In a moment of weakness, I went to the mall with my Mom to check out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and do a little bargain hunting. My Mom bought a cute pair of Burberry sunglasses – on sale! I bought a new winter coat and a few odds and ends. Here are some of my spoils from the day.

A great hooded jacket from North Face

I couldn't resist a new necklace for Fall

Spotted this striped shirt on the sale rack

…And finally, what trip to the mall is not complete with out stopping in to see the lovely clothes at J. Crew.

I found this military-inspired jacket in the Final Sale!

All in all, a fantastic day of shopping.

Recently, I was asked to be photographed for a upcoming issue of a local magazine. Ding, “time to go shopping.” I briefly set aside my design projects and my mom and I headed straight to the mall. The talented stylist at J. Crew created a bunch of fabulous looks for me, a much needed update to my holiday wardrobe.

I love this outfit!

New Years Eve

Corporate Holiday Party

Such an adorable necklace

Wonderpup vs. the World

With much sadness in my heart, the BF, the dogs, and I crammed into my car on Friday to drive to Ocean City, MD for one final beach weekend. I love October in Ocean City, no crowds and dogs are allowed on the beach. Mr. Ranger and Miss Penny spent hours frolicking in the sand. However, as much as I enjoy the off season, I hate to see the end of the warm weather.

Penny is ready for a nap

Outlet Shopping:
Of course, we had to go to the Rehoboth Outlets, three massive shopping centers featuring tax free shopping…I love Delaware.  As usual, J. Crew was super crowded, however; I managed to purchase a beautiful gray, ruffled sweater and a pair of matchstick jeans. After missing out on running this year’s Baltimore Marathon, the BF and I stocked up on winter running gear from Nike and Under Armour. Next year, no excuses. And finally I “picked out” a hot pink handbag from Coach that was hiding on the clearance table–a future Christmas present from my parents. I also stopped by Kate Spade, Lennox, Brooks Brothers, and White House Black Market.

The spoils of shopping

time to start marathon training

October is an “R” Month
The best part of the trip; oysters are finally in season. My dad bought a peck in Cambridge on the way down and BF bought 4 dozen driving home, so good!

Intrigued by the yellow and black e-blast announcing the weekend-only hours of J. Crew’s online factory store, I decided to check it out. The women’s section offers a disappointing collection of discounted tissue t’s, blazers, cardigans, pants and skirts. The men’s section has a decent selection of button-down shirts and sweaters. If you are shopping for a few basic items, the prices are lower than the regular store. However; some of the trendier items are missing that “c’est la mode” that we all adore. One plus to the factory store is the clothing is returnable, unlike the “final sale.” The best way to get some fabulous J. Crew style at more affordable prices is through the sale section. With hundreds of items on sale, you can always score a fashion find, however; popular sizes do sellout fast.

Remember, the factory store is only open from 12 a.m. Friday to Sunday at midnight (EST).

We love our J. Crew!

If you have a question for the Preppy Girl email it to me at preppygirl@thepreppylife.com.

Dear Preppy Girl,
I just got a beautiful long scarf from J.Crew in a very flattering color. My problem is that I can’t decide on a way to wear it! Which knots/styles look best with which outfits?

- Liz

Dear Liz,
Thank you for the great question! The scarf sounds absolutely wonderful. I have always found summertime scarves particularly daunting, their airy fabrics can be quite the challenge. Here are a few cute ways to wear a summer scarf:

• Looped around your neck with the ends hanging down-this is great for sleeveless dresses and shirts with scooped necklines

• Draped around your neck (no knot) with the ends hanging free in front. This is a great style for rectangular scarves paired with long summer jackets.

• Over your shoulder worn as shaw. This is a great way to spruce up a basic tank top or a sleeveless summer dress

• As a belt, works best with long rectangular scarves, but square scarves can also be folded to form a stylish belt.

And if all else fails, scarves make a great accessory for your handbags. Here are few additional tricks and tips for tying scarves.

Good luck!
-P.G.

Scarf looped around the "model's" neck. For the record, art directing, modeling, and styling your own photo shoot is way harder than it looks.

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