Equestrian Inspired Fashion

I absolutely adore any and all things equestrian inspired. I wrote a post a looong time ago called "Equestrian Style" and it featured editorials and advertisements with horseback riding outfits, but I'd like to show y'all the basics to creating your own equestrian inspired outfits!!

Tops

Ralph Lauren Buchanan Cabled Patch Crewneck

I looooove sweaters with "gun patches" on the shoulder. One of my favorite RL sweaters has one, and I wear it all of the time!! They're kind of an addiction in my family. Ralph Lauren is the only brand I've come across that has them, but to be honest, they're the best you can buy anyway. 

Bottoms

Ralph Lauren Palmero Suede Patch Jodphur

If you want to get really into the equestrian look, buy some jodphurs!! Above, the RL jodphurs are so pretty. They're the more expensive and less authentic option...the "fashion" choice. 

Devon-Aire All Pro Hipster Riding Breeches

The alternative is real jodphurs from a horseback riding outfitter website. I have a riding store 5 minutes away from me which is great for all of my equestrian inspired needs. I used to wear black "winter jodphurs" from Kerrit, which were basically thick, fleece, black leggings with suede patches. I don't know what the best brands for jodphurs are, though, but I can always ask my equestrian best friend, hDb!!

Accessories

Ralph Lauren Leather Stirrup Wrap Bracelet

This is an extremely pricey bracelet, but I had to include it. It's so pretttyyyy. 

Ralph Lauren Silk Equestrian Scarf

RL has great equestrian themed scarves available on their website!!

Boots

Etienne Aigner Chastity Boots

I absolutely adore these boots. I like how they're two toned!! 

Ralph Lauren Stara Equestrian Boot

Finally, these boots have the classic RL equestrian print on them!! It's so cool!! 

Have a great day!! I have my birthday party tonight and I'm super excited!!

xoxo, Hannah

Preppy Style 101

In the past couple of weeks, I have gotten a lot of messages on Tumblr about the fundamentals of preppy style for women. So, here is my master post of everything I can possibly think of that relates to dressing the part of a preppy woman!!

I think of preppy as being split into 2 major seasons: fall/winter preppy and spring/summer preppy. Fall/winter is the more traditional "northern" stereotype, full of androgynous and classic pieces rather than the "southern" spring/summer preppy where Lilly shift dresses and Jack Rogers are in abundance. 

Fall/Winter

In the fall, I find myself to be in a constant blur of navy. Everything is navy, or close to it. It is the ideal "prep" color in the colder months. As well as navy, hunter green, camel, burnt orange, and slightly off-white are heavily emphasized through the abundance of thick, cable-knit sweaters from Ralph Lauren or Rugby. My favorite items are: my Rugby dark green cable-knit crewneck sweater, my Ralph Lauren orange cable-knit crewneck sweater with the suede gun-patch, and my classic navy Ralph Lauren cable-knit crewneck sweater. As y'all can tell, the classic preppy sweater is the cable-knit crewneck, whether it be wool, cashmere, or cotton. Otherwise, I am a huge fan of the L.L. Bean Norweigan sweater as well as the L.L. Bean Fisherman sweater. I usually just go straight to the mens section on the L.L. Bean website since their sweaters are the best (and reallyy classic prep).

Tartan is the essence of fall preppy. I have my favorites, as everyone does, but I'm going to list the most popular/well-known tartans in case y'all don't know them.

1. Black Watch

2. Campbell

3. Gordon Dress

4. Macdonald

5. MacLachlan

6. Royal Stewart

7. Mackenzie

8. Gordon

9. MacFarlane

10. Morrison

11. Stewart Black

12. Stewart Dress

13. Stewart Green

These tartans can be found in blouses, some dresses, scarves, coats, and skirts. I love, love, love tartan and there honestly can never be enough in the preppy fall wardrobe (as well as interior decorating)!

For the bottom half, corduroy pants are usually the way to go in terms of pants. Leggings aren't preppy (even though I find myself constantly wearing them due to how comfortable/easy they are), and jeans aren't either...but let's be real, it's impossible to not wear jeans. When wearing them, make sure they are in a dark rinse and that they aren't distressed, ripped, or bedazzled (haha). The simpler the better!! Also, you can wear traditional skirts such as the J. Crew wool miniskirt and corduroy skirts (in grey, black, and navy).

via Matchbook Mag

L.L. Bean Boots and equestrian inspired boots are the typical classic footwear. It's pretty hard to get Bean Boots this time of year, though, because they're usually on back-order due to their popularity, but Sperry also makes a suitable alternative. The perfect riding boots are hard to find (trust me....it's taken me 4 years to find my ideal boots), but they are so, SO worth it. You can always go the authentic riding boot route, but be warned: they are very expensive. So, in order to save your wallet and your sanity, check out places like J. Crew, Madewell, and Frye. My favorite pair are from Madewell. 

Spring/Summer

via Unabashedly Prep

As much as I like fall/winter clothes, I find spring/summer clothes to be much easier and much more fun. Pink and green! Finally! Obviously I love pink and green (hence, the Pink and Green Prep)...but there are other colors that can be worn besides this dynamic duo. Springtime is the time to bring out the pastels (light pink, yellow, light blue, pale green) and after memorial day, white!! 

via Tumblr

The Lilly Pulitzer shift dress. Possibly my favorite article of clothing. EVER. I love it so so so so much. Darling Lilly has made the preppy world a brighter place through this dress. Vintage is always better, and I find past seasons of Lilly much more classic in terms of the shift dress. Head on over to Re-Lilly on Facebook as well as eBay to find marked down, older Lilly dresses to make your closet happy. The Lilly shift dress is ideal for the preppy woman's wardrobe. 

via Vineyard Vines

On top, depending on the weather, you can wear polos (from Ralph Lauren, Lilly Pulitzer, or Vineyard Vines), oxford button downs (from Ralph Lauren or Rugby), cardigans (from Lilly Pulitzer), or cotton cable-knit crewnecks/v-necks (from Ralph Lauren or Vineyard Vines). The combinations are endless!!

via Just Madras

In summer, we switch tartan for madras, yet we still wear it in abundance. I love Just Madras for their skirts and dresses. The nice thing about having a madras skirt is that there is an abundance of outfit options in terms of sweaters, polos, and oxford shirts. I have a madras skirt from Just Madras that is navy, pink, green, yellow, and white. I can wear a trillion different things with this skirt and never get bored!! Also, madras Bermuda shorts are very cute!!

via J. Crew

If you're not up to the ultra-girlishness of the Lilly dress, you can always switch the shift for the chino shorts!! J. Crew has made fantastic chino shorts (in 3 different lengths) for years, and they are honestly the best. The must-have colors are navy, khaki, white, and pink...bonus points if you have the old J. Crew critter chino shorts!! Besides J. Crew, Lilly Pulitzer and Vineyard Vines have great shorts. 

via We Heart It

Footwear in the spring and summer is typically the Jack Rogers Navajo sandal or the Sperry Topsider. I've also heard that there are monogrammed Jack Rogers....YES. This is also the perfect segway to the importance of the monogram: if there is any possibility that a sweater/bag/polo/button down/headband/ANYTHING can be monogrammed, have it done. Just do it. 

Jewelry/Accessories

Pearls are the essential piece of jewelry for the preppy woman. Pearl earrings, pearl necklace, pearl bracelet. All day, every day. Besides pearl earrings, though, diamond studs are a great alternative. Kiel James Patrick sailor bracelets are good, as well as Tiffany charm bracelets. The main thing is to keep it simple. Necklaces should be pearls or a monogrammed chain necklace. Other jewelry/accessories include signet rings, A. Tierney ribbon watches, leather watches, ribbon belts, and needlepoint belts.

via Tumblr

Tote bags (especially from Lilly Pulitzer, L.L. Bean, Vineyard Vines, and Vera Bradley) are great. Bermuda bags are perfect purses for spring/summer, too.

Via Tumblr

HEADBANDS. Love them to death. They are very classic and lovely and are definitely a staple in the preppy girl's wardrobe. My favorite brands are: Kiel James Patrick, J. Crew, High Cotton Ties, Southern Proper, and Lotus and Lilly.

Beauty (Hair/Makeup)

Hair and makeup is low maintenance and very clean looking. Makeup should be minimal (or minimal looking) for every day use. Nothing fake looking...nothing cakey or too heavy. Hair should look natural...now, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't fix it if you don't have naturally perfect hair. But, over-curled and over-straightened hair isn't really ideal. Hair color shouldn't look fake either. If you color your hair, natural is better!!

I hope I haven't forgotten anything!!

Have a great day!!

xoxo, Hannah

Confusing Weather, Cute Outfits

Right now in Connecticut, it will rain while it's sunny, or it will snow for a minute then go back to 50 degree weather. It is driving me crazy. The weather here is so annoying and it's January!!  It's supposed to get colder (though I'm doubtful), but until then, I'm going to continue to make versatile outfits that can brace CT's random and confusing climate!!

The first outfit is kind of my go-to outfit. You can't really go wrong with a Ralph Lauren/Rugby oxford button down shirt, a cableknit crewneck/v-neck, and jeans. I will wear this outfit from end of September to about end of March (when I am craving Lilly shifts so badly that I will risk hypothermia for pink and green), and it never lets me down. When the weather is nicer, I'll wear the vest and the riding boots, but when it starts to get snowy and gross, I'll wear an actual jacket and the ever-fabulous Bean Boots. 

The second outfit is for when I'm sick of the first outfit. I really like wearing a skirt, tights, and boots because it's a good way to look nice without compromising my legs to frostbite, and also, when it's warmer, I don't die of heatstroke. I like tucking in the J. Crew camel sweater into the J. Crew wool mini skirt, sometimes belted, with some kind of statement necklace...usually from J. Crew. On the other hand, I like wearing a tank top/t-shirt with a cardigan and a scarf. It's very relaxed and can take you from hot to cold and vice versa.

Lastly, here is my compilation of versatile outerwear for wherever the weather takes you. I got the Rugby Navy Blue down vest for Christmas and I am so obsessed with it, I loveeeeee it and I highly recommend it. It is perfect!! Barbour coats are great for the transition from fall to winter, and they are light enough to not be a burden, yet thick enough to not risk your health on colder days. A dress coat is good for warm and cold days, and I love my J. Crew ruffle coat from a couple of years ago. It's great for going out and about, as well as going to nice dinners.

I hope this helps y'all!!

And finally, I am not a complete cripple anymore for I am able to walk around without crutches! I still have a little bootie to wear but it's no hassle. My stitches only hurt a little bit but otherwise the surgery went very well! It's still really nice to have a long weekend!!! What are y'all doing for the MLK weekend? Let me know!!

Have a great day!!

xoxo, Hannah

Style Inspiration: Sarah Vickers

One of my recent preppy style inspirations has been Sarah Vickers, the girlfriend of the famously preppy Kiel James Patrick. She has the perfect wardrobe. Honestly, I covet every outfit I've seen her in. Here are some of my favorite pictures of her and her fabulous outfits!!

Have a great day everyone!! This is my first full week of school and I have a dance callback this afternoon for my school's fall production of "The Pajama Game". Wish me luck because I am a very slow learner when it comes to routined dances!!! 

xoxo, Hannah