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?

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?

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.

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!

LOLLA

Lolla traffic has been coming through work all day long, and it's easy to tell who's going because most of the girls are dressed like this:

Photo via

I obviously love dressing for a theme (if I were going those high waist denim shorts would be getting a work-out) but why go to a place where you're going to be sweaty, dancing, and gross and have to worry about a $125 Free People crop top getting dirty? Not to mention the really weird brag session going on on the el: "I haven't eaten all day! I'm gonna look killer in these aztec print booty shorts!" Killer as in passing out from over-heating/lack of nutrients and getting trampled to death by blazed up Black Sabbath fans? Nice gurl. Just eat a hot dog. No one is going to be looking at your tuchas in a mosh pit.

My favorite aside of the day occurred when a girl rolled in wearing crisp clean cutoffs, a pristine white lace top, and a shiny gold boho headband on her forehead with barely broken in moto boots. "I feel like shit" she confessed to her shorts and a tee friend: "Yeah well you look like shit." Shock and horror: "I thought you said it looked great!"

"I lied."

My laughter was barely contained.

Truth be told I was a wee bit jealous. Everyone that was wearing a cool 3-day band I made them stop and brag about it to me. It would have been nice: first Lollapalooza and I would have had a place to crash that wasn't a sleeping bag on someone's floor. But for now I have the people watching, the Lollapalloza Youtube Chanel, and next month's rent money.

Photo via

Birthday Outfit Trois

Birthday Outfit Idea #3 by goldenwings

10 more days! But who's counting? I realize, of course, that this dress is an impossibility, but I liked the idea of being in constant movement throughout the evening just to hear all those sparkly sequins swish around! "Swish! Swish! Swish!" I'm a simple girl, really.

Memorial Day Outfits

I thought I would give myself the day off of blogging to enjoy the bliss that is this weekend, but as you know I can't resist dressing up for a holiday (see Birthday, Easter, and St. Patrick's Day). These patriotic styles might be beating it over the head a little bit, but it's not like you're wearing them all at once. Plus you're just getting geared up for the 4th of July where copying Old Glory is practically a requirement.

What did you wear for Memorial Day? I wore this skirt, and something like this top.

More importantly, is there anyone you're remembering?

Memorial Day Outfits by goldenwings