‘Fashion’ Category

30 August 2010

Emmy fashion recap!

By: Jessica B.

Oh boy! It’s time for award season and that means it’s time for another “witty” fashion recap by yours truly!

I can tell you’re all excited :)

Yes, I watched the Emmys last night, picked my high and low points and scoured the red carpet for the best and worst dressed.

So less talking, more photos and recap, let’s go!

Best dressed:

Flawless from head to toe. Loved all the navy on the red carpet!

Also flawless. The black belt really adds sophistication

Classically dress men. Hot and hotter, hello!

Simple, elegant and age appropriate. Well done!

Yes, the dress is a little frumpy but she had a baby 3 weeks ago and she looks awesome

I swear it’s not an all-Glee fashion recap but I love this look with her red hair and jewelry. So fun

Not so best dressed:

I don’t mind the black & white combo but the top just looks messy

I love her curves but the color of this dress makes it unflattering outside of the boobs

Bold, but it’s just a bit too…much. And the sourpuss look isn’t selling it either

I love Alexander McQueen but there is just too much metal on the chest, not a fan

I actually don’t hate the dress or Mindy but I do hate that hair and how it drags down the look

Show high and low points:

Highs:

  • Glee/Jimmy Fallon opener – I’m a huge fan of the 6-Bee segment on Jimmy’s show so to merge it with Glee, that’s like a musical joygasm. It was funny, entertaining and creative, minus the Kate Gosselin cameo. Check it out here
  • Intro montages – The bits with the writers and directors answering questions in video responses was pretty hilarious. Of noteworthy mention: Tina Fey and Ryan Murphy
  • Modern Family – I love this show and I was so excited to see it win for Best Comedy and Supporting Actor categories. Very well deserved
  • Jane Lynch – She is truly awful as Sue but I love that she won, and gave big love to Chicago!

Lows:

  • No love for LOST – Yes, Mad Men is amazing, but the LOST finale was really wonderful, so I hoped it would get more love
  • FNL loss -Yeah, I’m obsessed with this show, I was also disappointed this went away empty handed after a so deserving nomination
  • Tweet the presenters – Leading up to the Emmys, NBC was promoting that Twitter users could send in tweets about certain presenters that will be read on screen. Yes, I entered, but was disappointed to see during the show only two presenters had tweets read as the intro. Sure, things change, but don’t promote it if you can’t back it up

What about you? Did you watch the show? What were your favorite parts or best/worst dressed?

15 August 2010

Weekend recap: Bubbles, books and new hair obsession

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Fashion, Food, Friends

Happy Sunday everyone! Tomorrow is a week before until my birthday and I’ve moved more into the dreading and nerves category of the birthday countdown. However, I did get one of my gifts this weekend that I mentioned in Friday’s post :) I won’t share everything until it’s all here but I’m SUPER excited!!!

Anyhow, this weekend was a busy and fun one. Friday I went out with a friend and bar crawled around the Loop. It was an impromptu crawl that had one goal: Patron.

Yes, I have never had Patron tequila, likely because I don’t really care for tequila unless it’s in a margarita. Let’s just say…the taste brings up bad memories. But my friend, who loves it, told me it tastes like liquid gold. So with an endorsement like that, I HAD to try it. And at $10/shot, it better also cure any germs I have in my body too.

So I tried it, lost my Patron virginity, and immediately chased it with Oberon beer. I can’t be classy ALL the time.

I don’t know if it’s real liquid gold but I will say, it was tasty. Here comes trouble!

Then Saturday, Jamie and Stacey invited me to a book club-themed Nintendo DS party at Pops for Champagne downtown. If I could live there, I would.

Look at the deliciousness we got to indulge in while discussing Pride & Prejudice?

That was some of the best cheese ever.

I also got to catch up with a ton of my Chicago bloggy peeps who I really don’t see regularly enough. And, WG2 and I tried to peer pressure Nic into reading Twilight and the Hunger Games series. I am a teen fiction pusher, I love that stuff.

Finally, I got my pre-birthday hair cut/color and I have a crush on a new hair product: Moroccan Oil. My stylist used it on me to add some shine and strengthen my hair. Color really damages your hair if you don’t take care of it.

I was a little skeptical of it at first, but now I’m really loving it and cannot stop touching my hair. It’s so soft and when the sun hits it, I swear you could land a plane because of the shine. I love it. But it’s a little pricy ($42 for 3.4 ounces) so I’ll have to hold off in buying it for now. I love girly stuff but I just cannot stand spending a lot of money on hair products. Sure, I use Bumble & Bumble shampoo but it lasts for a year, so I’m not rebuying it all the time. I spend a ton on make up, clothing and accessories but my hair is regulated to the drug store aisle. That’s just me.

Oh and since I never change up my haircut, you can see pictures of what it looks like from past ones I put on Flickr here and here.

How was everyone else’s weekend? Do you spend a lot on haircare products? Or are you a big tequila drinker or cheese addict?

01 August 2010

Weekend recap: Shopping, Sprinkles and some amazing duck

By: Jessica B.

Happy Sunday everyone! I’m in the process of enjoying the most amazing leftovers ever so forgive me if I actually drool from joy on my keyboard. But I’ll get to that.

I’ve mentioned before that Nordstrom is my happy place, especially during sale time. So before the Anniversary Sale ended this weekend, my friend Liz and I went to check it out one more time…and I was a bad girl.

Being practical, I got a gorgeous deep purple cardigan and a pearl/gold necklace. Be honest, is the necklace too granny? I saw it in the older adult section on a model and now that’s all I can think about.

Being impractical, I found these adorable fingerless long gloves (cashmere, woo!) for fall and a matching cowl scarf. I cannot wait to wear them!

I fully intend on rocking the 80s that day, complete with Rick Springfield, WHAM and a little Tiffany. If only there were matching legwarmers!

And then I flashed back to another practical purchase I made with TC at the sale last weekend. I found this sweater in the teen section (I have no idea how this could fit me).

No joke, the teen section clothing is not very flattering in the boob area…for obvious reasons

Then some co-workers and I met up Saturday for lunch at Sun Wah BBQ in Uptown, where you can get peking duck and pig and it’s done with tableside presentation. Oh my god this food was incredible. Look at the ducks we got!

Yeah, I had a moment where I felt guilty eating them, but I got over it as soon as I tasted the deliciousness.

Add in some fried rice, bok choy, broccoli, homemade bao, plum sauce and noodles and it was a feast in every since. I needed a nap after.

Finally, after a nice workout today, I decided to hit up Sprinkles Cupcakes downtown because the curiosity to try it was killing me. And when I got there, I was shocked to see a line outside the door and almost wrapped around the block. So after a long wait, I got two cupcakes to bring home and a frosting shot. I’ll likely be awake until I have to go to work tomorrow. But in all seriousness, yeah, Sprinkles Cupcakes are really good. I won’t lie.

How was everyone else’s weekend?

29 July 2010

My latest obsessions

By: Jessica B.

Yes, I wanted to channel Usher and Nora with a post dedicated to “confessions,” but sadly, I have nothing worthwhile  or remotely interesting to confess (right now) so I’m focusing on something more healthy, like things I can’t get enough of.

I have an addictive personality and I can get fixated on stuff and then I cannot stop gushing about it. No, that is not meant to sound creepy OR stalkerish.

Let’s take a closer look at what I’m currently obsessed with:

  • Longchamp Le Pilage tote – I have this in the medium and large size and LOVE IT. I had to replace my medium one lately because I literally wore it out after three years. They are perfect for travel and everyday
  • Red wine – Yes, Napa has made me fall in love with it. I have started enjoying a glass more regularly at dinner (on the weekends for now) and it’s just so…yummy
  • Kiehl’s Acai Berry Cleanser - This was an impulse buy and I love it. The foam feels like kisses on your face. KISSES
  • Bethenny Getting Married – I love this show, so much that I will rewatch reruns! I would love to go get coffee with her one day, I think we would both have a good laugh
  • Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer – I wore this to Pitchfork in 90+ degree weather and it didn’t run down my face while sweating. Obsessed!
  • Homemade pizza – I made one this weekend with Mexican Jack cheese, ricotta and sweet onions. OMG it was SO unhealthy but delicious. Isn’t that how it always works?
  • Ice cream – Yep, still obsessed with this one. I have a tub of French Silk ice cream in my fridge and I have no idea how I will be able to resist it
  • Red velvet cupcakes - My coworker brought some in from Sugar Bliss today and I immediately dove for one of the two available Red Velvets. Yes, I love them that much

Yes, clearly I always have skincare, makeup, food and TV on the brain. That’s normal right?

What are you loving lately? Any big weekend plans?

Movie review: That’s right, another one. This time I’m keeping it lighter with Despicable Me!

13 June 2010

Weekend recap: Pretty wine labels, spring haircut and Blackhawks parade

By: Jessica B.

Happy Sunday everyone! Lots to share today and fortunately, I’m not hung over anymore so I can think coherently and upload lots of photos for everyone :)

Spring haircut

I love my long hair but in the summer, it’s kind of  a pain. It morphs into a frizz ball in humidity and feels like an animal laying on my neck/shoulders in the heat.

So when I got my hair cut this weekend, I was bold and went a bit shorter than normal. I do love it but I’m having a hard time adjusting. I just have to keep chanting “it’s only hair, it will grow back…..”

You may not notice a difference but I’m nitpicking on it right now

Pretty wine labels

No joke, when I look for wine, I usually buy what looks the cutest. I know what types of wine I like but when I have to narrow it down, the label can easily sway me.

So to celebrate pretty wine labels, several awesome, hilarious Chicago blogger ladies got together again to indulge in cupcakes, snacks and, well lots of wine. Seriously, lots of wine.

Last year it got pretty of control (in an awesome way) and this year was no different, including wine shots, dancing to 1990s music and screaming along to it. It was epically fun. My modesty will not allow me to post some of the things we talked about (or witty comments I made) but for me, the best part of the night was talking on hostess’ porch with the gals, laughing, screaming, drinking wine and eating custom cupcakes, check these out:

And then it turned into a dance party. I don’t remember a lot from the later parts of the night but I do vaguely remember faux riding a pony to Ginuine, doing the Single Ladies dance and making a horrified face with TC when someone halted the audio on Lady Gaga/Beyonce’s Telephone mid-song.

Oh and I woke up this morning with a massive headache and spent most of the day on the couch or in bed. I am a baller.

Hawks on parade

Finally, in case you didn’t know, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. I’m not a hockey fan but it as really exciting to watch and see the city completely come together and celebrate. And what better way than with beer a ticker tape parade downtown!

Here are a few photos and more are on my Flickr page too but I will just say, it was INSANE. The fans filling downtown and Michigan Avenue was unbelievable. I had Obama rally flashbacks and couldn’t believe how many people were there. Amazing. Another reason why I love this city.

Crowd at 8:30 a.m. (Rally began at this spot at 11:30)

The Cup was in the last bus and behind the cops are PEOPLE following the parade

How was everyone else’s weekend?