,

State Fair 2019

Our family has integrated a recent tradition of attending the Wisconsin State Fair yearly. Although we’re admittedly never ones to rush Summer, there is nothing that screams Summer more than visiting the Fair! Normally we enjoy visiting on the first Tuesday of the fair. This year that plan wouldn’t work since it will be busier due to our imminent family vacation! The reason we like to go on that Tuesday is that they do a promotion called Crazy Grazin’ Days and you get deals on the food so you can basically try more items. Smart idea, right?!

I was a little apprehensive that attending on the first night would be pretty crowded. As we approached the gates there were plenty of people, but once inside I was relieved that it felt similar to attending on Tuesday nights in the past. It couldn’t have been more perfect weather for wandering around the grounds. The gate we entered had a detour around some of the closed animal barns. To our dismay, we realized that one of the closed buildings were goats/sheep. Small backstory, but we call our Grandma, “The Goat.” Our family has a fixation with goats, so whenever we’re there we spend a chunk of time watching the goats and laughing at them. So that was sad to miss out on because we found out that it was closed for the entire night at 4 p.m. which was right after we showed up. 

Luckily we were lured away by the promise of many wonderful fried food smells permeating the grounds. They released over 60(!) new foods for the fair this year. Yes, a lot of it is unhealthy, but it’s a special occasion and we plan ahead to enjoy it all. Plus it’s wonderful to attend with other people who are ready to eat because then we split everything between five people. That way you get a couple of bites of items, but you don’t fill up on one thing. 

We started off with a plate of potato chips, which has been a go-to for years. There’s something about freshly fried chips that are just irresistible. From there we went in search of a beer and found that they had a huge tent called the Micro, serving you guessed it, microbreweries beer. They weren’t hurting for choice! Caitlin chose a particular beer and then the guy returned to tell her she tapped the keg. We were wondering if they were going to tell her to pick something else, but instead, he got on the speaker system and made an announcement and then gave her a Keg Tapper T-shirt. It was a fun little surprise!

Right behind that tent was one of our favorite Milwaukee pride t-shirt shops, Brew City Brand. We had seen their promotion on their Instagram page and knew they had some ridiculously good new t-shirts available. Our friend Sarah was eyeing up the “That’s What Cheese Said” t-shirt, and once Caitlin spotted the “Brews Your Daddy” T-shirt it was game over. She snagged it for an impromptu gift for our Dad and he loved it! There was also a “Red, White, and Brew” t-shirt, which you know us and our love of patriotic gear – super tempting! Most of their stuff is available on their website as well but I think the new ones mentioned above aren’t available online yet, but check it out here.

From there, we refocused on our stomachs. There was a Brat with egg and cheese on top that was wayyy better and more exciting than it sounded. We’re going to have to recreate that one at home! Corn on the cob is always a must. Last year we learned that the corn is grown and sourced locally and they serve it only after they dip it in a vat of butter. Then we had an “Italian Stallion” which was a wonton style deep-fried Italian beef dipped in au jus sauce. Can’t forget the good ole 18-inch hand-dipped corn dog. That is one of Caitlin’s non-negotiables of the fair! They stack 3 hot dogs in a row, and it always hits the spot. We also had to grab a Cream Puff, because Wisconsin. They are the messiest treat but always hit the spot. We also shared some garlic cheese curds, again we’re Wisconsinites! What do you expect aside from lots of dairy?! To wind down the food for the evening, we always head to the local food hall. We started with two ice cream sundaes as an appetizer before we headed over to where Cedar Crest ice cream hooked us up with a 2 (or more like 5) scoop cone. The girl scooping it was making herself laugh as she piled it higher and higher. None of us were upset either haha. The only let down this year was that they discontinued the deep-fried PB&J sandwiches, a more recent family favorite. Consider this our campaign to bring back the PB&J! 

Interspersed with copious amounts of food consumption, were a couple of rides. We always like to ride down the big yellow side. You grab a “burlap sack” (More like a rug now) and climb the stairs to experience the joys of feeling like a child again as you grin the entire way down. We also rode the Ferris wheel this year, which we haven’t done in many years. It was fun to be able to have six people in the same car, but it went way too quickly!

We did stop into the Exhibition hall. It has plenty of products you didn’t know you needed. Our Mom took us back to the Silver jewelry stand and we both picked out a ring because they actually had larger finger size options! Every year we pass by the food chopper guys and he amusing himself with his nonstop chatter during his demonstration. Luckily we didn’t get sucked into any sales demonstrations this year. 

Basically, we had a blast as we always do attending Wisconsin’s State Fair. It has plenty to entertain the whole family, and you’d have to put more effort forth not to enjoy yourself than it would take to just have a good experience. Tell us below, if you attend the fair; what is your favorite part?

Outfit Details

T-Shirt is linked here, cow print tank is linked here but only available on UK site

/0 Comments/by
,

We’re Bionic in Vionic

It is so sad that we’re already in the month of August! This Summer has been a blink and you miss it. So basically we haven’t blinked. Instead, we’re out and about enjoying it to the fullest! This weekend Caitlin is renting a pontoon boat in town and being out on the lake without the four-hour drive attached to do it up north. I might find somewhere I can play some volleyball and be by some water so I can cool off intermittently. Otherwise, a pool day is always a great backup plan. 

Although the days are still plenty warm, everyone is on that “back to school” schedule, whether or not they’re actually heading back to school. Which means that Fall fashion is out in full force! Everywhere you look, we’re getting a good idea of what kind of trends will be big for the cooler temperatures. We’ve talked about it repeatedly, but you’re not going to catch us transitioning to our Fall clothing until the temperatures are more amenable to it. 

We’re still definitely shopping, probably a little too much recently with all these incredible sales luring us in. With the sales, most of it is Summer items marked down to rock bottom prices, but certain items can definitely be a crossover into the Fall as well! One of the things we’re always on the hunt for is shoes. Recently we shared some incredible sale prices for boots from Long Tall Sally. Hopefully, you took advantage of the prices as we did. 

It’s always difficult trying to shop for shoes online, I think we can all agree. If you haven’t bought the brand before, it’s kind of a crap shoot even if there are reviews available. Brands all have their little quirks you learn as you’re in store slipping them on. For instance, Steve Madden definitely runs a size small. So whenever I see their shoes in the size 13’s at Nordstrom Rack, I just straight up ignore them. Ok, I also get disgruntled because they have some really cute styles. But basically, you get the point, we learn as we experience the brands repeatedly. 

As mentioned above, we all have our favorite brands. They’re an easy choice every time because the sizing is right and the styling is on point. Most of the time we hit up Nordstrom Rack because they have the styles we’re looking for and reasonable prices. Plus they’re one of the only places in town that have sizing up to 13 for women’s shoes. I know a lot of us feel limited by our large feet sizes that can come along with our above average height. Luckily we’ve found a new brand that at least goes up to size 12!

Let us introduce Vionic shoes to you! They reached out to us and asked if we were interested in trying any of their new season shoes. We had seen they recently opened a store in our area, but we hadn’t checked it out yet. So we took the opportunity to look into what they were all about. The first thing that caught my attention is that they were founded by a podiatrist! This was off to a great start, as who could be better to design shoes than a foot doctor?! As with any passion, it inevitably leads to improvement. He wanted to help his patient’s food pain and figured out an easier, more inexpensive option to do so by designing the Orthaheel orthotic inserts for shoes.

So not only do they allow you to be pain-free, especially if you suffer any foot-related issues, but they are super stylish! When they walk hand in hand, you know you found a winner! They have shoes specific to Plantars Fascitis, which our Mom suffered from for a couple of years. She needed a pair of these shoes back then. You’re getting a high-quality pair of shoes with Vionic’s options. They may be a higher price than typical, but checking out all of their options they are classic and timeless. So you’re investing in your comfort, while not having to sacrifice style. I can think of no better choice. 

Caitlin chose the Savannah Flat in Grey. Loafers will never go out of style, as far as I’m concerned. We live in our loafers in the cooler months because they provide a bit more coverage from the elements. They are suede, so she will definitely be spraying them with weather protectant. Grey is a step up from choosing basic black, and will still be able to be styled with so many different things in Caitlin’s closet. The other part worth noting is that the insole pushes your foot a little higher. If you’re worried about the space inside the shoe, they do come in two widths, medium and wide!

Basically, Vionic has a new fan in us. Quality shoes that are thoughtfully made with comfort in mind? It’s like they get us. Whenever those two things get together, magic happens. Hopefully, we piqued your interest to go check out Vionic’s options. Stayed tuned for late in the month to see the second pair on Jenilee!

Outfit Details

/0 Comments/by
,

Jazz in the Park

Sweet sweet Summertime. How wonderful it is to be in the throes of Summer. To anyone complaining about the heat, take that mess elsewhere. I know I’ll be soaking up this warmth because once it’s gone, it gets ugly around here pretty quickly. Catch me by the pool on the weekends, probably happily sweating. Hopefully y’all have similar plans that involve a body of water or just being outdoors in general. 

During the week, it might not be as easy to be near or on/in the water. Hence the need for alternate enjoyable plans. Why not consider Jazz in the Park? It just so happens to be Milwaukee’s favorite FREE, outdoor, summer music series. We headed downtown to experience it for ourselves. If you follow along on Instagram you may have already caught our experience live. If not, let me fill you in on some details!

Jazz in the Park has been held for 28 years and counting! It’s run by East Town Association which we’ve highlighted this Summer, writing about Bastille Day and the Cathedral Square Market (you can click the events to see our posts). It starts at the end of May and runs through the end of August, so you have all Summer to stop by. They post the schedule on their website here so you can plan who you want to see when. While you are on their site you can also check out the incredible list of vendors you can expect to see throughout the summer. 

The night we went was unique because it was the first time “Jazz went Country.” The performance was awesome! People were dancing near the stage, the audience was filled with smiling faces, bottles of wine and charcuterie boards galore. It was a gorgeous summer night for sitting outside, especially as the sun was setting. 

We got to Cathedral Square and promptly needed to get a cool drink in our hands. There was a mild debate whether we should purchase a bottle of champagne, wine, or just snag a few beers. We opted for one of our local favorites; Happy Place, from Third Space Brewing. We made it to the tent before 6 pm which was a big win for us because it was happy hour and drinks were discounted. You all know a sale of any sort is our love language! With a drink secured, we decided we should survey all of the vendors that were present before choosing the ones we saw first.  

Our first stop was Kompali Taqueria where we got chips & guacamole, the steak taco, pastor taco, and chicken tinga taco. We wanted to try the Elotes but sadly they didn’t have any cheese so we didn’t get the opportunity. We also grabbed some Chicago Mix Popcorn from Lush Popcorn which was divine. The last things we indulged in were billy goat hand-cut chips and Miss Molly’s Assorted Cookies from The Village Cheese Shop.

The Flowers for Dreams Truck was also present on the sunny Thursday evening that we attended. This truck is the cutest truck we have ever seen! You can buy flowers right out of the cutout windows on the side of the truck. 

You can catch Jazz In The Park tomorrow, August 1, and catch The Jimmy’s or any of the following Thursdays with Plaid Hawaii, The Claudettes, Abby Anderson, or Eddie Butts. We would love to hear about your favorite musicians, vendors, or experiences if you are able to catch Jazz this summer!

Lots of Summery tall jumpsuits are now marked down for the end of the season, so snatch them up if you’ve been looking!

Outfit Details

Caitlin’s jumpsuit is UK – here is the link!
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/dqenvtcg2bx

/0 Comments/by
,

Feelin’ Feminine in Floral

Blog going up on a Tuesday!? Not our norm, we know. We try not to bombard you all too much throughout the week with loads of blogs. However, when you’re just feeling passionate about your dress you sometimes get the feeling to write a little more than an Instagram caption. I have been spying on this dress since it originally hit the website, but knew there was no way I was going to spend $45 on it. In reality that doesn’t sound that outlandish for a dress but thankfully, it went on sale and I was able to snap it right up. 

First things first, I don’t think I would consider this a true “tall maxi.” You can see where it hits me on my 5 ’11 frame and it’s more of a midi-maxi. I am happy with that length, but keep that in mind if you are looking for a true maxi. The print of this dress is what originally drew me in. It’s so feminine and whimsical and makes me want to channel my inner Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine for those who aren’t familiar). She always wears romantic, flowy, items while she contagiously dances across the stage and channels her incredible energy into the audience. Okay, that probably took a weird turn for some of you but it’s awesome to me that clothing can evoke that kind of emotion in someone. 

Anyways this fabric drapes softly over your body, the buttons are real all the way down if you wish to show a bit more leg, and has adjustable straps which are always one of my most appreciated things about a dress these days. It allows for people who are a bit more busty to control how modest they would like to be. I could never wear it as low as the model wears it and feel comfortable. 

And a little extra advice. In my opinion, this dress would also be a great maternity option for those tall or mainline mamas to be, because it fit my food baby perfectly inside the drop waist. However, if you aren’t planning on having a baby anytime soon you can see that this still drapes perfectly for a relaxed, comfortable, yet incredibly cute summer look! Happy Tuesday friends!

Outfit Details

/0 Comments/by

No Need to be Koi

Alternate title: we’re out here grindin’. That was the story of last week. We met up every single day over lunch to get our outfits shot! We’ve been hustling to stay consistent. I know people like pictures a bit more when it’s both of us in them, but we can’t always have someone else there to take pictures of us both. So hopefully you’re still sticking around so see which of us will pop up each day! 

Plus, we got our pictures done during the week, so we could leave the weekend as the weekend. Y’all know we both have day jobs, so we usually give up a Saturday or Sunday or sometimes both to get content produced. Don’t get us wrong, we love it and it is totally worth it. As long as we’re bringing value to you, we’re happy!

The joy of last week was definitely Caitlin noticing a BUNCH of new murals popping up in town. Props to the city of Wauwatosa for bringing some color to the sides of buildings and showcasing artists while they’re at it! I’m sure we’ll all be even more grateful come winter when we’re searching for anything besides the colors grey and white. We loved this Koi mural, and it happened to be perfectly colored to go with this look! Did you like the play on words in the title?? Koi or coy, get it?

Anyways, we’re all in on culottes, and it’s the perfect time to love them. There are loads of options available in tall AND even better, they’re on sale. We’ve been snatching them up because a lot of options are perfect to wear both casually and to work. Plus I’ve worn them to church as well. They are basically like a skirt you can be more reckless in! 

Remember last week when I was discussing the merits of buying outfits versus one piece? If you missed it, check it out here and let us know your preference! Well, we’re obviously back with another full outfit that had to be bought together. Sometimes the stars align and pieces are released at the same time that just are just meant to be together. Probably strategy on the part of the sales team, but we’re not mad!

It’s also funny that we both ended up buying outfits that were both orange/rust. Guess that it’s a good color for a full outfit? Caitlin was smitten with these grid culottes as soon as they dropped. Despite the sweatshirt not being a tall size, she was digging the outfit enough to give it a chance and order mainline. The culottes are SO SOFT. Like babies skin soft. We wanted to show both of us in this outfit, and as soon as I put them on, I was talking about also potentially ordering them. 

They have a wideband and high waist, so they work ideally with a cropped top. The sweatshirt was only borderline short if I raised my hands up. Which I did test out while taking pictures. Caitlin quickly warned me that my bra was making an appearance and that was the end of my fun with waving my arms around. I was duly impressed with the length of the sweatshirt sleeves, however. They were amply long and hit my wrists. 

This outfit is going to see you well into Fall. Temperatures will drop and you’ll be looking cool and pumpkin-esque. Just kidding, but it’s definitely got the Fall tones down. I paired it with my new favorite sneakers from Long Tall Sally. They are so comfortable, and they carry shoe sizes up to size 15! Plus they are having a completely ridiculous sale right now. So many shoes are marked down, including these! Snag them here.

Are you thinking about Fall fashion yet? We’re resistant but inching towards it. As long as the temperatures stay warm, we’re dressing weather appropriate. So if that makes us bad bloggers, so be it! Sound off below!

Outfit Details

/0 Comments/by