Impromptu Photo Shoot

I rarely post photos of myself on here mostly because they never turn out!  I'd like to do a "what I wore" photo once in awhile, but the photos don't do the clothes justice, so I refrain.  My five yr old snaps photos for me once in awhile, and they are pretty good for someone who has only been talking for three years, but he is not always so patient.  So, when we were recently leaving a bat mitzvah a few weekends ago, and a friend of ours, who happened to be photographing the event, told me to stand in the street so that he could snap some photos al la the satorialist style, who was I to say no?  It was raining, we were in front of the el train tracks and a fire truck just happened to zoom by all in the five minutes that I risked my life standing in the middle of the street all in the name of some fashion photos (that I will never get again).  Here are the photos...and let me mention that the outfit was rather impromptu and a bit out of my zone, but it worked.  Let me break down the outfit, what I wore style....

Pants:  J Crew pixies $16.99 mentioned here (price per wear = around 56 cents)
Top:  H&M (purchased in May, not worn until end of August, didn't like this shirt for two months; reason unknown)
Shoes: VIC (from Lori's Shoes)
Bag:  Anthropologie (gift from a dear friend)
Bracelets:  some mentioned here & new leather wrap around (will get info on it and post soon)
Earrings:  Dana Reed ..my all time favorites

dana reed gold pesce earrings

per per wear = in the negatives

Linking up with KORI for fashion fridays!

Also linking up with longdistanceloving for Friday's Fancies

Super fun blog hop going on over there!!  Check it out!

Wet Wellies...A Market Post

My husband thinks that wellies, especially Hunter brand, are way over worn.  I tend to agree with him to a point, but what more appropriate occasion for pulling out the rubbers than a rainy day at the market.  Totally welly appropriate!

And some new wellies I've been eyeing....

Good Souls By Mark McNairy Wellies  $49.99

Joules Pink Mist Welly 

$27.99

(for my 3yr old bestie)

And it looks like we may be going into our fifth straight day of rain.....I guess they say that "April Showers...."   Oh, it's not spring and we are heading into a long winter?  Awesome.

Free Hugs

This group of huggers were giving away free hugs on Michigan Avenue over the weekend.  Now, if that isn't enough to restore your faith in humanity, I don't know what is.

...only one hug per customer....and yes, i received mine.

Pinterest

One more board complete....the "golden ticket" (upper left) is my fave!

TWO HOURS

When things get overwhelming and I'm feeling burnt out, I've determined that I need about two hours to reconnect with myself and I begin feeling like me again.  The two hours can be a combination of the following and more:

• 1 hour yoga class + 1 hr grocery shopping (yes, it can include chores)
• 2 hour happy hour with the girls
• 1hr at the gym + 1hr sipping coffee at bucks
• 1hr stroll down Michigan ave + 1hr walking there and back
• 2hr dinner with husband
• anytime spend on the el train or bus (instantly brings me back to my single days)
• 2hrs shopping for anything, alone

The bottom line is that sometimes you just need to do something, anything that makes you feel refreshed and like your old self again.  I'm curious, what do you do?

late link up with elleinapsir for listography 2011

Monday Morning

via etsy

Good morning Monday and blog friends!  Are you currently enjoying your sip of morning joe?  More likely you are if you are one of my neighbors; well, according to the Huffington Post that is.  Recently Chicago was named the most caffeinated city in the country.  You can check here to see if your city made the list.  In the meantime, I'm going back to sipping and I only have my city to blame.  I knew that I could blame my over coffee-ing (not a word) habits on someone or something else.

Layers

I've finally completed by first Pinterest board entitled LAYERS.  I am very selective about what I pin, so completing a board takes awhile.  LAYERS is appropriate for the upcoming season during which I turn into an ice cube for 6 months.  Here's what else I've been pinning....

 

Special thanks to all the sources of images I pinned, including

elleinadspir and haute-dog.tumblr

And I think I'll link up my only post this week, and Wednesday post, on Fashion Fridays.....head on over and check out Kori's lovely blog.

a girl can dream....

I've been on a long shoot this week, so my guest & co-blogger fwb is back with a fab post for Fashion Fridays...have a fashion post today?  Head on over and link up with Kori!

I am all for a good budget buy.  There is nothing like finding that perfect piece at F21 or H&M and being able to say, “you like this?  $15 bucks!”.  Then there is the inevitable rush of knowing that you look great and you have the admiration of all for being fiscally responsible.

And then there are the times when you just want to spend money….and you have long conversations with yourself trying to justify cashing in a few thousand from your employee stock plan so that you can buy Chanel.  Just a tip for all of you Besties…DO NOT have this conversation with your husband after buying a brand new house…I speak from experience.  I mostly find myself in this situation while catching up on the blogs we love and trying to figure out just how the heck I am going to get myself to Europe or to LA so that I can shop at Zara and buy that skirt…and those shoes…and maybe that blazer.

Speaking of Zara, they have recently made it possible for my dream to come true!  They can’t fly me out of Ohio, but they DID make online shopping available in the U.S.  Zara makes you feel like a million bucks, without the need to delay retirement a few years…

 

http://www.blondeepisodes.com/

Happy Fashion Friday!

xo – fwb 

Bring on the weather

Friends, I turned my seat heater in my car on tonight.  MY SEAT HEATER and it's only September 14th.  Hoping this is not  a sign of another long winter.  Either way, it's coming and here are a few summer to fall looks to get me in the mood. 

big leather bags

Source: outfitidentifier.com via Jackie on Pinterest

closed toe shoes sans socks...save socks for october

4 season dresses

via 

sweaters

land's end
blazers

so, were you a ben or noel fan?

i was working on an event for mtv when felicty was airing and i found myself on a shoot standing right next to noel, i was so nervous that i couldn't get a word out...that was the same shoot where they asked me to take something to nick and jessica and i was like, "Who?"

All for

This is what $150 looked like to me last week.  Since I have yet to go through my closet and put my fall wardrobe into place, I am hesitant to spend a lot of money on any clothes.  I plan on putting it all into a handbag and boots and just adding a few small low priced items when necessary.  So....in honor of my new plan, I hit two places last week to see if there were any bargains and this is what I walked away with.

1.  Ann Taylor (never wear this brand but they fit perfectly...) trowser jeans - Mercy Beaucoup resale

2.  Calvin Klein angora/cashmere blend gray sweater with some hardware on the shoulders - Mercy Beaucoup resale

3.  Ted Baker skirt -Mercy Beaucoup resale

4.  Red Berry Gingham - Mercy Beaucoup resale

5.  Polka-dot shirt - Old Navy

6.  Gray Oxford shoes - Old Navy

Most items were purchased at Mercy Beaucoup, a designer resale shop that 100% benefits the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, an organization that we often give to and that offers a home for children in need.  I have always been a supporter of this organization so when they opened up this shop down the street from me, I was delighted that my shopping was actually doing something good for someone else.  This shop is also going to start accepting children's donations so I'll be donating items as we outgrow them.

You can see all the good they are doing here!

It's hard for me to write about anything after a day of remembrance.  I'll be back tomorrow.

striped sky - photo of north avenue from a few weeks ago

cool breezes

cozy ripped up seven jeans circa 2001
price per wear = in the negatives
mother-in-law's crocs

ok, as much as i try to hold onto summer, it never fails, every year fall rolls around.  we went from 90 to 53 degrees here overnight and ever since monday, we've had cool, breezy days.  on monday, we were at the lake and i must admit that i do love cool weather on the beach...mostly, because i love to throw on cozy worn in jeans and a sweater for my beach glass searching stroll and some good old fashion beach play with the kiddles.

via pinterest via blissfulb.blogspot

happy friday, besties!

Future Proof Your Style

We were at a bat mitzvah over the weekend and they did one of the montage slide shows, which I love, and they showed two pictures of us (me and the hubs) holding the girl as a baby.  Now, this got me thinking about how dated we can look in photos, whether it be 10 years later or 3, the hairstyles, glasses (especially), and clothing automatically scream different decade.  And it was when I was describing this to my husband and asking him how we can avoid looking completely fossil-like in all our photographs with the kids, that he responded, "How do we future proof our style, you mean?"  Yes, that's exactly what I mean.  So, I am going to make it a point to keep it classic when I know the camera is going to be around.

I can't go wrong in any of these news cover-ups by EmersonMade.  Did you all see this new line released this week?  Yowzers...I'll take one of each and you can keep the camera around.

And one last thing! A photographer friend of mine did a mini Sartorialist shoot with me out in the rain the night of the bat mitzvah (yes, i felt like a rock star), so you can be sure that I'll be posting those soon AND hopefully doing a re-post in a few years since they will be future proof.

I'm a little obsessed...

 

 

 

link your fashion post with kori for fashion fridays!
http://www.blondeepisodes.com/

List your dream work environment....

I haven't kept up on the listography lately, but thought this was an easy one, so going to link up with this lovely and this lovely and go for it.  And since I mentioned "dream job" in another listography, i thought that it may be easy....

Ok, dream work environment....and i mean dreamy.

1.  Lots of coffee flowing in the morning....switch to chocolate shakes flowing in the afternoon

2.  Floor to ceiling windows and lots of outdoor work spaces with those cool loungy beds with cushy cushions

3.  No dress code, PJs acceptable....Pencil skirts acceptable....anything goes

4.  Private bathrooms for each employee where you can keep all your emergency goodies and a change of clothes for that infrequent, yet annoying coffee spill

Off to dreamland.......

cubicle

conference room

break room

Enjoy today

These pozie poems mobiles/wind chimes are so fun and inspirational.  With words like Enjoy, Listen, Dance, Love, it's hard not to stop and think for a moment when walking by.  I first spotted them on the highline in NY.  Now have one hanging on our porch.  My boss bought a few for gifts, one being a wedding gift to go along with a check...the wedding was on a farm so seemed like the perfect little addition. Would also be a good weekend house hostess gift. You don't have to go to ny to buy these little gems (although it would be a perfectly acceptable excuse if you ask me), they can be purchased online on Etsy.  Oh, and the top bar is a chalk board so you could write the names of the recipients or your own inspirational message...a nice personal touch.  

highline ny