Floppy Cheetah Hat

This is what I wore to my yearly health screening for work. You know, just your typical everyday giant floppy Cheetah hat...

I saw this hat on Instagram and wrestled with the actual need to purchase something as ridiculous/amazing as this hat is. In the end I just couldn't put it out of my mind so I bit the bullet and now the floppy friend is all mine.

Blouse: Forever 21

Pants: Nordstrom

Booties: Vince Camuto

Bag: Phillip Lim for Target (sold out but available here on eBay)

Cape: eBay

Bracelet: Kate Spade (bridesmaid gift from Amy!)

Stole: Boohoo

Hat: Elysian

15 Pieces

Sporty things, girly things and full skirts seem to be what's on my mind lately. I might have a little bit of olympic fever especially with this North Face hoodie I'm obsessed with! Plan to see it around a Workout Wednesday post near you soon! Until then, enjoy this week's roundup of my favorite 15 pieces!

Workout Wednesday

Thank you to everyone who gave feedback on last weeks Workout Wednesday post. Since you guys are game, so am I! Here's installment number two!

Here is a workout look I wore to my Bar Method class. Wearing layers to workout in was an adjustment for me from my normal less-clothes-the-better hot yoga outfits. With Bar Method I barely sweat at all. This is one of the things I love about this class because my naturally curly hair doesn't get ruined and I can still go out in public after a workout without looking like a drowned rat!

Since joining Bar Method I've had to invest in alot more long sleeve layers to wear to classes. I tried on this great white half zip hoodie at Lululemon but thought I could probably find something pretty comparable at TJ Maxx or Marshalls since it was just plain white. If you don't know already those two places are great for workout clothes under $30! 

As a rule of thumb at Lululemon, I will only splurge on a great colored piece or some super basic black leggings I'll wear forever . But for just a plain white hoodie, I couldn't justify the $98 price tag. 

Sure enough this micro fleece lined half-zip hoodie was found at TJ Maxx for just $19 and looks pretty darn similar to the Lulu one don't you think?  

Shoes; Nike "Victoria" (love these similar ones)

Leggings: Lululemon (old but same style here and similar here)

Blue tank: Lululemon

Hoodie: TJ Maxx

Hat: J. Crew

Hair tie on wrist: Anthropologie

Shop the look here!

Sparkle and Sophistication Giveaway!

Tassles are pretty great, aren't they? They add just the right amount of fun to our favorite handbags and even some of our key rings. So why not wear a tassel around your neck? Especially one as gorgeous as this?! 

That is just what Nusrat, the lovely jewelry designer over at Sparkle and Sophistication, did. 

Together, we collaborated to create this "Hot Pink Style" necklace that brings together some interesting design features like a rose gold chain paired with a luxurious pale pink (real) leather tassel. You know I love the pink, plus I always have such a hard time finding good rose gold pieces so I loved the way they looked together.

Pick your favorite color over at her shop! She really is just the sweetest and she will work with you to make the perfect length, color and design you are hoping for.

I got so many compliments on this necklace and I know you will too. 

Want one now? Get your own with a special discount for my readers of $5 off your order with code HOTPINK.

Feeling lucky? Enter the giveaway below for your very own Hot Pink Style necklace! 

Necklace: Sparkle and Sophistication "Hot Pink Style" necklace
Coat: Forever 21 (can't find online but I got it in the store about a week ago)

Sweater: Forever 21 (on sale now for $15.99! Mine is a small for reference.)

Jeans: Zara
Lips: Mac "Up the Amp"

Boots: DSW (see these and similar options here)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Foxy

A few things to bring up when it come to this outfit. First and foremost is this faux-fox-fur stole that I got as a Christmas gift from my friend Amy. 

I was so surprised: it was like she read my mind and knew that I wanted one of these. But then she informed me that the idea came from one of my very own 15 pieces posts. Ha! No wonder I liked it so much; I picked it out myself.

Next, I wore this sweater for our holiday sweater day at work and also on Christmas, which is what you see here (yes, I know that means these pics are over a month old). And don't you worry about me wearing these heels in the slippery snow. Once we returned to the car I immediately changed right back into my snow boots! They served their purpose, which I'm not afraid to admit, is to pretty much be used for blog photos only. 

Jeans: Zara (similar)

Heels: Zara (similar at a more walkable heel height)

Cape: eBay

Purse: Target

Sweater: Old Navy

Stole: Boohoo

Here are some less "Holiday sweater" Fair Isle sweater options.

15 Pieces

There are so many things I want to share with you shopping wise, but my best advice would be to get out there NOW! So far I have purchased some amazing finds (I'm talking in the under-3-dollar range) at Gap and JC Penny.

I'm hoping to dig through some more boutiques as well as hit up the Bloomingdales and Saks sale sections this weekend! January is the best month for sales, and if you don't believe me go check it out for yourselves. You've been warned!

PS. those store links above take you right into the heart of the sale! Straight to the danger zone! You know you want to look...

Joe Fresh Plaid Pants

I knew when I went on the quest to make these plaid pants mine that they were pretty great. What my husband didn't anticipate was that people on the street would feel the same. Literally 10 steps out the door on our way to take pictures, as if she was paid to say it, a woman stops me to tell me how much she loves my pants and shoes. 

And this is why he never questions my fashion advice.

My Zara cable knit sweater reminds me of this Coach one I fell in love with back at the Coach Michigan Ave. party. It was then going for nearly $700! It's on sale for $248 so my find being $40 Zara one is a steal!

Pants: Joe Fresh

Heels: Zara (on sale for $19.00)

Sweater: (another Zara sale score for $39)

Necklace: Charming Charlie

Cape: eBay (more available)

Here are a few cable knit sweaters for you to shop!

Workout Wednesday

I know you are used to seeing me in all my work-appropriate teacher looks. But today, I thought it would be nice to share another part of my fashion life with my readers. 

Working out is a huge part of my life, and I'm usually in looks like you see below six days a week. And of course, I try to make sure that my workout clothes are just as cute as my daytime clothes. 

So today, I thought it would be fun to try to capture some of those looks to share on the blog, pre-drenched-in-sweat of course!

I love to try out new classes and make new friends in the Chicago fitness scene. I've had such great experiences with so many of my workouts in Chicago.  I met my lady loves that we all call the "yoga lobas" whom I met a few years back during Hot Yoga Sculpt classes.

As some of you may know from past blog collaborations, I am a huge WERQ Dance Fitness fan! I love the fun and energetic teachers that just force you to smile through the sweat and squats!

Most recently I've added in Bar Method classes. These are especially addicting with their 21-classes-in-30-days challenge - going on now - where full-grown adults get to fill in a sticker chart for each completed class! 

I also love being a healthy-living role model for my students, both in my own example and by serving as coach for my school's division of Girls on the Run in the spring.

Would you be interested in seeing more from my fitness and health ideas here on Hot Pink Style? Feedback welcomed in the comments below - I'd love to know!

Jacket: Lululemon (similar)

Leggings: Ellie

Shoes: Nike "Victoria" (really cool pair here)

Socks: Forever 21

Layered Up

This look included so many layers, even I might not know how many I'm wearing. All I know is that I really wanted to wear some patterns and of course stay warm. Mission accomplished on both counts.

Blazer: Banana Republic (similar)

Skirt: J. Crew Factory

Tights (similar) and blouse (affordable option): Forever 21

Wrap coat: Zara (old but check out this pretty printed version here)

Necklace: J. Crew (super similar Accessory Mercado option here)

Here are some other graphic-printed skirts to shop through!

Yellow Silk and Houndstooth Plaid

I've mentioned before that yellow is my second favorite color, which explains why my house is painted bright yellow... and of course pink. It also explains why I needed to round out my silk blouse collection with this yellow beauty.

These Joe Fresh blouses are my favorite simply because they make a great substitution for the Equipment version that I can't afford (although there is this amazing navy one covered in tiny stars and Eiffel towers at Roam Boutique right now in old town on mega sale)! I am a huge promoter of the silk blouse and have even convinced a few of my "business attire" personal shopping clients to fill their closet with a few colors/patterns of these silk shirts. I haven't heard a complaint yet!

SALE ALERT: Over the weekend we stopped into JC Penney on the way home from Wisconsin where I found the above-mentioned Joe Fresh Silk shirts in black, pink, kelly green, and cream for $8 on clearance! Isn't that insane! And while we are on the topic of Joe Fresh sales, I also found their solid colored sweaters for, I kid you not, $3! Of course I bought two of them! A kelly green and a black! Unreal clearance deals. I highly advise you to stop in.

Skirt: JC Penney (similar on sale here)

Blouse: Joe Fresh

Necklace: Forever 21

Belt: J. Crew

Tights: DKNY (similar)

Booties: Vince Camuto

Sunglasses: Target (old)

Shop the look right here!