Serenity Now

Trading in sun and sand for slush and snow is no fun ... so for a little midweek daydream, I want to share some serene and sublime snaps from our weekend in Florida. So imagine that hot tea is a pina colada and take a little beach break (hey, the groundhog predicted an early spring so it's not that far off, right?)

From the Beach to a Bold Print

The goods:
• chambray shirt from J. Crew
• leopard sweater from Esprit
• pants from Anthropologie
• pumps from Zara
• gold bangle from Coach
• wrap watch by La Mer  

Ahhh, it's amazing what a little weekend away can do for the soul. Four days in Florida gave us the recharge we needed to deal with the remaining winter Chicago winter months. It was nice trading in my down coat for a bikini and sunhat, but I'm not quite ready to give up on the layered look just yet. There may not be a warm sandy beach outside, but a cozy animal print will have to do the trick!

Have a Cozy Weekend!

Steve and I are heading Florida for a long weekend to celebrate the wedding of two dear friends ... just in time too, as Chicago's temps take a frosty plunge. I'm looking forward to relaxing on the beach and sipping some tropical cocktails (computer free, so I'll be signing off until Tuesday).   

While I'm away, here's some ways to keep warm in Chicago ...
• snag a seat in front of the fireplace at RL and warm up with a Hot Toddy and their delicious burger!

• most of the C by Bloomingdale's line is on sale – I adore this cozy cashmere dress, over a chambray shirt for work, or paired with black tights and a leather jacket on the weekend.

• don't forget to make your reservations for Chicago Restaurant Week, it starts tomorrow!

• stay warm in the comfort of your own home and make a batch of yummy french onion soup 

• and finally, today is the last day to shop the CakeStyle sample sale! Score designer duds at a deep discount (it maybe not keep you warm, but you'll sure look hot!) Don't forget to use code "beth30" for 30% off your order of $50 or more.

Have a great weekend!

Photo by Roger Prigent for Vogue 1954

A Midweek Pick-Me-Up (hint, it's a sale!)

One of the things I love most about my job is being surrounded by beautiful clothing. But what's better than beautiful clothes? Beautiful clothes on sale!

CakeStyle is having a warehouse sale, offering fab deals on everything from scarves to shoes, and everything in between. I love this dress paired with some nude sandals and gold jewels for a spring wedding, or these shorts with a flowy blouse when summer comes.

Eeeven better ... spend $50 or more and receive 30% off with code beth30

Check out the sale now and happy savings!

Everyday Sequins

The goods:
• tank from American Apparel
• black pants and sequin jacket from Zara
• necklaces from Stitch 
• bangles from Forever21, IGWT
• platform booties from DSW 

What better way to brighten up a mid-winter look than with some sparkle! Sequins shouldn't be reserved for fancy affairs, add a jacket to a simple jeans and t-shirt, like I'm doing here, or don a shimmering skirt with some tights and a cozy sweater.

Try introducing some sparkle with this glittering gray sweater, or this mini skirt ... or go for a showstopping look with this dress, paired with tights, booties and a leather jacket.

The Joy of Juice

Steve and I recently watched the documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" – the remarkable story of Joe, who overcame obesity and disease by drinking nothin' but green juice for 60 days!

Ever since – or maybe I'm just more aware of it now – it seems every other person is trying a juice cleanse. Seeing as Steve and I aren't the healthiest eaters, and definitely need to introduce more fruits and veggies into our diets, we decided to try it. We bought a juicer and did a little detox for a few days. We weren't in it for weight loss or anything, just to reboot our systems ... and I must say I felt wonderful! Plus the added bonus of glowing skin and a lighter feeling (no pizza and booze weighing us down).

It's was a nice little break from our typical diet of french cheese, or spicy sloppy Joes, (or my fave meal of Snickers and Reese's), but just a few days did the trick – no serious commitment here.

Juicing your own is pretty fun (especially playing around with yummy recipes!), but there are a number of great looking offers for 3, 5, and 8 days of juice shipped straight to your door, like those from Suja, Cooler Cleanse, and Blueprint. Also, I'd love to try some of these delicious looking recipes next time.  

Have you tried a juice detox? Turns out it's not as scary as it sounds!

Photo from Pinterest

Weekend Homework: Load up on Lace

On the couture runways this week, big wigs like Chanel, Valentino, and Elie Saab showed pieces constructed of dreamy delicate lace. This feminine fabric adds intricate detail to simple silhouettes or additional complexity to sophisticated designs. 

Lace adds elegance to every occasion, so let's daydream about spring this weekend and let these woven works of art above inspire some more attainable ensembles below ...

Lovely Lacy Pieces ...
1. gray lace sweater - $19.99
2. ladylike lace dress - $27.80
3. lace shift dress - $118
4. lace bolero - $60
5. silk and lace blouse - $79.90
6. lace shorts - $120
7. lace dress - $39.99
8. lace mini skirt - $22.80
9. lace combo dress - $69.90

Have a fantastic weekend!

photos at top from Elie Saab, Chanel, Alexis Mabille, Valentino

Structured and Sleek

The goods:
• dress and jacket from Forever21
• boots by Ellen Tracy
• necklaces from Stitch

It's just so easy to grab black from my closet – it's simple, always in style, and goes with everything. No matter what I'm wearing, be it a flowy printed dress or a jeans and t-shirt, the black jacket is the easiest, sleek structured piece to top off an outfit. Even better, this knit and faux leather piece was a steal at Forever21.

Other cheap and chic finds are this zipper, pointed hem jacket and this faux leather trimmed moto jacket.

Le Fragrance Français

If there's one thing I cannot get enough of (you know, besides shoes, sweets, shopping ...) it's anything lavender. I love the lotions, the candles, and the plant itself. I've already shared by love for this candle and this perfect lavender-scented hand sanitizer, so below are a few more fantastically French lavender finds (at a slightly friendlier price point than Diptyque). 

Clockwise from top:
• L'Occitane lavender hand cream, $22 
• lavender syrup (perfect for making this cocktail), $14
• dried lavender wreath (to make your home smell like Provence), $20
• lavender detangling spray (to make your tresses smooth and subtly scented), $10
• lavender essential oil, $6
• Williams Sonoma French lavender candle, $19.95

Emerald City

The goods:
• sweater from Urban Outfitters
• star-print jeans from Gap
• pumps from Aldo
• vintage silver necklace and bangle

I love small accents of color, but sometimes these dreary winter days call for more pop. One of my favorite colors this season is bold emerald green, and I must say, this sweater definitely brightens my day. I paired it with these silver star jeans from Gap for a little extra sparkle.