SHOP THE LOOK

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Does anyone else get those days when you just are feeling super extra and need to dress for it? I totally get the opposite where you want to be comfortable and lay around in sweats all day while watching Ozark and eating too many pizza rolls, but there are definitely days when I crave dressing up.

When I used to work in investment banking I dressed up so much that I craved a casual outfit more often than not, but since I have the opportunity to dress how I want these days at my current job, I sometimes find myself wanting to go the extra mile and be a little extra if you will!

When I saw this top on Shein’s site, I immediate knew I wanted it and immediately added it to my cart. Red, polka dots, puffy sleeves and a wrap top all combined into a shirt? Yes, please. I will admit it took me a minute to understand how to put it on, but once I did I didn’t want to take it off. It has a very cool girl vibe, but is also feminine and something that you could dress up or down. Just a heads up, it did run a little small, so I would size up in this shirt.

I paired it with a pair of boyfriend jeans for a relaxed, daytime look, but you could pair it with a high waisted skirt and cute flats for a more date night vibe.

Thank you to Shein for the beautiful shirt. It’s brands like yours that make the Creative Brief possible. All opinions are my own.

Happy Friday, y'all! I asked on Instagram if y'all wanted a Mexico trip update on the blog and you did so here it is! As I am typing this I am dreaming of being back there! As I mentioned in my previous post, we were celebrating Kollin finishing his law school career with sitting for the bar exam and 3 long years of post-grad education. We left two days after the bar was over and it was the perfect timing! Since this trip was about Kollin and celebrating his achievements, he got to pick the place! He and I talked about going somewhere that was relaxing and didn't require too much effort on our part once there. 

I have never traveled to Mexico before, but Kollin and his family have many times over so he knew right away that he wanted to use Apple Vacations to plan the trip. His past experiences working with the company have been amazing and I couldn't agree more after our trip. He decided on Mexico, Playa Del Carmen specifically, and started looking for hotels. Since this was only our second vacation together of just the two of us - first was our trip to DC - we knew we wanted to just relax and not be surrounded by a ton of people - queue adults only resort!

We decided on The Iberostar Grand Paraiso resort, which is connected to the larger Iberostar resort (about 4 other resorts in the complex). 

​As soon as we arrived we knew we were in for an amazing 6 days! Everything was so beautiful, the hotel staff was extremely accommodating and thoughtful with everything! We got settled in our room and then headed out for post-travel lunch and beach time. After 2 bowls of guac, fresh seafood and several margaritas, we finally began to sink into getting relaxed (this still includes Kollin rethinking the bar in his head repeatedly, but that disappeared on day 2! 😂). Our suite maid and butler sent the sweetest note to Kollin the day we arrived! 

We spent the rest of the week soaking up some sun, eating a ton and just spending time together. Kollin won’t admit this, but I think the sole reason he picked the resort was because of the free two rounds of golf on their Jack Nicklaus course 😉

it was so cute how excited he was to play that I let playing in the 90+ degree heat and a random thunderstorm slide ha. We had the best time and essentially had the course to ourselves, which was so nice! 

It was our last night in Mexico and we were so not ready to head back to Chicago! We ended our trip with heading to the steakhouse on the resort for dinner. As we were walking we caught the sunset and had an amazing view above the resort to take it all in. 

SHOP THE LOOK

This romper was the perfect touch for an easy, but chic look for dinner and was an airy, relaxing feel for the hot weather. I loved the back detailing and crochet finishes on the seams. I opted for an all white look with my shoes and thought it was a great contrast to my newly acquired tan! 

Dinner was delicious and we spent our last night soaking up the amazing views, gorgeous weather and salty air. While heading back to the room we came across a lone raccoon looking for scraps around the pool and I wish someone caught my reaction on video - I was not excited to see the little guy! Another couple passing by who obviously didn't see the raccoon asked if I was okay lol so embarrassing. But I also styled this once we were back home with a jean jacket and strappy sandals for a different look. It's super versatile and extremely comfortable! Wishing we were back in Mexico, but we'll be enjoying the rest of what’s left of Summer here in Chicago. Have a great week everyone! xx 

Thank you to Shein for the romper, it's brands like yours that make The Creative Brief possible! All opinions are my own.

SHOP THE LOOK

I wish I was still in Mexico writing this, but life must go on in Chicago! Kollin and I took a post bar exam trip to Playa Del Pariso to celebrate all of his hard work these past three years. We had the best time and spent the majority of our time just lounging on the beach and talking, reading, and watching the waves.

I was so excited to get some new beach wear for the trip and when Shein sent me this set I couldn't wait to have a pop of color in my travel looks. The shorts and wrap top are so soft, the perfect length and it was super light weight making it perfect for the humid and hot Mexico weather. And we all know every look is a little better with a tan!

This was the first night we had in Mexico and spent the rest of the night after dinner just walking up and down the beach looking at the sunset. The shorts were also perfect to throw over my swimsuit with a tshirt to go to the pool. They're super versatile and I love the ruffle detail.

Stay tuned for more Mexico updates & outfits! Thanks so much for reading!

Thank you to Shein for the outfit, it's brands like yours that make The Creative Brief possible! All opinions are my own.

Happy weekend! We're only a couple weeks away from being able to say 365 days until our wedding!! This past year of engagement has flown by, but it has also made the planning process so much easier and care free since we have so much time to nail down the details. One thing I was so excited to start looking into was our paper goods - save the dates, invitations, menus, etc. As I was looking at different vendors I found myself either having to stay within the box in terms of their "collections" or either needing to go completely custom. I then received an email from Basic Invite wanting to collaborate and it was the perfect mix of already built templates and customization!

What I loved most about Basic Invite was that I could order custom samples of anything and see exactly what I was getting without having to commit to a full order. Kollin and I designed from a few templates, put our personal touches on them and ordered the samples to see them in person! It was so surreal seeing them in front of us and thinking about people receiving them next year. 

We stuck to the save the dates for most of the samples we ordered given that we will start there, but also included an invitation, some envelope options and even thank you cards.

We loved their foil options, the almost unlimited color options for envelopes and the option to preview your design in real time. One of their new collections is called the clear collection! I thought it was so unique that I had to order a sample and see it for myself. While we probably won't be using this for our actual save the dates, we definitely want to incorporate it into some paper good at the wedding - maybe menus?!

One of the best parts about this service is how fast the samples were made and shipped out to us. We designed, ordered and received everything within a week! Obviously, a full order could take some time longer, but everything was so fast and we were so happy working with the Basic Invite team! Planning a wedding can be so stressful and Basic Invite creates an easy, tangible process for their customers that was so helpful to us in making decisions for paper goods. I can't wait to keep collaborating with them and show you all the final save the dates later this year! 

Be sure to check out their site for any other paper good needs you have like a birthday party, baby/bridal shower, stationery or even their free wedding website service! Use code "15FF51" for 15% off your order!

Thanks so much for reading and have a great weekend!

Thank you to Basic Invite for sponsoring this post, it's brands like yours that make The Creative Brief possible! All opinions are my own.

Happy Sunday, Y'all! I've rounded up my favorites from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale below, including accessories, shoes, home and more! I know every blogger ever is talking about and sharing this sale, so I'll quit typing and let you get to shopping! Just a quick note - the sale is currently only open to cardholders, but opens to the public July 20th! Be sure to check back here for my updates on pieces back in stock! Happy Shopping!

SHOP THE LOOK

Shein Dress | Similar Bag | Shoes | Similar Shoes (on sale!)

Moving from the heart of downtown Chicago to a more neighborhood vibe in Lincoln Park has been such a great change for us! Being right by the lake and the park brings a unique slower-paced touch to our nights now. We're so fortunate to have a great rooftop view and love having a cocktail (or two!) on the rooftop before heading out for date night. I received this Shein dress and was so excited to wear for a date night recently when it was warm during the day and then got a little chillier once the sun went down. The sleeves were perfect for keeping me warmer, but still had a feminine touch. 

I loved this blue color for early summer to brighten up my closet. I have a ton of neutrals and am always looking to add in color in any outfit! The only downfall to this dress is that it's a bit see through so I suggest wearing a slip underneath to make sure you're covered. I paired it with some of my favorite Sam Edelman flats and the always classic black cross body bag. This one looks really similar to my Chanel one and is a great size!

If y'all are in Chicago, let me know you're favorite date night spots! Our current obsession? The Loyalist! Best burger I've ever had and the yummiest cocktails and appetizers. Comment below and tell me where we need to go next! 

SHOP THE LOOK

Shein Blazer | Jeans | Loafers | Bag | Sunglasses

For the past few weeks we've been planning our Fridays around Kollin's bar studying schedule and making use of my Summer Fridays schedule at work! It's been so nice to have a couple hours on Fridays to catch up and have a date night or take a trip to see my family in the burbs. We are in Aurora this weekend to see my family and play some golf. This is a new development for me, but my skills from when my dad had me in lessons at 8 have been coming back! 

Summer Fridays are the perfect excuse to bring the weekend into my work look a little more! This Shein Blazer was the perfect mix of work and weekend wear. A comfortable white t-shirt and ripped jeans create a comfortable and fashionable base and the rose blazer adds a feminine, yet sophisticated vibe for the office. I'm able to be more casual at work so this outfit was an easy go-to for traveling from the office out to the suburbs for dinner with my grandparents!

The blazer is a perfect color for summer, has rouching at the sleeves and adds clean cut lines to any outfit! I'd pair it with shorts and strappy sandals for a more night life vibe and even over a summer dress for Sunday Best. It's super versatile and is on sale for $25! Go grab it and some of my other favorites on my Shein Wishlist for the perfect summer style! Have a great weekend loves!

Hi Loves! It's been a minute since I've shared an update on wedding planning! We're two days away from the year anniversary of when Kollin got down on one knee and asked me the best question ever! When people see my ring or I mention something about my fiancé the next question is always, "when are you getting married?!" 

I follow up by saying September 2019 and there's always a surprised look on their face. "Oh wow, that's a long engagement" or "why are you waiting so long?!" It's a fair question, but it's the one thing (outside of saying yes!) that I'm so glad we decided to do. Our plan was to always get engaged near the end of law school and then married the year following graduation. If Kollin had stuck to that plan (guess he couldn't wait! hehe) then we would've had the "traditional" engagement of about a year and a half. 

The thing that people don't talk about? How expensive, time consuming and exhausting wedding planning is. Not to mention we are so young! My response is always the truth, "we wanted to wait until Kollin graduates law school (which he did in May!!) and passes the bar. Planning a wedding with a fiancé who actually wants to help (it's so cute, y'all) is tough when he is studying 9+ hours every single day for a test that determines the rest of his career! I personally don't think that's fair and also something I don't want deal with! #lawschoolprobs

So, here we are, a year into our engagement and about three things checked off our list! Woo!! In all seriousness, the reasoning behind that is pretty #reallife and comes down to two things: unexpected hiccups & money. 

THE VENUE

About 4 months after we got engaged we found our perfect venue and thought we were so ahead of the game. We didn't sign because #lawyer and we had plenty of time to get the details worked out around vendors and other details that would dictate some of the decisions regarding our venue. During that process, we kept finding reasons that this place wasn't the place. So, 7 months in we were back to square one trying to find a venue from almost 300 miles away.

To be honest with y'all it was pretty crushing to make that decision and it took a lot of wind out of planning process. There is a point when planning turns from giggles, excitement and all the amazing details to the harsh reality of a budget, pleasing people and basically adding a second job to the one you already have. 

But, today we finally booked our venue and I am so excited about it! It's the perfect mix of southern charm, big city glamour and classic elegance. With a huge decision out of the way, Kollin and I finally feel like the smaller, more frequent decisions will be so much easier! 

THE DRESS

Y'alllllllll, I dream about my dress every night! Just like every other wedding detail, finding that dress took time. I went to a total of three stores, one in Louisville and two in Chicago. On the last store, second to last dress I knew I found the one. I didn't think I would get emotional since I had the dress on for a while and there wasn't a single tear. My amazing stylist, Erin, put a veil on me and nope, still no tears. We walked to the front of the store to see the dress in natural light and she said, "is this the one?!" I said, "I think so!" 

She quickly replied, "well I know what will do the trick!" She disappeared for a minute and my mom, Kollin's mom and I were chatting about the dress. Erin came back with a bouquet and said here's a final touch. She handed me the bouquet and I turned to the mirror and immediately started bawling. Like Kim K ugly crying... it was kind of embarrassing honestly haha! I knew this was the dress I was supposed to wear!  

WHAT ELSE?

When I said three things I meant three things! The venue, dress and our photographer is all we have booked! But, after the venue I feel such a big weight lifted because now all the smaller details become so much easier. We know things like theme, color-scheme, bridal party and our church, but it's decisions like menu, tuxes, flowers, decor and stationary that are still on our list of to-do's! Post-Bar in July we will start making moves and I'll have more details to share! Thank you so much for reading! Any brides-to-be, wives, mother of the brides, grooms, etc. please share any advice or questions in the comments! I would appreciate any perspective so much! Have a fabulous weekend, y'all!