signe's closet staples

Hello lovely Preppy Diaries readers!

I'm Signe, and I'm so excited to have the honor of guest posting for Chloe today! I think we can all agree her blog is hilarious and fabulous! You may know me from my previous blog, Significantly Styled, or my current blog, a Classy State of Grace.

Today I'd thought I'd share my most-worn items in my closet / closet staples. I thought this would be an interesting topic because it's different for everyone, although we all have that favorite pair of jeans or sweater we throw on again and again.


Number 1...

This bright red cable knit from J. Crew. I find myself putting it on so often because it's easy to create a simple yet cute outfit with. It's also warm and cozy and the bright red really stands out.

Number 2...

The Stara boot by Ralph Lauren. Riding boots are a classic closet staple. Depending on the color scheme of your wardrobe, you should either have brown or black. In my case, the black matches most of my outfits. These have lasted me a while now and are still in pretty good shape. 

Number 3...

My leggings by Vera Wang. I usually wear leggings about once or twice a week. They're great for when I need my outfit to be simple and comfy but still cute. These are my favorite pair because they're soft.

Number 4...

My peter pan collared shirt from Francesca's Collections. This isn't the actual shirt that I have- mine is a button down and is a bit lighter- but it looks similar. I love this top because it's so versatile. It can be dressed up with a skirt or add an instant effect of chic to a cardigan and leggings. Something that I've also found I love about this top is that it can be layered under any other top. All you have to do is pull the collar over the neckline, and you can add a peter pan collar to any shirt! So cute! 

Number 5...

The Dwyer flat from Coach. Like my riding boots, they match basically anything in my closet. They are also SO comfortable and great for walking in. 

Number 6...

This tweed skirt from J. Crew. I found this on the sale rack about a year ago for a great price and fell in love! This is the most comfortable skirt I own because you don't have to be constantly pulling it down and it isn't tight. (That's the quality of J. Crew for you. :) ) It's incredibly easy to make a great outfit with this when I want to look cute but don't have a lot of time to create a masterpiece. I usually add my chambray shirt or navy sweater, some flats, a watch and a necklace and I'm good to go!

Thanks for reading my post and I hope you check out my blog sometime soon. :)

What are your favorite items in your closet?

xx Signe

what's wrong with me?

I started this blog about a year ago when I was stuck in bed with mono without anything to do. As most of you know, mono was only a small part of what was wrong with me. 

I have been struggling with health problems for the past two years without knowing what was truly wrong with me. 

I had been to countless doctors - pediatricians, gastroenterologists, infections disease doctors, rheumatologists, and so on.  It's been a long long journey because many of the doctors told me that what I had was "in my head" or "non-medical."

I even had a doctor tell me that since I was a teenage girl that has good grades and gets along with my mom, that I was depressed. Like... what?

Being sick has drastically changed my life in many ways  - both for the good and the bad. 

Any way, if you scroll through my blog you can see some of the other posts that I've written about my health! 

I went to Mayo Clinic this past week to finally figure everything out! It was a super awesome experience and I am happy to say that I have a diagnosis.

{plane ride to Minnesota) 

My name is Chloe, and I have POTS also known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome ;) 

It's hard to explain what it actually means, but basically nervous system doesn't send signals to my blood vessels like it should and my circulation doesn't work right. It also means that I have debilitating fatigue. 

{mayo clinic}

So my symptoms (and there are different ones for others) include :

-super debilitating fatigue 

-sweaty feet and palms

-my legs turn blue/purple if I stand too long

-stomach pain

-headaches/dizziness 

{they gave out free books in the waiting room, so I chose the classic nancy drew}

Now you might be wondering if there is anything I can do heal POTS. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick fix pill that can help. Fortunately, teens do outgrow POTS which is the great part. In order to help the healing process I have to...

1. Eat as much salty food as possible
2. Drink loads and loads of water + salty drinks (Gatorade)

3. Exercise!!  

4. Sleep at least 9 1/2 hours a night 

I'm so happy to finally have an answer and know that what I have had for these past two years hasn't been "in my head."

You may get sick of it, but I might post stuff now and again about POTS. Especially since it's a big issue for teen girls - I met a bunch who were diagnosed while I was at Mayo Clinic. My mom and I are sort of on a mission now to spare other teens the 2 years of questions I've been through. So, if you know ANYone with any of these symptoms, please have them contact me!!

thanks so much for reading! 
if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask! 

xox

mixin' it up

i have always classified myself as having preppy style. 

lilly pulitzer? check

multiple striped tees? check

buut recently i have been changing up my style a little bit. 

i find myself going into new stores and trying new things. 

don't get me wrong, i'm definitely still a preppy girl at heart

 but i'm starting to add "artsier" pieces to my closet

i don't think it's necessary for me to only dress one style.

 i can be preppy & artsy

i will be preppy & artsy

here's what kind of style i'm loving lately : 

1/2/3

obviously these outfits aren't the opposite of preppy. in fact they still can be classified as preppy!
i'm not pulling a full 360 on you guys and changing completely who i am, i just don't want to be the "cookie-cutter" version of preppy if that makes sense (not that i ever was;) ) 

basically what i'm saying is that i can wear whatever i want to wear whenever i want to wear it. 

and so can you! 

it's ok to be preppy today and artsy tomorrow, you could even be full on hipster tomorrow

that's the beauty of fashion - it represents you! 

how would you describe your fashion sense? 

thanks for reading 

born in the wrong generation

have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the 50s, 60s, or 70s?

what it would be like to live in a world of poodle skirts, bell bottoms, or just plain retro vibes?

i have.

countless times. 

1/ 2 / 3 / 4

i was about 8 when i saw Grease for the first time, and since then i've probably watched it 30 times. 

no joke. 

i love the songs, the characters, but most importantly i love the idea of the 50s. 

i like the idea of drive in movie theaters, cute little diners where the waitresses know all the high school students by name, and the idea of waiting by the home phone for a boy to call & no texting. 

it seems like such a magical time. although i do believe in women being strong and independent, i do believe that boys and men should hold a door open. i believe that they should pay for the meal (at least on the first few dates), and I think the 50s is the time where chivalry was at it's peak. 

sometimes when i can't sleep at night i just imagine what it would be like if i was living in the 50s right now. what i would be doing and what my friends would be like. 

weird i know, but the 50s just sound fabulous. 

what time period do you imagine yourself in?

are you a 50s girl like me?

thanks for reading

self portrait project

if you follow me on instagram you may or may not have seen the picture that I posted with the caption "i am having way too much fun with this self portrait project.."

i am taking a photography class with some local girls. the teacher is a local wedding photographer, and i literally can't tell you how much i love this class. my mom even told me that my photography has gotten better since i've been taking the class, and the class is only held once a week. 

pretty impressive ;) 

so anyways, this weeks project is to take self portraits. today, selfies are very popular in the world of teenagers. the twist to this project is that we had to use our "real" cameras and we couldn't just sit in front of the mirror. 

so i discovered the self timer feature on my camera and sat down in my room and shoot 400 pictures of myself. 

yes, 400. 

that's a lot if i do say so myself. 

here are the top five that i'm going to be showing my class. 

i like them together so much, because they kind of show all different perspectives of my personality! 

have you ever taken/painted/drawn your self portrait?

i'd love to hear your thoughts! 

thanks for reading

p.s. if you would like to view some of the other photos I have taken, check out my flickr account 

blog swap partner reveal!

the day has finally arrived to view your partners for the blog swap! 

here they go...

partner set one 

Frannie of The Blonde Prep (theblondeprep@gmail.com) &

  Grace of Polkadots&Polos (willoughbygrace@gmail.com)

partner set two

Rebecca of Preppy Life Blog (rebecca.e.martin95@gmail.com) &

Grace of Preppy On The West Coast (preppyonthewestcoast@gmail.com)

and lastly partner set three 

Me ;) (preppydiaries@gmail.com) & 

 Shannon of Prep Ave.  ( prepavenue@gmail.com)

It's just a small bunch of us, but I can't wait to read everyone's reveal posts on March 8th! 

Get to e-mailing, girls! 

thanks for reading!

-purse necessities-

for some of us, our purses are our lifelines 

without them we would be completely lost - even though we might not use half the things inside of them

for others our purses are just wallet and mint carriers 

we often times tell ourselves to add "this or that" to the contents of our purse, but constantly forget to follow through with our own request

here is what i think every girl should keep in their purse and why :

1. Chapstick : if you're a girl who doesn't like to wear lipstick all the time (like me) then chapstick is great so you can keep your lips nice and smooth - not to mention healthy - without making your lips the center of attention

2. pearl earrings : i almost always have pearls in my ears and when I forget to put them in i just feel simply "off" for the rest of the day. keep a cheap pair in your purse so you will always feel primped and proper

3. bandaids : from uncomfortable shoes to paper cuts, you never seem to have a bandaid when you need them! always keep one or two in your purse so you can help yourself out or help a friend out when in need! *remember to re-fuel your stock when you use them*

4. money - obviously you don't want to go anywhere without money - disaster waiting to happen - whether you carry $5 or $100 keep it safe and secure in your purse or wallet

5. pen and paper - whether you need to remember someone's name or inspiration strikes, make sure you have something and somewhere to write it down! 

6. tic tacs & gum - sometimes you need to freshen up but gum lasts to long or tic tacs wont do the trick. make sure to carry both - just in case, you never know when you will need one or the other

7. last but not least - pony tail holders - most of the time i have a pony tail holder on my wrist, but the days i forget i just don't know what to do with myself. always make sure you have at least one of these safely tucked away! 

what's your purse necessity?

thanks for reading! 

Ann Taylor : not just your mothers store

i'm going to fill you in with the secret of a lifetime

ann taylor is my new j.crew 

contrary to popular belief, ann taylor is not just a "mom & grandma" store, they actually have some super cute things for really great prices! 

i happened to stroll in to an ann taylor the other day and i found two shirts right off the bat that i fell in love with. not only were they both really cute and great quality, but they were on super sale 

i got both shirts for under $75, and they were originally about $100 each! 

wowza

also, the people working in the stores aren't stuck up college kids they are sweet little ladies that will help you decide which size shirt looks best on you ;)

even though you might perceive a store a certain way, don't knock it 'till you try it! 

you can find very stylish and cute things in stores that you may not exactly love at first sight! 

so next time you're at the mall or doing some online shopping, be sure to check out ann taylor, because it really isn't just for your mother! 

new arrivals : 

super sale section : 

have you ever shopped at ann taylor?

what's your favorite misperceived store?

don't forget about my blog swap! 

BLOG SWAP

a few months ago I mentioned how when I have 200 followers I will host a blog swap. 

i have participated in three swaps and they were all super fun! 

not only is it a great way to meet new people and create new friendships, but you also get to receive a package in the mail - doesn't get much better than that! 

before i get started talking about this swap, I want to get cheesy 

i absolutely love writing my blog

it's a great creative outlet and it's also super fun to look back at my old posts

but the best part about my blog is you! 

so thank you for reading about my not-so-interesting life and leaving your sweet comments behind

i haven't dealt with one negative person through my blog and i really appreciate that! 

I've met/emailed/tweeted with some amazing girls 

so thank you! 

now into the swap! 

the "theme" of this swap is going to be "search the sales"

meaning everything that you buy has to be from the clearance or sale section! 

the rules :

if you don't think you can follow through with this swap then please don't participate
not party poopers allowed 
1. you must sign up (comment below with your email address, your name, and your blog address) by February 19th

2.  check back here on february 22nd to see who your partner is
3. you must e-mail your partner by february 26th, and if you don't email your partner by then, they will be reassigned to a new partner
4. you may only spend up to $25 - not including shipping

 5. the items you purchase may only be from the sale section
6. blog about your package on march 8th (if you don't have a blog, it's ok, you can still participate just let me know in the comments that you don't have a blog)

 have fun with it! remember the quality over quantity rule girls! 

if you're interested in participating, leave your e-mail address, your name, and your blog link (or stating if you don't have a blog) in the comments section and I will pair you up with a super awesome partner! 

check back next friday, february 22nd to see who your partner is! 

thanks for reading! 

inside scoop : online school

as you might know I "attend" online school! 

you can read some of the story behind it here

i still don't know officially what is wrong with me health wise, but i have an appointment with Mayo clinic in March so fingers SUPER crossed that i discover something then - either way, you'll hear the story;)

any way, the point of this post is to show you how my online school works 

people constantly ask me how i actually learn and what online school means, and i completely understand! online school is a little alternative, but it is totally working for me with my health problems 

hello 10am alarm hehe 

but trust me it's not all fun and games, 

i do have to motivate myself to work

and

i work alone - biggest downside

but it's working for me so that's all that matters! 

here's the video

 if you have any questions comment below or email me! 

thanks for reading and watching 

embarrassing confession

what are the symptoms of bieber fever, because if the symptoms include "spending your time watching justing bieber on chelsea lately videos on youtube" then I think i have officially caught the fever 

i also just officially learned that the i comes before the e in bieber 

so go me! 

let's be honest. I have never been a really "fan girl" when it comes to music stars.

yes i like 1direction, but no i don't think it's possible that they will lock eyes with me while singing on stage in front of 976847 other girls and want to marry me. so i don't think i am a one direction fan girl.

i love mumford and sons but i missed my chance for them to fall in love with me when my grandma failed to tell me that she had a conversation with them inside her hotel until after i was driving her away. 

i've been to two justin bieber concerts too, so that makes me pretty cool right?

i also bought a $30 concert t-shirt so that makes me even cooler 

buut i sometimes get lost in the world of youtube and find myself watching justien bieber interview after interview. i also find myself wishing that i knew him in real life - well actually wishing that he knew me in real life. 

i mean i kind of look like selena gomez. we both have brown hair and brown eyes - so i have that going for me. 

he really is such a cutie 

i mean just watch these videos and see for yourself.

if you still don't like him after these videos then i'm sorry, but we can't be friends

i mean you can still read my blog, but we're not besties. 

sorry 'bout it.

if you disrespect the biebs then i disrespect you. 

i went there. 

that should be enough to keep you procrastinating for a little while ;) 

please feel free to admit that you have been diagnosed with bieber fever too! 

Thanks for reading!

p.s. don't forget to enter my giveaway! it ends tonight!

my life lately

hey everyone! 

i just wanted to update y'all on my life and what's been happening. 

1.

 i apologize for the severe lack of posts lately! i've actually been doing a lot of school 

work - which is crazy;) - but it means that i've been more focused on school and the boring writing it brings than with the fun writing that comes with my blog! 

i don't schedule my blog posts in advance so if i'm busy with school then my blog is put on the back burner, so i apologize for that!! 

2. 

i just recently started a photography class & i'm having such a blast in it! last week's project was to take pictures using the fundamental rules of art, rule of thirds, negative space, etc.
this weeks project is to take a picture that has a story. we have complete freedom with this project so i have to really figure out what i want my photograph to show.
here's a compilation of last week's photos :

3. next week i'm going to denver and i'm super excited! my dad commutes from colorado to kentucky but next week i'm going to make the commute! I'm super excited, and since his apartment is right across the street from the mall - i'm even more excited ;) 

that's pretty much it for today!

what's been happening with your life lately?

thanks for reading! 

strut your stuff

hey y'all!

some of you might now that i have a slight obsession with beauty gurus on youtube! 

i've been watching a lot of them for about two years, but the very first one i started watching was meaganheartsmakeup. i'm sure you've heard of her, and if not i definitely suggest you go check her channel out! 

that being said, she just uploaded a new video called "YOU can be a model" 

she is hosting a contest where us normal girls ( ;) ) can upload pictures and try to win a free trip to new york to model for e.l.f. cosmetics! 

how awesome is that?

i signed up just for the heck of it so it would mean a ton ton ton if y'all could go "vote" for me! 

you can vote up to five times a day too! 

please click (here) if you would like to vote for me! 

you know you want to;)

i challenge you to sign up too! you've got nothing to lose - right?

if you sign up, leave the link to your entry in the comments and I'll be sure to vote for you too! 

are you going to sign up?

thanks for reading!

awkward story : i can't draw

hey y'all 

can we just take a moment to appreciate the awkward moments in life

honestly, where would we be without them?

let's be honest, they make us who we are.

that being said, i'm back with yet another awkward story

so here goes nothing 

about a month ago my mom discovered these art classes that were being held in my town. the prices were reasonable and they sounded fun - so I signed up.

which classes did i sign up for you ask?

good question.

i signed up for photography and portfolio.

most of y'all know that i'm interested in photography and i'm kind of good at it so I went to my first class and i had a blast. this class is held once a week for about ten weeks. it's an all girls class so it's super fun and girly - obviously. 

so that class is going smoothly & unawkwardly.

but my portfolio class is a whole different story.

my mom and i both assumed that the portfolio class is a class where you take in your pieces of art and the instructor will help you matte it and give you feedback/critques.

no.

we were wrong. 

very wrong.

portfolio class is where you go to paint and draw. 

it's not a class where they teach you how to paint and draw - it's a class where really good painters and drawers go to paint and draw.

y'all, i can not paint and i can not draw. i literally can't even draw a stick figure.

the best i can do is draw a smiley face.

so i showed up to this class ready & confident.

i got there and the instructor had a still life scene set up and she said that we had to draw/paint it.

so everyone gathered around the supplies table and chose their pencils, charcoal, other drawing tools.

then they cut their paper - watercolor paper, regular paper, and other professional artist paper. 

i stood and watched them hoping that i could just waste the next two hours picking out my supplies.

it was so embarrassing like i didn't even know how to take the wrapper off of the pencils(?) or which paper was acceptable to use with the certain drawing material.

so eventually i settled with paper that reminded me most of printer paper and pencils that reminded me most of number 2 pencils. 

i then asked my teacher if i had to draw the still life setting. I'm pretty sure my excuse was "because I really found something on instagram that I want to try to draw"

ha yeah - i didn't even know that I would be drawing.

for the next two hours i bs-ed my artwork.

i texted my dad a couple of times.

sharpened my pencil a couple of times.

and went to the bathroom a couple of times.

i am not meant to be a painter or a drawer.

here's what i tried to draw :

here's what i "drew" : 

(this took two hours, mind you) 

and yes, i know how horrible it is 

here's what one of the girls in my class had previously drawn - she has an instagram (@itsslania) with over 15,000 followers.

um, what?

yeah, she's that good 

and according to her, these are "sketches"

according to me they're the mona lisa

gosh, i wish i had her skill! 

can you draw? 

what's your hidden talent?

thanks for reading!

q&a

it's time for another youtube video! 

this time it's a q&a 

so put your earplugs in, turn up the volume, and get ready to experience my awkwardness - yet again

thanks for watching! 

latest obsession : stationary

we all have something that we are obsessed with.

something that even though we might have tons of, we buy more anyway because we are just too in love with it.

for me it's stripped tee shirts and stationary.

i can't even walk down the stationary aisle at target for fear that i might blow my life savings.

but that doesn't mean i can't browse etsy for stationary. 

that being said, i recently stumbled across naomi lynn's etsy shop.

she was sweet enough to send me two sets of stationary, and let me tell you, they are darling! 

not only are the colors super vibrant, but they are also very nice quality. 

i also love how the open portrait style, instead of landscape - how original!

the quality is great, the colors are great, and the price is great.

i mean what else could a girl ask for when it comes to stationary?    

the look of these cards a very professional, while still being cute.

 i can't wait to send thank you notes or even just hello notes to show off my new cards! 

go check out naomi's shop! 

thanks for reading!