The Monogrammed Life: August 2013

Top- Free People buy here/ Shorts- Forever 21 love these/ Shoes- Tory Burch buy here/ Sunglasses- Tory Burch buy here/ Necklace- Gift (Island Passage)

Confession- I live in these shorts, possibly a few times a week ;)

When it's love it's love...

Written by McKenna Bleu

Friday, August 30, 2013 1 comments

So who knows what tomorrow is?!!?!?

Ok times up!!

I mean did you really need 10 seconds...if so, you aren't from the South...and you didn't read the title.

THE START OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

Now these words mean many different things to many different people...

Athletes - the start of what they have spent all Spring and Summer working for

Dads - the start of Saturday afternoons with their Sons in their favorite stadiums

Moms - the start of relaxing Saturday afternoons

College Students - More Weekends and Tailgates they don't remember

NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE...

Southern Belles - It means a season of fashion and entertaining, because no one knows how to run a tailgate while looking like a million bucks, better than a Southern Belle!

So as a Southern Belle who loves Tailgating and my GameDay Fashion...here are a few secrets:

DOS AND DON'TS OF TAILGATING

Do invite all of your friends—tailgates are not the time to be exclusive. The more the merrier—especially on game day!
Don’t block the road for other cars or pedestrians. Keep those clear for everyone else trying to tailgate and enjoy the game.
Do have a great play list of songs. You want it to include some 90’s jams, a few slow dance songs, crowd pump-up songs, and a lot of songs people know all the words to (Visit SoLeagueMag for their game day playlist)!
Don’t bother other tailgaters around you. Keeping your games of corn hole, football tossing, and chair set-ups within your allotted space will allow everyone to have a great time.
Do plan food. The worst tailgates are the ones where the food has run out. Plan on feeding your crowd, plus any unexpected guests that they might have!
Don’t intimidate other team fans. The occasional jest is OK, but stick to cheering FOR your team!
Do remember that the goal is to make it to the game. Tailgates are a great pre-game tradition, especially in the South. But you also want to be able to cheer your team on once the game starts. Remember there would be no tailgate without a game!
Don’t make your tailgate hard to find. If you’re inviting new tailgaters or people unfamiliar with the area, give them directions that are straightforward and easy to understand.
Do get there early enough to park, get the grill going and catch up. Traffic is tough on game days!

Now that we have the tailgating out of the way...Here are a few Fashion secrets

GAMEDAY FASHION

When it comes to affairs of the feet, we all know how difficult GameDays can be. From the tailgate to the game to the band party to the after party, it’s a full day event.

While some sport game day T’s and athletic shorts, we’ve all seen the girls who dress up for the game. I was one of them. Yes, I wore black semi-formal dresses and four-inch heels to stand on bleachers for 3+ hours at Clemson games. Ah, the good old days. Post College...WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!

As much as the practical part of me screams “comfort is key!” that’s quickly muffled by my obvious truth: GameDays are made for showcasing your true style. With all the cheesy fashion, tied-up jerseys, jorts and team colors gone awry, it’s imperative to standout in a good way. So its now time to find a happy medium!

The two best options on a GameDays are either a sandal or a wedge, either shoe can take you from day to night in style. Don't forget the Southern Staple...Cowboy boots!

As far as clothing...it slightly changes between August and December. August through October you will always find me a in dress!

Mid to Late October I will bring out the pants...if the weather really calls for it! Granted since college I have changed my shoe choice some, but the dress is still always the go to!

Oh and another word advice to you guys out there...

Written by Brittany S.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 1 comments

Hey y'all! I couldn't help but stumble upon this easy sweet tea recipe when I was scouring Pinterest. I love, love, LOVE sweet tea. It is my favorite drink ever, yet people up North never make it. I don't know why that is, whether they're scared they'll screw it up... or they are just too lazy to make it. I don't know. But this recipe is SO easy that they'll have absolutely no excuse not to!

Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

Ingredients

4 Lipton Family Size Tea Bags
4 Cups Boiling Hot Water
2 Cups of Sugar
12 Cups of Cold Water

Instructions

Add Tea Bags to Water & Bring Water to a Boil in a Tea Kettle or Microwave.
Pour Boiling Hot Water over the 2 Cups of Sugar and let sit around 30 min
Add in 12 Cups of Cold Water to make 1 full Gallon
Allow the Tea to Chill or Cool in the Refrigerator so that it doesn’t melt the ice.
Serve over a tall glass of Ice on a Hot Summer Day!

Written by Savannah from The Lone Star Belle

Monday, August 26, 2013 2 comments

Thanks to everyone who entered the FREE Monogrammed Giveaway {ending 8/23} on our website!

Congratulations to all of the winners! Thanks for sharing Marley Lilly with your followers, family and friends! As always, thanks to all who entered! Peace, Love & Monograms!

Friday, August 23, 2013 No comments

Written by Katherine from Minted Glam

Friday, August 23, 2013 1 comments

The "Half Blood Prince," if you will. (Harry Potter fans? Anyone? Bueller?) is a Month old tomorrow

If you've been following the royal baby bump and reading all the royal articles in all the tabloid magazines you can get your hot little hands on, then you're probably as excited as I am for the newest miniature royal.

But you know, being royal can't be easy. There are sure to be tons of difficulties that come with being born with royal blood coursing through your veins, so that baby is probably going to need some pretty sound advice from people who know the drill.

So who better to give royal advice than princes and princesses themselves?

Prince Eric

If a mute girl insists on crashing at your palace, watch out. Her father might be a sea king who loves to destroy things with his trident.

The Beast

Always be nice to old ladies. Seriously. If you're not, you might get turned into a monster, and lemme tell ya, it makes shopping for suits incredibly hard.

Prince Charming

If the first thing you learn about a girl has anything to do with shoes...RUN! She's definitely high maintenance and will nag you until you spend all your kingdom's riches on fancy footwear. She's only after you for your cash.

Snow White's Prince

Since you're a prince, sometimes if you kiss a dead girl, she'll come back to life. But I wouldn't recommend it once you're settled down and married. "But honey, she looked dead!" doesn't work as well as you might think.

Prince Philip

"I need my beauty sleep" is just another way of saying "I'm not in the mood." And yes, they'll still say that even though you're a prince.

Aladdin

I know your mom isn't royal by blood, so she and I have that in common. Just...never call her a street rat. Okay? Even if you're really mad at her. That's below the belt, man.

Ariel

Listen. If a commoner steals a statue of you, sells her voice, and changes her species for you, it's not creepy. Just be flattered. Okay? There's no need for restraining orders.

Belle

Manscaping is overrated. Girls like men with a little hair.

Cinderella

You don't need a royal ball to find your wife. The best place to meet women is the shoe department. Or their step-mothers' basements.

Snow White

Never eat your mother-in-law's pies. Especially if she has a history of poisoning fruit.

Aurora

No matter how many anti-aging creams you use, you will never look as hot as me after 100 years. Sorry. Maybe just have your royal portraits done early?

Jasmine

Use your inheritance to get a magic carpet. Girls love magic carpets.

Written by Mason from Mason...Like the Jar

Wednesday, August 21, 2013 No comments

Whenever I think of summer time, I think of the beach. Although I live right by the lake, I never think to go down and hang out! This summer I really want to take advantage of it and have some picnics and lay out and read.

That being said, here is what I would pack in my bag to head to the beach:

1 :: A cute and durable bag is definitely necessary! This Lilly Pulitzer one is perfect for the job.

2 :: To keep you hydrated, bring along an insulated tumbler. I love the ones from Starbucks!

3 :: Don't forget a fashionable towel! I am dreaming about this one from Design Darling.

4 :: It's essential to have some lip butter that also has a little SPF!

5 :: And why not bring along a monogrammed sun hat? I'm obsessed with mine from Marley Lilly.

6 :: Speaking of covering up, be sure to pack some big sunnies!

7 :: For the sandy beach, wear some inexpensive flip flops like these from Old Navy.

8 :: Lastly, who can forget a cute bathing suit? I can't wait to wear my new one from Target!

What do you pack in your beach bag?

Am I missing anything? Let me know!

xoxo,

cYa

Written by Caroline from Citrus & Style

Monday, August 19, 2013 6 comments

Thanks to everyone who entered the FREE Monogrammed Giveaway {ending 8/16} on our website!

Congratulations to all of the winners! Thanks for sharing Marley Lilly with your followers, family and friends! As always, thanks to all who entered! Peace, Love & Monograms!

Free Monograms Giveaway

Monday, August 19, 2013 No comments

One of the best decisions a girl can make going into college is to participate in sorority recruitment.

I had a different experience with rush because Wake Forest has spring recruitment. Our rounds weren't the same as other schools, and the outfits were very different than what girls wear for fall rush. That being said, I've put together some outfits of what I personally think would be good to wear for recruitment. It truly varies school to school the "dress code" for each round, but there are the basic days that I think are pretty standard for each college's recruitment.

As a guideline for each round, I looked at the University of Alabama's Greek life website. It's actually very informative!

blue door boutique cut out that dress | the red dress boutique definition of darling dress | blue door boutique sneak a peek dress | lilly pulitzer laya dress | tory burch croc print miller sandal

j. crew 3" chino short | j. crew 4" chino short | j. crew pilar sandal | j. crew leather capri sandal

lilly pulitzer janice dress | judith march hearts afire dress | lilly pulitzer kirkland dress | jack rogers hamptons hi-wedge

This is just a basic guideline for what to wear for rush. Every school is different, so I've tried to be very generic in terms of what to wear for each day. Good luck to all the incoming freshman going through recruitment! It is definitely the best decision I've made in college, and I am so thankful for my sorority! I don't know what I would do without the girls I've met since bid day! You really do end up where you're supposed to be (like college), so don't worry and have fun! It all works out in the end.

For those girls who have already been through recruitment, please comment with advice and tips for PNM's!

Have a great day!

Written by Hannah from Pink and Green Prep

Friday, August 16, 2013 26 comments

With so many adorable Marley Lilly items, it is hard to choose which is your favorite! We hope to make the decision easier by clarifying some of your questions about choosing the best font for your initials.

Due to different items being made on different machines please keep in mind that engraved items, vinyl items, and embroidery items may vary slightly. If this is not okay with you or you have any questions regarding matching fonts on different items, please contact us before placing your order and we would be happy to advise you on choosing the best font.

Male Style vs. Female Style

When choosing your font keep in mind the order in which your initials will appear. Female Style means that the last name initial will appear larger in the middle. For example if your name is Amanda Beth Carter your monogram will appear in the order ACB and the C will be larger in the middle.

If you chose Male Style the initials will appear in the order first name, middle name, last name. For example if your name is Andrew Blake Clark your initials will appear in the order ABC and all the same size. However, due to some font styles such as Circle Block and Diamond, the middle letter will always appear slightly larger in the middle. If you are wanting to select a "manly" monogram we might suggest Block or Times Block. If you have any questions about the style of your monogram don't hesitate to ask! You can contact a customer service rep at customerservice@marleylilly.com.

Monogram Proof

We are unable to show you exactly what your monogram will look like because so many of the items on our website are created in multiple locations with different types of software. Unless you own the software we own, you would be unable to open the monogram file to view it on your computer. We do offer an option at the bottom of most items that says "Can we change your font if something else looks better? Yes or No." We suggest choosing yes here. We rarely do change the font unless something about your letters just looks strange.

Font Styles

Below we have included an image of how each letter looks in each font. This should help you to envision how each letter in your monogram will look. If you have any questions about font style please contact us before placing your order.

Circle Block

Curlz

Diamond

Interlocking

Ornates

Sydney

Times Block

Victor

How do I enter my initials?

Here is the way we would like you to enter them regardless of monogram order on most items:

FIRST - MIDDLE/MADIEN - LAST

Whether you want the last name LARGER in the middle or not, we still need you to enter the initials in this order.

Below, there is an option for you to choose the style (male or female). If you would like the last name initial to be larger in the center, please choose female style. If you would like all the letters to be the same size straight across, please choose male style.

For example, to enter a female monogram for Carrie Wynn Smith, you would want to enter this:
FIRST - MIDDLE/MADIEN - LAST: CWSIn this monogram, what initial above is for the LAST Name?: STo triple check the placement - What is their full LAST NAME: SmithChoose Style: Female

When we make this, the order above would appear: cSw

Please note: If you enter confusing information or you enter these details incorrectly, we are not liable for the mistake and we will not send a free redo item.

Did you enter your full name instead of just your initials, no worries - we will use the names you entered to figure out the initials and put them in the correct style that you chose!

If you have any questions or if this information is not clear, please just contact us prior to ordering: customerservice@marleylilly.com

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 6 comments

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