dress up files - a chicago fashion blog: September 2012

Perfect Fall Outfit

1. Duplex Chain Bib Necklace
2. Club Monaco Blaine Cashmere Sweater Dress
3. Karen Walker Helter Skelter Sunglasses
4. Alexander Wang Lia Sling Bag
5. Rag & Bone Newbury Boots
6. Shine Marlon Leather Jacket

Summer is officially over and we're in the midst of that brief but lovely period when we actually welcome the cold. When we can layer, wear chic little jackets and get away with a thin pair of tights. Basically the moment in time before winter hits, our closets go into hibernation and survival gear (Uggs and Northface jackets...don't knock it till you've lived in Chicago!) emerges once again.

So to commemorate the season, I came up with my ideal Fall outfit. It starts with a basic but great fitting sweater dress...not too clingy but not completely shapeless either. I paired this with a cross body satchel in a rich hue like this gorgeous cayenne and a classic pair of booties. Add a visually interesting necklace and some round sunglasses. Finally, throw on a leather jacket (extra points for a two-toned one like this one).

What is your ideal Fall outfit?

Leather Leggings & Chunky Sweaters

Aritzia faux leather leggings (Similar) | Zara sweater (Similar) | Tory Burch flats | Celine bag

I blogged about my quest for the perfect faux leather leggings here. Unfortunately, none of the ones I listed worked out. The Zara ones dipped so much in the back whenever I sat down, it was like a viewing party for my crack. The Blank ones just didn't fit right and I loved the Paper Crown leggings, except the S was a little too big and they were sold out of the XS.

BTW, if you're in the market for a pair of faux leather leggings, they now have XS here and M here. Act now because these are sold out everywhere! The leather on the Paper Crown ones looked great and it had an extra wide, extra high waist so it works double duty to smooth out your mid section.

I ended up getting mine at Aritzia and I'm pretty happy with them. As you can tell by now, I've been loving leather this Fall but I definitely follow some guidelines when wearing this trend.

- Never wear with another article of leather clothing. (I abhor anything matchy matchy.)
- Don't over-accessorize (too many spikes and studs is overkill for a leather look!)
- Pair with unexpected pieces (casual t-shirt, chunky sweater, ladylike blouse)

Here, I kept the rest of my look very casual and comfy (cableknit sweater, my favorite flats and a classic bag) to bring the leather leggings to a daytime appropriate look. I've gotten a lot of use out of my leggings so far and I'm so glad I took the plunge on them early. Have you jumped on the leather bandwagon yet?

New Name: Dress Up Files

When I first started my blog almost 4 years ago, I didn't expect anyone to read it. One late night, just a few weeks into motherhood, I decided on a whim to start a blog. Delirious from lack of sleep and uninspired, I tried several different handles before I settled on Pearls and Green Tea, mostly because it happened to be available. It wasn't a very thoughtful name choice and I've wanted to change it for some time.

I brainstormed with my sister and a few close girlfriends for my new name and came up with some good ideas. Dress Up Files was one of the first names I came up with and I kept coming back to it. I love that it ties in with my little girls who love nothing more than to get dolled up in their princess dresses and glass slippers.

A few days after the name change was official and the domain was purchased, I logged onto pinterest and saw the quote above from Kate Spade. It felt very serendipitous.

Oh and a HUGE thank you to Lindsay Nicole, who updated my blog design and URL for me and to Sarah of Truly Smitten, who made me a new banner. They are both AMAZING at what they do (blog design and graphic design respectively) and I highly recommend them!

I'm so glad you're here and I hope you'll continue this journey with me, here on Dress Up Files.

Changes

This will be the last post under Pearls and Green Tea. I've been wanting to change the name of this blog for awhile now and I finally decided to go ahead with it. I've so appreciated your readership, comments, and emails over the years and I really hope you'll continue on with me through the name change. Please check back here to get the new URL next week! Hope you all have a relaxing and fun filled weekend!

Black Booties for Fall

1. Old Navy Faux Leather: $30
2. Rachel Comey Willow: $425
3. DV by Dolce Vita Joust: $129
4. Cole Haan Cassidy: $268
5. Rag & Bone Harrow: $495

I've been on the hunt for the perfect pair of black booties. Luckily, there are a ton of options. Unfortunately, my list of wants is long and it's been a challenge to find a bootie that meets all my needs (pun intended).

I want something clean and simple that is neither too rugged, nor too feminine. I want a higher shaft with a tighter fitting ankle (if you can see my ankle socks, it's too wide!) Finally, I want a chunky, 2-3 inch heel appropriate for strutting and baby toting alike.

Here are 5 picks at all different price ranges that appear to meet my pre-requisites. I have the DV one on order and will report back on the fit. If I had $500 to burn, I would definitely get the Rag & Bone Harrow booties...so bootie-licious!

DIY Creme De La Creme Sweatshirt

Everyone has seen Zoe Karssen's Creme De La Creme sweatshirt by now, especially after it was featured on Atlantic-Pacific awhile ago. Not only is the sweatshirt sold out but it retails for $160! So I was thrilled when I came across this genius DIY version here. I grabbed a friend and we tackled the project within a few hours (including trips to Joann's, Michael's and Forever21 to gather all the materials).

Transfermations Iron-On Letters from Michael's & Forever21 sweatshirt ($13)

1. Cut out the letters you need and place them on your sweatshirt. I used an extra l to make the accents over the e's in creme.

2. Place fabric on top of your letters and apply pressure for 60 seconds. Make sure to apply pressure to all the corners. Flip the sweatshirt over carefully and iron for another 20 seconds.

Voila!

If you're not a DIY'er, here are some other great options for this trend.

I have a bunch of letters leftover but no e's. What other fun sayings or words are there that don't have e's in them? Help!

Aztec Sequin Mini Part Deux

Express Sequin Skirt

I blogged about my Express aztec sequin mini here, here and here. I absolutely love it and have surprisingly gotten a lot of wear out of it this summer. I just came across the updated-for-fall version and I'm kind of obsessed. Do I really need 2 aztec sequin mini skirts? The correct answer is no but if you haven't picked one up yet, here is your chance!

It's buy 1, get 1 50% off and you can get an extra 15% off (through 9/9/12) using code 9385. So, find a friend or indulge and get 2 different styles. For fall, I would tone down the skirt with a chunky sweater and a great pair of black booties. A perfect date night or dinner out with the girls look!

1. Mes Desmoiselles Chunky Sweater
2. Chinti and Parker Fishergirl Sweater
3. Pencey Draped Cardigan
4. Express Sequin Embellished Skirt
5. Rag & Bone Harrow Booties

If you follow me on instagram, you'll know that I just got back to Chicago from a week in SF and LA. It was a great trip, spending time with family and friends and overindulging on food for 7 days straight. Now that's a vacation!