For the Love of Headband Headaches

Growing up, I had the most ridiculous looking bangs in the history of anyone's childhood. They were thick, blunt, and gross. I wasn't allowed to grow them out until I asked for it as gift for my ninth birthday.

Yes, that's me...in camo...hunting with my sister in the hat...when I was in the second grade. I look like a dork, but I am not above laughing at myself.  :)  I used to be a major tomboy with very long hair and very thick bangs. When I played sports, I used athletic headbands to keep my bangs out of my face. From then on, my love of headbands began. I have a large collection of headbands that I have amassed over the years. I wore them almost everyday in high school and college.

My favorite headbands are the thicker ones than can keep my long hair back and out of my face. The ones shown below are my favorite thick headbands from Southern Proper, Kiel James Patrick, an old silk tie one from J.Crew (from what I call J.Crew's headband glory days from 2006-2008), and a Burberry Nova check  thick headband. I just got the Kiel James Patrick Dagny Taggart Vickers Leeds headband a few days ago and can't wait to wear it all weekend.

I tend to wear the thinner headbands when I go out or to events because I do not want the headband to be the main fixture of my outfit as much as I want to keep my hair out of my face. J.Crew makes the best tortiouse headbands although I hear people sometimes complain that they stretch out. My solution: take a loose rubber band and put it around the widest part of the headband to tighten its shape.

Although I do not have a cure for headband headaches (taking them off for a few minutes helps), I love them so much!! Until next time, xoxo

Voting Outfit

Here is the outfit I voted in yesterday!! I was starting to get cold up here in Massachusetts, so I added a simple white scarf plus my Southern Proper Elephant Belle band. Did you all decide to "dress to impress" to do your civic duty to our country??

Voting Outfit by theconservativeprep featuring j crew

J Crew j crew
jcrew.com

J.Crew slim jeans
jcrew.com

Tory burch
toryburch.com

Louis Vuitton canvas satchel
bagborroworsteal.com

J.Crew tahitian pearl earrings
jcrew.com

Polo Ralph Lauren Slim Oxford Shirt
$135 - seasonsclothing.co.uk

Last Night's Results

Today, when I woke up, Massachusetts was a bleak and cold place. Until this morning, the weather had reminded me of Kentucky since the climate remained temperate without a fair amount to shocking cold and cloudy skies, but today I woke up to it. Yes, there is another nor'easter supposed to come through (keep New Jersey and New York in your thoughts), but I feel uncertain about the future of the United States. Last night, my husband and I drove into Boston to go to the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center to support Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan. We had a lot of fun talking politics at the Westin Hotel next door and in the Center with various people that had hopes and dreams of balancing America's checkbooks under a new President. Here are some pictures from last night:

Unfortunately, the Romney/Ryan campaign did not succeed, but the campaign brought up questions that everyday Americans will have to answer for themselves. What is the price of "progress"? Is "progress" and  federal government dependency the best path to go and at what cost? What reason does anyone have to be successful anymore?

Voting in Massachusetts: Unimpressed

When I got off work this morning, I went to go vote for the first time in the state of Massachusetts. Back in Kentucky, voter registration, finding out where you vote, and the act of voting is very easy and straightforward. I always brought two forms of identification, which wasn't an issue to me. I was very dissatisfied with my voting experience in Massachusetts for two reasons: I wasn't asked to show any form of identification at all and not one at my voting locations could answer directly any questions asked by voters. I understand the people volunteering at the voting locations not knowing any information, but I have a serious problem with not being asked for a form of identification. What if some Joe-Shmoe Illegal Alien decided he was going to assume the identity of a registered voter and voted in their place? I will talk about my views on immigration in another post, but now, I believe every registered voter should have to present some sort of official identification at the polls due to this experience. 

Despite my experience, please go out and vote today!! I proudly cast my vote for Mitt Romney today and can't for the outcome of this election.

The Eve of Election Day

On the eve before Americans to the polls to vote in the Presidential election, for various congressional seats, and state referendums, I am glad to announce my support for Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Right now, I am nervous for tomorrow. I will be voting in my second Presidential election. To me, voting is a sacred duty I am proud to do for the love of my country. I am not the type of person that votes against something or someone. In the last Presidential election, I voted for the McCain/Palin ticket because I liked Senator McCain's views on the economy and did not like the "share the wealth" mentality of the Obama/Biden campaign. Regardless of the financial crisis, we lived in an atmosphere hostile to success and wealth, which I perceived as jealously. 

I started forming my political views in the fifth grade. Yes, my political beliefs developed early in my life. I have always been interested in the study of history, but my political beliefs stem from life experiences. When I was growing up, I was probably the only kid in my class that knew what political parties my parents and grandparents were in. My grandparents were in different political parties. My grandmother was a Democrat while my grandfather was a Republican. In the days of Bill Clinton's Presidency, my grandmother fawned over the President while my grandfather grumbled over his policies, but one memory of my grandparents has stood out to me and helped form my political beliefs. My grandmother told me that those who make more should give back through taxes. I asked my grandfather about what my grandmother had said. He told me that no one should be forced to do anything they don't want to and especially not by the government. He pointed to my heart and said charity comes from there when you're ready to give it. Yes, I was in the fifth grade.

When I was seventeen, I got my first job as a lifeguard. I kept the job throughout my college years and before I moved to Massachusetts. I loved my job, but I didn't love paying so much of my money to taxes to support a system that funded a welfare state, bailouts, failed programs, and a national healthcare system that would suck the federal government dry. I work hard for my money and believe it should not be redistributed to those who do not work or make something of themselves. Since the inauguration of President Obama, the Senate has gone without a budget. A devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused Obama to impliment a moratorium on off-shore drilling, Obamacare was shoved through Congress right before Christmas 2009 with a small amount of bipartisanship. Also, the economy still hasn't turned around, which President Obama promised to do in three years or he would be a one-term President. I do not even want to start on the amount of national debt we have now that my children and I will have to see the consequences of. For these reasons, I am voting for Mitt Romney because I see a love and respect for his country that I don't see from President Obama. The United States of America deserves better than this. We deserve a President that understands the relationship between the government and the economy to help make our country a more business-friendly nation through some deregulation. A President that realizes universal healthcare is way too much a burden for a federal government to take on during a recession. We deserve a President that is willing to reach over party lines in the sake of bipartisanship. I believe in what Governor Romney has to say because he has the experience where our current President does not. Mitt Romney asked Americans to vote out of the vote of their country and I cannot wait to cast my vote for him tomorrow morning.

Please do not forget to vote tomorrow!! I will be in downtown Boston tomorrow night cheering on Romney at the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center. I hope I get to shake his hand or take a picture with him!!

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!

WHAT A GAME!! That is all.

Living a Colorful Life

Hello my amazing readers,

I am a collector of Lilly Pulitzer dresses...when I used to live with my parents, they would get tired of all the dresses I would buy off of eBay and Re-Lilly. The prints and styles make me happy when I wear them because I like classic, vintage styles. My husband now has an "appreciation" for Lilly since he buys a fair number of dresses from the website and The Peppermint Palm (my favorite Lilly signature store in Louisville). Since I rarely buy full-price for anything, here are a few tips for buying Lilly to start your own collections of dresses:

1. eBay and Re-Lilly: I have bought a lot of my collection off of eBay and Re-Lilly. There are a few sellers that sells Lilly with the tags, but I typically go for the vintage styles since I am obsessed with the classic shift style. Re-Lilly offers a lot of older dresses that have only been worn once. I have the eBay app of my iPhone and have saved the search "Lilly Pulitzer women's shift dress". A lot of the shifts I have bought come from the 2000-2008 years. My husband bought this maxi dress for me as a surprise since it's one of my favorite prints due to the nautilus (for Kappa Delta) on it.

2. Sales: I always go for a bargain. When I go to The Peppermint Palm, I typically shop the sale rack and can't walk out of that store without purchasing something. When the website has a sale, I'm patient. Lilly Pulitzer treats their customers very respectfully. Classy Lilly girls should be patient for beautiful dresses. I bought this dress around Christmas last year while I was still loosing weight for my summer wedding.

3. Splurge when something special comes around: while I am always for a bargain, I do splurge within reason when I find something special, which is what I found in these dresses. I'm not afraid of buying used dresses when the buyers assures you that the dress is in excellent condition and you inspect it when you get it. I return them if they are not in the right condition.

Millionaire's Row Print Shift

Aquamarine In the Slim

Millennium Patch Shift 

I hope my next Lilly is in the "In the Beginning" print. Maybe for Christmas!! Remember to vote on November 6th!! Until next time...