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Rocked it & Swapped it

For Christmas, my sister bought me this super cozy knit from Old Navy. When I wore it on NYE during the day, I paired it with a plaid scarf, black denim, and a black boot. When I swapped the knit with Kaitlyn, she mixed it up by adding a vest, hat, blue jeans, and a brown boot. 

Here is how we styled the sweater:

I can't wait to wear it again! My favorite part of our R&S posts is seeing how someone else can style my go-to pieces. This has really got me excited to mix it up. Thanks Kaitlyn for the inspiration!

Which look do you love? 

Because Lisa Shows us How to Layer

As a gal who lives in the suburbs of Chicago, I find myself freezing during the winter months…(You don't have to be from Chicago to know that the hashtag Chibera was trending a few weeks ago!)

So what do we do about it? Wear layers of course! Here's how I get cozy with multiple pieces:

Layer 1: Great denim and a cozy knit. This is really my go-to for everyday wear. It truly is the easiest to mix and match denim with a cute sweater and lets be honest, we all own these items.

 

Layer 2: Add a great scarf and don't forget the perfect boot! This is not an infinity scarf, but I tied the ends and made it into one. I like to mix patterns, but doing so scares a lot of people. I have found that if you keep them in the same color family, you can make it look effortless.

 

Layer 3: Add a fur vest. This can be worn with the outfit, then you have the option to take it off when you get to your destination. I do both depending on how cold I am.

 

Layer 4: Add a wool coat. I love this one because it's like a trench coat, but much warmer. Plus, I stayed with neutral colors for all items so it was easy to mix textures, patterns, and layers without looking like a hot mess! ;)

Top: Piperlime // Jeans: American Eagle // Boots: c/o Sole Society // Bracelet: BISTM // Watch: Fossil 
Scarf: Loft (swap w/ Kaitlyn) // Vest: Nordstrom // Coat: Victoria's Secret // Ring: T+J Designs 

Do you like these pattern mixing choices? Would you wear all these pieces together?

Because Kaitlyn Loves Wisco Winters

While Chicago has been experiencing some of the coldest temperatures ever, it's usually even more frigid when you cross the Wisconsin border. That being said, our surroundings there somehow make winter feel more like a beautiful dream than a tiring routine. Our lake house is engulfed by beautiful scenery - icy bare branches, snow covered evergreens and a blanket of white diamonds…

Perfect for baileys on ice and comfort foods with the family ;)

P.S. if you would take 5 minute to fill out our Sisters Marie Survey, we would greatly appreciate it! (We promise it will not take you any longer -- we kept it short + sweet!) 

Sweater: LOFT // Leggings: JC Penney (similar) // Boots: Target // Hat: Forever 21

Sunglasses: Nordstrom // Necklace: Macy's (Rachel Roy) // Lipstick: Milani 

Peaked my Pinterest: 1 Minute Ponytail Makeover

I am forever on the hunt for quick and easy hair styles. I don't wear ponytails often, but when I do, I either wear them when my hair is pin straight or super curly. I think this hair style would look AMAZING with some second day waves.

Here's the 1-minute makeover longer ponytail:

This is seriously the easiest style EVER! 

Here is what you need: 

1 brush, 2 rubber bands, 1 clip (optional)

1) Brush hair out or curl bottom half of hair depending on the style you want

2) Divide hair into two sections and clip the top section up

3) Put lower rubber band in. The lower you place this one, the longer your ponytail will look. I would advise to keep the two ponytails closer together if you are wearing your hair straight and space them further apart if your hair is curled. 

4) Put top rubber band in.

Piece of cake, right? Will you try out this style?

Remix: White Tuxedo Blazer

I have been wearing this white blazer (similar) non-stop since I bought in December because there's something about the tuxedo that makes any outfit feel polished. It was the perfect addition to my blouse and leather skirt ensemble during the Holidays but also transitioned well with my jeans and sweater look that I wore for work and an evening networking event. 

(by the way, I can't seem to get Michael Jackson's "black or white" out of my head when I look at these photos...but luckily with this jacket, I don't have to choose ;)

My favorite style is a "borrowed-from-the-boys" look so in addition to tuxedo jackets, I love mixing gingham shirts with leather jackets, plaid with tulle and dressing up a crisp white oxford shirt. A mix of masculine and feminine keeps things classy yet on trend.

"I feel like the tuxedo epitomizes glamour and androgynous cool," says local celebrity-stylist-turned-designer Rachel Zoe, whose namesake collection is known for incorporating tuxedo elements. "It exudes a strong and powerful message and is a less overt way of being sexy" (source) 

What do you think of the tuxedo jacket?

Rocked it & Swapped it

Lisa and I both jump at the chance to wear sequins so her skirt from Lauren Conrad's line for Kohls is a favorite of ours and the quintessential winter piece. Whether it's worn with neutrals like a cream turtleneck and taupe mary jane pumps or black tights and knee-high wedge boots, it's great for all the festivities and decking the halls that the holidays bring. 

How would you style the skirt?  

Because Kaitlyn Rented the Runway (part 2!)

As mentioned last week, I recently utilized Rent the Runway for a wedding but the dresses didn't make it to my house in time due to crazy winter weather (which actually worked out because alternative dress was uhhmazing). That said, my original order did show up a few days later so I couldn't resist playing dress up which inspired a fancy dinner at home with the husband. 

(P.S. This was during the negative double digit temperatures so I was not about to take these bare legs outside...inside shooting it is!)

Dress: Rent the Runway (Badgley Mischka) // Belt: Target // Heels: c/o Just Fab 

Earrings: Castellammare Designs // Clutch: Aldo 

Dress: Rent the Runway (Sachi + Babi) // Earrings: T+J Designs // Heels: DSW

Bracelet: Francesca's (similar) // Clutch: Francesca's

I'm sorry if you're tired of seeing these earrings posted all over the blog...

In the words of Miley, can't stop, won't stop.

Which RTR dress out of the 3 is your favorite?

Because Lisa Loves Knits with Elbow Batches

 

I bought this amazing knit last winter and have only worn it one since. Why? I have no idea, so I decided I must wear it ASAP. There is something about elbow patches that I just can't get enough of... I don't know what it is, but it just adds a certain charm. 

I decided to mix up the color palette a bit by adding this amazing blue necklace to my outfit. 

Knit: Piperlime // Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger // Boots: c/o Sole Society // Necklace: c/o Sammy Dress // Watch: Fossil // Chain Bracelet: Victoria's Secret // Bow Bracelet & Rings: T+J Designs 

Are you fan of elbow patches like myself? 

Peaked my Pinterest: Shop the Look

Our favorite part of winter fashion is the effortless look of layering. Some can pull it off flawlessly, looking as though they just threw something on. We are in love with this type of layering. 

Here are a few effortless looking outfits that we are swooning over:

 (source)

Jacket: similar, similar // Scarf: similar, similar, similar // Top: similar, similar // Jeans: similar, similar

(source)

Jacket: similar, similar // Scarf: similar, similar, similar // Boots: similar, similar // Bag: similar, similar // Jeans: similar, similar

 (source)

Jacket: similar, similar // Knit: similar, similar, similar // Jeans: similar, similar // Bag: similar, similar, similar //Sunnies: similar, similar 

Which one is your favorite look? How do you layer in the winter months?

How to Stay Winter Warm!

It has been a crazy winter in Chicago (to say the least) and as a result, I am getting pretty tired of having to wear my Old Navy parka in the office while my feet are toasted by my space heater. During this month's polar vortex, our heat in the office froze at 60 degrees which couldn't even be improved by the two pairs of pants I was wearing (and one was fleece lined!)

As someone who would be cold in a sauna, this season has definitely been a challenge, but it has forced me to add to a growing collection of stylish winter attire. My husband always says, "Are you going to fashionable or warm today?" and with these options (all under $100!) in my closet, I could safely reply, "both." 

Which jacket is your favorite? I am obsesed with the black and red plaid print!

American Eagle Outfitters coat

ae.com

NIC ZOE red jacket

nicandzoe.com

Long brown coat

$79 - ringsandtings.com

2013 New Fur Collar Big Size Woolen Overcoat

wendybox.com

Miss Selfridge coat

missselfridge.com

Forever 21 bomber jacket

forever21.com

Topshop scarve

nordstrom.com

Aztec scarve

$21 - newlook.com

Aéropostale knit hat

aeropostale.com