Kate Spade Carima Loafers

Spark Joie

November 7, 2016 by jessica

The last thing my wardrobe needed was another dress, especially a dark floral frock when I’ve already been adding them to my closet with abandon this season. But you know what? Sometimes you just have to stick with what works for you. I’m a dress die-hard and I knew I had to have this little Joie number the moment I spotted it. I adore the feminine ruffles along the shoulders and the whisper-thin silk chiffon that catches the wind just right. (There’s a slim-fit slip underneath that keeps you from having a Marilyn Monroe moment, which I definitely had with a different dress recently. So embarrassing!) There aren’t many days left where I can go without tights, but this dress is just as cute with tights and a turtleneck sweater layered underneath for a winterized version of the look.

Dress: Joie
Shoes: Kate Spade
Bag: Banana Republic (similar steal; love this; another bag with the o-ring detail)
Sunglasses: Prada
Necklace: c/o Julie Vos (similar)
Bracelet: c/o Julie Vos (love this; ring version)
Rings: c/o Julie Vos (similar), Monica Vinader

Spotted

October 17, 2016 by jessica

Alright, the week I’ve been prepping for is finally here! All of the late nights at work and stress-induced insomnia that you my have witnessed on Snapchat (username: bedknobsbaubles) lead up to my annual business-to-business expo. As much as I love event planning, this one is always more stress than I anticipate each year — and more work than I can accomplish in a normal 40-hour week, thus the radio silence here on the blog. Let’s just say that I’m excited to pop open a can of Sophia after the expo wraps up on Wednesday! We’ll be celebrating at the end of next week with a road trip to Louisville for a beer festival, followed by three nights in Nashville. I’ve never been to Music City before, but I’m ready to embrace whisky-filled honky tonk nights! Let me know if you have any recommendations!

Shirt: H&M (current, but not online; similar)
Dress: J.Crew (old; similar here, here, here)
Shoes: Kate Spade (this year’s colors)
Bag: Tory Burch (old; love this)
Scarf: Hermes (pre-loved options)
Sunglasses: Prada
Brooch: Vintage (similar styles)
Rings: Monica Vinader, Lulu Frost

The Coveted

August 23, 2016 by jessica

*I bought these in a textured leather last year. They run true to size and are incredibly comfortable.

**This suede clutch is genuine leather and only $75!

There’s more to love:

Windy City

November 23, 2015 by jessica

We’re back from our weekend jaunt to Chicago! Between the festive decorations throughout the city and shopping at the Christkindlmarket, our visit to the city was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season before returning to Wisconsin’s winter wonderland last night. One of my favorite stops was at Three Dots and a Dash, an oasis topping countless lists of best American tiki bars. While tiki drinks get a bad rap for being overly sweet, the concoctions at Three Dots and a Dash are well-balanced with fresh fruit flavors and meticulously garnished. (My daiquiri came with a banana fashioned into a dolphin.) I was so enamored with the place that I had to buy the glasses our first two drinks came in. The rest of our trip was spent wandering the city, visiting the zoo and contemporary art museum, standing 1,353 feet above Chicago at the Willis Tower, cozying up in bars, and watching the holiday parade. We didn’t do much shopping, other than a stop at Uniqlo where I purchased a couple of merino v-neck sweaters (they’re inexpensive and hold their shape) and the most ridiculous furry earmuffs.

Painterly Plaid

November 2, 2015 by jessica

From what I saw on Instagram, many of you had a fun Halloween weekend! I donned my sleepy Holly Golightly costume at work on Friday (with longer shorts, so I wasn’t inappropriate) and was only marginally embarrassed to discover that my coworkers didn’t know who I was masquerading as. (Apparently they need to brush up on their knowledge of iconic American films.) Dave and I barely left the house on Halloween. We played Yoshi’s Woolly World, carved pumpkins, watched The Babadook, and ate too much holiday candy. I also watched the debut episode of Wicked City starring Ed Westwick. I couldn’t believe the reviews that poo-pooed anything starring Chuck Bass! But, it really is that bad. Maybe even worse. It doesn’t mean I won’t watch a few more episodes, though.

We had an unseasonably warm kickoff to November yesterday with temperatures in the 60s, giving me the excuse to wear this dress sans tights. It was an impulse purchase at Anthropologie a couple of weeks ago and I’ve already worn it four times since. It’s such an easy piece to throw on and feel pulled together instantly. In addition to loafers, I’ve worn it with cobalt flats (similar to these), boat shoes, and sneakers — and it looks great with all of them. In fact, I suspect this versatile dress will transition well into spring with sandals and a white tote bag. (C’mon, I can’t be the only one already yearning for warm weather!) It runs a full size large. I’m usually a size 8 and opted for the small.