Solving Your Monday Blues

We all know that Mondays can either make or break your week. But don’t fear, solving those Monday blues are easier then you think. Plus, it’s February, which means less Mondays!

1.     Wearing a cute outfit can start your day off with a bang! Look good feel good right?

2.     Grab your watch! I’m obsessed with my gold Kate Spade watch, and every time I look at it while in class or at work, I smile.

3.     Getting Starbucks on a Monday morning is well worth waking up ten minutes earlier.

4.     Lunch with a friend can make your whole week! Monday afternoons are the perfect time to catch up with sisters about your prior weekend.

5.     Bring your planner. A trendy day planner always makes getting organized easier and more fun.

6.     Get your Ray-Bans out. Sunglasses help hide those unwanted Monday dark circles.

Music Festival Outfit Guide

[Nasty Gal- Flower Shorts][Topshop-Acid Wash Denim Shorts] [Topshop-Moto Zip Shorts]

[Thakoon Addition- Crossback Romper] [Rebel Yell-Venice Romper] [Angie-Print Romper]

[Topshop-Floral Cami] [Topshop-Flower Brill Bralet] [Rag & Bone- Daytona Top]

[Frye- Brown Combat Boots] [Sam Edelman- Darwin Combat Boots] [Lucky Brand-Combats]

[Urban Outfitters- Black Panama Hat] [Urban Outfitters- Suede Boho Hat] [Urban Outfitters- Panama]

The countdown to music festival season has begun! Whether it’s Coachella, Stagecoach, Outside Lands, or just an outdoor concert, music festivals are a great way to show off your style! This season, look out for floral, tribal prints, and crochet. Here are a few staple items to perfect your festival wardrobe: 

1.     High Waisted Shorts: Sorry boys, but this trend is not going away anytime soon! High waisted shorts are the perfect way to add an edge to any outfit. Go for a classic jean, or try one of the floral or tribal prints that are big this year. 

2.     Rompers: Rompers are the perfect way to enjoy a festival hassle-free! They’re easy to slip on, and unlike a dress, you can still dance without worrying about showing a little too much.

3.     Crop Tops: If just a bikini top is a little too revealing for you, pair a crop top with high-waisted shorts or a skater skirt to complete your outfit.

4.     Boots: although strappy sandals or a pair of Converse are a consistent trend at festivals, for those that can stand the heat, boots are a great addition! Try out a classic pair of combat boots this summer.

5.     Hats: add a little something to your outfit while protecting your skin, with a cute wide-brimmed or floppy hat!

Take a Road Trip!

Spring Break is right around the corner... what better time to hop in the car with your favorite people, and go on a road trip!  No matter where you live, there are fun places to visit and sights to see all across the country.  Pack your bags and map out your location, it's time to go for a ride!

Before you get going, we thought of a few helpful hints to make your road trip into a fun adventure.  After all, you wouldn't want to be stuck on the road without snacks or some good music!  Read on for our tips to road trip success.

Driving in the middle of nowhere with your best friends sounds like a lot of fun, but it's no fun when someone gets hungry.  And cranky.  Pack up a bag of snacks for the trip... nuts, fruit, and something for that salty or sweet tooth should do the trick.

It might be tempting to not drink liquids during your roadtrip (less bathroom breaks?) but it's wise to pack those water bottles before you go.  Keep hydrated, drink up!  Throw in a Red Bull or energy drink too for the driver, if they feel up for it!  You can always make a stop if needed.

Nothing like a speeding ticket to put a damper on your mini vacay.  Be mindful of your speed, and check for speed limit signs around you.  Better yet, put your car on cruise control!

Make sure your ride is in good shape before you go.  Check that tire pressure, get the oil changed if needed, and make sure overall that your vehicle is in safe condition to drive for a long period of time.  After all, you've got precious cargo inside!  Besides, being stranded on the side of the road does not make for an ideal situation.  If you or a friend traveling with you has AAA, that's great too!

Bring your phones fully charged from the night before, and bring a car charger while you're at it.  Again, nobody wants to get stranded.  Just in case!

The best part of a road trip?  Singing along to your favorite songs!  Make a playlist before you hit the road, even ask your friends for special requests to add on to the list.  Keep the song selection lively & energetic, for impromptu car dance parties.

Wear comfy clothes for the drive.  Sweats, tank tops, hoodies, flip flops... just kick back and relax!  Throwing a pillow and blanket in the car is also a good idea, just in case you want to cuddle up for a little nap.

What are some of your favorite tips & suggestions for taking a road trip?  Be sure to share with us below!

The Bow Wrap! How to safely store your headphones!

Trying to untangle your headphones can be one of the most frustrating things... ever. Not only is it annoying, but it's actually not good for your headphones as they can get damaged easily when it's not properly stored.

We wanted to share a little secret on how you can easily store your headphones!  It's simple, quick, and easy!  Follow the steps above and try it out!

Have any techy secrets you'd like to share? Email us at secrets@thesororitysecrets.com!

{Giveaway-Ended} $25 Target Gift Card + GE Reveal Light Bulbs

Earlier this month we shared with you our experience using the GE Reveal light bulb from Target. It was definitely a quick and easy way to makeover our homes for the New Year because switching our light bulbs to the GE reveal light bulb made for a clean beautiful light that made the colors of any room in our home pop. GE Reveal light bulbs provide amazing clean full spectrum light that filters out the dull yellows of standard incandescent light bulbs.

Watch this fun and stylish video featuring four hip tastemakers discussing the importance of good lighting and how quick and easy it is to do a reveal lighting makeover.

You can find a current discount on Cartwheel for 25% off reveal by searching for “GE reveal”.  Offer expires 2/28.  GE reveal light bulbs are now available at Target where all makeover needs can be purchased in one swoop and with great savings using Target's Cartwheel savings app. With the Cartwheel app, you can browse for savings ahead of shopping or while at Target, you can scan the barcode of any product to see if there is a Cartwheel saving.  Download the Target Cartwheel app on your IOS or Android.

Ok, GIVEAWAY TIME!

We have a great opportunity for you to win this makeover experience. You can enter to win a $25 Target giftcard + GE reveal® light bulbs + a free download of the Herbert Bail Orchestra EP (first track featured in GE Lighting video). See below for the giveaway details and be sure to read our contest/giveaway disclaimer before entering.

Share to Enter:

1. Must be U.S. resident
2. Share this blog post from our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/thesororitysecrets) and comment below
1. Tell us which room you'd like to makeover
2. Hashtag #GEreveal + #Targetgiftcard

Example: If I win #GEreveal bulbs + #Target giftcard, I'll makeover my _____ with reveal’s beautiful clean light!

The giveaway ends on 2/28, 11:59 PST.

* GE and Target are only providing the product and not running the giveaway.

TSS Favorite Things {February}

Sakura-[Bag][Nail Polish][Mug] Ali-[Perfume][Clutch][Lip Gloss] Karen-[Lashes][Heels][Nail Polish]

We're well into the month of love, aka February and we have some new favorite things that we wanted to share!  Sakura and Karen found a new love for their new favorite nail polish and Ali found the perfect fragrance for a big day!  We've Instagrammed some of these items, but thought we would share it so you know where to find these products- just click the links above!

Happy February, everyone! :)

Kissable Lips

 Lipstick: MAC.

Lipstick is a girl’s best friend! It’s the perfect accessory, easily changeable and can complete any outfit.  Whether you’re a lipstick guru or prefer a subtle gloss, it’s always helpful to know which colors match your skin tone best. Luckily, MAC Cosmetics carry a large variety of colors that fit all skin tones and only $15!

Fair Skin:

If you have fair skin, don’t overwhelm or wash out your complexion with ashy colors- stick with orange-based shades, fruity reds, light pinks or nude. These colors will compliment your fair skin, accentuate your mouth and brighten your face!

Medium Skin:

When you have a golden/beige skin tone, you have more versatility when choosing lipstick colors- stick with colors with warmth and blue undertones. Try a deeper nude color for a day lip and switch it up to a berry or true red for a night look. Other great colors to try with your skin tone are peaches, pinks, or darker purple colors.

Deep Skin:

Go bold! Hot pink, crimson, and dark berry are excellent shades for your skin tone! The bold colors won’t be harsh against your skin, but light pinks and nude also look great for a clean look.

My personal favorite colors right now are a pastel pink {Rose Lilly}, bright red {Relentlessly Red}, and deep berry {Instigator}. In addition to the great selection at MAC, Revlon also has a large variety of similar colors and are only $5! Happy lipstick hunting!

Guilt-Free Movie Treats!

[image source]

Going to the movies and snacking on yummy treats is probably our favorite part about going to the movies!  From the buttery popcorn to all of the sugary candies, they're all so good, but there's actually a healthier way to do it! The list of treats above are all under 75 calories, but the most important part is that you have to portion control! What are some other yummy & healthy snacks that you like to snack on during the movies??

A Student's Guide To Filing Taxes

Picture source: Credit Sesame

Oh Tax Season! For us, back in college Tax Season meant extra money for spring break {haha}! But, in all seriousness, Tax Season is that time of the year to get your money back that you overpaid in taxes. Taxes can be super confusion and if you don't use the right tax preparer, like an H&R Block rep or a CPA, then you might lose out on ways where you can get more money back as a student. For example, Co Founder Karen was able to get a substantial amount of money back when she was in school because her Tax Preparer educated her about the American Opportunity Tax Credit. This credit allowed her and other college students to expense their college expenses! You want to come extra prepared when you meet with your Tax Preparer or if you decide to file on your own. Therefore, below are some tools that will be helpful as you prepare for filing your taxes:

• Decide on who you want to file your taxes. It can be a CPA, an H&R Block representative, or a computer software that can help to file your taxes.

• Consider if you're a dependent or an independent. If you are a dependent that means that your parents provide more than 50% of financial support for you. If you do support yourself, then you are an independent. This is important because it determines whether or not you or your parents receive some extra money back.

• Gather all the necessary documents to make the filing process go much easier. Gather these types of documents and forms:

• All forms that say W-2, 1098, 1099 or Schedule K-1
• Records of any contributions you made to IRAs or other retirement plans
• Records for what you paid in mortgage interest,  real estate and personal property tax
• Closing documents (such as HUD statement) for a home you purchased in 2013
• Income & expense records for work you performed (not already shown on a W-2 or 1099)
• Records of other income and expenses (rental income and expenses, jury duty, gambling, hobby, alimony income, etc.)
• The date you purchased and your total investment in any stocks or other property you sold
• Expenses related to your investments
• Amounts donated to houses of worship, schools, or other charitable organizations
• Records of non cash charitable donations
• Number of miles you drove for charitable purposes
• Number of miles you drove for medical purposes, and amounts paid to healthcare (insurance, doctors, dentists, hospitals, etc.)
• Records for childcare and higher education costs
• Employment-related expenses (dues, travel, publications, tools, uniforms, uniform cleaning, etc.)
• Job search expenses and unemployment income, if applicable
• Records for HSA contributions, alimony paid, moving expenses and student loan interest

                             Source: HRBlock.com

Some of these documents and forms may not be things that apply to you, so to keep yourself on track, consider making your own custom checklist at HRBlock.com/Checklist.


We hope you get some money back!

How To Keep Your Roses Fresh

If you're like most girls, you probably received a bouquet of beautiful roses from your sweetie for Valentine's Day. Either that or you gifted some to yourself during Galentine's Day! We absolutely love how roses brighten up our rooms and have a beautiful fragrance in our homes. We were thinking…how can we make our roses stay like this? After all, roses aren't just meant to be admired for one day. So we did some research and we wanted to share with you these easy ways to keep them fresh for more than a couple of days:

1. When you cut the flowers at a slight angle be sure to cut them at about 2.5 cm (1 inch) from the bottom of each rose and submerge them into lukewarm water. If possible, try to cut the stems either in the morning or in the evening because roses tend to have more starch reserves during these times of the day.

2. Keep your flowers out of direct sunlight. Putting them in direct sunlight will cause them to wilt faster.

3. Avoid placing roses in an overly warm or dry area.

4. Clean the water that the flowers are placed in, every two days.

5. Avoid bacteria build up in the vase by placing a penny and aspirin inside the vase. Copper kills fungus that grows inside the vase and when the aspirin dissolves, it provides the water with higher levels of acid.

Source: WikiHow

The Bachelor/Bachelorette Fantasy Draft

Picture taken from ABC.com

Nowadays, football isn't the only sport where you can start a Fantasy Draft. If you're really into the Bachelor (or Bachelorette) like we are, then maybe it's time to place your bet on who will win the heart of Juan Pablo by joining a Bachelor Fantasy Draft. Some of our friends have been doing this every Bachelor and Bachelorette season so we finally decided to learn how to be apart of this. The below rules and scoring were taken from Bachelor Fantasy Draft. It's not too late to start, so feel free to start your draft now! Here is how they shared how to play:

Before the Premiere:Before the first episode, cast in your votes on who you think will be the last 5 girls (or guys) standing. Visit ABC.com to see a photo of each potential match and read their profiles to help you pick your top 5. At this time, you don't need to put them in order.

Before Episode 2:You can replace 3 of your 5 picks with new girls (or guys). If after the first episode, 4 out of your 5 picks get sent home, you still can only choose 3 new picks.

Before Episode 3:You have the option of replacing 2 of your picks with new girls (or guys). You don't have to replace any of your picks if you do not want to, but if one or more of your picks are sent home you need to replace them.

Before Episode 4:It's time to take all 5 picks you have and rank them first to fifth place. First place would be the girl you feel will win the heart of the Bachelor (or the guy who will win the heart of the Bachelorette).

Before Episode 5 until the final rose ceremony:The order and picks you chose before Episode 4 are your final and locked in picks for the rest of the season. You can not replace any of your picks, even if they get voted off. Good luck!

Weekly Bonus Points
Every week each player will have the opportunity to win 20 bonus points by answering the weekly bonus point question correctly: "Who will be sent home this week?"

Feel free to change up the weekly bonus question according to each season, or just a more exciting question...
"Who will sing to the Bachelor?"
"Who will be the outcast?"
"Who storms out?"
"Who kisses the Bachelor first?"

Ideally, the questions should be answered in that week's episode. You can watch the preview for the following week's episode where ABC almost always leaves you guessing something, like who was crying to the Bachelor/Bachelorette or who stormed out, stuff like that...

Top 5 Points

If you picked the right girl(s)/guy(s) in the correct order you receive points for every correctly placed pick...
1. 800 pts
2. 600 pts
3. 400 pts
4. 200 pts
5. 100 pts

If you picked girls/guys to be in the Top 5, but not in the correct order...
You receive 25 pts for each pick

Choose whatever you'd like for your "buy-in" amount, we started with $10 each player.

TSS FUN TIP: If you're getting together with all of your friends every Monday, have a board that has all the Bachelor women's faces (or Bachelorette guy's faces) on it. Each time a girl/guy is eliminated, cross her/his face off. At your get-together make sure you have lots of food and drinks and of course, include some chocolate roses for the rose ceremony--it's fun to be apart of the action!

Have fun!

No-Bake Cookie Dough Truffle Balls

Yay, it's Valentine’s Day! For some, that means receiving flowers and lovey-dovey notes. For me, this day usually involves copious amounts of candy, chocolate, and sappy rom-coms. I stumbled across the absolute perfect Valentine’s Day treat: no-bake cookie dough truffle balls. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Now, I’ve always been the one that asks to lick the spoon when my mom bakes cookies. I know there’s the risk of salmonella, but I just can’t resist the temptation of delicious, creamy, cookie dough. Luckily, these little marvelous truffle balls are egg-free, so I promise they are safe to eat! I’m not a good cook, so the best part about this recipe is that it’s incredibly easy and fast. Coat them with white chocolate with pink food dye or just pink colored candy to fit the Valentine’s Day theme (or just stick to plain ol’ chocolate because….it’s chocolate). 

I mainly used the recipe from Food Network’s website as my guide – tweaking it just a little bit.

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened butter

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I didn’t have any mini ones when I made this, so I used regular sized chips)

(optional) 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 bag of Ghirardelli chocolate chips

1 bag of Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses

Instructions

Mix butter and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium. When creamy, add vanilla. When thoroughly integrated, gradually add flour and milk – alternating between the two. Mix on medium. Finally, add chocolate chips (and walnuts if desired). With a melon baller or spoon, scoop dough into 1-inch balls and place on wax paper. Put them into the fridge to chill for 1.5 hours. After 1.5 hours, place candy for coating into a microwave safe bowl and heat until fully melted. Every 30 seconds, stir. Roll the balls into the melted candy and then place back on wax paper. Let them sit in the fridge for 1 hour or until candy coating has hardened.

***Tip: After the balls have chilled in the fridge and before dipping them into the melted candy, roll them in your palms to make them perfect balls.

Happy Valentine's Day!

All Things Pink & Red!

[Beanie] [Sunglasses] [Clutch] [Heels] [Plate] [Book] [Cookie Jar] [Sweater] [Candles] [Necklace]

Love is in the air! Check out some of our favorite red & pink items that are currently trending right now! Some of them are even less than $10!   We're currently obsessing over the adorable chalkboard cookie jars that are from Target.  It's adorable, handy, and you can use it all year long.  Check them out!

Happy Shopping!

Three Ideas to Spice up Your Galentine’s Day!

[Images Source]

We all know that it’s coming. In only one day, the holiday that screams pink, red, and hearts galore will be arriving. If you’re not like me, then you probably have your significant other’s gift ordered and ready to go and he, being the good boyfriend or hubby that he is, booked your dinner reservations weeks in advanced. But if you ARE like me and find yourself single this Valentine’s Day then put down that copy of the Notebook you were planning on watching and pick up your cutest pair of heels! 

Galentine’s Day inspired by the show Parks & Recreation, is the single gal’s solution to the one day that where the importance of having someone is overly emphasized. It celebrates you and your best group of girlfriends and is the one day to show the world not only how amazing you all are but how fabulous you can look on the arms of no one! I’ve put together a list of three ideas that will make THIS Galentine’s day the best one you and your girlfriends will experience yet!

Sleepovers 2.0
Just because we’re the 20 something year old generation, doesn’t mean we’re too old for a good old fashion sleepover! Have everyone rendezvous at someone’s house for a night of gossip, great food, and of course-your favorite chick flick or rom com (romantic comedy). My personal favorite? John Tucker Must Die because nothing says happy Galentine’s day more than a group of four women banding together for one common cause-the take down of a pretty face with a not so pretty reputation.

Oversized glasses, wedges, and brunch? Oh My!
Whether you’re going the morning of Valentine’s day or dragging everyone out of their beds the next day, an all-girls brunch at your favorite local restaurant could be an ideal time to get all your girls together, dress like your favorite Sex & The City character, and catch up on lost times. Granted, the restaurant might be decked out in the theme that you’re trying to avoid but after you and your friends settle in- I can almost guarantee you’ll be transported and will instantly forget about why you guys went there in the first place.

C…C..C..Cosmic Bowling!
As childish as it sounds, a night of cosmic bowling at your local bowling alley has its perks. Flashing neon lights, bumping music, a pair of shoes that barely fit and of course all of your best friends could make for an unforgettable night that will take you into the wee hours of the morning. If you’re looking for a night of dancing without the painful heels and can take a liking to aiming a ball at five pins-I seriously recommend that you consider trying this! You never know, you and your girlfriends could end up starting a little bowling league of your own!

No one likes to be single on Valentine’s Day. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. While everyone else is celebrating their love for their significant other, take the time to go out and celebrate the love you have for your best friends. Spending it with the people who understand you best can turn any Valentine’s Day into the one incredible Galentine’s Day.