back to basics

About two weeks ago when Chicago was warm and sunny, I was struck by an urgent need to swap out my cold-weather clothes for my warm-weather ones. I've come to regret that decision (as I knew I would, but I couldn't help it!) as the weather has been cold and wet since, but the clothes swap did give me the opportunity to edit and pare down my closet. After sorting the contents of my closet into keep/donate/sell/chuck piles and repositioning the items I decided to keep, I took stock of my closet and realized that every item I kept was really a variation on repeating themes in my closet - my wardrobe basics.

The basics I have:

tops
striped shirts

slightly slouchy tees

flannel/chambray/gingham button-downs

crewneck or v-neck merino sweaters

cardigans

bottoms

dark skinny jeans

white skinny jeans

dark bootcut jeans

boyfriend jeans/khakis

dark trousers

A-line skirts

dresses

A-line

fit & flare

 shoes

flats

low-profile sneakers

ankle boots

single-sole pumps

strappy sandals

accessories

long scarves

watch

delicate necklace

stud earrings

 

bags

medium/large & semi-structured

small/medium crossbodies

clutch

totes

outerwear

utility jacket

denim jacket

winter coat

 

odds & ends

good underwear

 

The most-used items in my closet used fall into one of these categories. I have other items in my wardrobe, of course, that don't, but those items are far less used in my day-to-day life - i.e. statement necklaces, bangles (I hate how they sound when I do anything productive with my hands/arms), shoes with a platform, small shoulder bag, etc. I also noticed that I favor grey, black, white, dark/cobalt blue, and red when it comes to clothing, but I'm more adventurous in color when it comes to shoes, scarves, and jewelry. 

 

Taking stock of what I had post-edit allowed me to make note of basics I had covered and the ones I'm lacking. These are the items that I find myself wishing I had to complement the much-loved basics I already have.

 

The basics I'm looking to add:

 

white button-down

trench coat

riding boot

various belts

All four of these needed basics are part of an ongoing, never-ending quest. Because I'm short and busty, finding a flattering, semi-dressy white button-down that doesn't gape at the chest but isn't swimmingly long or huge in the waist is like finding a needle in a haystack. For similar reasons, my perfect trench coat has yet to be found. My perfect flat riding boot has also evaded me thus far because as a former long-distance runner, I have short athletic legs and muscular calves that make finding any boot with a long shaft near impossible, much less leather riding boots of good quality under $500 (which is why ankle boots have been my go-to). The belts aren't too hard to find, but I haven't taken the time to really pick out a variety of styles. In the midst of other shopping, I feel like belts are always last on the list and the first to be put off. I'm hoping to change that...and to find my elusive trifecta.

What are your basics?

 

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this weekend

Yes for Friday! I have plans for a busy weekend : a college visit with my sister, then watching her last Show Choir performance; some time with my guy; books to read; and, my taxes (drat!). I swear I hadn't meant to put them off this long, but here I am. Luckily, my taxes are pretty straight forward. Nevertheless, I'll be thinking of the image above (and the peace and calm it captures) as I plow through the forms. Good thing it's only once a year!

Some things to check out:

one. Salad in a jar is a new to me revelation, as is Cassie's blog, back to her roots. Serious LOVE.

two. An interesting read about political and marital second chances.

three. An app that has made getting back in shape and watching what I eat super easy.

four. Try out this sure-fire keeper of a recipe from DALS. It's on the menu for Monday at my house!

five. My bedroom now smells like this candle. Super pricey, but the scent is amazing. As is their Chicago store - the light fixture and overall design are just beautiful. 


Have an amazing weekend!


image via

yellow fever

here


bag//dress//watch

rain boots//sneakers//polka dot jeans

espadrilles//gingham//shorts


I know that Sephora + Pantone have named emerald the color of the year, but my vote goes to yellow. It's such a happy color, and as Chicago is in the middle of an incredibly wet and grey week, I need all the happy I can get. Don't get me wrong; I love grey (and its cousins, white and black) - it's the hardest working color in my wardrobe. But when winter has overstayed its welcome, yellow is the perfect spring booster. Ironically, as much as I love yellow now, I didn't always. Yellows that were too golden and sharp made me look sallow (those darn undertones!), and neon yellow, while fun in small doses, is overwhelming on a grander scale. 

But butter yellow? Soft, creamy, flowers-in-a-meadow yellow? LOVE. 

What's your color of the year?

rain, rain...

here


It is pouring in Chicago today, and the one block walk I took to get from my car to my office had me so grateful that I had an anorak and an umbrella with me (I have two umbrellas, one of which resides permanently in my car for the inevitable day that starts out blindingly sunny and devolves into a full-blown tropical storm). Other people commuting to work were not as lucky to have an umbrella handy (my guy included), so in case you were in the market for a new one...here are some (fun/pretty/sartorially-approved) practical options. I've actually been looking out for a larger umbrella since the two I own are the short-handled variety... #6 is definitely up my alley (red! stripes! would keep me from getting wet!).

Which would you choose? 

one//two//three (currently sold out)
 
four (modcloth has tons of other options as well)//five//six

seven (comes in other colors, too)//eight//nine

on my nightstand now...

here



a.k.a. things waiting to be read when I find the time. 

Seriously, though, I am dying to read all of these books, preferably back to back to back. Saturday next, perhaps?

What's on your nightstand?

recent purchases: old navy

here


I had some Super Cash to use this weekend at Old Navy, so my guy and I headed over to the North Avenue Old Navy to purchase some springy attire. James spent the bulk of our Super Cash, but I walked away with a handful of spring pieces. Looking at the collage of my purchases clearly shows that I am on red/white/blue/stripes kick. I also purchased the blue version of the red dress in the middle (these dresses were purchased online) and the teal version of the navy/white striped top (I couldn't find that color online). 

Blue and white peasant top: ~$8. Super lightweight with a relaxed  fit. I'm planning on wearing it to death when it's too hot to wear anything thicker. (This shirt is $26.94 online, but I looked at my receipt and it rung up for $10 before the Super Cash on my receipt, so it might be worth it to check it out in store.)

Striped blue fit-and-flare dress: ~$12. The most flattering dress shape for me, so when I saw it, I knew it was coming home with me.

Red sleeveless dress: ~$15 (with online coupon). The picture doesn't quite show it, but it's tipped in a slightly more coral/pink color. I love easy dresses like this for the summer. 

Striped red, white, and grey baseball tee: ~$3.50 (on clearance for $4.99 in store + Super Cash; currently $11 online). I LOVE these shirts. They're soft and fit me like a glove. They're great as pajama tops or as casual shirts to go with jeans. They are a little sheer, so I always wear mine with a cami.

Striped navy and white 3/4 sleeve tee: ~$6. I'm always a sucker for stripes, so this shirt was a no-brainer. I also liked the sleeve length and that it was lightweight.


  Any spring shopping for you? ;).

this weekend

My new bag. It's like a ray of sunshine - I can't help but smile every time I see it, which is a really good reason to get a bag, don't you think? ;).

TGIF! Spring has started to show itself around here in Chicago, and I'm taking the change in season as a catalyst to get out more, starting this weekend. James and I are heading up to the Map Room (our favorite bar) this evening to catch up with some work friends, and then tomorrow, we'll be doing some walking up by Lincoln Park/Wicker Park to enjoy the 65 degree day. There's a chance of rain later in the day, but I'm crossing my fingers that it never comes. 

Instead of calling your attention to amazing things indoors and accessible through your computer screen, try these things instead this weekend:

one: Go for a walk. Anywhere. For any amount of time. It's not only healthy for you, but it's also a great way to soak in some sun now that it's starting to peek out. I walked to work this morning (1.3 miles), and it felt good to walk through my neighborhood as everything's waking up. If mornings are not your thing, do it in the middle of the day as a way to walk away from the desk for a little bit or at night as a post-dinner walkabout.

two: Go to a park. People watch. Pack a picnic. Bring a book. Bring a blanket, your iPad, and start catching up on the shows you missed during the week.

three: Go to a museum. See that exhibit you've been putting off.

four: Go out for brunch. Take a leisurely stroll to get there and then indulge in good food. 

five: Explore a new neighborhood you haven't seen before or haven't visited in awhile. Find new haunts to add to your current favorites.

Have a great weekend!

couch surfing

I've been itching to update our update for the past few months. The first room I'd like to upgrade is our living room. In our one bedroom apartment, more than half of our space is our kitchen/living room combination. Because it takes up so much room and because we spend most of the time at home either cooking or watching tv or both, it's become the most used space in our home. Right now, we're making do with a pair of IKEA chairs, a small IKEA loveseat that doubles as a pull-out bed for visiting friends, our entertainment center, a coffee table, and our bar/hutch.

First up on my list of wished-for updates is a better sofa. A large, comfy, makes-you-want-to-curl-up-all-day-kind of sofa. I'd like it to be a piece that reflects both of our design sensibilities - I favor the clean, strong lines of modern and art deco styles, and James favors mid-century modern. Lucky for us, these styles can and do work really well together with some thought. It helps as well that James and I agree almost completely on our ideal color palette: black, white, and shades of grey with pops of blue and wood to keep the place from being too sterile. Modern and clean, but warm and welcoming. It'll be awhile before our living room looks like the one above (seriously, LOVE), but one thing at a time...starting with that sofa, preferably in an inviting shade of grey.

Some styles that I would love to have in our living room:

Stay tuned...hopefully by summer, we'll have a new sofa on our hands.

What design style/aesthetic do you favor?

images via 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

five things...

James and me. Boston Harbor, 2010.

...that you may not have known about me:

one: James and I are college sweethearts. We met at the University of Chicago - we were in the same dorm and the same house. We met at our dorm's Yule Ball (a winter formal) on a blind date of sorts. A mutual friend had told each of us that the other wanted to go but didn't have a date. When we met, we both thought we were doing the other a favor! Fast forward four (!!!) years later, and we're engaged. He's my best friend.

two: I'm a huge nerd. I love watching Jeopardy, I am anal about grammar and punctuation, and I'm often lost in a book. 

three: Keeping with the nerd theme, I've worn glasses since the first grade. My prescription is almost at -5 for both eyes. 

four: I speak four languages fluently - English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ilocano. I also know basic German (it's been awhile since I've used it) and am decent at Portuguese. I would love to learn more languages, especially Italian and French.

five: I grew up eating Filipino food almost exclusively at home. I didn't start eating "American" food regularly until I went to college. To this day, I have a hard time having a cold or sweet breakfast since breakfast for me growing up was heated leftovers from the night before and rice. I've been exposed to so many cuisines since then, and I've definitely become a food enthusiast because of it, but looking back at my childhood and the constant of Filipino food makes me smile.

lip service

here

 I find that as the days get sunnier and warmer, my makeup becomes brighter and more colorful but lighter. Some (tinted) moisturizer with spf, mascara, a little bit of concealer, and a swipe of color or sheen on the lips is my summer beauty routine - fast, easy, and carefree, as summer should be. After all, when the weather's that nice, who wants to spend ages on makeup? 

These are the lip products I have tried and tested in anticipation of spring/summer, and I must say, I'm hooked on all of them. For an oh-so-natural lip, I turn to Clarins Instant Light lip perfectors. Not sticky with just the right amount of my-lips-but-better color and a scent to die for, they've quickly become a must-have. Another barely-there option that I love is the Tarte Lipsurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint. The product looks petal pink in the tube but on my lips, the color turns to the loveliest flush of pink, thanks to its "personalized color" properties. I don't know the actual science behind it (I think it has something to do with pH?), but I'm loving the results. Plus, it's conditioning, and the tube twists up, so no sharpening required. 

For a little more color, I've been alternating between the Clinique Chubby Sticks Intense and the Color Whisper tubes from Maybelline. So many shades to choose from for both, but the good news is both of these products are friendlier on the wallet (the Maybelline especially at ~$6 a pop), so I picked up a couple of shades. They both have decent color payoff without the feeling that you're wearing a heavy layer. Most of the time, I forget I'm wearing anything.

And for the beauty spurge, I've been loving YSL for so many things lately. In addition to their Shocking mascara, I've become obsessed with their Rouge Volupte lines. The silver tube is the Sheer Candy version, while the gold tube is the Shine version. The sheer candy line is more of a balm, while the shine line is more of a glossy lipstick. Both come in hefty, gorgeous packaging and lightly smell of mangoes. Since the sheer candy is more of a balm, the staying power is pretty short (1-2 hours) but it does hydrate my lips upon application. The shine version is great for the gloss-over-lipstick look without the mess. If I want the most color, I go for the Rouge Pur Couture glossy stain. It applies like a non-sticky liquid gloss and dries down eventually to a semi-matte lip color over time. I was impressed by how this didn't budge on me for over five hours (there was only the faintest of transfers when I was drinking/eating). 

What's your summer beauty routine? What are some lip products you've been loving? Please do tell. :)