C. Orrico

Last week, I found myself in quite the jam. I'd been lusting after the Lilly Sarasota Tunic, but they were all out of my size in the print I wanted (life is hard, I know). Normally I would have just given up, saying it wasn't meant to be, but I was ordering for the Beyoncé concert on Wednesday (YES BEYONCÉ). And being the resourceful girl I am, I immediately began googling for my blouse.

The first link that came up was for C. Orrico. The name sounded vaguely familiar from other blogs, so I clicked the link. Sure enough, there was my top! After a little fact checking to make sure the site was legit, I placed my order.

C. Orrico, much like The Pink Pelican and In The Pink, is a Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store–a retailer licensed to sell Lilly items. They usually have their own sales, whereas the Lilly website itself rarely hosts sales (except for Endless Summer and New Year Cheer!). Like in my case, they can swoop in to save the day when something is sold out on the main Lilly website. It's great to have these stores in your back pocket, you never know when you may need them!

{How cute is the packaging? I'm a sucker for pink and green!}

I shipped my order with standard UPS Ground and was thrilled when it showed up on my doorstep yesterday! The tunic fits perfectly, and I could not be more happy with it. I ordered the small and am definitely glad I didn't go up anymore–I would have been swimming in it! I plan on wearing it Wednesday with white chino shorts and nude wedges....I just wish my gold monogram necklace was here!

Have you ever shopped with a Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store? What has your experience been like?

XO

Weekend Recap

This weekend was a good one. Really, really, off-the-charts, wonderful good.

Friday night was Little Sis's birthday party. A bunch of her friends came over to celebrate with a barbecue and a bonfire. Even though they're so much younger than me, I have to admit that my friends and I did have a great time mingling with the kids and the grown-ups!

My best friend and I with my neighbor's sweet baby boy! {shirt: J.Crew | skirt: Lilly Pulizer (old)}

Not to mention the incredible cakes from Three Tarts.

Make a wish!

Saturday was a lot of grad party hopping, followed by having my closest friends over to watch the Blackhawks game and a bonfire after. The Hawks pulled off an awesome win to make it a great night.

Some of the gals! {shirt | shorts: both J.Crew}

Finally today after an impromptu breakfast with friends, my boyfriend and I went to catch the last day of the PGA Encompass Championship being played at North Shore Country Club. 

{polo: vineyard vines | skort: Lilly Pulitzer (old) | sandals: Jack Rogers

watch: Michael Kors (old) | bracelet: J.Crew (old)}

We saw some great golf, and even bumped into Fred Couples as he was walking back into the clubhouse!

{via}

It was so hot out on the course that we headed over to my boyfriend's club after to lounge at the pool.

Except for a thunderstorm rolling in in the late afternoon, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect weekend.

On Tuesday, I go to UDA Elite Camp at Illinois State University for four days! I won't be posting while I'm there, but hopefully I'll find time tomorrow to queue some posts!

How was your weekend? Let me know!

XO

Summer Essentials

Post Memorial Day Weekend, it's officially summer! At the beginning of each summer, I reevaluate what my list of essentials will contain. It stays pretty much the same from year to year; regardless of the actual styles I choose, the core is always the same. I'm still working on rounding out my collection, but for the most part it's complete! Without further ado, here's what I'll be living in for the next three months.

1. Bright Bikini I spend the majority of my time in the summer at the beach or the pool, so my swimsuit collection is full of fun, bright suits. While I usually stick to my usual bandeau or triangle top styles, I'm really loving this asymmetrical take from Becca. {top + bottom}

2. Reusable Tumbler I constantly have a big cup with me for any drink from water to iced tea to Diet Coke...even iced coffee! (Did you know Starbucks gives a discount for orders filled in a reusable cup?) Not only are you keeping hydrated during the hottest months of the year, but you're also being eco-friendly! {tumbler}

3. Sleeveless Tops Who needs sleeves during the summer? Tops like this one are a polished departure from your worn out tees and tanks, and they transition seamlessly from poolside to the dinner table. {top}

4. Chino Shorts You need shorts. These are perfect. And all the bright colors just make them so much better. {shorts}

5. Shift Dress It's a safe bet that when I'm not in a bikini I'm in a sundress. Shift dresses are my favorite because they are so flattering and so versatile! Of course, I'm a Lilly girl through and through–after all, she basically invented the shift dress as we know it. {shift}

6. Tote Since I'm always on the run in the summer, I try to keep everything I might need throughout the day with me at all times. Naturally, not everything will fit in a little crossbody bag. But it does fit in a tote, and you can bet that more often than not, it'll be riding shotgun in my car for easy access. {tote}

7. Sunglasses It's a known fact amongst my friends and family that I cannot drive without sunglasses. I also am not the biggest fan of my eyes, so I definitely think I photograph better with sunglasses on. I'm a Wayfarer girl, but lately the Clubmasters have been calling my name. Is it time for a switch-up? {sunglasses}

8. Croakies And with sunglasses you must have sunglass straps. It's a match made in heaven. {croakies}

9. Sandals Much like with the shorts, I don't really feel a need to explain the benefits of sandals. It's summer. AKA sandal season. Don't get me wrong, I love a good wedge just as much as the next girl for a night out, but I swear by my Jack Rogers Navajos three times out of four. {sandals}

10. Maxi Dress Last, but certainly not least, maxi dresses are super underrated in my opinion. I feel like they're so much less worn than short dresses, even though it really only makes sense to wear maxis in the spring and summer. A good black maxi dress will serve as a perfect backdrop for all your different statement jewelry, and the printed ones are strong enough to stand on their own. {maxi}

What are your summer essentials?

XO

Oh Dear...

Hello, friends. I just logged into Blogger for the first time in ages and sincerely hope that you haven't missed me too much. I'm ready to make a return to blogging consistently, something that I've really missed. I've got a ton of post ideas that I'll be queueing up this weekend for the next couple weeks! For now, let's just do some quick life updates.

Prom was a ton of fun, for the second year in a row! Because I'm on student council, I've gotten the opportunity to attend prom for the past two years for free. And because we don't actually go to prom, all the girls just wear cocktail dresses.

{Me with two of my best friends, Poms teammates, and fellow board members!} 

{Friends!} 

{Some of the Poms seniors with my best friend and I}

The weather is finally getting consistently nice and warm...it's about time! Summer is my favorite season–for clothing and in general–but I've been putting off buying all my clothes, so a shopping spree is definitely in order!

At the top of my must list:

This top from J.Crew and this tunic from Lilly!

And while we're shopping, it's also time for a new watch and a bag for summer, so if y'all have any suggestions, they'd be much appreciated! Especially for the watch...I've been wearing a huge, white resin Michael Kors for a year or so now, and it's time for a change! I definitely want something with an actual strap, preferably a light, neutral leather.

I'm currently in the middle of hell week, as we call it at my school. The week before finals is always packed with projects, papers, and presentations. I'm finishing up my final English paper tonight, and I am beyond excited to be done!

XO

Friday Five

1. The Lilly summer collection is perfect. I have no words. Actually, I have a few, and they'll be in a post coming up next week!

2. It's finally May, aka the beginning of spring and one of my favorite months! I'm excited for some gorgeous weather coming our way and finally being able to wear all of my favorite sundresses and shorts.

3. I have found the perfect lipstick from Tarte Cosmetics. The Pure color is the perfect "your lips but better" shade that can be worn morning to night and it goes on so smoothly and stays on! I hardly ever reapply after I do my make-up in the morning and that's only because I'm a little OCD about always having my lips freshly done, but it's never really necessary!!

And how pretty is that tube?

4. Next week is crazy. Two AP Exams, my last round of Poms tryouts, and my school's Spring Fling concert are packing it. But this is why I love May; there's always something going on!

5. And finally, my most important bit of news. I met with my Poms coach today, and after three years on the varsity squad and lots of hard work, I'm going to be a captain next year, along with two of my best friends! I'm thrilled and excited and completely overjoyed. This has been a goal of mine since freshman year and I feel like all of my hard work is paying off. It's such an honor, and I can't wait for next season to start!!

XO

Easter OOTD

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer | Sandals: Cole Haan (old) | Bracelet: J.Crew (gift from the boyf) | Pearls: Heirloom | Ring: Heirloom

XO

New Lilly!

Soo I may or may not have mentioned that I received a new shipment from Lilly earlier this week. In it was the phone case I talked about earlier, as well as two new dresses!

Last week, I found out that I was accepted into my school's chapters of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude! The induction is next week, so of course I needed a dress for that, and with Easter this weekend, I figured that the dress should be able to do double duty. I chose the Freja Dress in the Everything Nice print:

This print is so bright in person; perfect for the beginning of spring!!

I love the back detail too. The cutout is just enough to be fun, not skanky.

I also was in need of a white sundress to wear for the Honors and Awards assembly for our seniors in May. It's a tradition at my school that female elected Student Council officers who aren't seniors present all the awards in white dresses. Enter Nina. She's business in the front...

...party in the back!

How presh are these pink seersucker bows??

And the scallop detailing on the hem? So sweet. This might be my new go to shift.

Whenever I shop Lilly, it's my goal to get the free gift with purchase. This time around, I got an adorable sunhat with a printed sash. I'm so excited to wear it to the beach this summer!!

Mama claims that she's done buying me Lilly for the year...The Summer Collection will be out in May. We'll see ;)

Have you picked anything out from the Spring Collection?

XO

Current Obsession: Lilly Pulitzer iPhone Case

I'm always on the lookout for new phone cases, but I never actually get any. It's just like I see them and go "Oh, that's so cute!" and never follow through. I shattered my Tory Burch striped one that I loved in the airport in Orlando coming home from Nationals and I've been using a silicone case from Kate Spade that, while it's super cute, has become super stretched out, to the point where people have started to ask me "Is this a case for a 5?" No, it's not, and I have an iPhone 4, y'all. These have been desperate times.

The other day, I got a pretty big shipment in from Lilly (squeee!! More on that later!). Included was a new case in the Chin Chin print, which I am in love with.

So much pink and green = happy Gabbi. And how presh are the pink elephants? My favorite animal in my favorite color. Sigh.

{Sidenote} While we're loving the case, let's love on the Chin Chin print. It's like a secondary obsession.

{Nina Dress}

{January Skort}

Besides the cute print, there are more reasons this is possibly the best case ever. It's all one piece, like your typical soft case, but hard and super protective. It's also lined with silicone for extra protection, but because it also has a hard shell, it won't stretch out! Best of both worlds, no? I love that it's one piece because that means it's super easy to take off and change out. A one piece case also means that I won't have to deal with gathering multiple pieces when I drop it (on the reg, mind you). And speaking of dropping it, the case has passed the drop test and seems to be durable and relatively shock absorbent without chipping. Win!

I'm seriously considering getting a second one in the Water Wings print:

Soo summery! It just makes me want to be on a beach!! Weird feelings from a phone case but I'll take it.

What's your favorite case? Do you love Lilly cases too?

XO

Turnabout 2013

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my school's Turnabout dance for the first time! My freshman and sophomore year I ran into other obligations the weekend of the dance (like a family friend's wedding), so I was lucky to be able to go this year with my wonderful boyfriend!!

For Turnabout, the girls ask the guys, so I knew I had to come up with something clever. I used the game flip cup to ask him. For those of y'all who aren't familiar, flip cup is played at a long table with two teams of people. Each person has a Solo cup in front of them with a small amount of water, juice, etc. and it's basically a race down the table to see which side can finish their cups and flip them off the edge of the table first.

One of our friends was having a party the weekend before the dance, but I wasn't able to go because of my involvement in the Variety Show. But I was able to sneak away during the second act when my obligations were fewer and ask him quickly. On the way, I called the host and explained that I was coming and asked him to get my boyfriend to start playing flip cup.

{from my Instagram}

I timed it perfectly and walked in right in the middle of his game!

And now, the big reveal of my dress! This is definitely my favorite dress I've worn for a dance so far, and I will absolutely be finding more excuses to wear it again.

It's the Lilly Pulitzer Payton Dress! Best part, some of the flowers have pearls right on them. So perfect. I die.

We clean up good, don't we? :)

Quite possibly the most dysfunctional group picture I've ever been a part of.

The girls!

We started off the night with pictures at a country club, then took our party bus to dinner and then to the dance. After the dance, we went back to one of the guy's houses for our afterparty and all went to breakfast the next morning.

XO

Lilly Pulitzer Spring 2013

It's here!! I'm in love with basically the entire collection, so I did my best to narrow down to a few favorite pieces.

1. Lacina Dress This shift is so classic Lilly. I'm making a push for this to be my new go-to shift!!

2. Joslin Dress A gorgeous, yet still playful, dressier number!

3. Freja Dress My favorite piece in the entire collection, hands down. If Lacina is my go-to shift, Freja is my go-to everything April to October dress. I'm in love.

4. Payton Dress Another stunning dress that would be perfect for a cocktail party or spring dance/formal.

5. Sloane Short My picture really doesn't do them justice. Do yourself a favor and click that link and zoom in. I don't think I've ever seen a pair of shorts this visually/texturally stunning.

6. Didi Dress Tickles my maxidress fancy, and would you look at that beading on the collar? I die. This dress reminds me of walking barefoot on the beach at twilight. Oh, you too? I thought so.

7. Walsh Short White eyelet. A must-have for spring and summer.

8. Delia Dress Ah, yet another rendition of the lovely Delia. The lace (if you can even call it that) flowers on this one are beautifully unexpected, and I'm already picturing this color combo against my tan and sun-lightened hair.

9. Briella Dress I'd say it was begging for a statement necklace, but this print packs the biggest statement of all. But a multistrand pearl something-or-other is the perfect complement.

I love that the whole collection has a very late-50's/early-60's vibe, like a real return to Lilly's roots. Everything, especially the dresses, is something I could see myself wearing over and over for years to come! And seeing all of these fun prints and bright colors just makes me want summer even more!!

What are your favorites from the Spring collection?

XO

Take A Little Note

I love writing notes to people. It feels so good to put your thoughts and feelings on paper, and a handwritten note is so lasting and personal. In the same vein, I have a certain fondness for pretty stationery. It makes those handwritten notes even better!

I've been relying on the same stationery for a couple years now. It's made by Paparté, cute, inexpensive, and it definitely serves its purpose. But it's definitely time for a change, something that's a little more "me."

Lifeguard Press has a bunch of cute monogram-ready options with Lilly prints!

"Swingers" Print

"Bamboo Green" Print

"Cloud Nine" Print

"Bees Knees Patch" Print - Probably my favorite!!

Nico & Lala is another company that makes really adorable stationery, along with lots of other fun monogrammed products! Here are some of my favorites:

Chevron. Swoon.

These are so elegant and pretty!

More chevron, with a monogram this time.

The boots on these notecards are just too presh!!

What's your go-to for stationery? Do you love handwritten notes too?

XO