Truly Styled

Transition Pieces for Fall

As I write this the high today in Chicago is to be 68.  Leave it to the midwest to go in 24 hours from 90 degrees to the 60's and then in 3 days back to the 90's.  Well, you have to take the good with the bad I guess.  But, be prepared.  Most of us are tired of wearing our summer play-wear which includes summer dresses, sandals, tanks and shorts.  But how can we use those items and add a twist of fall to them?

Here are a few things you can do now.  

• Vests are big this fall and this is the perfect time to add a light weight one over a tank or tee shirt.  
• Tunics are huge again.  For now you can wear them with bare legs and as the weather gets cooler you can add leggings, jeggings, jeans or pants. 
•  Add a girlie cardigan to your wardrobe.  The boyfriend cardigan is still here but things are getting more feminine for fall so pick up a new cardigan and put it over a tank and add a fun necklace with a mini jean skirt or a pair of shorts.

More exciting things to come for fall.  My favorite season of all! 

Back to School

I grew up loving back to school shopping.  

My family consisted of a dad who hated the idea of us spending any money on clothing (or anything for that matter) and a mom who just hated to shop.  Period.  (Which makes what I do that much funnier).    This was one time of the year when we could buy brand new clothes.  We went to one store for everything.  Jeans, shirts, shoes and underwear and it wasn't Nordstrom.  It was a little store in downtown Hartland, WI called Jacksons.  My mom would make us try on our clothes in the middle of the store to save time.  Torture.  But I still loved it.  I also loved getting all the new school supplies.  The smell of the brand new crayons.  The folders.  The pencil box.  Everything was new.  It was always really hot the first day of school and I would insist on wearing the new long-sleeve shirt and jeans no matter what the temperature outside.  (Fashion over function was something I clearly was born with). That's how excited I was to add new things to my otherwise boring wardrobe. 

I still feel like that today.  Why should the kids be the only ones to go "back to school" shopping?  Why can't we?  We can and we should!  It's always fun to add a few new items to spice up things for our transition to fall and to be prepared when the temperature dips and we can wear a shirt and jeans without sweating.  

I'm going back to school shopping soon!  I'll send a list of some great pieces to transition soon.

I love Nordstrom

It just doesn't get any better than shopping at Nordstrom.  I do a lot of shopping on all different types of budgets and different style needs for the people I work with.   I love Nordstrom as my first stop with my clients.  The customer service doesn't get better then there.  Here are a few examples:

This week I shopped with a gentleman that needed new pants for work, two sport coats, new shirts, socks and shoes.  We worked with an amazing sales person in mens dress who was quick and really new his stuff.  He new by just looking at him what his jacket size was.  I new the color and type of pants we were looking for.  We then hit the dressing room for alterations on three pairs of pants and two coats.  Once that was complete we took the jackets and pants with us to shirts and found 5 shirts.  All went with every pant/coat combination.  This was all completed in 45 minutes (and if you've ever shopped with a man you know how important that is).  These items were investment pieces so we left there to find inexpensive jeans (Gap, great wash, price and fit!) and then hit DSW for beautiful shoes at half the price.  All done in 2 hours!!

Another example was yesterday I met a client there who has a dinner engagement this Friday night and needed a dress for it.  We found 2 pairs of sunglasses (it was the bi-annual sale, great sales!!!), 3 dresses we loved, a great every day bag and some accessories.  All done at Nordstrom in 2 hours.  What made that experience amazing is that one of the dresses we loved they did not have in her size at this store.  Keep in mind this is day one of their big sale and if you've ever been to Nordstrom on that day it is crazy.  Our sales person kept calling the other stores until she reached someone.  I know that most stores (would love to name some but won't) would have been hard-pressed to handle it like that.  She was swamped and helped us anyway. 

One more example.  I had a friend who needed two dresses for two separate events in 2 days.  I couldn't go with her so I called Special Occasion and spoke with a sales person.  I told her her size, shape, type of events and that she was in a hurry.  She was in and out in about an hour with beautiful clothes for both events and 2 pairs of shoes.  Gotta love that!!

Great shoe selection at all price points, the junior (BP) department has great sweaters for those of us more mature but at amazing price levels, great jean selections and the customer service is absolutely the best!!

Get to the sale this week if you can.  Great prices and selections.  Mens sale mid June!   

Sex and the City 2

I am not a movie reviewer so I'm reluctant to blog on this but I just saw it last night and just have to get my thoughts down.

I'm a huge fan!  Loved the show, loved the first movie.  This one was a bit of a disappointment of many levels.

I got to see the movie last night when a client of mine who was scheduled to shop for summer fun-wear got 2 tickets free for a premiere in Chicago through her company.  She offered to take me and I could not say no.  I was dying to see it.  Plus, to see it with mostly women all dressed up SJP style was too much to pass up. 

The event was very nice.  The movie was long and really way too unrealistic, even for Sex and the City.   The beginning was awkward and forced and crazy over the top.  The chemistry between everyone seemed forced for most of the movie.  I won't give anything away so don't worry.  What I will say is as much as I loved the fashion in their show and first movie, the fashion in this was mostly absurd and unrelatable.  Don't get me wrong, so much of it was beautiful.  But if you ever want to know what to pack for a trip to the Middle East this will not be the movie to watch for ideas.

Anyway, I was disappointed.  Although, the movie did leave me wanting to run home, put on my stilettosand wear them for everything.  Walking around my home in my comfy wear, running across the street to catch a cab, pretty much everything.  Although I'm fairly certain I would not look like SJP.  (do you think her feet ever hurt?)

Would love to know what you thought.

Side note to movie.  After the premiere we went to a steak house in Chicago for an after party.  Cosmos (of course), wine, appetizers and beautiful cupcakes.  The most fun was the people watching.  All ages were represented and all styles too.  Very fun watching the clothes (most good, some not so much) and the women.

NO MORE FLIP FLOPS!!

 
I've had it!  If I see one more mature, beautiful woman walking down the street, through an airport, dining out, or shopping in a pair of rubber flip flops I will scream.  Rubber flip flops should be for the beach or the pool.  That's it.  An occasional street fair is ok and a ball game.  I guess running errands will do too.  Or if you want to look sloppy then by all means wear a flip flop.  There are way too many cute, comfortable, functional sandals that are not made of rubber that you could use for the same purpose.  Don't get me wrong.  I love flip flops.  I am just tired of seeing them with every outfit now that the weather has (finally) turned warmer.  Check out piperlime.com or endless.com for some great, inexpensive options and save those 'cute' flip flops for the beach or pool.  Thank you.  I feel much better now.

Distressed Jeans...really

I'm not sure if I ever blogged on the distressed jeans or not but last year I wasn't sold on them at all.  I just thought why would you spend money on a pair of jeans that have holes in them?  It's craziness, right?  I stand corrected.  When the Gap ran their 30% off a new pair of jeans if you bring in an old pair (donations went to Habitat for Humanity to build new homes, super cool) I went in and thought this may be a perfect time to see how they were fitting, get a good deal if they worked out and help a great cause.

Here's what I found.

Buy your jeans super, super tight!  They will stretch a 1/2 size.  You will feel awful in them at first (my term for this for me is "sausage casing legs") but trust me on this one.  You need to walk in them a bit and sit down a few times and they stretch out.  If you don't trust me on this you will end up with sloppy, baggy jean butt, which is ugly.

The straight leg distressed is really cute.  Swear.  I've been wearing them tucked into boots or rolled up to just above the ankle with ballet flats or heels/wedges.  (Make sure it's rolled up and not folded up).

The long and lean are really flattering on those of us with butts and thighs.

The price is great!

I also like their cargo pants.

The mens jeans are very current and also a great price for the quality.

I'm not into the super faded jeans but check back with me next year.  I've been known to change my mind occasionally :)

 

 

A great mascara!

As some of you know I've been on the eternal search for a great mascara.  As I get older my eyelashes seem to be thinning out (along with my eyebrows but that's a different blog) and to add volume back it seemed like every mascara I tried added clumps.  I also found myself needing to curl my lashes throughout the day which was a bit annoying.  Well, I think I found a great one.  Finally. 

It's Maybelline's Lash Stiletto.  The reviews in one of my magazines said it looked as if you had put on false eyelashes.  They were right.  (False eyelashes done right of course) No clumps, super long lashes and they stay curled all day!  I got it in super black, waterproof (recommended in mag).

Give it a try!  Plus you gotta love the name!!  Stiletto.  My fav!!

Some days you have to stop...

Some days it feels like things are really hard.  Then, you get a text from a friend who is going to visit her friend's 2 year old who's kidney is failing.  Or, you realize that today is the day that your friend is having a lumpectomy to remove cancer from her breast.  You realize quickly that life is pretty amazing.

Today is a beautiful day in Chicago.  One that we've been waiting for what seems like forever.  I decided to go for a run.  I strapped on my heart rate monitor and took off for a 40 minute run.  The start of the run was filled with thinking of the past few years and how it's been challenging at times.  The minute I saw the lake my thoughts quickly changed.  I thought of all the people in my life who have had struggling times.  I thought of how truly blessed I am.  I thought of how my legs are able to run, my ears are able to hear the birds, my eyes can see the beauty that God has created for me.  As I got closer to the lake I realized that I have to stop running.  I guess I mean that figuratively as well as literally.  I am a very disciplined runner and do all of my exercising based on where my heart rate is.    As I neared the lake I felt the need to stop, to turn off the ipod, forgot about my heart rate and just be.  Be in the moment.  Enjoy God's beauty and really take in all that I am blessed with.  When we stop running we are much better at realizing our many, many blessings.  So, I stood there for a few minutes and took it in.  Really took it in.  Then I walked the beach.  Continuing to enjoy my many, many blessings.

I'll run tomorrow and probably the day after using my heart rate monitor.  But what I realized today is that some days you have to just stop, enjoy and be.  Otherwise you will miss true peace, enjoyment and God's many blessings.

A few trends i'm loving...

Here are a few trends I think are worth adding this spring.

A nude shoe.

Goes with anything, elongates the leg.  Perfect with a black dress or any color for that matter.  Trend proof!

Coats.

Trench (always)

Sport utility and military influence.  Sporty, comfortable.  Be wary of too much at one time.  The key is balance. 

Motorcycle.  Always cool. For spring liking cream. 

Bold Beads/statement necklaces

You can find them anywhere.  Target, Old Navy, Nordstrom, Banana

Wedges (still!)

With cork or wood heels in brown are really hot and comfortable.

Prints

Add them on your skirt or your shirt or in a dress (but not all together).  Flowers, patterns, animal.

More later on where to find great deals and other fun items to add for the season.

Planning a sunny trip

We all know how exciting it is to prepare for a trip to a sunny destination, especially with the winter we've been dealing with.  It can be exciting yet daunting too.  Your bag can't weigh more than 50lbs (it already costs $20 to check it, over 50 add $75!) so you really have to know what to pack.  We just got back from a terrific trip to Mexico.  It was my husband and our two children (one boy, one girl).  Let me share what I learned which will hopefully make your vacation a breeze!

1.  Think about how many bags are realistic.  My goal was to check two. One large for the kids and  and one medium for my husband.  We wanted to bring our own snorkle gear (which was great for the pool and beach but not needed for actual 'real' excursion). We also needed a floaty device for the little guy.  Bulky.  Having a limit of the suitcases had me reel it in.  I also heard about a portable weighing machine for backage.  LLBean sells it.  Travels with you.  Wish I had it.  On the way home we weighed our bag and it was 54lbs.  We were lucky to have the time to move things around before we hit the check-in stand (the dirty looks would have been awful had we held up an already hour wait). 

2.  Shop a friends closet (for your clothes and kids).  Find a friend with your same size (and good taste) and friends with your kids size.  Most likely they won't be needing their cute summer dresses and cover-ups at the same time you'll need them.  I was able to borrow kids snorkle gear for the kids, a floaty thing for them and adorable summer dresses and cover-ups for me.  Going through my summer stuff was like looking at new stuff, however it was really fun to add some new pieces for a few days. 

3.  Find room for any medicines or sunscreen.  I thought we packed enough with 2 bottles of 55 for kids and 30 for my husband and I.  Well, two out of four of us needed aloe and a higher sunscreen and the cost of it at the resort was crazy!!  Better to make room for anything you think you'd need (asprin, bandaids, tums, ...)

4.  Lay out everything you'll be taking and take time to try it on.  This is a sure way to know what you are packing will be worn and all the different ways it can be used.  I try on every outfit.  If that seems crazy (it's actually fun) then lay it out in all the different ways.

5.  Plan on using items in different ways.  I always plan on utilizing what I wear on the plane as part of my wardrobe.  Coming from Chicago to Mexico means layering.  Go to the airport in light-weight pants that can be rolled up, a tank or short sleeve top, a large scarf (that can be used as a wrap in the airplane and as a fun accessory with a sundress or as a wrap for cooler nights), a jean jacket (I had to wear it a few nights) and flats (pack flip-flops in your carry on). 

6.  Must haves (for 4-5 days):

    4-5 sundresses (some can be used as coverups)

    Light weight cardigan

    Flip-flops for pool

    Sandals for dresses (two should do, have neutral colors to go with everything)

    2-3 workout outfits

    2-4 swimsuits (if you can pack one for every day, makes it fun)

    2 cover-ups (again, use your sundresses)

    Hat if you have room on carry-on

    Sunscreens (see above) and tinted moisturizer for darker skin

    1 pair of shorts (unless you will be wearing sundresses for casual time.  with kids, shorts are a         good bet)

    2 tank tops

    Your travel gear can be used as wardrobe options as well

    Sunglasses and a great attitude!!

Have a great trip!!