Windy City Outfit

Hello, everyone! I am back from vacation, but still sorting through my pictures from Chicago....not because I have tons of great pictures, but because I am not the greatest photographer and tend to take pictures that are out of focus or that are just plain confusing: "What is the intended subject of this one?" ..."Umm, the sidewalk? Or maybe that garbage can?"

My sister took some photos of my outfit for one of our walking around/biking around days and these photos are great because you get to see a little of the city in the background and because the subject of the photo is easy to decipher! hehe. Not the best lighting, however:

I love Target! This drape-front dress is easy, breezy, and takes up a teensy-weensy amount of space in a suitcase. And it was under $20- score!
I love this belt from the GAP. The little, shiny hexagons on neutral leather are super fun and surprisingly versatile for cinching tops and dresses.These Corso Como sandals make the outfit pop and are soooo cushy. Perfect for a day on foot and bicycle in the city (don't judge my oddly skinny toes!):

Here is a photo of my sister's outfit, too! She's a chic gal (with a chic decor blog) and loves a pair of Toms as much as I do. (Who is the awesome sister who got her the black and gold linen Toms she's wearing in the picture? Oh, wait, me!). Anyway, we had to take photos together when we realized we were both wearing black and pink!
I swear she loves me, but she does give me her "oh please" face quite often. There was another picture of us that was better, but her arms were mysteriously missing and her facial expression just wasn't as classic ;)

I hope everyone had a great weekend and, good news!, the weekend is only 2 days away!

Blowing Through the Windy City

I am excited! I have been oh-so close to Chicago many-a-time, but I have not been to the heart of the city of Chicago to discover all that is awesome there.......but I will be there on Wednesday!


I can't wait to check out the stores on Michigan Ave, have some great eats and maybe even ride a bike along the shore... who knows what I will get into, but I am looking forward to all of it.


Any suggestions of great things to do in Chicago? Somewhere I simply must eat at or visit?


I hope everyone is having a great week! I am enjoying my out-of-town visitors (my sis and her Bf have traveled to D-town from AZ!) and SO glad busy season is over at work. It is time to enjoy the rest of summer!

Retail Therapy: Wear Now, Wear Later

It's busy season at work and although sometimes I just want to close my eyes and reopen them on a tropical island, (or Antarctica, I'm not picky), a little retail-therapy can be just as re-energizing. Especially when said retail therapy is during a sale! Nordstrom is having its Anniversary Sale on fall preview merchandise and I am having trouble editing my overflowing online shopping bag. Here is one of the outfits I am envisioning for now as well as for fall:


Joie "Marlo" Silk Blouse (now $145, after the sale $218)
Halogen Seamed Pencil Skirt (now $45, after the sale $68)
Sam Edelman "Truman" Pump (now $119, after the sale $179)
Rebecca Minkoff "Passport" Ostrich Embossed Flap Wallet (now $164, after the sale $245)
Marcia Moran Teardrop Agate Druzy Ring (now $129, after the sale $198)



I love the blue and yellow together (not to mention the texture differences!) and the jazzy patent pump and ostrich clutch are fun additions that make a statement but are neutral enough to let the druzy ring shine (literally!)....

What pieces are you looking for to wear now and in the fall? Any other sales I should know about (as my wallet screams in terror)? And I know I am not the only one who loves retail therapy...right?

Oh-So-Jealous of Oh-So-Coco

Does anyone else follow model Coco Rocha? She may not be my all-time favorite, but she is sure tech-savvy. She just posted on Twitter that she's shooting at the Flat Iron building and included the picture above from her Instagram account. Hmmm, beautiful weather in NYC on a Tuesday morning wearing fabulous clothes..... color me green, people! ;)

Jekyll and Hyde?

I think I love fashion so much because trends are completely customizable. You can tailor current happenings to your tastes by picking small details to incorporate into your wardrobe or embrace everything with complete abandon. In either scenario, there is something for everyone in the upcoming fall season of color-blocking, preppy equestrian looks and retro, 70's boho chic. I love all of these, so you know I will soon be posting items I want to jazz up the ol' wardrobe (like how this blog is often my shopping wishlist?).

One trend that I still love is the maxi/midi length dresses and skirts. I have been wearing them at work and at play and want just a little more in my life, so I have been on the hunt for a new item. I fell in love with two dresses online and surprised myself with how different they are:

My dark side loves this Dark Side of Day black maxi dress. The cut-outs are just daring enough without setting off the skank-alarm and it would be perfect with sandals and a statement necklace for a night ambling about downtown.

But my softer, feminine side loves this Sunday Brunch polka-dot dress. I love the demure, neutral colors and the pleats take it to awesome status. I would add my white linen blazer for brunch (the dress is aptly named, yes?) or even to work.
Which one would you choose? And what trends are you excited for either now or for fall?

Studly.

Despite the fact that I am deathly afraid of wear and tear on studded shoes, I am a big fan of them (as seen here). There are so many great heels out there that are encrusted with spiky or blingy studs that look amazing, but aren't very practical for me to wear out and about (especially since the move) so I have been on the hunt for day-appropriate looks with studs. It didn't take long to find some (thank you Sam Edelman for existing!) and the results are certainly tempting!

I love the quasi-louche luxe of this Sam Edelman "Adena" loafer:
This cento x cento Studded Oxford is adorable and looks super comfy:

Sam Edelman "Beatrix" flat. All I can say is Chanel-meets-Balmain in this shoe:
Are you proud of me for finding (sort-of) more practical shoes than yesterday?! hehe. Are you going to be wearing studs for fall, or are you over that pokey trend?
Happy Friday!

Item of the Week (And Back to Reality)

Hey kids, I am back from vacation and can't wait to download pictures, but I think I will be laying around on the couch when I am not at work (being tossed-off a banana boat/torpedo repeatedly into a churning lake really took it out of me) so downloading will have to wait. While recovering from my vacation, I got the notion in my head that I need practical shoes, so I searched online (laziness prevented going into a "real" store), but instead of comfy flats for work, I am completely fixated on these Charlotte Olympia "Polly" Piped Leopard Print Calf Hair Platform Pumps:
Yeah, I know. Awesome. My inner retro-sex-kitten-business-lady-fashionista-who-color-blocks is completely in need of them, but my wallet (they are $905) and my height (5'10" girl with a 5" heel would makes her 6'3"-aka-nosebleed city) object strongly.

Can you please talk me out of them? What have you been eyeing lately?