What I Wore: Sheer Vintage Dresses Edition

Oh some days it feels like spring will never come. We'll get one nice day accompanied by three chilly ones. I'm starting to give up hope here. But, it just means that I try to take advantage of the nice days when we have them, like this past weekend. It was the perfect day to test drive this little vintage number. This lilac vintage dress is one of my favorite finds, but it's super sheer so it really only works on warm days. But when it does work, oh it works.

What I Wore: The Time Travel Edition

I've been obsessed with 70s style all summer. I don't know why or where this love of all things 70s-biker-chic came from, but I'm into it. So into it, in fact, that all I can do is daydream about moving to California and riding on the back of a motorcycle over winding trails. I better re-watch Sons of Anarchy or something.

Anyway, that's where today's outfit inspiration is stemming from. Ever since I started this weird, retro 70s obsession, I've been hunting for a pair of high-waisted, tight, bell bottom jeans. They were surprisingly hard to find. Or maybe not so surprisingly, if you're a sane person, unlike me. But find them I did and my world will never been the same.

White Hot Summer Outfit Ideas

Summer fashion trends come and go. Neons, florals, boho — we see it all on a rotating schedule. Even though I'm always in love with new summer trends, there's one that I'm always really excited to jump back into and that's white. It's called a white, hot summer for a reason! There's just something so essentially summer about tan skin, white dresses, and bright details.

What I Wore: The 70s Summer Edition

Summer is here! Minus all the rain, it's been a pretty perfect start to summer. With music festivals, movies in the park, pool parties, and long days at the beach all around the corner, it's time to start finalizing that summer style. My style? 70s gypsy/biker. Does it suit me? Nope, I don't think so. Do I care? No! I'm going to make it work because I want to and that's that.

What I Wore: The Thrifted Sweaters Edition

I know I talk about this every week, but I am so tired of winter. More sickened by it than I have ever been. There was a glimmer of hope with some 40 degree days and then it snowed and the temp dropped again. I'm moving. Enough of this.

Anyway, due to the never ending Siberian weather, I thought I'd talk about my sweater collection. It's gotten a little out of hand. I could probably wear a different sweater every day for a month - unless we're counting cardigans, then make that three. How did I amass such an insane collection, you ask? Easy. Thrifting. One thing I've become great at finding in a sea of ugly 80s sweaters is the 1-2 good ones. 

I buy them too, of course, but when your wardrobe consists of fleece leggings, a skirt, a sweater, and Doc Martins for 5 months out of the year, it can become expensive. So I thrift!

What I Wore: The Lady in Red Edition

Let me tell you, there is nothing better for the confidence than a little rouge. I am dead serious about this. Feeling blah and don't want to put any effort into your outfit today? Throw on jeans, a sweater, and some red lipstick and you'll see. It really is that easy. I know the color on this 40s style vintage dress is one of the reasons it's totally an instant confidence booster!

What I Wore: The Date Night Edition

Ah, date night. Doesn't matter if it's a night out with someone new, someone old, or just the girls, it's an excuse to get dressed up and who doesn't like that? Now, as much as I love layering for fall, I always have a much harder time picking out clothes to wear out as the weather cools down. I don't know about you, but for me, you throw a jacket into the mix and I no longer have any clue what I'm doing. This makes going out at night mostly one big panic attack. SO, when I do find an outfit that works and I like, I wear the crap out of it. You too?

What I Wore: The Holding Onto Summer Edition

Fall is here. Like really, officially here. Thankfully, it only feels that way in the mornings and evenings and the daytime is still sunny and relatively warm! Not that I want global warming to be happening, but if it is going to happen, I am okay with Chicago becoming a tropical destination. #justsayin

Until that happens, I'm going to take advantage of the warmer weather and keep wearing my lighter, summer pieces into fall. I find that sticking with the pieces that are longer, but still light are perfect for those days that go from 80 degrees to 65 degrees in a few short hours. This outfit in particular is one of my favorites because of the brightly colored skirt. Ain't nothing better for fixing a gloomy day or a gloomy mood than some bright colors. It's the little things, you know?

What I Wore: The Hi Low Edition

Anyone else watch the new season of Arrested Development? I obviously have based on my title. Anyway, it did feel appropriate here in today's outfit post. I have issues with office wear. Mostly because my office is super casual. Like so casual some people come to work in yoga pants and as I've mentioned on here before, I don't even leave the house in yoga pants unless I'm heading straight to the gym. So I struggle because I often feel over dressed or under dressed but never....dressed?

What I Wore: California Livin'

Take me back to the west. The sun is finally starting to show a little today after days of stormy weather and it's making me wonder why I ever flew back from California in the first place. Anyway, my little road trip out there was amazing and I finally got around to uploading the photos from the trip to my desktop. Meaning I'll hopefully get to share those memories on here soon!

Moving on to the more important question: what does a Chicago girl, used to frigid weather, wear in California? Something that makes her look very confused as to what season we're in.

What to Wear: Spring Inspiration

I'm so ready for spring and yet I'm so stuck in winter! It's not quite warm enough to get rid of the jackets or leg coverings just yet, but it is warm enough to ditch the heavy sweaters and thick boots. So what's a girl to do? Since I was feeling so utterly outfit un-inspired, I thought I would use the internet time to find and share inspiration! That is what the internet is for right?

I actually don't love any of the spring trends this year. I do love that the fashion designers had tried to steer away from the average flowers, nautical, and pastels. However, you still can find plenty of those on the runways. There are a few things circling that I wouldn't mind adding to my closet:

Black and White

What I Wore: The Patterned Tights Edition

I love patterned tights. Always have and probably always will, unfortunately. The problem is that after years of buying leopard print, floral, and geometric print tights, I still have no idea how to wear them. Especially now as an adult.

What I Wore: The Leather Vest Edition

Am I cool enough to rocka leather vest? No. Just by asking myself that question it's obvious I'm not. But, damnit, I'm going to try! So I went with my go-to outfit option when trying a trend that I think is too "tough" for me, I mixed it in with something sweet. Balance  as always, is important in any outfit or else you start looking like you're wearing a costume if you're too "biker chic" or too sweet or too rocker, etc.

What I Wore: The Sweater Weather Edition

I'm in a rut. A cardigan wearing rut. I'm trying my best to break out of it, but I own like 50 cardigans (no joke) and they are simply my go-to cover up in cold weather. However, I realize that I look eternally boring if I wear a cardigan over something every single day. So I went to the Urban Outlet in Chicago and tried to change things up a bit.

Tuesday Inspiration: Brocade for the Holidays

Now that we've finished stuffing ourselves after Thanksgiving, it's time to start hunting for that perfect holiday dress. I'm not ready to commit to anything yet, and I have a relatively small budget to work in, but there's nothing wrong with a little window shopping is there?

In perusing the internet for ideas, I found that one of fall's RTW 2012 trends would make the perfect holiday outfit: brocade!

What I Wore: The Summer to Fall Edition

I've already been gushing over fall for weeks now, at least as far as fashion goes. Now that the weather is jumping up and down, it's time to start preparing for that style limbo. dressing for the weather has always been my biggest challenge. Is it hot out? Is it cold? Do I wear pants? How did it get 20 degrees hotter in 2 hours? This is where my light sweaters and bright colored pants come in. I'm not quite ready to switch to a fall palate since it's still 80 degrees and sunny some days, but the nights are getting chilly so my favorite thing to do in this type of weather is to throw on a light sweater with a tank underneath. This way if it gets too hot I can pull off the sweater, but can still be comfortable. And as much as I love summer, I am ready for sweaters and scarves!

Inspiration Tuesday: Jewel Tones

Jewel tones are my favorite year round, but fall is when they really start hitting the stores and I couldn't be more excited to go shopping this season. I'm pretty pale and usually dark haired so those rich greens, purples, and blues suit me very well. At least I like to think so. Anyway, my closet is full of it and it never feel more appropriate than in that time in late fall, just before the Christmas season starts rolling in (you know, somewhere around early October now). So I pulled together three outfits using some of my favorite shades for some outfit inspiration. The first one is a little edgy and punk rock for a night out at the bar. The second one is a complete work ensemble if I worked somewhere that prohibited the wearing of jeans. And finally a date night outfit! Er, that is, if I had any dates to go on. Whomp, whomp. At least I'm prepared! Now if only Polyvore magically transported all the items you pulled into a collection into your closet, that would be perfect.

Vintage Love: 40s Style Dresses

I don't know what it was, maybe the Depression, maybe wartime, maybe coming off of the roaring 20s, but dresses from the late 30s into the early 40s were these pretty, structured, dainty pieces that flattered every figure. They almost always had collars and pretty little sleeves that were often three quarter length. They weren't quite the full skirt, ornate piece of the 50s, they were simpler than that, but just as pretty and perfect for the every day girl. It was the 40s that coined the shirt dress - a look that drags me to it like flies to honey.

via VTGSewingPatterns on Etsy

Tuesday Trendspotting: House of Harlow and Winter Kate Fall 2012

Ok, that's it. It's August, the summer shorts and tank tops are being put on sale. You can now buy your bathing suits for next year for less than half the price. It's time to talk fall. I'm working on developing an idea of what I want my wardrobe to look like this year. I work in an office, a regular nine-to-five, but it's a really relaxed atmosphere so I don't really need lots of tailored tweed, but I do still need to look profesional. Somehow, magically, House of Harlow and Winter Kate have managed to put together a collection of fall looks that are fun, playful, and classy. I think I found my ideal wardrobe. via Fabsugar

Tuesday Trendspotting: Midriff Madness!

Baby, it's hot outside. And humid and muggy outside. What better way to stay stylish and cool then to wear an adorable skirt and a cute midriff top? Now I talked about how I feel about showing off my midriff in one of the past outfit posts, but you have to admit it is a cute look. If only I was more comfortable wearing them more often. I own a couple midriff tops that have been sitting in my dresser for a few years actually. I've just never had to guts to put them on and flaunt around town with my beer belly hanging out. But hey, if you got it, flaunt it!

Long story short, just because I don't think that I can rock the midriff top look personally does not mean  that I don't think it's a cute trend for other people. So I picked out some of my favorites that I've found around the internet, all of which I would totally buy to let collect dust in my dresser.

on Etsy