karen walker number one sunglasses

Tory Burch in Brussels

May 16, 2016 by jessica 25 Comments

I bought this Tory Burch dress last summer when my foot was broken and wore it quite a bit with sneakers while I was on the mend. It wasn’t until I spotted this Michael Kors version that has many of the same features — a batik-inspired design and a flattering center stripe — did it dawn on me that I never did share photos. In the Brussels-bound suitcase it went! In these photos, you’ll see that it was an easy choice for sightseeing, but it has really been a versatile piece overall. I’ve worn it on weekends with sneakers or sandals (just snagged these), and to work with loafers (also ordered these last week). I suspect the Michael Kors dress would be just as lovely.

In other news, we went on our first house-hunting adventure with our real estate agent yesterday morning and toured four duds. I guess I naively thought we’d find “the one” on our first day out, especially since one of the houses looked so perfect online and it’s in our ideal area. The panic isn’t setting in yet, but we are on a tight timeline to find something. Our lease is up on Aug. 1. It takes around 35 days to close on a house, so we’re looking at finding something before mid-June — which is when we’ll need to resign our lease. If we have to stay in our apartment another year, it wouldn’t be the worst — we’d just live as frugally as possible to increase our down payment or save up renovation money — but it’s not ideal. Please send good house-hunting vibes our way!

Dress: Tory Burch (similar)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Shopbop
Bag: Tory Burch (similar; obsessed with this new arrival)
Shoes: Louise et Cie (also love these metallic flats)
Ring: Lulu Frost
Bracelet: Hermes
Lips: Stila “Bella”

Dressing Like a Danish Girl

May 2, 2016 by jessica 13 Comments

When I was doing our trip research, I read that Danish girls wore a lot of neutral colors and paired their ensembles with sneakers almost exclusively. It only took one day out in the city to realize how true that was. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a higher concentration of sneakers in one location before! Just about everyone wore them, including women who paired athletic footwear with skirts and dresses. Naturalizer had sent over a pair of their new “Kail” croc-embossed sneakers ($69) before our trip, giving me the perfect option to blend in with the locals for a day of sightseeing. The shoe offers a flexible sole with extra cushioning, and a breathable lining — features I was grateful for given that we walked an average of 10 miles per day! We haven’t done much in the way of exercise since we’ve been back, but I’m planning to change that in time for Naturalizer’s Walk Together Day on May 7. In honor of Mother’s Day Weekend, Naturalizer is urging you to take a moment to thank the inspirational women in your life and share those moments with #SHAREtheWALK. You can also save 20% and receive free shipping during the promotion this weekend with code TOGETHER. It’s valid from May 5 to 8.

Sweater: J.Crew (similar)
Skirt: LOFT (similar)
Scarf: Old Navy (similar)
Bag: Tory Burch (similar)
Shoes: c/o Naturalizer
Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Shopbop
Rings: c/o Julie Vos; Monica Vinader; Lulu Frost
Bracelet: Hermes
Lips: Stila “Bella”

Thanks to Naturalizer for partnering on this post!

And We’re Back!

April 25, 2016 by jessica 8 Comments

Two weeks later, we’re finally back from our trip abroad! We spent our first week in Denmark before heading to Belgium for week two, and if you were following along on Instagram, you already know we had an incredible time. I’m anxious to share stories and create travel guides for each of the places we visited … after weeding through the 3,000 photos on my camera card!

These photos were taken on one of our first days in Copenhagen, which was one of the only days warm enough to wear a dress to grab coffee in the morning. I snuck in a few more bare-legged outfit photos that you’ll see later, but in true blog fashion, I ducked back inside to throw on tights or change into jeans. I packed terribly. With temperatures in the upper 50s, I thought I’d be fine with dresses since that’s what I wear in Wisconsin at that temperature. Trust me when I say that 50 degrees in Scandinavia feels much colder with the breeze and overcast sky. I ended up rotating between three sweaters and one long-sleeve top with jeans and sneakers almost exclusively. (This was kind of my personal hell. I don’t like denim.) Aside from that — and it’s such a minor thing to complain about — the trip was amazing. Now let’s just hope I can make it through my first day back at work without nodding off thanks to jet lag!

In unrelated news, I came across my beloved Karen Walker Number One sunglasses for 25% off! In fact, all of the designer’s shades are available at a discount on Nordstrom for a limited time.

Dress: Ryder
Necklace: Lele Sadoughi (use code BEDKNOBSANDBAUBLES for 20% off anything on her site)
Bracelet: c/o Julie Vos (similar)
Ring: Lulu Frost
Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Shopbop (Nordstrom has them for 25% off right now!)
Bag: Tory Burch (similar; also in love with this in yellow)
Shoes: Louise et Cie (also love these metallic flats)

The Blues

March 28, 2016 by jessica 19 Comments

My NCAA bracket was a mess after the tournament’s first weekend, but I was somewhat comforted by Wisconsin’s pair of wins that landed them in the Sweet Sixteen. After their frustrating loss on Friday, I threw in the bracket on the rest of the college basketball season and turned my attention to my latest sartorial win: this adorable swing anorak coat from LOFT. As I mentioned earlier, I had been on the lookout for a spring coat that I could bring on our trip. (In ten short days! Holy moly!) I tried couple of trench coats (this and this) and wasn’t keen on either one of them. The fits weren’t great on me and I didn’t love the style enough to keep trying different trench coats, so I switched gears and started looking at anoraks when I came across this swing style from LOFT. It has a sueded finish and is lined with a knit jersey material. I love the youthful swing silhouette that allows for plenty of room at the hips. It doesn’t look sloppy, though, thanks to the cinched back waist that can be adjusted with a drawstring inside.

Jacket: LOFT Swing Anorak
Dress: Dee Elle (old, other dresses by the brand)
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff “Mini Affair”
Shoes: Louise et Cie (also love these loafers and these metallic flats)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker “Number One”
Necklace: Lele Sadoughi “Maraca” Pendant (on sale here and here; full price here)
Rings: Monica Vinader, c/o Julie Vos (I’ve been loving them stacked)
Lips: Stila “Betsey”
Nails: Zoya “Blu”

Madewell Gingham Dress, Redux

March 16, 2016 by jessica 5 Comments

This dress is definitely growing on me. I wore it for the second time last weekend (here’s the first round) for a rainy Sunday of visiting open houses (including the prettiest home from the late 1800s that we would have considered if it wasn’t so far away from Madison). The weather was terrible and only one photo made the cut, but sometimes that’s all you need!

Dress: Madewell “Courier” Buffalo Check Shirtdress (also here and here)
Jacket: Target
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff “Mini Affair” (the blue one is half price)
Shoes: Louise et Cie (similar)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker “Number One”
Rings: Monica Vinader, c/o Julie Vos
Lips: Stila “Betsey”
Nails: YSL “Day Bloomer”