Head to Toe: Polka Dots!

I got this polka dot tunic at J. Crew a little while ago and it's just been sitting in my closet.  I debated sending it back because it just wasn't what I expected but never did.  Do you ever do that?  Buy something, let it just sit and collect dust until you maybe get some inspiration?  That happens more often than I would like to admit.

{Cardigan: J. Crew, Tunic: J. Crew, Necklace: Similar, Jeans: Gap, Shoes: J. Crew, Bag: Matt & Nat}

Okay Mr. Photographer Husband you were supposed to notice that the bag was backwards!  Here's a shot of the front of the bag.  It's one of my new obsessions.  It's cute, has tons of pockets to accommodate all my mommy things and has a shoulder strap for those days when I just need it.

Sorry if I'm short on words today.  Talinn was up for four hours last night and I'm exhausted.  I'm lucky I can put more than three words together.  Forgive me.  I'll be better after a good night's sleep!

Head to Toe: Leather Jackets and Shorts Go Together!

After complaining about the weather, we finally got one day that was spectacular, so I was able to wear something other than jeans.  Yay!  I decided to try the red/pink combo that's so popular these days.  It was still a little cool so I added a leather jacket, an unexpected twist.  I love the way it turned out and I feel like I made the style my own.

{Jacket: Similar, Shirt: Gap, Shorts: J. Crew, Shoes: Target}

Don't get me started on these leopard sandals from Target.  I love, love them!  They just add a little something, something.

It was so nice out even the boats were out!  The harbor is such a beautiful place during the summer.

I went out to dinner with my husband and son in this outfit and we came across a group of young, stylish girls.  Sometimes I wonder if I seem old, but in this outfit I felt young, fresh and stylish...like one of them!

Okay so I'm a little sad because I have rediscovered my Revlon Are You Red-dy lipstick and today I wanted to wear it, but it's MIA.  Go figure!  I need to it find ASAP!

Other ways to wear pink and red.

Image via Cupcakes and Cashmere

Image via Style Essentials

Image via Kendi Everyday

Head to Toe: Stripes and Plaid

Let's be honest here.  This is the type of outfit I wear when I'm not planning on having my photo taken and no one besides my child sees me.  But on this day the sun was out, it was beautiful and we had time, so I just went for it.  Full disclosure, I definitely scrubbed toilets in these clothes.  Ah, the glamorous life of a mother!

{Lipstick: Revlon Are You Red-dy, Cardigan: Similar, Shirt: Similar, Jeans: Gap, Shoes: Similar}

Sometimes I don't really know how an outfit comes together.  On this day I stood in my closet and thought: I want comfy, so I grabbed a flannel and then built from there. 

I really like the contrast between the striped cardigan and the plaid flannel.  It's a little funky and sometimes funky is just what I need.

I adore these shoes.  I happened to walk past a Nine West one day and these beauties were staring me in the face.  I love them!

Unfortunately, the sun hasn't shown here since we took these photos.  Go figure it's in the 70s but yucky out.  How am I supposed to dress for that?

Here's another way I have styled this cardigan.

Head to Toe: Floral!

I am such a sucker for florals.  I absolutely love them and for some reason they just never get old.  I feel like you could have ten different floral prints and each one could be totally different.  This shirt came from Target.  I love the bright blue hue and the print with pops of lavender and red.

{Blazer: Similar, Shirt: Target, Pants: Gap, Shoes: J. Crew}

I've been on a huge Target kick lately like I just can't seem to get enough of it.  And I am eagerly awaiting The Webster/Target collaboration that comes out on Sunday.  I think there a lot of beautiful pieces in the line and some really cute shoes.

Sorry for all the blazer posts recently but Chicago just can't seem to warm up.  And I refuse to put on a jacket.  I feel like that's taking a step backward...I need to be shedding layers, not adding them on!

I love little details like this.  There's just something about the color of the shirt against the striped cuff and the gold buttons that makes my heart melt.  If I have a piece of clothing that has a fun liner, I do whatever I can to make sure that liner shows.  It's a small detail that adds just a touch of interest to an outfit.

Other inspiration on how to wear florals.

Image via the Daybook

Image via Keiko Lynn

Image via Frassy

Head to Toe: Mix and Match

My inspiration for this outfit came from J. Crew.  I love the simplicity of the J. Crew outfit but I also wanted to pump up my take.  Instead of simply doing a simple white shirt, green blazer and jeans, I added a striped shirt and leopard print to the mix.

{Lipstick: NARS, Blazer: Similar, Shirt: Similar, Necklace: Similar, Jeans: Gap, Flats: Similar}

I've had this blazer for a really long time but it only makes an appearance on St. Patty's day.  Now that color is so in, especially this green, so is this blazer and I can wear it more than just once a year. I'm thinking it will be a summer staple paired with some boyfriend jean shorts.

The leopard flats were a last minute add-on.  I just get tired of always wearing my nude flats, but they go with every thing so they are always the easy choice!

I really loved this outfit.  It's one of those times where an outfit I thought up turned out better than I could have hoped.

I also adore this lipstick.  Everyone always compliments it.  Sometimes I find myself grabbing the reds more often than I'd like.  But this green was just asking to be paired with a pretty pink lip!

Other ways to combine green, leopard and/or stripes:

Via Candice Lake
Via Cupcakes and Cashmere
Via Chictopia

Head to Toe: Going Primary

Hello lovelies!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  We had a pretty low key one around here with lots of naps.  I wish we had been busier but I think it's good to have a relaxing weekend every now and then.  Plus, I'm headed out of town next weekend so I will get my fill of busy then.

I originally wanted to go with a monochromatic look with this outfit but then when I saw it, I was kind of bored.  It just wasn't exciting enough so I added this fiery red cardigan for a pop of color.

We lucked out because we picked the perfect location for this outfit as the flowers in the background coordinate.  Clearly the owners of this home and I are on the same page.  Red and blue totally work together!

{Lipstick: Revlon Are You Red-dy, Cardigan: J. Crew, Shirt: J. Crew, Pants: Gap, Shoes: Amazon}

I cannot find the best way to capture my lipstick color in these photos.  But this Revlon lipstick is the perfect luscious red color.  Sometimes I forget I have it and then I come across it and fall in love with it all over again.  

I actually kind of love how this outfit unexpectedly turned out without looking nautical or too patriotic.  

Here are three other totally different ways of pairing red and blue together.

1) Photo Credit
2) Photo Credit
3) Photo Credit

Head to Toe: Cloudy Skies, Sunny Pants

Because I live in Chicago, cloudy days are more frequent than I would like.  So sometimes you have to make your own sunshine.  And that's just what I did!

The photos do not do these pants justice at all.  They are in an in-your-face bright, almost neon yellow. I was almost shy wearing them because they just scream: "Look at me!"  

{Jacket: Similar, Shirt: J. Crew, Pants: Gap, Shoes: J. Crew}

I paired the pants with a neutral black checked shirt and jacket to tone it down a little, but it would also be fun to just go there with these pants and wear a bold, colorful printed shirt with them.  Next time, I will go there!

Sometimes I'm bothered by pairing black and yellow together because I feel a little like a bumblebee but at least I'm a well dressed bumblebee...right?

Other ways to wear black and yellow.

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

Hope you have a wonderful sunshine filled weekend!

Head to Toe: Sweater and Shorts!

I feel like I always have these great ideas of outfits but I forget them before the weather cooperates.  I've realized that my favorite seasons are fall and spring because I can pair unconventional things together like sweaters and shorts.  In winter, I just have too many layers and in summer I have too few.  Spring and fall are the times when I can go crazy.  I know, I know a sweater and shorts is not crazy.  But in my world, it is!

{Sweater: Gap, Tank: Similar, Shorts: Similar, Shoes: Similar, Watch: Fossil}

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I love colorful bottoms: colored denim, khakis, shorts, whatever!  It has become my go-to, colorful bottoms and a neutral top.  So easy and fresh!

I warn you, you will see this sandals a lot as the weather warms.  They are one of my favorites.  I love that they are olive green but still a neutral.  Sometimes I get tired of brown and black footwear.

And yes I am smelling the flowers!  Isn't that what they tell us to do?

Head to Toe: In Austin!

We just went to Austin for a quick spring vacation.  It was a blast!  Every day was 80 degrees and I was a little sad to come back to Chicago.  Tomorrow I'll post some photos on where we stayed (a really cool place) and what we ate (really good food).  This is one of the outfits I wore while we were there.

{Chambray Shirt: Similar, Maxi dress: Gap, Necklace: Similar, Shoes: Similar}

Apparently this swing is kind of a big deal.  It's just randomly located right along the main drag in Austin.  So what better place for an outfit shoot!

While we were in Austin, I tried to dress in layers because we would leave our cabin for hours on end and I wanted to be prepared.  If I got hot, I could just take the chambray shirt off.  Pictured behind me is   S. Congress Ave. where all the cool, hip shops are including Uncommon Objects and Allen's Boots.  Unfortunately, I didn't buy anything but it was cool to look around.

On a side note, this is what we deal with while trying to get accessory shots--a little boy tugging on me!  Just wanted to make sure you got the whole picture!

Now that I've had a taste of summer, I want the warm weather back.  It's hard to go back to jeans and sweaters!

Head to Toe: Going Bold!

This outfit was a little out of the box for me.  I couldn't decide if I felt like a glamorous movie star or a seventy-year old lady in my moth-ball smelling fur coat (my coat doesn't really smell like moth balls but this is a very specific type of Chicagoan that lives in my neighborhood.)

{Lipstick: NARS Heat Wave, Jacket: Similar, Necklace: Similar, Shirt: Similar, Jeans: Gap, Shoes: J. Crew}

I will also mention that the odd looks I was getting didn't help my confidence any.  Granted, I was wearing a leopard coat, a fancy necklace and a bold red lipstick at 6 p.m. while walking my dog and my baby.  But I like to do things fancy!

I ended up wearing this outfit out to drinks with a friend.  And my doorman was the one who gave me the confidence to just do it.  He said: I love your coat and not just because my apartment is furnished in floor to ceiling leopard!

Head to Toe: Fly Away

Hello lovelies,
This is an example of an outfit that worked out great in my head.  All day I thought I was so cute.  But then I got in front of the camera and it didn't translate like it did in my mind.  Oh well, you win some and you lose some, right??

{Necklace: Emerson Fry, Top: Old Navy, Cardigan: Similar, Jacket: Gap, Belt: Similar, Jeans: Similar, Flats: Similar, Nail color: Essie Canyon Coral}

I love the bird print on my shirt.  It's very Anthropologie-esque and for a fraction of the cost.  It's probably one of my top five favorite buys this year.  I also love the jacket detail...the little pop of yellow is amazing.  

And in case you didn't notice, Mama got a manicure!  We are headed to Austin next week for a little vacay and I needed a little color on my toes, so why not splurge and treat my hands too!

On a side note, my husband just got home from basketball, where a teammate just got his tooth knocked out.  My response: You can't play basketball anymore!  I can't have you missing teeth!

Head to Toe: Strolling In the Park

So I've read a lot of style blogs and I always thought: You can do that!  But I never realized how hard it would be to actually put myself out there!

I don't claim to be the most glamourous girl on the block.  I don't have a degree in fashion.  And I certainly don't think I'm the perfect little package.  I'm just me--a mom who likes clothes and is taking a leap of faith.  

So without further ado, here is my first outfit post.

{Lipstick: SHANY, Sweater: Similar, Top: Similar, Jeans: Gap, Shoes: J. Crew}

One day while I was driving home, I saw a girl wearing this exact same cardigan with a floral romper.  And I wondered: why didn't I think of that?  I'm not really a romper gal, but I do have a lot of floral tops, so voila.  I love that this combo is not matchy-matchy but that the two pieces play off each other.  And this cardigan was a steal from Old Navy!