This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...Went to see Foo Fighters at Wrigley Field! We were with a bunch of our friends and some of Jeff's family, and had a blast rocking out - it was definitely one of the best shows I've ever been to! I slept until 10:30 am the next day which is crazy for me, I'm usually up around 7 on weekends.
...Had a little date night at City Winery again, but this time got to sit out on their beautiful patio. Usually I want to try somewhere new every time we go out, but there was so much on the menu I wanted to try that we had to go back.
...Went to a little housewarming party for some of our friends up in Lakeview, and discovered that chocolate dipped peanut butter Ritz crackers are basically the best thing ever. Must make!
...Looked at more houses!! Eeeeeeee this whole morgage thing is scary, huh?

I hope you had a good one!

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August Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $300, which to some may seem like a lot and to others a little, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2014 budget here. 

Happy Friday!! Can you believe it's the end of the month already? Where did summer go?!?

This was another month were I was 100% sure I was going over budget - I purchased about $500 worth of stuff and returned almost half. Some of the disappointments - this poncho (it was so oversized it just looked silly & sloppy) and that infamous J.Crew vest (the color is different this year and it just felt cheap). I think it's probably for the best though, the things I returned were trendier while I kept more classic pieces, helping me to build a wardrobe that will last.

The main benefit I've found to keeping a clothing budget and sharing it here every month is that it makes me much more thoughtful about my purchases. Instead of just getting something because it's cute, I think more about how it will fit into my lifestyle and whether it will fit a hole in my closet. Like these heels for example - I love them, but I just couldn't justify keeping them since I rarely wear heels and even more rarely require sparkly ones.

So what did I buy this month? Here's the damage for August:

Old Navy Skirt - originally $26.94, on sale $14.30. I wanted a skirt that could work for warmer and cooler fall days, and I think this one will do the trick!
Kate Spade Bag - $128. This was more of a want than a need, but I love that the stripes will add a fun element to any outfit I pair it with.
LOFT Colorblock Tee - originally $29.50, on sale $17.70. I'm excited to wear this now with shorts, and all through the winter with leggings and riding boots.
LOFT Drapey Tee - originally $49.50, on sale $29.70. This is basically the perfect blouse - it's a bit oversized but has the most flattering drape to it. I can see wearing it dressed up and dressed down. I love it so much I may have just ordered it in berry and black too ;)
Gap Skinny Jeans - originally $69.95, on sale $29.39. These haven't actually arrived yet but I'm guessing they're going to stick around, because dark wash skinny jeans are a must-have for me.
Old Navy Bowler Bag - originally $27.94, on sale $18.16. I have been wanting a larger cross-body bag that would match my fall & winter coats but was still large enough to carry my iPad mini for over a year now. I love the convenience of cross-bodies, but most of mine are too small for my iPad, which is sad because I like to read wherever I go. This coral bag does the trick for spring & summer, so I'm excited to get a lot of use out of this black one for fall & winter.
Banana Republic Factory Sweater (pictured here on the left) (similar-ish) - originally $54.50, on sale $38.15

Total Spent: $275.40
Total Saved: $110.93

Under budget again, thanks to all of the amazing sales this month! I'm pretty intense on monitoring sales - are sale updates something you would be interested in seeing in this space? They definitely help me stay on budget and get more for less.

In August I was clearly in fall mode when it came to shopping, and it's only going to get more intense in September. I'm going to be looking for a new pair of dressy black booties, but besides that don't have any particular purchases in mind.

Did you budget this month? How did you do?

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Linking up with Franish.

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Groomsmen Gifts

I already shared the gift bags I gave my bridesmaids at our wedding, and now I want to share the boxes Jeff put together for his groomsmen. Someone let him on Pinterest (ahem) and he got really excited about the ideas he saw.

Photo by Cristina G Photography

He started with these fancy engraved humidors from Etsy. He got each guy's name and college logo engraved on the outside and then filled it up with goodies. 

Photo by Cristina G Photography

He added snacks, gum, some liquor, a 5 hour energy, groomsmen sunglasses to match our #teambride pairs, cigars, and matching socks & ties (not pictured). The guys seemed to like them ;)

Photo by Cristina G Photography

Of course I personally preferred the bridesmaid bags, because, you know, I'm a lady, but I think this idea was so fun for the guys! And of course, they enjoyed consuming and utilizing their gifts throughout the wedding day ;) I'd better watch out for Jeff, he seems like he might fit right in to this whole blog community haha. 

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Those Summer Nights

Sweater (similar) and Shorts (similar) - J.Crew Factory / Sandals - Sole Society / Bag (similar) - Kate Spade / Watch - Wristology

One of my favorite parts of summer are those cool summer nights, when the sun goes down and the fireflies come out. I love the heat in the summer, but I also love when there's a slight chill so I can throw on a sweater with my shorts, like this fun crab sweater from J.Crew Factory. Sadly I waited so long to actually show it on the blog that it's no longer available, but don't worry, I linked a fun embroidered pineapple sweater instead. I know I've complained before about J.Crew Factory just releasing last season's J.Crew pieces, but in this case it worked out for me - I got basically the same sweater I found in J.Crew last year but for half the price. Win win win.

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Previously on KDTI - lots of white shorts & white sandals!

 

Linking up with Mix It Monday, How I Summer, Friday Fab Favorites, Summer Style Style Me Weekly, Style Sessions, Style Me Wednesday.

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This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...Spent a whole lot of time just hanging and relaxing! Jeff had a weekend-long bachelor party, and instead of trying to book the weekend full of activities with my friends I decided to just chill. I got a bit done around the house and finished up a whole lot of freelancing work. I also did some reading and knocked out a few things on my Netflix queue, including the Backstreet Boys documentary (so good!) and Wish Upon a Star, which was my jam back in the day when they played it on repeat on the Disney channel.
...Went to the outlet mall to return some things, and then maybe thought, "oh I might as well look around while I'm here," and then maybe made a purchase or two. Maybe.
...Had dinner up at my parent's house, and more importantly, got to hang with my new little niece. She's 7 weeks old now - I can't believe how big she is! I mean, parents & siblings, I love you too, but come on, there's a baby.
...Went to see houses (erm, condos) with Jeff and our parents! I think we're getting close to making a decision - eeeeeee!!!
...Watched I Am Chris Farley, which was so good. It made me laugh, it made me (almost) cry, and made me want to watch Tommy Boy again. So I guess it pushed me back into the arms of Netflix.

I hope you had a good one!

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Our Wedding Video

I wanted to pop in to share our wedding video "trailer," we finally got it last week and I was so excited. Video was something I was planning on skipping, but then everyone I talked to who didn't have a videographer told me that not having video was their biggest regret so we decided to go for it. The company we went with is Smiling Toad and I thought they did an amazing job - of course, you can see for yourself!

We actually just got back the photos too but I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to go through all of them yet! They're in my Dropbox so I've been scrolling through every time I get a chance - hoping to be able to share a few of them here soon!

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Gingham & Shorts

Shirt, Shorts (similar), and Necklace (similar) - J.Crew Factory / Sandals - Sole Society / Bag - Michael Kors

I always wish I had a little more gingham in my closet - this shirt does a lot of work. It's such a fun, summery pattern, but also works great layered in fall and winter. And on basically everyone - have you ever seen this Instagram account? Too funny. Makes me glad I'm not a guy, or I'd probably be #twinning with everyone ;)

Previously on KDTI - gingham for winter and summer!

 

Linking up with Style Me Weekly, Mix It Monday, How I Summer, Summer Style, Friday Fab Favorites.

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Additional White Required

Tee and Jeans - Old Navy / Scarf (similar here and here) - LOFT / Sandals (similar) - Michael Kors / Wallet - Kate Spade / Glasses - c/o Firmoo

Oh hey, this is my last set of pictures with long hair! Short hair coming later this week ;) Looking back at these photos makes me so glad I went for the chop - I definitely needed a change.

Sometimes I wear all of the white with muted colors, and other times I like to pair it with brights. With blue and bright pink all of the white felt very Mediterranean to me. I should have just added a little turquoise to complete the trifecta. I've been wearing all of the white, all of the time lately - trying to get it all out of my system before September rolls around.

Let's talk about this bag - it's actually just my wallet! In the winter I carry just about everything I own with me and therefore shelp around giant purses, but in summer I'm always trying to pare down and so will sometimes just stick my phone in my wallet and call it a day. Oh, and you know, stick a chapstick in my pocket, because I have a problem.

Linking up with Style Me Weekly.

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This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...Went up to Madison to visit one of my college roomies for the weekend. We stayed at The Graduate, which half reminded me of a cutesy vintage dorm room, and half of my grandma's house (I'm pretty sure she has some of those hunting dog/pheasant pillows ;). We hit the farmer's market and sampled all of the cheese curds and spent some time lounging on the Terrace, and then basically alternated the rest of the weekend between eating and drinking and then eating and drinking some more - a couple of places we hit were Tornado Room and Graze. Oh and we also had a totally normal late night run-in with Andrew Santino from Mixology (he's the redhead), where we weren't awkward or weird at all. Definitely not.
...Finally watched Dallas Buyer's Club. I'm sure you've already seen it but oh my gee so good. Totally lives up to the hype.
...Did a lot of online shopping thanks to sales at J.Crew Factory and LOFT - yay wishlist!! Psssst - looks like the LOFT Friends & Family sale has been extended another day, use the code SHAREIT for 40% off! I'm especially excited for this poncho and the perfect circle skirt.

I hope you had a good one!

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Avocado Caprese Sandwich

What's the most summery of recipes? A caprese salad of course! The simple combo of mozzarella, tomato, and basil gets me every year. I've tried turning it into pasta before and added the ingredients to grilled cheese, but this summer I decided to go for sandwiches. Yummy, gooey sandwiches that managed to trick Jeff into going vegetarian for dinner. 

Do you have problems getting the men in your life to eat vegetarian? Jeff never seems to think a meal is a meal if there isn't a meat involved, and he usually complains if I don't give him enough protein. Not this time! He happily gulped his down (because boys don't chew and swallow like normal people) and has asked when we're having them again. 

Of course, I couldn't just go straight caprese on bread, because that sounds boring, and those weren't the ingredients I had in my fridge. I went for basil pesto instead of regular basil, heirloom cherry tomatoes instead of the big boys, and added avocado, spinach, and some red pepper flakes because, well, why not?

Avocado Caprese Sandwich (makes 2)

2 mini french loaves (or another sandwich roll)

Olive oil

4 slices mozzarella cheese (or some fresh mozzarella if you've got it!)

Handful of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 avocado, sliced

Handful of spinach 

Pesto

Crushed red pepper flakes

Salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut each loaf in half and brush insides with olive oil. Place halves inside down on baking sheet and bake until warm and the insides just start to brown, about 5 minutes. 

Remove from oven and immediately top one side with cheese so it can start to melt. Add tomato, avocado, and spinach on top of the cheese. On the other side, spread a hearty amount of pesto, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much spice you like - Jeff added a ton!) and a dash of salt. Put the sandwich together, cut in half, and go. to. town. 

Just looking at these pictures is making me hungry. We're going to have to make them again, and soon!

Happy Friday! Don't forget, it's the last day to enter my Firmoo glasses giveaway. You can enter here.

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Current Wishlist

Recently I've been having really strong urges to shop, but have somehow not actually bought anything. Here are a few things on my current wishlist, both to wear now and into the fall:

1 - Tweed Skirt // LOFT - I saw a girl wearing this on the bus on the way to work and thought it was so adorable, but I was like, you know, too shy and awkward to ask a stranger where her clothes were from at 6:30 in the morning. Luckily Kendi posted about it later that day - thanks girl!
2 - Tortoise Necklace // JCrew Factory - Tortoiseshell was big last fall and winter, and I'm predicting it'll be back again. A cheap-y necklace is a fun way to try the trend without committing.
3 - Sleeveless Blouse // JCrew Factory - I love wearing sleeveless blouses in the summer, and this bright blue is calling my name. Once the weather cools down again, just layer it under a sweater.
4 - Banded V-Neck Blouse // Banana Republic - White blouse with pretty details and no buttons (so no gaping)? Perfection! I'd wear it now with skirts and into the winter with skinny jeans and riding boots.
5 - Crossbody Bag // Kate Spade - It's little and a bag and has stripes, so what's not to love? If I have some money left in the budget this month, it's definitely going to be mine.
6 - Eyelet Skirt // JCrew - I love everything about this skirt - the color, the cut, the fun texture. I could see wearing this once September hits and I all the sudden want to wear all of the fall colors.
7 - Distressed Jeans // JCrew Factory - Noooo, these somehow managed to disappear from the online site while I was putting this post together! Well I wanted these last year when they were at the regular JCrew, but I couldn't quite justify the price tag when the inseam is only 28" (I usually need a 34"). But when they showed up in JCrew Factory with a lower price tag I started considering them again anyway. If you're really after these check in stores, they probably still have a few pairs.
8 - Puffer Vest // JCrew Factory - This vest has been popular for a couple of years now but this year I may actually push the button, mainly because it's slightly cheaper this year and doesn't seem to be excluded from coupons like it was in the past. I'd love to have it for some layering this fall.
9 - Glitter Pumps // Sole Society - Do I need a pair of sparkly glitter heels? Probably not, but that doesn't mean I don't want them ;)

Looks like I need to place a JCrew Factory order! I somehow found a totally free coupon through Gilt City for JCrew Factory that expires this weekend so I may be pulling the trigger on a few of these. What's on your current wishlist?

Don't forget to enter my Firmoo glasses giveaway, check it out here!

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Barely Colors

Tee - Halogen / Shorts (similar in white and denim) - JCrew Factory / Sandals - Sole Society / Bag (similar color or shape) - Kate Spade / Necklace - BaubleBar

Something about summer always makes me want to dump colors all together. Pairing the lightest of gray with the lightest of green and a whole lot of white? Done.

I know in my head that summer isn't over yet. I'm a little crazy about certain things, and one of them is the dates that seasons start - the first day of fall isn't until September 23rd! (another thing I'm crazy is the exact boundaries of Chicago neighborhoods - "this sign says Lincoln Square but that doesn't start for three more blocks") But despite our respite from weddings, Jeff and I are still crazy busy for the next few weekends, and I know that as soon as September 1st hits people are going to be all about fall clothes, so it feels like it'll be over before I know it. I've been trying to get my summer whites in as much as possible while I still can - yes, you can wear white all year round, but not quite the way I'm doing here.

What are you trying to squeeze in while it's still summer?

Don't forget to enter my Firmoo glasses giveaway, check it out here!

Previously on KDTI - Lots of white shorts!

 

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Linking up with Style Sessions, Trend Spin Linkup, Mix It Monday, Style Me Wednesday, Style Bloom.

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This weekend...

This weekend I...

...Managed to go out to brunch on Saturday and Sunday (usually we talk about going and never actually leave the house haha). On Saturday we hit Fork where I got basically a whole fried chicken on top of a waffle, and on Sunday we met some friends at The Dawson and super indulged in a bacon flight. I need to motivate myself a little more on weekend mornings because both were so good!
...Chopped off all my hair! My stylist was super excited to get to do more than a trim on me. We went for a collarbone length blunt lob with a little bit of texturing. I still have a little backlog of outfit pictures to share before my short hair will show up, but you can get a little preview on Instagram. I was little nervous while she was cutting it, but absolutely love it now that it's done!
...Caught Pirate Radio on tv - I know it's a movie that most people have probably never even heard of but I will sit down and watch it whenever I see it's on. A silly boy's club plus lots of rock and roll? What's not to love?!
...Wandered around the Ravenswood/Andersonville/Lincoln Square area with Jeff because, drumroll please, we're thinking about buying a house! We're targeting that area because it will make both of our commutes really easy, and the neighborhood has been on a big upward swing the past few years. Wandering around on foot really helped us get a better feel for where we'd actually want to live. We've just been looking online so far but I'm super excited to start actually seeing places.
...Went out for pizza with Jeff, and then hit up Vice Brewery for a few beers and some board games. Why don't all bars stock board games??
...Drove out to Jeff's parents' house for dinner and opening somehow even more wedding presents ;)

I hope you had a good one!

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