White, Blue, Pink and Fringe

Old Navy dress (no longer available, similar here, here and here) // Kendra Scott pendant necklace

Urban Outfitters Emma sunglasses // Abound fringe booties from Nordstrom Rack

Ugh, another Monday! At least there's a long weekend to look forward to right?! I got this white and blue print cami dress at Old Navy a few months ago and it's so comfy! I feel like it's easy to dress up or down and in general is really versatile as you can see here.  I've paired it with this pink Kendra Scott necklace (obsessed!) and these adorable (and affordable) fringe booties from Nordstrom Rack. I'm hoping this dress will transition well into fall with a jean jacket or long cardigan.  What do you guys think?  

Hope you all have a great week!

xo, Jen

Friday Flare

Happy Friday everyone! I'm hoping to get some condo stuff done this weekend (maybe unpack those last few boxes that just don't seem to have a place . . .) but I'd also love to savor the last few weeks of summer by grabbing some drinks or dinner el fresco.  The weather the past two days in Chicago has been lovely -- low humidity, temps in the 70s and partly cloudy! If this weather sticks around this weekend, I'm hoping to try out the new pair of flares I just bought today from Loft in the first picture below.

I was surprised to see that flares were on trend for fall but I must say that I'm really loving some of the options out there.  Being petite makes flares a little difficult because (1) flares tend to be longer in general than other jeans and (2) the flare doesn't necessarily do much to elongate short legs. However, if you find the right pair, the flare can actually do a lot to make you look taller especially if worn with a wedge or heel.  My friend Paige and I were debating today whether flares look odd if worn with flats.  In my opinion, it depends on the size of the flare (less flare, better with flats) and also on your height (the taller you are, more likely that flares with flats will work for you). As you can see from the pictures before, flares with flats can definitely work, but I think I'll stick with wedges for my flares.  What do you all think about flares with flats?

Below are some of my favorite flares for fall.  I prefer a middle flare versus the very wide flare. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for stopping by.

xo, Jen

Fringe Favorites for Fall

I haven't posted in quite awhile because Daniel and I bought a condo, moved into it and did a little work fixing it up (with LOTS of help from my awesome family)! I'm glad to finally have my free time back to devote to blogging.  Hopefully an upcoming post will feature some pictures of the condo including some of the furniture we've bought and a bit of the work we've done.

But for now . . . fringe! If you check out my Favorites page you'll see that one of the things I'm loving for fall is fringe.  It seems like this trend came out of nowhere, but I'm really digging it.  It's amazing how versatile fringe is and you can find it on all kinds of pieces, as you can see below.  These are just a few of my current favorites, but I'd love to hear what all of you think about fringe for fall and whether it'll stick around or not.

Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Shop the fringe

Thanks for stopping by!

xo, Jen

Floral Pocket Dress and Lace-Ups

I bought this lovely floral pocket dress while I was in Edinburgh, Scotland with my family last month.  It's by a UK brand called Darling (which I found in a small boutique) and after browsing their website, I'm a huge fan!  I wore this to a bar mitzvah service and party this weekend, but it would be perfect for a shower, tea or wedding.  I thought these Madden Girl lace-up sandals were the perfect complement to this otherwise conservative dress - it definitely gave it a bit of an edgy touch!

Darling floral pocket dress // Madden Girl lace-up sandals

Kate Spade watch // t+j designs bracelet // J Crew earrings (old, similar here)

I hope you all have a great week! 

Thanks for stopping by.

xo, Jen

A few things I can't live without (at least for the foreseeable future)

Happy Friday! In the summer, my firm allows us to take every other Friday off and today is my first Friday.  I'm happy to say it's been a rather productive day - working out, running errands and getting my nails done.

I was thinking today about some of the things I use and/or wear regularly and thought I'd share them with you.  As you would expect, this list changes often, but here's is the current version. . .

1.  Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

I used to be a huge Bare Minerals fan until my sister introduced me to this silky soft foundation.  I used to also be afraid of liquid makeup because I was worried it would 1. make me look oily and 2. make me look like I had a ton of makeup on.  However, I must say that this makeup leaves my skin feeling so hydrated and radiant.  I never realized how dry powder makeup was making my skin until I made the switch.  Highly recommend this product!

2.  Fitbit Flex

Ok, ok I know that fitness trackers are all the rage, but I really do love my fitbit.  My boyfriend, Daniel, got me this for my birthday last October and I've been hooked ever since.  I've even quit taking the bus and started walking to work just to force myself to get 10,000 steps a day.  Daniel also got me this great Tory Burch Fitbit Bracelet to wear when I want to dress it up a little.

3. Madewell Zip Transport Tote

This is a classic bag that looks great with both casual and professional outfits.  While I usually use it as a weekend or casual bag, I do find myself using it for work every now and then (especially now that it's summer).  It's a great size, beautiful color and has a zipper (important for me, I tend to spill things out of my purse). 

4. Kate Spade Journal

I recently started a gratuity journal and this one from Kate Spade is perfect.  I love the quote (all things to be thankful for!) and ribbon marker.  I sometimes have a hard time sticking with journaling, but this journal actually makes me want to write in it.

5. Old Navy Double Strap Sandals 

I bought these on a whim in March, and I'm so glad I did since they are no longer in stock (similar here).  Mine are cognac, not black, but I really like the black too.  I find that they go with everything and are also super comfy.  They were only $12!

6. Lo & Sons Catalina Weekender Bag 

Now that wedding season is upon us, I use this bag regularly.  It really is the perfect weekend bag.  I love the separate bottom pocket for shoes and how roomy the bag is overall without becoming too heavy.  I absolutely love the new forest green color too!

I plan to update this list periodically as my favorites change, but I'd love to hear about some of your favorites in the meantime. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Thanks for stopping by.

xo, Jen

Making Mondays Easy: The Suit

I hope you all had a great weekend! Mondays are usually rough for me, so I try to make getting ready easy on myself in the morning.  Since I tend to pick out my clothes for work the night before, Sundays almost always default to a suit.  While I normally wear suits to work out of necessity, I also find that they are often the easiest outfit to put together and will generally leave you feeling polished without much effort.

My go-to suit (I have it in both navy and black, but I find that the navy fits me better for some reason) is the Banana Republic Lightweight Wool Suit.  Not only does it fit well without being bulky, but it's comfortable (#1 priority for me when purchasing a suit) and flattering.  I really dislike button-ups, so I tend to wear sleeveless shirts (spring/summer) or v-neck tees (fall/winter) with my suits - some of my favorites are pictured below.  I also find I can make this suit feel more dressed up if I pair it with pearls (court appearances, client meetings, etc.) or I can dress it down with silver or more casual jewelry (office meetings, meeting with a partner, reviews, etc.).

I'd love to hear reviews of your favorite suits too!

Thanks for stopping by!

xo, Jen

Festive Friday: Chic Street Festival Look

Happy Friday all! If you live in Chicago, you know that weekends between May and August mean street festivals!  I'm a huge fan of street festivals because they give you the opportunity to visit neighborhoods you might not otherwise, try new food and listen to some good music, all in the great outdoors (and hopefully, sunshine).
 
This is an outfit I bought over the weekend at the Splendid outlet which also carries Ella Moss.  These fun trousers are perfect for early summer - lightweight, colorful and comfortable.  While I like the blouse on the model, I went with the blue tank on the brunette model to avoid too much white (I am certain to spill something on myself at a street festival!).  I like that the teal-blue tank doesn't perfectly match the royal blue color in the trousers. These Dolce Vita wedges dress up the outfit a bit in my opinion, but the gladiator sandals work too!

I have been coveting this blush Chloe bag - I think it'll be awhile before I can pull the trigger, but for now, I'll just drool over it.

Have a wonderful weekend! Let me know what festivals you're looking forward to this summer.

xo, Jen