With the end of winter sort-of near (yay!) we now have what I like to call a slightly-less-shitty winter (AKA spring) on the horizon. This is when we buckle down and just push through until patio season. Until then, here’s what’s getting me through the end of winter.
Let’s kick things off as we usually do…with some FASHION.
FASHION:
With fashion month still in full swing, I wanted to share some of my favorite looks for the Fall 2019 season. Whether they’re pieces I actually want to wear or just admire from a far, here’s what I’m feeling for FW19.
For Rodarte, the collection appeared to be an over-the-top garden party (technically the Mulleavy sisters were inspired by musicals from the 30s and 70s). This look in particular gives me some Studio54 vibes with a touch of Blossom (which is just really working for me here).
Sally LaPointe always kills it on the runway. It’s my ideal mix of wearable pieces while still being a touch aspirational. She does monochromatic oh-so-well, and as you can probably tell from my favorite fashion week looks…I’m a sucker for monochromatic. I’m now feeling inspired to rock head-to-toe mint as soon as the weather allows it…and I’m not mad at that purple lip paired with this pastel hue either!
Zadig & Voltaire clearly just gets me. All black with some Chicago love? SIGN. ME. UP.
But if you’re looking for clothes you can actually wear RIGHT NOW, look no further than the Shopbop sale. They’re doing their buy more, save more sale right now through March 2 (get anywhere from 15% to 25% off, depending on how much you spend). If you’re like me, you might find these sales a bit overwhelming. But don’t you worry…I linked some of my favorite spring things from the sale at the bottom of this post Use code GOBIG19 at checkout.
I know it’s probably too early to talk sandals but after discovering St. Agni, I couldn’t wait until it was actually sandal season. My friend turned me on to their Paris mules last summer and given how comfortable and easy they were, I became an instant fan. The one type of shoe I don’t ever think to buy are sandals. I always end up in sneakers (spring / summer) or boots (fall / winter) and really only ever wear sandals if I’m at a pool or beach. But St. Agni has officially changed my mind with their chic slides. I ended up getting a couple pairs of their sandals for my Hawaii trip last month and I am HOOKED.
BEAUTY:
A few years ago, I went super light with my hair (lighter than I’ve ever gone before) and after realizing my hair does not like being light, I toned it way down. The one thing that really helped my hair return to it’s healthy state (besides the help of my hair guru who I’ve been seeing for over six years now — Sarah at Salon 1800…she is amazing) was Olaplex No. 3. Of course Sarah is the one that introduced me to this miracle goop. Olaplex has salon-grade products that Sarah has used on me in the past, but this is their at-home treatment that literally strengthens your hair from within (you can read more about it here). I use it once a week and of any at-home hair treatment I’ve ever tried, this is the one I see best results with. And if you don’t believe me, check out the reviews on Sephora!
There are so many clean beauty brands out there now (which is great…glad everyone is getting on board with this) but how do you know what actually works? Some of these products are super pricey and do you want to take the risk and invest in a $150 serum? Or you grab something the grocery store and although there’s no harsh chemicals in the product, it doesn’t really give you any results. Why I love Fountain of Truth (Giuliana Rancic’s new skincare line) is that she found the sweet spot in clean beauty of being more luxe than something you’d buy at Whole Foods but not as expensive as Tata Harper or Goop. Plus, the products have gone through clinical testing…so you know they’re going to work. I actually tried these products over a year ago (when I was working with Giuliana on her clothing line). I didn’t even know what they were supposed to do (as they weren’t even in their official packaging yet) but all I knew is that my skin had never looked better. That has to say something, right?
FOOD:
Really, I’m a sucker for anything with hidden entrance…so you can imagine how I feel about Yokocho (tucked away in a Wicker Park alley). To make entering the space even more interesting, you open a door to another entryway (that leads you to Yokocho or Anaba Handroll Bar) and it’s full of little green lights projected from floor to ceiling. Then you finally walk into the space…and now it’s time to have some fun. The cocktails were on point, the food was good (it’s more of a drinks and apps place — not necessarily a full dinner meal) and the music was awesome. As much as I love food, I’m always down for some solid cocktails and good jams. So I’ll definitely be back, Yokocho!
Now that I’ve been cooking at home more, I’m constantly on the hunt for any interesting pantry staples that could spruce up my dishes. I’ve also been trying to bake more and I typically use honey or maple syrup as my sweetener. So when I came across this Bloom Tumeric-Infused Raw Honey on Thrive Market, I was intrigued. Is it the most versatile pantry item? No. But it’s so damn good, I don’t even care. Could I eat this straight? Yes. Do I? Sometimes. Mostly I add it to tea and I’ve been using it on my paleo pancakes (this recipe is my favorite). I’d like to use it in a savory situation so my next task is to make this honey mustard one pan meal (which I’ve made many times and is so delicious and easy) but with the tumeric honey. I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
WELLNESS:
As much as I enjoy working out, there’s very few studios that have a beautiful space with great branding…but The Space Between nailed it on all levels. It’s in a lower level space in River North (not close to where I live but I am willing to travel for a good spot!) It just feels like a hidden gem when you get in there. The wallpaper in the front room is serious home goals (you really have to go see for yourself) and the yoga studio just has great vibes. If you’ve been to Aire Ancient Baths, the idea of this underground zen fortress is kind of what this reminds me of (but in a way smaller, more yogi form).
GIVING BACK:
For the last six years, I’ve been on the committee for one of PAWS Chicago‘s signature events — Animal Magnetism. This year I am very excited to be co-chairing…and I wanted to extend the invite to all of you! There’s of course food, drinks and dancing, but we’ll also have an illustrator (who will sketch you and your dog at the event…yes, you can bring your dog!), dog-friendly activities (dog spa anyone?), an amazing silent auction and adoptable pups from PAWS. The proceeds from the auction and the event help save the lives of so many homeless animals in Chicago and beyond (including my pups, who are PAWS alum!) If you’re free March 8, I hope to see you there.
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Until next season, friends.
Be sure to shop my Shopbop sale picks below (as well as the other items featured in today’s post!)
sale picks below (as well as the other items featured in today’s post!)
Images via Instagram, Shopbop, Vogue & Splash
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