Casual Valentine's Day

Tee - LOFT / Coat (super similar, I also love this budget-friendly option) - Mark New York / Scarf (similar) - Hinge / Jeans (I'm wearing a tall) - Madewell / Heels (currently on sale for $65!!) - Sam Edelman / Bag (similar) - Coach Factory / Necklace - BaubleBar / Bracelet - Michael Kors

In the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day, I find myself adding a lot more pink into my everyday wardrobe than normal. What can I say, it's fun to get into the spirit of things, plus all of that pink is a great distraction from the gloomy weather outside. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself. So when I saw this adorable blush bell sleeve tee I just had to snag it. It's a tee shirt that looks like a blouse so you get the best of both worlds - a pretty drape but in a comfy, cozy fabric. Plus the sleeves!! I haven't been super into the bell-sleeve trend, partially because sleeves are usually too short on me and I'd rather not put more attention on that issue, and partially because I can't manage everyday tasks while wearing them, you know, like eating. But a short bell sleeve? I'll take one all day every day!

What are you up to this Valentine's Day? I always swap between not really wanting to do anything and scheduling a full-on date night. Of course, every time I go the date night route, Chicago gets a freaking blizzard. Seriously, last year we had a reservation a mile or so away and it was snowing and crazy windy, so we ended up celebrating a romantic evening in snow boots and puffer coats. This year I decided I still want to go out, but we're doing it the easy way - we're just heading to a restaurant across the street! That way there's no worry about finding a cab or needing to dress weather-appropriate. It'll just be me, the hubs, some yummy food, and a bottle of wine. Oh, and hopefully chocolate, because what's Valentine's Day without chocolate??!

Are you into Valentine's Day? Do you have any plans?

Tee - LOFT / Coat (super similar, I also love this budget-friendly option) - Mark New York / Scarf (similar) - Hinge / Jeans (I'm wearing a tall) - Madewell / Heels (currently on sale for $65!!) - Sam Edelman / Bag (similar) - Coach Factory / Necklace - BaubleBar / Bracelet - Michael Kors

Photos by Victoria C Photography

Previously on KDTI - burgundy coat:

 

Linking up with Trend Spin Linkup, Friday Fab Favorites, Flashback Friday.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

New Beauty Favorites

I used to be a moisturizer and chapstick girl (okay, and mascara. always mascara) but somehow I've been getting more and more into beauty over the past couple of years. I mean, when I say "more into beauty" I mean I somehow reached VIB Rouge status at Sephora. Ummm, I don't know how much I spent to get to that point, but I don't really want to know ;) I've been doing a lot of experimenting and trying a lot of samples, and I have a few new favorites in my everyday routine that I had to share with you!

NARS Satin Lip Pencil + NARS Velvet Lip Glide

I kind of hate lip color, not because of the color itself but because of the whole process. I basically chug water all day long, so any lip color I put on tends to wear off really quickly, no matter what kind of prep I do to my lips before applying color or how "long-lasting" a formula claims to be. I've been loving the duo of the lip pencil and the gloss because they really build on each other - the gloss adds a little more oomph to the pencil, and the pencil gives me a nice base of color that stays even when the gloss starts to wear away. Which lets me put it on and ignore it - perfect! Plus the color is so pretty - it's the perfect neutral rose pink! I have the pencil in Rikugien and the gloss in Bound. I've been wearing it nonstop lately, including here and here. 

The Estée Edit Dissolve the Drama

I wear kind of a lot of eye makeup (on a daily basis I'm always wearing liner, lash primer, and a whole lot of mascara) and I have a really hard time getting it all off. I often think I've gotten it all, only to discover black marks all over my pillowcase in the morning. I've tried a number of makeup removers, oils, micellar water, etc., but it wasn't until I got a free sample of Dissolve the Drama that I found something that really works and doesn't irritate my eyes. You basically rub the product all over your face like you would with a face wash, and then use a cotton ball to gently wipe your eyes, and everything magically disappears! I'm talking not even anything between my lower lashes - just clean, bare skin without any scrubbing. I basically used the sample and then ordered a full bottle from the bathroom I was so amazed. 

Becca Highlighting Brush 

Usually when people say you need a certain brush to achieve a look I just shake my head. There's no way I need a huge arsenal of brushes for my day-to-day makeup. That theory was completely broken by this highlighting brush. Like, holy crap this thing really makes a huge difference! The angle and size is perfect for adding highlighter to those cheekbones, and now I'm adding the right amount of highlighter every time (instead of going overboard and ending up a glitter queen). I love, love, love this brush. 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter

This was another free sample that I fell in love with. I previously was only using liquid highlighter, but liquid highlighter really only makes sense to use if you're putting on foundation or a BB/CC cream, since the liquid formula blends really beautifully into other liquid makeup. I rarely wear foundation, so the powder works much better than me for day-to-day application. This slightly bronze color is so pretty, and it adds the perfect amount of shimmer without making you look sparkly.

Have you used any of these products? What are some of your favorite beauty items??

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

A Little Lace

Blouse (currently on sale!) - LOFT / Jeans and Bag (similar, I also love this mini saddle bag!) - Gap / Boots (super similar) - Coach / Watch - Wristology (similar watch) / Necklace - Stella & Dot

I don't know about you, but I have been loving the romantic trend that's going on right now. More lace and ruffles and pretty detailing, please! I actually tried on this blouse in stores a couple of months ago but didn't end up getting it - you had better believe that when it went on clearance I added it to my cart though! I love that it's pretty and girly without being too over-the-top, and the fit is somehow loose and flow-y while still being flattering. I linked up a couple of other romantic pieces that are on my wishlist: 

I wore this over the weekend to go to a little Super Bowl party with a bunch of our friends. It may be an odd outfit for football, but it's the perfect outfit for drinking (a little too much) wine with your girls on a Sunday night! I don't know about you, but it doesn't matter what the sport is - I'm never going to be as excited for the game as for the snacks! We brought my favorite easy taco dip, which led to a discussion about dips - what is it about them that make you want to stand next to a bowl of dip and eat it all before someone else gets to it? When my mom brought this particular dip to family parties when we were little, my cousins and I would literally line up around it and burn our mouths trying to eat it all as fast as we could. We were some classy little kids ;)

A lot of my friends are all of the sudden having babies (well, you know, it still takes nine months) so I also got to get a little baby time in during the game. I held a little the cutest little two month old guy for all of Lady Gaga's performance (which was freaking amazing, amiright?) and he couldn't stop dancing during it! Okay, so I was mostly making him dance, but his little arms were going crazy ;) I think we have a little Lady Gaga fan on our hands!

We've had a lot of Sunday parties lately and they really have been throwing off my schedule! Does that happen to you? Usually Sunday nights are my time to really get stuff done and prep for the week ahead, so without them I get a little lost. Here's hoping I get a chance to get back on track this week!! 

Blouse (currently on sale!) - LOFT / Jeans and Bag (similar, I also love this mini saddle bag!) - Gap / Boots (super similar) - Coach / Watch - Wristology (similar watch) / Necklace - Stella & Dot

Linking up with Style Me Wednesday, Confident Twosday.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...went out to dinner with Jeff at Tanta for another restaurant week menu. Let me tell you, this one was just not as good as the one we hit last week. And that's not to say that the restaurant is bad, it's just that they definitely didn't put their best dishes on the restaurant week menu - we were sitting near the kitchen and I saw so many amazing things come out of it but none of them came to our table. I still want to go back, but preferably for drinks on the rooftop once it's warm out!
...tried my first barre class! A couple of my friends are addicted and finally talked me into it (it helped that they were offering me that first class free ;) so I threw on my favorite leggings and hit the studio. Let me tell you, it was nothing like what I was expecting and I'm still super sore, but I'm definitely going to go back! I signed up for a month to really give it a try, and I'm hoping to manage to make it a couple times a week. Wish me luck!
...ordered this adorable off the shoulder ruffled dress! I was going to hold back, but it's selling out fast so I figured I'd snag it while I could. It's also still available in gray in all sizes here. Our trip to SE Asia is less than two months away now so I've been on the hunt for warmer weather clothing to bring along - fingers crossed it fits!!
...walked through the Lincoln Park Zoo with my sister and niece! It ended up being super cold and windy so we didn't stay very long, but that's the nice part about this particular zoo - it's free and in the middle of a neighborhood so you can wander in and out as you please! Plus, you know, I'll always love it because we got married there. My niece's favorite part, of course, was when we let her out of the stroller so she could run around through the kid zone, and not when we crawled into a tube that had a black bear snuffling around on the other side. Weirdo.
...had another dinner date with Jeff at Caro Mio - you can never go wrong with BYOB Italian, especially when that B you YOBed is a fancy bottle you brought back from Napa!
...went to Target because, well, it's Target, but also to check out the new Sugarfix by BaubleBar line!! It's all so freaking cute, but I managed to hold myself back and only brought home these fun ombre tasseled earrings.
...made my favorite dip for a SuperBowl party - more cheese, please!

I hope you had a good one!!

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

Friday Finds

one / two / three / four / five

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

Whites and Blues

Shirt (similar here, I also love this ruffled version and this peplum blouse) - Lou & Grey / Sweater (super similar) - LOFT / Jeans - Madewell / Boots (similar) - Michael Kors / Bag - Sole Society / Watch - Wristology / Necklace - Stella & Dot

I was looking through the piles and piles of plaid shirts in my closet the other day, and realized I'd been ignoring all of my perfectly nice blue and white blouses that I wore on repeat last spring. It's February now and I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel of winter, so light and bright is exactly the direction I want to go! Pairing a white sweater with an (almost) white button-down is the perfect way to start working in my favorite spring tops without freezing to death. A frozen Kristina on the el wouldn't be cute. 

This week has been particularly crazy for me, both at work and at home, but I'm powering through it because it's also been really fun! It's restaurant week here in Chicago, which I decided to give a try this year. Let me tell you, I'm hooked! So basically, just about every great restaurant in Chicago is offering prix fixe meals with either three courses for $33 or four courses for $44 (and some places offer lunch specials too!). I've known about restaurant for years but I always heard it was busy and crazy and impossible to get reservations, so I just ignored it. Um, wrong! We went to Nico Osteria for dinner on Monday and it was like a normal Monday night out. No crowds, fast service, and really great food! I think as long as you avoid an 8pm reservation on a Friday or Saturday it's just like any other night out. 

Nico Osteria was freaking amazing, by the way. I had a sweet onion ravioli for one course and a breaded whitefish for another and both were so good. I also snagged a few bites off of Jeff's plate and his was all great too! Jeff's dad actually bought a house a few blocks away and is in the process of renovating it, and once he moves in that's definitely where we'll be meeting up with him for dinner! As opposed to the Original Pancake House that's across the street, which is what Jeff suggested ;) 

We're continuing our restaurant week with dinner tomorrow night at Tanta. I've never been before and I've heard great things, so wish us luck! 

Shirt (similar here, I also love this ruffled version and this peplum blouse) - Lou & Grey / Sweater (super similar) - LOFT / Jeans - Madewell / Boots (similar) - Michael Kors / Bag - Sole Society / Watch - Wristology / Necklace - Stella & Dot

Linking up with Friday Fab Favorites, What I Wore to Work.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

January Budget

Oh hey, welcome to the first budget post of 2017! For the past three years I've budgeted $300 a month for clothing and accessories (not counting gym clothes, pajamas, or undergarments), and this year I decided to give myself a raise to $350 a month. I was really excited to get shopping this month and to try my hand at buying fewer, higher-quality items, but clearly that didn't quite work. Instead I shopped the sales and ended up with a lot of less expensive pieces and didn't come anywhere close to that $350 marker. Le sigh. Of course, I got a lot of great deals in end-of-year sales, and I did order a bunch of other items that I ended up sending back.

I'm so excited that I bought my first Lily Pulitzer dress at the beginning of the month during the After Party sale. I'm not super into most of the Lily patterns, but her little white dresses can't be beat! I'm definitely pairing this dress with those fun pom-pom earrings during our trip to Thailand in March!! I also love the jeans I snagged on sale - they're my first pair of jeans from J. Crew and I don't know how I haven't tried their jeans before!! This pair is so soft and stretchy but still super flattering.

I did make one error this month - I usually never buy final sale items online, but I decided to risk it and pick up the ribbon-trimmed striped tee. I mean, it has stripes, so how was I supposed to say no?! But the fit is just a little off. It's a little short and a little boxy. I'm still going to wear it (because, as I said earlier, stripes) but it just wasn't the best way to use my budget.

Here's what ended up in the keep pile this month:

Lily Pulitzer dress - originally $198, on sale $64. This dress is so freaking cute, I can't wait to get the chance to wear it!!
Pleione peplum tee - $42 (seen here). If you're going to pick up one blouse, get this one. Seriously, do it. It's so cute and flattering and works well dressed up and dressed down. Do it do it do it.
J. Crew toothpick jeans - originally $125, on sale $62.50. I love these. They have the perfect amount of distressing and are so flattering.
BaubleBar pom-pom hoop earrings - $34. I just got these in the mail on Monday and they are so cute! I love statement earrings but have a hard time finding ones that aren't too heavy - these ones are super light!!
Ann Taylor embellished shell (I got this in black) - originally $79.99, on sale $18, used rewards $8. I snagged this from the clearance rack during my lunch break and am so glad I decided to go for it! I love Ann Taylor's clearance section (they always have such great stuff at really low prices!) but rarely buy anything online because their minimum for free shipping is so high. Now I work just a couple of blocks from an Ann Taylor so I can go there in person and search for deals whenever I want!
J.Crew grosgrain ribbon tee - originally $39.50, on sale $17.99. This was also a clearance rack snag, and it was a mistake. Boooooo.
Ann Taylor velvet blazer - originally $169.99, on sale $40, used rewards $30 (seen here). I've been wanting a new black blazer for a while now, and the velvet is so fun!

Total spent: $258.49
Total saved: $429.99

I can't believe how much I saved this month, I found some really good deals!!

As for February, I'm still hoping to find a cute dress for Valentine's Day and lots of pretty blouses - I already ordered this one, this one, and this one! Oh, and this sweater. Looks like I may have already spent my budget for the month...

Shop the post:

Linking up with Fran.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!