Chictopia10 Conference and Menwear Influence

I wanted to first approach everyone and ask who is going to be at the Chictopia10 Conference on February 13th?  I was really thinking of going but I am so hesitant.  I would be traveling alone (unless somehow I can convince my husband to go with...doubtful) and I have never actually done that except for a trip to Paris which really just consisted of being alone on the flight not in the city.  So I thought I would get some feelers out there as to who is going.  Maybe someone in the Chicagoland area?  I really think it would be great to go.  Not only to meet many of the ladies that are going but because I think my industry (beauty) should be represented as well.  I think I could learn something as I am in the eCommerce sector of beauty retail.

With that said, I wanted to mention my recent love for menswear inspired outfits.  So much that I bought oxfords (ok so, they still have a heel), which has always been something I have geared away from.  Somehow I have just been loving all the new spring collections (haven't we all) and their amazing and whimsical menswear inspiration.  I love to pair some of my new menswear-esque pieces with some of my more feminine blouses and such.

 Blouse: H&M

Cardigan: F21

Brooch: vintage

Skirt: gift from mom (Express)

Leggings: Hue

Oxfords: Rampage

(That cat would be Madeline. She likes to impede on my photography space) 

Speaking of Menswear, there was a great Spring editorial in the most recent publication of WWDFast magazine.  I get WWD at work in order to keep up on the industry and I love when they publish WWDFast because it is not like the newspaper version.  This editorial has been my favorite in the last few months...

 

 

(This last one reminds me of a past post from Aya of Strawberry Koi!)

And then I turned twenty-seven...

This weekend (which for me started at about 2pm on Friday because I left work early) was my birthday.  I feel like it flew by so fast and now I am facing another week at work...again.  I think birthdays are funny now that I am a older.  Part of me loves that I am an adult with a great job and an amazing husband and on the cusp of stepping into family life and the other part of me really misses my days in Chicago going to see bands at dive bars and having to thrift because I was poor and not just because I liked it.  Twenty-seven to me is a weird age.  I don't feel twenty-seven.  In all honesty, I felt my age until I was about 17 and then I just stopped.  I dont think like a 27 year old should but, then again, what is that exactly?  Does anyone else feel this way?

Well, regardless of the above paragraph of philosophical thought, I was extremely lazy in taking any outfit pictures this weekend.  I only managed to capture Friday because I loved it so much and I got home early enough to take it in another room in my house.  Saturday we went out for sushi and drinks with friends but I forgot the camera and today (which is my actual birthday) we shopped for a new bike for me (I got one; a mountain cruiser.  Bike trip pictures will probably end up on here) and then sadly had to attend a funeral for a close friend's sister.  So, all I have is Friday's outfit.  But to be honest, it was my favorite of the weekend.

Blouse: Richard Chai for Target

Vest: ModCloth

Brooch: vintage

Jeans: Edun

Boots: Target 

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  And thank you so much for all the lovely comments lately!

Two Days of Meetings

Our office is pretty business casual and most of the younger girls dress fairly trendy so, when I realized I had two meetings with vendors in two days, I took the opportunity to dig out some of the more business formal outfits I own.  I don't wear them as often because I feel fairly dressy compared to my coworkers when I do.  In fact, I am not going to lie, I feel fairly dressy on normal days too (and you see those outfits most of the time when I post them). 

Day 1

Necklace: ModCloth

Shirt: Express

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Target

Day 2

Jersey Cardigan: Francesca's Boutique

Necklace:F21

Blouse: Rogan for Target

Skirt: ModCloth

Leggings: Target

T-Straps: Crown Vintage London

In more serious news, I have been completely obsessed with a few items for the spring and since my husband finally got a job after 7 months of being laid off as a architect, I am itching...ITCHING to shop!  The following items have me breaking my New Years no-buy resolution!

1. Fjallraven Kanken Mini Daypack (for my camera!)

2. FLY London Ipso Open-toe Pump

3. Street Art Skirt via ModCloth

4. Pins and Needles Watercolor Blouse via UO

5. You Can Dance If You Want Pants via ModCloth

6. Dandelion Wish Dress via Anthropologie

Play it, Sam. Play "As Time Goes By."

I was taking a look back at my posts from the time I started this blog and I realized that I have never posted about my all time favorite movie, Casablanca.  I have loved this movie for as far back as I can remember.  I am not sure why.  Maybe it is Bogart (who I have always found oddly sexy), or the story line with its love story that ends realistically, or the music, or the fashion.

Think Casablanca is what started me off on my obsession with fashion from the 30s and 40s.  I grew up seeing picture of my Grandmother in the 40s when she made a long trip alone speaking almost known English across the Atlantic from Paris after marrying my Grandfather, an American GI who spoke little French and had only known her a few months.  These pictures of her were always so fashionable and happy.  Especially those taken when she first came over to the US.  (Maybe I will one day get around to scanning them!)

This obsession eventually lead me to singing jazz in high school.  I even sang at the Green Mill in Chicago while I was in college.  If you have never heard of the Green Mill, its pretty famous mostly for being a hang out of Al Capone in the 30s, Chicago's wildest decade.

So I was extremely happen when my mom told me she bought me this for my 27th birthday on Sunday!

A FEDORA!

via Urban Outfitters

I am so excited about it.  It will go grand with these (That I bought myself for my own 27th birthday)!

 

The weekend brings the cold...

This weekend has brought me the worst cold ever!  I was super close to just not posting tonight but, as I sat and watched the season premiere of Big Love I thought, "No, I will stick to my resolution of consistency and I am just sitting here...so..." and thus here is the post.

So despite my cold, I managed to go to the Goodwill and I am so glad I did because I found an amazing shift dress with the best pattern!  I am excited because I adore pieces that have both black and brown shades in them (they are more versatile!).  I took some quick shots of it so just ignore that horrible look of sickness and pain on my face!

Anyways, I have been really wanting a pair of oxfords lately since I keep seeing them all over the blogs.  So I actually purchased a pair on DSW because I had some coupon codes.  I feel like they will be great for now with some thick leggings but also in the spring.  I bought black but I plan to search out some brown ones once my husband starts bringing in money from his new contract job!  (I haven't mentioned that yet but, he just got hired on for 2 and half months as a contractor!) 

So like many of you, I have been just praying for the cold to end early this year!  I am probably even more egged on by this due to both my current cold sickness as well as all the amazing collections I am seeing across my favorite brands. Hopefully, the rest of winter will go by fast!

Just a Quick Note

I know many of you are vegans or vegetarians out in the blog world and I wanted to share my recent taco experience.  Tacos with Chickpeas!  Amazing enough for an unscheduled post!  You can find the recipe HERE.

PS.  I am attempting to go vegetarian (I can't do vegan.  I love cheese too much).  This is because A. I dont like meat and B: it cuts out a lot of unneeded fat. 

A Fashion Archive and Resolution Part II

So, as mentioned in my prior posts, I made a New Years resolution to give some love to the barely worn items in my closet.  I am not going to lie, this resolution is not easy!  There is a reason these items are left in my closet!

Today I chose a pair of pants that I actually used to wear a lot.  This was in between my Target manager phase (yes, I was a Target manager in the softlines department) where Red and Khaki were only allowed and my current skirt/dress obsession.  This was clearly a transition phase.  Naturally, I went from khakis to dress pants as I started my office career.  These pants had been bought for me by my Mother who is very fashionable in her own right.  However, when she bought them for me, I weighed a meer 105lbs and didn't have a behind as I do today at 27 years old.  BUT 5 years later, they still fit!  So I guess that is good.

Sweater: Target

Blouse: UO

Necklace: Modcloth

Slacks: Gift from my mom (they are Kenra though)

Heels: Jessica Simpson

Now, I wanted to add something else and this just may out me as a complete fashion nerd.  I mean, I am OK with that because I am in fact a complete fashion nerd.  Behold...The Fashion Binder.

As a reference to the above Target remark, I had access to many fashion magazines.  In fact, I was encouraged to keep up with fashion in order to drive sales by positioning fashionable clothes on my salesfloor.  So, I took this to heart by starting a fashion binder.  It started in Fall of 2006 by clipping out outfits, shoes, accessories, and beauty from almost every fashion magazine available to me and pasting them into a binder.  So, I wanted to share because even though I no longer need to binder to drive sales in my softlines department, I keep it as a reference when I draw a complete blank on what to wear (if you notice on some of the pictures there are marked stars...this means I own a similar piece in my closet).