While we all have visions of ourselves jetting off to a private island for spring break, let be a little more realistic. If you find yourself back at your house for a week, don't worry. There are still plenty of things to do!

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Instead of being disappointed that you won't be able to have fun stories to share after break from a fabulous trip, think of all the great things you will be able to accomplish instead. Here are some things that you can do if you find yourself with some free time:

-read a good book

-work ahead on schoolwork

-organize your inbox

-organize your computer files 

-try a new DIY

-bake something delicious

-find a summer job

-plan fun things for this summer

-catch with old friends

-catch up on sleep

In case you couldn't already tell, those are all things I am planning on doing over my break. It is nice to be able to sleep in and do stuff I enjoy, such as reading a book! I also am working ahead on assignments and studying since I do have time, and I know I will thank myself later. 

What are you doing over spring break? Do you prefer to stay home and relax or go on a fun trip? Share in the comments!

xo, Scarlett

Written by Scarlett from The Trendy Chick

Dress: LOFT | Block Heels: Target | Necklace: Kendra Scott Rayne | Clutch: GiGi New York

Lips: NARS Golshan | Mani/Pedi: Essie Bachelorette Bash

When I first saw this dress, I knew it instantly had to be mine. It was lace, check. It was navy, check. And it was from LOFT, check! This shift dress screamed spring to me, and after last year's frenzy with the LOFT eyelet skirt, I knew this was another home run. This dress would be perfect for work, Easter Sunday, to a spring brunch or baby shower. Heck, the opportunities to wear this number are endless. Definitely snag this gem for your spring wardrobe, stat!

Also, let's discuss these block heels for a sec.

I have been dreaming of owning this pair for a LONG time, but could never quite bite the bullet and pay that much money for a pair of shoes. So I found these Steve Madden ones I almost bought, but still didn't like the price tag. So last week I was scouring the Target buy one, get one 50% off sale for a second pair, when I stumbled upon these identical heels. Skeptical at first, I decided to try them anyways and could take them back if they looked and felt cheap. To my surprise, that was not the case at all! They're comfortable, good quality and look identical to the Steve Madden ones mentioned above. Best part is, they're LESS THAN $30!!! They also come in three colors. Stock up now y'all!!

Photos by Nicole of A Dash of Gold

           

Favorite Rain Boots + Hunter Boots Regular vs. Kids

{left to right} Hunter Original Rain Boots // Hunter Kid's Original Gloss Rain Boots

Sperry Hingham Quilted Rain Boots 

Rain boots are not something I get to use very often.  Especially right now, since California is in the middle of a drought, we don't get a ton of rain.  Still, I love taking advantage of the few rainy weeks we have in the winter and beginning of spring, and wear my favorite boots around.

Hunter Boots are a classic- the black/navy ones go with nearly anything and are wicked good at keeping your feet dry.  They don't keep your feet warm though, so don't wear them in the snow, and make sure to wear socks of some kind.  I own both the original and kid's sizes, which I'll be comparing below!

Sperry's Hingham boots are lined with a faux-fleece material, so they are perfect for keeping your feet toasty.  The vegan leather is also okay to get wet, so these are awesome for wading and jumping in puddles.  These come in earth tones, so they are super versatile.  I was quite lucky to snag a pair of these, since they are rarely available.

My two other favorite rain boot brands are Burberry and Joules.  I have one pair from Burberry (these ones), which I don't wear very often so I didn't photograph them.  I have yet to get a pair by Joules, though!

Hunter Boots:  Regular vs. Kids Size

First of all, let's talk about price.  The women's Original Tall Rain Boots are $150, while the Original Kid's Rain Boots are $80.  They are the same price whether you get them in the regular or gloss finish- my women's are regular finish, while my kid's are gloss finish.  The kid's boots are great for people with smaller feet.  They go up to a size 5, which is equivalent to a women's 7.   I attached a size chart below with Women's Equivalent sizes.

The Women's boot shaft height is 16", while the Kid's has an 11" shaft height.  On me, that means the Women's hit just below my knee, while the Kid's hit on the upper calf.  The calf part is pretty loose, so when I walk, it sometimes rubs against my jeans or leg in the middle of my calf, which can get a little uncomfortable after a few hours in thin pants without boot cuffs.  I don't have this problem with the women's since it hits higher on my leg.

The kid's boots also have reflector patches on the back, which some people love and some people find pesky.  Personally, I'm not a fan of these, and have tried to peel them off, but they're not removable.  

I wear a 6.5 and I have the size 5 in both women's and kid's.  The kid's ones fit me when I'm wearing very thick socks, like J. Crew camp socks or Hunter's boots socks.   The women's fit when I'm wearing regular thickness socks.

Overall, I prefer the regular women's boots, mostly because of the lack of reflectors.  I also like that they are a little taller, so I don't have to wear huge socks to avoid chafing.  However, the price difference is quite staggering- $70!  Luckily, I've found some great deals on Poshmark, where I got my black women's boots.  However, I think Hunter boots are well worth the price for the quality you get, especially if you'll be using them frequently in a rainy area.

Cleaning Your Hunter Boots

Hunter boots often develop white salt deposits when you wear them out in the rain.  Hunter does offer a cleaning liquid and maintenance tools, but they're pricey and there are much cheaper home remedies that work well.

The first method is to rub them down with a cooking oil.  I had to borrow some oil from my neighbor, and what he gave me was a bit too much.  What's pictured is probably double what you'll need.  Just a little bit on a paper towel should do the trick!  Rub off all the white salt deposits, then rinse it off with water and dry the boot's exterior with another clean paper towel.  The above photo is one boot after the full cleaning process and one boot with the white salt smudges. 

Dish soap and warm water should also work, but will probably take a little longer and require more effort.  Make sure your water is not too hot, as it could damage or even melt the rubber in prolonged exposure.  What you'd normally take a bath in is fine.

Hope this post and guide were helpful!  Let me know where your favorite boots are from.

Written by Julia from Little Miss Haute Couture 

 When my dear friend Kim, who live in Knoxville, got pregnant with her little critter, we knew her shower had to be at her favorite restaurant in downtown Chattanooga, Tony's Pasta.  I didn't know how complicated it would be to throw it at a restaurant, but I knew it wasn't anything my friend Jennifer and I couldn't handle. We kept decorations to a minimum since we knew the food would be on us, but with a few coupons from Hobby Lobby and some DIY crafts, it was pretty perfect.

I found a fabulous cake on Pinterest and my go-to cake designer made it absolutely perfect! It was too pretty to eat!

My aqua mason jars were the inspiration for our color scheme because I have a ton of them and come on, they're incredible.   We knew colored chargers would add a perfect pop of color to the dark tables and originally we going to go with burlap ones for $4 each.  After a little more roaming around Hobby Lobby, we found these beautiful aqua ones for $2 each! Such a great deal!

For flowers, I went with my personal favorite, hydrangeas. 

They looked perfect in the blue jars.

 We had a great time celebrating Kim & sweet baby Cora!

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