All Posts By

Madeleine Wilson

Fashion

Guest Post: Transition Your Wardrobe from Summer to Fall

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Hi! My name is Emma, a sophomore at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and author of The Daily Dil-emma, a daily lifestyles blog about livin’ the college life. Thanks so much, Madeleine, for letting me guest post today! Going back to school, it’s always fun to go shopping with the hopes of finding the perfect wardrobe that will result in a flawless year (yet inevitably turns into athletic shorts and tee shirts 2 weeks in). During my quest at J.Crew the other day to find a pair of pants (which I came out of the store with a bag full of everything but the pants) I stumbled upon this sweater. I don’t know what really drew me to it, but I absolutely love it. Not only is it a classic piece- gotta love stripes- but it’s super soft, and has a really cool zipper design.

The funny thing is, where I go to school the winter was so harsh last year that all I did was dream of warm weather and now that it’s fall I can’t wait to break out the sweaters and vests. Here are two ways to take a classic top from syllabus week to Thanksgiving break. 

 

Summer

Top: J.Crew

Shorts: Alice + Olivia (got them on sale at a thrift shop!)

Shoes: J.Crew Rio Sandals


Early Fall

Top: J.Crew

Sweater: Banana Republic

Pants: Maison Joules

Shoes: Steve Madden Riding Boots


Thanks for reading and hope you have a great start to the school year!

Lifestyle

Guest Post: I was a Greek Life Skeptic…Until I Joined a Sorority

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Hey y’all! As most of you know, I’ve been beyond busy with transferring to a new school and sorority recruitment. Luckily, I have some amazing guest posts lined up for you to read! The first one is from Frances Fuqua from the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle blog A Dash of South. Her post is all about turning from a Greek Life skeptic into an advocate for the amazing benefits sorority life has given her. I hope you enjoy it and check out her blog as well!

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I come from a southern family that is very involved in Greek Life. Where I live, the first question you get asked when you’re home from college after, “where do you go to school?” is, “what sorority are you in?” And for some reason I never really liked the attachment to fraternities and sororities that everyone around me seemed to have. I felt like joining a sorority would mean conforming and being a follower instead of a leader, or “paying” to have friends. Not to mention the way sororities are portrayed in movies and on television.

So, when I left for St. Louis to start college two years ago, I was determined to avoid Greek Life at all costs and make my own way in the new environment. I quickly realized how hard it is to find people you connect with at a school with thousands of students. (I went to a very small high school with less than 100 people in my grade; so making friends had never been a problem before). It was hard to meet people simply because I was meeting so many people everyday that I couldn’t really figure out a way to get to know anyone super well.

I started noticing all the girls in sororities and just how much closer they seemed with each other than I did with anyone I knew. I realized that if I wanted to be happier at school I should take every opportunity to find a community I felt comfortable in within the university.

I joined Kappa Delta in Spring 2013 and it is without a doubt the best decision I have ever made. Not only have I met my best friends, roommates, and mentors; I have found a group of women that I know have all the same values and priorities that I do.  I have found a community that will support me no matter what.

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My big and I on bid day, Fall 2013

Here is my best advice for those who may not have considered Greek Life:

One// If you’re on the fence about rushing, go for it. Most people who are unsure are pleasantly surprised and most people who decide not to regret the decision. If you’ve thought about joining Greek Life even just once, it’s worth it to try it out. After all, all the magic happens when you leave your comfort zone.

Two// Remember that rush probably seems a little fake because it is a little bit fake. We pull out all the stops in order to impress potential new members, and this can sometimes seem a little bit staged. Instead of focusing on the matching outfits and the cheering and the videos, pay attention to how comfortable you feel at each sorority and the general personality/vibe if the group. That’s what sticks around after the show is over.  And just remember: we do all the showing off for you J

Three// Don’t let one bad conversation ruin an entire sorority for you. One person isn’t always representative of the entire group. BUT, if you have one ah-mazing conversation with someone, really take note.  Chances are, if you really connect with one girl, you will really connect with a lot of her sisters

Four// Don’t stress out too much about trying to impress the sororities. Trust me when I say we’re trying just as hard to impress you. Just try to relax and have a normal conversation like you would have with anyone. We enjoy the conversations where we talk about time travel or swap stories about our most embarrassing moments much more than the ones where the potential new member tries to brag about her extracurricular activities and grades.

Last but not least, have fun! Rush is an amazing experience and joining a sorority that you love is even better.

 

xo

Frances

Lifestyle

The New Craze: Monthly Box Subscriptions

We’ve all seen the Facebook ads or gotten the emails – there’s no denying that monthly box subscriptions are a new fad lately. I’ve personally never tried any of these but I really want to! I would love to hear your experiences with these or what you’ve heard about them. I want to hear your thoughts so sound off in the comments section below!

Food

Try the World ($45 every two months)

Receive a box of gourmet treats from a different country from around the world every two months.

Graze ($6.49 per box)

A weekly or bi-weekly subscription to a box stuffed with health-conscious snacks.

Love with Food ($10 per month)

An organic, all-natural snack box that gives back to the community by combating hunger in America. For each box delivered, they donate one meal to a child in need.

Conscious Box ($6.95 per month)

Delivers healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and GMO-free snacks every month.

 

Beauty

Julep Maven ($20 per month)

A monthly subscription to a box full of beauty product samples and nail polishes customized to your preferences.

Wantable ($40 per month)

Delivers monthly luxury intimates, accessories, or full-sized beauty products to your doorstep.

Birchbox ($10 per month)

High-end beauty product samples will be delivered each month. (men’s and women’s options available!)

Glossy Box ($21 per month)

You will receive five luxury beauty products delivered monthly.

e.l.f. Beauty Bundle ($10 per month)

Receive $40 worth of e.l.f. products monthly for only $20 every eight weeks.

 

Men’s

BroBox ($15 per month)

Promise to deliver a variety of awesome products by unique companies that will be sure to impress any “bro” out there.

Dollar Shave Club ($1 per month)

Delivers quality razors to your man’s doorstep every month to assure a fresh, clean shave everyday.

Friday Tieday ($39 per month)

Have a dapper tie delivered to you every month and join this exclusive club of really, really good looking dudes.

 

Other

Barkbox ($20 per month)

This one’s for your beloved furry friends! Each month you will get a box full of treats, toys, and other fun gifts for your pet.

PopSugar Must Have Box ($39.95 per month)

Full-sized, premium beauty, grooming, lifestyle, fitness, food, and fashion products that come in a box each month.

Lifestyle

My New Adventure

Transferring from a school of 6,000 to one of 23,000 students. Moving into a house full of 70 w0men I’ve never met. Moving from Orange, CA where the coldest temperature was 60 degrees to Pullman, WA where the coldest temperature can be -30 degrees. Joining a sorority of 150 women I’ve never met. Taking classes with 500 other students when the biggest class I’ve ever taken was 85 people.

Yeah, you could say I’m a little bit scared but at least I have good reason!

Today marks the beginning of an incredibly exciting and terrifying new chapter in my life. After spending two years at a small, private university, I have made the decision to transfer to a large, public in-state university. While I am 100% confident that I made the right choice in transferring, it does not mean I’m not scared to death.

Luckily, I am not just jumping into a sea of 23,000 other students and being left to drown. I am extremely blessed that I can very easily re-affiliate with the chapter of my sorority at my new school. It’s a really easy process to transfer – you just have to fill out some simple paperwork! Since I will immediately dive into that community, I will have 150 new friends right off the bat. I am also moving into the sorority house there (my old university did not have Greek housing at all so the concept of even having a sorority house is new to me!). There are roughly 70 women who live in the “Theta Mansion” at my new university and thankfully, I have already met about 20 of them! I also had the privilege of meeting my day room roommate who is the definition of perfection.

I don’t want to bore you all too much with my whole life story, but I wanted to let you all know that I will be very busy as I adjust to this immense change in my life. I will have at least one blog post up a week but I will try to do more. Blogging is still one of my many passions and it is how I de-stress and unwind. If I had all the time in the world, I would be cranking out at least one post a day. Unfortunately, that just won’t be possible for the next month or so.

If you are interested in guest posting on my blog, that would be absolutely amazing!

I would promote your post through my social media and your post would be seen by all of my readers – providing great exposure for you. Please email me at smalltownrootsandcowboyboots@gmail.com if you are interested! Thank you so much.

To all of my blogging friends and loyal readers: thank you so much for being so supportive. I’m so sorry I won’t be able to give my undivided attention to blogging over the next few weeks. I appreciate your patience and loyalty.

Here’s to new adventures and new friends! Wish me luck!

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On a separate note, can we please all just take a moment and appreciate how amazing this hat is? It was given to me by Turnip Seed – a super cute custom embroidery company. They make monogrammed hats, purses, totes, phone cases, everything! If you know my blog, you know I LOVE personalized things especially when it comes to sorority themed items! I love this hat because I can wear it so many different ways – wish a causal outfit like this, dressed up with a button-down and statement necklace, or even working out. It’s such a fun way to represent an organization near and dear to my heart while also looking stylish.

This shirt is from College Hill Custom Threads – a clothing company that specializes in creating custom order merchandise for groups or individuals. This was the shirt they released for all Washington State girls going to Watershed Music Festival (notice the Tim McGraw lyric remix on the back?). I have a feeling I’m going to live in this shirt – it’s so cute and again, I love representing my school while looking cute at the same time!

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Fashion

Necklace GIVEAWAY!

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I love discovering new stores and it’s so fun when they’re in my backyard. Peridot Boutique is a trendy store located in Queen Anne in Seattle. One of the only boutiques I’ve seen in Seattle that offers cute clothes like this and I absolutely fell in love. My friend (and Theta sister) Jill had an internship there this summer – I was so jealous! They have everything from strappy crop tops to cut-out back dresses to flowy harem pants to boho-chic accessories and much, much more.

And guess what?!

They have provided me with this gorgeous neon necklace for a killer GIVEAWAY!

Yep, that’s right – you can win this beautiful statement piece just by entering below. But hurry – the giveaway ends in exactly ONE WEEK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
6The dress I’m wearing is also from Peridot – it’s the perfect dress for summer: light and flowy. I love the print on it – the palm trees are so fun! I threw on my favorite black floppy hat from Forever 21 and my go-with-everything Jessica Simpson pumps (similar here). You could definitely dress this down with some combat boots and cardigan. I even wore it to my internship once by wearing black flats and a black blazer over it. Who knew such a funky dress could be so versatile? 4 med8 med

15 med12 med7 med Don’t forget to enter the giveaway to win this gorgeous necklace from Peridot Boutique!

More about Peridot:

This store is too cute and truly has something for everyone – casual day wear to formal wear to business casual to going out clothes – you name it, they have it! Most of their jewelry, lotions, perfumes, and accessories are from local shops and artists. I really appreciate how they work to support the local community in this manner. 

Check out the photos below of some outfits I put together of my favorite items in the store! I also snapped some pictures of the store itself because it was just so beautiful. 

If you live in the Seattle area, I recommend checking out Peridot for sure. They have high-quality clothes for a decent price and have the latest trends in stock at all times. 

532 Queen Anne Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109

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Fashion

Piko Perfection

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2 puIntroducing my new model: Tucker the Shih Tzu! I love this little guy so, so much even though he’s a lazy old man. He was grubbing around outside and chasing down bunnies while I was snapping some pictures for this post so I had to drag him in. This is the only shot I got where he doesn’t look completely pissed off. He’s so silly but I adore him!

Anyways, I was generously sent this gorgeous top from Perle Market a few days ago and have to admit I’ve worn it almost every day since then. I can’t help it – it’s so versatile! I’ve worn it while I was running errands, when I went over to my boyfriends house for a movie night, and out to lunch on a date with him. It can be dressed up or down but keeps you comfy no matter what. I also love the bright colors in the chevron pattern – it brightens up the whole look.

Today, I was just running some errands so I wore my comfiest Hudson Jeans with my brand new white Converse sneakers. I added a beautiful statement necklace from Flourish Boutique (similar here) to polish off the whole look. I threw my hair in a messy top knot and I was all set!

I can’t wait to wear this top in the winter because I think it will provide a much needed pop of color but also keep me warm and look great with leggings and boots. Like I said, this top is so versatile – I want one in every color and pattern imaginable!

If you love this top as much as I do, check out Perle Market’s “Spring Day Sorbet” piko. It’s actually on sale right now for only $19.99 AND you can get 15% OFF the whole site using the code “madeleinespeeps”

Perle Market has super cute and affordable clothes, accessories, and more. They are on a mission to find the best deals out there so that you can keep more money in your pocket (which I really appreciate!).

Get 15% OFF using the code “madeleinespeeps” 

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Fashion

Dainty Jewelry Obsession

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8If you’re like me, you might have an obsession with dainty jewelry. Now don’t get me wrong, I love rocking a chunky gold bracelet or a bold statement necklace – but there’s something really elegant in a simple piece of jewelry.

I recently stumbled upon Verse – a beautiful Etsy shop that sells stunning jewelry. The owner Monica (who was an absolute pleasure to communicate with – so sweet and caring), was so kind to send me some amazing pieces from her collection at Verse.

If you like what you see, you’re in luck – Monica is offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $15 when you use the promo code SMALLTOWN. What a great deal!

I love how Verse has options to personalize a lot of their jewelry – how cute is the initial gold bar necklace? There’s also adorable gifts like the wish bracelets for your Greek family too. Every piece of jewelry at Verse seems to have some story or meaning attached to it no matter what, which I think is so unique and special. It’s hands-down one of the best places to look for gifts for friends, bridesmaids, your mom, etc.

Big/Little Wish Bracelets | Gold Bar Initial Necklace | Heart Initial Necklace | Tassle Bracelet | Peace Bracelet | Live Free Bracelet

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The jewelry was provided free of charge. All opinions and images are my own.

Fashion

Country Music Festival Outfits

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8 medConfession time: I can’t stop obsessing over my new boots from Country Outfitter! Washington’s huge country music festival, Watershed, is happening this weekend and I FINALLY got tickets for the first time ever. I can’t wait! The lineup includes Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Kip Moore, Randy Houser, Chase Rice, Justin Moore, Eli Young Band, Jake Owen, Billy Currington, Cassadee Pope, and many more. I think I might faint when I see Tim McGraw, but it will be worth it.

I got some super cute tanks courtesy of a few stores – Tumbleroot and Dentz Design – to be featured on my blog that are perfect for a country music festival so I decided to show y’all some cute outfits! For all you LA people out there, I know Stagecoach is a long way away but it’s never too early to start planning, right? I also posted some fun outfit ideas of how to wear cowboy boots with dresses earlier this week, so check that out too as well as my post a while back around the time of Stagecoach with more outfit inspiration!

Oh, and I forgot to mention the best part – I have COUPONS GALORE for you all! This hilarious “Red, White, and Beer” tank is from Dentz Design (an Etsy store I literally want to buy out – everything is too stinkin’ cute and sassy). If you enter in SMALLTOWNROOTS at checkout, you’ll get 25% off there! They have the best gifts for bachelorette parties and future brides too. I just love it!

The other coupon is for Verse Shop – a stunning Etsy store that I fell in love with. In the pictures below, I’m wearing a gold heart initial necklace and a turquoise tassel bracelet from there. If you enter SMALLTOWN at checkout, you can get free shipping on orders over $15! Stay tuned for another post soon showcasing more of their pieces on the blog soon!

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9 medHow adorable is this tank from Tumbleroot? I fell in love with it the minute I saw it. “Boots, class, and a little sass” is pretty much how you could describe me.

If you love country music like I do, then you HAVE to check out Tumbleroot – they have the cutest shirts and tanks with country music lyrics written out on them. On second thought, maybe don’t check them out because you’ll be tempted to buy EVERYTHING!

10 med17 medOkay so this is defnitely a more “festival-y” outfit. You can definitely wear anything you want to music festivals and that’s part of the beauty of it!

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Boots: Country Outfitter | Red, Wine, and Beer tank: Dentz Design (sold out!) | Boots, class, and sass tank: Tumbleroot | Necklace: Verse Shop | Bracelet with tassel: Verse Shop | Initial ring: Vintage Stamp Jewels | Silver ring: Colby June | Gold bracelets: Charlotte Russe | Second bangle: Alex and Ani | Shorts: American Eagle

 

Coupons Galore!

Enter SMALLTOWN at Verse Shop for free shipping on orders of $15+

Enter SMALLTOWNROOTS for 25% off at Dentz Design

 

DISCLAIMER: I was provided the jewelry from Verse Shop and the tanks from Dentz Denim and Tumbleroot in exchange for promotion. All opinions and images are my own.

Fashion

How to Wear Cowboy Boots with Dresses

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Country Outfitter - boots with dressesEver wonder how to style cowboy boots with dresses? I received this gorgeous pair of boots from Country Outfitter to style with different dresses and it was so much fun! (psssst – want $20 off a pair of boots? click here!)

Cowboy boots can be worn with almost everything and that’s what makes them so great. You can wear them as work boots when you’re grubbing around outside or you can dress them up for a date night – the options are endless!

I styled my boots with three different types of dresses – a boho short dress, a casual maxi, and a fun and flirty high-low dress!

 

Boho Vibe

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I adore this dress from Texas Roots as you can probably tell since it’s make appearances in a few other posts of mine. It’s so light and flowy which makes it extremely versatile. I’ve worn it to my sorority formal but you can also dress it down as I have here.

I paired the dress with a boho crochet cardigan from T.J.Maxx and accessories from Charlotte Russe. The boots add just the perfect finishing touch to the whole outfit – giving it a boho yet country vibe.

This is by far one of my favorite outfits in my whole wardrobe and now I have the perfect boots to go with it!

 

Casual Maxi

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Another way to wear cowboy boots is a more casual look like this. I absolutely love the pattern on this Charlotte Russe print maxi dress! It has a little bit of that country vibe and the slit up the leg adds a little allure. I paired it with a denim jacket to make it a little more casual but you could also dress this outfit up by adding some nice earrings or a chunky necklace.

I normally wouldn’t put cowboy boots under a maxi dress just because it would get really hot, but the leg opening of this dress showcases the boots beautifully as well as provide a little ventilation.

 

Fun and Flirty High-Low

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This is such a fun look! This red high-low dress was actually given to me by my older sister as a hand-me-down and it fit like a glove. Pairing it with this beautiful crochet and lace vest gives it a more relaxed look. I love how the chunky necklace from Charlotte Russe adds a little visual interest up towards the face.

Once again, the boots make the outfit! While you could definitely rock this outfit with some sandals, I think the boots go so well with it. Cowboy boots look amazing when paired with high-low dresses and skirts because they make it a little bit more casual without looking sloppy. The whole look is effortless!

Country Outfitter - boots with dressesWant $20 off a pair of boots? Click here! Country Outfitter has some of the most beautiful and fairly priced boots I’ve ever seen. It was so hard to pick just one – I’m sure I’ll be back for more!

I had so much fun with this post. I was tired of taking my own pictures, so I recruited my boyfriend to take them for me. We laughed so much and had such a great time doing it – he’s truly a saint. I know there’s so many famous bloggers who secretly have their boyfriends behind the camera and now I know why. There’s nothing better than having somebody who loves you, knows you well, and  thinks you’re beautiful to take pictures of you!

This post was sponsored by Country Outfitter. I received the pair of boots for this editorial post and received compensation. I also received the dress from Texas Roots free of charge for a post. All opinions and images are my own.