#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!

#17 Villa Vizcaya

This week was my first week back at school with students. I work at a charter school with extended school hours, so that means I'm up at the butt crack of dawn and leaving work around 6-7pm. Don't get me wrong though-- it's such an amazing place and I'm so happy to be a part of it. It feels so good to get back to teaching, which is what I love to do. I feel like I'm really fulfilling my life's purpose when I'm teaching and interacting with kids... but as you can imagine, it doesn't leave me a lot of time to do outfit posts!

I've been looking through old photos and feeling nostalgic tonight. Two summers ago, I went on a pretty epic road trip with my boyfriend down South. We drove from Cleveland all the way to Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Palm Beach, Miami, Key West, and then back up to Atlanta. It was one of the best times of my life! I was thinking about this beautiful villa we saw in Miami, called Villa Vizcaya. It was a house built in the early 20th century for businessman James Deering. It's highly influenced by architecture from the Italian Renaissance and is bursting with gardens and fountains. This beautiful place even has an old outdoor swimming pool and a "harbor," so to speak, with steps going down from the house, descending right into the water. It's a magical place, to say the least.

It was a cloudy, rainy, humid day and I was eaten alive by mosquitos, but it remains in my memory as one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and it felt so wonderful to share those moments with someone so special to me. I remember my outfit specifically from that day...

Downtown Miami at night.

The outdoor fountains and the front of Villa Vizcaya.

Inside the Villa.

The outdoor pool area.

Here I am, standing by the harbor. The house is just a few feet next to this beautiful port!

DRESS Striped Mock Two-Piece, Nordstrom BP | SANDALS Black Gladiators, Urban Outfitters | GLASSES Prescription Tortoiseshell, Ray Ban | PURSE Gold metallic shoulder bag, H&M

Now that I think about it, I really love the nautical feel of my outfit-- it goes so well with the harbor/water theme! Wasn't planned at all, but I love the way it worked out. I'm still so pleased with these photos, especially the vivid colors. This was after I bought my first "real" camera (a Nikon D4o) and I remember being so amazed by the quality of the photographs. I hope you enjoyed my blast from the past and I hope that you too can visit this beautiful place someday! It really is a treasure. I can't wait to continue traveling and be able to post more of my experiences in new places.

#15 A Formal Affair

I love getting dressed up for formal galas and gatherings, though I rarely have the opportunity to do so. I always really look forward to putting on fancy dresses and gowns and the educator's gala I went to on Thursday evening was no exception. I love the vintage feel of my dress and was really trying to evoke Christina Hendricks in Mad Men. Did I succeed? :)

DRESS Green Ava Dress, Pin Up Girl Clothing | SHOES Black Patent Peep-Toe Pumps, Nine West | NECKLACE Garnet Heart & Gold, Vintage Jewelry | PURSE Studded Metallic Clutch, Marc Jacobs (not pictured)

I'm a bit frustrated that I forgot my Nikon D40, which takes much better quality photos than my regular point and shoot. The only problem is, a huge Nikon does not fit in a cute Marc Jacobs clutch. I'm not a huge fan of name brands or designers, although thanks to fashion blogs and to Gilt, I'm getting more and more interested in designer clothing. This Marc Jacobs bag was a gift from my dad's girlfriend and it's absolutely perfect. I love the gold and silver metallic combination, which means you can wear it with any jewelry. The studs add a rocker/bad girl flair that resembles my personality and it's the perfect size, not too big or small. It's one of my favorite accessories and I use it all the time.

I must admit that after a long week of professional development, I was pretty pooped and wasn't interested in grooming myself for several hours. I got ready for this event in about 30 minutes. Side pony tail, a few bobby pins for my bangs, slip on the dress, some quick makeup, slide my shoes on, and I was ready to go. I wish I would have hit the dress with an iron for a little bit after it was in my suitcase, but I'm still pretty pleased with how it turned out. If you like the dress or vintage/vintage reproductions as much as I do, I highly recommend you check out Pin Up Girl Clothing, with sizes up to 3x. However, buyer beware: prices can be high and quality of their garments is inconsistent.

#5 Alexander McQueen & High Fashion

Today was an incredibly magical day. Not only did I get to walk through basically ALL of Central Park, eat at the Shake Shack AND Magnolia Bakery (both on Columbus Avenue), I was lucky enough to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (and cut in front of the huge line with a member's card, thanks to my brother's girlfriend). Not to sound like a fashion freak, but I was literally brought to tears by the exhibit. Never have I seen so many incredible costumes, pieces, works of art. The level of craftsmanship, each intricate detail, the subtle (and not so subtle) commentary on the world around us, the immense passion woven into every stitch-- this is what truly made Alexander McQueen a genius. Consider my mind changed about high fashion.

I had always believed that high fashion was some pretentious form of clothing that could never be worn in "normal" life and certainly could never be afforded by "normal" people. While that may or may not be true, today I've come to understand that fashion can truly be an art form meant to express emotion, criticism, history, and beauty, like any other art form that can be appreciated. If you are in the NYC area or if you are planning on visiting before the end of August, I highly HIGHLY recommend you check out this exhibit. It is truly mind blowing.

“There is no way back for me now. I am going to take you on journeys you’ve never dreamed were possible.” – Alexander McQueen

Sadly, no photos were allowed in the exhibit, but there is a whole article about the exhibit with photos on The Met Blog. Here are some photos from that article:

“You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition.” —Alexander McQueen

“I want to be honest about the world that we live in, and sometimes my political persuasions come through in my work. Fashion can be really racist, looking at the clothes of other cultures as costumes. . . . That’s mundane and it’s old hat. Let’s break down some barriers.” —Alexander McQueen

“I try to push the silhouette. To change the silhouette is to change the thinking of how we look." —Alexander McQueen


“I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that.” —Alexander McQueen



So I may have just dug myself into a hole, posting all those Alexander McQueen photos BEFORE I posted my outfit for the day, which sadly pales in comparison...







DRESS Pussybow Polka Dot Navy & Green Dress, Forever 21| SHOES Bling Leather Gladiators, Sam Edelman | BAG Vietnam War Era Gas Mask Bag, Vintage

Pardon the quality of the photos, especially the cell phone photo! I left my camera at home today, but my boyfriend was kind enough to lend me his. Since I'm traveling out of town, I have limited access to accessories, shoes, and outfits and it's getting harder to vary my combinations each day. However, I'm kind of enjoying the challenge! I love, love, love this dress and I'm looking forward to wearing it to work as well-- it's so hard to find stylish work-appropriate clothes (no cleavage, not too short) and this dress is perfect and affordable!

Hope you all enjoyed the Alexander McQueen photos as much as I enjoyed the exhibit. I'm feeling truly inspired!

#4 Ancient Meets Modern

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I wandered around the financial district of NYC as well as Battery Park. The diversity of this city is amazing. Though I wasn't too impressed with the area, seeing the sunset over the Statue of Liberty on the waterfront of Battery Park was inspiring and beautiful.

I tried to wear something a bit more comfortable today as I knew we were going to be walking around a lot. Living in the Midwest, you sadly aren't accustomed to walking that much (I drive EVERYWHERE), but I'm enjoying the exercise and the sight-seeing. I tried to attempt "comfortable chic" and I think it worked out pretty well. I'm also happy to say I've figured out how to make my photos bigger-- hope you enjoy them!

TOP Gold "Crop" Top, Forever 21 | SHORTS Black Denim Cut-Off Shorts, Old Navy | EARRINGS Aztec Dangling Earrings, Forever 21 | SHOES Aztec Sneakers, Urban Outfitters | BAG Vietnam-Era Gas Mask Bag, Vintage | GLASSES Green Prescription Glasses, Vintage

I love these Aztec shoes I got from Urban Outfitters. They have lots of different styles, colors, and patterns and they're currently selling them 2 for $30, which is a great deal. They're a little snug so I suggest wearing them out or sizing up before you go on long walks like I did-- my feet were EXHAUSTED by the end of our long trip around the city.

The Native American/Aztec/tribal inspired looks are incredible this summer. I love the patterns on t-shirts, dresses, and sneaks. The jewelry is also so beautiful-- these are some of my favorite earrings I own! Feathers, turquoise, and tribal patterns are so whimsical and I can't wait to find more tribal-inspired items in NYC. I love pairing this trend with more modern style, like this gold top from F21.

I'm a little grumpy about the hanger loops sticking out in the pics-- Forever 21 is notorious for those (as is H&M) and I don't want to get rid of them because they're somewhat functional. Any ideas on how to fix that problem? I've been really impressed with F21's plus line this year. I never am too excited by the website, but I often find the actual stores are filled with some amazing inexpensive finds. I've packed quite a few F21 items on this NYC trip, so you'll definitely see some of their styles on display here. How do you feel about the tribal trend? Are you rocking it this summer?