Tie front tee: Madewell via Nordstrom–comes in black, white, and greyish/blue, too!  Chunky knit cardigan: Free People via Nordstrom (also comes in purple) Jeans: Levi’s–similar here and here! Leopard loafers: Sam Edelman (Come on so many colors/patterns, but I think I also need the classic black, too!) The Sam Edelman loafer mules are also great! Bag: Rebecca Minkoff ‘love’ bag (very similar here, but in larger size) Her mini “MAC” bag also comes in the same olive suede and gold combo! I’m also obsessed with this suede equestrian style bag in “mustard”–less than $50!, Sunglasses: Old but I love this version (under $50!) and this version!

Happy Tuesday!

How is your week going so far?

I went to bed on Sunday night with a little cough that somehow progressed into a terrible one through out Sunday night, so I took Monday morning off to get a little more sleep. (Thus, why this post didn’t go up yesterday :-P) So many of you guys told me about a great trick: mixing lemon and honey together and taking a spoonful several times per day, and it definitely helps–thank you!

Luckily I don’t have any other symptoms other than coughing, so I’m wondering if maybe it’s allergies? Who knows. It’s that time of year, I suppose!

This past weekend was such a busy one–we hung out with Mitch and Kelly on Friday night (apologies to those who viewed THOSE instagram stories. Goodness. We get a little carried away sometimes when the four of us are together with wine involved :-P) Saturday morning we celebrated Blair at her baby shower, and Saturday night our best friends Melissa and Tyler had their engagement party.

She asked me to be a bridesmaid with the best card I’ve ever seen. (We are all huge Harry Potter nerds). The card read, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. I will need help managing my mischief. Will you be my bridesmaid?” AMAZING. And obviously I said yes! They are getting married next year on the same weekend as our one-year anniversary, so it will be an extra special occasion!

Sunday, Neal’s cousin, Kate, had her bridal shower in Lincoln Park, so it was so fun to celebrate another bride in the family and see everyone on his mom’s side post-wedding!

SO. Now that we are all caught up–let’s talk about some fall staples, shall we?

The Tie-Front Tee for Fall:

Now, if you’re living in the Midwest, you’re probably still dehydrated from this shocking heatwave we’ve been experiencing over the past week or so. The good news–things are looking up–it looks like it will start feeling like Fall later on this week–haha! THAT is when you can refer to this look–one of my favorite cute fall outfits 😉

That being said, the reason I love this t-shirt is because it’s a fall color, but you can wear it with jean shorts if necessary on those “Indian Summer” days, and when it starts to get chilly (you know, feel like REAL fall), you can layer on a sweater or jacket, jeans, and loafers or booties!

I don’t own anything this color–it’s almost like a fall version of salmon or coral, it’s so pretty and looks good on all skin tones! Plus, the little tie detail on the front makes it so much more fun and versatile than just a regular old t-shirt.

Suede Crossbody

I know I talk about not owning a surplus of bags–really, I wear about 4-5 different bags year-round. I just don’t see the need to own so many! This bag is the newest addition to my collection and I really, truly love it. I have never owned a lot of olive green so I wasn’t sure if I would truly get a lot of wear out of it, but the color pairs with everything and the gold chain makes it so beautiful, timeless, and dresses up what I would normally consider to be a more casual color. It’s the Rebecca Minkoff small “Love” bag–I can’t find it in this exact version anymore, but the larger version is very similar and would be better suited for those who prefer to carry a bit more around with them! Linking some other favorite fall bags below:

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Chunky Cardigan

Next up: this chunky cardigan. I mean. Holy cow. There are no words for how comfy this thing is. You know your favorite Pottery Barn chunky knit blanket that you can’t watch Netflix without? Someone at Free People got ahold of it and made it into a cardigan. It is AMAZING. I promise, you won’t go a day without throwing it on in the coming months. It’s great to keep on your chair at work and even better to pull on to walk to brunch on a cool Saturday morning. I also love this version, also made by Free People.

Leopard Loafers

These leopard loafers are quickly becoming one of my favorite buys of the entire fall season, for several reasons. First, and most obvious–they’re absolutely adorable. They details of the gold bit paired with calf hair and leopard pattern make them a versatile staple that adds such a fun punch to a basic outfit.

Now, the not so obvious part–they are so incredibly comfortable. They are as soft as butter, and didn’t rub me anywhere, even the first time I wore them! This is incredibly rare with a pair of loafers, as you probably know–I’ve been wearing them around the house as slippers when my feet get cold! (Neal LOVES to blast the AC, which causes me to layer up like the old woman that I truly I am inside.) If loafers aren’t your think, they also have leopard print ballet flats that accomplish the same, but are a different look! And on the flip side, if leopard isn’t your think, Nordstrom has a TON of loafers right now in several different colors. Shop my favorites below:

Classic Levi jeans:

Finally, you’ve seen these jeans quite a bit on the blog–my old standby Levi’s. I can’t say enough good things about Levi’s jeans. They’re classic and will never go out of style–they’re comfortable and reasonably priced. I love rolling them or cuffing them at the hem, and they look equally cute with booties or sneakers, too. (You can see ’em styled here and here, too!) Mine are technically the “721” jeans, but I haven’t found this specific wash online lately. This version and this version are nearly identical to the one’s I’m wearing here though! I also own the “wedgie” jeans and love them equally as much! If you prefer medium-rise, try the 711’s! 

I often get a lot of questions on the best place to shop for fall essentials, and Nordstrom is one of my best go-to’s! They have a ton of variety in terms of both styles as well as price points. Tons of sweaters, versatile tops, denim, dresses, and of course, all of the shoes! I also love that they carry items from other favorite stores like Madewell and Free People (as you can see here!) and J.Crew. They have fast, free shipping and returns are always free, too! 

Created in partnership with Nordstrom, one of my favorite retailers! 

What are your favorite cute fall outfits? I’d love to hear them!

Photos by Cassandra Eldridge