God's Meal: Brunch!

Hey guys!

I'm so sorry I have been MIA the past couple of weeks! Finals proved to be more time-consuming than I anticipated! But now I'm home for the summer and ready to hit the blogging grindstone once again!

I want to share my most recent obsession with you peeps. It's not the newest Kate Spade bag (though they are running a 75% OFF SALE now through the 15th!!! I'm loving this adorable gold anchor 
ring!), it's not J.Crew's spring/summer collection, it's not even Starbucks' new hazelnut macchiato (who am I kidding), it's.....BRUNCH. That's right, brunch. Breakfast + lunch. Glory defined. GOD'S MEAL. This obsession probably started last summer when my pastry chef friend started showing me around the adorable, rustic restaurants in downtown Decatur, Georgia. If you are ever in the area, you simply MUST eat at at least one, if not all, of these glorious establishments. So, spending all summer eating at these restaurants led to my discovery of eggs Benedict, and BAM. My undying love for brunch was born.

Eggs Benedict in Myrtle Beach, SC!

Reuben Eggs Benedict at The Tavern in Old Salem (Winston-Salem, NC). All of the employees dress up in traditional Moravian garb and serve up Moravian food with a twist. Absolutely delicious, and fun to boot!

My most recent brunch adventure was at the West Egg Cafe in Atlanta. Their Grasshopper Latte and Bacon and Pimento Cheese Omelet were scrumptious! 

My two best friends and I enjoy the brunch scene immensely!

Ok, so why am I telling you all about brunch? Isn't this a style blog?


Here is my reason: style is not only the clothes you wear, the activities you immerse yourself in say more about your style than the clothes you are wearing. Do nothing but drink beer and go mud-bogging, all while wearing camo? You are probably going to be pegged as a redneck (not that there is necessarily anything wrong with this, but you can decide for yourself). Do you spend all your time watching sports events, sitting at sports events, talking about sports events, or thinking about sports events? Call me crazy, but you will probably be labeled as a sports enthusiast. So what am I getting at? The activities and the lifestyle that others see you living puts a stamp on who you are as a person. Now I'm not saying that this is good, in fact in many cases it is unfortunate. But it's human nature. What a person does is who they are.

My point: part of living the preppy lifestyle is engaging in activities that are bettering society, require class, and are FUN. Brunch, my friends, is FUN. Gathering with friends around a meal is FUN. Eating good food is FUN. And this activity does not require that you do anything that would be looked down upon by anyone (sane) in society. So the next time you are picking an activity, think of what stigma that activity may put on you when others see you doing it. Remember, style is not the clothes you wear. It's the way you live your life. Choose to live it the way you wish, but strive to live it in a way that you will never regret.


Brunch spots to try:

Murphy's in Downtown ATL.

Cafe Intermezzo (also downtown ATL) for the best coffee and breakfast desserts you have ever had! In fact, their entire menu is pretty much divine!

For a light brunch in NYC, Amy's Bread has INSANE Pain au Chocolat and fresh squeezed juices, among their bajillion other types of breads and goodies.

For the best classic eggs Benedict you will ever taste, check out The Green Room in downtown Greenville, SC. Plus, their grits will make you want to slap yo' mama (I jest).


Have you had any amazing brunch experiences I need to know about?! I'm always on the hunt for a new hotspot!

Much love,

cRm

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Arm Candy!

In my humble opinion, accessories are what make or break an outfit. You can have on a beautiful dress or a cute top and jeans, but if you do not have the right accessories, the outfit just isn't going to pop! Which is where adorable necklaces, watches, shoes, belts and the like come into play. However, nothing is better than a good old fashioned arm party! I personally am a huge fan of oversized boyfriend watches, especially in gold tones. Here are some of my favorites:

Michael Kors Everest Chronograph Glitz Watch

Kate Spade Skyline

The only problem is, these watches retail for $325 and $225, respectively. Now I don't know about you, but it would take A LOT for me to spend that much on a watch, no matter how lovely it may be. So.....TARGET TO THE RESCUE! Target has some seriously adorable watch selections, and a lot of choices at that! The best part: most of them are less than $20! Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is a deal. Here are some of my favorites from their website:

How great are they?! All three can be purchased at Target.com!

Now, on to bracelets. I am an UBER fan of designer Kiel James Patrick (you might know his girlfriend, Sarah Vickers, from her fashion blog Classy Girls Wear Pearls). He makes adorable nautical arm candy, handmade by his team in Rhode Island, as well as neckwear, oxford shirts, and belts. Some of my favorites of his include:

Nantucket Summer Regatta

What girl doesn't want to wear a bow tie on her wrist?! GENIUS I tell you!

Ship Starlin Castle

I love how summery this bracelet is! 

Royal's Golden Fleet

This is sure to add some pizazz!

I just love everything about these bracelets!! They are sure to spice up your arm party any day! And also be sure to check out Kiel James Patrick's recent merger with Brooks Brothers. They have a whole other selection available there as well!

                                           

KJP for Brooks Brothers

These bracelets tend to be a little pricey, but you can actually save some $$ by simply sharing your purchase on Facebook and Twitter! A pretty sweet deal! 

What are your thoughts on arm candy? Is less more or the more the merrier? I would love to hear! 

Much love, 

cRm

I Heart NYC

It's harder to find better dressed people than those you will see in New York City. Business men in their tweed blazers and Gucci loafers walking briskly to a meeting, young fashionistas attempting to walk in 7-inch heels down the sidewalks all while carrying a Prada bag the size of a small gorilla, small children in newsboy caps and tiny little vests and oxford shirts being pushed around by a nanny in a $3,000 stroller from Italy....it truly is the city of style. And not just necessarily preppy style either; Manhattan tends to be the borough of the preps, while Brooklyn is where the hipsters thrive. Whatever your taste may be, you can find it living well there.

I recently went to NYC for the third time with my mom and one of my very hipster best friends (they say opposites attract, right??), and just had the greatest time. There is just simply something magical about that place. And while I feel absolutely exuberant among my preppy peers in Manhattan, my bestie loves the Brooklyn scene (no judgement here, its an awesome place! If you're ever in the area, be sure to check out Elizabeth Falkner's Krescendo;  she makes absolutely the best pizza I have ever eaten!)

The thing I think I love most about New Yorkers and their style is that they express themselves in ways many other people in other places might not, for fear of being looked at funny or sneered at. But thats what I love about it! A man mixing a striped blazer, hot pink oxford and polka dot bowtie? Why not! I've even recently seen women jumping on the bowtie bandwagon...I may have to try that one before too long! Here are a couple of my favorite outfits seen out and about in NYC:

Photo Credit to Fred Castleberry of Unabashedly Prep

I am personally loving the trend of women in menswear, with a feminine twist of course. A navy blazer with gold buttons tailored to fit perfectly, or a oxford shirt with scallop detail at the neck (can be purchased here), or large men's style watches....I love it all. Add a strand of pearls, put on some heels, wear your hair down, and you're all set! 

The beautiful Carly Heitlinger of The College Prepster. Photo Credit to Fred Castleberry.

Another thing I love about NYC is that, for the most part, the style there is timeless. Despite the modern twists of a bright gingham shirt or the kelly green cords, the folks of that city know what it means to buy a piece of clothing that will last a lifetime. Which is, in a round-about way, being frugal. Seeing clothing as an investment will make your wardrobe choices much smarter, stylish and practical. 

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The marvelous Fred Castleberry. Photo Credit to Joshua Woods.

Have you ever been to New York? What were your fashion encounters there? I would love to hear! 

Much love,

cRm

Preppy Spring Essentials!

So, in the spirit of the name, I have to share my latest eBay steal with you guys! I just bought a pair of brand new, still in the box Sperry Topsider Authentic Original shoes for $28! These beauties normally retail for around $85, so I considered that quite a steal, especially in preparation for spring and summer.

And, as can usually be expected, they were not listed under the typical name on eBay that you would think they would be. Sometimes its worth it to simply type in "Sperry"(or whatever other broad criteria) into the search bar and do some extra digging. That's usually when you will find the best deals! 

While I would certainly consider Sperrys to be on the list of preppy Spring and Summer essentials, here are some others that I think no prepster should ever have to go without:

Plenty of brightly colored (and preferably monogrammed) polos

Jack Rogers. Need I say more?

A bright and colorful (but practical) Longchamp bag or the like. 

A good pair of sunnies. 

LILLY!

And last but not least, a VV Shep Shirt for those chilly evenings (you know I had to get a plug in there somehow!!)

If you paid retail, all of these things combined would probably set you back at least $700, maybe even more. But smart shopping (coupon codes, online sales, eBay, etc.) can save you MASS amounts of money. Now don't get me wrong, I think there is certainly a time and a place for the occasional splurge. A dress that fits you perfectly and will last for years, a great Barbour jacket that you will probably be able to pass on to your children, or a strand of pearls that you can wear everyday; I see all of these as worthy investments. But to be able to afford true preppy style on a budget, there has to be a good amount of effort put forth in order to be successful. So, go forth and find great deals!! I promise you, the time spent will prove to be well worth it! 

Lots of love,

cRm

Spring is (almost) in the air!

I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to feel like spring may never come! Even as I type this I'm listening to Christmas music (I swear) and bundled up in a thick blanket. I'm ready for shorts, long days, Lilly and doing homework outside! So, to get us all in the mood for the upcoming season, I thought I would post a couple of my favorite spring outfits:

Shirt: Brooks Brothers Outlet

Shorts: J. Crew on sale

Jack Rogers: eBay

VV Shep Shirt: eBay

RL Oxford: Polo Factory Store

Shorts: J Crew (eBay)

Jack Rogers: eBay

What do you love most about spring? For me, its just so refreshing to have signs of life after several months of the cold, grey, damp weather! There's nothing I love more than finally being able to go outside without being bundled up, walk around with your girlfriends, and have a nice cup of iced coffee! 

So here's to hoping that spring comes, and FAST! :)

Lots of love, 

cRm

Currently Obsessed:

HOW CUTE is this Vineyard Vines Seersucker Baseball Cap?? I think I'm in love! 

Shopping Online vs. Shopping In-Store

Oftentimes when I tell people that I love to shop online they are surprised. "How do you know what size you wear?" "How do you know if you even like the item?" When they ask these questions, I let them in on a little secret shopping tip: Go into the store, find an item you like, find what size you wear, and then *surprise surprise* EBAY IT! I honestly cannot remember the last time I actually bought something in the store. Even if there are sales and markdowns in the store, they will usually not even rival the sales that can be found online or the items on eBay. What I will usually do if I find something I really like in the store and I am contemplating buying it, I will pull out the trusty iPhone and go to the store's website and see if they are running any sort of promotion. Nine times out of ten, stores such as J.Crew, Gap, Brooks Brothers, etc. are running at least a 30% off coupon code, and that will typically include free shipping as well. If you do not see a coupon code on the website itself, google (for example) "J. Crew coupon code". Typically the first site to pop up will be Retail Me Not, which is a a great coupon code website. They are usually your best bet for finding the codes that the sites are heavily advertising and then those that they aren't. If you aren't seeing any great codes, then plug it in on eBay and see what you can find! You might be surprised what pops up!

My current eBay hunt is for this gorgeous Jack Wills tweed blazer!

 I know its almost spring, but its so cold here in SC that I still have my eye on winter clothes! This jacket retails for $288, but I have been able to find it on eBay for $150. Still not the greatest steal, so I will keep checking back and see if anyone has a sudden urge to sell theirs! *wink*

With this being said, I really am super ready for spring and summer! Ahhh seersucker, critter shorts, Jack Rogers, Lilly and Ray Bans!

What are you looking forward to wearing this spring?

Much love, 

cRm

My love affair with a website...

Jumping in to the bargain hunting!

I have found over the past couple of years that bargain hunting/shopping truly is a hobby of mine. It may sound a bit dramatic, but the rush you get when you stumble upon an amazing deal and you snatch it up in the nick of time.....*sigh*. Its better than any drug (or so I've heard). So how do you even go about finding these deals, much less getting your hands on them? Let me just say this: EBAY IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND. You can find anything and everything on there, and I can honestly say that 85% of my wardrobe is bought via the site. For example, last summer I was really wanting several pairs of J. Crew Chino shorts:

But even though the shorts aren't really that expensive (they typically retail for around $45) I knew that I was not going to be able to get them in all the colors I wanted at that price. So what did I do? eBayed it (Yes, that is a verb). After several days of searching and watching, I ended up getting five pairs of nearly brand new shorts for $15!!! Talk about a deal! That's what I love about eBay. Oftentimes people are just looking to get rid of things and will sell at rock bottom prices, whether or not they know that their items are worth way more than what they are selling them for. 

There is a secret to being successful on eBay, however: patience. You will most likely not get what you are searching for on the first day or even the first week of looking. But when you find a deal, its a DEAL. If there is something you really have your heart set on, but know you can't afford, just check the site regularly. The odds are that it is already on there, and if its not, it will probably be on there soon. Another eBay tip: lets say that you are searching for a Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt. When searching in the tool bar, don't just simply type "Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt" and then be disappointed if you don't find anything. Try different terminology and see what may pop up! For example, try Vineyard Vines pullover, Vineyard Vines sweater, Vineyard Vines sweatshirt, VV shep shirt, shep shirt, or even just Vineyard Vines. Oftentimes sellers will not even know the correct name for the item they are selling, so while you may know the correct name, that may not be what the item is listed as. Trust me, just keep searching and don't give up, you will find amazing deals with patience and time!

What are some awesome deals that you have stumbled upon in the past? Have you ever had great success on eBay? 

Much love, 

cRm

PS: I am obsessed with these Peter Millar driving moccasins! What do you think?

They retail for $195, but I found them for $50 on (guess where) EBAY! :)