Weekend Wear: Sorority Recruitment Edition

Three years ago, when I decided to sign up for sorority recruitment, I didn't know how much it would affect my life. I can happily say it was one of the best decisions I ever made and my sorority has made me a better person, among many other good things.

However, recruitment is kind of a scary process. To most, it doesn't make a lot of sense and can be very overwhelming. The last thing you want to be worried about is what you're wearing, even though that's probably your first concern after registering! To help ease your stress, I've put together some outfit formulas to help guide you. 

Note: I put these together based on my knowledge of formal recruitment at Michigan State. You may need to adapt based on your school & information from Panhellenic Council. Be sure to reach out to your recruitment guides if you have questions, they're there to help! 

You want to be sure that you are presenting yourself well, as you would to an interview. That being said, it doesn't matter how cute a top is if you're pulling at it all day! Make sure you're comfortable in the clothes you select. 

Round 1: Spirit Day 

chambray, necklace, earrings, capris, sandals

Spirit Day is one of the longest days, but it's also the most casual. Capris + a tee are your best bet. Pair them with some cute jewelry and sandals and you're good to go! Not a fan of capris? Skirts are also a great option.

Round 2: Philanthropy Day

top, skirt, earrings, bangle, wedges

Philanthropy day is a bit more dressy, but still fairly casual. A skirt paired with a blouse is a great option. You can dress up any outfit with wedges! Another good option is jeans with a blouse.

Round 3: Values Day 

top, skirt, earrings, bangle, flats
dress, necklace, ring, flats

I opted for two different combinations for values day. A blouse and skirt or a dress are both great options. Business casual is probably the best "dress code" to describe this round. LOFT has a ton of super cute pencil skirts right now that look great with a colored blouse. A dress is always an easy option, just pair it with a pair of flats for a pulled together look. 

Round 4: Preference Day

dress, heels, earrings

Preference is the most dressy - so a dress is pretty much non-negotiable. Pick a cute cocktail dress in a fun color or print. Word of caution: many sororities pick black, so you'll stand out more in a color! A simple pump and interesting but simple earrings round out this look.

Other Words of Wisdom:
Pick simple, but pretty jewelry. Go ahead & wear that statement necklace but stay away from noisy bangles. You don't want your jewelry to be a distraction to you or anyone else. I would also suggest no watches, you don't want to appear rude checking the time.

Make sure you can walk in your shoes! It's okay to opt for flats if you aren't as comfortable in heels.

Above all else, stay true to you and your style. You want to show off the best version of you!


Shop all of my selections for recruitment wear:

More House Of Harlow...

Best of luck to everyone going through recruitment this fall! Have questions about recruitment or sorority life? Leave them below!

Inviting Interiors: Seating

I'm bringing back Inviting Interiors! Today's theme: college seating. Whether you're moving into a dorm, apartment or house (or even if you've graduated) seating a critical part of any room. I've gathered some of my favorite looks and options for those of you on a budget.

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You can take inspiration from lots of places, my favorite is actual homes! Even if it's a temporary space, adding certain furniture (that's functional, too) can make it feel more like home.

Upholstered Chair | The most grown up chair on the list. For when you're feeling like you can make half an investment for a chic apartment. 

Moon Chair | I had a papasan chair as a kid & these remind me of it! The shape is perfect for curling up with a book. 

Director's Chair | The beauty of a directors chair is it's fold-ability. Buy a couple & keep them in a closet. Pull them out when you need them & they have a lot more personality than a folding chair. 

Beanbag Chair | Throwback to the 90s. A casual chair with a childhood twist. Prefer a regular bean bag?

Storage Ottoman | The perfect solution for a tiny dorm room. Storage + seating. Win win!

What's your choice for back to school seating?

P.S. It's August which means Lattes with Liv is all about Back to School! Let me know if you have any post requests! 

Failing to Plan...

...is planning to fail. Ever heard the saying? It's never to early to think about a planner for use in the fall.

L to R: Quit Slackin, Lilly Pulitzer, Moleskine, Kate Spade, May Designs, Erin Condren, The Sorority Planner

No matter your organization style, I think every one has a use for a physical planner. I use iCal on my phone for tracking my daily schedule (trust me, it's necessary) but I use my planner for tracking assignments and due dates. At the beginning of every semester I take my syllabi and write all of my assignments and readings on the days their due in my planner (color coded by class, of course). This lets me see an overview of my schoolwork for the week! More on my organization system later.

If you're more of a DIY gal here's a print at home planner. Or even better, some freebie printables to assemble your planner yourself. Just head on over to your local FedEx Office for a durable binding or put it in a binder.

Prefer the digital life? You can always use a cute planner as a yearly journal! You could try out the one sentence journal that will get your creative juices running each day.

How do you use a planner?

What's in my bag for class

I love reading/watching these what's in my bag posts. I think it's so interesting to see what other people see as essential to carry around with them! So today, I'm adding to the fun with my own post.

With my busy schedule, I carry around a tote for class more often than a purse. But I do tend to change bags quite frequently - a symptom of a bag obsession & wanting to carry them all! In any given week I usually carry about 5 different bags, depending on where I'm going. I have three totes I carry to class, a purse and a cross body. 

When I'm going to work or class, I usually carry my Lo & Sons tote. I bought it as a Christmas gift to myself last year and absolutely love it!! Plus a bonus, I'm never worried about getting caught in the rain and having all my notes/technology ruined. 

What's in my bag:

Folder for handouts, lecture slides & homework

Notebooks 

iPad 

Pencil case + Sharpie pens

Headphones 

Chapstick

Mints

Granola bar/snack

Wallet

Sunglasses 

Pretty soon I'll be adding a pair of gloves, especially since we had our first snowfall of the season yesterday!

I'll also keep any novels I'm reading for class (or for fun!) and an umbrella for when the weather turns bad on me.

What do you keep in your bag?

Class Notes: 3 Ways

I take notes 3 different ways. It depends on the class, and what my schedule looks like for the day. Generally speaking, I hate carrying my computer around. I think it's too darn heavy! But occasionally, it's the best tool for the job.

Handwritten | This is my favorite method, by far. I prefer to handwrite all of my notes, but sometimes a professor talks too fast! I have one notebook per class to keep everything straight. Have a class that uses a lot of outline style notes? Try a notebook of graph paper! It will help keep everything lined up.

Computer | Sometimes you'll end up with a professor that can talk a million miles a second. It's hard to keep up, even if you type pretty fast! For these classes, I don't even try to handwrite notes, it's a lost cause in my head.

Keyboard | If you have to type notes, but don't want to carry around a computer this is my favorite solution! I bought a bluetooth keyboard from amazon & hooked it up to my phone. I use the Google Docs app & can type like I have a computer without the extra weight!

Tips:
If you handwrite your notes, type them up once a week. It will help you review what was talked about in class & prepare for your exams!

Use Google Drive for all of your notes. You can create a folder for each class & you can access your notes from anywhere. No tracking down missing files! They'll also be backed up to the cloud, so if your computer crashes you'll be good. You can also access all of your files on your iPhone with their app.

Take notes in different colors. I like to write definitions in a different color so they are easier to pick out when I'm making flash cards. Use highlighters to study!

If your professor provides notes or outlines before class, print them out & look at them! You'll be more prepared & it will be easier to take notes.

Goals

I realize that it is almost the end of September and most people have been back in school for at least a month. This was originally meant as a back to school post, but I think it still works!

Back to school, or the beginning of fall, is a great time to make some resolutions and goals.  I love to start the year off with a list of goals I would love to accomplish.  Sometimes that list is only 1 or 2 items long and I add to it as I go.

Whether you start with a short list or a long list, setting goals is super important!  If you're intimidated by goals, start small.  Start with 1 or 2 small goals.

Make a List
It's super important to write down your goals.  When you write them down, you are committing to them!  I love the Kate Spade Short List or Long List for writing down goals!

Keep Them Visible
If you have a tendency to forget things, keep your list in a place where you will see it often!  Try a desk drawer, inside your fridge, on your mirror, or on the back of your door.  Seeing your goals every day (or close to every day) will keep you reminded of them and focused on accomplishing them.

Check Your Progress
Every two weeks or so, I like to sit down and think about the progress I've made on my goals.  Sometimes this isn't necessary with smaller goals, but it is definitely necessary with big goals.  If you are trying to accomplish something super big, break it down into smaller, more manageable goals and set a timeline for accomplishing them all.

One of my big goals (only big because I find it so hard to accomplish) is trying to read for fun!  I get so caught up with my school reading that I forget to read for fun beyond my google reader.  I'm trying to incorporate an hour of reading every week.

Is one of your goals to read as well?  Check out this Levo League Article on how to make time for reading.

What are you goals for the semester or the year?

Packs on the Back

I love tote bags.  They are the most versatile bags ever.  However, there comes a point where an actual backpack is necessary.  I hate taking super heavy loads, including my computer, in tote bags. I'm on the hunt for a good backpack and here are some of my favorites so far!

Backpacks 

Which do you like best?

Comfy Chic

Tunic Cynthia Steffee originally from TJ Maxx (similar); 

Leggings Target; Boots Delias; 

Watch Target; Hair Tie Boutiqued (similar); 

Necklace & Bracelet gifted

On my nails: Essie Lilacism

Inspired by #StyleMeAugust day 15  

Alarm Clocks

For many, myself included, back to school means back to using dreaded alarm clocks again!  I absolutely HATE my alarm.  Yes, hate is probably a pretty extreme word to use, but I severely dislike my alarm.  I'm the girl who will sacrifice putting on makeup before I leave my dorm for an extra 10 minutes of sleep.  I have a very streamlined process for those mornings when I didn't quite get enough sleep the night before.

However, this summer this has (mostly) changed.  I actually wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go for the day as opposed to my usual groggy, hating the world self. (I am so not a morning person!).  My secret?  Sleepyti.me.  Best. Site. Ever.

The site features a super streamlined design (making it super easy to use on a smartphone!).  You can plug in what time you want to wake up & it will tell you what time you should head to bed; or you can tell it you're going to sleep now & it will tell you when to set your alarm.  I find the second feature most useful.  I use it just before I'm going to sleep and pick the time that will get me up before I need to be to set my alarm.

Using the average length of a sleep cycle, sleepyti.me selects wake up times in between sleep cycles.  This ensures you wake up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy.

Now that you have the perfect time to wake up, you'll need a super awesome alarm to go with!  Here are some of my favorites (other than my trusty iPhone, of course):

Clocky Alarm Clock | Pirates of the Caribbean Alarm | Double Bell Alarm | MP3 Alarm Clock

Do you have any tricks for getting up early (or just in the nick of time)?