dress up files - a chicago fashion blog: December 2010

Holiday Gift Tags

Found a shop on Etsy selling adorable printables for super affordable prices! I got these tags personalized for $5. I have the PDF file to use for years to come. All I had to do was print and use a scalloped punch.

I tied these around candy canes for a simple little treat for A to hand out to the kids at church. I meant to make my favorite jam thumbprint cookies but then laziness got the better of me...again! Check out greenapplepaperie on Etsy for more paper goods!

I'm planning to take the rest of the week off from blogging and will be back on the 3rd! Wishing everyone a happy 2011!!

Happy Holidays!

Hope you all have a holly, jolly Christmas!

So long 20's, Hello 30's!

Thank you so much for voting on your favorite dress yesterday! The dress I decided to go with is #1 the lavender dress. The picture did not do the dress justice. It especially looks so ethereal and flowy when I walk and move in it. Plus, it is honestly just a lot more comfortable than #2 which would require sucking in the stomach action all night. So #1 it is! Thanks for playing and on to today's post!
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I'm thirty today! It sounds strange and unfamiliar typing it out. I'm excited to celebrate though!

Last year, hubbie and I had a staycation for my birthday. We stayed at a hip hotel downtown, cabbed it to restaurants we hadn't been to, and had drinks at a rooftop bar. We definitely felt like we were on vacation in a different city and really enjoyed ourselves! So thankful for A's grandma who's always willing to watch A overnight!

This year, hubbie outdid himself! He knew I was obsessed with the new Elysian Hotel and booked us a room for tonight! The decor is exactly what I would want for my future home.

This driveway is heated so snow never piles up. This gorgeous entrance totally sets the mood.

Amazing light fixture, sculptures, flooring, and all that gorgeous marble!

I love how dramatic that huge black & white picture is. Such a clean, serene lap pool!

Can I just move in? They actually do have condos at this hotel for sale!

I die for a beautiful bathroom! I adore the sconces, the marble, the clean lines!

And for dinner, hubbie made reservations at the fairly new Henri.

Love the elaborate crown molding, the understated but beautiful color & pattern of the upholstery, and the luxurious drapes and light fixtures. Ah! I'm such a sucker for beautiful decor.

I feel really good stepping into my thirties today. I'm more in love with hubbie than ever, I have an adorable little girl that brings so much laughter into our lives, I have amazing family and friends and overall, there is just so much to be thankful for. I'm excited to see what the next 10 years will bring...

Vote for your Favorite Dress!

I told you all here that I have a black tie event coming up. Thank you for all your advice! I decided to go with floor length. Gina made a great point that since this is our first year attending, it's better to play it safe and scope out the scene for next year.

I scoured Rent The Runway for floor length gowns and I was pretty disappointed with their options. I didn't love any of the dresses enough to pay $100-$200 to rent for 1 night. Then, I considered getting a J.Crew Arabelle dress using a discount code but it would still be over $250.

So, today I decided to check out Nordstrom Rack and Saks Off Fifth and jackpot! Found two cute and affordable dresses! Which one should I wear?

Dress 1: Lavender 5/48 by Saks ($87)

Dress 2: White BCBG ($52)

Okay...I cannot tell a lie. After re-trying them on to take these pics, I already decided on the one that I'm planning to wear but I'd still love to hear your opinions! Please vote!

Twisted Natural Rope Bracelet by Junghwa Giveaway!!!

The winner has been selected by random.org! Congratulations Alyssa!!!

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I came across Junghwa by Amy Stewart's blog months ago and adored her cute maternity style. I noticed she had an etsy shop and immediately, I was drawn to her twisted natural rope bracelet.

Fast forward a few months and I was looking for a bracelet to accompany my new Hermes one. I think it sometimes looks lonely by itself. And I remembered that twisted rope bracelet from all those months ago!

Here they are together! I love the contrast between the shiny, glossy enamel and the raw, natural rope.

Guess what? You're in luck because Amy is offering you readers a discount code to her shop!!! Enter the code pearls to receive 15% off your purchase through 12/31/2010.

Also, one lucky reader will receive a free twisted natural rope bracelet.

To enter:

1. Follow pearlsandgreentea using Google Friend Connect (check right side of blog!)

2. Leave a comment with your email address

Entries must be in by Wednesday (12/22) at 11 pm CST.

EmersonMade Old Schools Straight Leg Jeans

EEKS!! I reached 200 followers. Thank you so much readers!! Giveaway tomorrow to celebrate! Check back!!

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I wrote about my obsession with EmersonMade and these jeans on Friday and as promised, here are pics of the jeans on.

Michael by Michael Kors top, EmersonMade jeans, Chloe handbag, J.Crew and Hermes bracelets

Before A went to bed, she wanted to take some pics of me too...using the flash.

They are quite long so I need to wear killer heels with these jeans but the good thing is, they totally lengthen your legs! While I was taking this picture, A ran over to my previous spot and...

...grabbed my bag. She's a natural!

Here she is posing with mommy!

I'm telling you these jeans are amazing! I've owned 3 other pairs of high waisted jeans and nothing comes close to being as flattering as these are.

Don't forget to use the code pearlsandgreentea to receive 15% off your EmersonMade order through 12/31/2010!

EmersonMade Promo Code!!!

I'm kind of OBSESSED with EmersonMade. Emerson, the girl behind it all has impeccable taste. She has an incredible home (click here to see!), is super talented (click here to see!), gorgeous, skinny and has a sense of humor to boot! I kind of hate her. But then again, hard to hate someone who takes pictures like these...

They make everything from flower pins to table linens to tweed coats.

So, I was browsing their site one day when I fell in love...with these jeans.

I stalked them for months before finally taking the plunge with their Cyber Monday promo code. I was worried about buying jeans without trying them on but I took comfort in their return policy.

I have to say that I absolutely love these jeans even more in person! I will be posting very soon with pictures of my EmersonMade Old Schools Straight Legs (whew..long name!) but I wanted to get this post up right away because....

EmersonMade is offering my readers a discount code!!!

Use the code pearlsandgreentea to receive 15% off your EmersonMade order through 12/31/2010!

Black Tie Matters

We have a black tie event coming up in January for hubbie's work. If it were a wedding, I wouldn't be as cautious about what to wear but since this is my husband's company, I want to make a good impression. Especially because he's new at the company and this will be my first time meeting a lot of his managers, etc. So, the question is:

Are floor length gowns necessary for a black tie event?

If so, here are some gorgeous ones I came across...

Gucci Silk-chiffon Cross Front Gown

Notte by Marchesa Draped One Shoulder Gown

Rachel Gilbert Embellished Silk Chiffon Gown

I love this last one the most! But, I would never spend thousands of dollars on a dress to wear just once so if I do decide to go floor length, I'll most likely be checking out Rent The Runway's collection. If you haven't heard of it, it's a dress rental company. I actually wanted to start a dress rental company myself but that's a whole nother story.

So, help me out! Do you think floor length is necessary or optional? And any suggestions on where to find cute, affordable dresses?

All Black Ensemble

Club Monaco jacket, Express sequin tank (from years ago), Fremont shorts, Chanel flap bag, Members Only booties, Hermes and Rebecca Minkoff bracelets, Cartier watch, Bvlgari ring

I bought these Fremont shorts at a sample sale for around $35. I had never heard of the label but I loved the suspenders, high waist and good fit. As I was writing this post, I searched for the item and was excited to see that it currently retails for $336 online! Yay for deals!

I tend to wear a lot of darker colors in the Winter. I'm trying to incorporate more color into my ~~life~~ wardrobe but I failed once again. What colors are you naturally drawn to?

Chunky Soup + Crusty Bread

I was at Trader Joe's today and they had samples of this soup. It tasted good, A loved it, and the recipe was super simple. The best part is it only costs around $5 to make the soup! Here's the recipe.

Trader Joe's Southwest Red Pepper and Rice Soup

1 carton Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

1 can Black Beans

1 bag Chimmichuri Rice

Combine ingredients in a pot and heat to desired warmth, stirring frequently. Serve immediately. (My kind of recipe!)

I had already taken cod out in the morning so I poached the fish and served it with the soup. I also popped a baguette in the toaster oven because what's chunky soup without warm, crusty bread? It was zee perfect supper (this meal seems more like a supper, than a dinner) for this cold, snowy Chicago night.

What's your go-to meal for a wintry night?

Recent Look: Mommy & Me Motorcycle Boots

On Mommy: Nordstrom Rack top ($4!), Club Monaco cardigan, Joie ponte pants, Aldo Brendal boots, J.Crew & Nashelle necklaces, thrifted owl pin, J.Crew and Hermes bracelets, Cartier watch

Say hello to my little friend. He only needs his glasses to read so he can flip them up or down as necessary. I met him a year ago at a vintage store (read about it here) and had to bring him home.

I totally fell for the retro looking print on this top. Love the bows and the polka dots! The best part was the clearance price of $8 with an additional 50% off Groupon, making this a $4 find! I <3 Groupon!

On A: Old Navy shirt, Gap vest and leggings, Target motorcycle boots

They have motorcycle boots for little ladies at Target!! Are they cute or are they cute?

Summer Shorts in the Winter

Forever21 tank, Ann Taylor Loft sweater, Club Monaco shorts, Linea Pelle belt, Banana Republic bag, Nicole boots, J.Crew and Hermes bracelets

I've been coveting a pair of winter shorts for some time now. Club Monaco currently sells a great pair. Speaking of Club Monaco, I was in the store today and wanted one of everything. Sequin shorts, chiffon dresses, chunky sweaters, boyish blazers...I wanted to spin around and around and revel in the beauty of it all until A yelped for cheese nips bringing me right back down to reality.

Until I get some winter shorts, I brought my summer ones out of storage. I paired it with a cable sweater (from years ago but cable is back baby!), tights, flat boots and a messenger bag.

Love getting mileage out of my summer clothes in the winter! What summer piece are you integrating into your winter wardrobe?

A Couch Remodel?

ATTENTION!

A lot of my friends who are not huge blog readers have been asking for an email subscription and I finally got it. Enter your email address on the right where it says "Subscribe Via Email!" and the posts will be sent directly to your inbox as I post them! Yay for time saving shortcuts!

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Saw this couch a few months ago while I was in the burbs. It was just chilling on the side of the road, begging to be picked up and loved once again. I screeched for dear hubbie to stop the car so I could take a better look. I thought it had great potential with it's pin-tucks and curved legs.

(Image by Monarch Restoration)

I imagined painting the wood in a high gloss white or black and adding a bright, contemporary looking fabric, I imagined welcoming it into our home and what that would mean for our existing furniture. I imagined all this and more and then, just like that, we drove away. Granted it wasn't the perfect baroque couch I've been gaga over recently but being free does count for something, doesn't it?

Would you have picked up the couch? Do you have a story of something you didn't get but can't forget?

Recent Look: Ethnic Influences

Ethnic dress (from my most recent trip to the Philippines), Blazer (from over 7 years ago in Korea), Forever21 studded belt, vintage bag, Hermes bracelet, thrifted bracelet, Cartier Santos watch, Members Only booties

When I was in Manila in November, I found a vendor at a bazaar selling these ethnic, tribal looking pieces. I fell in love with this print, the colors (royal blue and deep red interlaced with all that gold) really stood out to me and made it look expensive. No one has to know it actually cost less than $4.

To make this ethnic dress current, I paired it with a blazer, a studded belt, a cross body chain link bag, and a fabulous pair of zipper booties.

This look featured a vintage bag and a thrifted bracelet. I used to love going to antique markets and fairs but since becoming a mom, I haven't had many opportunities to go. Most thrift stores and antique markets are not very kid friendly. For you moms out there, what's something you loved doing that you haven't done as much after motherhood?

Hear Ye Hear Ye! Clothes for Sale!

EDIT: I've added more items to the shop and decreased prices of the existing items! Check it out!!
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I'll be selling some clothes from my closet (some brand new) on my sister site
www.shoppearlsandgreentea.blogspot.com. Please follow the site so you always know when new items are posted.

I currently have 3 items for sale (this amazing Robert Rodriguez romper, J brand skinnies, and Club Monaco jeans.)

Chicago Parent Panel: December Issue

I'm part of the Parent Panel at Chicago Parent Magazine. Every month, we're given a controversial question to answer. I've been posting the questions here each month to hear what you all have to say.

This month's question was:

With the economy still sluggish, many families cannot afford as many holiday gifts this year. How do you let the kids know without ruining the holiday?

My response was:

I would wrap activities that we could enjoy together. A box of brownies we could bake (and devour), a map to a hiking trail to explore, a tie dye kit and a shirt.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Recent Look: Sweatshirt + Frilly Skirt

Aritzia sweatshirt, Forever21 skirt, Aldo Brendal boots, Chanel Coco Cabas bag, J.Crew necklace, Hermes and Rebecca Minkoff bracelets

This skirt (also seen here) is very frilly so I paired it with a very casual, very slouchy, off the shoulder sweatshirt. The motorcycle boots, studded bracelet, and the bag's chain handles add just a hint of rocker vibe to the look, while still keeping it feminine and pretty.

I am naturally drawn to very girly, very ruffly pieces. If I didn't add some slouchy, edgy pieces into my look, I'd probably look like an 8 year old girl on Easter and be loving it. What looks are you naturally drawn to? Feminine? Androgynous? Classic? Edgy?