Last month, I had the absolute pleasure of flying to the Caribbean to visit my circus nut of a brother on the island of Providenciales, one of the four islands of Turks and Caicos.  I may have gone through TSA at three in the morning while drunk, but that’s a whole other story.

Providenciales is an island with the softest, sandiest beaches and crystal clear blue water.  It also had beautifully misshapen palm trees…

… as well as aesthetically pleasing docks…

… and I couldn’t get over the bright, bold colors!

The resort that I stayed at was Club Med Turkoise, one of the many resorts on the island that offered services to tourists flying into Providenciales.  However, the beauty of this resort was that it was an “adults only” resort (I swear it’s not as bad as it sounds).  There were plenty of perks, including its refreshing pool…

… its lobby tiles that brought out my sister’s shoes…

… and did I mention that BOTH of my brothers kicked ass in the trapeze show??

The resort also included perks such as multiple island activities for guests, a gorgeous beach in its backyard, free cocktails at the bar, and of course, astoundingly funny shows every night!

Overall, this trip was one of the best graduation gifts I have ever received, and it was the greatest five days that I had in a long time.  Cheers to Club Med Turkoise for a good time, and cheers to paradise!

I think that question is one of fashion’s most difficult questions to answer.  However, I know what answer I would give.  Is there such a thing as the perfect jumpsuit?  Well, I think that there is a multitude of jumpsuits that can make you look insanely awesome.

As of right now, I only have two jumpsuits in my closet, both made of very summery knit fabric that yearns to be pulled off of hangers when the heat calls for it.  I know that the jumpsuit market has also expanded into evening wear as well – one of my best friends has a black evening jumpsuit that would give the Bond girls a run for their money!  My advice for finding the ideal jumpsuit would have to be to know your body well, and what silhouette looks best with your shape.  Do you like your jumpsuit slim, or cinched just above the waist?  Do you prefer a wider leg, or a more tapered leg?

And now, a photo of me modeling one of my ideal summer jumpsuits on my back deck:

I am wearing a patterned summer jumpsuit with T-strap summer sandals and various other accessories.  You see, if you get a jumpsuit that flatters your silhouette and moves well with your body, then your summer wardrobe is majorly upgraded!  Try copying that kind of outfit in the grocery store.

Where are the best places to find jumpsuits?  Believe it or not, I have found my favorite jumpsuits at consignment stores!  I found the one pictured above at Crossroads a few years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.  Therefore, what are you waiting for?  Get out of the house, go shopping, and find your garment that’s the perfect mix between wearing a dress and bathing in comfort.  Go ahead, I’ll wait.

I decided to use the blog this week to tell you about my fun summer layering trick that works every time – well, for me at least.  Believe it or not, one of my favorite summer essentials is biking shorts.

Yep, you heard me correctly!  I thoroughly enjoy a good pair of biking shorts for almost everything in the summer.  When I have to run to the Whole Foods down the street, it’s just so easy for me to throw on a sports bra, biking shorts, and an old tank top.  I suppose you can say that it is my take on the athleisure trend, and you know what, you’d be absolutely right!

Anyway, here is one of my favorite outfits to wear with my sports bra and biking shorts:

I am wearing simple Coach sneakers with a matching set of biking shorts and a sports bra underneath my favorite pair of overalls.  I wanted to create the illusion that I had just gotten out of the gym, so I decided to throw on a cute pair of overalls over my workout gear to grab ice cream with the gang.  Or better yet, climb rocks along Lake Michigan, which was what I was actually doing the day this photo was taken!

I’m super glad to have shared this life hack with you, my readers.  Just be prepared to wash your athletic gear a lot – this summer has been a humid one!

As many of you know, the weather in Chicago is known to be unpredictable.  Therefore, I was a bit bummed when I woke up to see that the morning of July 4th was overcast with some wind.

I was originally planning to wear a vintage slip dress with red, white, and yellow flowers all over it, so I was at a loss of what to do when I woke up.  It is simply yet another case of last minute outfit rearranging, and unfortunately, I didn’t have Cher’s outfit coordinating computer program from “Clueless” to help me, so I had to think fast before my roommates and I headed out to brunch.  I pawed through my closet while “Chariots of Fire” was playing in my head for some strange reason.

Ultimately, I had the fun thought, why not grunge it up?  The 4th of July is usually such a patriotic and preppy holiday that people feel the need to set aside a Brooks Brothers shirt specifically for the occasion.  Seeing it as a chance to not be of the norm, I threw together some basics, and came up with this:

I am wearing an old pair of jeggings with a one-shouldered black top, accessorized with a red, white, and blue flannel and sandals that I found for a hefty price at DSW.  Because the pants and the top are so simple, I thought that the pop of the flannel and the ugly chic aesthetic of the sandals would make the outfit so unlikely to be patriotic that it’s, well… patriotic.

I was quite pleased to say that I got a lot of compliments on my one-shouldered top yesterday.  And now, with the slightest bit of a hangover, I regret to say that I must run some errands and go back to my everyday American life.  Because it’s my duty as an American citizen… right?