All Plaid Everything

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6  | 7 | 8 

Holidays are right around the corner and that means all plaid everything!!  We honestly don't know anyone that doesn't love plaid, so we wanted to combine all of our favorite plaid items that are in stores right now.  You can literally have plaid everything and anything, so whether it's a pillow for your couch, a scarf, or even pajamas, you can make it work!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday! xo

Uber Over the Holidays

It's that time of year to go home and celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Getting to the airport is only half the battle, but the idea of leaving your car at the airport for hours is daunting when you think of the money you will be accruing letting it sit. Taxis are super expensive and getting a town car is too. For us, it's all about using Uber! Uber is less expensive than a taxi and you can track where they are as she patiently wait for them to pick you up. Unlike taxis where you can't rate the driver, Uber is largely successful for its ability to rate drivers. Drivers have an obligation to provide you with good service. What is even cooler is that you can do a rideshare where you can split the ride with someone else making the ride that much more affordable. By the way, all of this is done through a mobile app so you don't need to carry cash at all. It's a total relief! The cool thing is, Uber is always offering coupon codes, particularly for first time users. So, if you're a new user, download the app and time in FIRSTRIDE30 for a smoking hot deal!

We hope you have a safe travel home!

5 Things To Do To Not Be Bored During Winter Break

[image source]

So, finals are over for a lot of you and that means lots of free time. Like, A LOT of free time. We have been there before and while not having to study anymore is probably a relief, being bored at home during winter/holiday break can take a toll on you. Don't you worry your pretty little head though because we have come up with five things to do to not be bored during winter break.

1. Remember how you missed the finale of that one show because you've fallen behind on all the episodes? Well, use this time to catch up on all of your shows. Netflix will be your very best friend to help you accomplish that.

     2.   Get your booty in shape! Pure Barre, yoga, spin class...they're all there waiting for you to

           take advantage of.

     3. With all those gift cards you accrued over the holidays it's probably best to use them before they    

         go missing! Head to the mall with a friend or family member(s) and shop till you drop!

    4.  Speaking of friends and family, catch up with them! Sleepovers, coffee and lunch dates, movie nights...they're yours to take advantage of as you get in the know of everything you've missed since your nose has been in the books.

    5. Read up on all of The Sorority Secrets' posts you've missed! Simply click on all of our categories (Campus Catwalk, Dolled Up, Big Sis Tips, Kitchen, Chapter Room and Secret Steals).

Have an amazing Winter Break!

How To Save Money While Shopping Over the Holidays

Okay, so you missed Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, but you still want to save money on your holiday shopping. Or you participate in all three but you're still looking to save. We have the answer for you: choose thoughtful gifts rather than popular gifts. Some of the most meaningful gifts we have received have been the ones that came from the heart. Here are some cost-saving gifts sure to make the receiver smile:

Personalized Phone Case

For most people, their phones are attached to their hip (or palm of your hand)! A thoughtful reminder of something special on your phone is a priceless gift. Zazzle is great at making custom phone cases and they offer tons of coupons to ease the pain at checkout. You can find many of their discounts via RetailMeNot.

A Framed Picture

A framed quote or picture to hang up in someone's wall or better is truly an amazing gift. IKEA sells beautiful and cheap white and black picture frames, perfect for an art gallery wall. Create a quote on Microsoft Word or Photoshop, print it, and place it in a frame. Wrap it up (check out our 5 Easy & Cute Ways To Gift Wrap This Holiday for wrapping tips)! Either that, or go to Walgreens and print out a nice picture.

P.s. Consider even making a poster size picture! IKEA has frames big enough for that.

A Scrapbook

Nothing is better than reliving a moment in pictures. With places like Facebook and Instagram storing our pictures, it shouldn't be hard to pull them. Even consider using companies like Groovebook who can turn all of your photos online into a photo album!

A Video Montage

A video scrapbook is even cooler! If you have a MacBook use iMovie and create your own video that you can fill with thoughtful music and pictures!

A Candle

You can't go wrong with gifting someone with a candle. Everyone has a place in their home that could use some good aromas. Candles are a great investment. Check out our Favorite Holiday Candle Scents from Bath and Body Works for some ideas!

Assorted Gift Basket of Favorites

A bunch of tiny gifts can look like a nice big gift! Throw in a movie, socks, nail polish, candy and/or cookies, lipstick/lip balm...you know, essentials and place them in a nice basket (which you can find at Dollar Tree, Michaels, JoAnns, or 99cents Store). Tie it with cellophane and you've got an awesome gift.

Happy saving and gifting!

10 Free {Tiny Prints} Holiday Cards

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

So we pretty much use Tiny Prints to announce just about every special occasion. There is absolutely nothing more personal than fun, personalized cards. Tiny Prints have so many awesome designs to choose from that we are never disappointed. As far as we are concerned, the holidays are already here! We really need to crack down on ordering holiday cards that we stumbled across an awesome Tiny Prints deal going on THIS WEEK that we wanted to share with you! So here's the skinny: Enjoy ten (10) free Holiday cards using the code 10FREECARDS at checkout. This offer expires on 11/12/2014 (11:59 P.M. PT). Simply click here and get to holiday card shopping!

How to Tie the {Perfect} Bow!

We have been getting tons of requests on how to tie the perfect bow so we thought we would make an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to tie the perfect bow on your gifts!  One thing to keep in mind when tying a bow is it requires more ribbon than you would think so make sure you have enough ribbon!

Step 1: Measure
Place your left thumb on the bottom of the gift, place the ribbon across the box and use your index finger at the top. **Important Step** Slide your your right index finger to the bottom of the box to add more ribbon towards the bottom, place your left thumb at the bottom of the box again.

Step 2: Wrap-Around
Keep your left thumb on the bottom of the box and wrap the top ribbon around the box.

Step 3: The Placement of the Bow
After wrapping around the ribbon around the box, place the top of the ribbon (the one in your right hand) to the center where you would like the bow to be.

Step 4: Wrap-Around #2
Flip over the top ribbon (the one in your right hand) across to wrap around the box horizontally.

Step 5: The Tuck & The Knot
After you wrap around and come back to the center of your gift, bring the top ribbon that is in your right hand under the horizontal and vertical ribbon to create a knot.

Step 6: The Bow!
Use the bottom and top ribbon in your left and right hand to create your perfect bow!

Happy Wrapping!

Holiday Decor Favorites

Photo Credit: @ladyeide, @ztafraternity, @kappakappagamma, @cusetheta, @mizzoualphaphi, @uscaxo, @baylortridelta, @dg_cornell, @kappadeltausd, @deltagammasdsu, @jennyleigh010, @sparklesense_, @sarah_stringham

In celebration of the holiday season, one of our favorite activities dates back to a childhood favorite... holiday decorations!  We love looking at the pretty lights & decor that make this time of the year a festive favorite.  We searched throughout Instagram to bring you some of the highlights in holiday decor!  We loved seeing the decorating creativity of the chapter houses throughout the nation!

A few of our favorites?  We love the beautiful ornaments!  The anchor & kite ornaments are the perfect addition to your tree to show off your Greek pride.  And the gorgeous chapter houses decorated with garlands & lights are perfection!

'Tis the season... feel inspired, and deck those halls.  Happy holiday decorating, everyone!

2013 Holiday Gift Guide for Your Guy

Whether it's a gift for your boyfriend, brother, or dad- buying a gift for a guy can be a tad bit tricky! Throughout the years, we've all gotten pretty good at selecting gifts for the guys so we thought we would create a "2013 Gift Guide for the Guy" list!

We have presents that are suitable for everyone!  Check it out and if we missed any great gift ideas, share them with us by commenting below!

1. Birch Box Man Subscription
2. Apple TV
3. Playstation 4
4. Call of Duty Ghost
5. BEATS Pill
6. iPin Laser
7. Apple iPad Air
8. Tickets to a football game
9. A Stay-cation
10. Bow Ties & Ties
11. Erin Condren Men's Keep It Simple Notebook
12. Helo TC iOS Helicopter
13. Personalized Leather Dopp Kit
14. Happy Socks
15. Nike+FuelBand
16. Mad Men Season 5
17. Warby Parker Sunglasses
18. Barney's New York Sperry Topsiders
19. J. Crew Sweatshirt Sweater
20. Alien Workshop Andy Warhol Skateboard
21. Jack Spade Tech Accessories
22. Beard Scent by JAO
23. Everlast strike bag
24. Everlast boxing gloves
25. Everlast weighted jump rope

Happy Gift Giving!

Holiday Party Dresses!

[Topshop] [Gap] [Rag & Bone] [NastyGal] [ModCloth] [Forever21] [J.Crew] [Betsy Johnson] [Anthropologie]

Thanksgiving is officially over and we're now in the month of December!  December is full of quality family time, yummy food, and holiday parties with friends! If you're not attending an "ugly sweater" party, you're probably in-need of a cute holiday party cocktail dress!  

Check out some of our favorite cocktail dresses that you should rock this year!

Happy December! 

Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel!

"I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay.  When it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.  Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.  Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play!"

-The Dreidel Song

In honor of Hanukkah, we decided to play a little game of dreidel.  How do you play, you ask?  Well, we have broken it down into easy steps!  Grab some chocolate gelt (chocolate coins covered in gold foil) and join in on the fun!

You will need:

-A friend or two (or more!) to play the game with

-A dreidel

-Chocolate gelt or any other fun tokens (candy, etc) 

1. Distribute the gelt evenly among players.

2. Take turns spinning the dreidel!  Each time before you spin, put one piece of gelt in the center, or "pot".

3. The letter the dreidel falls on determines what happens next. 

• Shin: put one more piece of gelt in the pot.
• Nun: do nothing.
• Gimmel: take all of the gelt in the pot!
• Hay: take half of the gelt in the pot.  If it's an odd number, round up.

4.  If you run out of gelt, you are out of the game... or you can ask another player to borrow!
5. Keep passing the dreidel, until someone wins the whole pot.
6. Winner eats the chocolate... hopefully your friends like to share!
7. To keep playing, each player can put a token back in the pot.  Resume the game.

Have fun playing this classic Hanukkah game, and Happy Hanukkah everyone!

Black Friday Survival Guide

Ready, set, SHOP!!  Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, is upon us.  With all of the sales & great deals going on, we love taking advantage of this hectic day.  But facing the masses at the mall, just to get those killer boots on sale, is no easy feat.  Have no fear fellow shoppers, we're here to help you make the most of Black Friday... and successfully survive the day!

First and foremost, eat something.  You're stuffed from your Thanksgiving turkey, and might be experiencing a mild hangover from yesterday's food coma.  Have a light breakfast, and throw an extra snack (granola bar, protein bar, trail mix) in your purse for later.  Trust us, that mall food court is going to be BUSY... you'll be happy you packed a treat!

Bringing someone with you is key.  You can help each other wait in lines, carry things (honestly, a girl can only carry so many shoe boxes by herself to the register), you can give each other a second opinion, and keep you company as you navigate through the crowds.  Team effort here!  Having a trusted person's opinion can really help when sale shopping.  Just because it's on sale, doesn't mean you need it... see items #7-9 on our list about that topic as well.

Before you get too shopping happy, don't buy everything in sight just because it's on sale.  Ask yourself: "do I own at least 3 outfits in my closet that I could mix & match this with?"  If the answer is no, think twice.  If you're not sure (and want to buy it while it's on sale), just make sure that the store you're purchasing from allows returns.  Make note of their return policy, and save your receipts too!

Black Friday is a great day to get lots of bargains, but they still can add up fast.  Set yourself a budget that you feel comfortable with before you head to the mall.  That way you can feel happy, not guilty, about your purchases once you get home.  After all, Black Friday is supposed to be FUN!  On your mark, get set... GO and get your shop on!

DIY Holiday Table Glitter Vase

Make your dinner table sparkle during the holidays with this super cute and easy DIY glitter vase creation. Here's what you will need:

-Mason jar or empty glass bottle
-Foam paintbrush
-Glue
-Glitter of your choice
-Masking tape
-Flowers (optional)

Step 1: With your masking tape, place a strip of it about 2-3 inches from the bottom of your mason jar/glass bottle.

Step 2: Using your foam paintbrush, coat the surface of the jar up to the masking tape with glue.

Step 3: Sprinkle your glitter onto the glue. Let dry for a couple of minutes then remove the tape.

To decorate, place flowers inside the mason jar/glass bottle and your holiday glitter vase is complete!

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Safety Tips

Karen came across some awesome Holiday Safety Tips from her apartment complex that we wanted to share with you all. The holidays bring about a lot of hustle & bustle as people shop for loved ones and travel home. It also unfortunately promotes high criminal activity so it is important to take all the necessary safety measures to make sure you and your home are okay. Below are awesome safety tips you should keep in mind during this holiday season.

• Remember where you parked. Make a note of the entrance that is closest to your car. 

• Try to use an exit nearest to where you parked.

• Do not tempt thieves. Avoid leaving packages or other items in the car seat or elsewhere in plain sight. 

• Lock your car when you leave it, even if only for a short time.

• Try to avoid walking alone.

• Walk and park in well-lit areas whenever possible.

• Be alert to anything that looks unusual or when someone “accidentally” bumps into you. That’s how thieves often distract their victims. Try to avoid carrying packages that block your view. 

• Glance in the back seat before getting in your car.

• As you leave a building, carry your keys concealed in your hand.

• Do not hesitate to ask a security guard for help or for an escort to your car.

• Be cautious in showing the amount of cash you are carrying. 

• Never leave a burning candle in a room unattended. When disposing of matches, dampen with water first. Never throw a warm match away. Before lighting a Hanukkah Menorah or Kwanza Kinara, make sure the candles fit securely in the holder and, if you put them in the window, make sure to keep the flames a safe distance from blinds and/or curtains.

• If you choose to have a live tree, try to select a fresh one. To keep your tree fresh, cut a diagonal slice off the bottom of the trunk to help the tree absorb water. Check the stand often and keep it full of water at all times.

• Do not put your tree (live or artificial) near any electrical appliances or heat sources, like a fireplace or heater.

• Use fire retardant decorations. Try not to have the lights overlap with any ornaments or touch the tree stand.

• Test all electrical decorations for faulty wiring or burned out bulbs.

• Do not put cords under rugs. Keep cords out of traffic paths.

• Hang tinsel and decorations out of reach of small children and pets.

• Check with your local trash company or if you live in an apartment, your management company, for proper disposal of live trees.

• If your fireplace is equipped with gas or permanent (ceramic) logs, never add wood or other material to the fire.

• Keep flammable materials away from the hearth.

• Make certain the flue is open and clear before starting a fire.

• Always use a fireplace screen to keep sparks contained.

• Never overload the fireplace. Never burn tree parts, paper or other rubbish in the fire place.

• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on a grate.

• Never use fire starters like kerosene, gasoline or lighter fluid in the fireplace.

• Never leave the fire unattended and besure the fire is extinguished before you go to bed or leave your home.

• Keep Christmas stockings and other decorations well away from the flames.

• Close blinds and set lights on a timer so it appears someone is home.

• Secure your windows, doors and sliding glass doors.

• Place a hold on mail, newspaper and other deliveries through the delivery service or have a neighbor pick them up.

• Leave heat “on” at a temperature of at least 60 degrees to reduce risk of pipes freezing during cold weather.

• Let water dripin your faucets and leave cabinet doors open in extreme cold to prevent pipes from freezing.

Please remember to always be alert and to call 9-1-1 if any crime is witnessed or suspected.

*These tips are intended to provide general guidance only and not legal advice. Each person must take steps necessary for personal protection.