Hello there! Today I did my first every try-on session at Target. This was a mini try-on session with different pieces that they have for the summer. There were so many things to choose from, ugh. I could have been in there for hours! Here are some of my favorite pieces that I found today. I featured these pieces on my Instagram story so be sure to check that out! 

#1 - Navy Floral Top

#2 - Distressed Denim Shorts

#3 - Off The Shoulder Floral Dress

#4 - Red Bandana Dress

#5 - Olive Linen Shorts

All of these looks are super affordable, I was so shocked! They are having a major sale right now that goes through this Saturday, May 24th. All dresses are 20% off so it is a perfect time for you to pick up a cute dress or other pieces for Memorial Day! 

Which piece is your favorite?

So for those of you who follow me on Instagram then you know that I recently traveled to the big city of Chicago, Illinois. I stayed for three days and I had so much fun! This was my first time visiting Chicago so my family and I made sure that we made plenty of time to sightsee. Chicago offers so many shops, activities, dining, and more! I got some awesome shots of different places that I visited and passed during my time in Chicago. I will be sharing them with you today!

DAY ONE

Ok, I'm a morning person to a certain extent. One of the circumstances in which I'm not is when I have to catch a flight at 7:50 in the morning and have to have myself and my belongings together. I am thankful that our flight was so early because we didn't have any connecting flights to Chicago so we got there super early! (by 9:30am) This gave us basically a full day to take on Chicago. We stayed at a super cute hotel called the Conrad Hotel. It was so spacious, modern, and had a nice view! Another great thing about this hotel is that we could literally walk outside and all the shops and dining were RIGHT THERE (guess this isn't great for those of us who like a little retail therapy). We grabbed lunch at this super yummy restaurant called Shake Shack. Shake Shack is not your regular burger and shake joint; they put a twist on everything that they offered on their menu. I tried the shroom burger thinking that it was a burger with mushrooms on it and boy was I wrong. It was actually a portabello mushroom that was fried, on a bun, with cheese. When I tell you that was the best decision I made... I mean it! If you love mushrooms, cheese, and bread you have to try the shroom burger from Shake Shack. It was such an amazing taste! After letting our bellies settle from all the goodness, we hit the streets of Chicago. We walked around to see all the different shops that were on Michigan Avenue and there was just too many for my eyes... We stopped by the three-floor Nike store which had a 'special' top floor with custom Nike clothing and shoes. We also went to Nordstrom which was basically on steroids! I thought the Nordstrom I have been to at Lennox Mall and SouthPark Mall was huge; nuh uh girlfriend. I honestly could have spent three hours in the women's accessory department. For dinner, we went to this Pizzaria called Labriola to try the famous Chicago style pizza. I'm already a pizza lover so I was super excited to try the pizza there and it was delicious! Messy but delicious. Attached to Labriola was Stan's Donuts & Coffee. They had cake, cookies, pastries, and gelato. I got an apple pie to try and it was so good... 

The Conrad Hotel - Chicago

Shake Shack

Magnificent Mile

Stan's Donuts & Coffee

DAY TWO

Day two consisted of more eating, shopping, and exploring. We tried out this breakfast place called Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe where they served specialty breakfast options (a.k.a, another place on steroids - at least their breakfast options were) I really wanted waffles but I also really wanted something with egg in it so I ended up getting a 'Make Your Own Omelette' with a Belgian waffle and hashbrowns. I. WAS. STUFFED. We walked off our big brunch and stopped by Dylan's Candy Bar which lit me up with heart eyes. Who else loves sweets?? We went to other shops like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Kate Spade, Michale Kors, H&M, etc. Later that evening, we went to Jake Melnick's Corner Tap restaurant because we read reviews that said they had really great wings. My family and I are fans of some really good, crispy wings. I tried the Pb&j boneless wings and although they sound really disgusting, it was actually a unique taste!

Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe

Dylan's Candy Bar

DAY THREE

Day three was our last day exploring this beautiful city and it sucked a bit because I had enjoyed being in Chicago and soaking up all of its beauty for the days that I was there. This day was really exciting though because my family and I did a boat tour that took us down the Chicago River. The tour was 70 minutes (and I wish it was longer), and the tour guide told us about the city's history, the early architecture, and new buildings to come. It was amazing floating down the river seeing all of the buildings so high in the sky, and how unique some of them were with their design. After taking Art Appreciation this past semester, I have found a new love for architecture and its history. After we finished our tour we headed to the Ghirardelli store because why not? Again, my eyes lit up with hearts. Before walking into this store, I never knew that Ghirardelli had so many flavors of chocolate! You could buy bags full of the mixed flavors, of one flavor, or make your own bag/tin can of whatever flavors you wanted. I decided to get the tin can and I literally fit 30+ Ghirardelli squares of chocolate in that thing... After getting our sweet tooth fix, we headed back to some shops to do any last minute shopping since it was our last day. We stopped at Michael Jordan's Steakhouse which is inside of the Intercontinental hotel. I, of course, got salmon (my fave), that came with a creamy rice. For dessert, we went to Grand Lux Cafe where I had the Warm Sticky Bun Bread Pudding with ice cream. It was basically like a cinnamon swirl bread pudding with candied pecans on top! I could eat it every day. 

River Boat Tour

Ghirardelli

Grand Lux Cafe

I had so much fun exploring the city of Chicago for the first time. It was definitely an experience that I will always remember, and I will probably visit again in the future! If you have never been to Chicago and want to go, I hope that you try out some of the places I visited. If you do, let me know. I hope you enjoyed reading my travel diary about Chicago, Illinois!

Hey heeeyy! I’ve been taking on the city of Chicago and it is so beautiful! I have been doing a lot of walking and shopping though, so I kept that in mind when I had packed earlier this week. Here is the outfit I shared on my Instagram that is casual, comfy, and still chic. 

DETAILS

Sunnies

These sunglasses are super fun with their gradient lens. You can wear them with so many outfits and they offer a great pop of color to any look! 

Top

Who else loves Bob Marley... t-shirts... and camo? If you said yes to all then we are automatically besties! I love rocking a printed t-shirt because they are comfy but also fun with so many prints that are out there. I got my t-shirt from Target in the men's section. That's right, the men's section. I don't like the fitted t-shirts that are made for women because they don't flow and I like to tuck in my shirts. The men's shirt offered so much more and still looked feminine. I got mine in a size Medium and I usually wear a size S/M in women's shirts. This camo jacket is super cute to throw on for chillier days or to add some edge to your outfit. This jacket is actually on sale for 60%+ OFF! You definitely need this jacket in your life girl! It zips and has buttons on the front. It also has huge pockets on the side that also button (it's hard out here for women with these little tiny pockets in our clothing... like what are we supposed to fit in those??) So if pockets are important to you then that is a plus. I used the drawstrings on the sides of the jacket to give the jacket a more sinched in look. I paired my Alex and Ani bracelets and my rose gold Apple watch with it too. If you're interested in looking for an inexpensive link apple watch band check out Amazon. That's where I got my watch band from and I love it!

Here is a detailed photo of my jacket:

Bottoms

My jeans are from Old Navy and they're the Rockstar Mid-Rise style jeans. These are my favorite jeans from Old Navy! They are super stretchy and seem to never shrink. I can pair these jeans with so many outfits and they provide some edge to what I am wearing, which is definitely my go-to style. I love my girly girl outfits, but I love to be comfy and edgy. I got these about one to two years ago so they don't have this exact style but they have a pair that are similar. 

Shoes

I am LIVING for these shoes. I just got them recently and I have worn them only twice! My first time wearing them was actually when I flew to Chicago the other day. They have been perfect for walking around Chicago. I kid you not, I walked in these shoes for 6+ hours today and my feet were not crying. They have a nice padding on the backside of the heel inside the shoe so the material isn't rubbing against your skin. I got mine in a size 8.5 but I wish I would've gotten them in a size 8 because they do stretch once you break them in. They are a nice taupe color and look different in some lighting. They are a perfect color to pair with a lot of outfits. I definitely recommend that you check these shoes out! I purchased mine at Belk's shoe section and they come in 5 other colors. Honestly, I might go back and purchase some more colors. 

Purse

Who else loves tote bags?? I mean, you can fit your whole closet and bathroom in it. Don't get me wrong, I love a cute satchel but I love tote bags so much more. I'm that girl who is always prepared for any situation. I carry nail clippers, vitamins, band-aids, portable chargers, napkins, etc. (and more etc.) You just never know when you might need something! I recently got this bag in December and it has been my go-to. It goes with so many of my outfits and adds a touch of class. I attached a black fur ball to the outside that I got from Nordstrom Rack. 

This outfit is super fun and feminine, with an edgy touch! Comment down below what your favorite piece(s) of this outfit is. 

     Traveling can put you into a bit of a frenzy when thinking of everything that you need, without forgetting it in the end. Now, we all know half of the stuff we bring definitely doesn't need to come with us but... today I am going to show you my must-haves for when I travel!

TECH

     Whether we are serious techies or not, we all use tech devices and accessories. I always carry my Sudio Vasa Blå headphones because they're super cute and practical. I don't have to worry about the annoying cord that so graciously comes along with regular earbuds. The Sudio headphones are wireless and also has five other earbud sizes to fit perfectly to your ear! This is great for when you're walking through check-in in the airport, when you're on a plane, or when you're even in the car and don't want to be bothered with the bothersome cord that other earbuds come with. I also like to bring my camera with me so I can take pictures or vlog while I am out and about. I use the Sony a5000 mirrorless camera for both my blog and YouTube. Now everyone doesn't have a camera so you can just use your phone! And of course, we all need our chargers for our many electronics because let's be honest.. we can't live without them. So make sure you pack all of your chargers to keep your devices juiced up. I also like to carry a portable charger around with me because sometimes when you're in big crowds or out for a long time, your battery starts to die and there's not always access to an outlet. This is when a portable charger is my LIFESAVER. I picked mine up from the register line at Old Navy but you can honestly get them anywhere; even the Target $1 aisle.

SNACKS & HYDRATION

     No matter where you're traveling, it's always important to keep some snacks and beverages on hand. You never know when you might have a layover for a flight, might be out exploring longer than you expected, or trapped in a snow blizzard. You just never know, ok. Personally, I love granola bars and nuts because they fill you up enough to hold you over until you can eat a bigger meal. I mean who doesn't like sweet and salty flavors? Having a water bottle is also important because you want to stay hydrated when traveling because it can get pretty draining. Pro tip for those traveling by plane: empty out one of your nice drinking cups with a lid and bring it along with you. TSA won't check in liquids, but if your cup is empty you can bring it in and fill up your bottle at a water fountain once you pass security! 

HYGIENE PRODUCTS

     Okay ladies, I know... there are just too many hygiene products that we use that sometimes it can be overwhelming. Just remember that you are traveling and you don't need to bring your whole bathroom along with you in the car or on the plane. Bring what you absolutely need until you can make it to the hotel or destination. Some hygiene products that I bring along with me are hand sanitizer (can't be dancing with those germs), lotion (for those ashy hands that you've washed 10 times in the last 30 minutes), facial spray, toothbrush and toothpaste, and makeup remover wipes. My favorite facial spray is the Mario Badescu Facial Spray. I have used the rose water and the cucumber one. They are amazing! Whether you wear makeup or not. They seriously leave your face feeling so fresh and hydrated. Makeup remover wipes are great for if you had on makeup and just feel gross after traveling, and want to take it off. I hate wearing makeup for too long and not having any way to take it off. 

FASHION NECESSITIES

     Did I just say fashion necessities? Yup, that's right! I always make sure that I bring a light jacket (or even a blanket) when traveling because I tend to get cold very easily, especially in the car and plane. It's always nice to be prepared for any temperatures and you can always take off the jacket if needed. I also recommend bringing a pair of your favorite sunnies and a hat. If you're anything like me, you go get ready, look in the mirror and see the mess on top of your head called hair. When you are in that 'ain't nobody got time for that' mood you can just throw on a cute hat and cover up that mess girl! I'm all about saving time and effort. The same goes for sunglasses. You can throw on a pair of cute sunnies and cover up those jetlag [designer] bags. They're also a great thing to have when you're napping in the car, on the plane, or even at the airport.

ENTERTAINMENT

     Raise your hand if you travel without any source of entertainment. If you raised your hand 1. you are crazy and 2. that's a lie because you know you have your cell phone in the palm of your hands girlfriend! I always make sure I bring along a good book to read or have some songs downloaded on my Spotify to listen to (make sure you download your music before getting on the plane so you can listen to your music on airplane mode). If you are interested in what I listen to you can follow my Spotify! Puzzle books are also fun to bring with you and you can even play them with other people you are traveling with.

THE MEDS

     If you're anything like me, you are that lucky passenger who gets car/motion sickness. Woohoo, welcome to the club! It's not as fun as it sounds (trust me)... I used to just be a champ and endure being uncomfortable from the symptoms that come along with car/motion sickness, but I became wiser and went into my 'ain't nobody got time for that attitude' and bought some Dramamine. 10/10 recommend, as long as you aren't driving because it will KNOCK. YOU. OUT! If you're just riding as a passenger, then definitely take this and you will be knocked out the whole way. I kid you not. I took Dramamine when I went to New Orleans and slept the whole 9 hours! Another medicinal necessity is pain medicine so when you get those headaches you can have something to help out the pain. 

Those are my must-haves when traveling by car or on a plane. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this post! Comment down below and share some of your must-haves when traveling :) 

Mother's Day will be here soon and I know some you still haven't gotten your mama anything (don't worry I won't tell). But no worries, there is still plenty of time to get your mom a nice gift for Mother's Day. So today I am sharing some gift ideas that your mom will love that won't break the bank.

Fuzzy Socks
Let me tell you... fuzzy socks are the BEST! They are so comfy to wear around the house when your feet are cold or if you just want to cover up your feet while walking around. With fuzzy socks, you can slip them on and not have to worry about them coming off like slippers sometimes do. My mom loves fuzzy socks exactly for that reason. I actually got her some for Christmas that had grips on the bottom since she's clumsy! (don't tell her I told you) You can buy fuzzy sucks pretty much anywhere: Target, Walmart, Nordstrom Rack, you name it! Super useful and inexpensive gift.

Women's Fuzzy Socks

Makeup Palettes
Makeup palettes are such a great gift for moms who like makeup because there are so many different options in one palette. My favorite palettes are the Morphe palette and Makeup Revolution. You can now find both brands at Ulta which is super cool because Morphe only used to be sold online.

MORPHE 25A Copper Spicy Eyeshadow Palette

Makeup Revolution Flawless 3 Resurrection Palette

Water Bottle
Water bottles are a must have for anyone really, especially if they like to drink beverages on the go or at home. I really love the stainless steel bottles because they hold your drink temperatures longer, they sturdier, and they do not release harmful chemicals from its material when it is exposed to heat like plastic bottles do. There are so many options out there for you to choose that best fits your mama's style! Hyrdoflask and Swell bottles are the most popular stainless bottle on the market but really the brand doesn't matter; they're all efficient. Help your mom stay hydrated in style ;)

S'ip by Swell

Jewelry
Jewelry options are endless! Jewelry is a go-to gift because who doesn't like to spice up their outfits? My mom loves Alex and Ani bracelets so she has grown her collection over a (short) period of time. My brother like to get her these because they're super cute and fun with all of the different meanings and styles that Alex and Ani offer in their jewelry. Besides Alex and Ani, there are a lot of choices of pieces that you can find at boutiques, jewelry stores, and even Target. Target has the cutest line called SUGARFIX by BaubleBar - they're such fun pieces! You guys should definitely check it out if you haven't seen it already.

Makeup Bag
Ok, I know your mom has a makeup bag or at least some type of bag in her purse where she stores various things. Makeup bags are the perfect gift because over time makeup bags can start to get dirty inside, and they are a cute accessory to store makeup or other miscellaneous items. Here's a super cute one from Target by Sonia Kashuk:

Makeup Bag by Sonia Kashuk

Candles
Candles are useful for décor pieces and for their scents. There are so many places that you can get candles from and they're the perfect gift for all moms! I love getting my candles from Bath and Body works and places like T.J. Maxx.

Tech
Sometimes we might not think that our mom's like techy things but they really do, and there are so many tech items out there that are useful to them. Some great tech items are the Amazon Echo and the Echo Dot, headphones, portable chargers, etc. There are so many choices!

Amazon Echo

Perfume
Every mom has her favorite scent and it might be time for a refill, so this makes the perfect gift! Even if she's not out of her favorite perfume, you can always go get her a new one for her Mother's Day gift. There are so many different scents to choose from that best fits your mom. My mom loves Juicy Couture perfume. I mean she probably has like every scent they have ever made...

Robe
Robes are so cute and comfy to wear around the house. My mom has a silk robe and also a fuzzy one that is similar to the fuzzy socks. I don't know about you, but fuzzy robes are the best! It's like being wrapped in a big blanket. They're perfect for when your mom gets up in the morning, after the shower, or just wants to keep warm while walking around the house!

Pamper Session
What mom wouldn't want to be pampered?? Pampering sessions are such a great gift to your mom because you can schedule her a nice pampering session for the weekend or on one of her days off so she can have something to do and also relax. She's always taking care of everyone else, so let her be taken care of with a nice facial or a massage.

I hope that you guys enjoyed these gift ideas that are great for Mother's Day (+ that won't break the bank)!