Flats, top, hat, necklace and bracelet from Gordmans for under $45! 

This was the first weekend where it truly, finally started feeling like fall in Chicago. I’ve been on the “I never want summer to end ever” train, but honestly the chillier weather had me feeling all sorts of comfy and cozy this weekend that I didn’t mind it one bit.

My parents came into town last week on Wednesday for a long weekend and basically fixed my life while I was having a pretty crazy week at work. I saw them late on Wednesday night when they got in, hopped on a flight at 6AM the next day to be in NYC for the day, landed back in Chicago at 11PM, and then went to work that Friday early to try to be able to leave a few hours early to spend time with them before the weekend officially started. They filled my fridge up with groceries, cleaned my apartment, packed me lunch (!!!!), and basically tackled my to-do list that had been giving me anxiety for weeks. I don’t really know what I did to deserve them, but they made my week taking care of me in all the ways I didn’t even know I needed to be taken care of. Parents are truly the best <3

The rest of the weekend was filled with family and friends I haven’t seen in way too long. My mom’s cousin and son came to hang out around the city for the weekend, and we spent Friday night and Saturday hitting up museums, cocktail bars, restaurants, and IO comedy show, the rooftop at Gene’s Sausage Shop (it’s in Lincoln Square and one of my favorite rooftops in the city!) and bowling at Southport Lanes. We really managed to squeeze in a ton of activities, and it was fun to catch up show them around the city with my parents.

On Saturday night we had dinner at Duck Duck Goat with family friends who we used to vacation with every summer when I was growing up up in Northern Wisconsin. One of my dad’s best friends and his family go to their family cabin up in Mercer Wisconsin, and they let us tag along for about 8 years when I was little. Some of my best memories growing up were from weeks spent up north, and I have so many fond memories of fishing, catching toads (my favorite activity!) and spending nights on the dock watching the sun set. One of the son’s we used too vacation with moved to Chicago a year ago and we finally grabbed dinner with him and his sweet wife who we hadn’t met yet. It was so fun catching up, and we had quite a lot of ground to cover after a good 15 years 😉   So, in other fall news – it’s getting pretty chilly which means it’s high time we start bringing out the cozy long sleeves and sweaters. I’m always excited when it’s in-between seasons, and I always feel inspired to add a few more pieces to my fall wardrobe – but definitely don’t want to break the bank in the process to get that fresh wardrobe feeling.

I stopped by Gordman’s, which I’ve talked about a ton on my blog over the years. They’re one of my favorite stores to buy classic pieces, and I’m always amazed at the treasures I find for an unbelievable deal. For fall, I’ve been stocking up on cozy sweaters, long sleeves and fall flats/boots that are comfy enough to walk to work into. I got most of this outfit at Gordman’s (including this adorable faux-leather hat!) for all under $45.  One of my favorite pieces from Gordman’s is this dainty bracelet that i’ve been wearing every day since I bought it a few weeks ago. It says “strength” in tiny letters and is the perfect daily reminder when I’m feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or need to give myself a swift kick in the pants. We all have those days, right?

I also am so excited about this hat and shoes – both of which I had wanted from way more expensive brands that I got for a steal at Gordman’s. These espadrilles are super comfy for walking to work on warmer fall days, and I’m planning to pack them for a tropical vacation later this winter when I need an escape from Chicago (which will be happening sooner than I’d want to admit!). And this hat is perfect for laid-back weekends or when I’m not feeling like I especially want to wash my hair, or put in too much effort 😉  Anyways, I’m excited to share another Gordman’s look in a few days to show a few other goodies I got for a steal! Have any tricks to making your fall wardrobe more affordable? I’d love to know as I’m stocking up on sweaters and comfy clothes in the next few weeks! xx

Thanks so much to Gordman’s for sponsoring this post! I love Gordman’s, and as always all opinions are my own.