#42 A Tourist's Experience: Chicago

Over Spring Break last year, my boyfriend and I got to take a really fun vacation-- we spent half the time in Hocking Hills, Ohio in a little cabin (future entry) and the other half in Chicago (this entry)! My boyfriend currently lives in Germany, and feeling a little blue, I decided to perk up my spirits by reliving some of my favorite moments together during this trip, as April was the last time I saw him. I can't believe it's already been over 4 months now. I know I *just* posted about being in Chicago, but I realized I hadn't posted any pictures from our trip, and wanted to post some for you now!

Cherry trees in the park

Buckingham Fountain. Strangely empty on this cloudy day.

Casual outfit for the day, paired with my favorite tan platform sneakers from ALDO.

Ugliest sweater ever. I love it!

Beautiful bib necklace by ALDO. Dig the straight lines of the cut outs paired with the curve of the bib.

My satchel in my favorite color.

Incredible fields of tulips near S Lakeshore Drive.

Cloudy horizon on the waterfront.

No photoshop here! The water of Lake Michigan was actually this beautiful turquoise. Crazy!

It had to be done-- the bean!

We got a good deal on the Hilton on Michigan Avenue. The interior was really breathtaking-- very ornate and vintage looking.

We also went to the top of the Sears Tower. I refuse to call it Willis Tower-- lame! Look at that water!

We had to go to in the Skydeck boxes, of course.

Even though your rational brain knows it's quite safe, the experience is still somewhat terrifying! But so cool to look down and see the street below you.

Beautiful sunny skyline on our way to the Shedd Aquarium, which while expensive, is a must for any animal/ocean lover like me and was the highlight of my trip.

Beautiful blue poison dart frogs! One of my favorite animals. It took me forever to get this shot because there were so many frogs and they were hopping around so much!

Pretty insane looking spider crab.

Color-blocked shrimp :)

We paid extra for the jellyfish exhibit-- aren't they gorgeous?

Look at these cuties! Yet another of my favorite animals.

SWEATER Aztec Shawl Sweater, Forever 21+ | SHIRT White V-neck Tee, Forever 21+ | JEANS Dark skinnies, Eloquii | SHOES Tan Wedge Sneakers, ALDO | BAG Green Satchel, H&M | NECKLACE Geometric Black & Gold Bib Necklace, ALDO

Overall, although I had a blast, I was a bit unsatisfied with what I saw of Chicago. I feel like we did a lot of touristy things and the areas we visited seemed deserted. I wished we could have had more of a locals experience and see where hip Chicagoans hang out. We stayed pretty much in the touristy areas and the city seemed so large and spread out, it was difficult to decide where to go and explore in such a short time period. But I know next time, I'll do a lot more research. And for sure, go to the Field Museum. One of my favorite bloggers, Chaplin from Mini Penny (who also happens to be from my town in Ohio), LOVES Chicago and always has amazing posts about her experiences in Chicago, events she is invited to, amazing outfit photos, and lots of ideas about where to explore in the city. If you ever go there, I highly suggest you check out her blog!

#39 - Amazing Coupon Codes for Fall!

I promise an outfit post is coming soon, but I couldn't let the weekend go without reminding you about an amazing deal from Eloquii you can get tonight. All new styles are 40% off (no code needed). There is also a code you can use when you check out (the code is "991") to get an ADDITIONAL 20% off. That's a total of 60% off Eloquii's new styles PLUS free shipping! But it all ends at midnight, so get your order in now! Here's a peak from my shopping cart below. I can't believe I just bought an amazing sheath dress originally priced for $109 for only $43.60! BOOYAH. As you can see, I'm pretty excited :)

Other codes you might want to use tonight:

Forever 21 - Code is "TZ6TQN" for 10% off and free shipping.

ASOS - Code is "New 20" for 20% off and free shipping.

Old Navy - Code is "ONSCHOOL" for 20% off and free shipping.

Happy shopping, ladies! And remember-- scouring the web for coupons means you never, EVER have to pay full retail :)

#37 A Fresh Start

"Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down." - Ray Bradbury

This quote means a lot to me these days. My first official day of my new job (I'm a teacher at a school in Harlem) began this Wednesday and it has been a rollercoaster of a week. I've had this dream for so long to move to New York City and it's all finally coming together: the apartment, the neighborhood, the city, the job. But to be real, it hasn't all been sunshine and roses.

It's a hard transition moving across states where you are essentially alone, beginning a new job-- albeit, an amazing job-- and feeling like you're starting from scratch both professionally and personally. I am really glad I'm here, but my passion for New York and for teaching hasn't stopped this from being one of the most challenging things I've ever gone through. Ultimately, it's essential to take risks in life to feel like you're really living, and to give yourself a chance to experience something new. You feel fear, feel excitement, question EVERYTHING, miss stability yet appreciate a new world, experience the heartache of loss and loneliness, see things in a completely different light. And in New York you walk around with your jaw dragging on the sidewalk, in awe of everything and everyone all around you, your eyes ever-gazing upward. It's up and down and up and down and so on. I wouldn't change it for the world, but damn-- it's hard and it hurts sometimes.

A few pictures from my first day at work at our retreat at Long Beach, NJ. Bonfires and the ocean always make me very introspective.

As shallow as it may seem, in times where I feel insecure, I sometimes turn to fashion to help lift my spirits and give me confidence. Something about knowing I look my very best, especially when starting a new job, helps me feel like I can do this, I can conquer my fears and the world! Anyone who has ever worn towering high heels knows this feeling well. Retail therapy, indeed.

Today was a big day because not only did I get to meet the CEO and founder of our network of schools, but I also got to meet several hundred other teachers who teach at my school and our sister schools! Looking my best was key, especially with such an intelligent, youthful, talented, and intimidatingly fashionable group of educators! We were told to dress casual, but for me business casual or even professional is what helps me feel my best and I prefer to err on the side of overdressed rather than under.

Yes, shamefully in the bathroom. But I was feeling positive and loving my outfit.

After some inspiring speeches, feeling a renewed sense of positivity.

Not so fresh after a happy hour, walking in 90 degree heat, and 8 hours of profesh development.

Every teacher should have an apple necklace!

TOP Grey Cowl Neck Top, Banana Republic | SKIRT Textured Neon Yellow Pencil Skirt, Eloquii | NECKLACE Apple Pendant, H&M | SHOES Green Suede Flats, J Crew

I was honestly going to give away this top because it shrunk in the wash and looks ridiculous with pants, but I discovered this brand new outfit rushing to work this morning and threw it all together really fast. Has that ever happened to you? Somehow I feel impressed with myself for putting together a fierce outfit in record time.

Also, I had to comment on Eloquii's Holiday 2012 Lookbook that has been released on a few blogs in the past few weeks. WOW! Eloquii just keeps getting better and better, and it's such a great option for those of us who have to wear business professional every day, not to mention how impressed I've been with the quality of the clothing.

There are a ton of basics that I can add my own eclectic pieces and accessories to so that they are uniquely me, and also a ton of beautiful pieces that really stand out and work on their own. This collection is really making me drool, and also lament my four-figure rent in New York. Gold sequin skirts with blush blouses, new colored skinnies, and how about that gray dress with the leather look panels? I cannot wait to rock it all as soon as its released! I have preemptively purchased ramen in preparation of this dent in my bank account...

#28 Swag: Warm and Spiky

What up beautiful curvy girls of the world! I am almost at 100 followers and that feels pretty stupendous! 9 more followers and I might just do a giveaway or something rad like that. Anyway, while I don't have an awesome outfit post for you, I did want to give you an insight as to what I've recently tucked away in my closet. I made a tasty photo collage which you can see below. I've entitled my swag masterpiece, "Warm and Spiky."



From top to bottom moving left to right:

Fashion to Figure, Arachnid Top
Lane Bryant, Braided Maxi Dress in Orange (sold out in all colors)
Eloquii, Red Denim Skinny Jeans
Fashion to Figure, Arsenic and Lace Chiffon Button Blouse (available in Mocha only)
ALDO, LaRose Purse (on sale for $13.99!)
ALDO, Blye Flats
H&M, Pink Caged Wedge (not available online)
Sam Edelman, Beatrix Flats (on sale for $89.99 at Nordstrom!)

As you can see, warm colors and interesting patterns and details are really catching my eye. I've always been a fan of spiky things (most likely because punk music really changed me at an early age!) and I'm really into unusual patterns. The citrus pattern on my purse is so cute and perfect for warmer weather-- ALDO has this pattern in several different styles on their site, all on sale! I'm also really pleased with my first Fashion to Figure purchase. The items I got were fabulous and for the most part, fit well. I even got the coral dress Gabi Gregg featured in her makeover post and it looks hottt with three t's. Keep it curvy, ladies!

#25 Electric Prep

Allow me to make this metaphor: I think some colors are like new albums by your favorite artist. Sometimes at first, you aren't exactly loving it-- in fact, maybe you're not into at all. But, you decide to be patient and with each new listen, you find yourself understanding the intricacies and nuances of their new sound. Over time, as you listen and listen again, you slowly come to love their work.

That's exactly how I feel about acid/electric yellows and greens-- strong dislike at first, but over time, I'm coming to love the unusual acid tones that are currently very on trend. They come with a challenge because they aren't exactly flattering on all skin tones and hair colors, but I'm really into the way neon contrasts with my red hair. I think neons look especially gorgeous on women with beautiful dark cocoa skin-- something about how the colors come together is so breathtaking. Clearly, I am quite the opposite of beautiful dark cocoa; I'm more say... white chocolate.

 

 

SHIRT Acid Yellow Silk Button Up, Ann Taylor | SWEATER Honeydew Light Wool Sweater, Ann Taylor | JEANS Dark Skinnies, Eloquii | SHOES Men's Leather Sperrys, Vintage | BRACELET Ribbon Crystal Bracelet, The Limited

I know neon and neutral is not news but I love the contrast of the shirt with my brown Sperrys (which I got for $10 at a vintage store!). I also love the preppy look spiced up with neons-- I think it all plays really well off of my green glasses, too. Finally, I can't say it enough: I heart Ann Taylor. It's true. I used to think that it was a store that would age me, but they actually have some very trendy stuff in beautiful colors, which helps me be more stylish for work and still look youthful and fashionable. It doesn't hurt that they have 40% off sales all the time, too! I think there's one going on now, coupon code: April40. 

My favorite neon color right now will still be blue-- I have a similar shirt that is blue that I can't wait to show you (also from my love Ann Taylor). What about you? What's your favorite neon color this season?

#24 Forget Me Not

Remember me? I'm still here... working my butt off. And I have really exciting news that I can't wait to share with you all in a few short weeks!

Back to fashion: I love florals. There's something about them that make me happy. Maybe it's because they scream spring, or because they remind me of a comfy old grandma couch. Two memories that bring a lot of joy. Either way, I'm really pleased that they're really trending in fashion lately. In fact, a lot of my favorite things have become trendy-- comfortable wedges and flatforms, neon colors, florals, lace, and maxi dresses. Clearly I'm so awesome, I'm ahead of the curve. Right... Now, on to the outfit!

TOP Floral Peplum Shirt, H&M | JEANS Classic Skinnies, Eloquii | SHOES All Caps Wedges, Jeffrey Campbell | WALLET/CLUTCH Mint Zip Wallet, UO

Sorry the photo quality isn't perfect. My amazing friend Ellie took them on her iPhone. I'm still amazed at the quality regardless. Oh, and lip color is Schiap by NARS. The lovely Nicolette Mason wears it a lot on her blog, too!

I love the peplum thing. This top is from H&M and they had so many tops like this... I also got it in solid kelly green and a navy top with red polka dots. That's how I roll: find one thing you like and get it in every color. I think it makes me look a little too busty but hell, I'm wearing what I wanna wear! I'm becoming quite a fan of Eloquii, too. I'm pretty pleased with the jeans I got. They're a little bit big and a little bit short on me (I'm about 5'7") but they're still great and really comfortable. I definitely plan to get them in more sizes and colors (and size down and get a bigger inseam). I only wish they had them in bright tropical colors and pastels! I'm drooling just thinking about it!

Another interesting development: I stumbled upon myself on Pinterest. There have been a lot of picture sharing of my outfits, especially this one in particular! It's pretty cool actually. It really built up my confidence to see that people liked my style. If you pinned me, thank you so much and thank you for giving me credit! Happy Spring, all!