bienvenue de retour

I'm back... back to blogging, and back from my summer in Chicago. It feels like all I ever do is travel, which has made me grateful for home, family, friends, and Momma's kitchen. This week I will continue "bouncing", as I like to call it, from place to place - had a wonderful weekend on the NC coast, and will be in stunning Norfolk, VA for a few days. This duffle is staying packed with my favorite summer go-tos!

embellished tank: Trina Turk {last year, here's my favorite from 2012} // chevron shorts: Nordstrom // 

wedges: Bakers {old, similar} // duffle: Louis Vuitton Damier Canvas Keepall 50 // earrings: Ralph Lauren // gathered chain necklace: H&M {similar} // watch: Michael Kors // bracelets: David Yurman (blue topaz, amethyst & gold buckle), Cartier "Love", & Derng Chain // rings: David Yurman (blue topaz, stack & pave), Cartier & YSL 'Arty' // lipstick: Revlon "Coral-berry"

BCBGMAXAZRIA + Michigan Avenue Magazine

Last weekend I had the honor of attending BCBGMAXAZRIA's & Michigan Avenue Magazine's exclusive dinner and fashion preview event in downtown Chicago. Lubov Azria, the designer behind BCBGMAXAZRIA brands, including BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway and Hervè Lèger, and wife of Max Azria, hosted the event for Chicago’s 'most influential fashionistas', including socialites, elite clients, and media. We had an amazing evening, from cocktail hour(s), to an intimate dinner, to a unique preview of BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall collection at the fabulous Floating World Gallery. Here's a recap of the stylish soiree: 

dress: Bqueen, via UsTrendy // heels: Prada 

clutch: BCBGMAXAZRIA // bangles: gifted // bracelets: David Yurman (blue topaz & amethyst & gold buckle), Cartier // rings: David Yurman (blue topaz & stack & pave), Cartier, onyx class ring

earrings: Badgley Mishcka Couture

Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

cocktails // Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

Lubov Azria // Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

Jessa Dress, BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall 2012, Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago 

BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall 2012, Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago // PURCHASE HERE

BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall 2012, Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

attending with (& meeting) two of my favorite Chicago fashion bloggers, Taneisha from Second City Style and Jena from ChiCityFashion

Thanks again to BCBGMAXAZRIA and the team at Michigan Avenue Magazine, everyone had a wonderful time & Lubov is darling!

P.S. - take a look at Refinery29's tour of her closet!

change of pace

I had my hair highlighted for the first time when I was in 6th grade. Since then, with the exception of a DIY brunette dye job junior year of high school, I have foiled, foiled, and foiled some more. I have been sick of being blonde for a while, and this week I finally took the ombrè balayage plunge. 

Thanks to colorist {& fellow southerner} Josh at at Maxine Salon for my new 'do!

Also, we went sailing. Chicago looks great from a different view.

blouse, skirt & heels: Zara // sunnies: Anthropologie {similar} // watch: Michael Kors  // necklaces: Etsy // bracelets: David Yurman (blue topaz & amethyst & gold buckle), Cartier, Derng, H&M, Handpicked // rings: David Yurman (blue topaz & stack & pave), Cartier, onyx class ring

#poshparty #chicago

photo courtesy of Poshmark: Thanks to our hosts Helen, Taylor, Hallie & Jessica!

Last week I had a blast meeting with fellow fashion bloggers downtown in Chicago! For those of you who don't know what Poshmark is, it's basically an eBay for your closet! Download their free app today and start buying & selling awesome pieces. Anyhow, the fab Poshmark ladies flew in from CA, and we partied for about 4 hours at J.Bar! Here's a recap {with borrowed photos since my camera was having seizures}:

photo courtesy of Jessica : me, Jessica, & Maria

photo courtesy of Poshmark: Helen, me & Jessica

photo courtesy of Poshmark

photo courtesy of Poshmark

photo courtesy of Jessica {we finally met!}

photo courtesy of Jessica : me, Tracy (Poshmark co-founder), Raquel & Jessica

photo courtesy of Jessica

I'm wearing: jacket & blouse >> Zara, skirt >> silence+noise, pumps >> Prada 

Come back soon Cali babes!

P.S. Thanks again to Jessica and Amanda for the great pictures, sorry for borrowing!

homemade, far from home.

For those of you who have followed this blog/me on twitter/my instagram feed, you know that I recently moved halfway across the country. I've been in Chicago for 2 weeks now & am slowly adapting to using public transportation. It's nice that Ry and I are together everyday after being apart for the last year, but I miss my family and friends like crazy. The weather has been...interesting. If you didn't know, Chicago is windy 24/7/365. This means no flowy dresses. Last week, it monsooned and went from 97 degrees to 45.

Nonetheless, I am adjusting and missing the fiery hot South. I've blogged several times about some of my homemade pieces, the products of collaboration between my mom and I. She sewed these fantastic ruffled shorts for me a few days before I left, and I have actually been able to bust them out up here! I love the colors and quatrefoil print, goes great with half my closet.

Also, meet the other blonde girl in Ryan's life, Zoe.

blouse: unknown // shorts: homemade // wedges: bakers // bag: Louis Vuitton // sunnies:House of Harlow // necklace: J. Crew // earrings: kate spade // watch: Michael Kors // bracelets: David Yurman (blue topaz & amethyst & gold buckle), Cartier,  Hermes, Derng // rings: David Yurman (rose quartz {smaller version} & stack & pave), Cartier, onyx class ring


Here are some of the other homemade pieces by Mom:

 this chevron skirt

this tunic top

this shift dress