopefully that means that spring is on its way!

Hunters are a necessity for this type of weather!

Accurate picture of today's beautiful yet wet weather.

He doesn't really know what to do with all this snow!