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On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink

It might be Wednesday, but it’s our Friday today so life is good! It’s been a whirlwind of a week, and we’re so ready for vacation. I ended up getting a summer cold, so I’m trying to (unsuccessfully) rest up so I’m not miserable on vacation. At first, I was sure it was allergies, but after a couple of nights of mouth breathing from a clogged nose, I’m changing my tune. If anything sounds a little off in today’s post, it’s my stuffy head messing me and making me feel foggy.

Fortunately, we’re a family who likes to plan ahead. So I already went and did a Costco run on Sunday for the food we’ll be making up north. Caitlin found a copycat recipe for Taco Bell Crunch wraps and I am super excited to give them a try. It’s perfect because she doesn’t really like to eat Taco Bell, due to the adverse effects. I, on the other hand, would eat Taco Bell a little too often, so I’m all about a make at home option! I’ve found a great copycat quesadilla sauce as well. If you’d like either recipe, give us a holler and we’ll be sure to let you know how the Crunch wraps work out!

Back to the good stuff, the clothing! We’re super excited about this dress. Caitlin is forever searching for great work-appropriate dresses. This is the ultimate work dress. We’ve found it, we’re sticking with it! Often when we’re browsing Asos site (which is very often indeed), we spy dresses that will have a lot of amazing parts to them. The length will be incredible, or the color will be spot on. 

But there’s usually a big BUT followed by the initial admiration. It might be the cut of the neckline, being far too low to wear to work. There’s also been plenty that look work-friendly from the front, only to watch the video (friendly tip: always watch the video) and realize that the back is backless or there are cut-outs or slits that extend too high. There are a million and one ways to cut a dress, and I’m sure everyone has their own favorite. 

For us, we need it to be pretty modest. Modest doesn’t mean it needs to be boring, but those two words are often used synonymously. I would argue that it’s an unfair comparison as well. If you want to show some skin, go for it. We think there is a time and a place, and it’s definitely not in our workplace. So we have a pretty specific idea of what types of dresses we look for. 

Anyone else in a corporate environment knows that often the temperatures aren’t conducive to dressing for the weather. If I show up to work in a sundress, I will be shivering in no time. The air conditioner is always going in the summer at both of our jobs. While it would be nice to wear lighter fabrics or fewer layers, it just isn’t realistic. That’s why this dress is completely perfect because of the sleeves. 

Another concern when sleeves are in play with a less stretchy fabric is if our arms will still fit comfortably. As women who like to lift weights, sometimes our shoulders and arms feel restricted if we’re buying the right size to fit our bodies. Luckily that is not an issue with this dress at all! Like I mentioned above, it really is the perfect work dress. It is anything but basic but still completely classic and timeless. 

Caitlin is basically influencing me to buy this dress as well, and I’m not mad about it. Tell us below what you look for in your work wardrobe. Do you like wearing dresses? If so, where do you shop for them?

Outfit Details

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Lovin’ Linen in the Summer

We’re having an almost full week of blogs over here, hopefully, you checked out our experience at Wisconsin State Fair yesterday! If you missed it, you can check it here. I think the ongoing theme of the Summer has been hustle so we can still enjoy some downtime. We’re heading up north tomorrow night for another long weekend. With the internet connection being spotty at best, it’s easier to just plan ahead and not worry about it while we’re there. It will be full-on vacation mode. If you’re curious about our time up north, you can read about it here or here! 

So it’s becoming abundantly clear to me. I have a thing for pink pants. Pink is a color I can wholeheartedly embrace, along with the rest of the Millennials. But more specifically, I like to add color to my outfits with either pants or skirts. It probably should be the opposite, because we’re “supposed to” do prints and bright colors on the smaller parts of our bodies. Clearly, I don’t care enough to worry about this. The heart wants what it wants, and that would be pink pants. You might remember this pair here, that I’ve styled multiple ways. 

A lot of women ask about where we get our work pants. My answer has recently been Asos, hands down. It’s not even a contest actually, because every time I buy pants there, they fit me well. So no need to look elsewhere. They have a lot of updated options, with ankle-length and interesting colors. I initially only looked at their ankle-length pant options, because I wrongly believed that anything wide leg wouldn’t be long enough. 

After we visited the Asos showroom in London, I realized I was missing out. I had tried on a pair of wide-leg pants with the pleat and was smitten. Due to the sizing snafu, I couldn’t bring them home with me. I did the next best thing and found some sale pants to order ASAP. The prices of their pants are also inexpensive enough for you to snag a couple of pairs at a time.

Linen and I have started a new relationship. For years I just didn’t understand people’s obsession with the fabric. It also didn’t help I never had an opportunity to try a piece of clothing that fit me. When I found my favorite traveling pants, it was game over.  I can’t recommend them enough. If you need a versatile pair, check them out here. I’ve converted my Mom and Caitlin to now owning a version because they’re just that good. 

Once the door was opened between us, I stepped through gladly. Enter these pink wide-leg pants. There are many things I love about them. It starts with a high waist. They define the smallest part of my waist. Then they get better from there. The wide-leg means freedom to me. Plus like I mentioned above, they are certainly long enough for my 37.5 inseam. 

The other thing I love about linen is the versatility. I can wear these to work as I styled them here, or I can dress them down and travel in them with some sneakers or sandals. That artfully rumpled lived-in look and I are kindred spirits. It just feels like me. I spiced up the look with my snakeskin flats from Long Tall Sally. Snakeskin is having a moment right now, and wearing the print on your feet is an easy way to participate without feeling overwhelmed by the print!

So if you haven’t tried Asos for your workwear yet, what are you waiting for? Let us know your questions, thoughts, or concerns below!

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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

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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!

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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

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