,

When You Have Nothing to Wear

That autumnal breeze blows into town every year, chilling our bones more and more with each gust. We desperately try to hold onto the last vestiges of snowless weather by wearing our skirts as much as possible. Unfortunately, it makes for the perfect storm of many opportunities to unwittingly flash your coworkers or strangers, as your skirt tries to rush away with the wind.

Maybe it sounds dramatic or fantastical but I know our city ladies hear us on this loud and clear, and have probably suffered through the same problem. We shouldn’t have to give up on our skirts or dresses in order to avoid battle with the elements. This is where Dress Downs come in.

Sometimes it’s those seemingly unglamorous products that help your life look a little more glamorous. Case in point; when Caitlin and I worked together, the building created a wind tunnel right as you approached the door. Try holding onto your purse, your lunch, and whatever else you might need with you for the day, while also grabbing ahold of your skirt or dress as it lifts from all directions. Caitlin remembers way to many of her personal moments of going from modest professional attire to showing more than a little thigh. Not a situation any of us want to worry about!

They are unobtrusive little weights you can attached to you skirts or dresses and safely resume your life without a second thought to accidental flashes of skin. We came across their page on instagram and as we were going through their page, the more and more we thought about it the better of an idea it became. It something most women have a use for, but probably don’t even know they exist.

They asked us if we’d be interested in trying them out and we couldn’t say yes fast enough. It seems as you’re ordering online, you don’t always fully know what kind of fabric/material you’re going to end up with. This skirt was exactly what Caitlin has been waiting for, the work appropriate length but the lightweight fabric that can be dressed up or down. With that lightweight fabric, comes the perilous relationship with the wind. Instead of worrying about if she should return the skirt, she attached her dress downs and had a worry free day.

This product reminds us of the strap perfects that hit the market years back. All of a sudden, gone were women’s struggles with their bra straps peeking out all the time. In the same way, the Dress Downs should feel freeing to women to wear whatever skirt or dress they want and rest easy that the wind won’t be able to play peekaboo. Another product we can’t quite live without, try as we might, is a slip. Caitlin found this perfect length slip to throw on underneath more transparent skirts and is loving it. Ok, maybe this post should be titled, the way that the industry gets us to spend more money on products!

We’re both very similar in certain aspects of our fashion leanings and yet we definitely have separation points. Today isn’t a day for the differences, case in point our matching t-shirts. We own very few graphic t-shirts but when you spending hours of your life messaging your sister about various events and having nothing to wear, nothing could be more fitting to buy together. We paired it with our go-to converse sneakers and we had a great casual chic outfit set.  

The silhouette of my skirt really appealed to me for a long time before I purchased it. My concern was if it would make me look too “hippy” because of the cut. We’ve discussed it before on the blog, but I’m pretty selective in which prints I like and I could not deny this skirt any longer. I’m so glad I didn’t let my preconceived notions of my body shape decide for me, because it’s definitely one of my favorite skirts now. My new favorite purse is Mei Li, which we told you about in our last post, here.

Caitlin paired her skirt with her classic handbag from Coach, it’s the Mini Bennett Satchel. It’s been a great versatile bag for her, with the long strap to wear over her shoulder but not too large to carry too much around with her needlessly.

Stay tuned for our workwear version of these two skirts on Friday!

Outfit Details 

/0 Comments/by
, ,

Is it Even Fall without Plaid?

Plaid is ubiquitous when it comes to Fall. It is one of the few prints that can look high-brow or completely casual. We love it’s versatility for that reason and can be found in a wide range of stylings, especially with the temperature drop. Speaking of, our weather has been indecisive on when Fall will officially begin, and I for one am holding on desperately to our Indian Summer.

We both had fun weekends, I gorged myself on all the amazing food Milwaukee has to offer at the Food and Wine Experience. Caitlin’s weekend wasn’t too far off, as there is always good food and nice drinks at parties as well! It seems like people are ramping up their social gatherings before it gets super cold and we all go into hibernation!

A combination of getting a quality product for a great price, are these amazing purses we recently found in a startup company called Mei Li. It is so incredible to receive a high quality product that is such a timeless beauty. Even more impressive, is it being completely up to date with storage compartments and exactly what we need to get through our days. It’s the thoughtful details of the handbags that are really appreciated; like the removable straps to convert from a shoulder bag to a handbag, or the little metal feet to protect the bottom of the bag from the mess we encounter day to day. Caitlin was extremely fond of the water bottle compartment on the inside as she always has a water bottle on hand. Neither of us have ever seen that feature before!

We can’t say enough nice things about these bags, and now is an incredible time to invest in one for yourself, because they are starting an Indiegogo campaign that you can learn more about here. They are planning to get their Audrey mini handbag in production. The Audrey is incredible because it is like having 6 purse options in one, including a backpack or even wearing it around your waist for a hands free option! Talk about a purse that is endlessly versatile and thoughtful. If you support the campaign, you can purchase one of their bags at a discounted cost. We need to see more quality startup companies giving us wonderful product options and we totally believe in Mei Li.

So far, having our Mei Li bags, we’ve been completely impressed with the quality. It’s also a super sleek looking bag and makes us feel endlessly polished. This brings me back to plaid and fall dressing. I’m making my bag go the distance, and it works really well with all of my corporate job outfits, including this one.

I got this blouse from Asos’ tall line last year, because I’m a complete sucker for lace AND victorian style tops. Find me one with long enough sleeves and a reasonable price and I’ll love you forever. It may be more difficult to tell from this picture but the colors in this plaid midi skirt, also from Asos make it easy to mix and match for more outfit variety.

I’m also obsessed with these slingbacks my Mom found me from Nordstrom Rack. They are super chic yet comfortable. I have narrow feet, and sometimes I feel like my feet slip out of shoes, but these hold my feet comfortable but firmly. They might not be comfortable for women with wider feet, depends on your fit preference.

Tell us below, when is the last time you invested in a handbag – if ever? I’ll admit that my first handbag was won off a radio station contest and is a beautiful burgundy Rebecca Minkoff! Caitlin totally has done a better job prioritizing purses than I have!  We hope your week is off to a great start.

Jenilee’s Outfit Details

Skirt is exact, blouses are similar options. Shoes are no longer available online but check your local Nordstrom Rack – they are Abound Portia Slingback Flats

/0 Comments/by
,

Fall is Hitting us Like a Ray of Sunshine

Well I just have to say it. It’s not even technically Fall yet. People are forcing the issue here with all this talk about pulling out sweaters and drinking PSL’s and I’m just glad our faux Fall is having hot temperatures to assert the fact that it is still summer. Don’t come at me with pumpkin flavored anything until AT LEAST October or until the temperatures dip below 50 degrees.

We’re soaking in the warmth while we can, except for Monday night, we had our second Fall sand volleyball game and the mosquitoes are NUTS right now. We had a bunch of rain and they are in absolute heaven, biting everyone hundreds of times. I think both Caitlin and I have over 25 bites each and that was with using bug spray. In fact, we used so much bug spray (with deet) that I could feel the toxins soaking into my skin.

While my heart won’t let go of summer I’m also firmly planted in reality of dressing for the weather. We’ve already had a couple of days where I probably should have grabbed a coat for the morning but I walk out to almost 80 degree temps in the afternoon. I’ve already begun the closet switchover to Fall, which is always kind of fun. I usually wait until it’s cold to do it and then I feel like I miss out on wearing some of those items that are in between weighted clothing but definitely the right seasonal colors.

I’ll definitely be finishing my closet switch over this weekend, and bringing out the sweaters. I always like to use this time to toss or donate stuff as I go, so I’m not storing something or keeping it in the closet for another year of avoiding wearing it. It helps keep me in an abundance mindset that I’m bringing in my other season clothes to not feel like I HAVE to hold onto items just to have extra options to choose from, despite the truth being that I never choose that item! I’ve definitely become more ruthless with purging items and every time I do it, I definitely feel freer.

Do y’all like to separate your clothing by warm weather and cold weather? To us, it just helps simplify getting dressed in the morning to not have to sort through inappropriate seasonal options. We also like to separate out colors in our closet, so everything is easier to find. Especially for me and my crappy closet – which doesn’t have a true light in it. I end up shining my phone’s flashlight in the morning to make sure I kind of match for the day.

I’m still better off than Caitlin’s closet, because her bars have ripped out of the wall and deposited all of her clothes gracelessly on the floor. I think they finally found a solution to that, but I know many of us can relate to the first world closet problems.

We’re all guilty of buying stuff just because it’s cheap or a good deal, but we could all benefit from taking time to thoughtfully consider our purchases and limit our trendy buys. Typically I like to add things to my cart and let them sit for a long time, until it might go on sale or even get low in stock. I can usually tell how much I like it as time goes on and I consider the use that I would get out of it.

Speaking of finding deals, Caitlin found this fabulous jumpsuit in Asos outlet area. We’re not sure if it’s a typo or what the difference is, but there is an identical one for double the price in the non-sale Tall section. We’ll link both of them below. This jumpsuit was a total keeper for Caitlin because it is bra friendly. A lot of times she passes on clothing, knowing that she won’t be able to wear a bra with it and this one was no issue. The wide legged look is comfortable and the inseam is plenty long! Also, the bow is large enough to cover some of the cutout to not feel as exposed.

She paired our new bag from Mei Li with it. This bag is EVERYTHING! We introduced y’all to this company in our last post and we are so excited to be a part of their story and carry their bags. This is one high quality bag, and it is going to go the distance for us while still looking incredibly chic.  They are currently doing an Indiegogo campaign and you can check out more information on it here. We’ve got more to share about it, stay tuned for Monday’s post.

Y’all might remember this top I wore from this post with a different skirt. Mustard is definitely one of our favorite hues right now and it’s pretty much season less but very Fall friendly. It’s a great tank to wear alone or layered and in this case, I had my favorite moto jacket from Asos to throw over it. This skirt is also old from Asos but is definitely my ideal mini skirt length to not feel overexposed! Plus animal prints are definitely on trend for Fall and this skirt fits that perfectly.

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend, I’m super excited to be heading to a Food & Wine Experience this weekend. Is there anything better than tasting a bunch of local restaurants food and high quality wine with your husband and friends? I think not. Caitlin is heading up to Green Bay area to attend a party with her best friends (and our fearless photographer) family.

Caitlin’s Outfit Details!

Jenilee’s Outfit Details (Similar Skirt only)

/0 Comments/by
,

There’s a New Bag in Town

There is something about the season changing that puts a little extra fire in you. For me, I feel compelled to start up on projects or things that I’ve been pushing off due to the lovely weather. When that crispness in the nighttime air shows up, you know that inevitably the warmth is slowly dissipating.

With that all in mind, Caitlin and I have been hard at work scheduling out our posts. We all know by now, WINTER IS COMING. What isn’t coming, is George R.R. Martins newest Game of Thrones book that has been in the making for at least four years. Fine, I’m probably alone in waiting for the book, because most have been satiated by the show that diverged from the books fully this last season.

If you’re still reading after that intense digression, stick with me we’re getting to the good stuff. We put our heads together and came up with a couple of new series we’ll be integrating in the near future, including my husband making some guest appearances, and also our brother! We are super excited to share the new content and we welcome the feedback on what you all would like to see more of.

Onto a brand we’re excited to share with you. Full disclosure, we were gifted these bags. We first came across Mei Li on Instagram and were intrigued by the small start up company, as we were just starting our own blog. As we scrolled through instagram we were stopped by the beautiful classic bags, but inspired by their mission statement behind the bags. Their company is a group of young entrepreneurs seeking to empower women in every possible direction. Their bags are in total alignment with their statement, as they are amazing for women on the go, trying to stay one step ahead as their reach their goals.

They are also about quality not quantity, so they have chosen classic handbag styles that will never need to be donated as the trends change. We feel strongly that you don’t need to have a purse for every outfit. This fits with Mei Li’s brand of timeless accessories that will see you through whatever your day brings you.

We each have the Lian Tote, which is a medium sized handbag but will still fit our essentials we carry with us each day. Handbag size is important to me, because I like to be able to add a book (ok sometimes two books) without worrying if I’ll still be able to zip it and this definitely fits the bill without being too large and becoming a suitcase of things I don’t need to carry around with me!

We’ll be continuing to use our beautiful handbags and give an updated report as we go, so you all have the scoop! We’re all about supporting small businesses growth and excited to see what the future brings for Mei Li.

We paired our beautiful handbags with dresses we found from Zara’s basics collection. We’ve mentioned before, that we’re constantly on the lookout for inexpensive midi dresses that can be worn to work. Aside from our love for Asos, not a lot of places have dresses that we get excited about. Zara, while not being a tall retailer, has a great amount of “midi” options. Plus I had a friend who’s 6’0, who bought a pair of their skinny jeans and were actually long enough (hi Lindsay!). Until they get their act together and add a tall line, we’ll still peruse their cheap on-trend offerings, while saving money based off of items not fitting.

When you find a cotton material dress that has three quarter sleeves and is under $30, you don’t really pause too long before snatching it up. Plus the wrap waist allows you to tie it as tightly as you feel like, which is always a win! For the price we obviously both had to have a dress and since we bought in two colors we love to trade back and forth.

Now for your normally scheduled Real Reel featuring: When your friends stole your look.

/0 Comments/by
,

Lulu-Long Enough

This first week after Labor Day seems ten times longer! That was true for Caitlin too, even though she was off on Monday coming back from her Smoky Mountains yurt trip. If you haven’t checked that post out yet, go give it a read! It’s a completely unique vacation experience that any nature lovers would enjoy.

This aligns well with us writing about one of our favorite retailers for activewear and athleisure, Lululemon. Some of you might be surprised to hear that, considering we’re all about budget friendly items, and Lululemon typically isn’t on that list. However, we also believe in spending a little bit more on items that you “wear hard,” meaning how much you sweat and move in the clothing and we are definitely a family who sweats, A LOT.

Lululemon is one of those companies that inspires some sort of strong opinion. Either you love it and wear it ALL the time as a die hard fan or you can’t understand why people like those expensive see through leggings. We fall firmly in the former category; however, I definitely think some leggings can still be see through. I also chalk that up to people wearing the wrong size!

I remember my mom first discovering Lululemon and her being SO excited that they had yoga pants that were long enough for us. I, being two inches taller, knew better and steered clear because they were definitely not long enough for me. I resigned myself to love them from afar, all while Caitlin was starting her own love affair with them and bringing home the cutest pieces.

That all changed for me, when I won a gift card from a blogger I’ve followed for a long time, Kat Tanita. Caitlin had long been telling me that she thought that some of the leggings would be long enough for me, and finally I had an excuse to check it out! With the incredibly generous gift card, we both got two full outfits all of which, Caitlin was right – fit like a dream.

From there I’ve added to my collection little by little. I have their Define Jacket, which has beautifully long sleeves and the body length is great as well. I’ve also grabbed some of their tall skorts, which have been great for golfing! What I love the most is the high waist on the leggings. It holds you in but doesn’t feel restrictive. Plus then no worrying about hiking your pants up all the time.

Caitlin, having started much sooner has integrated a larger variety into her life. She found that the ⅞ length leggings work well for her 5’11 frame. She also has a few tank tops, a define jacket, some other sweatshirts and tops, and has a few of their sports bras as well, which hold up really nicely, especially for larger chested women. On a non clothing related note she also bid on a yoga mat during a silent auction and loves it for yoga, as well as doing some body weight circuits on the deck up north, it is extremely durable!

Our Mom has taken her love for Lululemon and found pieces that suit her specifically for running. She has the On-Pace short which is 10’ in length and a great length to keep her comfortable while running long distances but not restricted. She’s also had great luck with their tank lengths, and we all really appreciate the variety they offer as well with lengths and cuts.

Our Dad couldn’t miss out on the fun this time, because our Mom has turned him into a full on Lululemon lover as well. He was very hesitant at first thinking it was a women’s only store, but the moment he put on the ABC pants he was sold. Some might not know that they have a great mens line as well. PLUS, the best part is, they have pants that fit our dad who is 6’4 and our brother and my husband who are both 6’8. It gets even better, because not only are their pants as comfortable as sweats, but they are cut in a professional enough way that they can be worn to work. HUGE win all around.

All in all, Lululemon is on the more expensive side, but also holds up really well. Plus they have impeccable customer service if you ever have an issue with your item of clothing. Some people definitely take advantage of this, but I’m sure there are people who do have actual issues. If you’re considering checking them out if you haven’t before and the price is a deterrent, you can always check out their “We Made Too Much” section, which is essentially their clearance area.

One other thing to note is how beneficial it might be to first visit in store. Their sizing is a bit off and we both ended up wearing a size or two smaller than we normally do. Their employees are always super helpful and can give you pointers on how the leggings are supposed to fit.

As always, we’re a pair of goofballs, so we’ll leave you with some fun photos, gotta keep it real! Tell us below, have you checked out Lululemon and like it? Maybe you’re sworn against it after trying it once, or you’ll never try it. Let us know in the comments below!

/2 Comments/by