to get cozy.

Fall has arrived in Chicago. Unfortunately it's not the crisp, colorful and fresh autumn that we all love, it's the cold and wet one. The kind that makes you want to curl up in a big and comfy sweater with a glass of wine (one must be warmed from the inside and out). With these thoughts in my head, I was tinkering around on the InStyle website and found this top trend, big knits:

This was a no-brainer for my next project. There's no better investment for a girl in Chicago than a warm sweater, and I know I'll be thanking myself for this one come January. I've set the budget at $100, and me and my bestie are hitting the shops together tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

and ruins her favorite shirt.

Irons are very dangerous weapons. That's why dry cleaners exist.

This is what I learned a couple of weeks ago when I left the iron on the green silk shirt from my 10 in 10 project for just a second too long. Poo! The damage isn't actually that bad, it's just a slight ripple effect on the back. As long as I wear my hair down, I'm good to go!

Here's a homage to my soft and silky friend (I hope she'll forgive me):

shirt: J.Crew factory. skirt: J.Crew. necklace: BR. bracelets: DY. shoes: J.Crew.

shirt: J.Crew factory. skirt: French Connection. purse: Topshop. shoes: Calvin Klein. watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs. bracelets: DY.

for some ch-ch-ch-changes.

I was tooling around the dashboard of my blog the other day, making a few updates, and I noticed that my first post was back in March- making this my sixth month! I started to think about the projects and challenges I've done so far, which ones were successful and which ones not so much, and what I wanted to do on my little blog next.

My favorite posts so far have been the Vegas cut-out dress search, the 10 in 10 challenge and of course, the day to night leopard print project. Why? I really love the satisfaction of buying something and making it into tons of different outfits, and many of the pieces I bought for the 10 in 10 and leopard print projects I've already worn time and again (the BR orange dress, J.Crew green silk button-down, Loft animal print shirt and J.Crew leopard print skirt have been around the block). These projects have also helped me greatly improve my budgeting skills, mostly because now I feel a sense of duty to create new outfits with project purchases- to share them with all of you!

So, I'm going to continue on the challenge route, hopefully once a month, and continue to create as many outfits as I can with pieces bought for a challenge. I'm also going to introduce some very lovely guest stars to lauren goes shopping! We're going to agree on a budget for their outfit, each choose an inspiration picture and then hit the shops together. The idea is to get the guest star out of their comfort zone, the same goal I had in mind when I started this blog. First up is my beautiful sister Erin, and we'll be shopping together on our family vacation in FL next week.

Hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing weekend, and thanks so much for reading- it's really nice to have a (self-invented) purpose for my frequent shopping trips.

me and the seester, guest star to be!

in her bell bottoms.

I bought these jeans a year or two ago, got them hemmed, stuck them in the back of my closet and promptly forgot about them. I'm so glad I pulled them out to be a part of my "lost & forgotten" project, because they fit like a glove and are the perfect amount of flare for this girl.

Pictures were taken by that husband of mine, who happens to have a very short attention span, hence the funny/awkward faces.

jeans: J.Brand. shirt: Zara. jacket: Land's End. belt: J.Crew. wedges: Calvin Klein. watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs. bracelets: DY.

and finds a like-minded soul.

I was reading the editor's letter in the August issue of Lucky, and it was one of those moments where the sky should part, a glorious sun should shine through and hundreds of doves should fly out. The editor, Brandon Holley, put into words what I have been telling myself for basically my whole shopping career. And by telling myself, I mean justifying pretty much every purchase I've ever made. It's just three simple words...

COST PER WEAR.

One little formula, price / how many times you wear something, that could change the way you shop forever. I'm looking at my closet with pride right now, thinking that at this point, some of my clothes should probably be paying me (I'm looking at you, J.Crew turquoise pumps, and you, JBrand jeggings). Of course those are the ones that pop into my mind first, but there are plenty of things hanging out in there that have cost per wear's I'd be embarrassed to calculate. I'll go ahead and give myself an A for effort though.

I'm still working my way through the five lost & forgotten items, intent on reducing their cost per wear! Hope everyone had a great long weekend!

and goes for comfort.

My second so rudely ignored item is a strapless Susana Monaco dress, last worn to my sorority's semi-formal, circa 2006. I believe this was the night my then boyfriend/now husband fell asleep in our stairwell. This was also the night I made him he so graciously offered to walk home in his socks through ice and slush because I couldn't possibly take one more step in my heels. COLLEGE!

This dress is very clingy and I'm pretty sure people look down upon tube tops sans bras in the office, so I decided to try it as a longer skirt instead. I really liked the look and was super comfortable all day, except you could totally see my t-shirt line and such things bother me to no end. Next time I shall have to invest in a bodysuit.

t-shirt: Gap. necklace: BR. dress worn as a skirt: Susana Monaco. bracelets: DY and J.Crew.