My new blog is up and running!

Just a Reminder...

As of tomorrow, I will no longer be blogging here (this blog won't be disappearing - it just won't be active). Instead I'll be blogging at From the Suburbs to the City, my brand new blog. Thanks for reading Suburban Tea Party over the past few years and I hope you'll join me at my new location!

Why I've been MIA

Miss me?
My posts here have been sparse as of late as you may have noticed (or maybe you didn't notice, whichever). There are a few reasons for that.
For one, I've been super busy. It's my last quarter of college (less than a month left!) and I've had a lot of work for both school and my extracurricular activities plus I've started to apply for jobs and send out my cover letter/resume. I've had copious course work (though I just turned in my first of two research papers of the quarter, so that helps), somehow had to launch a new website for one of my student groups and write a feature for another and then, you know, the job stuff which drives me insane and terrifies me. In addition, I'm also trying to get in some last quarter stuff like hanging out with my friends and making sure the rest of my time in Chicagoland is spent well.
Plus...I've been working on a new blog.
Why a new blog?
To be honest, I've been feeling a little tired of Suburban Tea Party, though I love it to pieces. I'm tired of daily outfit shots (being busy means I'm in a constant state of caffeine-fueled sleep deprivation and it's not conducive to looking stylish) and I feel like I locked myself into a writing style and format that doesn't feel quite like me anymore. Maybe I'm growing up? Anyway, as I get ready to graduate I'm also graduating from this blog into the new one that I've been working on. It'll of course still be me (and I will still talk about style and fashion and post outfit pics - though not as often on that last one) but I'll talk about a wider range of topics and perhaps get a little more personal.
I'm planning on launching the new blog (titled: From the Suburbs to the City after the move I'm hoping to make in the not-too-distant future) a week from today (who can resist a Leap Day?) and I hope you'll join me - it'll be livelier than here, that's for sure.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cardigan: Gap, Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt: H&M, Tights: We Love Colors, Shoes: Topshop

I love Valentine's Day. I may not have a boyfriend, but I love my friends and my family and for right now, that's good enough for me. Plus, I think that without a significant other, Valentine's Day is a great day to celebrate yourself. As the Barenaked Ladies sang "they say you'll never love another til you love yourself" and I'm spending the day on some self-love. So how am I celebrating me? Cupcakes (made in the most haphazard way possible, thanks to my not-fully-stocked kitchen), some Prosecco and a movie in which someone with my name kicks a lot of ass. I hope you're having as much fun celebrating today as I am. Happy Valentine's Day!

Going Green

Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt: H&M, Shoes: Nine West, Blazer, Forever 21, Scarf: made by me

I've always been a lover of the color green, in fact, it's my favorite color. But up until recently, I never had that much green clothing. Luckily though, I've been able to find a lot of different articles in verdant shades. Not content to just wear one at a time, I've been having a lot of fun mixing my green pieces for a tonal monochromatic look. For me it's just as interesting as mixing patterns - the subtle differences in the shades of green are what give the outfit interest.

Collaboration Battle

I don't wear sneakers very often and when I do, it's usually a beat up pair of Chucks from my high school years. But like with most things, some bright colors and patterns can change my outlook. These Kate Spade Tretorns adorned with a Florence Broadhurst pattern and Milly for Sperry Top-Sider CVO Laceless sneakers covered in Milly's signature rose print are just what I want in my wardrobe this spring. I can just picture them on weekend outings, Sunday brunch dates and trips to the Farmer's Market. The question isn't whether to buy a pair, it's which pair to buy (and whether my wallet could afford both).

Fashion Week

                Shirt: J.Crew, Skirt: Zara, Tights: Milly for Hue, Shoes: Jessica Simpson, Coat: GapKids

Fashion week is about to start, so I thought it was a good time to post my outfit from last week's class for which the theme was...New York Fashion Week. I think of fashion week as a time that you can embrace all of your fashion impulses, no matter how seemingly crazy (I mean, people wear fruit on their heads). While I'm not drawn to anything super crazy, on a daily basis I wish I could bring myself to wear more bright colors and mix and match more than I do now. So with the theme of fashion week, I decided to go all out on my love of bright color and sparkly accessories. I might not be making the trip to Lincoln Center or MILK studios this year, but I'll settle for dressing up for class.

The Red Dress

Dress & Belt: H&M, Tights: We Love Colors, Shoes: Aldo, Headband: Banana Republic

I feel like ever since leggings made their glorious comeback, every time I go shopping I have to play a game I like to call "Dress? Or Tunic?" Because I'm only 5' tall, it's a game I play a lot - things that are tunic-length on other people are often close to dress-length for me. When I bought this bright red piece at H&M, I didn't really play the game, assuming that it was a dress. But when I went to wear it to class I looked at myself in the mirror and said "Hmm, maybe this is a little short," and when I looked on H&M's website, it was listed as a tunic. Oops. The thing is, it's basically mini dress length on me. So I compromised. It'll definitely get worn purely as a dress (likely without a belt), but for class I just stuck a short, navy knit skirt underneath and voila, classroom-appropriate.

The End of Midterms

Cardigan: Forever 21, Shirt & Skirt: H&M, Boots: Frye

Tuesday was my last midterm exam ever! At first I was dressed in normal midterm gear (sweater, leggings, frown) when I realized the significance of the exam I decided to get a little more dressed up. It didn't hurt that it was about 50 degrees outside as well. I felt a little unsure of this outfit though. I'm a big fan of pattern mixing, but I wasn't quite sure that these patterns mixed all that well. I came down on the side of liking it, but what do you think?

Monday, Monday

Shirt: H&M, Jeans: Forever 21, Shoes: Topshop

Can you tell I'm running a little behind? This winter has just been the weirdest thing. Normally, my ankles are covered in a couple of layer of tights, socks and boots, but Monday I was able to let them breathe free without chilling them to the bone.

Shades of Green

Sweater: H&M, Blazer: Anthropologie, Skirt: Zara, Tights: We Love Colors, Shoes: Nine West

Meanwhile, over at Tumblr...

If you don't want to wait around here while I get my life together, check out my Tumblr (part of the archive, above)- I try to post a few times a day while I'm taking breaks from work.

Apres Ski

Sweater: J.Crew, Vest: Lilly Pulitzer, Scarf: Tommy Hilfiger, Pants & Jacket: Gap, Socks: H&M, Boots: Ugg, Hat: Urban Outfitters

Last week's theme in my fashion class was apres-ski. It was actually the theme I suggested. Though I've only been skiing once (on a girl scout trip in elementary school) I love the idea of the wintry glamour of places like Aspen. Unfortunately it was about 40 degrees when we had class so I couldn't wear every piece of attire I wanted, but I think I made a pretty good facsimile of what I would wear if I were vacationing at a ski resort (or in my own chalet).