The Ultimate Winter Dress Coat

So, it appears we have skipped Fall and headed straight to winter, or at least a prelude to it. The temps in Chicago have been in the low 40's for almost a week now and it feels like we hit the fast forward button on one of my favorite seasons. I really enjoy the short timeframe where we can get away with just a sweater and no coat but once those chillier days do arrive, we must be prepared. 

I have never liked your standard Midwest Winter puffer coat - I only wear mine out of necessity (though I DO love its shade of red!) and let's be honest, it pretty much ruins any cute outfit I work hard on putting together...ugh, life can be so hard ;) But in all seriousness, there has to be a middle ground when it comes to staying warm AND looking chic during the return of Chiberia. We add tights to our dresses and beanies on our heads, but what about the most important layer? This is where a beautiful dress coat comes in...something that will complement your outfit, not hide it. I recommend something about knee length (or even longer) to make sure it covers many of your dresses...Is it just me or do you guys also think it's tacky when your clothes are longer than your coat? 

I became attached to this J. Jill style real quick and think it will be my go-to dress coat this season. It's super soft, fully lined and goes with everything. I love that it's gray and not black, there are too many of those...Why not be a Fruit Loop in a world full of Cheerios, you know? :) The high neck and button down front make it feel sophisticated enough for the office yet trendy enough for my everyday street style. It just makes me feel good and that's saying a lot because I wait until the last possible minute to pull out a Winter coat but I kind of want to live in this one!

By the way, this beautiful floral scarf is part of the J. Jill Compassion Fund. If you aren't familiar, this organization is designed to help women in need: 100% of the net proceeds from this exclusive Compassion Fund scarf will provide support to community-based organizations that help disadvantaged and homeless women become more self-sufficient.

How cool is that? Not only is it a beautiful accessory but I feel proud to be wearing knowing the wonderful story and mission behind it. Any way women can support one another in succeeding and bettering their life is so important and so worth sharing.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Tuesday Xo

Wearing:

Dress, Jacket & Scarf: c/o J. Jill

Booties: Just Fab (old, similar here)

Necklace: c/o Park Lane Jewelry

Purse: Express - Love this one too!

A Lost Summer | Cabi Clothing Dress

This was not your typical Summer. Actually, if we're being honest, it didn't feel like much of a Summer at all, at least to me. I look forward to these 3 months all year long and at this point, I'm just ready to move on and begin a new season. That's not to say it was a bad Summer - After all, it gave us the most special experience and the love of our lives...but it certainly was different. 
I began the Summer 8 months pregnant (was getting hot and uncomfortable just about then, guys!) and kicked off the month of June with my husbands ACL+Meniscus repair surgery. This was a big undertaking (and would have been even if I wasn't preggo) and didn't allow him to do much, especially for those first 3-4 weeks -- Netflix bingeing was never so real. So between the two of us, we were a sad pair, with neither of us getting around very well and our regular Summer activities being out of the question (boating, swimming, running, wine tasting (RIP), biking,  movies in the park, etc.). It's quite a long recovery, as he is still going to physical therapy and will be working on returning to "normal" for a while but he has handled the whole process like such a champ. 
On top of that, my Aunt who is very special to me had major brain surgery and experienced many more complications than our Family anticipated so it put quite a bit of a strain and worry on everyone for a larger part of the Summer. Her conditions changed on a daily basis so we constantly felt on edge when the phone would ring or a text would come through. We are all very close and something like this easily has the power to disrupt our regular scheduled programming in many ways. However, I am very happy to report she is getting stronger every day and I am so proud of her perseverance.
And if I can just be selfish and honest for a second, I just had a large case of FOMO all the time. It was hard to watch everyone in their cute swimsuits spending days poolside or going out on a beautiful night for drinks while I was excluded from so many of these things, continuing to feel like I was in somebody else's body and watching the precious Summertime pass by. Social media didn't make this any easier...I mean, how many Swan float photos does it take to stir up a pregnant lady's emotions? 😂  Please understand - I don't want to sound like a bitter Betty because I am grateful for so much, especially over the last few weeks. I just wanted to acknowledge that everything isn't always picture perfect. Sometimes, we have to be patient and wait for the next car on thrill ride or in this case, Fall...

  Thanks for letting me vent a bit!  Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week Xo
Wearing:
Dress: Cabi Clothing Purse: Swap Party  Sunnies: Old Navy Bracelet & Earrings: c/o Park Lane Jewelry Shoes: c/o Just Fab Lipstick: Bite

Blue Hues + Big News

Style obsessions come and go and coming in hot for me lately, are peplum tops. A little ruffle never hurt nobody, especially a preggo lady looking for an extra boost of flirty and feminine...plus they are super flattering on all body types. I have a growing collection and was excited to add some gingham to the peplum gang -- I jumped at the chance to order this LOFT top (on sale!) because with it being so light, I figured it was perfect for Spring and will pair great with white jeans as well (*tip - as with most things from LOFT, size down with this top...runs pretty big!)

I suppose I love this top because I'm also very into blue hues lately...Perhaps this has something to do with some BIG NEWS we found out last week! My husband and I are still reeling from finding out we have a son on the way. I'm going to have a son...a SON. In case you are wondering, typing those words feels just as surreal as the vision in my mind. I will be honest - For some reason, I was so positive we were having a girl (which makes no sense because it was obviously just a shot in the dark!) But because it's my first pregnancy, I found it fun to play into all the stereotypes and old wives tails, a lot of which made me think bows and tutu's...except for the ladies in my life who thought boy all along because of the way "I'm carrying." Seriously, does any of this stuff hold any truth?

Well, they were right. My Dr. said with much certainty, "looks like you're having a boy!" and I felt slightly blindsided...Sir, I don't have any boy names on deck and I don't know a thing about Matchbox Cars or Dinosaurs (or whatever boy things are cool these days...) But a little while later, I started thinking about my nephew (Lisa's boy) and what a big piece of my heart he has. Like, heart physically hurting when he's in pain or fluttering when he's happy and then I realized it's not about toys or what you "might not know," because it's only what you don't know YET...there's so much time to learn. Soon, I will begin a lifelong relationship with a special boy unlike any other in my life. A gentleman who I hope will always protect me, treat women with much-deserved respect, work hard at something he enjoys and love his Family just as unconditionally as we love him.

I should have figured because it IS customary in my Family for a boy to be born first...I always felt lucky to have an older brother who watched out for me (especially because he's the best one I could imagine), so hopefully we're following that trend. Not to mention, he and my Mom have such a special relationship...they got to spend almost 8 years together before I came along and you can definitely tell how much of her was instilled in him. Her generous spirit and sensitivity are obvious in his actions every day and I love seeing how great of friends they have become. I have so many amazing Mother-son examples in my life and look forward to setting my own soon enough.

Now, back to hanging with my hubs and editing/politely disagreeing over our "baby boy names" google doc... ;) 

SHOP THE LOOK:

Wearing:

Top: LOFT

Jeans: Destination Maternity (similar)

Trench Coat: H&M

Wedges: c/o Shopbop

Bag: Just Fab (similar)

Bracelet: c/o Park Lane Jewelry

Lipstick: GloMinerals

Neutral Maxi Dress for Spring

At almost 20 weeks pregnant, loose dresses and tops in lightweight fabrics are my jam. Maintaining my comfort level is becoming more of a priority each week but on the same note, it's still important to me to wear things that give me confidence and make me feel like myself and this J. Jill Tencel Maxi accomplishes all of the above. We've rambled on about our love for tencel material before so I'll save you another speech but please know, slipping this dress on is the equivalent to wearing your coziest pj's. The high-mock turtleneck is great for that midway March point on the calendar (when there's still a chance of snow on a regular basis) but with it being a sleeveless maxi accompanied by a defined slit in the back, it's got Spring vibes all geared up and ready to go.

  SHOP THE LOOK:

I also wanted to share the story behind this bracelet - It was a Christmas gift from my girlfriend and upon opening it, I thought it was beautiful and unique but wasn't sure what it meant. After a little research, I was extremely touched by the backstory. It's from Branded Collective, a company who employs survivors of human trafficking from a Nashville-based non-profit, End Slavery Tennessee. Branded is an economic empowerment jobs program where the women collaborate with local artisans to design and handcraft the jewelry collection. 

Many victims of human trafficking are branded; their captors physically mark them with a number or symbol so each of these pieces contains a unique number that represents one of the millions trapped in the nightmare of trafficking. I love supporting companies who are making a difference - These pieces have a humanitarian component that's both beautiful and philanthropic so it is an honor to wear these numbers.

Wearing:
Maxi dress: c/o J. Jill Jacket: Kut from the Kloth Bag: Just Fab (old but I LOVE this weekender style!) Booties: Just Fab (similar) Bracelet: Branded Collective Necklace: c/o Park Lane Jewelry Belt: Old Navy

Overalls & Embroidery

I am so in love with all the embroidered items currently selling this season. Why style only one in your outfit when you can wear two? This floral strap bag was the perfect compliment to the floral back jacket. Both of these items are one major repeat and I am not mad about it! It's OK to wear the same bag and jacket all the time with no judgment, right? Because I am all over that move! ;) 

Another repeat offender here are my flare overalls. Ever since I had them altered so I can wear them with lower shoes, I find myself wearing them at least once a week. They are just so comfortable and still look fashionable. That is what you call a double win! This look was perfect for everyday and to dress it up a bit I added my favorite bright red lip color. 

SHOP THE LOOK:

Overalls & Boots: JustFab // Jacket: c/o Style & Co // Top & Bag: Express  Sunglasses: Kate Spade // Lip Color: GloMinerals- Crimson  (photos by Cecilia Jean) Are you a fan of embroidered clothing and accessories?  What do you think of flare overalls?

Rocked it & Swapped it

In all honesty, I pulled these photos to showcase a rock and swap for our amazing JustFab emerald bag, but this is turning out to be an entire look R&S! When I styled my studded bag back in November, I wore it with black overalls, a stripe top, gray heels, and a great black wool hat. When Kaitlyn wore her bag in January, she too wore it with black overalls and a stripe top, but opted for crop boots instead of heels. (Welcome to the overalls club, Kaitlyn!) Let's be honest, we are not the first to rock this killer combo and we certainly won't be the last! 

SHOP THE LOOK:

How would you style this emerald bag?

Do you love this outfit combo as much as we do?

The Return of Overalls

Guys, I have to admit something -- I am officially eating my words. A few years back, I remember Lisa buying a pair of overalls, telling me they had become cute again and all I could picture were my red, white and blue Tommy Hilfiger ones from 5th grade (you know the ones, we all had them or at least wish we did). Don't get me wrong, those were such a NECESSITY at the time, but I thought, could overalls really make a comeback in a fashion forward/non farming way? 

As I continued to wonder this, Lisa acquired a more styles including including my favorite pair of hers, the flares, and I started to think how chic they looked (when styled appropriately, of course). Meaning, I wouldn't pair them with plaid, flannel or gingham in order to avoid looking like all that's missing is a pitchfork. I had been looking at different pairs for awhile now and while standing in the checkout line at H&M recently, this black pair was hanging on a rack right in front of my face and I figured it was a sign. I knew right away I wanted to pair them with black and white stripes for a classic, monochrome look and as soon was I put it all together, it was pure harmony. I can't even tell you how comfortable they are...they are made from stretchy twill so they are much more pliable than denim would be. Bustle said it best..."Overalls provide the comfort of a regular pant with more wiggle room. They are utilitarian. They are endearingly boyish. They are easy to care for. Overalls are great for summer because they aren’t as tight as a regular jean, so they don’t cling on to your legs in sweltering heat." Oh, and I adore the criss-cross detail in back. 

I have something else to admit: I like them so much I bought them in 2 colors and now my regular pants kind of seem boring. Can't wait to style both pairs for Spring! Off the shoulder tops, anyone?

SHOP MY STYLE:

P.S. If you're looking for inspiration, this link is a few years old but still holds up today... See a few different ways fellow bloggers have styled their overalls. I LOVE how Danielle from We Wore What paired them with a turtleneck sweater and loafers!

How do you feel about overalls?  Do you own any or are you hesitant to try?
Wearing:
Overalls: H&M Striped shirt: Old Navy (similar) Booties: Just Fab Bag: Just Fab Sunnies: H&M Lipstick: Glominerals - Mimosa