Out of Office

Hey there! I'm headed off for a week in San Francisco for a work conference today. I was going to spend my whole weekend stressing out over packing and laundry and finishing up things for work and for the blog like I usually do before a trip, and then I thought, "why?!" Why do I do that to myself? So I'm taking the week off from this little space! You can follow along on Instagram to see what I get up to, but besides that I'll be back next week. See you soon!!

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Friday Finds

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Fall Work Style

Sweater Blazer (similar styles here and here) and Tee - J.Crew Factory / Jeans (these are maternity - perfect for first & second trimesters and the only maternity jeans I've liked so far) - Everly Grey / Loafers (or a tasseled version!) - Gentle Souls / Bag (I bought this in Paris!) - Sezane / Watch - Wristology

Work style isn't something I share a lot of here, especially now that I rarely dress up for work! But I have a big conference coming up next week so I've been thinking a bit about what to pack. I actually wore this exact combo to work a couple weeks ago when I had to give a big presentation, and felt perfectly put together and confident while still comfortable. Here's the pieces you need to pull it together: 

The Sweater Blazer 

I've always had a hard time with jackets, as most of them aren't quite cut right for my body type, and honestly traditional blazers usually aren't that comfortable! Enter the sweater blazer. I grabbed it on a whim when making some returns, and I am so happy I did! It adds the polish of a blazer, but the fit and comfort of a cardigan. Just a note that this one does have a full collar but no matter how much I try to press it down, it always ends up popping up a little like in these photos. This version is a little more expensive but looks like it wouldn't have the same problem, and this one with buttons is a cute option too. 

The Striped Tee

Striped tee shirts are definitely the heroes of my wardrobe. They're just a little more detailed and fun than a plain tee, and seemingly go with everything - skirts, jackets, sweaters, vests, you name it! I love this one for the flattering fit and the slight boatneck that doesn't actually show my bra straps. Plus the sleeves are actually long enough for me! Definitely size up though, they tend to shrink a little in the wash. 

Pro tip: Pull just a hint of your tee sleeve out of the bottom of the cardigan sleeves - it makes it look like you put a little more thought into your outfit and adds some fun detail. 

The Jeans 

If jeans are appropriate for your workplace, look for a pair that are dark wash with no holes or distressing. Skinny jeans are great, or boot cut/straight cut if you prefer those. Just avoid jeggings that really obviously look like jeggings - I'm talking skin-tight, slightly shiny, or missing pockets. If you can't get away with jeans at work, you can easily replace these with a pair of skinny dress pants. 

The Loafers

Comfy flats are a must for me at work - my feet are really sensitive and I typically can't get away with heels for more than a few hours, especially commuting to downtown Chicago! These have a cushy insole and are soft, comfortable leather. Plus the loafer style is polished but still fun for fall! 

Add in a few accessories like a polished work tote and simple jewelry, and you're good to go! 

In other news, it looks like fall is finally here! Jeff and I were dawdling before heading out to take these photos, and looked up at 7pm and realized it was already dusk!! If you look in the background of these photos you can see the yellow from the street lamps. Looking forward to fall weather over here, but definitely not to it getting dark so early!

Sweater Blazer (similar styles here and here) and Tee - J.Crew Factory / Jeans (these are maternity - perfect for first & second trimesters and the only maternity jeans I've liked so far) - Everly Grey / Loafers (or a tasseled version!) - Gentle Souls / Bag (I bought this in Paris!) - Sezane / Watch - Wristology

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Fall Favorites

Fall is coming... in three days!!!

Mug / Pumpkin Candle / Plaid Shirt / Blanket / Booties / Jacket

Oh, and my favorite slow-cooker recipe! 

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A Little Plaid

Dress (wearing a regular large, not the tall size) - Old Navy / Flannel (similar here and here) - J.Crew Factory / Bag (similar here, here, and here) - Coach Factory / Booties - TOMS / Necklace - Stella & Dot / Sunglasses - LOFT

I'm ready for fall now. But Chicago doesn't seem to be quite cooperating - it was almost 90 yesterday! 

What's a girl to do? Tie a flannel shirt around her waist of course and call it a day. 

I may have done it twice this weekend with the same flannel. It's fun with a tee and shorts too, but I love it paired with this comfy tee shirt dress (which I previously wore here and basically wear every chance I get). It's amazing because it's such a blank slate (and basically like wearing a nightgown). Add a sweater, add a scarf, add a jacket, or add a wrap and it becomes a completely different look. I bought the same dress in black too but haven't worn that one nearly as much - I'm guessing it'll get more wear though as things cool down and we get a little further into the season. 

Oh, and if you're trying to hide a baby bump, let me tell you, tying a shirt around your waist is the perfect method. My bump is sitting pretty right under that tie and no one is the wiser. Until they see me eat, I swear I had three lunches yesterday ;)

Not to completely change gears or anything, but you like my haircut? I went in for a cut and a deep conditioning treatment over the weekend, and I was laughing because I literally couldn't remember the last time I had been in. Ummm, it was MARCH!!!!!!! How on earth did that happen?!? So I was avoiding visiting her because I didn't want to dye my hair during the first trimester, so my roots were a mess and I was feeling blah and just wearing my hair up every day. But I didn't realize I had done six months of avoidance!! I got my "usual" lob cut and she cut off five inches. I'm so glad to be back to this short length though, someone needs to remind me that my hair just looks so much healthier when it's short, plus it's so easy to style. Keep me in check, people!

Dress (wearing a regular large, not the tall size) - Old Navy / Flannel (similar here and here) - J.Crew Factory / Bag (similar here, here, and here) - Coach Factory / Booties - TOMS / Necklace - Stella & Dot / Sunglasses - LOFT

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This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...went out for a casual dinner at O'Shaughessy's - I was craving their steak sandwich, it's the best!! Oh, and in case you were wondering whether or not I'm actually pregnant, I made Jeff stop and get me gelato on the way TO dinner hahaha. The baby demanded it!
...had box seats with a bunch of our friends to the Cubs game on Saturday, which was so fun!! I mean, you know I was mostly in it for the dessert cart (are you sensing a pattern here??) but it was great to see the Cubbies pull out a W too.
...got to visit Jeff's little sister again - she's already so big!! But just the sweetest little thing to hold, we got some good snuggles in. Afterwards we went and grabbed sandwiches from Goddess and Grocer. If you somehow haven't heard, Jeff LOVES a good sandwich and researches the best sandwich places whenever we travel (I suggested he start his own Instagram hahaha, @jeffheartssandwiches ;) and he freaking loved this place and already looked up the closest location to his work.
...did a bit of aggressive online shopping - I'm most excited about these comfy slippers that can actually be worn outside! I also ordered a bunch of maternity stuff to try, plus this blouse was such a great deal I couldn't pass it up, and I also snagged this cardigan I wanted from the Nsale that's actually on a better sale now!

Here's hoping you had a good one!

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Friday Finds

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Fall Florals

Dress and Sandals - Ann Taylor / Bag - Tory Burch / Earrings (similar here and here) - J.Crew

Whew! Now that the cat's out of the bag (in case you missed yesterday, I'm pregnant!) it feels like we can talk about everything over here again! My August budget post was pretty light partially because I'm still not really sure what non-maternity items will work for pregnancy (I obviously will get some maternity clothes but would prefer not to buy a ton!) and because I actually spent a lot of my time shopping for maternity jeans! I know some people hold off on that purchase and go as long as they can in their regular pants, but as a woman who holds most of her weight in her belly already I was ready to hop into the maternity jeans basically as soon as possible! Of course I've hated basically every pair I've tried on - all of the rises are too high on me plus barely any retailers seem to make long lengths (but why?!?) but once I hit on some good ones I'll let you know. I currently have an order that was supposed to be delivered last Monday (yes, as in a week and a half ago) floating around somewhere with FedEx.

But anyway, back to the dress! This shift dress is so cute, and definitely bump friendly. I don't usually like such high necklines on me, but I think the sheer sleeves help to balance it out and not make me feel so covered. It also de-emphasizes my chest which helps the high neckline work. I love the length too - it hits me just above the knee, which feels appropriate for work but still short enough to wear on the weekend. I am 5'9" though and get most of my height from my legs, so it might be a bit longer on you.

In case you're new around here, my legs are amazingly long - I wear the same inseam as Jeff who is 6'3"!! Funny story - when my brother Pat came back from his first year in South Korea wearing skinny jeans and all kinds of fun trendy styles, a pair of my jeans went missing. I was poor and unemployed at the time and literally only had two pairs of jeans, so that was a big problem. Yep, you guessed it - they were in my brother's closet. He, "thought they were a little tight," but 100% thought they were his.

So, all of that was to say, if I can manage to find a dress that isn't too short on me, I'm a very happy camper.

Dress and Sandals - Ann Taylor / Bag - Tory Burch / Earrings (similar here and here) - J.Crew

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And A Baby Makes Three!!

That's right, we're expecting!! Baby Barry is due at the end of February! We are so freaking excited, I've been dying to share the news with all of you!!

Could you tell? I feel like I can always guess when other bloggers are pregnant. I've been trying to throw you off the scent since we found out in June by posting pictures of me with Jeff's drinks, but I'm juuuuuuust starting to show so I can't really keep it a secret any more ;)

To answer some of your questions...

- The baby's due date is February 23rd, which yes, is two days before my birthday! Based on my interneting I think my due date is a little early though, so I'm guessing this baby won't show up until March. That makes me currently 16 weeks along!

- We don't know yet if we're having a girl or a boy, but we plan to find out at the 20 week ultrasound. It's coming up fast! We're thinking we'll ask the technician to write it down for us so that we can find out later together.

- I felt fine for most of the first trimester with the exception of getting tired really early, but started dealing with a lot of nausea and food aversions around week 11. I actually completely stopped eating meat for a few weeks there, I couldn't even look at it! But I'm mostly back to normal now and feeling good with the exception of motion sickness, which has gotten amazingly bad both in cars and on public transit. I've consequently been spending a lot of time in our neighborhood lately ;)

- I actually haven't gained any weight yet, but I was up a few pounds from all of our trips at the beginning of the summer so I'm attributing the lack of weight gain to that. My belly has definitely started to get bigger over the last week or two though - the bump is real!

- I haven't really had cravings, but I have been eating a lot more carbs - partially due to the nausea and couple weeks of vegetarian life!

- I was suspicious that I might be pregnant during one of my trips to San Francisco, and ended up making Jeff stop to buy a test on our drive into Napa on our anniversary trip. So all of those pictures of wine were Jeff's glasses!

After I stopped crying haha - do we look excited or what??

Like half an hour after we found out - cheers-ing Jeff with a big old glass of Sprite! 

Anyway, like I said we are so freaking excited!! For now I'm thinking this little space on the internets will stay the same (although probably with less frequent posts) but I'll probably start introducing some maternity / baby content in as we go along. Let me know what kinds of stuff you want to see!

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I See Your Fall Colors

Dress (super similar here) - Gap / Jacket - J.Crew Factory / Sandals (similar here - these are the comfiest sandals I own and have lasted for years!!) - Michael Kors / Bag (similar) - Coach Factory / Necklace (similar here and here) - Madewell 

It's happening. 

I've decided. It's fall. 

Now I know the calendar doesn't quite agree yet, but with temps dipping into the low 60s in Chicago over the weekend, I'm calling it. Put away your summer colors and bring on the earth tones and plaids! 

Of course, I paired my favorite comfy earth tone dress with a pink purse, which might contradict what I said above, but you know, I'm going with it. 

In case you're wondering how to dress for fall when it doesn't quite feel like fall, just pick a fall color or pattern in a nice light fabric. This dress is easy breezy and light enough for the warmest fall day, but still fits into that fall feeling. Win win win.

So tell me, are you on the fall train yet, or are you holding off a few more weeks? 

Dress (super similar here) - Gap / Jacket - J.Crew Factory / Sandals (similar here - these are the comfiest sandals I own and have lasted for years!!) - Michael Kors / Bag (similar) - Coach Factory / Necklace (similar here and here) - Madewell 

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