F.I.T.Y.M.I

I think like all of us fashion lovers and bloggers I’m trying to summon the warmth of spring by faking it till I make it! Back in January I scored a bunch of seriously cute, seriously strappy heels that I’ve been itching to bust out at the slightest hint of sun or warmth.

In true Chicago fashion this cold is refusing to let up! The first days of spring were freezing and threatened with snow. This bi-polar weather has been so up and down it’s hard to tell if we will get spring or jump straight into summer at the rate this is going. 😦

None the less I took advantage of the momentary warmth we had, but as you can see below the chill quickly returned, hence the goose bumps!

Check back soon for my DIY on this neon pink clutch!

DIY: Cut-out blazer

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The options really are endless and this is such a great idea for transitioning your wardrobe into spring! You’re ready to show some skin but still need a barrier between that cool breeze. Give the cut-out blazer a try its quick, easy and you don’t need any sewing experience. Once you get the hang of it I imagine the possibilities are limitless!

What you’ll need:

I got my jacket from the thrift store, I had been on the search for the right one for a while now. It needed to meet a couple criteria, it had to have a close fit, be structured and be made of a good quality fabric. This Kenneth Cole one was just right and it was only a couple bucks! Woot! 🙂

Plus I loved the slight military influence and the three pockets.

First decide the shape of your cut out. You can do an upside down “u” or “v” or even a square, just to name a few ideas. I cut my shape out by eyeballing it but you can use chalk to mark yours. It will wash out when your done and you can tweak your shape as you go. Cut your shape a quarter inch smaller then what you want the finished size to be so you have enough fabric to fold under.

Fold under and pin!

Cut your stitch witchery in half the long way and then cut shorter strips.

Remove one pin at a time, place your stitch witchery and iron. Using steam helps melt the stitch witchery and bond the fabric together.

Since my jacket is lined I placed some stitch witchery first between the initial fold then again between the lining and the fabric of the jacket. Sewing a stitch for extra security after you’ve placed your stitch witchery is also an option, or if you feel more comfortable with a sewing machine from the jump that works too! 🙂

Hope you enjoyed this DIY! Any questions or comments? Holla at me in the comments below!

DIY: Adidas Cuffed Track Pant!

So how HOT are these?!

Sweats and heels have been the trend for a little while now, popping up on bloggers and fashion retails sites alike. I especially love these Adidas track pants, they are graphic, sleek and classic. Before I even knew where or how to find them I was cooking up a DIY in my mind.

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They retail for about seventy seven on Asos but if your local thrift stores are anything like mine you can find an abundance of Adidas track pants for just a few bucks. Mostly all in good condition as well, I snagged a couple pair but specifically a black pair to do this DIY with. I got mine in the boys department so they would fit snug and not be too long.  Below is a pic with one leg done.

Other than your track pants you will need:

a pair of knitted cuffs, which you can find at your local fabric store (or online )

a seam ripper or scissors

a sewing machine

VOILA!

You’re done and now you can rock ’em with heels, sneakers or anything in between. 🙂

Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show 2013

On a rainy overcast Saturday morning hundreds of women rolled out of bed to witness all the glitz and glam of the 2013 Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show! Hours before the Michigan Ave store opened we were treated to sneak peeks at products not yet launched to the masses, hot spring fashions and talks from creators and vice presidents of brands such as Jane Iredale and Chantecaille.

Perhaps the highlight of my morning (other than the loads of beauty deals I snagged!) was hearing from and meeting Virginie Courtin-Clarins. The gorgeous and super sweet french granddaughter of, Jacques Courtin-Clarins, founder of the luxury cosmetic giant, Clarins. Not only is she a makeup heiresse, taking a prominent role in development of the brand, she is a fierce force in the fashion world. Her bold and eye catching style has been the talk of bloggers and designers alike.

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She flew in from Paris (her first time in Chicago) to specifically speak at the trend show and launch the updated anti-aging Double Serum. I total feel in love with her french accented english, she was totally endearing and spoke to us about the Double Serum. First explaining it’s benefits in the scientific way then bringing it down to earth for us with a cute story about a princess and a prince. Her story demonstrated the five things the skin needs, (hydration, nutrition, oxygenation, regeneration and protection) not only was it cute it honestly helped me remember!

I was honored to meet her after and receive a signed copy of  A Beautiful Success: The fabulous adventure of Clarins. All and all it was a whirlwind morning wit lots of goodies and good times.

Some of my goodies 🙂

Rush Hour

I was up at 5:30am and had absolutely no idea what to wear! I was afraid my laziness the night before to lay out an outfit would be my downfall. Especially considering I had to leave the house in 45 mins, and still had hair and make-up to do!

There is something to be said for the old faithful boyfriend jeans and high heels! I threw it together with two of my favorite fashion go to’s, leopard + b&w and I felt ready to brave the day. 🙂

I wore this to the spring/summer Nordstrom beauty trend show.

I’ll be doing a full post on that and all the lovely items I snagged! Plus the opportunity I had to meet the totally endearing and gorgeous granddaughter, Virginie Courtin-Clarins, of the beauty brand Clarins founder Jacques Courtin!

Until then Happy Saturday Loves!