More Velvet

Velvet has been everywhere lately—on clothing, accessories and even furniture. But I've been slow to warm up to the trend. I think it can sometimes look tacky and outdated. But when I found this tank dress at Zara, I had to have it. 

First off, I love tank dresses. But you already knew that if you saw this post. I love the way they hug my body and accentuate the little curves I do have. I also gravitate to any midi dress because they're sexy while still maintaining some sophistication. Additionally, the deep, metallic purple is one of my favorite colors to wear because it adds a subtle pop of color in evening attire.

And since the dress is fabulous all on its own, I decided just to pair it with this black leather jacket and these Steve Madden heels. This is one time that keeping it simple paid off.

Outfit Destinations:

Cocktail party

Fashion show

New Year's Eve party

Dress & Jacket: Zara | Heels: Madden Girl | Bangle: Henri Bendel

{ Photography: Natalie Craig }

                            

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Tacos can't trump this blazer

Picture this: It’s the beginning of September and I’m looking for a camel blazer. For a working girl in a city where fall and spring happen, having the blazer seemed necessary. Camel blazers and coats have been trending for a while now, mainly because they're neutral and sophisticated pieces that can instantly help step up someone's style game.

I got this particular blazer at J. Crew, and though it was love at first sight, I didn’t buy it right away. It wasn’t worth the $218 the preppy clothing brand was asking for.

But a few weeks later, I’m at Taco Fest in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, and I wander into a J. Crew just to see if my blazer was in there (even though I’m supposed to be eating tacos). And to my surprise, they had it, and it was on sale! So I bought it—obvi.

     

It looks great with denim and earth tones, and gives me the ability to instantly dress up casual outfits. Without the blazer, this outfit it pretty basic. It's just a black shirt and jeans, and I look like I'm running errands. But adding the blazer gives the outfit a business casual element. I love wearing this outfit and others like it to work and networking events—places where I want to look sophisticated and refined, but not overdo it with formal wear.

Fast forward to November and I'm looking for a new pair of black leather boots. Last year I wore out my Marc Fisher boots, and the year before that I was wearing a pair of black leather riding boots from Michael Kors. So since I obviously have a thing for black leather boots, I figured I'd stick with the trend.

That's when I found the Tory Burch Chelsea boots below. They got me through fall and now they're getting me through winter. Though I have to be careful about wearing them when there's snow and salt on the streets, they have remained a staple in my wardrobe. They seemingly go with everything because they aren't overdone with a ton of hardware and other distracting embellishments. With a simple Tory Burch logo on the heel, these boots' simplicity is what makes them so versatile.

Now let's rewind back to June. I'm in Nordstrom looking for a new pair of sunnies when I see these square-frame Celine glasses. I pondered long and hard over them, but figured I could justify treating myself since I had just graduated from college and was offered a new grown-woman job. They cost me, but it was worth it.

Takeaways: 

Wait for items to go on sale

Stay true to what you like

Treat yoself

Outfit Destinations:

Office

Networking event

Mixer

Shirt: Zara | Blazer: J. Crew | Jeans: Lucky Brand | Booties: Tory Burch

{ Photography: Natalie Craig }

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Passing Slowly Through Winter

December was a fairly mild month for winter weather in Chicago, but January has been chilling me back to reality. It's certainly time to bundle up, which is why I've been regularly wearing this suede Michael Kors coat. I got an extremely good deal on it at T.J. Maxx, paying only $150 for what was originally a $300 coat. Don't underestimate that place, people!

Street Level Totes are some of the trendiest handbags on the market right now. This particular one doesn't belong to me. I borrowed it from Natalie in the City for this shoot, but I later bought my own and it's easily become one of my favorite bags.

This wool sweater has served as a winer staple for me. Manufactured by Anthropologie, this neutral piece is sophisticated and practical. It can be paired with many different kinds of pieces, like jeans and skirts.

Outfit Destinations:

Class

Dinner

Movie theater

Shirt: Zara | Sweater: Anthropologie | Jeans: Lucky Brand | Coat: Michael Kors | 

Booties: Marc Fisher | Fitbit: Tory Burch | Street Level Tote: Nordstrom

{ Photography: Natalie Craig }

Lord & Taylor Styling Event

Before recently, professional styling was never something I saw myself doing. I was content with being able to style myself. I know my body, I know what I like and in the event my outfit does end up looking like trash, at least it's a mistake in which I only suffer the consequences.

However, I have recently been introduced to the professional styling world. I'm taking a course this semester that focuses on just that, and believe me, there's a lot more to styling than just putting together cute outfits. 

The day in which I received a true styling opportunity was when I was invited to style customers at Lord & Taylor's breast cancer charity event on Oct. 3. I had a blast interacting with customers, sharing my sense of style and helping women find outfits that make them feel confident, attractive and feminine.

I helped one woman put together an outfit for a friend's birthday party. After we browsed several departments and deliberated looks, she left with several pieces for the evening and three pairs of shoes. It was not only fun, but also rewarding. She felt good about her purchases and I felt good about being a positive influence on those choices.

Lord & Taylor gifted me the Design Lab dress I'm wearing below. They also provided me with this BCBG necklace that I've been wearing nearly every day since. Check it all out below!

Dress: Design Lab | Booties: Marc Fisher | Necklace: BCBG | Watch: Montblanc |
Fitbit: Tory Burch | Watch: Montblanc

{ Photography: Jennifer Wolan }

After Dusk

I have this habit where if I really like a garment, I buy it in every color it is made in. This tank is an example of that. About a year ago, I posted this same tank in a different shade. One year later, I'm still rocking this piece. It never seems to get old.

Though I'm a student and journalist by day, I can get a little wild once the sun goes down, and this is an outfit I'd wear on a night out. It's flirty, not slutty. Refined, but not boring. The lace detail adds a dressy component to an otherwise basic tank and its adjustable straps let me choose just how much I'd like to reveal. 

The shorts, manufactured by H&M, are a great alternative to a mini skirt and provide me with much more mobility. And the best part: They have pockets, which totally comes in handy when fumbling with IDs and cash at a bar. Check out my outfit below and tweet me with your thoughts. Lastly, I joined Pinterest (I know I'm late), so check out my pins to see my ootds!

Tank: Forever 21 | Shorts: H&M | Pumps: Madden Girl | Watch: Montblanc | Rings: H&M

{ Photography: Natalie Craig }

Rip, Rip, Thread

Jeans are making a comeback this fall, and I am loving it. Last fall, it seemed as though every store I entered—with the exception of Levi’s and Lucky Brand—only had leggings in stock. Jeans seemed to be an afterthought to other pant alternatives and were often just a messy pile in the back of the store. But in the last couple months as brands have released their fall lines, denim has been everywhere. Piles of jeans flood the front of the stores and more articles of clothing, like shirts and jackets, are constructed from denim.

The particular pair I’m wearing is a boyfriend cut pant manufactured by Zara. This is my favorite pair of jeans at the moment because they fit great and let me switch up my style since I usually wear a dark skinny jean. Though the street vibe isn’t appropriate for all settings, the destroyed rip look makes outfits memorable.

Because of these pant’s vibrancy, I was able to pair it with a basic white tee and still maintain a stylish look. This tee is also from Zara and is actually the same shirt in a different color that I wore in an earlier post. It’s basic and chic, making it a great everyday tee and definitely one that can be paired with jeans.

Shirt: Zara | Jeans: Zara | Pumps: Steve Madden | Fitbit: Tory Burch

{ Photography: Natalie Craig }