Style Swap

 

Yesterday you saw Kaitlyn's twist on my outfit. The jumpsuit, cardigan, necklace, and ring were all mine, but I've never styled the four together. I love how it turned out (and now I'll probably rock that outfit when it all comes back my way) but that got me thinking...are these swaps we're doing morphing our styles more then we realize?

I headed to my latest swap bag and grabbed the first dress that caught my eye...

 

As I continued to style my look, I kept thinking "what would Kaitlyn do?" It's always fun to put our own twists on the items we swap, but why not full out use the other person as inspiration? Kaitlyn loves her a great pair of flats so I decided to keep the look good for everyday wear. I added three items of her jewelry and a denim jacket to finish the outfit off. When it came to hair and makeup, I decided to use a recent outfit post of Katie's for inspiration.

Braided faux hawk ponytail & a pink lip? I'm so game for that! 

Dress: Old Navy (Swap w/ Kaitlyn) (similar) // Bag: Melie Bianco // Jacket: Pepe Jeans // Shoes: JustFab 
Necklace, Cuff, & Earrings: Swap w/ Kailtyn // Sunglasses: Rayban // Watch: Fossil 

Do you ever style swap with a friend or relative?

Have you ever used myself or Kaitlyn as inspiration in your everyday outfit styling?

Chambray PJ's? Two different views.

Actual conversation with my husband:

Me: So, what do you think of this? You said I looked cute today but what do you think of the style?

Husband: Yeah, what is that called?

Me: A romper 

Husband: Isn't that the same thing as a onesie? You're essentially wearing pajama's...outside 

Me: EXACTLY....

This is one of those conversations that perfectly highlights the difference in the way males and females think – We both see the same thing when we look at it: A comfortable outfit that resembles something similar to pajamas. Taking that a step further though, I think it’s chic and stylish whereas he remains confused and unsure of how this became acceptable to wear in public.

I still keep him in the back of my mind when I’m getting dressed because of course, I always want him to think I look pretty but as he explained to me, he really believes people are judged far too much based on what they’re wearing. Why do we place so much importance on it, he asks. To him, clothing is a necessity…to me, it is an indulgence. 

I’ve always loved fashion (hence why I’m here and not writing about bird watching) but sometimes, he does a good job of bringing me back down to earth. I will always believe your apparel is an essential part of your personality but to his point, a person is much more than their clothes and it’s important that we remember that, especially in the world of blogging for style.

With all that said, I still want to be clear about one thing; I'm obsessed with rompers and jumpers.

Jumper: Old Navy (swap w/ Lisa) | Kimono: Target (swap w/ Lisa) | Sandals: Old Navy | Bag: Forever 21 (old) 

Sunnies: ZeroUV | Bracelet: Forever 21 (similar) | Watch: JORD | Necklace: Rocksbox (swap w/ Lisa)

Ring: Pree Brulee (swap w/ Lisa) 

Do you ever have similar conversations with your spouse? 

How do their opinions enter into your fashion choices?

Blog of the Month

Our June blogger of the month is slightly out of the box from our regular selections - instead of spending time shooting her own outfits and lifestyle content, she dedicates her time to capturing the beauty of others. Whether it's portraits, weddings, recipes or her dog who wins the cutest ever award (just pretend you didn't hear that, Fitz), Cassandra's photography captures our eye on a daily basis so we felt compelled to further share her talent with the world.

Here is a taste of her beautiful work...clearly we had to start out with the pooch, he's too much!

Did you go to school to study photography? How did you get started?

I didn't, actually! It sort of just fell into my lap, if you will. I was living in Colorado back in 2010, and was feeling a little bored with my corporate job. I had always had an interest in photography, and was encouraged by my parents at a young age to keep playing around with it. So, being the impulsive person that I am ;) I went out and bought myself a nice DSLR and taught myself anything and everything about the subject. I even forced my friends to model for me so I could practice beyond landscapes.  Fast forward almost a year later - I quit my corporate job, moved back to Chicago, set up an LLC, registered for a Tax ID number and built myself a website. So crazy how life works out. 

What is your favorite and least favorite part of your job?

My least favorite part of my job is by far the nitty gritty of small business taxes (estimated quarterly taxes are just the pits), the pressure that us entrepreneurs put on ourselves to be perfect, and mastering the work/life balance. It's near impossible for me, and it's something I'm constantly working on. 

My favorite part is the flexibility. There is truly nothing like being able to create your own schedule. I always say that I will forever be grateful for the ability to have been able to take care of my dad the last 2 years of his life, and to have been able to be there with him for the week before he passed. Had I worked in corporate, I just don't know if I would have had that opportunity. It's not lost on me how lucky I am. Also - clients who turn into friends. It really sweetens the deal when that happens ;)

Any secret photography hacks you can share for us always aspiring to take better photos?

Follow your gut.  Photograph what YOU see, not what you think others want to see.  The only way you can stand apart from others and really make your photography something to look at, is if it's from your point of view.  Look for the beauty in everything. It's there. 

Who is the #1 person dead or alive you would love to photograph? Bucket list talk, here.

Ohhh! This question is hard! I really admire and love Olivia Wilde, so I may have to say her. She has such beautiful, unique features, and I'd LOVE to be able to pick her brain during our session. Such a smart, strong woman. Oh, and remember when I said that sometimes clients turn into friends...? Yeah, that would be the end goal ;) 

You’re definitely a #GIRLBOSS in our eyes…

Do you have any advice for future entrepreneurs?

What an honor. #girlboss has such a lovely ring to it! 

My advice for future entrepreneurs is to dive ALL in. There is never going to be a "perfect" moment to take this scary leap, but I promise you, even through the financial struggles, the "no thank you's" and the failures (because those will all present themselves) you are doing something really BRAVE and AMAZING that not a lot of people have the guts to do.  Keep going.  If you truly love what you do, failure is just a building block for really beautiful things to come.  One life, babes. One life. Make it worth living. 

Who are your favorite bloggers or entrepreneurs? 

Let us know who we should add to our list! ;)

Rocked it & Swapped it

Graphic tees are perfect for everything from everyday wear to nights out on the town. They can be dressed up or down and everyone should have a few in their wardrobe (I know myself and Kaitlyn have quite the collection between the two of us)! Cozy and fashionable are two traits you should always look for when shopping. 

This J'Adore tee from Old Navy is a perfect example of how a basic tee can be dressed up or down. It was great for a winter day in Wisconsin paired with jeans and a knit cardigan. The tee also worked well dressed up for a night in the city. 

Her is how we both styled the J'Adore shirt: 

Looking to add a new graphic tee to your wardrobe? 

Shop some of our favorites below! 

Spontaneity & Stripes

As much as I try to plan ahead, I find the spontaneous moments are always the most fun and memorable (aka booking a trip to Ireland on a whim). Lisa and I were downtown for an event one evening and running a few minutes late but wanted to get some outfit photos in before we lost the "good light," so we ended up shooting where we parked, right outside of Jake Melnicks. 

We didn't question the location or if we had properly re-applied lipstick as usual (#priorities)...We just threw down our bags and started snapping...as it turns out, we ended up loving the pictures. Not because of how they look or what we were wearing but because it turned out to be such a fun, carefree evening. Sometimes I feel like we put so much pressure on ourselves to make events or even small moments in our lives turn out a certain way but if we just learn to go with the flow a little more, we might surprise ourselves...

Speaking of going with the flow, stripes & army green is a fantastic casual combination. For the girl who wants to achieve the "perfect combination of sexy and cute," (any other Gosling fans watch this on repeat?), this is your go-to. Here are a few other blogger examples of how to wear the two together:

Top: 1 // 2 - Bottom: 1 // 2 // 3

Do you find that your favorite moments are planned or a surprise?

My Chambray Obsession Continues

I am such a fan of anything chambray. At this point my collection consists of 3 different chambray tops, a jumpsuit, and this romper as well! Hey, if there is a trend or style that you love, why not stock up on it?



This romper is perfect for this spring and summer and is a great layering item as well. It is super comfortable and has a more relaxed fit to it. Which means, tall girls, this specific romper will fit your longer torsos. SCORE!



It can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. This day we were at the family lake house and out getting coffee. This is a great example of everyday wear for me this season.

Cardigan: Threadsence // Romper: Old Navy // Shoes: c/o Sole Society // Bag: JustFab // Layered Necklace & Watch: Urban Outfitters  // Choker: Lili Claspe // Sunglasses: Prada 

Looking for a chambray romper too? I've found nine of my favorites at all different price points.
(click on the items below to shop)

What do you think of chambray rompers?

Do you like how I styled mine above? Let's chat in the comments section! 

Kaitlyn's Blogging Bloopers, Volume 3

It's Monday once again which means that only an extra dose of laughter (and an iv of iced coffee) can prepare us to take on the week (especially after a week filled with no sleep, thank you #Blackhawks!)

It is important to us to produce quality photos and content for the blog but somewhere along the way, we find ourselves in the middle of laughing fits and awkward moments which actually produce some of the most silly occasions to look back on. 

So, I present to you...Blogging Bloopers, Volume 3 (captions included but debatable of course!)

And of course, a dance party...Happy Monday!