layered up.

Blogging for a hobby has most definitely taught me a few things.

1. If you publish a blog once you start writing, you are obligated to finish.
2. Enjoy it.
3. One blog may take up to 6-7 hours.

In regards to #3, those are the best ones.


Last we spoke it was end of Thanksgiving. Since then, the Viking's dome collapsed due to 17 inches of snow. It's winter time and it is beyond cold. The weather isn't at negative temperatures yet but let's get real, we live in the midwest. Once January is here, everything will freeze over and we will wonder why we live here and why we do not partake in hibernation.

As a side note to those of us who attended a university in the midwest, the Big Ten decided to change their logo. We have now become Home of the Leader & Legend Division. Here is our ugly new logo:

To keep my style unassociated with that catastrophe but dress according to the weather we are blessed with, I have taken full advantage of layering. 

I layer my cami with a tee and add a cardigan and blazer on top. On the bottom, I tuck the camisole and t-shirt into my skirt. This skirt goes over my tights. On my feet I like to sport wool socks and tuck them into my knee-high boots. Catch my drift?

Winter is the best time to experiment with layers and to play up wardrobe classics like blazers, button-ups, and pearls. 

Baby corduroy blazer with two buttons, cardigan, and floral Dress by Zara

Winter lurex scarf by French Connection

Smartwool phd ski ultra light socks available at proboardshop.com

Gold ombre watch by La Mer Collections available at shopbop.com

Silver ball with blue fabric front necklace by Ann Taylor Loft

Square buckle skinny boyfriend belt by ASOS

Salt air cardigan by J.Crew

Taupe suede boots DV by Dolce Vita available at Piperlime

my beautiful dark twisted fantasy

Created on polyvore.com

my beautiful dark twisted fantasy by OliveandFashion featuring gems jewelry

etro... if i were a rich CEO...

Everyday I visit my style.com app. There is a "Look of the Day" section where users can vote for their favorite fashion moment. There are five looks with a common theme. Yesterday's theme was all about color and how fashion designers could not settle on just one hue for Spring 2011.

So, I'm scrolling through the various designs and this is what I see...

A look from Etro's Spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection. I'm still going nuts over here. How beautiful are these patterns and colors together? Considering this has been on my mind since yesterday, I had to share with the world.

And when I become CEO or somehow rich or famous enough to wear these $430 - $2,260 outfits, I will add these to my tab...

     

 

  

 

  

 

Photos: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Shop Etro at Neiman Marcus  

 or http://www.etro.it/

p.s. You can vote for your favorite style with the style.com app or by visiting www.style.com/community/lookoftheday/

casual day

It's casual day at work but all the rules still imply. Don't dress like a bum and work extra hard because jeans were your incentive. Sometimes I have more troubles deciding on my outfit when I am restricted to jeans. What if I felt like a skirt today? But these casual days are few and far between so I will decide amongst my skinny jeans from H&M or my boyfriend fit Rock & Republics.

I chose the skinny jeans. My fashion muse, Olivia Palermo, inspired me. I have a major style crush on her and you may judge all you want.

Even though this is a spring look, I took the same elements, added jeans and subtracted the beautiful peep toe heels for flats. Cinched a flowy white shirt with a taupe belt and added a taupe cardigan on top. 

busy work week... but it's so nice out...

Last week was pretty hectic at work. This week is only more frantic as our company prepares for NMHC, a national conference which will unveil our long term project: Online Leasing for the apartment industry. The chaos includes wrapping up all marketing activities, printing and shipping materials, testing and eliminating bugs in the application and many other consuming tasks which are no way parallel to the best part... planning every outfit for each event. It makes a perfect blog, an in depth how-to-pack-for-a-business-conference.  


But for now, these next few days at the office are critical. Call me crazy but my outfit always sets my mood and comfort level. Long hours at the office cannot be compromised with itchy sweaters or bunchy layers. Wardrobe items that are easy to stain or wrinkle may unexpectedly and unwillingly add to your outfit (i.e. wearing mustard from your Potbelly's sandwich). Running errands to FedEx and FastSigns (best sign & graphic company in Chicago) are not accommodating to towering stilettos or your favorite pair of suede boots. Yea, I do the Mr. Rogers switcharoo when I get into the office and trade my street shoes for a more work appropriate heel but I am not about to switch shoes every time I have to run around the Loop or the office for that matter. I even feel awkward trying on shoes at Nordstrom with a room full of people I will probably never see again. Perhaps this has something to do with the nude colored socks you are forced to use or the public unveiling of your personal socks.


So, let's take the current situation and assess. 

• I need shoes I can run errands and work late with.
• It will be a beautiful November day tomorrow. Around 65°F and even getting up to 71°F! Who knows how long this weather will last so better take advantage.
• A short-sleeve or 3/4 sleeve will work. Layered with a favorite cardigan.
• All these errands, all these people to see, all these semi-mini skirts and tights I should wear before it hits negative windchill...
• Long hours mean lots of different hair-do's throughout the day. I'll wear it straight so then I can braid, pin up, half-up or whatever I want. I am not about to deny my habit of playing with my hair.
• Watch? Check.
• Probably will end up taking my lap top home to wrap things up or catch up on emails and will need to keep my folders organized during errands. This calls for a tote.
• Marketing involves creativity... some inspiring accessories will be nourishing.

Tomorrow's outfit will need to honor the final days before deadly winter, inspirational pieces to keep things flowing, and practical items to stay on the go.

I'm really loving dogeared necklaces. My close friend, Maloka, introduced me to them on our recent shopping trip to Cusp. Featured in the picture is Maloka's favorite, Karma.

Triwa Turtle Gold Tone Watch available at us.asos.com

Antique Brown Stone Ring by Forever21

Kimchi Blue Suede Bow Skimmer Navy Flats available at Urban Outfitters

Opaque Tights by Zara

BDG Leather Belt available at Urban Outfitters

Merona Solid Wrap Green Scarf available at Target

Striped Unisex Saint James Meridien II Nautical Tee available at J. Crew

Pins and Needles Circle Skirt available at Urban Outfitters

Regal Blue Juicy Couture Juicy Wool Dearest Tote available at Piperlime

Dogeared Karma Necklace available at Cusp

for all hallow's eve

I thought it would help to share a few inspiring images after my last post. I absolutely love these displays. The tangled wire and floating figures really capture the ambiance of an enchanted forest on all hallow's eve. The navy and gold ensembles are also spot on.

I'll tell you what I'm NOT being for Halloween...

Thinking of wearing black and orange in celebration of Halloween this weekend? Don't. There is nothing less clever than wearing two colors which, when worn together, signfiy nothing beyond a second grader's ability to decipher.


It should be noted that it never interested me to coincide my outfit with a holiday's theme. I distinctly remember not selecting pink, red, or white on any Valentine's Day since the third grade. I even remember commanding my freshman year roommate to never consider decorating our 12 x 12 dorm room for the holidays. Sorry about that Jamie, I guess you showed me who's boss when a pink, glistening Christmas tree showed up after Thanksgiving break. But then again, I did have fun throwing the ornaments out our fourth floor window after wine night at The Clybourne. What's that game called again? Will it bounce or will it break?


This orange and black Halloween ensemble is too predictable and plain boring to look at. It will most likely be worn by people who are into face painting at a sports event, Hawaiian t-shirts and/or Crocs. I know my mom and most of the high school staff members she works with are going to have a blast wearing their orange cardigans with a pendant of some sort (probably a goblin, witch on a broomstick, pumpkin, or a Frankenstein with blinking lights). There will be a black turtleneck underneath the cardigan with levi jeans and white gym shoes on the bottom. The creepy male in the group will most likely wear their Scream mask from 1996.


Let's get one thing straight though, my mom would never wear Crocs. I would call her out so fast and then team up with my sister until she understood we do not put our name in vain like that. My sister and I teaming up together makes Freddy Krueger have nightmares (insert painfully corny Halloween joke); I'll share our sisterhood stories later. To elaborate a little further on my genes, I emailed my mom the link to my very first blog the other day and this was her response:

I don't know what is this? You have to explain to me.... Have a nice dinner with Dad and wish Happy Birthday to Niko for tomorrow from me... 

Filakia

MOM

For those of you who know me, I know you read the email above once and kinda struggled and then reread it again but this time with a Greek accent, it then made perfect sense. For those of you who do not know me, both of my parents are FOBs (Fresh Off the Boat). Both Anna and Gus mean the world to me and I am so grateful to have parents who work so hard and would give up anything for their family. I just wish my siblings would stop telling me I'm adopted.


So I leave you with this, be the cool kid this weekend... rebel and don't wear crocs. Looks like Chicago weather will remain around the mid-50's which gives us lots of options with what to wear. We could make some use out of those trendy military jackets we all were suckered into before the weather begins plummeting to low-30's and 20's. Whether you are out trick or treating or last minute shopping for your Halloween costume, here's a tasteful outfit you can feel proud of while commemorating All Hallow's Eve.

The watch and messenger bag are essential here. You need to keep track of the time so you are not late to the Halloween party and you need a quick place to store candy while taking your nephew trick or treating.

Fab Racerback Tank by Forever21

Anle 'Jaime' Skinny Stretch Jeans available at Nordstrom

MICHELE 'Tahitian Jelly Bean' 40mm Watch available at Nordstrom

Central Park West Silk Blouse available at Aritzia

Sam Edelman Effie Bootie available at Piperlime

Deena & Ozy Eternity Scarf available at Urban Outfitters

Messenger Bag by Zara

Warehouse Jersey Lined Parka available at asos

NIKE COMMERCIAL - LEBRON RISE

I think you should give me back the time I wasted watching "The Decision".

Chicago Cyclone

Alright, let's do this. I love all the wonderful sites out there which I have bookmarked under my Daily Reads, Fashion, Shopping, and  Inspiration folders. They truly help when I am trying to visualize what to wear the next day. As I lay in bed and begin to drift off, I can't help but to begin justifying Derek Lam's faux fur vest I was taunted with on style.com. I mean, it looks practical, I'll totally wear it when... when it's too warm for a coat but cold enough for a furry vest?


However, as a young savvy professional living in this Windy City, I cannot wear the whimsical DVF dress featured in September's Vogue or those new knee high boots I overnight shipped from Piperlime today. I had planned to wear something of this sort in my mind but I'm sorry, there are hurricane winds and rain storms on the way and I will need to dress appropriately.


Out come the Hunter rain boots (ok, ok I was dying to wear them anyway), the Anne Klein tote my mother oh-so-generously bestowed upon me in recognition of how necessary an organized yet very accommodating bag would be, and the pants. Which pants? I'm not sure yet. While visualizing my outfits I did not envision a possible cyclone which could elevate my skirt to embarrassing levels as I walk from the State/Monroe Red Line to the office on Franklin.


Here are a few statements I feel are fair enough to publish:

• Chicago weather is unpredictable. 
• You check the weather app upon waking up, before you leave la casa, perhaps around/during lunchtime, at the end of your work day, and before setting the alarm for tomorrow morning.
• Chicago fashion is not as outlandish as New York's or um... "liberal" as California's. I'd say it is a good mix, not ultra conservative but if you think skipping the classy factor in your outfit today is ok... think again.
• Over the Knee boots are a great statement. But you don't want that kind of statement in the office so let's put them away until Hub51 this weekend.

Let's put together a quick outfit I can hop over puddles with, look presentable in my 10am meeting, and something which will allow me to sit Indian Style at my desk (because we all know this is the true comfort of pants). We must select an outfit consisting of pants which can be tucked into boots for the commute, layers on top for the cold wind and humid, a big bag to carry your work shoes and what nots (perhaps your 401K forms you forgot to bring yesterday), and of course warm and happy accessories because this is going to be a gloomy one.


Taa-daa! Chicago Cyclone Inspired Outfit for the commute...

Hair up! The wind and rain can create a Medusa hairdo within seconds.

Necklace by Me and Ro

Ring by Anthropologie

Cardigan, Tee, and Moto Pants by JCrew

Hunter Boots available at Piperlime
Badgley Mischka 'Kelly' Studded Leather Tote available at Nordstrom