July Outfit Roundup

I can't believe that tomorrow is the first day of August, this summer is sure flying by quickly. Here's a round up of my favorite looks from this month. It's weird to say but I'm excited for fall to come {not too soon} just so I can start wearing sweaters and boots again. 

Rockstar

{ASOS tee, DIY jean shorts, Aldo sandals & ring, H&M necklace, Bauble Bar & LOFT bracelets}

It's been a busy weekend for me starting on Friday when I met up with my old college roommate and fellow blogger Haley from Style Sound for lunch at Uncommon Ground. I miss her so much and it was great to catch up while she was in town for a few days.

For years I've been in search for jean shorts that weren't of the daisy duke variety. I decided to finally bite the bullet and make my own jean shorts from a pair of old men's jeans. I used the following tutorial (here) and they turned out great! I've been pretty much living in them for this weekend since they make me feel like a rockstar. I paired them with a lace tee, stacked bracelets, and neon sandals for a weekend of hanging out with old friends. 

Sightseeing

{Urban Outfitters tank & sweater, Madewell jeans, Jewelmint necklace, Jenna Kator handbag, Aldo sandals}

On Tuesday my family came down to Chicago for a whirlwind 48 hour visit to see my cousin Marta off as she made her journey back to Poland after a summer visit in Michigan. We were determined to visit everything Chicago had to offer so we started off the sightseeing at Buckingham Fountain, hit up Millienium Park, Navy Pier, and The John Hancock building. Dinner ended with my families first trip to The Cheesecake Factory. I love having my family around and I can't wait for them to visit again soon!

{My brother Daniel & I in front of the Art Museum fountains}

{Navy Pier & "The Bean"}

Fashion Archives

{6 months}

A few years ago, I decided that since half of our family photo albums were falling apart I would preserve them digitally. It's been a huge undertaking but it's been well worth it. As I've been spending some of my free time organizing my photo albums, I realized that my love of dresses started at a very young age. When I was little you couldn't force me to wear pants and/or stockings; I was a girly girl for sure. 

I was lucky enough to have a Babcia (grandma) who loved to sew, as all the dresses you see in these photos were all designed and made by her. So thanks! Babcia for making me one stylish little girl!

{Age 3}

{Age 5}

Blue Suede Shoes

{Pitaya blouse, H&M skirt, Mix No 6 wedges, Nine West sunnies, M2 Boutique necklace, Sequin NYC bracelet, Aldo ring}

I feel like everyone should have one day a week where they dress up and feel glamourous all day long. For as long as I can remember that day for me has been and still is Sunday. I spent my Sunday leisurely walking down Armitage street for the Lincoln Park annual sidewalk sale, where I purchased a beautiful buckle bracelet from Sequin NYC. I finished off my day with a old movie marathon (Casablanca is my favorite movie ever) and baked some delicious chocolate chip scones; a perfect Sunday in the city. 

Candy Coated

{Forever 21 dress, H&M skirt, Ann Taylor LOFT bracelets, ASOS handbag, Charlotte Russe pumps}

It's been one of those stressful weeks for me where nothing seemed to go my way and I can't wait for the weekend to start. It's honestly been a yoga pants and tee shirt kind of week and so when Thursday rolled around, I decided to force myself out of my funk, dress up and go out for some window shopping in Lincoln Park. I picked up this yellow dress years ago but it has become entirely to short to wear on it's own. I love the color and collar so much that I haven't been able to part with it, so to continue the longevity of the dress I paired it with a short flowy skirt - keeps the dress at a nice PG level. Happy Friday everyone!

Dark Shadows

{Kensie top, Old Navy shorts, Bauble Bar bracelets, Forever 21 necklace, J.Crew "cece" flats}

If you live in the mid-west you are fully aware that this summer has had some record breaking heat. I love the summer, I really do, however the past few days I've pretty much stayed in doors and propped myself in front of the air conditioner. While my go-to outfit will always be a dress there are days where a long flowy tee and shorts are just what I need to pull myself away from the air conditioning and step outside for a short walk around the block. 

Friends & Family

Check out more photos from this weekend on Instagram!

This weekend was spent back at home in Michigan with all my family and friends. Every time I come home these days, my weekends are jam packed with activities; spending time with family and friends. On Friday night, I spent some time in downtown Royal Oak with my old college roomie and best friend Leeann as she said goodbye to her old co-workers. A night of drinks at Oak City Grille followed by amazing chill cheese fries at Comet Burger. (Best Burgers EVER!)

Whenever I have a chance to go home for a few days, I make sure to visit my favorite nail salon The Velvet Nail Lounge in Troy. Anna (picture here) is my girl friday, love her! 

I work with some amazing gals and honestly they make my job a thousand times more enjoyable. So I couldn't have been happier to help out my co-worker Gail during her son's graduation party this weekend; especially since I got one of the first pieces of delicious Costco cake. Gail (proud mama) always looks so stylish at work and on Saturday she was the hostess with the  mostess. Congratulations Cody & Kyle!

Improvise

{Anthropologie shirt, Topshop cardigan, Madewell jeans & earrings, Forever 21 ring, Shoemint "Kathryn" pumps}

I'm back in Michigan for a few days on business and I'm taking some extra time to spend with my family and friends.  I love coming back home for a few days because I always gets some extra special treatment; my favorite meals and free laundry. I won't lie and tell you guys that I'm great at packing for vacations or weekend getaways; I'm actually horrible at it. I always forget something, never pack enough clothing, and nothing matches. I bought this cardigan months ago from TopShop yet have never worn it because I've been unable to figure out just how to style it. I think I've spent to much time over thinking the right outfit to go with the delicate cardigan that I've forgotten why it had appealed to me in the first place. So when I forgot my blazer back in Chicago I decided to just go ahead and make the cardigan work. By not waiting for the "perfect" outfit to compliment the cardigan, I renewed my love for the knitted and lightweight cardigan that was meant to add that extra bit of sparkle into my day.

Work to Play

These days when I go shopping, I look for key pieces that can take me from the work place to dinner & drinks without much effort. Button down shirts are a classic that just about everyone owns, but why not spice it up every once in a while by wearing a classic button down in a bright neon color. I previously styled this button down shirt in a previous post (seen here) when grabbing dinner with a friend downtown. This time I styled my neon button down with a great color blocked skirt; professional yet still shows off my vibrant personal style. Before heading out the door in the morning; throw a pair of your favorite skinny jeans in your bag. With a few quick changes at the end of the day, you'll be ready to make the transition from work to play. 

{Madewell shirt, Zara skirt, Jenna Kator "Belle Isle" handbag, Steve Madden pumps, J.Crew jewelry}

5 things... to accomplish this summer

I may be a bit late with my summer to do list but it wasn't until this weekend that I put pen to paper and decided that I wanted to accomplish a few things before fall comes around. Below is my top 5 things I would like to accomplish this summer, anyone want to join me?

What do you guys have on your summer to do list?

Seashells

{Express top & shorts, Aldo pumps, seashell earrings and bracelet from The Bahamas, ring from Forever 21, necklace worn like a bracelet from M2 boutique}

Recently summer and I have not been friends; I love the sun but the humidity has got to go! The weather has been unbearably hot which is wrecking havoc on my hair. I promise that my hair did not look this haggard when I left my apartment. I've never been a shorts kind of girl, simply because I never thought that they were very comfortable and most shorts in the store these days are so overtly short that it's almost like wearing thick under-roos. These are the only pair of shorts that I own and I've recently been living in them just to be able to function outside with this heat. I went out with some girl friends right before 4th of July and decided to keep my outfit as simple as possible to keep myself from melting. A simple halter top, shorts and a bright colored shoe can look just as fun as a dress can for those girls nights out in the city.   

My senior year of high school we took a cruise to various islands where I scooped up these earrings and bracelet in the outdoor market. I still wear both jewelry pieces all the time and it's nice that they come with such great memories. 

June Outfit Roundup

Happy July everyone! 

I can't believe how quickly June has come and gone; time moves so quickly these days. I'm taking a few days to myself for the 4th of July holiday to spend time with friends and explore the city. Check out my outfit round up from the first summer month of June. 


P.S. Check out my new Facebook Fan Page for past monthly outfit round-ups: Caravan of Style