Black and White with Denim

One of my favorite parts about summer is the opportunity to wear white all. the. time. I am a neutral clothing connoisseur and would prefer to wear all-white ensembles or denim with black, white, and light blue or blush pieces everyday if the seasons never changed.

A Simple Room Refresh

This weekend felt so much like spring. 50 degree weather in January in Wisconsin definitely does not go unnoticed! When the weather warms up it always puts me in the mood to make little updates to my decor and give my room an update. When it comes to decorating, even making little changes to a room can give it a refresh. Sometimes all it takes is one or two new pieces! The guest bedroom at my house was looking a little bland and needed some finishing touches to kick it up a notch. Small updates like adding a fun lamp and some throw pillows really spruced up the space!

Graduation Gifts

After sharing the cutest graduation announcements last week, I remembered that one of the most fun posts I wrote last year during the graduation season was about great gifts to give a graduate at her party. When it comes to graduation gifts, I think the perfect memento is tasteful, timeless, and exciting to receive. For new graduates, whether high school or college (even middle school!), this might include a nice piece of jewelry like a simple necklace or pearl earrings, a new wallet, a ladylike fragrance, stationery, and the list goes on...

Wynwood Walls: Outfit Collab

Today I am excited to start sharing a few photos from my excursion to Wynwood Walls last week Tuesday in Miami! The Wynwood Art District of Miami is such a cool scene with blocks and blocks of painted walls, cool shops and good food. One fun part about going to Miami last week was seeing all of the pretty pictures on Instagram of other bloggers that were also in the area. Although I didn't run into anyone in the city or have time to meet up with anybody, I got to bond a little more with a couple other bloggers who spent their spring break in the same spot. One of my blogging friends, Emma, from a Dash of Serendipity was one of the other bloggers in Miami, so we decided it would be fun to share what each of us wore at Wynwood Walls!

Bundled Up in Barbour

A few days before Christmas, Carin and I went downtown to do a little last minute shopping and coincidentally matched in our Barbour jackets! I know, such a surprise, right? Of course, we had to commemorate the #twinning with a collab, so hopefully you enjoy my post and her's today!

New Year's Eve Outfit {Collab}

I'm back! My apologies for the blogging break this past week. But.... here's a surprise fun post (it's a collab!) in place of my usual Friday "top 10" post. Enjoy!

Breaking out the Boots

Now that it's officially October, it's acceptable to wear fall clothing even though the weather hasn't completely cooled off. For me, my most exciting fall wardrobe staple is my riding boots, and I love how they look with this super easy chambray tunic. I actually didn't realize how short this tunic is on me until I shot these photos, so just ignore that and know that I'm now fully aware and plan to wear cute corduroys or leggings underneath next time ;) However, the plaid on the cuffs and versatility of the piece make the tunic itself a staple in my fall wardrobe as well... I plan to wear it with vests, under sweaters, over leggings, and maybe even belted, which would be a new thing for me to try out!

What's In My Shower Caddy?

Today I'm super excited to share a fun college related post on behalf of Procter & Gamble! Heading back to school this year is a completely new process for me, considering being a freshman in college is much different than heading back to high school. To be completely honest, so much of "back to school" when you're talking college isn't really school, but the whole living aspect. Between packing up all of my clothes and decorating for my dorm, it's easy to forget that I also have to plan out some of my toiletries and beauty products to bring along too. A big part of that means organizing my shower caddy for the oh-so-glamorous communal bathrooms that I'll have the luxury of enjoying!

College Freshman Bucket List

For my final college collaborative post with Caroline, Renee and Nicole, I'm excited to share my bucket list for freshman year! I've heard of so many fun and unique Lehigh traditions, as well as typical college experiences, and I definitely want to take full advantage of as many cool opportunities  as I can. 

I've always envisioned myself in a sorority, and I'm really excited to rush second semester! I think it'll be a great way to make even more friends, be social, and be a part of a really cool network. I definitely want to visit a few of my other friends at different schools, as well as explore my own school by taking a peek into each building, swimming in one of fountains at Lehigh, and befriending someone totally new! Colleges are so diverse and I really want to try to branch out as much as possible. 

Lehigh also has a really cool tradition called "Le-Laf" week, which is basically a whole spirit week leading up to the Lehigh vs Lafayette football game, which is one of the biggest and oldest college football rivalry's out there! I really want to make it to the big game and see if it exceeds the hype ;)

What is/was on your college freshman bucket list? Anything I need to add? 

Make sure to check out Caroline, Renee and Nicole's lists too! It was so fun collaborating with them this week.

xoxo

My Dorm Room Haul

I'm back with another dorm post with Caroline, Renee and Nicole! Today we are sharing part two of our three-day college collab, and today's post is all about what we have purchased so far for our dorm rooms!

Duvet Cover // Photo clip lights // Pineapple lamp

Elephant sheets // Rug // Makeup organizer // Bookcase

By now you're probably sick of me talking about my rug, so I'll share some deets on everything else I've bought.

Bedding // When my roommate and I first began talking about our dorm and how we wanted to decorate, we immediately discovered that coordinating our bedding without completely matching was going to be the way to go. She ended up deciding on a grey/black patterned duvet, and I opted for the PB Teen pop dot duvet in black. I added a monogram in the middle for good measure, and I had actually wanted solid white bedding with a border and a monogram forever, so I was really excited that it worked out. As for my sheets, my mom found the cutest aqua elephant sheet set for me at TJ Maxx and I'm really excited about those!

Our nightstands // Our dorm is tiny. Like, I know all dorms are small, but I have showed all of my friends the 3D tour of my dorm room, and my room is definitely the smallest of any of the others that I've compared it to. That said, my roommate got two of these bookcases and is adding a wooden top over both, leaving room for our  mini-fridge in the middle underneath. We are going to put this little set-up between our beds and having the spot for the fridge will hopefully save a little bit of room. We also got the cutest pineapple lamps to put on top!

As for other things I've purchased, I snagged this really cute and functional makeup organizer on sale at PB Teen and I'm excited to use it! I love that it matches my sheets and has a few compartments that I can put inside each other or leave apart. I also want to hang photos around my room and I love that these photo clips double as lights! They're USB powered so you don't have to worry about changing the batteries #bonus.

I still have a ton to pick up for my dorm room, but since I fly out to school, I'm planning to get a lot of things once I'm actually in Pennsylvania. Any tips?

Don't forget to see what Caroline, Renee and Nicole have purchased for their dorm rooms too!

xoxo

PS- Happy birthday to my Dad today!!! I can't wait to see him in just nine short days in NYC!!! Ahhh, I am so excited for that trip that I can hardly stand it.

Dorm Shopping Guide: Rugs + Throw Pillows

Hello, hello! Or should I say rabbit, rabbit?! Happy August, my favorite month of the year!

 I'm so excited for this week in posts because I'm officially starting to share a few of my dorm sneak-peeks, all starting with today's shopping guide. The next few days also happen to be a collaboration with Caroline, Renee and Nicole! Today we will each be sharing our picks for shopping for a different dorm category, so read on below for the best places to find rugs and throw pillows, and be sure to check out Caroline's post for bedding, Renee's for desk organization, and Nicole's for closet and clothes organization!

When it came time to decide on a theme and overall vibe for my dorm, I knew getting the area rug was the first thing I'd want to do. Finding a rug is a pretty big step in creating the foundation for your dorm's style (I mean, it literally goes on the floor), so right next to bedding I'd say that you pretty much have a dorm dynamic duo necessary for kicking everything off. I've already shared my dorm rug in this post, but I found a few great websites in my search that I think are wonderful places to find good options. Most dorms work well with a 5x7 size rug, or something similar to that size.

Shop my picks:

Shop more rugs here:

West Elm // PBTeen // Target // Urban Outfitters

Bed, Bath and Beyond // One King's Lane // Lulu & Georgia

Another aspect of my dorm that I am really excited to get creative with is my bed. Caroline is sharing bedding on her blog today, but I'm sharing my favorite pillows to add on top! There's something about rugs and pillows that just add such a homey, cozy vibe to a room, especially when throw pillows are loaded up on the bed.

Shop my picks:

Shop more pillows here:
Etsy // Target // Anthropologie // Lulu & Georgia

Where have you found cute rugs and throw pillows? I'd love to hear of new places to look.
Be sure to check out Caroline, Renee and Nicole's blogs today too!
xoxo

Bloggers Who Brunch

It's no secret that every blogger out there is guilty of going to brunch far too often, taking too many pictures of their food, Instagramming it, and then later posting the outfit they wore to brunch too, making a whole event out of their morning. I must say, brunching is definitely in my top 3 things to do just in life in general. After all, I'm a self proclaimed brunch addict.

Today, Caroline, Sammy, Renee, PJ, Meg, Jessica, Macy and I are all sharing our favorite local brunch spots and what we wear to brunch!

What I Bookmark {Collab}

I'm excited today to share some of my current reads from this past month (and long before, too!) as a part of a fun and unique collab. One little goal I had for the new year was to try to incorporate more daily reading into my life... whether it be blogs, books, websites, or magazines. I just wanted to expand on the content I was already digesting and broaden my horizons, and I feel like including more reading in my life is a great way to do that.

Books

Lately I've been trying to get into Bossypants by Tina Fey. The book itself, don't get me wrong, is hilarious, but setting aside time to actually read is difficult for me. In the summer I used to be so good about finding a few page turners and blowing through them, but I haven't been able to do that in what seems like forever! It makes me a little sad that I feel like I never read anymore, and most people my age can probably agree with me when I say it seems like no one just "reads for fun" without feeling like that either have way better things to do with their time, or just no time for it at all, and no one even does it anymore! 

However, aside from novels, I am a huge fan of coffee table books. So basic, but #sorrynotsorry. This Hamptons book is the latest edition to my collection, and I have to admit I haven't looked through it too, too much since I got it, but I think it's the perfect mix of reading material and photographs. The Kate Spade book and the Eloise: Ultimate Edition are of course notable favorites in my collection as well! I'm super interested in snagging either this Gray Malin book or this Slim Aarons book sometime soon, too.

Blogs

Just as a little disclaimer, these following blogs are not all of my daily reads, but just the ones I am collaborating with today!

Citrus and Style, of course, is written by both my IRL (in-real-life) and blogging best friend, Caroline. I know we both talk about each other a lot on our platforms, but we really are best friends and I love her content!

A Sunny State of Mind is another one of my daily reads, written by Meg, who is absolutely the cutest person. We text all the time, and she's a fellow foodie just like me, so you already know we are destined to be BFFS.

And last but certainly not least, Macy blogs over at Peonies and Passports and I check her blog daily too! We did a fun collab last week that you can see here (and her post here) in case you missed it. Not only is Macy gorgeous, but her photography is just as fabulous.

Websites

Some of my favorite daily content comes from the websites often featured in my issues of "This Week's Top 10". These sites include Cosmopolitan, the Every Girl, Refinery 29, the Glitter Guide, Town and Country, and the Coveteur.

Cosmo is probably the most lighthearted, right there with Refinery 29, but all of the sites above are wonderful when it comes to producing articles that I actually find helpful and interesting. 

I love the stories on Cosmopolitan and the advice, and from the Coveteur,  Refinery 29, and the Every Girl  I learn so many things that are just helpful with random things in life, whether it be health, fitness, fashion, or beauty. Of course, Town and Country provides some wonderful content that has slightly more worldly value, like a more sophisticated version of People. Glitter Guide is just my go-to for things like home tours, little fashion inspirations here and there, and the like.

What are your favorite books, blogs, and websites as of late? Please share!

xoxo

Winter Staples: Outfit Collab

I'm so excited today to be collaborating with Macy over at Peonies and Passports to share our preppy winter wardrobe staples. If your weather where you're at is anything like mine, then you've been freezing lately! For me, someone who is always cold, I rely on cozy jackets, warm scarves, and my bean boots to keep me warm!

Winter Break Cozy Outfit + Bucket List Collab

Can you believe Christmas is only a few days away? As per usual, the season has gone by so fast. I am flying out to Rhode Island today, and I'll be spending Christmas with my Dad's family in Boston. After, I am so excited to spend a few days in New York before returning in time for New Years! Ever since the cookie exchange, I have been devouring cookies like crazy (they're all so good!) and since my exams ended last Friday, I've been loving my time to do nothing but just relax and hang out with my friends. 

Cookie Exchange Party Recap

If you follow me on Twitter, Snapchat (@franacciardo), or Instagram, you're well aware of what went into planning and preparing for my party yesterday! The cookie exchange was at 3:30 yesterday and 12 of my best friends came, along with their mothers, and a few of my mom's friends came too, rounding out to about 30 people total. The afternoon was incredibly fun and such a special tradition that I am lucky to share with my mom. It was wonderful to spend the day with the people I love most and enjoy some delicious treats too. The table filled with cookies (everyone had to bring 6 dozen!) was borderline overflowing, and I think I ate enough to get my sugar fill for an entire year. 

My mom went all out with the food, and everything was delicious. Deviled eggs, cocktail meatballs (to die for), and artichoke puffs were some of the big hits, along with my favorite cheeses, fruits, veggies, dips, nuts, and more. The cranberry cocktails were so festive and cute too, for the adults of course. My personal favorite, you'll be so surprised ;) , was the hot chocolate bar towards the end! We had people over until 8:30 last night... safe to say I was up for a while doing homework.

I wore this skirt, this top (sold out, similar here), and a similar bracelet with these flats!

Of course, Carin was there too!!! Check out her post today as she recaps the party as well.

xoxo

My Favorite Holiday Traditions

If I haven't made it obvious enough already, the holidays are really my favorite time of year, and for me, some of the most special things about the season are the things that I get to look forward to year after year!

I almost always do a gift exchange with a group of friends. This year I am doing a gift exchange with my friend group at school, but in the previous recent years, I did one with DWC, which was such a fun way to bond as bloggers over the holidays.

I love the process of decorating our house. My mom makes a huge deal out of getting out all of our decorations and setting up our nutcrackers around the house and my dad and I always put the lights on our Christmas tree together. Because my dad lives in Rhode Island now, it's even more special to get to celebrate the holidays with him! I'll be in Rhode Island, Boston, and New York all over Christmas break this year and I am so excited.

My mom and my Christmas cookie exchange is this weekend, and I know I've already talked a little bit about that on the blog. It's something we used to do almost year year when I was younger, but this is the latest one since my freshman year. I am honestly so exciting for Sunday afternoon to spend with my friends, their moms, and a few of my mom's friends too. Cookies, a hot chocolate bar, Christmas decorations and music... what more could I ask for to celebrate the holidays with some of my favorite people!

Also, this is completely random, but I loved this post on Julia's blog the other day. (Think of this as an ode to skipping This Week's Top 10)

What are some of your Christmas traditions? Check out Caroline's post today to read all about her traditions too- we are nearing the end of our collab!

xoxo

{M&B}: Holiday Party Outfit

For our second outfit of the week, Caroline and I are sharing a little bit of a dressier look! In lieu of my cookie exchange this weekend, I'm excited to be sharing a fun holiday party outfit. I love plaid and fur for this season, and this skirt is seriously ideal for the holidays, making this outfit one of my new favorites! It's actually a pretty versatile piece I have found and I really am looking forward to getting most wear out of it as possible this season.

3-Ingredient Peppermint Fudge

I am so excited about today's post. I love Christmas recipes, chocolate, and anything that's easy to make in the kitchen, so when Caroline and I whipped up this recipe for day three of our collab, I knew it was going to be good! This easy and delicious fudge is perfect for the holidays and doesn't require any skill or expertise in the kitchen. I know for me, the idea of making fudge always seemed a little daunting, but I was pleasantly surprised with how easy this whole process was!

What you'll need...

Tin foil

Cooking spray

2 bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

Candy canes

What to do...

There are pictures of the whole process below, but these are the step by step instructions:

1. Line your pan or pans with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Caroline and I used two pans because we each wanted a tray for ourselves, but I think using one would make a thicker, more delicious fudge.

2. Pour the chocolate chips and condensed milk into the pan and constantly stir until completely melted. Be careful not to let the chocolate burn!

*I think adding a few drops of peppermint oil to the mixture would heighten the peppermint flavor- I totally wish we would have thought of this! Caroline and I also added 1-2 tablespoons of canola oil to the fudge as it melted because the mixture was almost too thick to stir.

3. When it's all mixed up, pour the fudge into the pan and spread out with a spoon

4. Crush the candy canes (a rolling pin works well for this) and sprinkle them on top of the fudge, pressing some into the fudge to add more peppermint flavor. We suggest putting the candy canes in a bag first to make this easier

5. Refrigerate or freeze until solid

6. Cut into squares and enjoy!

This recipe is seriously so easy to make and it's like Christmas crack, it's that good. Let us know if you try it!

xoxo