I Heart Chicago

The weekend before Christmas my mom and I took our annual Mother-daughter-trip. This year we decided to go to Chicago. She spend a week with me in Michigan (since I still had to work) and then we took a train to Chicago :) I fell in love with that city!! Chicago is magical during the holidays!!! There are Christmas lights everywhere and I took pictures with at least 5 Christmas trees (a new personal record!)

The outfits I planned for my Chicago trip had to be practical, yet stylish...also they had to be very warm :) Layer and accessories were the key for dressing that weekend.

Thursday

Meeting, work, and trying to stay warm...fur vest was a must! :)

Beautiful downtown Lansing :)

Dress (Similar here) // Tights (Exact here) // Vest (Similar here) // Belt (Similar here) 

Friday

Early train ride and our first full day in Chicago, I decided on a button up layered under this wonderful J.Crew reindeer sweater! 

Monogrammed Necklace (Similar here) // Statement Necklace (Similar here) // 

Bracelet (Similar here)

Plaid Button up (Similar here) // Sweater (Exact here) // Jeans (Exact here) // Boots (Similar here)

Necklace (Similar here)

Saturday

Day two of our Chicago trip, it was one of the coldest days of the weekend so I opted for a red turtle neck J.Crew sweater and leggings.

Ready to tackle Day two in Chicago!!

Necklace (Similar here)

Sweater (Exact here) // Leggings (Exact here) // Boots (Similar here)

My mom and I at Willis Tower :)

Sunday

Our last day in Chicago and a train ride back to Michigan! Sunday was the warmest (warm is a relative term since it was high 40 degrees) day of the weekend so i was able to wear a lighter sweater and a vest. Mixing patterns and a statement necklace made the outfit.

Shirt (Exact here) // Vest (Similar here) // Leggings (Same as above) //

Boots (Same as above) 

I love this vest so much! It's one of my wardrobe staples 

My new coat! It will help me keep warm during the Michigan winter

Coat (Exact here but different color)

Monday

Traveling back home to be with my family for the holidays!!! :) Wearing a cat sweater!! I might now be very fond of cats as pets but i sure love cat sweaters!!

Cat Sweater (Similar here) // Coat (Similar here)

The people on my flights probably thought I was a crazy cat lady! hahaha!

More of Chicago...

The Bean

Mom and I wearing matching blanket scarfs :)

The Palmer House

The Water Tower

With Harry Carey :)

The start of the Magnificent Mile

By Wrigley Field

One of my favorite Christmas Trees outside of the Cheesecake Factory :)

Love, Isabel

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Christmas is my one of my favorite holidays (it is tied with thanksgiving)....This year i had an amazing Christmas, i got to spend the day with my family and fiance :) I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Every Christmas eve we have a big family dinner, then we open the presents that we got one another. On Christmas day we usually go to my fiancé's parents house but this year he had to work so we will be celebrating Christmas with them on new years day!

Ever since I can remember I have been wearing red on Christmas eve, either a red piece of clothing or a red accessory. This year I opted for a red blouse, leather leggings and lace pumps (that I just bought in Chicago, more on that trip later)

Christmas eve:

....'I got that classic red lip thing that you like'....I'm so obsessed with TSwift's new song style, of course i had to quote it ;)

Fiance and BC my dog, everybody got into the Christmas Spirit :)

 Shirt (Exact here) // Leather Leggings (Similar here) // Lace Pumps (Similar here and here)

Shoes so pretty they deserve their own picture ;)

My parents are so cute!!! My beautiful mother that is where I get my sense of style from. My wonderful dad, that is where i get my smile and wonderful sense of humor from :)

Somebody didn't want to take pictures, he just wanted to play with his new toy.

Finally got a nice picture with him...but he wasn't too happy I took his new toy aka christmas present away hahaha!! One of the best gifts I got that night...my Pit bull love picture from my fiancé :)

Two of my favorite boys...my finance and my little brother :)

Don't be fooled he only wore his Christmas sweater for about 10 minutes hahahaha

SO HAPPY!

The perfect Christmas <3

Family <3 (Again somebody wasn't in the mood to take pictures! Hahaha!)

Christmas Day:

Most of my Christmas day was spend in PJs eating leftovers (don't judge me is the holidays!) When my fiancé got off work we decided to keep the Pipes family tradition and go to the movies on Christmas day. We went to watch the hobbit!! I highly recommend it, it was a fantastic movie :)

Christmas Day calls for a Christmas sweater!!!

Meowy Christmas!!! hahahaha (get it? because cat sweater)

Boots (Similar here) // Sweater (Similar here) // Jeans (Exact here)

My Kendra Scott earrings my sisters got me :)
(Exact here)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my family to yours!!! :)

Love, Isabel

Holiday Gift Guide - Bridal Edition

My beautiful ring!! I love it so much my fiance did a wonderful job!!! :)

The past couple of days I have seen a lot of gift guides, so of course I decide to write my own. This gift guide is going to be a little bit different, it is a gift guide focused on gifts for soon to be brides! I am really enjoying my engagement, the wedding planning can be a little bit stressful at times but with the right guy by your side it will be nothing but pure fun and excitement ;)

Every item in the following guide is something I really like or already have. They are cute little details that will make the bride smile :)

For the bride-to-be:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

1. The perfect mug for your morning coffee!!! I have gotten a lot of compliments on mine :) The etsy shop that makes these mugs also has a lot of other mugs with cute sayings (Simply Made Greetings Etsy shop)

2. He liked it so he put a ring on it.....This is the perfect sweater to channel your inner FEYONCE! (get it haha!!) My fiance really loves this sweater, he thinks it is hilarious!! The best part? It is on sale right now :) This etsy shop has some cute Christmas sweaters as well! (Owlthesassyouneed)

My Handsome Fiance and I :)

 

3.  This shirt is so adorable!!! It can be the perfect tank top for the morning of the wedding while you're getting ready :)

4. Kate Spade....Enough said :)

5. A monogram makes everything better!!! Give the bride-to-be something monogrammed with her new initials, she will love it :) I ordered some monogrammed items from Marley Lilly on Black Friday! I can't wait to start wearing them once they get delivered :)

6. I really want this shirt for engagement pictures. This shirt and a tulle skirt....ADORABLE!!!! :) This website also has a big variety of "wifey" items, and they are all super cute!! (ILY Couture)


I hope this can be helpful for all of your holiday shopping ahead!! Happy Holidays :)

Love, Isabel

All I want for Christmas is a 5 day weekend

Oh Monday....

As I sit here at the airport after being told that my 7am flight was delayed by 4 hrs, I can't help but think that it is somehow Monday's fault hahaha! I really dislike you right now Monday I could've gotten an extra 4 hrs of sleep (waking up at 8am sounds way better than waking up at 4am) I guess looking on the positive side I'll get to catch up on the blog and of course with some work :)

Lately it feels like the weekends have been going by faster than usual. I don't like it (insert crying face emoji here) I had a great weekend with my family and fiance but it was far too short! Maybe is the running around trying to get christmas presents, or trying to plan a wedding that has made it feel shorter. I need at least 3 extra days in my weekend (can I still ask santa for a 5 day weekend???)

Anyway....enough wining about the weekend and on a more positive note; it feels like fall in Texas again!!!!! :) After a couple of weeks of 75+ weather (in December, I wouldn't complain if it was summer time!) yesterday it was in the low 50s, which made me really happy because I got to break out my sweaters and scarfs again!!!! (not that there isn't an opportunity to do that in Michigan, thank you 20 degree weather)

Yesterday my fiancé and I met with a wedding photographer, I wanted to wear something that was polished yet laid back. I woke up a little later that I would have wanted so it also had to be easy and comfortable, 8am is way to early on a Sunday morning! I decided on some of my favorite staples, a chunky sweater (which by the way I got on sale on friday!), one of my favorite vest, leggings and a blanket scarf. 

Scarf (Exact here) // Sweater (Exact here and Similar here) // Vest (Similar here and here) //

Boots (Similar here) // Leggings (Similar here) // Purse (Exact here)

Monogram Necklace (Similar here)

It is my favorite time of the year...when Starbucks Snowman cookies are back!!!!! :)

Later in the afternoon I helped my family rake the leafs off the yard so we could finish decorating the house for christmas :) I found a leaf that was almost as big as my head, I was way too excited about it...so of course i had to take a picture!!! (I know, I am a dork)

I hope you have a wonderful week!!!! Make the best of each day this week...even if it is a Monday :)

Love, Isabel