4 Classic Jewelry Pieces Every Woman Should Own

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Jewelry is a must when it comes to our "outfit of the day". We both have a love for dainty jewelry pieces and gaudy, colorful ones here and there. But, one thing is for sure, there are just certain classic jewelry pieces that every woman should have in her jewelry box. It's those go-to classic jewelry pieces that just go with any outfit. Click on the descriptions below to check out some of our favorites!

Midi rings
Pearl earrings
Michael Kors watch
Dainty necklace 

The Lowdown On the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale

Please tell us you know about Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale going on right now?! We kind of live for this half yearly sale and are so pumped that it falls on a 3-day weekend. That means shop till we drop. Okay, so here are the deets on the sale going on from now until 5/31/15:

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: Save up to 40% at the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale on Men, Women & Kids styles, while supplies last through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Handbags & Accessories): Up to 40% OFF Handbags, Jewelry, Watches & Home: Up to 40% OFF Handbags, Jewelry, Watches & Home at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Women's Active & Swim): Up to 40% OFF Active, Swim and Lingerie: Up to 40% OFF Active, Swim and Lingerie styles from Zella, Nike & more at 

Nordstrom, throughMay 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Women's Shoes): New Markdowns on top Women's Shoe Brands: New Women's Shoes Markdowns from Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, Ivanka Trump & more at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Kids' Shoes): New Markdowns on top Kids' Shoes Brands: New Kids' Shoes Markdowns from favorite brands like Crocs, MICHAEL Michael Kors & more at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale (specific to Men's Shoes): New Markdowns on top Men's Shoe Brands: New Men's Shoes Markdowns from Cole Haan, Bruno Magli, Nike & more at Nordstrom, through May 31! FREE Shipping. FREE Returns.

So, uh, what are you waiting for?!

Our Top 8 Favorite Grad Cap Designs

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We want to start off by congratulating the Class of 2015! We remember our graduations like it was yesterday and just can't believe how quickly time has passed. One of our favorite moments during graduation prep was decorating our graduation caps so we have really enjoyed seeing all of your fun designs. Above are our top eight (8) favorite grad cap designs thus far! These caps are the perfect ones to draw inspiration from as you start to make yours for your graduation. Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics are the best places to pick up arts & crafts stuff. You can never go wrong ordering Swarovski crystals to bling out your cap and make it really stand out in the crowd. Whatever you do, make it special and unique, just like you!

Congrats grads!

5 Items Worth Splurging On

1. A good quality, timeless purse
2. Gym Membership - Nothing motivates you to workout than a membership at a good gym!  You don't want that money going to waste, that's for sure!
3. Foundation - If there's any make up you should be splurging on, it would be a good foundation!
4. A classic watch - all the cool kids have a watch on their wrist! Pair it with come cute bangles for some wrist candy.
5. A Starbucks' card - self explanatory (haha!)

Health and beauty are the two things you should invest in so don't hold back on a little splurging. The above items are great essentials that you won't go wrong investing in.

What is your favorite splurge item? Comment below!

Best Sites For Secret Fashion Steals

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If you haven't noticed already, we are total fashionistas. But, one secret about a lot of sorority women is that we LOVE fashion on a budget. Why pay more when you can pay less for the same fashion forward look? If you're ever looking to shop in a sorority girl's closet, you will be surprised to find a lot of off label items. Below are some of our favorite sites for secret fashion steals.

Do you have a store that you're absolutely obsessed with their deals? Share with us below!

1. Sabo Skirt - All the way from Australia, this clothing line screams Coachella Fashion Show. Boho chic is their huge fashion staple. Tip: If you're ordering from them for a special event, order in advance. It takes some time to get items from Australia to America and you don't want to be disappointed if items don't come in on time.
2. ASOS - How do you pronounce it?! "A sauce" or "A sose"? Either way, if you want to splurge on some serious online retail therapy, this company hailing from London is the place to shop. "Get the London look" takes a whole other tune when you shop their hundreds of fashion looks. Shipping is really efficient with this company and their items are pretty true to size.
3. Brandy Melville - With 2.4 MILLION followers on Instagram, they're definitely one of the biggest affordable & adorable online boutiques!  They also have multiple store locations around the world and you can find Kylie & Kendall Jenner, Ariana Grande, and any other current teen sensations rocking Brandy Melville!  People love it for their cute, trendy, and casual style!
4. Kiki LaRue Boutique - KLR is well known all over, by they're especially big in the south!  They just have the most adorable (...and affordable, of course) styles for all girls & women of all sizes.  They're constantly updating their online store with tons of new items and a little birdy told us that they will soon be opening a couple store fronts throughout the country- woop woop!!
5. Lulu's - They have quite the arrange of styles & accessories on their online boutique and most people are probably familiar with Lulu's through social media.  You'll find tons of bloggers wearing Lulu's all the time as they cater to so many different styles.  Whether you're a casual-cute kinda girl or a complete girly girl, you will most definitely find the perfect wardrobe!

Spring Formal Looks

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It's almost spring formal season and it's time to start thinking of what to wear!  For seniors, this is their last time getting dressed up and attending a sorority event so you want to make sure you leave with a POW!  As you all know, we're huge fans of Rent the Runway-- you can find the perfect dress for a special event and rent it for a couple of days for just a fraction of what you would pay if you were to buy it!

Check out our 6 favorite new arrivals that could be the perfect spring formal dress at Rent the Runway!

Vigoss x InStyle Shopping Event

Our friends at InStyle Magazine have put us on a really fun shopping event going on this Thursday, April 16th for Vigoss and we want to extend the invite to you! From 4PM-7PM at Nordstrom Alderwood Mall enjoy light refreshments, awesome beats, and enter for your chance to win a pair of free jeans from Vigoss. Bonus: We will be there too! RSVP for the Vigoss x InStyle Event here: http://vigossseattle.splashthat.com/ Spread the word and share this event with your sisters and friends!

Mother's Day Gifts Under $50

phone case | perfume | business card holder | coffee table book | ring | lip scrub | garden-in-a-bag

We literally cannot believe how fast Mother's Day is approaching this year. We are trying to be more proactive this year in shopping for our mothers, so we scoured the Internet to find some awesome, thoughtful gifts for our sweet mothers, all under $50! Whether it's nice jewelry like a ring, or something simple and practical like perfume or a lip scrub, it's really the thought that counts. Shop some of our favorites above. 

Do you know of a special of Mother's Day gift? We want to know about it! Share with us below in the comments!

10 Must-Have Pieces To Keep In Your Purse

So, if you're anything like us, we have a tendency to carry a lot of stuff. Like, Mary Poppins' style. It's the sorority girl in us! But, in all reality, you can survive without all the junk you throw in your trunk (yeah, at this point it's not a purse, it's a trunk!). We decided it's time to clean out our purses and narrow it down to the essentials. Below is our list of the ten (10) must-have pieces to keep in your purse.

1. Lip gloss. Not a bazillion flavors, just narrow it down to a gloss and maybe a solid chapstick. We are fans of Burt's Bees and the Mint flavored Bigelow lip gloss. Oh and EOS lip balms are pretty nice!
2. A mirror. You've got to be able to apply your lipstick (and discreetly check out your crush..hehe).  This Hello Kitty pocket mirror is just the cutest!
3. Headphones. You never know when you're going to need to isolate yourself from your neighbor and bang out to some music. The Beats by Dre hot pink headphones are legit and we like simple headphones too like these Skull Candy ones.
4. Medicine. Headaches, that "time of the month"...they just can creep in out of nowhere so you want to be able to tackle them head on.
5. Listerine Strips or Gum. Everyone has a stint of bad breath every once in a while. Come equipped when you pack the bad breath killers.
6. Bobby pins. Even though chances are you will lose them miraculously once they enter your purse, it's nice to know you have it there.
7. Safety pins. You never know when you will have a wardrobe malfunction.
8. Hair ties. One of your friends is bound to ask you for one. We actually really love the hair ties from France Luxe/ L. Erickson. They are incredibly cute and incredibly durable!
9. Phone charger.  Honestly, this should be like #1! We have upgraded to carrying the Mophie for optimal phone battery life. It's a great investment and a serious lifesaver! 
10. A solid wallet. Keep all of your money and cards and gift cards in one place with a nice, durable wallet. Wallets are the best investment. Kate Spade and Michael Kors make some of the cutest wallets.

What essential purse pieces do you think we are missing from the list? Share with us below!

Must-Have Sandals

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It's sandals' season...yay! As much as we have loved sporting knee-high boots and UGGS this winter season, the weather here on the West Coast is finally saying, "It's time to shop for some spring/summer gear!" Hey, we don't mind {thank you global warming}. Comfortable and cute are the looks we are going for when it comes to footwear and the above sandals are our favorites from Nordstrom's wide selection! The all lace up sandals are really trending for this spring/summer. Think swanky gladiator look when trying to pull these glam sandals off. We are really love the Michael Kors classy gold plated 'thong sandal'. It's just plain cute and classic (we would expect nothing less from Michael Kors!). Another sandal being sold at Nordies that we like is from the Vince collection called the 'Rita' Leather Ankle Strap Sandal. It's pretty versatile as you can dress it down by pairing it with a simple top and jeans during the day and then you can dress it up with a curvaceous dress paired with a simple clutch to match.

What are some of your favorite sandals that are out right now? Share with us in the comments below!

Sisters Succeeding: Sharon Bui, Frill Clothing Company

This 'Sisters Succeeding' post is big. Like, Shark Tank BIG.

North Carolina State University Chi Omega, Sharon Bui, partnered up with Kate Steadman to form Frill Clothing Company and now they are scheduled to appear on the television show, Shark Tank, on
March 6​th at 9/8c on ABC!

Shark Tank is a reality television program, which allows aspiring entrepreneurs to make business pitches to a panel of investors. “We are delighted to appear on Shark Tank,” says co founder Sharon Bui, “this is huge for promoting our business and we can’t wait for America to see us pitch our pride and joy to the ‘shark’ investors.”

Frill Clothing is a startup clothing company, located in Raleigh, NC. The thought of Frill was first conceived when Sharon Bui, a member of Greek Life at N.C. State University, realized there was no way of buying fashionable clothing she was required to wear for formal sorority recruitment. Bui then joined with Kate Steadman, who was studying advertising with a minor in fashion at Appalachian State, and Frill Clothing was born.

While Frill Clothing is primarily targeted to sorority women who are looking to purchase affordable, yet stylish, outfits for recruitment, there are other items available on their online boutique. Frill is branching out to sell items such as jewelry, home décor, apparel and various accessories.

Frill is also an important member of the bridal community. Their skirts can be purchased for bridal parties to put on a new fashion forward spin on bridesmaid’s dresses. The skirts are stylish, affordable, and can be worn on multiple occasions. Frill has outfitted many wedding parties and the bride, as well as, the bridesmaids have been extremely pleased with the end result.

Bui and Steadman launched Frill while both were still earning their degrees, which have required a lot of hard work, and learning how to be financially resourceful. “The past couple of years we have learned what it takes to be an entrepreneur,” said Steadman, “it requires dedication but we enjoy coming to work every morning so the hard work pays off!”

Be sure to catch Frill’s episode of Shark Tank on ABC this week!

Best Bathing Suits For Spring Break

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Can you say, "BATHING SUIT SEASON"?! We know, we can hardly contain ourselves either! Be ahead of the game for spring break and shop for some cute, unique swimsuits now! We have pulled together some of our favorite swimsuits out on the market so shop them above by clicking through the links. We love simplicity when it comes to bathing suits so we have no shame in rocking a one piece especially if it's made by J. Crew. In fact, don't sleep on J.Crew because they have some pretty cute designs from tribal prints to metallic materials. Gotta love it! Of course, we will always be die hard Victoria's Secret bathing suit fans and are looking forward to trying out pieces from their Spring collection.

What are your favorite swimsuits out there now? We want the skinny so share with us in the comments below!

2015 Oscar-esque Affordable Dresses

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We really loved the dresses we saw on the red carpet last night from the Oscars. More often than not, we tune into the Oscars just to see who is dressed to impress! It is so awesome to see the beautiful looks, but let's face it, not all of us can afford these super expensive looks. We rounded up our favorite looks from last night and have found dresses that are similar in style but at an affordable price. Shop the looks above, below!

1) Jamie Chung in Yanina Couture.

• Affordable Designer Look-Alike-Dress: Sherri Hill Cap Sleeve Lace & Chiffon Gown

2) Margot Robbie in Saint Laurent.

• Affordable Designer Look-Alike-Dress: Faith_Custom_Made

3) Zendaya in Vivienne Westwood

• Affordable Designer Look-Alike-Dress: Briday Dress

4) Dakota Johnson in Saint Laurent.

• Affordable Designer Look-Alike-Dress: Macy's

5) Rosamund Pike in Givenchy

• Affordable Designer Look-Alike-Dress: Sherri Hill: Style 11170

6) Chrissy Teigen in Zuhair Murad

• Affordable Designer Look-Alike-Dress: Ali Express

What were your favorite dress looks from the Oscars? Share with us below!

Spring Cleaning Tips

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We cannot believe how quickly Spring is approaching which means one thing: SPRING CLEANING! Spring cleaning is the perfect time to almost start over. Whether mentally or physically, Spring cleaning will get you into a renewed, fresh mindset. For us, our biggest task is cleaning out our closets. Getting rid of clothes is not easy so we have some tips to help you let go.

1. Ask yourself: Will I wear this in the next six months? If the answer is "No!" then LET IT GO!
2. If you absolutely can't let your items go, do an experiment to see if you really make use out of every item. Simply buy tags, date them, and tie them to your clothes. Every time you wear an item, update the date. By the end of the year, if your clothes are still tagged with the beginning date, then it's time to give those clothes away.
3. Have a clothing swap party! Gather your friends and pull out your clothes that you are iffy about keeping. Buy some food and drinks and make a party out of your friend's shopping your closet.
4. To make more room in your closet, separate your clothes by seasons. Store clothes from the season you're not currently in underneath your bed (Target has some great storage bins!). Out of sight, out of mind, out of the way!
5. Sell your clothes! If you issue is how much money you've invested in your clothes, then put them up for sale. Consignment shops like Buffalo Exchange will be your best bet. Either that, or take advantage of the app, Offer Up! where you can put your clothes on sale and people can negotiate the price with you.  

Good luck and happy spring cleaning!

Rent the Runway: Valentine's Day Edition

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Get a head start on some fabulous dress options to wear for Valentine's Day! Whether you're having a Galentine's Day or celebrating with your significant other, you MUST dress for the occasion. Dressing for the occasion means a glam outfit to make everyone turns head! Rent the Runway is so great at offering "turn head" outfits, especially dresses, that we pulled some of our favorite looks from their site just for you. Check them out and let us know if we are missing some great dresses. Be sure to rent two options so you don't freak out if your first choice doesn't work out.

We want to see your Rent the Runway looks on Valentine's Day so be sure to hashtag #RTRxoTSS

5 Staple Pieces Every Girl Should Own

dress | necklace | jeans | tee | booties

There is nothing more comforting than gravitating toward that staple piece in your closet. You know, that one go-to item that you know will totally wrap your whole outfit together because it just has that affect. Staple pieces are a breath of fresh air in a wardrobe malfunction or crisis. We have really been loving finding ways to integrate our favorite staple pieces with other pieces in our closets to form multiple different looks.

Our first staple piece are booties! Wow, talk about a pair of shoes that can be worn for just about any occasion. Dress them up with black tights and a cute skirt or dress them down with jeans and a fresh top. Speaking of jeans, basic boyfriend jeans are our second staple piece. Denim of any kind is such an easy starting point for just about any outfit look you're trying to pull off. Boyfriend jeans are comfortable and we usually go through many outfits with them throughout a given week. Every girl needs a little black dress hanging in her closet for those random nights out in the town, making it our third staple piece. A black dress is safe but still flirty and dressy depending on the type of jewelry you rock with it. When it comes to jewelry, a dainty necklace is the perfect touch to just about any outfit which is why it's our fourth staple piece. Katie Dean Jewelry is still our number one favorite shop for all things dainty like this super cute wishbone necklace or this leaf necklace. If there's one thing that goes with everything, it has to be a basic v-neck tee!  You can dress it up or down however you want and it's also the comfiest thing ever!

What are your staple pieces in your wardrobe? Share with us below in the comments!

How To Wear Marsala: Pantone Color of the Year 2015

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Marsala. You've probably never heard of this particular color, but all we can say is WOW; it's the most breathtaking color. It's no surprise that Pantone has chosen it as the 2015 Color of the Year. Think ripe cranberries or a deep red wine color. It's a sensual color for sure and it makes you feel important. It's really a color for anyone trying to be bold and make a statement in a deep and thoughtful way. It's such a strong color that we don't recommend going over board with it. For example, choose a Marsala lip stick and pair it with a light colored top and bottoms. Marsala color nails would be fabulous as it isn't super bold like apple red, but it's still sophisticated. Try pairing Marsala with black like this fedora from Windsor. The two colors compliment each other very well. Marsala is a transformation color; you will feel like someone new when you're wearing it, so wear it with confidence!

Top 14 Posts of 2014

2014 was a year of growth for us! We loved continuing to share our best kept sorority secrets with you all and hearing a lot of your secrets. Your support of us is showing as we recently passed a major milestone: 3 million+ views! In lieu of that, we compiled your favorite fourteen posts of 2014. From beauty, to fashion, to tips and advice, you loved and read these posts. Thanks for continuing to make us your go-to site; we appreciate you!

1. Beach Waves Hair Tutorial {by Maddie}
2. Second Day Curls on the First Day!
3. 20 Best Friend Date Ideas
4. Top 10 Words To Cut From Your Writing
5. Campus Security 101: 5 Tips To Keep You Safe
6. Study Session Survival Guide
7. Recruitment Conversation All-Star Tips
8. 4 Travel Tips Every Wanderlust Should Know
9. Clip-In Hair Extension Secrets
10. Eyelash Extensions- Pros & Cons
11. How To Successfully Travel Internationally
12. 10 Ways To Nail An Interview
13. Spring Recruitment Guide
14. Music Festival Outfit Guide

Have a favorite blog post that didn't make the Top 14? Well, we would love to hear which post of 2014 was your favorite so leave a comment below!

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve Must-Have Manicures

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We never need too much a reason to get our "nails did" so NYE is no exception! While it may be cliché, we are totally into the sparkly nails effect when it comes to our NYE manicures. You just can't go wrong adding a little sparkle with glitter nail polish like  Essie's "Sparkle On Top", Deborah Lippman's "Some Enchanted Evening", or gluing on rhinestones or crystal pieces. Another unique look that we have yet to try for a NYE manicure is the iridescent nail polish look. Showing luminous colors on your nails that seem to change when seen from different angles has a striking resemblance to the NYE disco ball! Keeping it simple with grays, whites, and nude/ivory nail colors are chic too. The latest craze however are still the nail strips! Incoco Nail Strips are really cute and come in tons of designs including ones where just the tips are colored to give that manicured look. However you get beautified for the New Year, make sure your nails are in check because

"Wearing chipped nail polish is like wearing dirty underwear. You just don't do it".-Morgan Stewart, RKOBH

6 Fabulous Coats For Winter

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Even though we are living on the West Coast and it doesn't typically get too cold, we are still babies and need those coats to protect us from all forms of coldness (in Arizona and Washington cold to us is 60 degrees!). I mean, let's be honest, we all like to transform ourselves into divas walking the runway when we spot a super cute coat. Lately, we have been loving the camel and red looks for coats. You also can't go wrong with a wool coat equipped to keep you nice and warm. When choosing a coat you've got to first consider if it will keep you warm. A coat can look super cute, but leave you freezing your butt off! Length and size of the coat is also something to consider. You don't want the coat to look like it's eating you alive. A nice fitted coat that will keep you warm and cozy is the way to go. Consider high end to middle prices as coats are truly an investment worth making since they will last you a long time. Check out some of our favorite coats for this Winter season above and let us know which coats you're pining over in the comments below!