Law School Prom | Barrister's Ball and my Favorite Dress Shops

My last law school prom! 

Thursday night was my last Barrister’s Ball at Crest Hollow Country Club. (In a full circle moment, I had my high school senior prom at the same venue).

I re-wore my green gown from Lord + Taylor, which I previously wore to a black-tie wedding in Knoxville, Tennessee around New Years in 2021.

I searched high and low for dresses for this ball. I shared some horrible $100 dresses HERE. I returned all of them. I ordered another dress from Mac Duggal, without success. 

I’m glad I re-wore this beautiful gown (Kate Middleton would approve). I got so many complements on it and rounded up some similar dresses to this one and linked them at the bottom of this post.

Below is a list of my favorite dress shops when I don’t know where to start looking.

As always, I am here to help you shop for whatever function (big or small, dressy or casual) coming up! Shoot me a DM on Instagram or an email.

 

Favorite dress shops (I featured most of these stores in THIS T&P Top 10 post):

⁃            Bloomingdale’s

⁃            Nordstrom

⁃            Mac Duggal

⁃            Revolve

⁃            Show me Your Mumu

⁃            Anthropologie

⁃            Lulus

⁃            Astr the Label

⁃            Petal and Pup

⁃            Reformation

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Five Friday Favorites | 36 | BYOB Restaurant in NYC, Tapas Restaurant, Lipstick Making in SOHO, Pickle Ball and More

 

1.         Eleven B- I’ve been two Friday nights in a row to this great family-style pizza spot for BYOB and pizza. We celebrated a birthday here with 12 people and brought our own beer, seltzers, and wine. We had pizza, salad, chicken parm, and meatballs. So delicious. It’s always packed with big groups of friends! 

2.         “Pay attention to who you are with when you are feeling your best” - a quote I heard somewhere that really resonated with me.

3.         Ella Social UWS- This teeny tiny restaurant is such a cute spot for tapas with friends or on a date. Michelle and Giorgia and I split a bottle of wine and a ton of small plates. Everything was delicious.

4.         Lip Lab SOHO- Grab your girlfriends and make a custom lipstick. Lauren and I celebrated Galentine’s Day one Saturday and picked out some lipstick shades with the help of the colorists that matched our personalities. I picked a pink color and Lauren picked a nude-brown color. We got to customize the color, scent, finish, packaging, and name of our creation. I filmed our day HERE.

5.         Pickle ball- Pickle ball has become trendy these past couple of years and I never fully understood the hype until this past weekend. Alex and I played for a couple of hours, and we had so much fun. I am always down for some friendly competition. 

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 46 | Easter Dress, Spring Fashion, Tweed Jacket, Suiting Set, Spring Blazers, Slingbacks

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 46 | Easter Dress, Spring Fashion, Tweed Jacket, Suiting Set, Spring Blazers, Slingbacks

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How to Case Brief in Law School

I have been sharing tips, tricks, and lessons I’ve learned from my two and a half years in law school on TikTok weekly.

There seems to be an attraction to learn more about law school so I thought I would share a dedicated post on what case briefing is and how I do it, after I shared a quick lesson in video format.

 

What is a case brief?

In law school, you learn the law by reading cases in the textbooks. We call textbooks, casebooks because they are filled with edited cases from the publishers and background information about the cases. 

A case brief is what law students create to summarize a case from the casebook. It is a summary of the case. 

My first year and a half of law school, I would write out all my case briefs by hand, but I realized that typing works better for me.

 

Why case brief?

Well, professors like to cold call or call on you in class when your hand isn’t raised and ask you questions about a case you were assigned for class, so case briefing helps you be prepared for these stressful situations. It also helps with studying and outlining. (I will do another post on how I outline for law school exams soon.) Case briefs can be one page to several pages. It depends on how detailed the professor likes you to be while asking you questions and it also depends on how detailed you like your notes for studying purposes. 

 How I case brief:

I first start off by reading the assigned case in my casebook. While reading, I highlight and annotate the case in my book, making notes about where each part of my brief comes from in the case.

 

What I put in my case brief:

Case name/court/year

Judges/justices

Facts: Who, what, where, when, why

Procedural History: How this case got to the court it is in now

Issue: What does the judge/justices/jury in this case have to decide?

Parties Arguments: The plaintiff and defendant’s arguments in the case

Hold: The decision of the case. Is it reversed? Is the holding affirmed? Is it dismissed? Is it remanded to a lower court? I also usually include a quick summary with the holding of how the court came to the holding.

Rule: The law that creates the holding

Reasoning: How the holding and the rule go together with the facts of the case.

 

And that’s it. Case briefing gets easier over time as you learn to read and understand the cases better.

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Five Friday Favorites | 35 | Wedding Guest Dress Brand, Pastries, Pasta Recipe, Chanel Inspired Bag, and Pizza in NYC

1.         Mac Duggal- I discovered this brand while hunting for a law school prom dress. Although the dress didn’t work out, (see above) the brand has some stunning formal and cocktail dresses with unique details.

2.         Veniero's Pastry- Our newest pastry shop obsession in the East Village. Take pastries to go or grab a coffee and a treat with friends in the back of the bakery. We went with friends on a Friday night, and it was so much nicer than going to a bar to socialize. 

3.         Spicy rigatoni and sausage recipe- A new favorite recipe that Alex and I made one night this winter. Not too spicy and only took about 20 minutes.

4.         Lily & Bean tote bag- I am dying to wear my new summer bag. I get Chanel and Dior vibes but for a fraction of the price. I was gifted this bag for Christmas. I have the medium size. The pictures on the website are deceiving and only show the biggest bag in all the pictures, even if you click on a smaller size of the bag. You’ve been warned! Also, the bag ships from the UK, so be prepared for extra wait time. I cannot wait for spring so I can wear it. 

5.         Montesacro in Brooklyn- This spot right off the L train has delicious handmade Pizza that doesn’t fill you up or make you feel gross. I had one with sausage and broccoli rabe! YUM! (Can you tell I love carbs!)

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 45 | J.Crew Spring Arrivals, Long Sleeve Dress, Trench Coat, Spring Workwear Basics, White Denim Jacket, Colorful Shoes

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 45 | J.Crew Spring Arrivals, Long Sleeve Dress, Trench Coat, Spring Workwear Basics, White Denim Jacket, Colorful Shoes

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Valentine's Day Special: Q/A with my Boyfriend

Happy Valentine’s Day!

In honor of Alex and my 5th Valentine’s Day together (WILD), I am sharing a Q/A with questions asked by you on my Instagram stories. 

Click here to read our previous Q/A together.

 

1. How’d you meet?

Elizabeth: Freshman year in French class at Wake Forest. But we didn’t start dating until we studied abroad together in France in the fall of 2018.

Alex: French Class at Wake! But we started dating in 2018 when we were studying abroad in France.

 

2. What were your first impressions of the other person?

E: I thought he was really cute. We sat near each other in class. I always had a crush on him.

A: I always thought she was beautiful, but I thought she was a tad obnoxious when we first met.

 

3. What’s your favorite thing to do together?

E: Go on adventures and explore New York or travel to new places together. Also going out to dinner is my love language. 

A: Trying new restaurants in NYC or sitting on the couch relaxing and watching TV together.

 

4. What’s your favorite thing about the other person?

E: Alex is a really great listener, and I am a really great talker (hehe), so I love that he really listens to me. 

A: Elizabeth makes it really easy for me to be 100% myself around her. I love that we can both dance, make stupid jokes and be goofy around each other.

 

5. Least favorite thing about the other person?

E: Alex tends to be forgetful, which drives me a little nutty. 

A: Sometimes Elizabeth can have a short temper when she is stressed out.

 

6. Does Alex have single friends?

E: Ha, yes.

A: Yes, many!

 

7. Who wears the pants in the relationship?

E: Me, duh! Honestly, I think we are really good partners and split relationship responsibilities pretty evenly. 

A: I would say we each wear one leg of said “pants.” We both have different strengths that complement each other. Overall, we make a great team. 

 

8. Advice for a long-term relationship?

E: Honesty and speaking what’s on your mind. No secrets! Also figure out how best to communicate and what your love languages are.

A: Communication! It’s important to talk through good times and especially bad times. This ensures both partners are on the same page, even if it means you have to compromise/make sacrifices to find common ground.

 

9. What’s the biggest difference between dating in college and as an adult?

E: In college you have less responsibilities and more free time, so we spent a ton of time together every day. As “adults” we are way busier. I use quotation marks because I don’t really feel like an adult. I still live at home and am a full-time student. So, I only see Alex on the weekends, which is kind of sad. 

A: As adults, we spend much less time together. I work full time and E is a full-time law student with many extracurriculars and internships so naturally we have to really take advantage of the weekend to spend quality time together. In college, we had time to see each other almost every day.

 

10. Are you a Type A person or Type B?

E: I am completely a Type A person. Are you surprised?

B: Type B, I like to go with the flow, as they say.

Five Friday Favorites | 34 | Rooftop Bar in NYC, Sweater Blazer, East Village Burgers, Carry-on Bag, Dumplings and More

 1.          Panorama Room- Do you want the best views of NYC? Head to the rooftop bar/observation deck at the Graduate Hotel on Roosevelt Island. We took the Roosevelt Island gondola over to the island in the East River for the same price as a subway ride. From the gondola, it’s a quick picturesque walk under the 59th Street Bridge to the Graduate Hotel. Take the elevator up to the top and enjoy the beautiful views. We had a reservation and were able to sit and enjoy the views. But you don’t need one and you can sit or stand at the bar. There is also an outdoor observation deck. I’m sure it’s amazing in the summer.  

2.          Chicwish green sweater blazer- *gifted. I have worn this military inspired sweater blazer three days in a row. It is so good. It looks so expensive and luxurious even though it is not. Paired with black jeans, light wash jeans or a skirt, it’s the perfect winter piece. The fabric is so thick and warm. I absolutely love this piece.

3.          Royale burgers- Best burgers downtown Manhattan. Don’t be fooled by the dive bar vibes. Really good spot with good drinks. Really great fries. Even a cute little patio in the back.

4.           MZ Wallace large metro tote- This bag is the best carry-on travel bag. It fits soooo much. I fill this bag every weekend when I head to the city. The bag itself weighs nothing, so you can really fill it up, but beware, it gets heavy if you are an over packer like me.

5.          Dumpling Man- Best dumplings in the East Village. This tiny cash-only spot is the place to be for a late-night snack. The dumplings are so fresh and delicious. Alex and I split one steamed dumpling sampler and seared dumpling sampler (12 in total). The chicken and pork are my favorites. Dinner for two for under $20! 

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 44 | Formal Dresses, Wedding Guest Dresses, Prom Dresses, Long Gowns

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 44 | Formal Dresses, Wedding Guest Dresses, Prom Dresses, Long Gowns

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Cold Winter Day Activities in NYC: A list of my Favorite NYC Museums

Well, this isn’t going to be a surprise to anyone but when it’s -7 degrees with the wind chill, you want to spend as much time inside as possible.

On Saturday, Michelle, Giorgia and I reunited on the Upper West Side at the New York Historical Society. It was Bank of America weekend, so with a Bank of America debit or credit card we got in for free! Definitely check with the museums to see when your bank sponsors a weekend.

The best part of the museum was on the top floor. The Tiffany exhibit was so cool. The company known for their blue boxes is a New York founded company that started with stained glass, lamps and office supplies before pivoting to what we know and love the brand for now. I thought this was the best part of the museum. I also really enjoyed the New York themed art exhibit. 

I probably won’t be going back anytime soon to this museum, but I’m glad I got to see the Tiffany lamps.

With a gazillion museums to choose from in NYC, you have no reason to stay at home even when its -7 degrees out.

 

Some of my favorite museums in NYC:

The Met: No one is surprised by this one. Especially if you can get tickets to the fashion exhibit. On Friday and Saturday nights there is live music at the Met, so I would love to go for date night. This museum is so big you could spend days in it and never get bored. 

MoMA: Starry Starry Night and Monet’s waterlilies are my favorite paintings at this museum. 

The Transit Museum: Alex’s favorite! This is such a cool museum for your non-art lovers. Based in Brooklyn, literally in a subway stop, this museum is great for kids and adults who think transportation is fascinating.

Whitney Museum: Located in Meatpacking, this trendy museum is just that: trendy and unique with modern art.

American Museum of Natural History: A classic! I think this museum of natural history is better than the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in DC. Just saying!

Ellis Island and the Statute of Liberty: This counts as a museum! I love learning about US history especially because my family immigrated through Ellis Island! Check out my post about visiting here!

 

NYC museums I would like to visit: 

The Guggenheim 

The Frick Collection

The Tenement Museum 

The Morgan Library and Museum 

The Intrepid Air and Space Museum 

The Museum of FIT

NYC Fire Museum

Skyscraper Museum

Brooklyn Museum 

National Museum of American Indian 

Museum of the City of New York

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Five Friday Favorites | 33 | French Restaurant in NYC, J.Crew Always, Tuckernuck Diana Blazer, Abercrombie Leggings and More

1.          J.Crew Always- J.Crew is collaborating with ThredUp to resell gently worn J.Crew clothes that you can shop on the J.Crew website! How cool! I love “vintage” J.Crew.

2.          Tuckernuck Diana double breasted blazer- An investment piece and a good one! I got my new blazer for Christmas. She’s beautiful and classic. I’ll have her forever.

3.          Golden Hour by JVKE- Please listen to this song! It’s beautiful. I found it on TikTok. There are so many talented people in the world.

4.          Orsay Restaurant- Alex planned a wonderful date and took me to Orsay on the Upper East Side. We both love French food and are kind of food snobs after studying abroad in France, and this restaurant did not disappoint. This is our new favorite French restaurant in NYC (and we’ve tried a lot)! The staff was so attentive and lovely too. We always celebrate good things with French food, so I can’t wait to find something else to celebrate and go back!

5.          Abercrombie leggings- My favorite workout leggings EVER! I have six pairs now. Stretchy and form fitting in all the right places. Soft too! And they don’t move when I am running or cycling! I never have to pull them up. They also come in a gazillion colors. 

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 43 | Winter Brights: Jewel Tone and Pastel Blazers, Sweaters, Bodysuits and Cardigans

T&P's Top 10 of the Week | No. 43 | Winter Brights: Jewel Tone and Pastel Blazers, Sweaters, Bodysuits and Cardigans

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