COZY WINTER ESSENTIALS

Winter time in Chicago means that you must be prepared and stockpiled with cold weather clothing and accessories.

Sweaters, scarves, mittens, earmuffs, hats, etc. You need it all to survive.

But just because you may be bundled up, that does not mean you have to sacrifice style. Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite cold-weather finds that are the definition of cozy and cute! I found everything at my local Loft store and these essentials include leopard prints, pretty plaids, velvet goodness, and some are tied up with a bow!

Scarves are a must! Especially in the Windy City. (Am I right or am I right?) I had a really tough time deciding which scarves to choose. I mean, look at all those options above! I was in scarf heaven at the store! I decided on this plaid scarf. The colors go with so much! But I was torn & loved all of these other scarves:

         

Hats are also a must in the Windy City. I feel like my ears are always the coldest part of my body. (Actually, it's probably tied with my nose.) So I paired the scarf with a matching chenille hat. And to add even more cuteness, I added a faux fur crossbody purse! It's the perfect additional detail to any winter look!

SIMILAR HATS:

         

Just in case you're wondering, I'm also wearing the twisted back cutout sweater above. I've worn the sweater three times in a week. It pairs well with pants and can also be tucked into sweaters. I paired it here with brushed sateen leggings. I'm hoping to get these leggings in every color for Christmas, because while they are called leggings, they're more like comfy pants that are appropriate to wear to work. YES, PLEASE.

I've been loving this pink oversized sweater. Oversized sweaters are everywhere lately. But it's all in the details for finding the right one that stands out. This color is so pretty and perfect for all year round. But my favorite detail are the puffy sleeves and the bow detail on the back! 

I paired the sweater with the comfiest velvet jeans. YES. Velvet. They fit like a glove and I own them in multiple colors because I love them so much.

And these earmuffs are beyond cute! It's perfect if you're like me and like to wear the animal print trend in a subtle way. But if you don't like the leopard print at all, no worries! There are classic black faux fur earmuffs for you!

SIMILAR SWEATERS:

         

Clothing: c/o Loft

PS. My sister and I recorded a fun Christmas song mashup for our family and friends! We hope you enjoy it & maybe get a good laugh if you watch all the way to the end ;-) Wishing you a joyous Christmas!

LOFT FRIENDS & FAMILY SALE

If you haven't been on my Instagram page lately (or if you aren't following me on Instagram), you may have missed out on the fun Loft pre-sale party we had over the weekend. But have no fear! The Loft Friends and Family sale is now happening online and in all Loft stores!

So what does this sale entail?

Tons of cute clothes for 40% OFF! Plus, some new arrivals are 50% OFF! Plus, card members get double points which is a definite win!

Their newest collection is amazing! It is filled with fun prints, colors and patterns! I am obsessed with all of it, so I had to share it with you here with my favorite finds that are must-haves for the upcoming seasons. You can shop for each item by clicking on the images! These are going to sell like hotcakes so be sure to shop ASAP! What are your favorite pieces?

OOH LA LA

Life is like a bag full of surprises that have me exclaiming "Ooh la la!" Ok, maybe I don't say those exact words, but there are many events of life that surprise me.

If you were to ask me 10 years ago what I'd be doing in 10 years, there is no way I would have been able to guess most of what my current life looks like. 

For example, I thought I'd pursue music. Not the music that fills my current life, but strictly classical music. 

I saw myself living in the suburbs and never considered myself a city girl. But I love the city now and can't imagine settling in the suburbs. Mostly, I saw myself living in the predominantly white suburbs I grew up in and in a bubble. But that idea has no appeal to me now. I love the diversity of my neighborhood and the challenges and joys it brings.

This doesn't mean that I've stopped dreaming and pursuing those dreams. I've just been more willing to allow God to surprise me over the years as I have learned that His plans are better. When God shuts one door and leads me through a door I hadn't seen before, it may be daunting and/or exciting. But I know that this is His loving way to guide me toward His greater purpose for my life.

So let those "ooh la la" moments happen & embrace them!

Photography: Kaleena Thompson

SHOP MY LOOK:

Top: Loft {Similar | Similar}

Skirt: Loft {Similar | Similar}

Heels: Kelly & Katie {Similar | Similar}

Earrings: Loft

STYLE STORIES: LOVE LOFT

Happy National Prosecco Day!

Yes, there's a day for anything you can think of, but really I'm most excited to be taking over LOFT's Instastories today! 

Decked out in some of LOFT's latest products, I toured my beautiful city of Chicago & documented it all on their stories! And of course the other common theme, was prosecco.

Picking out which products I was going to wear was the toughest part. Everything is cute! And if you know me, you know that I wear LOFT always. From work, to dinner and to a night out - their clothes are so versatile! I also linked below the clothes & accessories I'm wearing in case you wanted to do some shopping! There's a huge sale now too, so grab them before it's over!

SHOP MY LOOK:
Top | Necklace

SHOP MY LOOK:

Dress | Shoes | Earrings | Sunglasses

SHOP MY LOOK: 

(Top sold out, but here are similar options: Similar | Similar) 

Earrings

Watermelon Berry Prosecco Recipe

I promise this is the easiest drink recipe that is sure to impress your guests!

Ingredients:

Watermelon juice (store bought or home made)

Berries (Strawberries, blueberries, etc.)

Chilled Prosecco (of your choice)

Fill an ice cube tray with watermelon juice so that each well is about 2/3s full.

Drop a mix of berries in each well until they are filled to the rim.

Place the ice cube tray in the freezer until completely frozen.

Carefully fill glasses with a few ice cubes.

Pour chilled prosecco over the ice cubes & enjoy!

Hope you had fun following my Instastories! But most of all, remember to BE KIND. Something I remind myself each day is to wear kindness, love and grace! This world needs a whole lot of all of the above. It's not always easy to remember. Trust me, I catch myself forgetting to show kindness to others too often. But every moment you remember to extend grace and kindness to others, it matters and it makes a bigger difference than you can imagine!

Cheers to the week ahead! You are loved!