April Favorites 2014

Welcome back!

It's time for a favorites post once again.  This month has been all about embracing springtime and my own personal style.  

This Month's Favorites:

Dove Nutrium Moisture Purely Pampering Nourishing Body Wash - Pistachio Cream with Magnolia

Carolina Bay Floral Shift Dress

Betty Who

Amerie High Waisted Disco Pants

Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

Pistachio Cream with Magnolia Body Wash

I ran out of Clean on Me by Soap and Glory and wasn't near a Sephora, so I ran to target to pick up some spring - scented body wash.  The pistachio is a richer scent - reminiscent of winter, but the magnolia brightens it up making it wonderfully light!  I've always been a fan of Dove body washes - they are super hydrating and make the entire shower smell SO GREAT.

Lace Shift Dress 

This classic style dress is from Francesca's. The floral lace makes the dark blue dress feel super feminine and springy.  I styled this dress with a mint green and gold necklace for a recent sorority function and received loads of compliments on it!

Betty Who

I'll admit it - I have wholeheartedly jumped on the Betty Who bandwagon.  If you are on it as well - then I don't need to explain.  If you're not... then you NEED TO BE.  Her music is so fun and upbeat - I cannot resist the urge to dance around whenever her songs come on.  

Listen to my favorite song of hers at the moment "High Society."

High Waisted Disco Pants

These leggings are hands down the most amazing leggings I have ever owned.  They are super shiny and come up to about my belly button - and they just look so chic (as chic as leggings can be).  I've styled these with loose fitting tanks and t - shirts and tucking them into the waist band.  Since they are high waisted they also look cute with crop tops and bandeaus. Oh, and I purchased these from Boohoo.

Naked Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

Herbal Essences products are always hit or miss for me.  Sometimes I really like them, other times they disappoint me beyond belief. The new Naked Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner are definitely a hit!  The scent is absolutely amazing.  It is mint and herbal infused - I can't describe it - it's just so great.  I cannot stop smelling my hair after I wash it.  In addition to the lovely smell, my hair feels insanely clean and moisturized.  My bleached ends can be really dry and tangled, but this conditioners smooths it all out.  Plus it's silicone,  paraben, and dye free - which is something I can get behind!  

That's it for what I've been in love with this April.  What have you been into? Let me know in the comments.

With love,

Traci J

Why I am still Infatuated with Drake Bell | Music

Welcome back!

Today I wanted to chat about one of my favorite artists, Drake Bell.  I haven't done a post about music since this one from Christmas, so I figured it was time for a new one!

Yes, that's right Drake Bell.  The cute preteen dream from Drake and Josh.

And YES, he is still relevant. I promise.

(or if you want to go back even more - The Amanda Show).

My love for Drake started when he was on Drake and Josh - and once I found out that he was recording albums... Well, let's just stay I was a fangirl before fangirling was cool.

Exhibit A: Check out my cool homemade Drake Bell t-shirt!
(circa 2006)

To be completely honest, from the ages of 15-17 I had Drake Bell pictures all over my wall, quotes from Drake and Josh written everywhere, and frequented the Drake Bell Message Boards online after school.

The thing that drew me to Drake's music (besides the fact that he was cute) was his musical influences.

If you don't know... that is The Beatles - Abbey Road album... and then hang your head in musical shame.

His first two albums Telegraph (2005) and It's Only Time (2006) definitely had a Beatles and Beach Boy sound to it - which to my teenage self sounded so incredibly cool and different, that I was hooked.

Hollywood Girl - Telegraph (2005)
 *One of my favorite songs off this album

Fallen For You - It's Only Time (2006)

*I am still seriously obsessed with this song - I remember freaking out when he sang it at the concert where I was wearing that cute homemade t shirt... ^^^

Make your judgments about those tracks - and do with that what you will, but  just wait until you hear what he's been up to now...

Drake has teamed up with Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats and the Brain Setzer Orchestra to record a total throwback rock and roll album.  Let me tell you - it is OUT OF CONTROL.

Many of the tracks are covers - and the album just has the most amazing vintage feel to it.

Check out this interview with Drake Bell about the new album Ready Steady Go.

Back of My Hand - Ready Steady Go (2014)

Just recently I noticed a pattern in my favorite artists - my all time favorite being Hanson... I am drawn to artists with a throwback sound and dedication to the music itself.  I really connect to artists that are true to who they are and do not sell out to the music and radio industry.  I root for the musical underdog, if you will.

I encourage you to give Drake's new album a listen - if you are a fan of true rock and roll, then you won't be disappointed.

**In addition, Drake Bell basically wins at twitter... Buzzfeed compiled a list of some of his most amazing tweets - so I didn't have to. I suggest you click here to check it out.


That's all. My dedication to Drake Bell is complete.  I hope I didn't go too far outside of my niche that you didn't enjoy this post!  I always want my blog to be a total reflection of me - so that means including my weird obsessions.

With Love,

Traci J

I'll leave you with this:

The Not So Preppy State of My Lilly Pulitzer Phone Case | Fails

Hello beauties,

In my March Favorites post I talked about my Lilly Pulitzer Phone Case with Card Holder.  I loved , loved, LOVED that thing!  The print was so springy and cute - not to mention the practicality of that card holder!

Well, I wanted to share my dismay when I noticed that the print was rubbing off of the case.  At first it was just a little wear - so I made sure to take extra care of it.  I didn't jam it into small spaces, I didn't drop it, and I did my best to make sure my hands were as oil free as possible... but alas - it continued to wear off.

Honestly, I am super bummed out.  I expected the lifespan of this case to be a lot longer than 2 months.  No, I didn't pay a fortune for it - but I also did not buy it for it to only last a short while.  Were my expectations too high? What is the average lifespan of a phone case if it isn't an Otterbox or something super protective like that?

On the bright side, I found this super cute case by Tribeca at TJMax today.  It is definitely my style - but lacks the convenience of the card holder - and is not my beloved Lilly Pulitzer.

Share your cell phone case fails or successes in the comments!

With love,

Traci J

What I Wore | Pub Crawl

Today is the annual Spring Pub Crawl in my city - meaning that people are waking up earlier to start drinking than they would to go to class.  Priorities aside, pub crawl is a HUGE event here - and anybody who's anybody is participating.

I've already been to a bar, had  a drink, and consumed large amounts of donuts and bacon... I would like to point out that I only encourage safe and responsible consumption of alcohol (hence why I have taken a break to sit down and write this post).  Since this event is so huge, and I haven't blogged in a while, I wanted to show you what I chose to wear today.

Most people purchase the standard Pub Crawl shirt - but I ALWAYS cut mine to make it more flattering - and a bit more reflective of my personality.

The color I purchased is aubergine - which I picked solely because it was called aubergine.

Here are the details --
Leggings - Boohoo
Shoes - Toms
Lace Bandeau - Charlotte Russe
Midi Ring - Claire's 
Bracelet - Charming Charlie

I hope you all enjoyed this little impromptu blog post!  More regularly scheduled posts to follow.  Also, make sure to hop on over to Meet with a Smile and check out the feature on me! I have joined the sidebar of this awesome blog, so go give it some love!
I'm out to go have some more fun ;)

With Love,

Traci J