Wrapping It Up

I know I've mentioned it a ton but I really hate moving. It just throws everything out of whack. I haven't been able to keep up a good blogging schedule (which really grinds my gears) because I can't even keep up a good everyday life schedule lately.
I'm down to the bare bones at the old house so I keep forgetting that certain things I need to write a post about or review have already been packed away. It's just a total headache and I can't wait until this week is over and we will finally be all settled in under one roof. Fingers crossed.
Since I've been so frustrated with things not working out this week, I thought I would try to wrap up my thoughts, share some of my favorite links, and start this new week fresh. Hope you enjoy!

- Britney Spears is amazing...Jimmy Fallon is too -

In case you're new here, I am a huge fan of Britney Spears AND Jimmy Fallon...not necessarily together but I'm not going to object if they do get together, especially if it's for The Tonight Show.
Earlier this week Brit Brit stopped by The Tonight Show to promote her new lingerie line, Intimate Britney (LOVE, but we couldn't be a bit more creative with the name?). With Britney being newly single Jimmy took it upon himself to sign the pop princess up for none other than Tinder and you can watch the video here.
Did you cringe? Cause I did.
I love how nervous Britney seems in the video. Is that weird?
I mean she's like a huge star in my book so I think it's just absolutely precious that she still gets nervous doing things like the celebrity staple that is late night tv. Whatever. I love you always, Britney. No shame!

Straight from Gala's Twitter...isn't she enchanting?

- Gala Darling -
I don't even know where to begin with this wonderful human. Her blog is out of this world amazing and I could get lost in her posts for hours. She uses words like "badassery" and quotes The Craft all while taking on the incredible journey of bringing Radical Self Love to the masses. Let's just say that if you haven't checked her out then you absolutely, most definitely should.
Oh, she's just announced that she's releasing a book soon, Love & Sequins, so expect to hear my thoughts on that soon too.

- 'Why are elections for governor called "gubernatorial"? That's ridiculous.' -

This was a thought that struck me while reading a Jezebel article about Wendy Davis. I still haven't figured it out but there's a more pressing matter at hand.
The article was mostly the author's opinion on a journalist questioning whether or not Texas gubernatorial (there's that word again) candidate, Wendy Davis, told the truth when she claimed to have had two abortions in the 90s due to medical risks.
First of all, if you don't know who Wendy Davis is please educate yourself because she pretty much rocked my politics-loving world last summer. She filibustered an anti-abortion law on the Texas State Senate floor for 11-hours last year...but let's not get off on that tangent.
Well, Davis is now running for Governor of Texas and recently revealed that she had had two abortions done due to medical complications. While I question the timing of this reveal I don't question whether or not Davis is telling the truth. What kind of sicko would lie about having two abortions? However, there are people out there that are questioning Davis, such as journalist Dustin Siggins...and I think he is an absolute idiot. Go ahead, google his article and see if you agree with me, whether or not you agree with Davis.

- This is a very good read.-
Wonderfully written and thought provoking...it makes me want to write more. I'll let it speak for itself though.

Oh lord, I wish it still came on Monday 8/7c

-The Carrie Diaries -
I curse The CW with every episode I watch seeing as they cancelled this ridiculously awesome show. I'm just making my way through the second (and final) season now but I don't want it to end because I know when I do I will be writing a strongly worded email to someone somewhere begging for a third season.

- Am I the only one that goes through headphones like they're disposable? -
My new headphones have a short in them so they annoyingly only play music through one side meaning I can't stand to use them. However, I've realized that I don't want to exercise without listening to music but I don't want to listen to music out loud either. I know, I should get new headphones but I don't want to get a shit pair from Amazon just to have them break in a week and I don't want to pay ridiculous prices for a decent pair that could still short out in a week. It's a conundrum of epic proportions, believe me.

until next time,

xo

August Ipsy Glam Bag Review

Have I mentioned that I absolutely hate moving? Because I do.
While we're still not completely moved into the new house I just had to take a break from packing boxes and lugging them up and down stairs to write this review of last month's Ipsy Glam Bag...mostly because this month's is arriving soon. Oops.

August's theme was Beauty Schooled and I LOVE that!
What a great way to tie in the whole Back-to-School deal with great beauty products too. I'm not sure if it was their intent but I did notice that the products that I received were fairly basic, everyday items that beauty-beginners would be using. Perfect for a school themed bag if you ask me.

Let's start from the top. I wasn't too sure how I was going to feel about this Klorane Dry Shampoo, mostly because everything on the bottle was in French and that just reminded me too much of high school French class which was enough of a nightmare to never be reminded of it again.

I gave it a shot though, because I'm addicted to dry shampoo. My first thoughts were that I liked the nozzle and felt like it was really comfortable to use (is that weird?). Anyway, I suppose that doesn't matter so much because I don't know if that feature is carried over to the full size version too. I also really like that the product smelt nice, nothing too strong just natural and not powdery or fresh like some other dry shampoos I've tried. You definitely have to work this product into your hair though or you'll be left with a Bride-of-Frankenstein do that no one should have to deal with.

I'm already a huge fan of Dr. Brandt products from past Ipsy Glam Bags so I was super excited to see this product in my Glam Room. It's the Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer for oily/combination skin that can be used under or over makeup. Yep, you read that right, can be used over makeup too. I'm a big primer user so that was really intriguing to me but let me just say that when it says for oily to combination skin, it means it. I feel like I have combination skin that's more on the drier side so I thought this product would at least be good to help hide large pores along my T-zone, which it does wonderfully, but honestly this just got didn't look right after I applied my makeup. Not only does this primer have a harsh, chemically smell it also feels very slippery to the touch then dries out over the course of the day. I just felt like my makeup wasn't staying in place when I used this primer underneath and couldn't imagine it working any better over my makeup.

Ipsy is so hit or miss when it comes to eye shadows...but this one was a hit right from the start. First off, I love the packaging, the lid pops up to reveal a single Flying Solo shadow from J. Cat  Beauty but below that is also a little mirror and an extra small eye shadow sponge, perfect for traveling. This shade, Half Naked, is the perfect color for my skin tone in the summer. I love that it's a sheer peach with shimmer that can be used all over the lid, in the inner corners, or even as a cheek highlight. I love a good all-in-one product so this shadow definitely gets a thumbs up from me.

Oh. My. Gosh.
This lip balm is the best lip balm ever. Hands down. At least as far as all the lip balms that come in tubes like this go. From Jersey Shore Sun this Mongongo (still not sure how to pronounce that) Nutrient Dense Anti-Aging Lip Conditioner is so fabulous it had to have 4 flavors...Mandarin Green Orange Ginger, which is just as confusing as it's name. But I don't care about all that, it's just really good. So good in fact, I just had to stop typing just so I could put some more on. It feels like butter going across your lips, or something better than butter because that sounds gross, and keeps my lips hydrated for what seems like forever. I also like that it's Organic and made in the USA!

Now, for what I had waited all month for...Urban Decay Perversion Mascara.
I just don't even know where to begin with this mascara. When I heard that every Ipsy subscriber was going to receive a new Urban Decay product in their August Glam Bag I crossed my fingers that mine would be their new mascara. Well, it worked and I couldn't be happier.

Offering bigger, blacker, badder lashes that are "so intense, you might need a safe word." I don't understand why more people aren't talking about this mascara, it really does everything it says it will...I mean aside from the whole 50 Shades of Grey connotations. The formula is so creamy without being too wet and it really is blacker than black, so much so that my black eye liner paled in comparison. I definitely see this being my go-to mascara in the near future.

While August's products were an overall hit with me the actual bag was a little more than lack luster. It was down right awful. In fact, I've already chucked it. It was hard plastic and cheap. Definitely my least favorite bag so far, but that's okay the awesome products more than make up for it.

If you'd like to check out Ipsy for yourself just click here. If you're already a subscriber then leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite product from August's Glam Bag is.

until next time,
xo

August 2014 Favorites

August has been so crazy busy that I have barely worn any makeup. Seriously, hardly any at all. I've resorted to using concealer as a make-shift foundation and running bronzer all over to warm up my face but that's about it. Nothing exciting there but I do have some really great non-beauty favorites for the month of August that I just had to discuss.

Music

I feel like music has been such a huge part of my summer (did you see last month's What My Ears Have Been Loving post?) but with things calming down in the new releases department I've resorted to some old favorites tucked away in my Spotify playlists.

The Wombats - I don't even remember when I started listening to The Wombats but I can't get enough. Even new songs I've never heard before send me back to the land of nostalgia. I particularly love "Let's Dance to Joy Division", "1996", and "Anti-D". Go listen. You won't regret it.






Hoodie Allen - I have a thing for white-boy rappers. That might be a guilty pleasure but it's not a secret. I was in the pool one day when I started humming the chorus to "No Interruptions", I couldn't remember the last time I had even heard that song but I just had to play it and I didn't stop there. My personal favorites are Fame is for Assholes and Eighteen Cool. It just so happens that Hoodie released a new track, "Movie",  just in time for the end of August so I ended up getting my mix of throwback and new releases after all. PS: the new track is quickly becoming one of my favorites all on its own.

TV

I waited all month to watch the VMAs so of course the whole show made it on the list as my tv favorite. I've also watched it about a billion times since then (aka like 3 times) but if you want a look at my thoughts from the live show then check out this post.

Book - The Last Lecture

Since we're moving I've had to go through all of my books, my collection is a lot bigger than I even realized by the way, but that led to me picking out a few old favorites that I wanted to reread before I packed them all away. The Last Lecture was at the top of that list. I first read this book during the last few weeks, days really, of my junior year in high school after my AP English class finished reading The Great Gatsby early. It changed my life.

I know a lot of people say that about a lot of different books but this one really hit the nail on the head. Reading it again brings back all of those great memories but it also brings up a whole new level of awesomeness. I am forever grateful that Randy Pausch, the author of the book, decided to take his last lecture at Carnegie-Mellon and the advice he wished to preserve for his children (the book follows him as he is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer) and share it with the rest of the world. If you haven't read it or have never heard of Randy's story then google it, read it, live it. It's amazing and that's all I'm going to say.

Movie - If I Stay

This movie made it into my August favorites at the last minute...literally. I watched it on the last day of the month.
While visiting my friends at the university my sister called me up and asked if I wanted to go see a movie with her...and her boyfriend...and his mom. Uhhhh, what movie? If I Stay. Yes! I'm on my way!

I love my sister's boyfriend, he's great. I was a little worried about meeting his mom though. I mean I'm bad enough meeting my own boyfriends' mother let alone my sister's boyfriend's mother. Turns out she was totally precious and absolutely adorable. We even walked around the fair a little after the movie was over but back to the point.
This movie is precious. I had heard it was like The Fault in Our Stars Part Deux but I was attached to Augustus and Hazel Grace before seeing that, I barely even knew what this movie was about. However, I was totally on board for one reason and one reason only. Jamie Blackley. He is a cutie and get this, he's British! I was hooked.
The movie centers around Mia, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, and the incredibly difficult choice she has to make following an immense tragedy. The relationship between her and Blackley's character, Adam, is played out in a series of highs and lows that play just like long buried memories. By the time the movie wraps up, which is totally doesn't just so you know, you've personally went through the stages of grief and still don't know which way you want Mia to choose.
Oh, just to prove how hooked I am on this movie...I saw the movie on Saturday, bought the book on Sunday, and finished it on Monday. I still want more Adam and Mia.

YouTube - Velvetgh0st

Gabby aka Velvetgh0st is officially my favorite YouTuber...there, I said it. It might be the super bright colors of her channel, her lah-vely British accent, or the fact that she loves a good home haul but I can't get enough of Gabby. I'm currently obsessed with her moving in vlogs simply because they have me itching to break out on my own too. I love how she's not afraid to discuss her anxieties about vlogging and such but has kicked absolute ass on her journey moving out to Brighton. I'm proud and excited and obsessed all at the same tie. Check out her YouTube channels to see what all the fuss is about.

Food - Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea
As I mentioned in my July Favorites, I've been making an effort to eat much healthier and exercise a whole lot more. I've gotten to the point that eating healthier isn't even a forced thing it's just what I prefer which means that I'm just not into eating certain things that my body doesn't deem super healthy for me. Sometimes that means meat. Since starting this healthy living journey I've practically become a vegetarian aside from the occasional chicken breast or bacon slice. Because of that and the fact that my exercise routine requires me to eat a lot more protein I've been looking for it in different types of food which brings me to my love for Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea. As if vanilla, chai, and tea didn't have me hooked from the get-go the 9 grams of protein per serving certainly did. I love pouring a glass of this over ice in the morning like a good-for-you iced coffee...plus, it tastes a bit like eggnogg so I'm definitely keeping this up through the pumpkin-spice-everything season.

Because I would LOVE to hear Adam Levine's MJ impression

App
It's a good thing I don't have any beauty favorites this month because this post is already a mile and a half long and I'm not even done yet.

I have two favorite apps this month, one is on my iPad the other on my phone.
I have become addicted to reading from the PopSugar App every morning. It's gotten to the point that I pick up my iPad first thing in the morning. That's how I found out Carrie Underwood is pregnant y'all, it's kind of a big deal. I love reading all the fluffy celeb gossip and flipping through the slideshows of pictures.

My favorite app for my iPhone this month has got to be the MyFitnessPal App. This little thing is an absolute life-saver and has played a very important role in my new found healthy lifestyle but I plan on making a more in-depth post about all that very soon. I will say that I love that I can put it any food I eat and have it tell me the calories for it, I haven't found a food yet that hasn't been in the database. It also takes the calories I've burned from exercise and just walking around (with the help of my Pacer app) and factors that in too.











My last favorite for the month is the most random but probably my favorite favorite so far. It's the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale! Oh gosh, I just love that sale. So much so that I wait for it all year and this year was no different. I plan on posting a bit more in detail about the sale very soon so keep a look out to see all the great goodies I managed to wrangle.

Leave me a comment below letting me know some of your favorites for the month of August! Don't worry, I'll have plenty of beauty favorites for September I'm sure.

until next time,

xo

Life Update

Holy crap!

This last week has been a crazy one. So crazy that my whole blogging schedule was just chucked out the window. I thought I would try to explain my absence in the form of a life update to catch y'all up on all the craziness.

Tucker as a baby!

Have I mentioned that I got a puppy? I mean he's almost a year old now but I don't really think I've mentioned him. Anyway, he's fabulous and amazing (of course). His name is Tucker Jax and he is a Yorkie.

Well, I love him to bits so when he was feeling sluggish and his jaws started to swell last week I started to freak out a bit. Turns out he was stung by a bee. It was a horrible experience for both of us. I thought he was bitten by a snake but the Vet was really cool, reassured me it was just a bee, and put my mind at ease when he showed me that Tucker loved the medicine he would have to take for the next couple of weeks. Seriously though, Tucker absolutely loves that medicine...I think he's actually going to miss it.

Our NEW House

My family and I are also moving...to a bigger and better house across town.

Which is really great but a pain in the butt. 

Mostly because it is actually a really slow process but we're getting there.

I've even started decorating my new room a bit. Let me know if y'all would like to see a post about my new found love for interior design! haha

I don't know why I'm showing this to the world but it perfectly describes
my weekend. That's me, my best friend, and my little sister. Don't judge.

On top of all that I've had to face the harsh reality that I am no longer a college student. :(

All of my friends...seriously, all of them...started college last week. 

That includes my best friend since daycare; my fellow Monogrammed Magnolia, Danielle (who started her senior year!); and my little sister. 

What's a girl to do without a crew like that? Well, by the time last week was coming to an end I was realizing just how hard of a time I was having actually dealing with everyone being gone and having fun at school without me. So I paid them all a visit and went to stay at my sister's apartment this past weekend.

The Carousel at the fair aka one of only 4 rides 

Turns out it was exactly what I needed. I loved seeing everyone and just roaming around my old stomping grounds plus the fair was in town!

After two days though, I felt incredibly old and worn completely out so I spent the day at my sister's apartment cleaning and acting like the old fart that I am.

Oh well, I'm still slowly coming to terms with the fact that my Year Off is fully underway but I feel like things are finally starting to look up. I even have a top secret plan in the works but that's for another update.

For now, I'll leave you with this little gem from my Instagram that I stole from @hellogiggles. They won't mind. 

Sometimes it's just nice to know you're not the only one that has no freaking clue what's going on. Thanks, Ricky Gervais and the lovely girls at Hello Giggles. 

until next time, darlings

xo

PS: I'm still playing catch-up so keep an eye out for my August Faves, Ipsy Review, and a few other bits and bobs left over from last month coming this week.

My Thoughts On...the VMAs.

Because you know we've just got to talk about it.

I am a huge fan of the VMAs and have been watching them since before I was even allowed to watch MTV. Seriously, I used to watch it on the lowest volume setting possible then change the channel every time I thought I heard my parents walk past my room. That was when I was like 8 or something. In fact, I remember watching quiet a few VMAs before my parents actually allowed me to watch them in the living room for my first official Video Music Awards viewing back in 2001, but we'll get back to that in a minute. 

Let's start by having a look at some of my favorite (and least favorite) fashion moments from last night's festivities.

Best Dressed

I'm giving Best Dressed to my Ultimate Girl Crush...I-G-G-Y!

Among a red carpet full of "eh" looks, Iggy Azalea brought glamour and pushed the bar just far enough with this Versace gown. She also scored points with me by being the realest (yea, I know) when it came to who she was wearing when she told Sway on the red carpet that Versace had contacted her and asked her to wear one of their pieces so they flew it out to her then had to rip the dress apart and sew her into it. That's how it happens people! She didn't wake up like this and she's not afraid to admit it.

Worst Dressed

What the hell,  Taylor?! 

First of all, I was not impressed by this year's red carpet looks. There was a lot more bad than good. Maybe even some worse than this but I picked this look for one reason. She could have done so much better! Look at those legs. I understand, you've gotta show those suckers off but no one is focused on your gorgeous gams when you look like you're wearing a diaper. 

Not everyone can pull of the bodysuit look quiet like Bey-once so don't feel bad, T-Swift but just remember this. If your shorts are so short that the inseam can't be measured then you should probably make them into a leotard or get a new outfit. Taylor should have done the latter but hey, shake it off, right?

Now for the main event.

Kicking the show off with a bang was Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Jessie J with their melody of hits including Break Free, Anaconda, and Bang Bang. Here's my thoughts on the performance...

Ariana has an AH-MAY-ZING voice. It's that plain and simple. 

I don't care, I love Anaconda and Nicki Minaj. 

I have always been on the fence about Jessie J but this performance may have pushed me over to her side. 

Nicki Minaj may have had a wardrobe malfunction but girlfriend proved that the show must go on by coming out on stage holding the front of her dress together the whole time. There are not words to

describe how great that is. 

Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg (Snoop Lion??) presented the first award of the night and sent us all back to California My love for Gwen Stefani is immeasurable. I just do not see a point when I will not love her and it's not because we share a birthday...even though we do. October 3rd, in case y'all were wondering.

T-Swizzle redeemed herself, a bit, with her performance of Shake It Off...which is actually a really great song if you don't watch the video while listening to it. However she proved herself to be, as one of my friends said during the show, "Taylor Swift, patron saint of awkward white girls everywhere" when she paused during the performance, muttered something about not wanted to jump from the stage into a crowd full of hot guys in suits, then ran down the stairs and started signing again. She did mention something about that snake biting one of Nicki Minaj's dancers though, so that was funny but mostly I could have done without that little skit.

If you haven't heard about my love for Ed Sheeran than you must be new here.
If you get it by now then you'll completely understand that I may have gotten a bit emotional when Ed Sheeran won Best Male Video. Like what?! OMG! I felt like a proud momma...or mumma since he's British. Turns out it was Ed's first American award and I have to say he completely deserves it. Congrats, Ed!!! xx

Was it just me or was the crowd just super loud this year? I couldn't even hear Kim Kardashian-West (because that's her official title now)introduce Sam Smith. However, the Kardashian/West/Jenner Clan was absolutely adorable during the performance. The camera like panned to them 5 times in 3 minutes.

Can we just talk about how Common was sweet enough to ask for a moment of Silence in honor of both Michael Brown and his wish for peace (which I wish could have been longer but was well respected) yet the first video nominated for Best Hip Hop Video was Kanye West's Black Skinhead. I don't even want to go there. Kanye just leaves a bad taste in my mouth sometimes.

Was Jay Pharaoh the host or nah? I'm thinking nah and MTV just got him out there to make people laugh and keep voting going for Artist to Watch.

Last but certainly not least.

I can't even begin to talk about Beyonce's performance.
Oh lawd, Queen Bey's done done it again. I can't. I just can't. She's amazing. Her family is amazing and freaking adorable. Let's just say I want to be Beyonce more than ever now. #Flawless

Well that's it lovelies, leave a comment below letting me know your favorite part of the 2014 Video Music Awards! xo

For now I'll leave you with this precious picture...when you realize your mom is God so that means you're low-key Jesus.

Does that make Jay-Z Joseph or Mary?

until next time, 

xo

Top 5 Drugstore Beauty Products for Back to School

The Back to School series is back and I am so sorry for the delay. I've had a family emergency that's put things on hold the past few days but things are up and running once again. To reward y'all for your patience and the awesome response to the series so far stay tuned for a special bonus post coming soon.

When I think of Back to School Makeup I think "simple and affordable." So that is exactly what I wanted to bring to you today with this list of my Top 5 Drugstore Beauty Products that are specifically aimed for Back to School. All of these products are under $10 (some even under $5) and have been personally proven effective by your's truly. 

1.) You've gotta have a good base for your makeup and if you're anything like me you might be dealing with some breakouts going back to school. That's why I picked this lightweight but full coverage Flawless Finish Foundation from e.l.f. This is my favorite foundation-of-the-moment and you might have heard me mention it back in my One Brand, One Look post a couple of weeks ago. You don't want to go too heavy on the makeup in high school...save that for your club-hoppin' college days, kids...so this foundation is perfect for giving great coverage without getting too cakey and at $6 it is definitely a bargain. 

2.) I didn't actually start dealing with dark circles under my eyes until college but I can't even remember not compensating for them in my makeup routine so I've included my little miracle worker, Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser! This is definitely a holy grail beauty product for me and it is such a great lightweight but effective concealer that it is perfect for school too. The sponge tip applicator makes it super easy for beginners as well and at $7.99 it is a bit more pricey but won't break the bank.

3.) I was all about the powder back in high school. My oily acne-prone teenage skin practically demanded it but this next product probably could have kept me away from the compact so much. The Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder is my favorite powder to set and mattify my makeup as it is, key word of this post, lightweight but extremely effective. It's also easy to throw in your school bag just in case you think you might want to do a few locker mirror touch-ups.

4.) I had myself convinced that eye shadow was a mandatory part of my school uniform (not that I even wore a uniform to school but you get my drift) and this Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio makes eye makeup a breeze. I love Walking on Eggshells because the colors are neutral yet versatile while keeping things soft enough for a day of class. At $2.99 you'll save enough to keep you're growing collection going. :)

5.) In my opinion a makeup look is not complete without a touch of mascara. The e.l.f. 3-in-1 Mascara volumizes, lengthens, and defines you're lashes in one fell swoop making it super easy when you're running late for homeroom. Coming in at $3 makes it one of my absolute favorite drugstore mascaras, like ever. 

BONUS ITEM

6.) Yea, I know, I said Top 5 but who doesn't love a good bonus. Like I said before, I had oily skin in high school so I would have absolutely loved having this product on hand back then. The Rimmel Stay Matte Primer is my favorite way to prep my makeup to last all day and at just $7.99 it is way more affordable than some of those other primers everyone goes on and on about. Just throw this stuff on before applying your foundation and you'll see that not only does your makeup stay in place through 5th period but that oil slick that was your T-zone is no more. 

You can get money back when purchasing these products and more when you sign up for Ebates! (Up to 4% back if you used the highlighted links) For more information check out You've Gotta Know About...Ebates or click the link below!

Ebates Invite

Leave me a comment below letting me know your favorite drugstore beauty product for back to school!

I'd love to hear your suggestions.

until next time, 

xo

Merisa

Back to School Outfit Ideas

Continuing with this week's Back-to-School Series, I've put together a couple of classic back-to-school outfit ideas for those of you out there that are doing a bit of last minute shopping. All of the outfits, individual items, and where to buy them can be found on my Polyvore profile so be sure to check it out.

Classic Comfort

I think this outfit is so versatile and perfect whether you're still catching the bus or trekking across campus. Keeping things classic with touches of comfort and cool is definitely the key to my school style and this outfit has all of that. The neutral colors can even be exchanged for pops of bold colors to liven up the look when you just can't choose what to wear. Simple and chic definitely gets an A+ from me.

Classic Casual

Let's face it, getting up for class sucks. Sitting through lectures sucks. Dealing with crazy classmates sucks.

You might as well do all that in comfort. I love the ease of throwing on a comfy sweater, some really great boyfriend jeans, and classic Converses and leaving it at that. This look is sure to get your through even your laziest of days with ease. (Let's not even start about how cute that navy and pink flamingo backpack is...I just love it!)

 Classic Cool

Some days you wake up and you just want to put a little more effort into your look. Whether you're looking to catch the eye of that cute guy in your History class or just be a little more presentable to speak in front of your English Lit class, this outfit just has that little something extra. I love the bow accent on the flats and of course we've gotta throw a little monogram in there. 

BONUS OUTFIT!

Classic Sophistication

So this look might be a little more in tune for those autumn walks across the quad but I just love the colors and can't say no to a great cable knit sweater and riding boot combo. 

For those moments when you're looking to really turn some heads but still be school appropriate indulge in some class pieces like these. You can't go wrong.

To check out all of these pieces and more from sets I've designed head over to Polyvore. 

Leave me a comment below letting me know you're number one wardrobe staple for Back-to-School this year and keep a look out for the next installment in this week's Back-to-School Series!

until next time,

xo

Merisa

Top 5 Back to School Essentials

This will be the first time in almost 20 years (holy crap!) that I will not actually be going back to school.

I can't decide if that's something to celebrate or wallow over but I have decided that it does make me somewhat of an expert at the whole back-to-school business seeing as I have been doing it for two decades (still not okay with how that sounds). So I've compiled a short & sweet list of my tried and true back to school essentials for y'all.

1.) Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder

Paper is like a number one essential when you're heading back to school. You obviously need paper for your assignments but there's also endless amounts of paper being given to you through the day. I picked up this Five Star Hybrid of a notebook and a binder at the beginning of the first semester of my Junior year of college because it was literally the last notebook Wal-mart had...I was a little late to the school supplies game that year. It comes in some really great colors. Mine was actually Teal but this Pink one is really great and would look great with a monogram!

I loved the fact that it was part binder so I could add more loose leaf paper and even rearrange papers too. However, it's flexible and thin like a notebook and even comes with pocket dividers for all those papers that have yet to be hole punched. Something I didn't enjoy, however, was definitely the price. At $9.99 it seemed a bit extreme for a notebook at the time but I'll let you in on a secret that makes it totally worth it...this notebook lasted through 4 semesters and possibly could have gone longer but you know graduation got in the way. :)

2.) Fun and Comfortable Pens & Mechanical Pencils

You're going to be writing a lot in school...it's just a given. So you're going to need comfortable things to write with but it's always good to keep things fun and interesting too. I really like the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens to color code my notes, you can pick up a 10 pack in assorted colors from Amazon. While the colors are really great to keep your own notes interesting and easy to read some teachers and professors actually prefer that you only use blue or black ink on assignments so these BIC Ballpoint Pens from Target are perfect because they even come with a bonus red pen for those fun moments when you get to grade each others papers. 

Target also has BIC Mechanical Pencils in an 8ct. pack for .99 cents which you can't go wrong with.

3.) Sticky Notes & Index Cards

Target has some really great supplies but I especially love really bright and colorful sticky notes to keep me on track. I also really like the sticky notes that are like a small notebook. I may or may not have plastered my dorm room in them during a harsh Constitutional Law study session. You'll always need index cards, they're an absolute must for any study session. 

4.) Planner/Agenda

There is no way that I could have made it through school without a planner by my side. I have loved the agendas from Lilly Pulitzer for years now (I'm on my third one!). The Lilly Pulitzer Agendas range in price from $17 for the small all the way up to $34 for the jumbo version. I've had the large one for the past two years and think it's the perfect size for me. I love the fun prints and just think it's great to be able to bring a little Lilly with me everywhere I'm going around school. 

For something that is similar in price but a bit more grown-up check out the Kate Spade Agendas, my favorite is the Medium in Gold Dots

If those are a little bit out of your price range, they definitely were for me before I started making my own money, Walmart has some really great, cheap planners that certainly get the job done.

5.) A Great Bag to Put It All In

We've gathered quiet the load of supplies thus far so of course you're going to need a really great bag to carry it all around. Personally I've noticed that I go through stages with my school bag. I was just too cool for a backpack in high school so I always carried tote backs to, well, tote my books around. You don't get a locker in college and sometimes you just don't want to make the trek back to your dorm room to grab a book in between classes so a back pack was definitely the way to go. Once my course load got lighter closer to graduation, I started carrying more purse like bags to class that could work when I brought it in to my internship too. 

I've listed some really great backpacks and bags below and even gave save & splurge options!

Backpack

Save: This Neff Scholar Tie Dye backpack is too cool and is definitely on trend with the pastel colors. You can opt to keep it class with this JanSport Coral Backpack that brings a pop of color to your school day.

Splurge: I was never one for Vera Bradley in school but this Vera Bradley Lighten Up Backpack in Ziggy Zags is cute without being that signature floral.

Bag

Save: You can definitely save a big buck and keep it Monogrammed Magnolia style with this Longchamp Inspired Monogrammed Tote on Etsy.

Splurge: What's more classic than a really great canvas tote? You can get the Vineyard Vines Stars Classic Tote  and pull a move along the lines of The College Prepster.

I absolutely love the School Satchel from TopShop and think it is the perfect option to keep things stylish and functional but also add in a pop of professionalism too.

I hope you've enjoyed my Top 5 Back-to-School Essentials! Leave a comment below telling me you're favorite thing about getting ready to go back to school.

until next time,

xo

Merisa

You've Gotta Know About...Ebates

I've decided to start a Back-to-School series since we are rapidly approaching that dreaded time of year once again. So, to get things started here's a look at something I thought you've just gotta know about before diving into your back to school shopping routine. At the end there should be some really great links for coupons and other amazing things so keep a look out!

There I was just scrolling through Instagram one day a couple of months ago when I see this...

In case you can't see, boys and girls, that's a lovely little check for almost $600! Definitely worthy of "amazing" and "omg!" in my opinion. 

After reading the description and finding out that she actually earned this check by shopping online through a website called Ebates I thought, "Oh well, I could never get as lucky to have something like that happen to me" and went on about my day. 

It wasn't until a few weeks later when I was shopping around online that I thought about the site again and decided to check it out for myself.
I was shocked by how many stores (or sites really) participated in the partnership with Ebates. 
See, Ebates pairs up with these sites to sort of advertise for them and even offer coupons directly from their site in and in exchange for moving costumer's toward the store's site the store actually gives Ebates a percentage of the money from your purchase. Ebates, being the kind folk that they are, then just returns that percentage to you!
How cool is that?

If you've been around here a bit longer than a minute than you might be able to guess that some of my favorite sites to shop on involve beauty products and clothing...shocking, right?
Well, that can be a bit of a drain on the bank account but getting a bit of that money back makes things far less painful. 

So, you now know how Ebates gets the money now let's talk about how the money gets to you. Once you got to Ebates, pick the store you want to shop on, activate Cash Back (all that involves is clicking the pop up that comes at the to of the screen), and make your purchase you will see that your little (or big) shopping trip has been recorded in your Ebates account.
After a couple of days you'll see that that shopping trip has now turned into Cash Back! 

My first experience with Ebates was great. After signing up I added the Ebates extension to Google Chrome so that I would be alerted every time I was on a site that worked with Ebates. So there I was renewing my subscription to Microsoft Office when the little pop up alerted me that I could activate Cash Back prior to checking out, so I did. 
I only purchased a month's worth of Office access which came out to around $7, a few days later I noticed that my Ebates account said that my purchase had qualified me for $10 back. That's right. I made $3 just from shopping online. 
Not bad.
Since I had made my first purchase through the site Ebates went on to inform me that I was eligible for a $10 gift card to a store of my choosing (they gave me like 3 options I think) so I picked a Walmart gift card because those suckers are always handy.
After making another purchase worthy of $10 back the quarter was up and I was sent my Big Fat Check AND my gift card.
All in all, I made $30 extra bucks from 2 online shopping ventures that cost me less than $10 each. 
I'll say it again...not bad.

Ebates breaks the year into quarters meaning that if you're a frequent Ebates user you could see a Big Fat Check every 3 months. However, if you're like me and trying to save up your cash like crazy you might see that you're Cash Back rewards are pretty low. That's okay, if your rewards amount to less than $5.01 then Ebates will just roll that money over to your next check. No worries. 

Another awesome thing about Ebates? You can choose 3 different forms of payment...the Big  Fat Check through the mail, PayPal, or if you're an incredibly generous soul you can even have your check sent to a family member or a charity organization. Pretty sweet if you ask me.

If you're not convinced enough then let me show you just how much cash you can get back from stores you know you love

Apple Store - 3% Cash Back
Forever 21 - 4% Cash Back
Sephora & ULTA - 4% Cash Back
American Eagle - 5.3% back on jeans, 4% everything else
Gap - 8% Cash Back
TOMS - 10% Cash Back + a really great coupon code
Proactiv+ - 30% Cash Back

This is just a small portion of the sites available to shop from Ebates but when you think about it that's some serious Cash Back on all your Back-to-School needs. 

If you're finally on board and you just can't wait to get your hands on one of those Big Fat Checks then I highly suggest you click the link below to sign up to Ebates immediately...it's definitely worth it.

EBATES INVITE LINK

EBATES COUPONS!

I hope you've enjoyed this look at the awesomeness that is Ebates.

Leave me a comment below letting me know what you think of the site and if you signed up.

until next time,

xo

Merisa