Camo and Buffalo Check

Dress: Koo.De.Ker (local Boutique but loving this spring version here!) / Army Jacket (old Urban Outfitters but almost Identical here on sale for $49!) / Bag: Zara (similar here) / Heels: Sole Society (similar here with 3 1/2in heel and here with 2 1/2  which is more my speed // Lips

I have been doing my best to explore our new neighborhood and found this cute little shop in the first week I lived here. I needed a dress for a casual event but my clothes were all still in boxes. Luckily this red buffalo plaid dress from Koodeker saved the day.

I paired it with my favorite red pumps and a red vintage half slip to cover up the slip in the bottom. I love vintage slips and have a whole drawer of them that I've collected over the years. They make everything feel so vintage glam!

This may not be a look I could wear to teach in but I could easily swap out the slip for a pair of leggings and the heels for flats and make this dress perfectly teacher appropriate!

Shop the whole look here.

Navy Pattern Mixing

I wore this outfit to my friend Olivia's surprise Birthday party! I got dressed in such a hurry that I didn't realize till later that my necklace was on completely backwards. Oops! At least it was flashy enough that all the detail distracted you from noticing...that is until I told you! 

And if you haven't checked out the seriously cute Sam and Libby shoe line for Target,  you simply must! I'm loving my new silver oxfords seen here. Check out some of my favorites  from the collection below!

Forever 21 sweater // Target Phillip Lim skirt // Forever 21 coin necklace(similar) // J. Crew Factory (50% off everything right now!!) polka dot tights // Nars "Yu" lip color // Target Sam and Libby oxfords (buy one get one 1/2 off now too)

Pattern Mixing: Black & White

I wore this black and white combo on mismatch day for spirit week at school. Joke's on them because I love a good pattern mixing challenge. Turns out I looked like the least crazy mismatcher in the whole school! 

Skirt: Joe Fresh

Tee: J. Crew

Purse:H&M

Necklace: Sole Society

Watch: La Mer

Heels: Zara

Sunglasses: Target

Trifecta of Pattern Mixing and a Look into the New South Loop H&M

My husband and I went on a movie date night to go see Monsters University at the Icon Theater in South Loop. What made this date just a little bit sweeter was the opening of Chicago's third H&M! This one is way out of place (in my opinion) but really close to my house, so I'm not going to complain.

What I will do however is show you around the location. Scroll down to check it out.

As for what I wore on the date, I managed to pull off a summertime trifecta of pattern mixing in black and white (technically four patterns if you count the purse).

I found these shoes at the Zara sale in New York a few weeks back and struggled to decide weather or not to keep them. Ultimately the comfort of the sturdy wide heel changed my mind. Then I realized I was not the only blogger who had these shoes when I stumbled across this hilarious-to-me tumblr called "Sh*t Bloggers Wear," where I found out I was guilty of owning many of the trendy items listed.

Shoes: Zara wide-heel sandal with ankle strap

Skirt: LOFT Outlet (old)

Polka-dot top: H&M (old as well)

Purse: Sam Edelman (purchased at the Sam Edelman store in Soho)

Necklace: Forever 21

Toe color: "Bond With Whomever" from Essie

Lips: Revlon "Smitten"

 The view from the outside of the new South Loop H&M in the Roosevelt Collection

Women's floor

They have a really nice men's section. Probably the best I've see so far in any H&M, which is good because thats who we went there to shop for, my husband! He got lots of work shirts and shorts for our upcoming trip to Greece! 

This location has a huge kid's section! A major selling point for this location since it's in an apartment/condo building where there are lots of families with children. There is even a park right outside the door! How convenient!

This is the top I went home with.

As you can see, the park is on the right and the entrance is just across the street! I'd be the worst babysitter ever if I had to stare at an H&M all day.

**Right now the parking is still FREE but many signs were posted that it won't be for long, so get over there fast to check it out! Parking never stays free long in Chicago!

Stripes, Polka-dots... and More Stripes

You may remember this sweater from Monday, and these pants from yesterday... and these shoes too. I told you I didn't pack enough bottoms for my trip to San Francisco! I bought these jeans the first day of the trip and wore them two days straight because of the cold weather.

As you can see, I was getting real creative with what was left in my luggage. I had this referee-stripe blouse left clean that I had planned on wearing with some really cool black tuxedo shorts, but it was far too cold. 

The polka-dot jeans with the referee stripes just didn't work but when I put this striped sweater over it, the combination somehow worked and even created the most unexpected yet coveted trifecta of pattern mixing!  

What do you think? Did my luggage leftover remix work, or do I look like an insane woman?

Blouse: Zara

Sweater: Loft

Pants: Target

Sunglasses: Target

Necklace: Vintage

Bag: Target

Shoes: Sam Edelman "Trina"

Theme: Pattern Mixing Look 5

I think by the end of the week (this is from last Friday, which you can tell by the fact that I'm wearing jeans), the mixed-patterns theme just kind of turned into crazy mix-matching. I'm perfectly OK with that, by the way.

This blazer, the LC brand at Kohl's, was an item I waited quite some time for. I've wanted a red blazer in the perfect year-round shade of red for so long, and now I finally found it!

Overall the pattern-mixing challenge made me learn a little about my personal style and the risks I'm willing to take. To be comfortable enough to wear mixed patterns is to have a certain confidence in your choices. As silly as it may sound, it gave me a little of just that. I think that I will be trusting my clothing as well as personal choices a little more from now on. I'll embrace the "crazy" and hopefully inspire others along the way.

Bag: Target

Jeans: Zara

Striped tee, earrings & bracelet: Forever 21

Blazer: LC Lauren Conrad for Kohls (I kind of want this in every color!)

Chambray: Target

Sunglasses: Target

Scarf: J. Crew

Booties: Report, Marks

Necklace: Charlotte Russe

Theme: Pattern Mixing Look Three

This was a really hard day for pattern mixing. It was so icy, I really didn't even know what shoes to wear, let alone how to mix patterns together. Add to that the possibility of falling on the ice with every step and the cold wind, and it made for some silly pictures.

I played it safe with all black-and-white patterns. But hey, it still counts as patterns! I even managed to make that trifecta I talked about on Monday: three patterns in one outfit! Dots, bows and stripes.

I wore my glasses, which pretty much was the highlight of my students' day. They always notice the smallest changes I make to my appearance.

Dont forget to send me a picture of your pattern mixing successes to be featured on Friday's final pattern mixing post!

Pants: Forever 21

Striped Blouse: The Limited

Sweater: Forever 21

Scarf: J Crew

Hat: Nordstrom Rack

Necklace: Vintage via Ebay 

Lips: Up the Amp by MAC

I will leave you with this shot. I'm not sure what was really going on but it looks like I'm busting out some sweet dance moves...

Theme: Pattern Mixing, Look One

The accidental black & white theme from two weeks ago led me to start thinking: what if I tried to challenge myself to a specific them each week?

Last week I started with a bold choice when I asked Amy if she would like to participate in a pattern mixing outfit theme for the WHOLE WEEK!

I'm not going to lie and say it was easy, in fact it was a rather hard one to stick with, considering we had mountains of snow and rivers of slush everywhere. Kind of makes it hard to wear floral skirts when you are sentenced to snow boots!

I gave it my best and started with a bang, mixing three patterns (the trifecta as it became known by the end of the week) AND a bold-colored bag! 

This whole thing works because of the colors. The blue is a central theme in all the pieces and the blazer's plaid print is just faint enough to work without overpowering the whole thing. I swear to you, I didn't get one strange look all day!

I was quite proud of myself for making this seemingly crazy outfit work. What do you think of the whole pattern mixing trend? What patterns are you loving to mix?

If you are feeling bold and would like to try out pattern mixing yourself, send me a picture or a link in your best mixed-pattern look to be featured on HOTPINKstyle this Friday!

Skirt: Anthropologie (old)

Gingham button down: J. Crew Factory (buy it here)

Blazer: Target 

Bag: Target (not available online anymore, but check store availability here)

Watch: Charming Charlies

Tights: DKNY

Black pumps: Cole Haan

Necklace: C/O Lia Sophia Jacqueline Necklace

Earrings: Forever 21 (buy here for $5.80)