i know what boys like...

 

...and apparently it's not in this outfit.

The whole dressing for your man/dressing for others thing has been played out a thousand times on the internet, but I never really thought about it until yesterday when Chris took one look at my outfit and asked me why I was dressed like such a hippie in my "camping shirt, JHORTS, and Jesus sandals". 

I didn't particularly think I looked like a hippie. I was excited to wear my new shIrt (which, btw, doesn't look this wrinkly in real life) and for a warm day walking around Madison, shorts and comfortable sandals only made sense. I suppose that I don't really dress for my man, or really anybody else. I'm the one who has to wear the clothes, which I think takes precedence over other people merely looking at them, but I don't want people to have a bad reaction to them either. We all know boys "don't get it" most of the time, and I'm not offended that Chris may not have liked my outfit that day because he usually does, but it does make me wonder....who are you dressing for?

Shirt: Vera Moda Germany [save | splurge]

Shorts: Gap Outlet

Sandals: Target [exact]

Watch: Target [even better similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye

also...Audrey was in town yesterday! 

a day in chicago + apple of my eye jewelry giveaway!

 

This is all from my second day in Chicago. I went down to visit my friend Ben, a close friend from college - we were in the marching band together and have stayed close since he moved down to Chicago three years ago. He is one of the most talented people I know, and we always have so much fun together. We spent the second day having breakfast at Milk & Honey (we both had the lemon almond pancakes), walking around Wicker Park, looking through vintage shops in Andersonville, and finally ended up down by the water, which also happens to be a dog park. All around, it really was the perfect day (until I had to drive through 62 miles of construction to get home).

As far as what I wore....I thought I packed my new Gap shorts but accidentally packed my old ones, so they are getting one last hurrah until they are put away for "only in the house" wear. The shirt is a sleeveless shirt that I picked up from the Banana Republic Factory store. I wanted something I could wear when it gets hot out, but wasn't thin strapped. This shirt is great because I can wear it without needing to wear a tank underneath it because once it gets to be 85+, I want as little stuck to me as possible. It wasn't quite that hot this day, and I even wore my cardigan most of the time, but I'm glad I have the option of not wearing it. In the past, I haven't really been into gold jewelry that much but something about wannabe tan skin makes me want to wear more of it. Apple of My Eye Jewelry provided me with this bracelet recently and I really haven't stopped wearing and playing with it. They also gave me this necklace and luckily, one of you will get the chance to win the same two pieces below!

As far as my shoes goes, thank you to all of your help on instagram about whether or not to keep them. I picked them up a few weeks ago, but hadn't worn them yet because I wanted to keep my options open. I had some Everlane credits, so I ordered their new sandals to test out. I wish I could combine the two shoes. As far as the Everlane ones go, I like the top straps, but I was not a fan of the strap by the toes - I wish it was thicker. The sole is also pretty hard and I feel it would hurt to walk on. Of course I liked that they were genuine leather and made in the US, but you know that I would never pay $110 out of pocket so I just could not justify keeping them because they aren't exactly what I want. I really like the style of the Target ones - they are pretty minimal, the sole had some padding so they don't hurt to walk around on, and of course the price doesn't hurt. I really do try to avoid Target shoes because they usually have that plastic-y sole which means instant foot sweat, but these have more of a faux leather sole and so they weren't uncomfortably hot. I did experience some rubbing around the ankle as I'm not used to having a strap there, but that stopped bothering me after about an hour. Overall, I'm happy with them and am excited to wear them this summer.

Shirt: Banana Republic Factory

Cardigan: Old Navy

Shorts: older than old

Purse: Coach [current version]

Watch: Target [similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye Jewelry [exact]

Ring: Jewelmint [exact]

Shoes: Target [exact]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

on dressing for the blog

 

I've been blogging for a little over a year now. I've always wanted the blog to help me figure out my sense of style and how I want the pieces in my closet to come together, but I didn't want to change my style for the blog. Especially over the last year, I never put on outfits because I knew I was going to take pictures, but I took pictures because I (mostly) liked what I was wearing. Seeing my outfits every day has made me realize what I like, what I don't like, and what I think I want to look like. I don't buy trends just to be trendy, and I don't buy clothing just because it would be good for the blog. I buy something because I like it and because I believe it fits into my life and with the items in my closet. Some outfits make it on the here, some don't, and that's okay. Because I dress for my life and "for me", it makes it a lot easier to get dressed because there's no pressure.

Except yesterday. 

I was lucky to be asked by 2 Girls, 2 Cities to take part in their monthly challenge, which this month happens to be neon. Bri's Third Thursday Thread link up this month is also neon, and she even jokingly called me out and told me I had to take part in it. YOU GUYS. You know how I feel about neon, but it seems it's a trend that just won't quit and it seems to be coming from all angles. So yesterday I stood in front of my closet trying to figure out what to wear for both challenges and for a day in Chicago. I probably spent 45 minutes trying to figure out what to wear. I own very little "neon" - in quotes because I don't even really have anything true neon, just brighter than normal. I tried a brighter orange tee with my new black and white skirt. I tried my Old Navy striped top. I tried looking through my donate box of clothing to see if I couldn't dig something out to wear. It was so frustrating because I wasn't comfortable in anything I put on. I didn't want to look like a try-hard down in Chicago, I didn't want to be wear something I didn't like, and I didn't want to be super boring. Eventually I convinced myself that these shorts were relatively bright enough but then I didn't know what to wear with it. I didn't want to wear another tee because I didn't want it to appear on the blog like all I own is white or black t-shirts. I didn't want to wear my teal sandals because I just showed those on the blog in the previous post. I didn't know what kind of jewelry would look best in pictures.

on the blog. in pictures. on the internet. for other people.

And eventually I reminded myself that I dress for my life, and not for the blog. So I put on the outfit I felt the most comfortable in, drove down to Chicago, and had a great afternoon walking around Wicker Park getting a sun burn, thrift shopping, and enjoying an evening of guacamole making and tipsy gossiping. 

and it was wonderful and no one cared what I was wearing :)

Tee: Everlane

Shorts: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Shoes: Target [similar]

Watch: Target [similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye Jewelry [exact]