The Full-Body Security Scanner...in a MALL

Has anybody seen any of these things at their local malls?

Yeah, they're basically full-body security scanners. You know, the ones they use in airports? Only these, called "Me-Ality", aren't used for security measures: they tell you what size and what clothing brands will fit you the best.

I saw this at the Watertower Place mall in Chicago, and I knew I needed to try it out. Plus, it was free, and I'm all about anything free.

You go inside, wait for the camera to swivel around you a few times, and then step out to receive a printout with your results. Here are mine:

I was shocked by the results. How am I a size 0 in jeans for one brand, and a size 5 for another? This really showed me how vanity sizing works and why it is so difficult to go shopping for jeans! The results from the printout only include stores and brands from that particular mall, but then via email you receive access to a website that will take all brands into consideration.

The other person who was with me didn't want to try Me-Ality out. I think she thought that seeing what sizes fit her best would make her feel self-conscious about her body. Me-Ality did the opposite for me: it made me feel more secure, seeing how your size doesn't really matter: it varies from store to store! We shouldn't let clothing companies define our body images with little numbers--we have to be the ones to define our body images and be proud of them!

If Me-Ality came to your local malls, would you try it out?

The Greatest Olympic Moments

So...who's excited for the Olympics? This girl! I was waiting to post this until the actual Olympics, but since the opening ceremony is only two weeks from today (!) 

NBCOlympics.com has a feature in which you rank the three greatest moments in Olympic history, so I thought I'd share my pics with you! Do you all remember these?

1. Dad Helps Son Finish Race (1992)


Such an inspiring video! I don't want to say anything...just watch it.

2. 2008 Beijing Opening Ceremony



I remember watching this live and thinking it was the most incredible thing I've ever seen. Apparently London is going to try to top it--we'll see!

3. Phelps wins by 100m Butterfly by .01 second


I was on the edge of my seat thinking Phelps would actually lose one of his events! I can't believe he won by a hundredth of a second. Just think how upset the guy was who lost to Phelps...I feel kind of bad for him! It was so close.

  Go watch NBC's gallery of greatest Olympic moments and tell me which our your favorites! What are you looking forward to see at this year's Olympics?


P.S. Apparently a family friend's daughter is competing in the Olympics! She's competing in the taekwondo events, representing Panama. Everybody cheer for Carolena Carstens!

Prep for Less: J.Crew Jewelry Look-a-Likes

So I have an obsession: J.Crew jewelry. I went to J.Crew last weekend and was in awe of all the jewelry that they keep under their glass cases. My all-time favorite? Their bubble necklace...

...that just happens to be $150. Ouch.

The funny thing? I found the exact same necklace on Etsy just by typing in "bubble necklace". Multiple vendors have their own versions of the "bubble necklace", but my favorite would have to be himedly's. Does this look familiar?

And it will only set you back $19! How's that for a steal?

This got me thinking: can I find other J.Crew jewelry look-a-likes for less? Well, I did.

J.Crew Look-a-Likes by preppypremed featuring animal necklaces

1. F21 Floral necklace: Even though the colors aren't exactly the same, this Forever 21 necklace has the same number of main flowers as the J.Crew version, with the same layout as well: a big flower in the middle, followed by two smaller flowers.

I know what you're thinking: you don't like the quality of Forever 21 jewelry. Unless you'll wear the J.Crew necklace once a week, I don't know if it's worth it for the price. It isn't a timeless piece, so it can go out of style in a year or two. I say go for the $11 F21

2. Etsy Elephant pendant: I love the trend of animal necklaces, but $68 is too much for something that looks like it's plastic. I found this similar-looking vintage, ceramic elephant pendant on Etsy that looks like it's around the same size as the J.Crew elephant. Just buy a cheap necklace chain and you're good to go!

3. F21 Starfish necklace: Let's face it--this necklace is more for summer anyway. So why spend $58 on something you can wear only one season and find on Etsy for much cheaper? There were tons of starfish necklaces on Etsy, but I decided to go to F21 to find something similar that won't break the bank.

What do you guys think? Any tips on where to find preppy, cute looking jewelry at half the cost?
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Don't forget to enter my $15 Crazydogtshirt.com giftcard giveaway! As of writing this, no one has entered yet...so if you enter, you have an amazing chance of winning! :)

GIVEAWAY: Crazy Dog T-Shirts $15 Giftcard

As bloggers, most of us spend our time writing up posts and making creations based on the latest fashion trends. One trend that we almost never talk about? Graphic tees!

 Recently I came across the company Crazy Dog T-Shirts, which has an outstanding number of graphic tees available on its website. From vintage tees to humorous tees to holiday tees (they have numerous Christmas and St. Patricks tees available!), there's a graphic t-shirt for everyone.

I was sent two shirts for review. The first thing I noticed immediately upon unwrapping my shirts was that the quality of them is outstanding.

They feel soft against the touch and they aren't too thin. C'mon girls, how many times have we tried on shirts like these, only to notice that our bra shows right through them? With the shirts I received, this wasn't a problem at all, which I was very happy about.

The first shirt I received was the Mr. DNA t-shirt, located in the Girls T-Shirts section of the Crazy Dog T-Shirts website. I chose the shirt because I'm a huge science nerd and I wanted a shirt that would give all of my fellow research lab workers a laugh.

As you can see, the shirt fits perfectly on my body. It's unlike most t-shirts I receive, which are usually unisex and simply hang there. This shirt slims right around your waist, making it very flattering.

Closeup of (backwards) Mr. DNA. Anyone remember what movie this is from?

The second shirt I received was actually from Crazy Dog T-Shirts' sister company, Nacho Mama Tees. It's the Never Forget T-Shirt located in the Girls T-Shirts section of Nacho Mama Tees.

As you can see, it has the same fit as the first shirt I tried on. The letters and the dinosaur imprinted on the shirt don't seem like they'll fade or fall apart anytime soon, something I've noticed other graphic tees have a tendency to do.

Why did I choose a dinosaur tee? Well...I'm kind of a dinosaur geek. Or used to be, as a kid. Land Before Time, Jurassic Park, that weird Disney movie with the computerized dinosaurs...guys, I watched all of them. Over and over again. Yeah, I was a cool kid.

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Here's my Polyvore set of Crazy Dog T-Shirts. I think many people have a hard time trying to find ways to wear graphic tees other than with jeans, so here are some ideas!

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And finally, the moment you've been waiting for: GIVEAWAY TIME! One lucky reader will receive a $15 gift card to Crazy Dog T-Shirts. Here's how to enter:

MANDATORY:
--Be a follower of Preppy Premed on GFC
--Comment below saying that you're entering the contest and which graphic tee you would buy from Crazy Dog T-Shirts if you win!

OPTIONAL (comment below telling me if you've completed these):
--Follow Crazy Dog T-Shirts on Twitter (+1 entry)
--Like Crazy Dog T-Shirts on Facebook (+1 entry)
--Pin a Crazy Dog T-Shirts tee on Pinterest (+1 entry)
--Follow Preppy Premed on Twitter (+1 entry)
--Follow Preppy Premed via email, RSS or Bloglovin (+1 entry)
--Follow Preppy Premed on Pinterest (+1 entry)
--Follow Preppy Premed on Instagram (+1 entry)
--Advertise this giveaway on your blog (+3 entries)

TERMS:
--Giveaway ends Monday, July 16th at 6:00 AM Central Standard Time
--Winner will be announced on this blog Tuesday, July 17th
--Winner will be notified via email and must reply within 7 days

Good luck everybody! You have until next Monday to enter the contest!
ETA 7/16/12: The giveaway has ended. Thank you for participating!

*Giveaway item and products given by Crazy Dog T-Shirts in exchange for a review; all opinions are my own

Review: Kavalena Clothing

We've all heard about the company TOMS: you buy a pair of shoes and they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Recently I discovered Kavalena Clothing, which takes this concept not just one step further, but into new territory altogether.

With every clothing purchase from Kavalena, the clothing brand is able to provide the following:
--3 meals for a child and their family
--1 hour's worth of clean water for a village
--1 hour of aftercare for an individual freed from slavery
--1 day of school for a child in Ghana, Africa
--1 hour of therapy for orphans with cerebral palsy and autism

Isn't that incredible? Think about how much you're giving to the world, just with one purchase. Not only are you helping others, but you get an awesome piece of clothing out of the deal as well.

I was sent The Everyday Tanktop in purple, and I absolutely love it! It's such a comfortable tank top. You don't feel like it's weighing down on you--it's light and airy, perfect for the oh-so-wonderful heat wave sweeping across our country!

(Arbitrary pic after I had just gotten out of research lab...my hair is still a mess from the goggles! It's always hot in the research lab, so the tank was just the right weight so I didn't roast like I usually do!)

I love the look of pairing the tank top with a simple necklace, sandals and skinny jeans. It's a casual look perfect for class or, in my case, research lab!

One thing I love about Kavalena are their little details. Look at the cute package the clothes came in. The twine and the Kavalena tag really fit with the theme of the clothing brand.

I also love how the tag of the tank top references a Biblical passage. I looked it up and it's quite relevant.

Eph 2:10: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

I made a set featuring not only The Everyday Tanktop but another item of Kavalena's, The "Go To" Slouchy Pullover. 

Another item of Kavalena's that I love is the Cozy Up Zip Up sweatshirt. Just like the tanktop, it looks so comfy! I don't wear many hoodies, but I would wear this one, especially since it's made slave free and with organic cotton. 

Go check Kavalena Clothing out! Not only do they spread a great message, but they have wonderful, well-fitting products that look good on everyone and, with every purchase, make a difference in the world. 

What is your favorite Kavalena product? Tell me in the comments below!

*Given product in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own

Giraffe-Inspired Jewelry

Animal-inspired jewelry seems to be really "in" right now. I've seen snake-inspired bangles, snail necklaces, elephant pendants, but my favorite has to be any jewelry inspired by giraffes. Giraffes were always my favorite animal when I visited the zoo as a little kid, and I still love them today.

In a course of a few days I saw all these different giraffe-inspired pieces. There's this giraffe bangle from J.Crew...

Via

...this Angela Moore giraffe-patterned beaded bracelet...

Via

...and this simple giraffe charm necklace from J.Crew Factory.

 Via

The problem is, how do you wear these statement pieces? Here's some outfit ideas below!

Giraffe Inspired Outfit by preppypremed featuring a ruffle tank

--Becky

Sunday Confessions:Featuring the Skinny Jean Dance

I've wanted to link up with Alyx's Sunday Confessions for weeks now and today I finally remembered to. Beware, folks, things are about to get personal...




1. I do the "skinny jean dance" to fit into my skinny jeans after they come out of the wash. Ok, please tell me I'm not the only one and that we've all been there: you've just taken your jeans out of the dryer and they seem to have shrunk a whole size.

Via

Pulling them on becomes a huge ordeal. I put my right leg in first, then my left, and everything seems to be going fine...until I get to my hips. I start praying that the jeans will fit, and then hop, wiggle and twist trying to pull them on. And when they do, I'm thanking God and promising him I'll go to church more often, since, you know, he helped me fit into my skin-tight jeans. So that, my friends, is the skinny jean dance. And I never end up going to church more often. Hell for me will end up being endless pairs of tight, starched skinny jeans.

2. I screamed as soon as I saw that TomKat broke up. Not my proudest moment. I think I'm one of the only people in the world who didn't see that one coming.

3. An oldie, but goodie: during my freshman year of college I told everyone on my floor that I would never get a MacBook Pro and that I thought Steve Jobs was ripping everyone off--PCs were obviously the way to go. Fast forward six months and guess who ended up getting a MacBook?

4. I saw it rain yesterday for the first time in a month and a half, and I seriously felt like crying. This heat is getting to me.

5. On the 4th of July I started complaining (in my head) that the fireworks were too loud and that I couldn't study. It's kind of pathetic. I mean, how can you be mad at people for setting off fireworks on the 4th of July?

So those are my confessions! Now you all know how truly crazy I can be at times. Hope you all had good weekends and are gearing up for another week ahead!

--Becky