One Shirtdress, Three Ways

The best items in my closet are those that are versatile. Being in college (and having a tiny closet) has basically forced me into having a "capsule wardrobe" -- wearing a few classic pieces that I can style with more seasonal/trendy accessories and garments. One of my favorite "classics" is  a good shirtdress -- like this one. I think they are so chic but appropriate for everyday wear, plus they can be layered for different seasons and styled so many different ways. To show just how much I love my shirtdress, I styled it in 3 different ways -- sporty + fun, cozy but cute, and edgy + understated. This post comes in perfect timing, too, because my dress is $47, down from $98, with the code DOUBLEYAY. Double yay, indeed!

Look 1: Sporty + Fun

For this look, I added some cute enamel pins onto the dress to give it flair and personality -- they're my favorite detail to add to outfits, especially denim! I paired the dress with some gold hoops and pink sneakers for a simple, relaxed combo. I would wear this for walking around a new city (like on vacation), going to class, a casual lunch/brunch or a shopping outing with friends.

dress (use code doubleyay for 40% off) | shoes | hoops ($25!) | bangle | similar pins

Look 2: Cozy But Cute

To create this outfit, I belted the dress, added a long cardigan, simple jewelry, and booties. I know everyone probably has these items in their closet, especially with long cardi's being so popular right now, so it should be super easy to add this into your arsenal of outfits! I would wear this to church, work (in a retail store), formal chapter for my sorority, a nicer dinner, or just when I want to be more presentable but still comfortable. 

dress | bangle | cardigan (almost out of stock), similar cardigan | belt ($17) | similar booties 

Look 3: Edgy + Understated

Adding snakeskin booties to this outfit is a perfect example of supplementing a classic wardrobe with trendy pieces. Black tights and gold jewelry polish this look off, and keep it simple enough to make the boots the focal point! I would wear this for any combination of events -- going out with friends for a meal, work, traveling, etc. 

dress | similar booties | hoops

I hope this post helped you to see something you already have in your closet in a different light :-) For 2019, my mission is to build on my classic pieces with new ways of styling!

Stay Sunny,

Meg

PS: thank you, Marie, for the photos!

Gamecock Gear

If you're a long-time follower of my blog, you know that I consider what I wear to be part of my identity (view my talk about it here). To me, fashion can speak volumes about your personality and bring you confidence if you let it. When it comes to sporting your college spirit wear, it's no different. There's just something about being able to take pride in your school and represent being part of a community through clothing!

I still remember the first day after I committed to USC I was so excited to wear the t-shirt that I bought at the bookstore during my tour. I was delighted when people would ask me about the shirt and I could respond, "I'm starting school there in the fall!" 

Since then, I've added a lot more garnet to my wardrobe and wearing the Carolina logo means so much more. It means game days, Clemson rivalries, screaming the Gamecock cheer, and it means home. 

Today on the blog I'm sharing how I style my Gamecock gear as part of a contest to represent UofSC at New York Fashion Week with IMG College Licensing! I'm so lucky to go to a school with such great opportunities like this one.

Here I am with our beloved mascot, Cocky!

Snakeskin has been trending this season, so I added these snakeskin booties to my look to spice things up.

Behind me in this picture is Capstone, my residence hall! It's the best and I hope it glows garnet after the Clemson game today-- signifying a win!

Fuzzy coats like this one are my favorite way to stay cozy during the chilly months.

Spurs up!

I love my Gamecocks and I love my spirit wear -- all available at the Bookstore!

SHOP THE POST

T-shirt, sweatshirt, and pennant: UofSC Bookstore

Jeans | Booties | Coat ($25!) | Belt ($13!)

Stay Sunny,

Meg

The Most Fun Jumpsuit Ever

I can say without a doubt that this jumpsuit is the most FUN piece of clothing I've ever put on my body. And for good reason-- would you look at those ruffles!? I can hardly keep from smiling whenever I'm wearing it. I paired it with my trusty platform espadrilles (on sale here) to make the ruffles even flowier. I added simple gold hoops to not draw any attention away from the jumpsuit.

I love this jumpsuit because it feels so "me." When we dress for ourselves and our personalities, it can make us feel unstoppable. It reminds me of the reason I fell in love with fashion in the first place -- because it can be used in service of honoring and portraying my true self!

SHOP

______________________________

 jumpsuit from my friends at fame & partners | hoops | platforms (other similar shoes: 1 2 )

Stay sunny,

Meg

My Rush Outfits

Aside from joining an awesome sisterhood, my favorite part of rush/sorority recruitment was the OUTFITS, of course. Each morning I loved getting to plan my outfit in order to best represent who I am, as well as see other girl's looks for the day and how they choose to show their style through the different rounds. I thought I'd share my outfits with you, along with a little bit about each round of recruitment, mostly to be a guide if you're rushing in the spring or next year or just to share a little bit about my rush experience!

ROUND 1: GO GREEK

Go Greek round, the first round of recruitment, is just getting to see the surface level of each sorority. Between two days, I visited all thirteen sorority houses and talked to one or a few of their members. This was the most casual round attire-wise and I was given a t-shirt for each day! It was also the hottest weather and had the most standing/walking, so wearing a tennis skirt and sneakers was definitely a good move.

Day One

For day one I went with my trusty New Balances, a tennis skort from Marshall's (GREAT for the heat because it's moisture wicking), simple pearl studs, and my Madeline and Co. backpack!

Day Two

On day two I wore basically the same thing (another Marshall's tennis skirt), but added some fun mini hoop earrings.

ROUND TWO: PHILANTHROPY ROUND

During Philanthropy Round, the dress is slightly nicer but you still wear recruitment t-shirts. Some girls wore fancy skirts and heels while others wore just flowy shorts and sandals! During this round, you really see a mix of both but what's most important is wearing what you feel comfortable and yourself in.

Day One

VERY excited for another day of recruitment

I dressed up the tee a bit adding a horn necklace and wearing paper bag shorts (sold out in navy-- shop the green here or a striped here). Since I knew I would be going back to fewer houses and therefore walking less, I was able to wear my leather slides!

Day Two

Sorry for the wacky photo quality!

I dressed up my look for the last day of Philanthropy round by wearing a paper bag skirt (on sale), platforms (similar styles on sale here, here, + here), and my classic Kendra Scott earrings.

ROUND THREE: SISTERHOOD/LEADING WOMEN

Sisterhood Round is the last round leading up to Preference Round, so things are definitely more serious and formal. On these days, girls wear sundresses and rompers with sandals or heels. This is when you can really start showing your style and get out of the t-shirts!

Day One

This was the day I was visiting the least amount of houses, so I knew I could handle my somewhat-heavy Lisi Lerch earrings and block heels. My dress was great to wear too, not only for the pockets but it was something a little bit different from the rest (without being too out there) to differentiate me from the group!

Day Two

Another day, another morning getting HYPED for recruitment!

For the second day, I wore my favorite piece from the Fame and Partners summer collection! Day two was another hot one, so the light fabric was a godsend. Plus, it was a great conversation starter to segway into talking about my internship with Fame. I wore the platforms again (they are so comfy), my Cuffed By Nano choker, and my hoops. 

PREFERENCE ROUND

Preference round lasts only one day and is the most formal round. The attire is similar to what you would wear to homecoming and was the most fun to dress up for!

I wore my Fame & Partners Amelia dress which I had previously worn to my graduation party and Father-daughter dance. I love it because I have styled it lots of different ways with sandals and platforms, but I gave it a formal touch with block heels for pref.

BID DAY

On Bid Day, each sorority chooses a "bid day theme" and models their shirts and bid day party after it. At USC, we find out which sorority we got a bid from by unwrapping a t-shirt with their letters on it!

If you didn't see it on Instagram, I rushed Alpha Delta Pi! I was so grateful to have gotten a bid from my top pick, as well as join the same sisterhood as my mom and aunt! Our theme was "Adpi Jam," so it was everything Space Jam: alien themed costumes, basketball hoops, and fun photo backdrops. Bid day was so fun (and such a relief to be done with recruitment). 

Can't wait to share more about my time in Adpi and I hope this post was helpful!

Stay sunny,

Meg

Help Me Pick an Outfit For Rush! [Collab with Kohl's madden NYC]

This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. I was paid for this post and received the included shoes as compensation.

When people talk about “rush” or “sorority recruitment,” many words surround the topic -- emotional, stressful, busy, and exciting. Personally, when I think about how I’ll be rushing soon, a few things come to mind -- meeting new friends, talking to lots of people, and, most importantly, planning my outfits.

I've been getting tons of outfit advice from my friends who are in sororities, but everyone's #1 tip is always to wear comfortable shoes. That’s where madden NYC comes into play! When I saw madden NYC's block heels, I knew they'd be perfect to wear to rush. I’m a big block heel fan because I love the stability they give (I have terrible coordination) while still adding height. Plus, they're only $49.99, and Kohl's has sales all the time. They make them in tons of colors, but I chose the blush and navy pairs. I’m currently deciding between two looks to wear during rush, and I’d love your help choosing! Take a look at the outfits below and let me know which one you like better in the comments or on @asunnystateofmind.

LOOK 1: FLORAL WRAP DRESS WITH NAVY HEELS

Shop the navy heels here!

LOOK 2: STRIPED FIT AND FLARE DRESS WITH BLUSH HEELS

Shop the blush heels here! 

SHOP THE REST OF THE PRODUCTS: 

FLORAL DRESS | HOOP EARRINGS | STRIPED DRESS

Shop madden NYC's fall sale (most sandals are $39.99 down from $49.99!) and transitional "open but closed" styles here.

Stay Sunny,

Meg

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Photography by Rachel Issler.