Suede Jacket for Spring

Jacket (exact here in a couple of sizes, or a super similar jacket, and another) - Kut from the Kloth / Tank and Earrings (similar here and here) - LOFT / Jeans (these are my fav - not see through and they don't stretch out!) - Gap / Flats (similar here) - Banana Republic / Bag (similar here and here) - Kate Spade / Necklace - Stella & Dot

Last week, as I complained yet again about the lack of spring weather, I said to myself, "Kristina, get a grip." 

I mean, I live in Chicago. Cold springs are kind of our thing. 

Until I looked back at some of my posts from last spring! I was going through them to repin some content to Pinterest, and I really was just wearing little outfits like this, and not topping them with a full winter coat. Really, when we took these photos, Jeff had the furry hood of my favorite gray wool coat over his head to keep it from getting dirty. Just know, that if I ever look cold in a photo (ahem - like here - get those shoulders down girl!) that Jeff is likely wearing my coat behind the lens. He loves it, definitely not embarrassing for him at all ;) 

Well anyway, to try to make it through this chilly spring weather, I've been doing the double coat - with my winter coat on top, and this little suede jacket underneath! This jacket is so soft and comfortable to wear - it's kind of like wearing a cardigan! I originally bought it for fall, but the pretty taupe/gray color works really well with spring colors too. 

Jacket (exact here in a couple of sizes, or a super similar jacket, and another) - Kut from the Kloth / Tank and Earrings (similar here and here) - LOFT / Jeans (these are my fav - not see through and they don't stretch out!) - Gap / Flats (similar here) - Banana Republic / Bag (similar here and here) - Kate Spade / Necklace - Stella & Dot

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Plain White Tee

Top - Ten Sixty Sherman / Jeans (same wash but slightly higher rise) - Madewell / Shoes - BP / Bag (similar here, here, and here) - Target / Earrings (similar pink earrings here, here, and here) - J. Crew

Okay, so this isn't EXACTLY a plain white tee, but it's pretty close, right? 

Basics like this are one of the things always missing from my wardrobe, because let's face it, they just aren't quite as exciting to shop for! I'd rather spend my monthly clothing budget on shoes with bows on them or pretty little dresses I'll only wear once or twice. 

But it's pieces like this white tee that you'll end up wearing over and over and over and really get your money's worth out of. After all, I'm pairing it with jeans here, but I've also already worn it with black pants and a suede jacket for work, and can't wait to wear it with skirts and cutoffs once the weather decides to play along with this spring thing. It's the perfect blank canvas to pair with all of my fun (read: crazy) statement earrings too! 

Three cheers to keeping that CPW (cost-per-wear) low! 

Top - Ten Sixty Sherman / Jeans (same wash but slightly higher rise) - Madewell / Shoes - BP / Bag (similar here, here, and here) - Target / Earrings (similar pink earrings here, here, and here) - J. Crew

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Yellow Gingham

Dress - / Bag (black version, yellow version, larger size) - Clare V / Sandals (similar here and here) - Dolce Vita / Earrings - BaubleBar

Y'all!!!!!

(I was in the south for four days so I can say "y'all" now.)

We're back from Charleston, and the trip was everything I hoped it could be. The weather was gorgeous (we're talking around 80 degrees over the weekend!), the food was amazing, the town was beautiful. We got a chance to hang out with my cousin and her husband, I did a little shopping which Jeff had to totally support because it was my birthday, and I even got a fun Southern Charmed run-in.

I was going to leave it there and play it cool but I'm so not cool. We sat next to Austen at breakfast. I don't even care about Austen because, I mean, he's no Shep or Craig. I did not even say words to him because I was being super respectful (read: shy) but I'm happy to report he had to borrow the insta-famous wubby fleece pullover from the girl he was with because he was cold. Lolllllllll. Bringing my loves of reality television and style blogging together.

Okay, so this little yellow dress. I didn't know I needed a little yellow dress. I, like the rest of you, assumed I would never look good in yellow. Turns out I was wrong.

This is maybe the most fun I've ever had wearing a dress. It's pretty, it moves, it gets you a million compliments on the street, and it lets you eat all of the tacos and no one ever needs to know. Ever.

Expect to see a lot more of this little dress. You know, once the weather gets a bit more tolerable here in Chicago.

Dress - / Bag (black version, yellow version, larger size) - Clare V / Sandals (similar here and here) - Dolce Vita / Earrings - BaubleBar

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Let's Go Somewhere

It always takes about three days into January before I start researching spring break trips - anyone else?? I actually love snow, but the negative temperatures in Chicago make it slightly less enjoyable. Jeff's busiest time of year is actually January through mid-February, which always reduces my spring break plans to just dreams, but hey, even thinking about a beach helps!

To help get me through the gloom, I started shopping for fun, warm-weather pieces. What can I say, they're just more fun than sweaters right now! So far I've only brought home this bag and these earrings, but I see some cute dresses on the horizon ;) A word to the wise: if you've got your eye on a fun bag, snap it up early! My favorite tote from last spring / summer sold out in just days, and I've missed out on bags in the past because I didn't move fast enough. In case you don't believe me, the bag I bought is already sold out in the color I bought! Don't worry, I found the navy here.

In case you have a warm weather vacation coming up, here are a few of my favorites available now:

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen / fourteen

I found so many things I wanted to share and couldn't fit them all into a collage - here are a few more things on my wishlist:

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More Ruffles, More Polka Dots

Top - J. Crew / Shorts - J. Crew Factory / Bag - Target / Shoes (now available in a bunch of new colors!!) - BP / Earrings - BaubleBar

Let me tell you, when I bought this top, I really seriously considered sending it back. Not because it wasn't cute, but because I probably didn't need another off the shoulder top I couldn't wear a regular bra with! I mean, like I said on Tuesday, this one really is the best, but a girl can't go strapless every day! It's really a miracle that I'm wearing strapless bras at all these days, considering that after wearing one with my wedding dress for twelve hours straight it somehow managed to fuse to my body and I had big 3D welts for a week from peeling it off. TMI? Welp. 

Anyway, I eventually realized that, obviously, this particular top has straps, so more obviously, I could wear a regular bra. Huzzah. I don't know why that took me so long to figure out. The straps do tend to slide around a little, so I usually put some fashion tape on them and run out the door. 

What's this matter to you? Well I discovered this top is still available in a lot of sizes, and is currently on sale for less than $35 with code SHOPSALE. Yaaaasssss. And, even better, since it's in navy, it'll work into the fall too. Which is a sad thing to be thinking about at the moment, but I'm over shopping for bright colors right now and am only looking for pieces that I'll be able to wear for the next couple of months. I mean, we're in the second half of August now, so I guess I have to accept the fact that fall is coming. At least the cold weather will kill the bees that are currently hanging out on our balcony.

The one benefit of fall closing in though, is that Labor Day weekend is coming up! We took last year off because of a friend's wedding, but this year a bunch of us decided to rent a lake house for the weekend again! I'm super excited for boats and beers and burgers and bonfires and probably other things that start with a "b" but aren't "bees." Stupid bees. 

Top - J. Crew / Shorts - J. Crew Factory / Bag - Target / Shoes (now available in a bunch of new colors!!) - BP / Earrings - BaubleBar

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What Helps You Concentrate?

Top (on sale for less than $8!) - Loft / Shorts - Gap / Sandals - Target / Bag - Sole Society / Earrings - BaubleBar

I've been working basically non-stop lately, so I've been thinking a lot about what helps me concentrate and get more work done, faster. And I feel like it's probably different from what you need to concentrate. 

I hear a lot of people say that they have to have it silent when they work, or they need music without words to really get stuff done. While that helps if I'm really concentrating hard on writing (and I mean, like, writing a white paper, not writing a blog post or an email), I actually usually need noise. I actually love to have the tv on while I work - probably because my easily-distracted mind needs lots of stimulus! The funny thing is, if I'm working I won't watch it at all. I'll often turn on a show, and then not notice that four hours have passed and I'm now watching something terrible like My 600 Pound Life. Jeff comes home to me watching the most random things, and I literally won't have noticed. 

The weirdest thing is, I can't actually listen to podcasts. I've tried it several times, and it's too distracting to me. Something about a person talking directly into my ear really catches my attention, which is funny because Jeff basically only listens to podcasts at work, and he can't handle talking to me and looking at his phone at the same time.

Watching my favorite old shows and movies over and over is usually my go-to - I could watch Parks and Rec or 10 Things I Hate About You or Cool Runnings (and lately the first season of Bug Juice on YouTube - did you hear they're making a new season?!) over and over and over while I work, and it's okay because I only look up now and then to catch a funny line and then go back to work and forget that it's on until the credits start rolling. 

Weirdly, this is also the trick I use to fall asleep - I swear I've been watching Gilmore Girls on repeat at bedtime for 10 years now - something my college roommate can definitely attest to! I'd like to take this time to publicly apologize to you for all the times you had to wake up to the DVD menu on repeat ;)

So tell me - what do you need to help you concentrate? 

Top (on sale for less than $8!) - Loft / Shorts - Gap / Sandals - Target / Bag - Sole Society / Earrings - BaubleBar

Linking up with Trend Spin Linkup, Friday Fab Favorites.

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