Loop Looks

Cardigan – Nordstrom Rack (similar) | Shirt – The Limited (same) | Pants – The Limited (similar) | Scarf – NYC street vendor (similar) | Shoe – Bandolino (similar) | Bracelet – gift (similar)

Apologies for the indoor photos today. Chicago has decided that we don’t get summer yet and I just wasn’t in the mood to brave the chilly, drizzly weather to get a photo this morning.  But, hey, at least it’s cool enough that I can keep wearing my favorite scarf. In fact, this black, white and leopard outfit is basically just a dressed up version of one I wore last October. Swap the white jeans for white dress pants and the riding boots for heels (and take out the turtleneck because I refuse to wear one in June) and you’ve gone from Friday casual to business casual.

FYI – I’m out of the office tomorrow because I’m running the Madison to Chicago Ragnar Relay. But that doesn’t mean you should skip Friday’s post! Nope! It’s time for my favorite outfit of May and your turn to vote for your favorite. So come back tomorrow and cast your vote.

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Blazer – The Limited (similar) | Shirt – Express (similar) | Pants – The Limited (similar) | Shoes – Gabriella Rocha via 6pm.com (similar) | Necklace – NY & Co (similar)

Hello, Monday! After a long and crazy weekend (that included me sleeping through someone’s birthday party because I’m a horrible friend who had been up since 3:45 AM) I was not feeling that inspired this morning. Thank goodness for Two Birds and their Inspiration Monday post!  I haven’t done one of these in awhile but today the combination of white and gray was what I needed to put together my own outfit.

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Since I won’t be wearing a see-through maxi skirt (or are those pants??) to work I swapped Jennifer Lawrence’s skirt for white pants. I kept the t-shirt vibe, though, by wearing a white t-shirt with some shiny embellishments. And, of course, the gray blazer to mimic her gray top and to take the t-shirt up to a more professional level.

I firmly believe a blazer makes just about anything office appropriate. Well, okay, maybe not ANYTHING, but close enough.

Or, at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

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Blazer – J. Crew (similar under $35) | Blouse – Gap (similar under $15) | Pants – The Limited (similar) | Shoes – Bandolino (similar under $15)| Necklace – JF&A Show (similar under $15)

I recently read this editorial in the Chicago Tribune about the differences between urban snow and, well, non-urban snow.  I think my favorite line is:

Urban snow is what we have here, now. It is snow where it does not belong, where it is dangerous, incongruous and despised, like an urban coyote or an urban cowboy. No one ever wrote “Stopping by ‘L’ Platform on a Snowy Evening.”

But I thumb my nose at the slushy, wet, gray snow currently blanketing much of the city.  I wore my white pants.  Well, they’re technically winter white or cream or off-white or whatever you want to call them.  Many people fear white pants when the weather is perfect.  And it’s definitely a risk to wear them when the chances of getting snow sludge on them is high.  Still, I can let the snow beat me or I can beat the snow!

I choose the latter.

Especially since I came across this photo on Pinterest and thought it looked really classy.

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I mean, I could wait until spring to wear this outfit, but technically meteorological spring starts tomorrow so I figure that’s close enough.  Sure, it’s still cold in Chicago.  Sure, there’s still a chance of snow. But I’m declaring these my snow pants and I’ll wear them whenever I want.

Linking up with Texas Lovebirds

P.S. If Friday’s post is delayed it’s because I have a morning meeting at the zoo!  I’m going to wait and try to get some photos there.

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Shirt – LOFT (similar) | Vest – Express via Poshmark (similar)| Pants – The Limited (similar) | Shoes – Karen Scott via Macy’s (similar) | Earrings – The Limited | Belt – Target

Faux fur vests were everywhere earlier this fall and winter.  And I totally see why.  They keep you warm without causing you to overheat.  Similar to the concept of wearing a wind-blocking vest when running in the winter.  Keeps your core warm!  I’ve worn my faux fur vest to work at least one other time and I also wore a belt with it then.  The belt helps define your waist so you don’t get swallowed up by the vest.

I actually saved an inspiration photo for this outfit almost 3 months ago.

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I loved the fur and the animal print with the stripes and the neutral pants.  Apparently this is Joanna Hillman, the senior fashion market editor for Harpers Bazaar and she is known to be quite fashionable.  The fact that I was easily able to recreate her outfit tells me that it can’t be too difficult to emulate looks that you love.  In fact, this outfit may be one of my current favorites!

Of course, it helps that my husband took some rocking pictures!

Yes, strangely, the parking garage of our building has the best indoor lighting.  Who knew?

Anyway, faux fur.  Love it?  Hate it?

Linking up with Texas Love Birds

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Jacket – Forever 21 | Blouse – Forever 21 | Pants – The Limited (similar)| Shoes – Bandolino (similar)

Just to show you that I actually wear the outfits I put together in my collage posts, here’s me actually wearing my Work Luncheon outfit from last Wednesday.  I really love all the different textures in this outfit and I think it’s a great way to showcase a monochromatic look.  It’s all the same basic winter white color but the gold in the blouse and the sparkle and texture of the jacket keep it from looking too bland or too much like a uniform.

Speaking of this jacket, if you have a spare $29.80 I would order it STAT from Forever 21 (free shipping today!)  It’s really good quality, fits nicely, and will class up just about any outfit.  It’s a Chanel look for a non-Chanel price.  Seriously, can you just picture it with jeans and just about any color shirt underneath?  Or over a black dress? Or, you know, kick out the additional $19.80 for the shirt I’m wearing and you can pair them together with just about anything and look fabulous.

And just so you don’t think this is all I wore on my commute:

The gray wool coat makes an appearance!  Not pictured (yet): my hat and my gloves.

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Top – Old Navy | Pants – The Limited | Necklace – J. Crew via Poshmark | Shoes – Unisa via 6pm.com

Yesterday seemed like one last hurrah for summer (although, you never know in Chicago) so I wore sleeveless and sandals.  And white.  Although these pants are a bit more of a “winter white” than stark white so I think they transcend the calendar.

In fact, I wore a very similar outfit in June but I recently purchased this pink and gold J. Crew necklace and I think the different accessory paired with a slightly different colored pant changes the outfit up just enough.

Also, yes, I got my hair cut.  I’m trying to embrace my wave which excited my hairdresser to no end (speaking of which, if you’re in Chicago and want a hairdresser recommendation my guy is pretty fantastic and only charges $35).  Basically it’s shorter with more layers, especially around my face.  Now I just have to figure out the best shampoo and conditioner to use!

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Have you entered to win a shopping spree plus two fun tote bags yet?  If not, do it now!

Top – Old Navy | Pants – The Limited | Shoes – SE Boutique via DSW | Necklace – NY & Co

Good – I managed to take outdoor outfit pics before it started raining

Bad – It started raining as soon as I got off the train.  And guess who didn’t wear rain boots?

Good – I ducked into the post office to ship my latest Because I Shop Too Much sale and missed the biggest part of the downpour.

Bad – My shoes (and pant cuffs) still got soaked.

Good – I always have a spare pair of shoes in my office.  And leopard goes with everything.

Also good?  My guest post on Librarian for Life Style!  Jen is super sweet so I’m thrilled to be kicking off her vacation week with a collage of Chicago looks.

Now I’m off to make the rest of my Monday have more checks in the good column!

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Top – Old Navy | Pants – The Limited | Necklace – Jewelry Palace (NYC) | Shoes – SE Boutique via DSW

Summer is still bringing us warm weather so even though I’m wearing pants I stuck with a lightweight, sheer shirt to help combat the heat.  Also, I think the white pants with the leopard print top is an unexpected but sophisticated combination.  Sometimes leopard and black gives off a little  bit too much of a streetwalker vibe so the white tones that down a lot.

Leopard print actually goes with a surprising amount of colors.  Here are some examples of what I’ve worn it with so far this year.

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Today I have two different interpretations for you!

Here’s the look we started with:

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For my first interpretation I went with the maxi skirt, printed shirt, wedge sandals and denim topper  idea.

Before I started this blog and before I started following other fashion blogs I never would have thought to wear a dress as a skirt.  But that’s what I did here and it was a lot of fun!  Sadly, it’s a little too casual for what I had going on at work on Wednesday.

Hence, the other interpretation!

How in the world is this outfit related to the inspiration photo?

Light colored bottoms, pastel family top, neutral shoes and the same denim topper.  See?  Being inspired by an outfit doesn’t mean you have to recreate it exactly.  Look at all the aspects of the items and see what you have that is similar in one way.  Maybe the color, maybe the cut, solid versus patterned.  All are ideas you can use as a starting point.

How would you interpret any of these outfits with items in your own closet?

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Necklace, tank and pants – The Limited

Shoes – SE Boutique via DSW

Cardigan (shown below) – Lucky Brand

High of almost 80 today?  Pretty close to Memorial Day?  Time to break out the white pants!

Actually, I don’t care about the no-white-before-Memorial-Day rule but I do have my own rule that it has to really “feel like” summer before I’ll wear my white pants.  I don’t know what exactly that means but I think it has something to do with the temperature.

Although, when you work in an office sometimes you have to take the air conditioning into account.  Which means at the last minute I grabbed a cardigan out of my closet just in case.  The leopard works well with the plum color and the stone in the necklace echoes the brown and black of the print.  Way better than a plain black or white cardigan, don’t you think?

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