dress up files - a chicago fashion blog: January 2011

A Cinderella Evening

5/48 by Saks dress, sterling silver evening bag my mom got me in Thailand (similar one here), Francesca's crystal hoop earrings, double strand pearl bracelet that my mother-in-law made for my wedding, Stuart Weitzman sandals

I love the look of a strapless dress with no necklace and big earrings. I did the same thing for my wedding day. So I went in search of really dramatic drop earrings but everything I liked was too pricey and everything affordable looked too cheap so I stuck with these big crystal hoop earrings I already had.

I was excited to finally have an occasion to bust out this ornate handcrafted sterling silver evening bag (similar one here). My mom got it for me years ago when she traveled to Thailand and I've been waiting to use it. My only complaint would be how tiny it is! It contained my phone, id and lipgloss and that's about all it could hold!

It was such a fun evening and so lovely to finally meet all the coworkers (and their wives!) that hubbie's been talking about for months! Thanks to you guys for helping me choose the right length (90% of the wives were in floor length gowns), the right dress, and the right hair style! Where would I be without you??

Sparkle!

Theory coat, J.Crew skirt, Banana Republic sweater, Members Only booties, Balenciaga bag, J.Crew necklace

I love sequins on anything these days. I think the key to wearing them without looking like you're headed to a new years eve party all over again is to downplay it with something casual or preppy. I paired this sequin skirt with a super soft, slouchy sweater to downplay the sparkle. Click here to see the skirt worn preppy.

I really wanted to get the sequin jacket from Gap but it felt too dramatic and glam for my lifestyle. Love it though! Did you jump on the sequin bandwagon?

Oh and hubbie's black tie event is coming up tomorrow! I finally get to wear the dress you all voted on here. I'm debating on hair up or down...what do you think?

WhoWhatWear's Style Circle

I got this in my inbox a couple of days ago. Yay! Being in the Style Circle gets you free swag, event invites, insider announcements and the ability to contribute to WHOWHATWEAR.com so if you haven't yet, sign up!!

Recent Look: Chicago Food Tour

On Mommy: Aritzia sweater, American Eagle vest, J Brand jeans, Aldo boots, Hermes and J.Crew bracelets, Tag Heuer watch

On A: Northface fleece, Old Navy pants

My cousins were visiting from LA this past weekend and we ate our way through Chicago. Buffalo Joe's wings, Jim's polish, Gino's East deep dish pizza (their request), Avec and Hot Dougs (pictured below).

Yes, that is foie gras on that hot dog.

To be honest, I didn't enjoy any of the specialty hot dogs that much. I liked all the regular hot dogs best! What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten? And did you enjoy it?

My Little Yogi

bicycle crunches to tone up those abs

check out that plank!

downward facing dog

I was feeling guilty after a gluttonous week but too lazy to go to the gym so I turned on a yoga dvd. A is at that stage when she loves to mimic my every move. She got really into it. I was laughing so hard taking pictures of her and I never did end up finishing that video. Oh well.

Oh and thank you all so much for your sweet comments, emails, fb messages on the last post. I was really touched by how many people came out of the woodwork to encourage me. Grazie!!

Feeling discouraged...

It's been about 5 months since I decided to take this blog seriously and by that, I mean posting 5 days a week. It's been so much fun getting to know you all and I'm still in disbelief everyday that people seem to enjoy reading this! You like me...you really really like me! :) Yes, I'm a middle child and need affirmation! :)

But, I have to confess that recently, I've been struggling to keep up with the blogging and have contemplated many times giving this site up altogether. I've come across so many incredible fashion bloggers and they leave me feeling inspired, but also inadequate. Does anyone else feel this way?

Anywhoo, I've decided to scale back to posting 3 days a week. Hope you'll continue to support me and this lil blog!

Mommies in Heels?

On Mommy: Theory jacket, Anthropologie scarf, EmersonMade jeans, Aritzia top, Cole Haan shoes, Louis Vuitton bag

On A: Gap jacket, sweater and leggings, Target boots

This was the first time in a long time (several months at least) that I wore heels while I was out with A. I was so uncomfortable all day! I don't mind wearing 3..4..5 inch heels when I'm out to dinner with the hubbie or to drinks with the girls, but when I'm with little A, I absolutely hate being in heels. I see moms in heels with their toddlers all the time...how do they do it?

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

I've been wanting to try the Williams-Sonoma croissants but at $39.95 (for 15), I'm waiting for a special occasion. After hearing this, a friend picked up a box of Trader Joe's chocolate croissants for me. At $3.99 (for 4), it's more affordable and she found out that pastry chef Jean-Yves Charon is the man behind BOTH the WS and TJ's croissants! I'm assuming the WS ones are still better because they wouldn't get away with charging so much otherwise. Ooh...I sense a blind taste test in the future...

As instructed, I took the croissants out of the box the night before. The next morning, they had grown to triple the size it had been! A quick egg wash and into the oven for 20 minutes...

and VOILA! These were perfectly buttery and flaky and better than pretty much any croissant I've had at a bakery (of course it helped that it was fresh out of the oven!) I had one (fine two!) with my green tea for breakfast on Saturday and cannot wait to get to TJ's to buy more.

Has anyone tried either the WS or TJ's or both??

Mix & Match: Feminine & Masculine Details

On Mommy: Aritzia lace top, Gap boyfriend blazer, J Brand jeans, Pour La Victoire boots, Louis Vuitton bag, Hermes & J.Crew bracelets, Cartier watch, Nashelle necklace and earrings

On A: Gap dress, shirt & tights, Gingersnaps shoes

There are those boots again! Some of you commented that you liked the black stripe on the boot. It's actually a double wrapped black belt. I like that it adds a bit flair to the otherwise simple boot but I'm also glad it's removable. Love the versatility...kind of reminds me of those watches from back in the day with the interchangeable straps and covers. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I was giving A a bath the morning I took these pics and since she loves playing in the tub forever, I decided to curl my hair instead of my usual activity (reading US Weekly). As you can tell, I only watch and read the highest caliber of media. I'm waiting to grow out my hair so I can have Kardashian worthy waves down to my waist. Although I'll probably only have the time and patience to curl it every 6 months or so.

I paired this feminine top with a boyfriend blazer. I love how the lace looks next to the prep school buttons and also love the texture lace brings to the look.

Moving on...who saw Real Housewives of BH last night?? Camille doesn't even seem that sad about Kelsey. I like how she was cheerily discussing dress options when Kelsey walked in. Oh and love Kyle even more. Wondering how many zeros were on that check to Farrah...

What's in my bag?

- Louis Vuitton Epi leather wallet, planner (yes, I still use a paper planner!), and key & coin holder. I'm a huge fan of LV's epi leather! I've had canvas wallets from Fendi and Gucci and nylon ones from Prada and w/o fail, they would all fall apart after one year of wear and tear! This is the one wallet that has lasted over four years already in pristine condition.

- LeSportSac makeup bag (holds chapstick, tylenol, loccitane hand cream, hair ties)

- Tom Ford Whitney sunglasses

- snack catcher with whole wheat bunnies

- A's sigg bottle: After going through every sippy & straw cup out there and having them all leak into my bag, I finally got her the sigg. Love it!

- Louis Vuitton neverfull handbag: I used to be such a bag hag but now that I'm toting A around, I carry this bag 99% of the time. I love how it's huge and truly never full!

Now, I'd love to see what you have in your bags! This is my first time doing this linky link thing! Pls link up and share the contents of your bag!

Oh and Pearls and Green Tea is on facebook now! Click here to find me there!

Recent Look: Mommy & Me Classic Look

On Mommy: Aritzia striped tank, Gap blazer, J Brand jeans, Pour La Victoire boots, scarf (boutique in Santorini, Greece), Louis Vuitton handbag

On A: Burberry jacket (it was a gift!), Old Navy tights and shoes

A and I met up with my girlfriends for some shopping. Then, we took A for a stroll around the American Girl store. I was blown away. The place has a full service hair salon (yes, for the dolls!), a hospital, a clothing boutique, and the list goes on. It was all very expensive ($20 for your doll to get her hair braided!) and over the top but I couldn't help but think I would've loved this as a child. A is still a little young but I have a feeling I'm gonna get suckered into the whole thing. Would you take your daughter?

Recent Look: Casual Dinner with the Girls

Ella Moss striped tank, Aritzia cardigan, J brand jeans, Pour La Victoire Over-The-Knee boots, Louis Vuitton bag (from the 80's passed down from my mother), Hermes and Junghwa bracelets

Had $75 of credit to use up on GILT and I kept being drawn to these gorgeous pumps and platform wedges. But, I decided to be realistic about my lifestyle as a stay-at-home mom and get these flat boots instead. So glad I did! These boots are super cute, comfy and hit at a good spot on my legs (not too high), where I can still wear them long after the over-the-knee trend has gone.

I'm a huge fan of Gilt and have found some crazy deals there, such as these boots, this Rebecca Minkoff bag, these Walter shorts, and these Members Only booties. If you haven't joined yet, click here to start shopping the best online sample sale! Have you ever bought anything on Gilt?

Christmas Day

I took a break over the holidays so I'm just getting a chance to post about Christmas now. We celebrated with the in-laws on the eve, which left Christmas Day for the 3 of us to have family time at home. Here's how we spent our day...

A pic in front of the tree with our matching pj's. I found a pretty close match for A and hubbie (Lands End & Old Navy respectively) but mine were pretty off (Target). Oh well!

We put a bow on the greatest gift of all, while she opened her gifts.

Last year was my first as a mom and I wanted to start a tradition for Christmas. I decided on sticky buns every Christmas morning. So last year, I made them using the Barefoot Contessa's shortcut method (puff pastry sheets). It was pretty good but this year, I wanted to challenge myself by making sticky buns from scratch. HA! It was a complete disaster! I know I made at least 1 big mistake...hubbie, don't say a word!! If you have a good, idiot-proof recipe for sticky buns, please send my way.

After eating some bready sticky buns, we headed out to the park to build a snowman. It was a first experience for both A and myself!

Posing with Mr. Snowman! She was annoyed that I made her stop running to pose with the guy.

Bidding the snowman farewell..

Hmm...I think you're a little big for that pack & play.

Back at home, we played with all of A's new toys and got dinner ready for some good friends that come over every Christmas. It was a lovely day! How did you spend your Christmas?

Thoughtful Gifts

Last post about my birthday, I swear!! Haha...I know I'm really dragging this out! Anyway, this year, I got a lot of great gifts from my girlfriends. Mostly all clothes, of course! :) I won't post them here since you'll probably see me wearing them in future posts anyway but I wanted to share 2 really thoughtful, non-clothing gifts I received.

A dear friend who shares my obsession with Lauren Conrad got me her book! I love LC's (does anyone call her that anymore?) very wearable, feminine, always classic and put together style. And, she also made me a portfolio for this blog! I was super touched! Thanks hun!

I got an amazing package from another bestie who lives in New York. As soon as I opened it, I gasped. Love all the beautiful paper and packaging!

She wrote that she wanted to celebrate my body, mind, and soul so there's a little of everything (a modern take on a friendship bracelet- she has one too!), exquisite fleur de sel dark chocolate, a personalized journal, some favorite books from her collection, soaps that truly are too pretty to use (ever), and of course some green tea. It felt like Christmas morning going through each item!

This particular friend has amazing taste in food, fashion and friends (HA!). Check out her new blog here.

What's a thoughtful gift you've received or given?

30th birthday Part 2

Bodycon dress, American Eagle fur vest, Members Only booties, Chanel handbag

I bought this bodycon dress with rope detailing at a sample sale in Manila. They were selling clothing by Phillip Lim, Seven for All Mankind, Tracy Reese, Rebecca Taylor, BCBG, etc. This dress was the only item that had the label cut off and they had no idea what brand it was! All the items were definitely authentic items...growing up in Asia, you quickly learn to identify the fakes. Anyway, I have no idea who the dress is by! I would love help sourcing this dress! It came with the belt I'm wearing.

We had a truly incredible meal at Henri. This was taken at around 11:30 pm. It was one of those really long meals with amazing food, wine and conversation! It felt good to sit and really talk to hubbie....we don't get to do that as much anymore with lil miss thang ruling over the household!

In front of the Elysian! Such a gorgeous place!

Giddy with wine and thankful for such a wonderful day!

Switching gears, is anyone else watching the Bachelor or The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? (side note: one of the bachelorettes wore the lavender dress I wrote about here!) I love bad, reality TV! Let's discuss!! :)

30th Birthday Part 1

I blogged about turning 30 here and wanted to update with some pics of the day. Little A sang happy birthday to me about 35 times in the course of the week. She loves singing happy birthday and then blowing out the candle. Here we are at grandma's where she slept for the night.

Met up with some girlfriends for lunch. Bubbly in the middle of the day? Why not? It is my birthday!

Back with hubbie, we checked into the Elysian. They upgraded us to a suite for my birthday! I loved the dramatic black doors, the textured wallpaper, and the gorgeous crystal chandeliers everywhere!

On our staycation last year, the Wit hotel sent us up a bottle of champagne. This year, a yummy dessert!

Relaxing after lunch. Not used to bubbly in the middle of the day..

The room was beautiful and quite large!

The bathrooms were exquisite. I wish I could show you the tile work on the floor in the center of the bathroom. It was amazing! I love the white lines against the dark wood.

Yes, you just saw this outfit yesterday. I wore it again. Why not? It is my birthday!

Hubbie and I spent the rest of the afternoon strolling on Michigan, shopping. He detests shopping so this was such a nice treat for me! Then, he surprised me with massages at a spa! He knows I die for massages. What a sweet hubbie!

More pics to come tomorrow of the rest of our night...

What's something you love to do that your sig-o detests? Share your stories!