Simply Lauren Gray

Preppy Home Decor.

03 April 2020

Hi friends! How are you today? To be honest, I have my good days and bad days. Somedays I feel very productive and creative, while other days it's a struggle to even get out of my pjs. Right now I am just trying to look on the bright side of things and be thankful to have all of this free time at home with Joe and to be healthy and safe.

To keep myself occupied during this quarantine, I've been really getting into home decor! We already repainted our bathroom (photos to come soon!!) and now I am planning on redoing our guest bedroom! The projects in our house are endless so I figured I might as well tackle as many as I can before I have to go back to work.

While scouring the internet over the last few days for inspiration ideas, I came across SO many adorable "preppy" home decor pieces that I wanted to share with you!! I love a good, clean, blue and white themed room with pops of wicker/rattan and some greenery sprinkled throughout to keep things looking fresh. My goal is to have every room in my house look like that!

You can shop the pieces for each rooms mood board by clicking on the links below and you can follow me on Pinterest here for more ideas!

Bath Mat | Soap Dispenser | Monogram Towels | Trash Can | Shower Curtain

J Crew Factory Spring Try-On.

07 March 2020

Hi friends! Spring is almost here and that means it's time for a little wardrobe refresh! I thought it would be fun to do a little try on session of some new pieces that just arrived at J Crew Factory (I am a manager there and it's always so neat to see the new goodies first!) Let me know which look is your favorite! Also, I am totally noticing a red, white and blue theme here... but what can I say? I love the classics!

Happy shopping!!

Striped Sweater (runs small, size up) | Red Cardigan | Cropped Jeans (true to size) | Gingham Bag | Sneakers (run large, size down)

Striped Skirt (could size down) | Scalloped Tank | Cardigan | Cork Clutch | Red Heels

Gingham Pants (run small, size up) | Linen Blazer | Pearl Necklace | Cork Clutch | Red Heels

Trench Coat (size up for a comfier fit) | Striped Tee | Jeans | Nude Flats | Gingham Bag

Gingham Dress (true to size) | Cork Clutch | Hat | Red Heels

Gift Guide for the Preppy Girl.

04 December 2019

Tis the season for hot cocoa, Christmas movie marathons and of course, shopping! For my first gift guide this year I thought it would be fun to share some gift ideas for the preppy girl in your life. Some of these items I own and can't live without, and others are on my own wish list this year! You can shop all of my picks by clicking on the links below. Happy shopping!

My Preppy Picks.

*items with a star next to them are items that I own and would highly recommend!

Autumn Weekend in Vermont.

20 November 2019

Last month Joseph and I headed up to Vermont for a long weekend to enjoy some fall foliage- and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I had never seen a true New England Autumn before and it was even more spectacular than I could even imagine!

We drove to Woodstock on Saturday, October 12th and the whole way up we were in awe at the bright orange, red and golden colored leaves that covered the mountain sides (I highly recommend taking route 7 for some of the best views!) Upon arrival, we immediately changed and headed to the infamous Sleepy Hollow Farm to snap some photos. Side note: there is no real address for Sleepy Hollow Farm so just type Cloudland Road into your GPS and it will take you to a back road and from there you park on the side and follow the road on foot until you come across the farm (it was a lot farther than anticipated so be sure to wear comfortable shoes ha!) The farm was absolutely beautiful and is a must see while in Woodstock!! After exploring the farm, we headed to downtown Woodstock and grabbed a bite to eat for dinner. Downtown Woodstock looked like it's right out of a Hallmark movie- so many homes were decked out with mums, pumpkins and tasteful Halloween decor!

The next day we woke up bright and early and started our journey to Stowe, Vermont. On the way there, we stopped at Cold Hollow Cider Mill and grabbed some hot apple cider and apple cider donuts! From there, we headed to Stowe Mountain Resort to ride the gondola up the side of the mountain! This was SO much fun and a great way to see all the fall foliage (lucky for us it was peak season and the leaves were so vibrant!) We took a small picnic up on the mountain and found a quiet spot to just sit, relax and enjoy all the foliage. It was my favorite part of our trip. After spending a while on top of the mountain, we headed to downtown Stowe and had a delicious lunch at Cafe on Main- I had a cup of clam chowder and the turkey cranberry sandwich! After popping in and out of all the local shops we headed back to Woodstock for the evening.

For our final morning in Vermont we headed back to downtown Woodstock and grabbed coffee at Mon Vert Cafe and strolled around one last time to take in all of the Autumnal beauty. I did not want to leave!

Until next time, Vermont.

Ps: you can find links to what Joe and I wore at the bottom of the post :)

Preppy Back to School Must Haves.

21 August 2019

Back to school season was always one of my favorite times of the year- new clothes, cooler weather and a fresh start! My school days are long gone, but I still thought it would be fun to share some of my preppy back to school must haves for any of my college or high school readers! Happy reading!

1.) A beret- a classic accessory in the preppy wardrobe! Pop one on with a trench coat for sporting events at your school or a study sesh at your local coffee shop. Berets instantly make you look chic and put together, and are a lifesaver on bad hair days!

2.) A striped tee- wear by itself tucked into jeans, or under a puffer vest with some corduroys; a striped tee will be your best friend because you can style it so many ways!

3.) Navy flats- they pair so effortlessly with everything!

4.) Cozy sweater- I mean, who doesn't love being cozy?! Pop this guy on on days when you don't feel like getting out of bed but you still have to go to class.

5.) Brown loafers- instantly make you feel like you go to Harvard Law School. Pair with a cozy sweater and jeans or with a skirt and tights for that classic prepster look.

6.) Novelty sweater- because you need to have a little fun sometimes! These sweaters look so cute with a collared shirt or striped turtleneck layered underneath. I love this dalmation one and this duck one!

7.) High rise denim- they suck you in in all the right places and are actually comfortable. Perfect for going to class, hanging with friends and just about everything in between.

8.) A colorful jacket- while I do love a good neutral, I think it's fun to have a pop of color in your wardrobe every now and then! This red quilted riding jacket is classic and stylish but it is also practical for everyday wear.

9.) Leather tote- a sleek option to the traditional backpack. I carried my Madewell tote all through college and it held everything I needed.

10.) Bean boots- a preppy staple!!! These boots will keep your toes toasty while walking to class in the colder months. I wear mine with camp socks for extra coziness!

11.) Sidewalk skirt- my absolute favorite skirt in the world! These skirts have endless styling opportunities. For class, tuck in a striped long sleeve tee, add a puffer vest on top and pair with your Bean Boots and camp socks. For date night, pair with a pretty blouse, tights and block heels.

12.) Shep shirt- just a cozy favorite of mine for you when don't feel like getting dressed. Pair with leggings or knit joggers and cute sneaks for class or running errands!

Mackinac Island.

28 July 2019

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. Clicking on these links won’t cost you any extra money.

A few weeks ago my family and I headed up to Mackinac Island, Michigan- a little hidden gem located on Lake Huron. Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw,) is the dreamiest place to summer. The whole island is just 8.2 miles around; there are no cars- just bicycles and horses, and there are ice cream and fudge shoppes galore. We only had 2 full days there but those days were jam packed with endless fun and we made the most amazing memories that will last a lifetime. If you'd like to know what we did those few days then keep on reading :)

Day One:

We took the 8:30 am Shepler ferry from St. Ignace and arrived on Mackinac Island just before 9 am. As soon as we hopped off the ferry we were greeted with the smell of fudge! We strolled around town for a bit and decided it was time to fuel up on some coffee. We popped into Good Day Cafe and I had the most delicious cinnamon bun iced coffee! From there we did some more exploring (it was lilac season so everything was in bloom!!) and took endless Instagram photos ha! From there we headed to where we would be staying, Mission Point Resort. Luckily we were able to score an early check in so we went to our rooms and freshened up a bit before heading back downtown. For lunch we had burgers and fries at Mighty Mac Hamburgers- SO YUM!! After lunch we rented bikes from our hotel and biked around the whole island. It was a very easy ride and we saw so much beautiful scenery. We then returned our bikes and did the quick hike up to see Arch Rock- a must see in Mackinac. After that we went back to our hotel, freshened up and had dinner at the Round Island Bar & Grill which was located in our hotel. We sat out on the patio and indulged in tuna tar tar and scallops and watched the sun go down over the lake. After dinner we hung out on Mission Points lawn chairs and then we made our way downtown for a little fudge and ice cream treat. Thus concludes day one on Mackinac!

Day Two:

The next morning we woke up to some light rain so we decided to take it easy and have a late breakfast at a local favorite, The Pancake House. Raincoats on and umbrellas in hand, we made the most of our rainy and grey morning on the island by strolling in and out of shops downtown following breakfast. Luckily the rain cleared up in the afternoon so we were able to hangout and relax at our hotels pool and hot tub for a bit. For dinner that night we had something special planned- a 5 course meal at The Grand Hotel! We got all dolled up in our Lilly Pulitzer dresses and the guys had their suits and bow ties on and we took a horse drawn carriage ride across the island to The Grand. Dinner was spectacular and truly a dining experience that I will never forget.

Day Three:

On our last morning on Mackinac we woke up early and had a hearty breakfast at the Chuck Wagon, another local favorite. After that we strolled around town, bought some more fudge to take home and then we headed back up to The Grand Hotel to get one last look at the beautiful resort. Just before getting on the ferry to leave, I had one last ice cream cone and then said goodbye to my favorite island.

Until next time, Mackinac.