Memorial Weekend

Dressing on a theme? You know I can't resist it. Someone re-pinned my Memorial Weekend outfit post from last year and it reminded me of my neglected blog and subsequent neglected Polyvore. Seeing as my brain decided to be awake at 5:30am this morning (what the heck brain?) I thought I'd put my time to good use and paint my nails while creating a set. Could I have maybe cleaned my room, done laundry, or taken out the trash? Sure. But I'm thinking silver glitter nail polish is going to do more for my morale this weekend than a clean apartment. AmIright?

As per usual I create three dream-scenarios and one outfit that's probably closest to the truth. Seeing as I'll be building sets on Monday I think you can guess what I'll be wearing...

Have a great Memorial Weekend!

En Route

One of my guilty pleasures now that I live in the city is taking my car for a drive on the weekend. I'll take the long way to run errands past the lake, near downtown, looking out at the giant Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier. I never thought I would miss driving, but I was spoiled with great road trips as a kid so maybe that has something to do with it. Reading books and magazines aloud, playing eye spy, putting on the Chicago Bulls mix tape and jamming along (don't even pretend you didn't root for the dream team).








Strangely enough, the very start of Route 66 is right outside my window at work, and
having been bitten by the travel bug quite some time ago sometimes I want to hit the open road Thelma and Louise style...except for all the murder...but Brad Pitt can totally come.


Headed anywhere fun this summer? Can I come too?

Out Like a Lion

via Design Love Fest

via Brooklyn Blonde

via Hello Fashion

via This Time Tomorrow

via See Jane.

First day of spring and Chicago celebrated by letting the temperature drop 10 degrees from yesterday. Did I mention the wind chill? Way to be Chi, way to be.


As I was walking home after work, a girl bemoaning the weather to her dog expressed my thoughts: "I don't care what it's like tomorrow. I've got tights, I've got a jacket, I'm wearing that new spring dress!" Woman after my own heart. Loving her new spring clothes and telling her dog all about it. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and dig my white jeans out of under bed storage today. Seems like the perfect mix of practical/warm and fresh/spring.

Febbers

Another V-day themed outfit? Don't mind if I do...

Since I'm so fond of coming up with the names for these things, I call this one "I still have to work that day but maybe I can cut out early and meet you guys at a dive bar where we do $3 Hooker shots and complain about how we are too fancily dressed for this place." 

On another note, looking back at my other V-Day outfit I don't know why I have a penchant for the edgy this holiday. I'm not normally not the type, but Bruce Willis is really getting to me. Also I hope everyone assumes that I'm wearing tights and a big fluffy North Face coat. I don't want to advocate freezing your bum off for the sake of Valentine's Day. Believe me, I saw enough bare legs on New Years to warrant a PSA in the greater Chicago area. Ladies: you do not want inner thigh frost bite. Unattractive.

Feb-brew-ary

Happy February everyone! Aren't we collectively glad that January finally bit the dust? Me too. 

Now there's nothing I love more than dressing for a theme, and Valentine's Day kind of shakes up the winter routine of black slacks and pull over sweaters which is always a plus. If you'll recall last year I made an outfit for staying in, but to kick off February I thought I would plan a "going out" outfit.

I call this one the "I'm probably going to see the new Die Hard movie and then have cocktails with friends." And by cocktails with friends I mean I'm going to sneak PBR in to the theatre in that adorable clutch purse. The Valentine's Day of dreams, no?

Threads

Never mind that I don't have the time, means, or necessity to go buy a new dress for New Year's. Remember that oh so distant promise I made to myself? Gosh darn it, sometimes a girl just needs a reason to buy a new dress. Can I get an amen? Thank you.

I picked it up at Urban Outfitters  mere hours before heading out for the night, or rather, Mom picked it up. I had showed her the dress online before and she did. not. like. it. I wanted to try it on just to show her how cute it would look, and it really did. I fell in love. As fancy as the frock is, it spent some time on the Chicago red line, in a dive bar that played southern rock revival, to a theatre where Jameson was spilled on it and finally it took a ten dollar cab ride home at three in the morning. All in all it was everything a good New Year's dress should be: sparkly, sexy, and comfortable enough to fall asleep wearing it at the end of the night. Plus...

I regret this facial expression.

Look at the back! I had to talk myself in to taking the sweater off at some point, Chicago is cold in case you haven't heard, but it was too fantastic not to. I can't wait to make up a reason to wear it over the summer.

Stage Manager Holiday

What time is it?! Stage Manager time.

It's that time again where I go back in black and don my stage manager "costume". Towards the end of the last run I had all but given up the traditional lackey uniform (I wore a lot of sundresses). This time around the whole cast is wearing black and I'll be appearing on stage, so I have to actually look like a stage manager.

Set Via

I can't resist playing with texture and pattern, but there is an obvious color scheme here...all except the cheeky jewelry. Truth be told I'll probably end up wearing slacks and a black button up, but I girl can dream...especially about sequined skirts, lined tights and jingle bell earrings.

Old Dress New Tricks

In high school I remember stealing moments in between school and the time Dad would come home to watch re-runs of Sex and the City and ogling over, what else? The styling. The clothes were great, but how everything was put together in a quirky fashion forward way made my seventeen year old self aspire to high fashion style on a writer's budget. The one thing that got under my skin is how they would wear these beautiful ensembles and then never again! Why pour all the funds in to something that gets a five minute debut and then disappears in to the bowels of Carry Bradshaw's tiny closet...or her stove turned sweater rack.

Please excuse that bottom right pose. I don't know what I was doing but my hair looks great!

But after moving in to my studio I began to unpack dress after dress that I wore once and hung back in my closet. I realized that it's difficult to wear the same dress twice, especially since facebook culture reminds everyone we're friends with that we've worn it already. Plus it's nice to show up in something fresh for a special occasion. But in keeping with my 24 Before 25 list I want to wear everything once. So this holiday season I'm going to try (try I said!) not to buy a new dress.


I don't want to make any promises here, some of this season's offerings are just too tempting. But I have some strategies to keep my paws off a new dress that will just end up sitting in my closet:

// 1. Update with a cute pair of tights / 2. Keep it fresh by trying a new beauty product / 

/ 3. Accessorize with new or different jewelry / 4. Step out in a festive pair of heels / 5. Top it off with a chic menswear inspired tux jacket / 6. Pick out a new hairstyle to give the seasoned dress some oomph! //

Let's see how long I last. I'll definitely post re-styles once I've worn them!

Reinventing the Polo

Sometimes when I'm at work wearing my baggy water repellent uniform, I imagine cutting it up and re-fashioning it so I could feel like I was wearing something cute, and not just a baggy water repellent polo shirt...of course I think my bosses would notice, but can they write me up for creativity? I don't think so.

Like this one with back buttons

Or this one with a peter pan collar

And this one with a bow tie

Finally this one with a comfy boat neck

Gearing Up

Winters in Ohio my needs were simple: a pea coat and a nice pair of boots. But Chicago is a whole different ball game when it comes to winter. I'm not comparing it to the Klondike Mountains, but living right off the lake when the wind whips around and knocks you off balance, you only wish you could cherish the gray slush of Columbus. Winter is right around the corner here, and you can tell by chapped lips, hot chocolate cravings, and the Christmas Wreaths already up on State Street. Sheesh. The only thing that helps me look forward to it all is the thought of adding some nice style-staples to my wardrobe...

I think I have the basics nailed down thanks to some thoughtful Christmas gifts, but this year I'd like to step it up a notch, really give winter a what-for while still looking professional and stylish.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Starting with a chic tailored jacket. Not that I dislike my winter coats, but my pea coat has seen better days. (I have had it since I was a junior in high school...yeah, that's devotion.) But something about the belted military style coats reads classic, sexy, and elegant. Besides which, I saw an uber stylish Chicago-lady wearing one paired with riding boots and wavy ombre ends and I was sold. Obviously I think very highly of Chicago winter style.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Next come some serious boots. I have my lovely red Hunters courtesy of my Valentine, but some other styles have been catching my eye lately. These Sperry boots are nothing short of ruggedly amazing and the traction on those puppies will be great for slippery surfaces (I think it's safe to liken a wet El floor with a boat dock). The kick-ass classics: Dr. Marten's, and of course the ever-outdoorsy chic L.L. Bean Boots. The navy colored bottoms add the right amount of sharpness.

Lastly, top off your foundation with some luxurious looking accessories. I'm a sucker for lady-like gloves. Velvet scarves have been popping up around town lately, and I don't know if its the stylish elderly women I see on a daily basis, but a turban-style hat would add an elegant and edgy touch.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

The Pants Party

Pre-fall it was all about the pants. This has proved a worthy investment since blue denim is an absolute no-no at the new job, but colored and black denim seems to get along just fine. I made a few investment purchases and I think they'll get me through many autumns to come:

Special thanks to the "amaro" filter on insta-gram. I look truly arty here. These are my dark green zipper jeans à la Gap and they've proven to be a really useful transition piece from work with the polo and heels, to stage management with boots and a black top, and out at night with whateveaIwant. See how I'm rocking the half tuck here? My midwest upbringing said: "don't do it you'll look a fool!" But if J.Crew can do it then I certainly can.

No thanks to amaro filter here for making me look like a blurry mess. But note my relaxed demeanor and carefree spirit? It's these ponte knit pants, also from Gap. (Pon-tee) They're stretchy enough to do yoga in yet have the thickness and style to be considered dress pants at work. A pants miracle? I believe so.

American Apparel has some sort of weird and sinister witchcraft that causes me to shell out for the crazies darn things. I'll be browsing plain white t-shirts next to the gold lamé body suits and suddenly I'll fall in love with a piece of clothing that I never in my dreams would think to covet before. It's impulsive, unadulterated, and as freeing as a breezy spring day after a long and dreary winter.

These are my newest infatuation: faux leather leggings. I told Running Buddy I was just trying them on but I knew in my heart of hearts that they were going home with me. Pulling them on sounded like a sweet romantic melody of trying to put on a wet scuba suit, and the texture caressing my skin felt like I was wearing pants made out of rubber bands and angels wings. Already having spent a lot of pants, I asked RB if I should hold off. "You don't have to buy them today...but since you have to buy them eventually you may as well just get them now and save yourself the gas money."


So welcome to the pants party...it's a party with my pants!

Pining for Pins

To those of you that have a Pinterest: obviously the "thrill of the hunt" starts with the chase. Scrolling through pages, finding something inspiring/amazing/noteworthy enough to give up-to-the-minute updates with your friends (mostly on your phone...while you're at work.) But when is the last time you actually went back and surveyed your pin boards? Looked at the things that inspired you right then and there enough that you wanted to remember it for later? I urge you to go back and look, and remind yourself why you wanted to try a new outfit, or a new recipe, update your bedroom, or, you know, just look at corgis.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 

Styling the Polo

When I was getting psyched up for my new job, I was operating under the assumption that there was no dress code other than "business casual". Shock and horror when policy change resulted in, what else? A business casual uniform. Bleck. Fortunately I have options: either I wear an itchy flame retardant grandpa-sweater over pretty much anything but jeans (which I flipping love! no sarcasm or anything!) or I wear a black polo shirt.

Seeing as I have five polo shirts and only one fugly sweater, I need to start using the polos more:

Option 1: The casual side of business casual.

Option 2: Ladylike sophisticated.

Option 3: Funky / Artsy / Might have had a few when I made this...but I love it!

All sets via

Candy Pink

My mother hasn't bought me an article of clothing without my presence or prior approval since the great white button up incident of 2001 in which my mom had to purchase me a plain button up white shirt for a band concert in the 7th grade. She came back with a short sleeve white button up with bows adorning the cap sleeves...my baggy pants/boys shirts/pseudo skater wanna-be self threw a fit, and from then on I have been consulted on clothing.


My style has developed quite a bit since then, I suppose Mom could pick out my clothes now that she isn't deathly afraid of me becoming a 7th grade butch (for real, I had a Kate Gosselin hair cut). Although there is an obvious trend in my clothing to tend towards boy-ish. Whiskey-Pants put it best when we were shopping one day: "I just think, would an old man wear this? And if the answer is yes, then I can buy it for you."


So imagine my surprise when a co-worker returned from a thrifting trip with a suede bubble gum skirt and told me she had thought of me! I don't know if this means if my style is changing, or if its evolved in to its own thing. Classic/girly with an edge/tomboy/old man/ultra femme?

I don't suppose I care too much what label this skirt is attached to, I just know that I love it :)

On another note, I've taken to doing a pre-work outfit photo shoot in the bathroom...classy dame that I am. 

Fall Picks 2012

The glorious days of lounging around my apartment with the windows open wearing shorts and a tank top while munching on a peach are numbered. I'm in bed on this crisp Chicago morning Pinterest-ing fall style ideas and wondering if I'll be brave enough to pair my expansive shorts collection with my equally copious amounts of tights this year. The answer: probably yes. I own too many pairs of shorts to simply put them away when Chicago starts to get a little nippy. The sudden shift in temperatures from 90 degrees to 70 got the ball rolling for me to start thinking about my "back to school" shopping.

I didn't realize but based on this board I'm feeling pretty moody. Edgy but girly, with a penchant for dark colors and brooding prints. I'm in love with dark (faux) leather and military detailing but with bejeweled accents. The snake ring in particular is called out to me because it reminds me of a ring my grandpa passed down to my dad. Balancing out the rebel detailing are lacy sweaters, femme fatal brocade prints and peter pan collars.  The chain strap purse seems to be the best representation of where I am with fall style this year.

Apparently the section of my wardrobe calling out for a make-over is pants. Not only am I in love with the floral, burgundy, and high waist varieties shown above, I'm also loving coated denim, zipper ankles, slouchy khakis, brocade, pleated crop and knit pants. Yeah, it's a lot of pants. Luckily obsession comes swiftly and leaves just as fast. By the time leaves are falling I'll know what I really want to spend my money on. 

What are your obsessions this Fall?

Everybody's Working

I have some good news for this blog: I got a job! A full time with benefits, 9-5, pays me enough to live off of big girl job! I am beyond thrilled, since I thought I would only get some part time seasonal work out of the application and it turned out to be a full fledged entry level job that can lead me to so many other careers. I squealed, then called my mom and she squealed, I put in my two weeks at my food service job and then exhaled deeply for the first time in a long time. My status in Chicago is no longer one big giant question mark and the apartment hunt can begin.

The two more vain developments in my life is that I don't have to wear a uniform, and I can wear nail polish all week long!

Photo Via

Of course I don't know what dress code is quite yet, but for now I can dream!

P.S. Do you think that peter pan collar tee would run away with me? So gosh darn cute!

All That Glitters

I have the distinct pleasure of going to work every day and seeing tons and people of different income levels and personal tastes wearing fantastic outfits. It's like an anthropological observation session on a daily basis. Yesterday a woman came in wearing a three-finger ring, today a woman came in wearing an audio cable as a delicate necklace, and not too long ago one of my favorite customers came in wearing a wooden ring. "It's too weird for my conservative co-workers, but it's from Africa and I buy jewelry when I travel to remind me of those places."

Photos Via

As much as I know about clothes, I get completely stumped when it comes to accessories. When I get my way with jewelry I wear sliver chains with a charm or pendant, silver stud earrings, and the same three rings in rotation all week long. Sometimes if I'm feeling funky I'll throw on some vintage pieces my mom picked out for me from an antique store on vacation, but normally my fashion focus is elsewhere.

In the name of research I scrolled through Polyvore and found some pieces that I might be interested in breaking my habits for. Fashion forecast always recommend updating your current wardrobe with new baubles but I'd never really bought in to it until now... 

Set Via

The statement necklaces would jazz up almost anything in my wardrobe, the art deco pieces would bring out the romance in any outfit and the knuckle rings? Just plain cool. It turns out that I can have more fun with accessories than I thought! What are you looking forward to updating with this Fall?

Fall Picks

Around August when the school supplies are rolling out and summer sundresses start to go on sale, inevitably someone will pipe up and say "I can't wait for Fall!" My knee jerk reaction to this is: "Shut up!"

I love Fall just as much, if not more, than the next woolly sweater wearing, pumpkin carving, apple cider drinking girl on the block, but I spent the whole miserable winter waiting to wear shorts, go to the beach, and couldn't wait to ditch having to take my big heavy coat to the bar. I am going to darn well enjoy every moment of my shaven leg bare armed freedom! Of course last week's Chicago weather hissy-fit started to ease me in to the mind set of chunky knits and waterproof boots. That is why back to school shopping will always exist for me, I need something to ease me in to Fall and the pain of giving up my sundresses and cutoffs.

Fall Picks 


This Fall is about a mix of lady-like structure and sparkle with tomboy style to edge it out, but that tends to be my aesthetic all the time. I'm particularly loving art-deco and costume jewelry, chunky sweaters, lace up boots and printed pants. Did I mention the faux leather? I have little idea what I would pair those pleather shorts with, but I am going to darn well try. I also incorporated some brogue flats, and used trending color oxblood, although my rendition looks more cranberry. I'm still not letting go of my favorite pair of moccasins that I've wanted for months on end now...maybe next week after the rent is paid I'll treat myself!

Are you excited get in to the Fall mood?

Colorful

If there's anything that this world wide web of style bloggers has taught me, it's that fashion rules are meant to be bent and then broken to suit our tastes. I know everyone has their hangups about what they will and especially what they WILL NOT wear. But if there's anything I've learned from these sartorial street-fashonistas is that life is just too darn short. Wear two prints at once! Pair a lady like bag with chucks and a pair of cutoffs! To quote a style icon:

Photo Via

So in the spirit of flirting with the fine lines of fashion, here are some completely doable ideas that you probably already have in your closet...

This might just be me, but I thought pink and red were only for Valentine's Day, but here it makes a punchy summer ensemble.

Photo Via

White jeans are now a winter staple, which I love because it seems so silly to shove them to the back of the drawer nine months out of the year.

Photo Via

Don't leave your neon finds waiting for summer, wear them all the time for an instant pick-me-up.

Photo Via

It's funny how when a trend first comes out I'll say: I'd never try that! And low and behold a few minutes later I'm scouring the internet for a denim top. We've all been formally invited to a Texas Tuxedo prom.

Photo Via

Anything else you're afraid to try out?