As we were preparing to shoot our next cover story, we realized that we hadn’t yet posted about the last shoot! Well, we’ve been working on an extra-special, top-secret project and this particular cover story has a lot to do with it. We are honored and flattered to be part of a newly launched website, ChicagoNow, with our new blog, Styled in Chicago. So how does this tie into a downtown, rooftop patio photo shoot, you ask? Well, the Chicago Tribune, or “Mother Tribune” as we’ve taken to calling her, has a vested interest in ChicagoNow, and Mother Tribune takes care of her bloggers! So, when we met with Tracy, the brains behind CN, and she showed us this gorgeous outdoor patio, we just knew we had to shoot here.   

Our lovely model, Hadley, and a peek of the view…

Our photographer, Scott (who looks an awful lot like a young Robin WIlliams)…

Photog and assistant extraordinaire, JD, along with the ladies of hair and make-up… 

Aside from the usual suspects we normally encounter during a ‘behind-the-scenes’ — photographer, assistants, hair & makeup, racks of clothes, and the overall vibe of hurry-up-and-wait — there was quite a bit of action 22 floors up…

                          window washers - they literally went right over the side! Crazy!!

                          Live taping - grilling the perfect ribs

                          lunchers

Check back in a few days to see the finished product!

So, i just read on Sea of Shoes that Jane Aldridge has a capsule shoe collection coming out with Urban Outfitters. A number of the comments on her post were rather negative — calling her an “advertising opportunity” and her designs “knock-offs”. I am not going to deny that she is indeed a great marketing opportunity for a conglomerate like UO, nor am I going to deny the obvious influences of Margiela and Ann Demeuelemeester in her designs, but can we just step aside for a second and look at things the way they are? First of all, the girl is a mere 17 years old. Yes, she comes from an affluent family. Yes, her mother is an experienced style maven (with a closet laden with treasures). And yes, she has access to items that most of us can only dream about. However, the girl really knows her fashion and she’s smart enough to grab an opportunity when it comes her way. Even the wealthiest and most pampered of teenagers don’t even know how to pronounce Demeulemeester, let alone know who she is. Be jealous if you will, be critical if you will, but you have to admit that Jane has a taste level more sophisticated than many who call themselves fashion industry professionals. 

Let us not forget — fashion is a business. We recently posted about working a Hugo Boss sample sale and trust me, there was nothing glamorous about it. Were the suits expensive and fabulous? Yes. Was the event surrounded by paparazzi? No. There is definitely a blurry line between fashion and retail and, for some reason, that line seems blurriest in the US. The people that seem to be dressed the worst are the first ones to go after someone exhibiting a sense of personal style. Great style always seems to be equivalent to snobbishness in our society — and it definitely creates a frenzy of envy. Even if the aforementioned is wearing H & M. 

So what do I think about Jane’s collection for Urban Outfitters? I think it’s bloody fantastic! It’s hard to make affordable shoes look good and I think these look damn good. Hats off to Urban Outfitters and to Jane. They may be knock-offs, but I’d rather wear Jane Aldridge Ann D knock-offs than Nine West Marc Jacobs knock-offs any day.

We’ve been obsessing over Martha Davis shoes since we first laid our eyes on them this past spring @ Steven Alan Showroom.  The modern clean aesthetic makes them such good wearable everyday fashion…and pretty timeless, if you ask me.   I know those booties and wedges would soon turn into go-to’s for me.  In the midwest with two kids in tow?  They’re perfect I tell you!!  

Check back with us next month…MARTHA DAVIS will be featured in our Obsessed With section.  What?  You thought we were kidding?

The last style post of myself was so funny….from the comments, the image of midwest fashion seems rather dim (which, I guess, is probably 95% true)  So I’m here to try to save the day!  Again, don’t get too excited…I’m the basic one, remember??  I’m also hoping to share some Chicago streetstyle with y’all sometime SOON to show you there’s more to the midwest than corn and cheese!  One of my everyday’s from sometime last week….clearly this was donned purely for comfort!

my favorite clod hoppers by Chloe

               Loving it loose - Burberry blazer & hubby’s tee.  Jeans by Ever

Recently, we had the pleasure of meeting New York-based photographer, Karl Rothenberger. He’s from our fair city and is back in town briefly to visit family and work on a few creative projects — twentythirtyforty.net being one of them! We are very excited about working with him and wanted to share some his fabulous work with you, too. We’ll forgive him for shooting in Brooklyn with NYC models and hair and make-up artists. After all, when the result is this good, who are we to argue?

I just love the vibe of this so much. And the hair just blows me away. Amazing.

all images provided by Karl Rothenberger Photography.

Has anyone seen Celine lately??  Honestly, I don’t think I ever really had.  Here’s a good reason to take a sneak peek…Phoebe Philo is back and even more fabulous than I remember.   The effortless “IT” quality that Phoebe is so famously known for is now sprinkled all over Celine Resort S10…. THANK YOU Amanda (such a great intern!) for showing us Celine.

inspiration & images from Fashion Copius

via Sassafraschic

On Monday, Arlene and I shot our July cover story 22 stories up on the outdoor patio at the Chicago Tribune building. It was all about menswear and it got me feeling kinda boyish. We borrowed a couple of newsboy caps from Hazel and ended up buying them both — a Goorin for me; a deLux for Arlene. I do love a hat! What better way to deal with a bad hair day??? Anyway, nothing glam, but this is my everyday, midwestern take on menswear. And my dog, Kuma. Isn’t he cute?

hat: Goorin; blouse: Phillip Lim; pants: ???; cuff: Barbara Bui; shoes: Gwendolyn Carrie; dog: Kuma

There’s one in every city.  You know, those great quirky second-hand shops with racks and racks of “OMG!!  I had a pair of those!” to tables of knick knacks that keep you entertained for longer than the 15min left on your meter.  Yea, those.

We think Chicago has one of the best of those second-hand shops, Hollywood Mirror on Belmont bt Halsted and Clark.  In a styling pinch, Hollywood Mirror can solve anything….

Hats?  Check.  Sunglasses in every color for every occasion?  Check.

belts in every pattern and style imaginable?  Check.

all this stuff in a perfectly merchandised store….hard to believe, but CHECK!

While you’re there, run to Ragstock upstairs (around the corner & down the alley) for the cutest $20 plaid shirtdresses you will ever come across!  $20!

Huge thanks to our friend and amazing stylist, Bernstein!!, for the stylist tip 

Hollywood Mirror is located at 812 W Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60657

It feels as though summer has finally arrived in Chicago (or maybe it’s just wishful thinking!) Either way, summer means one very important thing to us — MARKDOWNS!!!

Many of our very favorite items 30% off! It’s madness, I tell you!!

Shop sale here.

We’re big fans here of all the big box fashion outlets like Zara, Topshop, Uniqlo, Forever 21, H&M…..especially H&M.  It’s amazing the amount of fashion H&M infuses into each and every look and into each and every piece all for an average retail of, what…$39.99??  insane!!  OK, maybe $49.99….still insane!!  

inspiration and images via VANILLASCENTED.COM