Equipment shirtdress (similar)  |  Soludos for J.Crew  |  Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C ostrich bag  |  Prada rimless aviators  |  Zoya “Megan” nail polish

Photos by Heather Mowatt

Summertime is just around the corner and I’m finally ready to closet swap my boots and sweaters for sleeveless tops and shorts! Yes, closet swap. Because in Chicago (and New York for that matter) there isn’t enough room in your closet for both, and unlike in Texas there are truly 4 seasons here. When I moved here, everyone thought I was crazy to have so many pairs of shorts and skirts… but that’s what happens when you only need one coat! Love this Equipment shirtdress — it’s my new go to for a breezy, summer day to night look. Happy sunshine, hope those endorphins brighten your day and week.

Shoshanna Dress  |  House of Harlow 1960 Bracelet  |  Kate Spade NY Earrings  |  Aldo Shoes (mine)

Photos by Jill Badlotto

I had the extreme pleasure of being a guest model on the WGN Morning Show this morning with the Chicago Blogger Network and Rent the Runway! Our host Dana of the Possessionista walked through our looks from Rent the Runway — Rachel of Chicago Chic, Alison of Brown Eyed Style and myself showed three different outfits that are all fit for different types of summer weddings. I was the “country club chic” look and loved the Shoshanna sheath dress that RTR sent me. It’s classy, but the pop of color makes it fun.. and it has pockets. I paired it with nude shoes to keep the overall look light and summery. The earrings were fabulous and the perfect day to night accessory for casual wear and special occasions. The cuff was amazing and shockingly fit my wrist really well. I have a tough time with bracelets because of my infant wrists, but the cuff’s shape really fit me well and there is no way that thing would slip off (always a concern with anything without a clasp for me).

It was such a fun morning and I really enjoyed getting to meet Dana, Rachel, Alison and Jill of CBN! The WGN team was fantastic and it was really exciting to see fun autographs on the walls of local celebs, old Friends TV show posters and the set where they used to film Bozo the clown. All in all it was a fun experience and I’m so grateful to the Chicago Blogger Network for the opportunity to take part in the fun! Here’s the link to our segment if you didn’t catch it bright and early this morning.

Petite Plug: The dress is perfect for petites and hits at an appropriate length, especially for a wedding. When shopping RTR I would recommend looking for a length of “mini” because those will hit us at the right length on the thigh

Happy Tuesday! What a quick week that was! I’m super excited about the Soludos for J.Crew kids that I recently scooped up, and with an 80 degree day today in Chicago thought it was the perfect day for new espadrille-y flats. As a self-proclaimed flat hater I will say that anything is possible… I’ve found myself loving a lot of them lately and obviously they’re more practical for summer days that turn into summer nights. I have more favorite flats here as well — enjoy your day!

Zara skort  |  Nike Dunk Sky Hi Wedge sneakers  |  Nordstrom striped cardigan (backwards) (similar)  |  Alexander Wang Rocco bag  |  Ecote vest from Urban Outfitters  |  Prada rimless aviators  |  Marc by Marc Jacobs watch  |  Anthropologie, BCBGeneration, gifted bracelets  |  Banana Republic collar necklace  |  Gifted spiked necklace

Photos by Mary Graves & Heather Mowatt

They say that all you need to wear is a smile — did they also tell you that one way to put that on your face is to wear all of your favorite things at once? Well, I tried it today and it for sure worked. That and Bruno Mars songs on repeat all day (who knew).

I finallllllllllly caved on the wedge sneaker trend. I’ve been riding that fence for a while now and couldn’t make up my mind about it. The best way to figure out if you really are into something is for it to disappear – the panic sets in that you may have missed out and suddenly you’ll do anything to get it. I stalked Nordstrom, Bloomie’s and Nike for a week straight every night to see if they got these back in stock in green in a 5. They randomly popped up one night on Nike and only in a 5 (whaaaat?!) and so I bought them immediately. For anyone who is unsure, just try it out. It’s not for everyone but I’m already loving them.

I had also discovered this skort — yes you heard me right, skort — at Zara and fell in love instantly. It’s been photo bombed left and right all over the blogsphere and Pinterest, but I swear I was one of the first to discover it. I waited a month or so before I actually bought it and almost had a panic attack when they went out of stock in my size for a few weeks, but now it’s back and yours for the buying.

The sweater is a secret that no one at work noticed today. It was my latest backwards sweater trick days where you actually wear your button up cardigan backwards for a twist and to repurpose it as a normal sweater. Est. by the famed Oscar PR Girl (of Oscar de la Renta), it’s a personal favorite of mine when you don’t have the exact sweater you’re wanting for an outfit but have a good cardigan for it. I wore the vest over it to be a little more discreet since this one had pockets. Betcha never would’ve guessed it! :)

Although the sneakers and studs can come off a bit tougher, I tied it all back together with the skort and polished striped sweater to even everything out. I’ve really grown to love mixing and matching different styles to make outfits feel less one dimensional. Apparently all of these little babies were destined to end up in my closet… lots of other weird, fate-y things have been happening lately so I’m excited to see what the near future holds. I’ll be ready… in my new dunks.

Images via Pinterest and J.Crew  | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 

 It’s baaaaaack! Another Tuesday means it’s time to “Treat Yo Self” and do something for you today! It can be literally anything that you feel like doing for yourself … going on a leisurely bike ride, cooking dinner and singing Whitney Houston while you do it, watching all of your DVR’ed shows in one sitting, you name it. It’s your day.  Here are some of my favorite ideas on how to #TYT this week:

Snag a piece of statement jewelry

A pop of color or a set of pretty jewels dangling from your neck are enough to put the average outfit over the top

Not feeling so extravagant? Check out my favorite – Bauble Bar – for trendy and affordable adornments

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Indulge in a quick & easy dessert

This recipe couldn’t be easier! All you need are some mini waffles (or you can make your own) and your favorite pint of ice cream and voila. Insta-treat.

For a healthier but still quick version, use gluten free waffle mix and use sorbet instead of the real thing — you can even throw some berries/fruit in there too

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Buy the shoes you’ve been lusting for. Just click Purchase and don’t look back! (you can always return them)

You know exactly what I’m talking about. You have shoes in shopping carts on at least 3 sites.. pick the ones that you stare at the most often and just buy ‘em.

Like I said, your back up here is free returns. There are no alternatives though if you choose this path – buy the ones you want!

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Book a Staycation

Somehow Chicago missed the memo and our Spring this year is more like a breezy peep of summer. I’ve been craving a tropical getaway since the sun went away last October, but financially can’t swing that with other life stuff I have going on. One of my best memories of last year was a Staycation here in Chicago with 3 of my best friends. If you’re dying for a getaway, get away in your town or somewhere drive-able! Even just for a night, book a luxe room and indulge in some room service and quality pool time. You’ll thank yourself when you’re laying out with a drink in hand.

For a completely free alternative, find a good time to take a half day and just do something you really love but that you normally can’t do because you’re at work

Drop me a line or tag me on your instagram pics … I want to see how you #TYT! Don’t forget to use the hashtag, too!

Happy Treating!

Topshop dress (similar)  |  Sorrelli bracelet and necklace  |  Anthropologie bracelet  |  Zara heels  |  Balenciaga bag  |  LF Stores bow

photos by Mary Graves and Heather Mowatt

When talking about my style, “girly” is not a word I would typically throw out, even though I know that I am. So when I was in Boston and picked up a bow and then a dress with a peter pan collar recently I decided.. why not wear them together? Just the girliest day ever. My co-workers spent the day trying to figure out if I looked more like orphan Annie or Madeleine which was obviously highly entertaining. I’m pretty sure we decided on Madeleine .. what do you think? The bow will be back though, don’t worry. Maybe with Nikes next time.

This was also the first day I rocked my new ombre/balayage-d/summerized hair! It marks the end of winter and makes me so excited for Spring + Summer I can’t even stand it! What do you think? I know ombre is “so last year” but I really love having color on my hair in the summer months. It also grows out perfectly for Fall the way the weather kind of lingers around. Are you the type that changes your hair for the seasons? Shoot me a picture if you’ve changed yours recently too!

Has anyone ever thought about the fact that Tuesdays, for the most part, go unnoticed and get glazed over? Every other day has something about it .. except for Tuesdays. It wasn’t until today that we discovered that Tuesday needs a little more love. It’s time to make it a day of happiness, a day of something to look forward to, a day to be celebrated! So… introducing… Treat Yo Self Tuesday! It’s better than Throwback Thursday, Follow Friday and maybe even Sunday Funday. It can be a cupcake, a fresh bouquet of flowers, a home cooked meal just for yourself, or a leisurely walk in the middle of the day. Celebrate something that makes you happy — treat yo self.

Happy #TYT!

Chicago q  |  The Savoy  |  Publican  |  Hash House A Go Go

Anyone who knows me pretty well is well aware of the fact that I absolutely love brunch. It’s not unusual for us to end up brunching on both Saturday & Sunday on any given weekend. There are so many unique and interesting places to try in the city. We’ve recently tried a few old favorites for new brunches (or at least we hadn’t been yet) and were very pleased with our plate passing at each of them! Next time you’re searching for a spot check one of these restaurants out — don’t forget, there are more suggestions here!

Chicago q

Eggs Benedict Flight — smoked chicken (on honey butter cornbread.. yea.), kobe brisket (on cheddar chive biscuits), and southern eggs benedict

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Mimosas — Bottomless for $20

The Savoy

Crab Cake Benedict

Banana Bread French Toast

B.e.L.T

Side of Hash

Mimosas (lots of unique flavors) + spicy Bloody Mary’s

Publican (Saturday menu)

Faith’s Farm Honey Bread

Slow Roasted Pork Collar

Maple braised bacon

Bloody Mary — they use Tito’s vodka (loyal to my Texas roots)

Hash House A Go Go

Ground Turkey, Mushroom and Broccoli Scramble with mashed potatoes

Corned Beef Hash

Blueberry Pecan pancake

perfect for big groups, the portions are ginormous

What are some of your favorite brunch spots in Chicago?

Hawks by Geren Ford top  |  Zara paisley skinny jeans (similar)  |  Stuart Weitzman slingbacks  |  Sorrelli mimi necklace (c/o)  |  Zara crossbody bag  |  Prada rimless aviators

1  Pink statement necklace  |  2 Lace peplum top  |  3 IIIBeCa messenger bag  |  4 TKEES flip flops  |  5  Sanctuary skinny jeans

One of my favorite things about weekends in Chicago (especially when the weather is nice) is getting to explore and find new shops that are unique to the city — I’ll walk around all day just finding new places. When I first moved here, my friends introduced me to a store on Armitage called Art Effect that they were all obsessed with. After my first trip I understood why! They carry women’s clothing and accessories as well as goodies for the home and it’s practically impossible to walk in and not find something that you know you’ll regret not leaving with.

Right now they have a “Pop of Pink” campaign going on and I pulled out my top 5 favorite things from it on their site. I used to be really intimidated by pink — that sounds silly, but I only owned 3 pink things up until last year because I always felt like it was hard to incorporate the right shades in with my style. It’s grown on me tremendously and now I find myself seeking out certain pink pieces or accessories. I love this statement necklace and the messenger bag because they have a bright enough color to where it can almost go with anything. The right bright pink is the new black! The peplum top and skinny jeans are both great pieces that can be worn with items you probably already own (white or denim skinny jeans, floral tops, etc.). Now that summer is around the corner I’m replenishing my flip flop collection (because I literally walked all of mine to shreds last summer) and am in love with these TKEE ones. They come in a ton of fun colors and most importantly.. carry my size! :)

If you ‘like’ the Art Effect facebook page here, you’ll receive a great discount on anything you purchase in store or online! For the local Chicagoans it’s a must visit, so plan to make a trip soon.

This weekend was yet another fun and spontaneous series of adventures that ended today with beautiful weather and my first trip to the Dose Market. Post to come! Hope yours was wonderful, have a great start to this week!