Grunge and Teddy Eyes

I'm back in the alley! It wasn't haunted this time either but it was empty! Usually there are a ton of people chilling or walking through this alley but this afternoon it was all mine. This outfit is a little grunge. Muted floral and combat boots. This is also my first time wearing tights to work this season. Tights are definitely made for 9-5. When I get home it's like race to get them off. Like I'm going to explode if my tights are not off in the first 40 seconds of walking in the door. They sure look cute though!

So these pictures are from yesterday. Yesterday was a little bit of an emotional roller coaster for me. I'll start from the beginning. So Mon-Wed our dog walker Bill comes around lunch time to walk Loki. Thursdays I go home over lunch and walk him and Friday Nick works from home and walks him. Loki gets to chill in the main parts of the house and the cats are confined to the bedroom. Well I left the door open to the bedroom. And I get a text from Bill saying the door was left open and there was a bunch of paper shreds everywhere and things looked askew. Loki has a vendetta against Kleenex boxes when we leave so I assumed that was the paper everywhere but then I couldn't let it go that something else had happened. Did he eat Nick's Ugg slippers? Did he chew up the bedding? Are the cats still alive?! I couldn't take the suspense so I decided to run home really quick. I got home and Loki already looked guilty. When I opened the bedroom door I saw the paper was indeed Kleenex. A slipper was on the other side of the room but there was no damage done. The bedding was messed up but nothing chewed. And then I saw him. My beloved teddy bear, Teddy. His eyes. Completely chewed off. I was devastated! So now you are thinking. Teddy bear? A 26 year old married woman and a teddy bear? Yes. I still sleep with Teddy. Every night. He has been my main man since the day of my birth and I'm not letting go anytime soon. Anyone who knows me well knows about Teddy and knows how deep our bond really is. So I get a little emotional and call my mom. No answer. Call my brother. He answers. I break down. 

Katie: "(Sniffle sniffle)Loki ate off Teddy's eyeballs!!!"

Kyle: "(Stifles laugh)OH NO! What happened?!" 

Can you imagine your adult sister calling you to cry about her Teddy bear's eyeballs?! How ridiculous! Kyle handled it so well. Shortly after I got off the phone with him I got a text from him with a link to teddy bear replacement eyes. "Teddy's getting LASIK!" What a good brother. I felt so silly when I finally calmed down. Needless to say, yesterday was just a little rough. Loki got a firm talking but I can't stay mad at that fluff ball for long. I do have a feeling he wont be touching Teddy anytime soon though.

"The alley is all mine" twirl

Also! Meet the woman behind the iphone, Nuhamin! Isn't she the cutest?! She is pretty darn fashionable herself. I am totally buying the shoes she is wearing in this. They RULE. Love you Nunu!

Dress: Forever 21(similar here)
Cardigan: LOFT (wanting this) 
Tights: American Apparel 
Boots: Madden Girl

Circle in the City

So about those allergies...turns out it's actually a bad cold. I woke up yesterday morning feeling like death. I went into work thinking maybe I would get better later but then my ears started to hurt and my throat started to swell. At that point I thought if these are allergies I am not going to be able to have a normal human life! Went to the clinic and it turns out I'm just suffering from the common cold. SO glad it's not allergies but this cold still blows. Literally.

So today's post is short and sweet. I'm still under the weather and It's very surprising I was able to look remotely presentable today. So this circle thing is a new addition to the median in the middle of State Street. I have seen kids skateboarding on it and people just sitting in it. I googled and I still don't know what it is or what it's doing there but it's pretty cool right? So since this thing is in the middle of State Street, I was in the middle of State Street. And if you know anything about that intersection at 5:30 there are quite a few people standing around. Looking at me. Posing. In front of a giant pink circle. Slightly awkward but, hey why not? Maybe I'll come back with my skateboard for my next photo shoot! Since I totally own one and know how to use one...

Dress: Loft (love this for fall) 
Jacket: H&M 
Booties: American Eagle (loving these) 
Watch: Michael Kors

Allergies and Alleys

So I went on and on about how amazing fall is yesterday but there is actually one major downside. Allergies. How cow, they pretty much knocked me on my pleather clad bum today. I've never really had them before this season and I just want them gone. Any suggestions or meds that work? I may or may not scratch my eyeballs out before winter. Ugh.

On a lighter, not congested note...look at this alley! Doesn't it rule? This might be my new favorite picture taking place. It's called Couch Place Alley named after a couple of brothers that owned an adjacent hotel in the mid 1800's. Apparently, there was a huge fire that destroyed the neighboring Iroquois Theater in 1903. This fire killed 600 people and there are suspicions the alley is now haunted. I definitely did not get a creepy feeling while I was there and now I'm even more excited to go back! 

Fashion blog turned Chicago history lesson, sorry! Back to the real subject. I just got these shoes and I'm in love. They might give me blisters now but that's nothing a couple of band-aids and my high pain tolerance can't deal with! Also, pleather and denim is one of the best combos. Bonus points for leopard print and stripes!

Shirt: H&M 

Skirt: H&M 

Jacket: H&M 

Shoes: Forever 21 

Purse: Aldo (Similar here) 

Necklace: Presence (Similar here)

Watch: Michael Kors

Suddenly...FALL

It's fall! I absolutely love this weather. Lots of people have been calling it "hoodie weather." Well I don't really wear hoodies. Unless I'm rocking my Iowa State hoodie that I have had since 7th grade. But if that's the case I'm sitting on my couch watching Netflix and this said hoodie probably has Cheeto dust on it. I know, super classy. I like to call this wear "layer weather." Boy do I love me some layers. Jackets, blazer, and sweaters OH MY! 

So it's Monday. Which means I woke up late and probably should have washed my hair but I didn't. And I did not plan my outfit the night before. Luckily with this weather I could do a casual go-to fall outfit. Jeans, sweatshirt, booties. Done. I actually always forget I have these booties. Probably cause my closet is what Nick likes to call a "disaster area." Somehow my shoes just never make it to the shoe rack...It's a problem. The first step is admitting right??

LAYERS

Sweatshirt: Old Navy 

Jeans: JCrew (similar here) 

Booties: BC Footwear (on sale!!)

Jacket: Forever 21 (obsessed with this)

Glasses: Warby Parker 

Watch: Michael Kors

Back to School

Summer vacation is over. And boy was it a busy summer. So many weekend road trips, brunching, dog parking, and vacays to Europe(so it was one vacay, but it was AWESOME). So now it's back to school! Or back to blogging in my case...

I have always loved fall. I just had a conversation with Nick about how it has always been my "new beginnings" season. Fresh starts and new perspectives. I'm back to blogging, I renewed my gym membership, and I'm looking for another hobby. Any suggestions? 

See, one not go great thing about this fall is that hubby is starting to travel for work Monday-Thursday every. single. week. for. the. next. six. months. I've googled "recipes for one" and "easy hobbies." Needless to say, I'm a little sad about it. But I shall go on! Maybe I'll come out of this with a killer recipe for chili or ten poorly knitted scarves? The possibilities are endless!

I also named this post because of my outfit. Don't I look a little nerdy? A cool nerd, but a nerd nonetheless. I got my glasses and my tote bag and my ready for school! Or work. Because I am an adult. Kind of.

Photo Cred: Nuhamin

Dress: Kohl's (similar here) 

Shoes: Zara (similar here)

Bag: Francesca's (not online)

Necklace: JCrew Factory 

Watch: Michael Kors 

Glasses: Warby Parker (I also found out I have poor vision this summer-yay)

Hot Neon

Hi Friends! Is anyone else kinda dying in this Midwest heat wave? Holy smokes! Literally. I can't even step outside for a second with out "glistening." You know who I feel the worst for? Dogs. Poor Loki is stuck with this giant fur coat and I get to wear breezy neon dresses. Not fair. Here is a picture of my furball. LOOK AT THAT FACE!

"Mom, why is it so darn hot outside?!"

So this outfit might be one of my favorite summer outfits. It has all my essentials. Black, leopard, and pink. Done, done, and done. This dress was so inexpensive and it fits like a dream. Oh, and it also has pockets. So now that I made you all want to rush out and get a dream dress of your own...I got it last year. Sorry! But, I am almost positive H&M has a version of it this year. Why wouldn't they? It's nearly perfect!

Kissy faces are still cool right??

Dress: H&M-Similar here

Belt: H&M-Similar here

Sandals: Urban Outfitters 

Necklace: Presence-Similar here 

Watch: Michael Kors 

Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Photo Cred: Nuhamin

Blue Skies

Could the sky be any bluer?! Gotta love a gorgeous Chicago day! The blue sky is even making the Chicago River not look disgusting. Amazing! This outfit was from yesterday. I initially bought this crochet dress for a 70's theme party. I wore it with my black fringe booties and a black floppy hat. It ruled. I love how versatile clothing is now a days. With a few modern updates I can take this 70's inspired dress right to this beautiful day in 2013. Pretty awesome. Also, I have to try to make myself NOT wear my jean jacket. It goes with EVERYTHING. I used to be partial to my tan cardigan but now it's like cardigan?? What cardigan? Where's my jean jacket??

Nick and I are taking off for Iowa after work tonight. I'm so excited to get there. Not so much excited about the drive. Pandora will push us through like it always does. Until we get to that dead spot on I-80. In the middle of no where. Where people don't have cell phones. I'm going to try to take a couple outfit pictures while camping and maybe even blog around the campfire! I'm not gonna lie. I'm a pretty fashionable camper. Enjoy your weekend friends!

Also, I have to make myself not wear these sandals!

Photo Credit: Nuhamin

Dress: H&M (Similar here)

Jacket:H&M 

Sandals: Urban Outfitters

Necklace: Presence (Similar here) 

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban