Happy New Year & Year In Review

Happy New Year everyone I hope you have a great night! I am going to make this short as my family is on a vacation in Massachusetts (more info to come on this in another post). I wanted to thank everyone for being apart of Melchicmay and my crazy adventurous this past year. It was a crazy ride and I love being able to document my life with you. I created a video to look back on all the memories I have from 2015! I did this last year and so I wanted to keep the tradition going. 

I want to wish everyone a great 2016 and I will be posting my resolution for the year soon ;) 

On that note HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

Holiday Party 2015: Plaid Themed

Every year my family throws a holiday party at our house (Check out last years post here)! This years theme was plaid. So we tried to add touches of plaid throughout the house. Also everyone wore plaid to the party to make it extra fun. We had a great time celebrating the holidays with family and friends. We ate lots of desserts, caught up with friends & played lots of games! In today's blog post I am going to share with you everything related to this plaid themed party from recipes to decor! 

Winter Is Finally Here

T-Shirt: Old Navy / Leggings: Aerie / Scarf: Target / Boots: Hunters / Boot Liners: Hunter / Earrings: Miadora / Sunglasses: Ray Ban (similar) 

Steal Vs Splurge: J Crew Excursion Vest

I am going to keep today's post short and sweet as I am SO tired from yesterdays holiday party. I took the day to pretty much relax. Anyways I wanted to share a SUPER close dupe for the J Crew Excursion Vest and the price is so good! I wanted to share this really good fine as I have been loving puffer vest lately. 

Check back tomorrow for a fun post all about the holiday party!

Steal / Splurge 

What I Got For Christmas 2015

I wanted to share with you guys what I got for Christmas this year! I posted this same thing last year for Christmas so I thought it would be fun to do the same things again this year and maybe make this a tradition! I really enjoy filming these videos and I hope you enjoy. On that note I am headed to bed as I am SO tired after spending the whole night baking for our big holiday party tomorrow night ;) 

Here was my Christmas list from this year

Christmas Q/A Video

I PLANED TO HAVE THIS UP YESTERDAY BUT THE VIDEO WOULD NOT UPLOAD SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT!

To celebrate Christmas I wanted to answer some fun questions related to my families Christmas and the holidays! I found this tag on MissCrystal's Youtube channel and thought I would film this fun video! I hope you enjoy this different post and learn a little bit more about me. I posted something similar to this last year however last years was not a video and a lot of the questions are different. Also I hope everyone had a great day and I will be back here tomorrow (actually later today) with another video showing you what I got for Christmas this year! 

Merry Christmas From Melchicmay

I am going to keep this short & sweet but I just wanted to wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas! I am loving the weather this holiday season is bringing. I made a digital holiday card which you can watch bellow as my way of thanking all of you for supporting this blog. Well I will let you go as I have to get read for church but once again happy holidays ;)

Current Favs

I have a few things I have been loving lately and wanted to share with you. I cant believe tomorrow is already Christmas Eve. I hope everyone has an amazing holiday & make sure you check back for some fun holiday posts that will be going up in the next few days! 

Monogram Baseball Hat: I think I am going to have to order myself a monogram baseball hat! I mean it combines baseball hats & monogram which I love both. I came across this hat while browsing through Tuckernuck the other day and fell in love with it! 

Navy Check Scarf & Vest

T-shirt: Old Navy / Vest: J Crew Factory / Jeans: Gap / Scarf: J Crew Factory (similar) / Boots: Sperry / Watch: Daniel Wellington / Bangle: Boutique (similar) / Earrings: Miadora 

Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

I hope everyone had a fun & productive weekend to finish up all your Christmas shopping! If not you still have a few more days to get your last minute gifts. Today I am sharing with you my last gift guide for this season which is all about last minute stocking stuffers. Stocking Stuffers can some times be left until the last minute, so today I am rounding up some affordable and unique gift ideas to finish off your gift giving! Hopefully today's stocking stuffer gift guide will give you some great ideas as for what to get all the people on your list! 

Holiday Lookbook 2015

I am SO excited to share with you my holiday looks I put together for this year! I decided to create a fun "lookbook" with all the outfits to do something a little different on the blog in place of a bunch of pictures! I am really happy with the way it turned out and I hope you enjoy it ;) 

PS: In case you were wondering where yesterdays post was it was because I was to busy getting this done! 

Pom Pom Winter Hat

T-Shirt: Target (similar) / Vest: J Crew (similar) / Jeans: American Eagle / Flats: Payless / Necklace: My Name Necklace / Hat: J Crew Factory (similar) (similar) / Earrings: Miadora

Winter Break Bucket List

With my winter breaking being so long I want to make sure to savor every minute and get as much done as I can! So I created a fun bucket list of things to do over break and I thought I would share it with you. I actually got this idea from Carly over on the College Prepster! I would love to know whats on your holiday bucket list. I just think it's a fun way to enjoy the time off, but it's not the end of the world if not everything is completed!

Home For Break, Updates & Post Schedule

Today's post is going to be strictly informative with lots of different updates as to what has been going on and what is to come! 

1st: I am officially home for the holidays and I have finished my first semester of college (#crazy)! It was a crazy busy first semester but I wouldn't change it for anything. I meet some amazing friends, learned a lot about myself, and joined some amazing organizations. I am so happy I decided to join a sorority & I also found a career based club centered around my major that I love. I fell in love with my major (Hospitality) even more then I would have ever imagined. Finally, I loved dorming and I can't wait to see what next semester has in store! On a some what related note I think I am going to try and post more college related content from things like majors, dorm life, etc. 

2nd: My plan is to blog everyday while on break as I have more time to spend blogging. Last year I blogged the whole month of December so this year I am going to try to blog everyday until the end of my break which is almost a month! 

3rd: I am super excited about some of the holiday posts I have planned so stay tuned for that. Though I also would love your input as to what type of things you would like to see ;) 

Gift Guide 2015: Luggage & Handbags

A nice high quality handbag can make for the perfect gift so I have rounded up some of my favorite brands below! I tried to include some unique brands and styles to change it up a bit! I also included some pieces of luggage as well because if you love to travel then a good suitcase is a must ;)

Gift Guide 2015: Outerwear

I can't believe that Christmas is almost two weeks away! It seems like it was just yesterday that it was December 1st. I am going to wrapping up the gift guides tonight or tomorrow and posting the last of them. I apologize that I could not get these up faster but I have just been too busy with school! Though their is still plenty of time to buy your Christmas gifts and hopefully these gift guides have been making it easier. 

Today I am sharing with you an outerwear gift guide because nothing says Christmas like getting a nice new coat! This gift has something for every weather climate at all different prices!

Gift Guide 2015: Outdoors

It might surprise you but I am a girl who loves to spend time outdoors as much as I do getting dressed up and fancy! So I thought it would be fun to share a outdoor gift guide with you guys for something a little bit different. I think any one who enjoys the outdoors would love anything from this list. I know I love my PFG, CamelBak and North Face backpack! 

Friday Favs

I realized it has been almost a month since I have posted a Friday Favs which is sad because I love doing these posts! So I am back with another one today with lots of random little favorites I had to share with you guys ;) On another note happy Friday and I hope everyone has a great weekend! 

Kelly In The City Winter Guide: Kelly this winter guide is perfection. It literally looks like a professional catalog you would get in the mail! Check it out she as some amazing gift guides that are probably way better then mine. 

Gift Guide 2015: Jewelry

If their is one gift you can never go wrong with for a girl it's jewelry. I think jewelry is the BEST go to gift because it can be sentimental and it's useful plus you don't have to worry about sizing. Jewelry is also great because you can spend tons of money or not a lot of money on a piece of jewelry depending on your budget. In today's gift guide I tried to include simple classic pieces that I think any girl would love to get as a gift. I know I am in LOVE with this Tiffany bracelet as I just discovered you can monogram it (I want this really bad now as I love anything monogram)! What is on your jewelry wish list?

Gift Guide 2015: The Perfect Vest

If their is one thing I can't live without in the winter it's definitely my puffer vests! I love them because they go with everything, look super cute, and they also keep you really warm. I have a black, navy & white vest but basically I would love a vest in every color of the rainbow! So I thought it would be fun to round up my favorite vests in all different colors and prices as I think a puffer vest would make for the perfect gift for anyone. I hope you enjoy this gift guide and I also would love any suggestions for other gift guides. 

Gingham & Blanket Scarf

Today I am sharing an outfit I wore while I was home over Thanksgiving break which is crazy to think that was almost two weeks ago, because I only have a week left of school! I kind of just through this outfit together and surprisingly I love the combination of paring the gingham and plaid blanket scarf together. I wore this outfit to a family dinner so I paired it with ridding boots to give a bit of a dressy look. Though you could always wear red Hunters or duck boots for a more casual look!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I know mine was fun as I spent the weekend relaxing with friends. I went to a basketball game, watched a movie, polar plunged into the FREEZING COLD water (more to come on that) & slept in ;) 

Button Down: Talbots (similar) / Jeans: Gap / Boots: Sam Edelman (similar) / Scarf: Target (similar) (similar) / Tote: L.L. Bean / Earrings: Miadora / Ring: Target (similar) / Watch: Daniel Wellington 

Gift Guide 2015: For Him

Lets face it men can be impossible to shop for so I wanted to give you lots of time to get the perfect gift! I really think that this gift guide has something for everyone from causal Pajamas, to a tie for work! It's all about what his style is but I hope today's gift guide can get your ideas flowing ;) 

Gift Guide 2015: My Wish List

As it gets closer and closer to the end of the semester my excitement for the holidays is growing! I can't wait to be home for almost a month to celebrate Christmas! Of coarse I am also SO excited to spread some holiday cheer here on Melchicmay. Last year I created lots of different gift guides for everyone on your list. I had so much fun doing this last year that I am continuing the tradition this year! So to kick of the 2015 gift giving season I am sharing with you my wish list for Christmas this year!! I would love to know what is on your wish list?! 

Black Friday Haul 2015

Guys can you believe it's already December 1st? I know I can't believe it's already December. I only have two more weeks of school and then I am done with my first semester of college which is CRAZY to me! With that being said I have TONS of fun holiday posts I have planned however things might be a bit off schedule until I am done with all my classes and exams! I am going to try to get my gift guides all up this week so you guys can use them when buying gifts. 

Today I wanted to share a haul of everything I got on Black Friday with you! I know this is kind of late but that is what happens when you procrastinate your final paper for your class. I would love to know what great deals you got down below in the comments! 

Thanksgiving 2015 & OOTD

Button Down: Tommy Hilfiger (similar) / Vest: Old Navy / Leggings: Aerie (similar) / Scarf: J Crew Factory / Boots: Hunters / Earrings: Miadora   

Black Friday Sales

I hope everyone is having an amazing Thanksgiving with family! I will have more to come on that but I wanted to quick hop on here and share codes for all the AMAZING sales that are happening right now! The best part is you don't even have to leave your house because they are all online codes!!

I will try to update this list as more sales come up so keeping checking back on this post! 

Image from Lauren James

*NEW* Rebecca Minkoff: 25% off no code needed
*NEW* Coach: 25% off up to $250 and 25% off $250-$500 with code THANKS2015
*NEW* Spartina: 10% off with code BLACKFRIDAY10
 Lauren James: 20% off with code BLACKOUT15
Shopbop: 15% off $250+ with code GOBIG15
Sperry: 50% off select styles
 Kate Spade: 25% off with code MERCI
 Banana Republic: 40% off with code BRFRIDAY
Ann Taylor: 50% off with code CELEBRATE

Daniel Wellington: 25% off no code needed 

J Crew: 30% off with code HOLIDAY 

J Crew Factory: 50% off with code SHOPGIFTS 

Lands End: 30% off with code GIVING & pin 2626

Home For The Holidays

 Sweater: Old Navy / Jeans: American Eagle / Boots: Sam Edelman / Tote: L.L. Bean / Earrings: Miadora / Necklace: Gift (similar) / Ring: Target (similar)

Holiday Dresses 2015

Long time no post but this past week has been literally crazy! I have just had project after project due each day so the weekend was much needed. With it getting closer to the holidays I have been doing lots of online browsing and am LOVING all the clothes for the holidays! So today I thought I would share with you some of my top holiday dress options for this year. I love them all but they all have different price points depending on what you are looking for. Thought a lot of these will probably be on sale for Black Friday! I would love to know what your favorite holiday dress is? 

I hope everyone is having a fun weekend and I will hopefully be back soon for more fun holiday posts ;)

Friday Favs

Another week down which means one week closer to Thanksgiving! I am so excited to be off from school, spend time at home & eat lots of food. I am also starting to get really excited about the holidays. I went to the grocery store yesterday and they had all the special holiday foods out which got me so excited. I love seeking eggnog, mint everything & lots of candy! Now that I am away at school I look forward to the holidays way more and cherish them, because they are special as I am not home very often anymore! In a way I think it's better because it just makes the time I spend with family and friends that much more special!

Anyways on to the actual post... 

Today I am sharing my current favorites and I have to admit a lot of them are holiday related (#sorry)!

Trench Coat: Now that I am dressing up more professional and looking more adult like often. I find myself wanting a trench coat. I have never owned a trench coat before but I think its a very timeless & traditional piece. I think it's safe to say I might be looking at trench coats for Christmas!

The Perfect Monogram Ring

It's no secret that I am obsessed with any and everything monogramed! I sometimes feel like my monogram necklace could be part of my body because I wear it literally everyday. I have been keeping my eyes open for the perfect monogram ring to add to my collection for a while now. So when I heard about the company Onecklace I was SO excited! They offer any monogram jewelry item you could ever want at an amazing price! They even offer free shipping on all their orders! 

Where does the time go?

Top: Old Navy / Jeans: Gap / Flats: Payless / Necklace: My Name Necklace / Cross body: Lands End (similar) (similar) / Earrings: Miadora / Watch: Daniel Wellington 

Life Update

In case you thought I died or quite blogging (haha) I wanted to give you a really quick update. I was in Boston the past week at a conference for a school club and had no time to blog. I am just now getting caught up with everything & I should be posting a blog post tomorrow (fingers crossed)! Sorry for the inconsistency lately and on that note I have a million other things to get done ;)

Warby Parker and #FallSyllabus

I love a cute pair of sunglasses to wear daily especially in the fall months when the air is crisp and the leaves are changing! I just feel like you look so much more put together with a simple pair of sunglasses. Though if you are like me then picking out a pair of glasses can be THE HARDEST thing in the world! I am not kidding when I saw my current glasses took an entire day to pick out.  

Thus enter my excitement when I found out about Warby Parker! Warby Parker is an online eyeglass store that has the perfect solution for a girl like me. With their Home Try on Program you can select your top 5 glasses or sunglasses and have them shipped right to your home! You don't have to pay for any of the glasses unless you decided to keep a pair. The best part about this system is that you get to try them for a week before having to return them! This allows you to ask EVERY PERSON you know what they think (haha)! This home try on program is also great because you get to try on all the glasses in the comfort of your own home! The best part of all is the glasses start at only $95. I love everything about this idea, I just wish I was that smart to come up with such a clever concept ;) 

My Home Try On Picks: Piper / Everett / Jennings / Ellison / Preston

Current Favorites

I can't believe it's already November you guys it's crazy! Where did October go? I hope everyone had a fun weekend & Halloween. To start the month off I thought I would share with you my current favorites I have been loving lately :)

      

I just go this Hat from J. Crew Factory and I am OBSESSED! It's just so cute with the big fur ball on top I could not resist. Also if you are a student J. Crew Factory has a 15% off student discount in the store which is amazing!! 

Steal Vs. Splurge: Vineyard Vines Check Scarf

Happy almost Friday everyone! It has been a hot minute since I have done a Steal Vs. Splurge post which I know everyone loves (including me). I mean who else doesn't love saving tons of money on super cute things (yes please)! 

This Vineyard Vines scarf I first saw on Kelly's blog is SO cute! I fell in love the first second I saw it on her blog. Though I did not fall in love with the price as it's $168. Now don't get me wrong I love Vineyard Vines thought for a scarf I don't have the money (especially in college)! So when I came across almost the same scarf from Aerie I knew I had to share. The Aerie scarf is only $30! Really the only difference is that the one from Vineyard Vines is cashmere which is why it's so much! So I think it's safe to say I will probably be making a trip to the mall this weekend ;)

Basic College Outfit

Sweatshirt: Salty Dog Cafe / Jeans: American Eagle / Shoes: Converse / Earrings: Miadora / M bangle: Alex & Ani / Live In The Moment Bracelet: Montraband / Rings: Target (similar)

Dressed To Impress

Lately I have had to wear business attire a lot for different clubs I am involved with at school. I think investing in a high quality suit for college is essential however it can be overwhelming so I have made it easy for all you guys by rounding up favorites! 

I LOVE Ann Taylor for professional attire it's just so simple and classy! Though it can be a bit pricey so my tip is to go to to Ann Taylor outlet or shop online when they have a sale! 

Right now is the perfect time to buy any business attire because EVERYTHING is 50% off online!!! 

Grocery Store Haul

This is definitely the most random post I have every posted! I ran to the store yesterday to get a few things and when I got back I thought I mine as well film a video to share everything I got. I enjoy watching videos like this on YouTube which is where I got the idea!  Please let me know what you think of this type of video because if you guys like these really random posts I can do more things like this! However if you really thought "Melanie this is so random" then let me know that too because it really did not take the long to film! Basically I would just love your input. I hope everyone is having a good weekend & I will see you guys back here soon ;) 

J Crew Fall Arrivals

Checkered Button Down / Plaid Scarf  / Plaid Skirt / Striped Sweater / Puffer Vest / Striped Cardigan / Statement Necklace

Black Dog & Apple Picking

Fall Adventures

As I mentioned in the last blog post I had a super fun weekend celebrating my father's birthday. We took a little road trip out of town for a night! We did everything fall related from drinking cider, going on a hike and going apple picking. I took lots of photos and short videos so I thought it would be fun to collage them together into a short video! I know this post is a bit random but I hope it helps you get into the fall spirit ;) 

Perfect Fall Weekend

T-Shirt: Old Navy / Jeans: Gap / Flats: Payless / Jacket: Tommy Hilfiger (similar) / Necklace: My Name Necklace / Earrings: Miadora / Sunglasses: Ray Ban (similar) / Watch: Daniel Wellington

Current Favorites

Guys, I am home for the long weekend and I can't wait to share lots of pictures on the blog with you! I am excited to do some fun fall activities with my family. This long weekend could not have come at a better time (I really needed a little break). So I wanted to share with you some of my recent favorites even if they are really random! 

1. I just finished watching the Age of Adeline and let me tell you this movie is SO good! If you have not watched it yet I highly recommend you do when you get a chance. 

Organizational Tips

Guys I don't know about you but I have to write EVERYTHING down other wise I will not remember. Especially now with having big assignments due weeks out and club meetings in college keeping organized is crucial. Though keeping organized is not always easy if you are not naturally good at it! So today I am sharing with you all my tips to stay organized!

Life Updates & Where Have I Been?

 

T-shirt: Target / Jeans: Gap / Army Jacket: Tommy Hilfiger (similar) / Sneakers: Converse / Necklace: My Name Necklace / Earrings: Miadora / Bangle: Alex and Ani 

Preppy Girl Tag

It's almost Friday which is exciting and I can't wait for the weekend!! I also can not ever believe it's already October which would explain why it's so cold but I still feel like it should be summer. I am super excited about today's post because we are going to be talking all about preppy style (which is my favorite). I think this preppy girl tag is really interesting and fun to read. I also think it helps you better understand me and my style! While I was not tagged by anyone specific so I would love it if you commented down below the answers to the questions so we can all share our thoughts! I am really excited so lets just get right to the questions ;) 

Book

Updated Hair Care Routine

Hey guys it has been a long time since I last posted (but I warned you)! I had two test this week and a paper due so I have been busy. Then on top of that I am possibly going to be joining a sorority so I have been busy with recruitment every night as well! I will definitely be keeping you updated on that front but for now lets just get to today's post! 

Last summer I shared my hair care routine with you guys but I have pretty much changed every thing around so I thought I would share with you an updated hair care routine! My hair has never felt so healthy and sleek before so I am in love with the products I am using. I have found that the best bet is to use a few high end products as compared to a bunch of cheap products. 

Perfect Vineyard Vines Sweatshirt

T-Shirt: Vineyard Vines / Jeans: Gap / Flats: Old Navy (similar) (similar) / Earrings: Miadora 

Friday Favs

Guys it's finally Friday so you know what that means... Friday Favs here on Melchicmay! It has been a little while since I have done one of these so I have lots of things to share. I am super excited for family weekend here at school and I hope everyone else has a great weekend. I am setting a goal to try and blog everyday for the next couple of days to make up for what I feel like has been a lack of posts. Lets see if I can keep it up!

1. Last weekend when I was home me and my mom went to get pedicures. This Essie color (She's Pampered) that I got is the perfect fall red color!

Perfect Off The Shoulder Top

Top: Target (similar) (similar) (similar) / Jeans: Gap / Sandals: American Eagle (similar) / Necklace: My Name Necklace / Cross Body: Charming Charlie (similar) / Earrings: Miadora / Bangle: Alex & Ani

Favorite Fall Trends

It's sadly getting a little colder outside and the fall weather is starting to set in! While I am sad to see the summer go their are some parts of fall that I love (aka: fall clothing)! This past weekend when I was home I did a little bit of shopping & found some really great pieces at Old Navy. I am loving some of this years fall trends that I keep seeing in store after store. Now when I mean trends I am talking wearable everyday trends. Not things that are seen on the runways or in New York fashion week. Granted some of these things might be inspired by high fashion, but the trends I am talking about are everyday pieces. I am not a fashion expert by any means and I don't consider myself a trendy person, however trends don't always have to be super trendy. I don't know if that made any since (haha)! Moving on...so today I am rounding up my favorite fall trends for 2015!! I would love to know what your favorite fall trends are for 2015?  

Alex & Ani Bracelets

Two posts in one day! What how can this be? Well I wanted to make up for the lack for posts & thank you guys for your continued support of Melchicmay. College life has made me pretty lazy when it comes to putting on jewelry plus I don't have the space to store lots of statement pieces. So I have been living in my Alex & Ani M bracelet that I have. So I decided to round up my favorite bracelets in today's post because they have lots of super cute styles. I love that each bracelet can tell a story about who you are. I think you can tell I love all things nautical!

Home Sweet Home

Top: Joe Fresh (similar) / Shorts: J Crew Factory / Belt: American Eagle (similar) / Sandals: American Eagle (similar) (similar) / Bangle: Alex & Ani / Necklace: My Name Necklace / Earrings: Miadora

Nautical Flags

T-shirt: Target / Shorts: Target / Sandals: Jack Rogers / Scarf: Sperry / Watch: Daniel Wellington / Earrings: Miadora / Belt: American Eagle (similar) / Handbag: Francesca's (similar) (similar) 

Dorm Room Tour

Today I have a really exciting post because I am FINALLY showing you what my dorm room looks like!! This post took me for ever to get together so sorry for the delay. I really am happy with the way I set everything up. I didn't really rearrange anything a bunch of times so I am pretty proud of myself. I LOVE the theme of my room and so I thought I would share with you how everything is set up and what it looks like. I would love any suggestions you have to make my room every better!! 

It's Not Fall Yet

T-shirt: Gap (similar) / Shorts: Forever 21 (similar) / Shoes: Sperry's / Necklace: Francesca's (similar) / Earrings: Miadora / Handbag: Spartina