No Words

It’s Monday. That means it’s a post day for me. But as I sat down yesterday to start writing a post, I couldn’t find the words to write anything. It seems petty to sit around talking about outfits and restaurants when members of my community are hurting so deeply, when I am hurting so deeply. So this isn’t a regular post with pretty pictures and outfit details or all the right hashtags or any of that. There’s no “pinnable image,” or anything like that. It’s not the time.

By the time everyone else is reading this, we will be over 24 hours since someone opened fire on a gay nightclub, Pulse, in Orlando, Florida. 50 dead, 53 seriously injured. I could rant endlessly about the way our political and legal systems are handling it and how they have handled things leading directly to this, but everything that can be said on that topic has already been said. And it’s been said better than I could ever say it. Even TIME put together a concise article talking about what we can do to help. So go do it.

I’m at a loss. I’m deeply saddened and deeply hurt.

But I’m also prouder than ever. Seeing the community band together has been, in light of all this darkness, uplifting. Vigils being held. Songs being sung. People jumping into action everywhere. We’re coming together in ways I haven’t seen in my lifetime. And it is beautiful. Keep on hugging, supporting, taking action, using your voices, and more. Keep making ourselves heard. We can accomplish SO MUCH when we work together.

It is not an accident that this happened at a gay club during Pride month. So as we move into our Pride celebrations, everyone be careful. Don’t let them win, continue to celebrate, but please be careful. Support your sisters and brothers. And keep on being proud.

Below, just a few examples of small things we can do within our own communities. My communities include libraries, my queer choir, and the family I have created with the love of my life.

Display of LGBT-friendly books at work.

Why. We. Sing.

Never been prouder to have her by my side.
Credit: Chelsea Bliefernicht Photography

Nautical

Still wondering what was in the bag from Monday’s post? Well here it is! I’m obsessed with this Cupcakes and Cashmere vertical striped off the shoulder top by Emily Schuman. It’s everything that is on trend this season, super soft, and just perfect! Add to that a super fun shooting location and I had a hard time narrowing down the photos for this post. So go grab a cup of coffee and kick back as you enjoy this scroll. There’s a ton!

Top | Cupcakes and Cashmere via Sanem’s
Sunglasses | Firmoo
Scarf | Vintage

Photos by Levine-Moore Photography

Sweet and Sporty

With the onset of spring comes the onset of my favorite shoe season. Sandals come out. Strappy heels. Basically everything that is great about shoes can happen in spring. All that gorgeous shoe wearing means my feet sometimes need a break. And yeah, those sneakers from a few weeks ago are awesome but sometimes you need a real treatment for your feet. These Nikes are literally like walking on clouds. They’re so lightweight and it doesn’t feel like there’s anything on my feet. But the tread on these is amazing. So so squishy.

I’ve been a fan of athletic shoes with dresses as of late but haven’t had the right shoes to pair the two. Now, with the great neutrals in these shoes and a pop of color in whatever dress (or hat) I’m wearing, I can rock this awesome trend!

And, I mean, they’re pretty great for running, too. I’ve only taken them out a few times but they’re definitely going to be great for the races I’m doing this summer.

Shoes | Nike Free 5.0 Women’s Running Shoe
Dress | Vintage
Watch | Aibi Watch
Necklace | ILYMIX (20% off with code stile20)

Photos by Levine-Moore Photography

Tortoise Glam

I’ve been feeling in a rut lately. I couldn’t even begin to describe it if I wanted to, though. It’s this restlessness as though I’m waiting for a million things to happen and none of them can happen yet. Which, to be fair, there are a bunch of things waiting to happen (read: wedding. October. ahh!) but there feels like more lately. I blame this Chicago spring. I’m ready for it to be warm and sunny but we have to make a pit stop at chilly and rainy first and I’m just not about it.

Mental health goal for April is run. I’ve got Couch to 5k on my phone, I’ve got a plan, I’m ready to go! Let’s see if I actually stick to it. So far, everything has been going well. I just need the weather to snap into summer and I’ll be good to go!

This necklace is from a site called ILYMIX. They have amazing statement necklaces and stacking rings and so much more. And if you use code “stile20” at checkout, you get 20% off your shiny new pieces! Sounds like a sweet deal to me. I’ve loved the quality of everything I’ve worn so far so I can solidly say they’re great.

Disclaimer: I received this piece and two others for promotion.

Necklace | ILYMIX (20% off with code stile20)
Ostrich Feather Top | T+J Designs (similar here and here)
Slacks | Forever 21
Shoes | Topshop, old

Surrounded by Local Art

I love finding hidden gems and local art, especially when it’s right around places I frequent all the time. This amazing wall is right in Andersonville across from one of my favorite coffee shops! I hadn’t noticed it at all until another blogger included this wall in a list of great walls to photo in front of. So of course I had to go take photos right away!

This cardigan is an absolute favorite of mine as of late. It’s super soft, nice and warm, and is neutral with a nice unexpected element in the horizontal stripes around the bottom so it’s great for work.

In other news, I have a super awesome deal for you guys! I’ve partnered with the Refuge Theatre Project this year. That means you guys get discounts to their shows. The Refuge Theatre Project strives to utilize the appeal of musical theatre to foster a broader and more accessible theatre community. They take everything that is awesome about musical theatre and make it smaller, more local, and more engaging.

What do I have for you guys? $5 off tickets to their next production, High Fidelity! The show runs Friday, Saturday, and Sundays from January 29th through February 28th. This link will take you right to the ticket page and put in the discount code for you. But just in case, it’s “ChiBlog.”

“Rob’s girlfriend has left him, and although the split does not make his list of top-five breakups, he is determined to find out what he did to sour the relationship.”

With it’s BYOB policy and the Wicker Park vibe, Refuge Theatre Project’s season opener is not to be missed!

Cardigan | LOFT (similar here and here)
Blouse | LOFT (similar)
Bag | Target (similar)
Booties | Payless (similar)
Earrings | t+j designs (similar)
Necklace | Accessory Mercado

Photos by Fashion Photographer Sarah Levine

Tory Burch Coat

Tory Burch Coat by stile-foto-cibo featuring artificial palm trees

Tory Burch pea coat
farfetch.com

Zara blue jeans
zara.com

Gap slip on shoes
gap.com

Michael michael kors handbag
nordstrom.com

Artificial palm tree
artificialplantsandtrees.com

Simply Stylist | Do What You Love, Part 1

Do What You Love

“Simply Stylist is a way for like-minded women to come together, learn from one another, get inspired and to network. It’s a place where we showcase the true trendsetters and uplift fashion and beauty tastemakers of the future.” -Sarah Boyd

Let me break that down into some different terms. This is an organization that gives us a place to share what we’re doing with other people who will not only appreciate it but get excited, too. Everyone is supportive and just amazing!! It was a great time.

So let’s take a quick step back. I attended the Simply Stylist Fashion and Beauty Conference in Chicago on July 18th. And it. was. awesome. The day was divided into three parts: Networking Brunch; Panel; and Brand experience, breakout sessions, and pampering.

Brunch started with mimosas already on the table (yaaaassssss) and inspirational quotes to share with the ladies around you tied to your napkins. After some introductions, “what do you do”s, and business card swapping, we got down to chatting about how we ended up there, our stories, and much more. I met so many amazing women just at brunch alone! Founder of Simply Stylist, Sarah Boyd, got up and gave an inspirational speech talking about how she got to where she is. It was an awesome reminder that even when I’m having rough days, keep pushing through.

The panel, which was held in the Vertigo Sky Lounge, was jam packed with amazing people. Catt Sadler of E-News lead Founder & Owner of eDrop-Off, Corri McFadden, Jacey Duprie of Damsel in Dior, Celebrity Hair+Makeup Artist Joey Maalouf and Blogger and YouTuber Sazan Barzani in a discussion of their stories, how to survive the industry, and so much more. It was seriously the best part of the day. I took pages of notes that I haven’t even gone through yet! So much information to take in. It was absolutely wonderful.

The Brand Experience, Break-out Sessions, and Pampering ended the day. A bunch of smaller talks given by leaders in the field including photographer James Nord and others. Nails and hair stations. And brands there to tell about everything they have to offer. My FAVORITE of them all was Joybird Furniture. Check them out!

Overall, the day was incredible. I met some truly wonderful people, learned so much, and even got to take a selfie with Jacey Duprie. For those of you who don’t know, she’s basically the inspiration for my blogging- one of the first blogs I followed on the regular and part of why I got started blogging in the first place!

 

Make sure to stick around for part 2 for more photos from the day and my outfit details!

 

Julep Rethink Your Shower Review

For as much attention as I pay to my hair, face, and nails, I don’t give nearly enough love to the rest of my body. This month’s Julep Maven box gave me a chance to give my skin some serious love, though. As part of their July – Drenched collection, Rethink Your Shower Hydrating Body Cleaning Oil takes showering to a whole new level. Using a combination of oils to cleanse and hydrate your skin, this oil is easily my new favorite shower buddy.

I’m gonna start out with the negatives before hitting the positives to end on a high note.

My biggest negative is the packaging, honestly. The bottle gets super slick in the shower and the pump has been sticking like crazy (at least for me) to the point I need to rest it on a flat surface, use both hands to pump, and somehow make it all end up on the loofa. Not ideal.

I also need a lot to cleanse my entire body. I need 10 pumps to have a successful shower.

But now the positives!

This cleansing oil feels really nice on my skin. Where regular shower gels that contain harsh sulfates to cleanse my skin often leave my skin feeling dry and stiff, this just leaves me feeling fresh and clean! The combination of the grape seed oil and coconut oil (along with some other great ingredients) smells amazing.

I got over a thick and rich lather equaling clean a LONG time ago — right when i stopped using shampoo — so I’m totally okay with this not having a super rich lather. It’s actually one of my favorite parts. Bubbles are not equal to clean. It’s entirely about how your skin feels. And with this, my skin feels clean and hydrated!

The product itself I give 8/10. The packaging gets only 2.

Un-Lobster Rolls

Every single time summer rolls around, I start to crave super summery foods. To the point where nothing else will do. If it’s not bright and fresh or full of summery flavors, I really don’t want to eat it.

So I’ve taken things into my own hands here.

I present, vegan lobster rolls!

…served on hamburger buns because that was all we had and I was, honestly, way too lazy to go to the store.

You’ll need:

• 1 package firm tofu, pressed.
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/3 c vegan mayo (I used Just Mayo. Pick your favorite)
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard (or whatever mustard you like)
• garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
• Bread of your choice- preference given to hot dog buns or actual nice rolls. Don’t be lazy like me.

Steps:

1. Chop up your block of tofu. Think about how pieces of lobster look on the rolls and try to mimic that the best you can.
2. Sautee up the tofu in some oil with 2 tsp Old Bay and some salt and pepper. Get some good color on the tofu.
3. Let the tofu to cool a bit and chop up your onion.
4. Add all ingredients except bread into a mixing bowl. Combine.
5. Serve on toasted bread vessel, top with some chopped chives, and serve alongside potato chips.

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