Birchbox review

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This review is long overdue and many of you probably already know about Birchbox but for those of you who don’t, you deserve to. Birchbox is a monthly box of goodies featuring the newest beauty products that you would have never known about otherwise. Every month is different but so far products have included a Schick Hydro silk razor, theBalm cosmetics Stainiac lip stain (my favorite so far), Benefit’s POREfessional pore minimizer, and tons of samples of new perfumes.

I think it’s great because a) who has the time to search high-and-low for this kind of stuff and b) you end up falling in love with products you didn’t even know you “needed”! They recently launched Bichbox for men which would make a great gift for the guys in your life, especially if they need a little man-tenance, if ya know what I mean. What I love most of all though (shamefully), is getting a present in the mail every month, it’s like Christmas!

To sweeten the deal, after you’ve had a chance to sample all of these products, when you find something you like, if you order the full size version on the Birchbox website you earn points. For every dollar that you spend, you get a point. Once you reach 100 points, you get $10 off a full-sized product order. Not bad, huh? Join the bandwagon, you won’t be sorry! Documentation of my first Birchbox ;)

Restaurant review: Folklore

With so many people obsessed with BYOB hotspot Tango Sur, I was excited to try Wicker Park’s version and sister restaurant, Folklore. While not a BYOB, it has the same Argentinean cuisine with creative dishes.

AMBIANCE

We sat at a table in the front room by the bar so we got a cool draft from the door opening every once in a while but overall I enjoyed the ambiance. It was quiet enough to have a conversation but loud enough that we weren’t listening to the conversation at the table next to us. Each table has a tall candle and the room was dimly lit which set a nice intimate mood. Unlike Tango Sur, your table is more than an inch apart so your not sitting on a stranger, which is nice.

FOOD

They are famous for their empanadas but I was far more impressed with my main dish. I ordered a surf-and-turf-esque dish called Mar e Tierra under their chef’s specials. My dining compadres weren’t as stoked with their meals and said they preferred Tango Sur. Corey’s steak was over-cooked and I will admit the wine was not great, and I tried three different kinds with varying prices – which as any wine drinker knows, is very frustrating.

SERVICE

Our server seemed to know the menu well but his wine recommendations weren’t great, that may be due to what they had available though. He was attentive but not overly so. And another thing that surprised me was that we stood at the door for a few minutes before we were sat. I made eye contact with the bartender and other servers who clearly saw us standing there but didn’t say anything. It’s slightly annoying not to have a mere “someone will be with you shortly” especially at such a small restaurant.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

I enjoyed my dinner and since I live in the area I could see us going back at some point but I’m not dying to go back. There are so many restaurants in Chicago, and maybe for that reason we are a little spoiled, but all-in-all it didn’t knock my socks off.

Fall Fashion Tips from Anya Sarre

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I was so excited when celebrity stylist Anya Sarre contacted me, she wanted to share her fall fashion tips with you all! For those of you who don’t know Anya Sarre is one of Hollywood’s most influential trendsetters. A nationally recognized celebrity stylist, Sarre is known for her impeccable eye and ability to tie any look together with the perfect accessory. Named “Best Television Fashion Stylist” for her appearances on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and countless other media outlets, Sarre is the go-to fashion expert for Hollywood’s biggest celebrities.

What to Wear this Autumn

Fall means cool weather is around the corner. Leaves are changing color and fantastic fashions are here. After the light summer styles and before the heavier winter sweaters, you have the lovely layered look of fall. Let your clothing really reflect your favorite looks. I’m in love with this year’s fall fashions, and I think you will be too. While the runway models are showing off looks that only good on other runway models, I’ve found that there are some emerging trends and pieces that are going to be going on my permanent favorites list.

In the first place, let’s look at jewelry. Big has been in for a while, whether you love the look of chunky bracelets or single heavy pendants, but take a look at the textures. For example, are you someone who loves sleek textures? If so, you are going to adore the prevalence of glass pendants and glass earrings. On the other hand, do you prefer a slightly warmer and cozier look? If that is the case, look around for wooden beads and beads made of soft wool felt.

Personally, I cannot get enough of the bohemian look this fall.  Consider looking for a wrap skirt that will cling in a lovely way to your hips, and pair it with your favorite camisole and thin sweater. This simple but lovely look is a great choice when you are after a casual day on the town or when you are visiting friends and family.

Give yourself a little boost when you walk by choosing a fantastic pair of boots that will take you anywhere. The harsh lines of the military style are always coming in and out, but one place that they never go out of style is in the boots. You simply cannot go wrong by picking a pair tall black boots, ideally ones that are super sleek and shiny. You can pair them with long skirts or tuck your pants in them for a very severe but highly enchanting look.

Fall is also a time to play with accessories and find the perfect pair of women’s shoes! For example, hats are in, whether you are into fedoras, top hats or cloches, as are scarves. Scarves are some of my favorite fashion accessories because they are simply so versatile. Wrap a single length of scarf around your head to keep your hair back or wear a longer scarf as a belt. If you are interested in something a little retro, find a very small scarf and tie it around your wrist.

When you are invested in a brand new look when the weather cools down, make sure that you are able to see what accessories and what fall styles are going to work for you!

Fall Trends 2012

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I can’t believe its fall, or more commonly known as pumpkin spice latte season. I feel like I woke up today and BAM, it was here! It is always bitter sweet for me. I hate winter/cold (shocking coming from a native Minnesotan, I know…) but I really do love the crisp fall days, curling up by a crackling fire at night with a big glass of red wine. I’ve seen some cute fall trends popping up to get excited about and although I haven’t delved into them much yet, I wanted share some of my picks for go-to fall looks.

Thirst for Oxblood

Neat Knits

Collar me Purple

Leather Lovelies

Blogger envy

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Due to life getting crazy around here I just have not had time to devote to blogging. However, that never stops me from reading other blogs! And dang, bloggers are good lookin’ chicas! Bloggers give me such inspiration, they are so creative. So here are my top picks from my fave bloggers who have been rockin’ it recently. Hopefully you find them just as inspiring as I do. Now set your alarm a few minutes early tomorrow and put some effort into your Wednesday office look!

I love how Annabelle from Viva Luxury paired a sweet coral pleated skirt with a structured boyfriend blazer for an effortlessly chic office look. The pattern of the jacket with the pop of color from the skirt make it trendy, yet sophisticated. It is definitely the perfect go-to look for the office.

Rachel of Pink Peonies is my newest fashion icon obsession, her style is so classic. Her blog provides great inspiration for those looking for a fresh, clean look without going over the top with daring trends.

Elle from Elle Bow Room is amazing, for many reasons. This North Carolina southern bell is the best of both worlds, she can go from pretty law school student one day to rocker-glam the next. She is also hysterical. I had so much fun with her over lunch one day when she was here over the summer and can’t wait for her to make her way back to Chi-town!

Hallie from Corals and Cognacs was one of the first bloggers I met in person and she is beyond amazing. She describes her style as spontaneous, fun and feminine. She can literally pull off any trend with ease and gives me the chutzpah (Oprah anyone?) to wear anything!

Jennifer from Red Soles Red Wine is the super mom everyone wishes they could but. Her goal when starting her blog was to show people that just because you may feel sick, fat, bloated, saggy and all things pregnant, you don’t have to forgo your fashion sense when you are pregnant. She is always so put together despite juggling a very successful jewelry line, a baby and a husband!

And this list would not be complete without a little a little Pinterest fashion inspiration!

Who are your fashion inspirations? What blogs do I need to add to my ever-growing list of everyday reads??

The Search for the Next Princess Vera Wang

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Kohl’s Department Stores and Teen Vogue have partnered to announce a nationwide model search for Princess Vera Wang, the first contemporary juniors collection by fashion icon Vera Wang. To celebrate the launch of Princess Vera Wang, available exclusively at Kohl’s stores nationwide and Kohls.com, eligible contestants ages 13 and older may enter for a chance to be featured in the 2013 Princess Vera Wang ad campaign and win a $500 shopping spree.

They are holding a casting call here in Chicago this Saturday, August 25 from 1-4 p.m. CT at The W Lakeside Hotel (644 North Lake Shore Drive). It is one of of only three casting calls in the nation, so it is a great opportunity for local Chicagoland area teens and women to get their foot in the door to the modeling industry.

The top five finalists will be selected by an elite panel of judges, including Vera Wang. The finalists will then travel to New York City this fall for a behind-the-scenes tour of Teen Vogue.

The contest winner will be chosen out of the five finalists by an online vote between October 9 and November 6, 2012 and the winner will be formally announced on November 16, 2012.

If you are not in Chicago, you can also enter online byuploading a photograph to the contest page at www.princessmodelsearch.com and explain in 150 words or less why you should be selected to star in the Princess Vera Wang 2013 ad campaign.

For official rules and how to enter, please visit www.princessmodelsearch.com.

Edith Hart event

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Edith Hart (formerly The Edit), a chic boutique in Bucktown, launched their e-commerce site on August 15th and to celebrate they hosted a fabulous little shin-dig. Everything was drool-worthy, as expected, but was not expected was how affordable everything was! I saw a couple of cute dresses that caught my eye and I was pleasantly surprised to discover they weren’t totally out of my budget. I felt like I was shopping in Cher’s closet from Clueless. Here are some pics from the event:

Happy shopping!

NYDJ Fall Preview Event

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I’m probably the only one that doesn’t wear jeans on jeans-friday at work. The reason is not to impress anyone by dressing up for work everyday, it’s because I HATE how I look in jeans, or all pants for that matter. While I am very comfortable in my own skin, I also know that you have to dress for your body type. Girls with curvy figures just can’t pull off some of the things that come down the runway. And I’m OK with that, but everybody should be able to wear jeans, I just haven’t found a pair that flattered my body. Well, that was until last week.

I had heard of Not Your Daughters Jeans before….from my mother. So it’s no real shock to anyone that I dismissed them as “mom jeans”, never really giving them a chance. What I didn’t realize is that you don’t have to have a daughter to wear her jeans! The company is going through some re-branding (because apparently I’m not the only one that had that innate reaction to their name) and they are losing the tag line to be called simply NYDJ. Another misconception, they offer so much more than just jeans. They had an amazing collection of floral, pastel and brightly colored pants for summer. We got the first sneak peak at their fall collection and it DID NOT disappoint.

Here is what I love about their pants:

  • The waist is higher so your crack and/or whale-tale isn’t showing.
  • Because of this higher waist, your “cup doesn’t runneth over”…if you know what I mean. No muffin top ladies, tuck it IN your pants!
  • It sucks and tucks without feeling constricting and “sausage-esque”, like stretch jeans have a tendency to do.
  • They fit every body type. There was a model there (like a real one – SUPER skinny minny) and they looked great on her. They also fit me, and I’m alllll booty. So that pretty much covers the spectrum.
  • They make your booty look amazing!

Most retail for about an average of $118 or so (totally guessing based on what I saw). I strongly encourage you to check them out! Here are some pics from the event…..

Fall line of NYDJ

Summer line NJDJ

More from the Fall line (I snagged those coral cords AND the brown ones)

Checking out the goods – laughing at how crazy it is that I haven’t discovered these until now (I’m sure!)

Fully stocked bar – always makes the night more fun :)

Cupcake before you try jeans on? With these jeans, yes I think I will thank you!

Checkin’ out the stash (fresh off a sweaty walk from work – blah!)

Happy shopping! Click (HERE) for more pics of the event!

High-low hemlines

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I have been loving high-low skirts and dresses this summer. Playing with the hem line can totally transform an outfit. On a recent (albeit rare) shopping trip with my mom, she reminded me how trends have a tendency to come and go, and she is convinced the high-low trend will get old really fast. I kind of agree with her so being the budgetista that I am, I opted to go to the one place to buy trendy clothes that aren’t worth the splurge, Forever21. I wore this out to drinks with friends and can’t wait to wear it again. I, for one, am hoping this trend sticks around for a while :)

Dress – Forever 21 (similar)

Wedges – Max and Cleo via TJ Maxx (old) (similar)

Bangle and earrings – Target

Belt – Len Druskin Outlet (Minnesota shop)

What are your thoughts on the high-low trend? Do you think it’s appropriate for work? (obviously not as short and informal as this one but I have seen a few that are up for debate on work attire…)

White Peplum

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Peplum is everywhere right now and I personally love this style because it highlights your curves and cinches the waist at the same time. I wore this out for date night at Carnivale (restaurant review here).

Dress – Charlotte Russe (exact, similar); Shoes – Target (for sale on my Poshmark closet! similar); Clutch – Francesca’s Collections (similar); Necklace – Target (similar) Watch – Gift; Bangles – Consigned; Ring – Forever21 (similar)

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