One of the things I consistently struggle with is keeping things tidy. If your a little OCD like I am you know things start to unravel when things aren't where they should be. When my space gets messy I start to get a little stressed out, and given that I live in a little cube (my dorm room) this year has been testing me. I thought I would share a little mantra I use daily to keep things neat and tidy.

When running out the door, make one little cleaning fix to leave the room neater than when you got there!

This could be: 

-Hanging up a stray jacket

-Washing a dish or two

-Taking out the trash

-Making the bed

-Moving laundry along

-Picking shoes up off the floor

-Putting scattered jewelry away

-Grabbing mail to send and throwing it in your tote

-Finding a stray dish or glass

-De-cluttering a trinket tray

Or anything else you can think of that tackles the house clutter just a little. I find that this not only helps my living space stay a little cleaner, but makes me feel better when running out the door. I can't tell you how many times I've had to rush somewhere because I got caught up doing a chore. This allows me to compromise by getting a small task done but still arriving on time to where I'm headed. 

This has helped my dorm room stay tidy on a regular basis and has kept me from going on too many "cleaning sprees." And as always, Pinterest is my best help with a little inspiration!

xo

Natalie

Continue reading

Ever feel like you have a closet full of clothes but have nothing to wear? This kind of thing happens to me all the time. Every morning i stand at my closet and think about all the items i should buy the next time I'm at a store to make my closet "complete". Which is completely ridiculous of me considering i can barely keep up with my laundry. Sometimes the perfect item is sitting in our closet and we don't even realize it, it just takes a second pair of eyes to find outfits we didn't notice before.

Insert my sweet friend Rachel, a girl who is brainy beyond belief and goes for classic plain pieces when shopping. She wanted a second pair of eyes to help her mix up her wardrobe into some new outfits, and i was happy to help. (who doesn't like to play with clothes!).

What was great about Rachel's already existing wardrobe is that many of her pieces were:

-Simple

-Versatile

-Classic

Rachel could add to her wardrobe:

-Fun Statement Pieces

-Color, Texture and Pattern

She also had some really fun vintage pieces handed down from her grandmother, So i tried to incorporate some of them into the outfits we picked.

Rachel is an incrediblly talented in the kitchen! I'm green with envy. To read about some of her recipes be sure to check out her blog: http://decorativedelights.blogspot.com/

Outfit 1: "Throw On In a Hurry" Casual

For this outfit rachel wanted something that she could throw on before an early class, while still looking polished and put together. When i get stuck in a similar situation i follow a pretty standard formula. Boots, Scarf, Skinnies, and a colorful top is my go to on an early morning. Rachel looks incredible in kelly green, so i grabbed a little worn long sleeve top and paired it with a leopard print scarf. Just add neutral skinnies and some boots and Ta Da! Instant Outfit! 

Outfit 2: "Still Comfy" Business Casual

Rachel recently purchased some spotted pants that she found hard to pair with things. After many combinations, it was decided that a plain teal sweater would be the perfect thing to offset the pants busy pattern. Finally some wrist candy was added to accent the color of the sweater. The final result was an outfit that is still simple and comfy enough to put on, but looks a little more presentable. 

The string bracelets rachel is wearing were provided by a PDX Prepster partner, Pura Vida Bracelets. The bracelets come in almost every color you can imagine, and are awesome as wrist candy! Use the code: MURPHY10 at checkout for a discount.

Outfit 3: Put Together Young Professional Outfit

Rachel had a necklace she rarely wore, and yet another tricky pair of pants to find an outfit for. By adding a collar under the plum colored sweater, the necklace could work without disagreeing too much with the neckline. I have been so into collared shirts under sweaters lately, there all i see on Pinterest, and add an instant "Im Prepared" vibe to any outfit.

Add black ballet flats, Done.

Outfit 4: Fun, Feminine, "Going Out Somewhere" Outfit

This was by far my favorite outfit to put together for Rachel! Rachel has quite the collection of brooches, and a lot of them end up sitting in a drawer. I thought adding the brooch to a scarf was a way to show it off without it appearing matronly. (As a true prepster i loved how this one was her initial!) I can't even put a finger on why I love this outfit so much, but I adore it none the less. 

Outfit 5: "I Have An Event" Outfit

For Rachels final look, a LBD was required. I cannot emphasize enough how essential a Little Black Dress is for going out to any event. Because its so simple you can dress it up or down depending on occasion and dress code, it serves as a great foundation for any outfit. By darkening her eye makeup a tad and adding some fun earrings, Rachel looked ready to go just about anywhere. Too bad our big plans for the night were just hanging out in the dorms just us girls!

Hair and Makeup: 

Of course...any styling session wouldn't be complete without a little help in the hair and makeup department! My beauty savvy friend Nickey spent a ton time styling rachel between outfits, i can't thank her enough, she did a stunning job! She seriously gifted with a curling iron!

Had so much fun spending an evening playing with clothes! 

xo

Natalie

Continue reading