Rompers, high-waisted shorts and floral dresses: my summer staples

Wow – so I’ve been away for a hot minute. The last two months have been a flash of moving, flying, wedding planning, bachelorette attending, Jamaican sunsets and airplane travel. But I’m not complaining. My sister was the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen, and paired with her handsome groom, they are honestly the most gorgeous couple. It’s weird to think my little sister is now married – but I am so happy she has found someone (as wonderful as him) to be her partner for all of life’s adventures. I’ll stop now before I’m sitting on the couch, alone, crying (again – it’s been an emotional week!). On a personal note, this break gave me an opportunity to refresh, reevaluate what I want to get from this space and make a plan of how I’m going to accomplish it. I’m feeling more motivated than ever – and I can’t wait to start pumping out more content, more often.

That said, talk to me next week to see how I’m feeling between freelance work and my blog. J and I have some pretty big life moments coming up (more on that in upcoming posts) that may eat away at my time for a little while. I can’t wait to share our new adventure with you all in the coming weeks!

Speaking of coming weeks – summer is basically here. Leading up to today, the weather has been in the 80’s in Chicago (30’s for my Canadian fam). On Wednesday I was literally sweating at yoga in the Green City Market and this morning I nearly froze on the walk to spin class. I’m convinced today is a brief blip in the transition to summer (#fingerscrossed). After returning from my sister’s beautiful wedding in Jamaica, I’ve been in full summer mode. I purchased a few pieces for the trip that I will be carrying over to my regular hot weather rotation for my first summertime-Chi.

First of all, I LOVE rompers. As a short girl, I always find rompers to be really flattering and lengthening… plus, I love the simplicity of them. This light, palm-print romper is on-trend and literally what I lived in when we were relaxing pool-side in Jamaica. The cinching at the waist is a nice, tucking detail to highlight your waist while still being comfortable for those sunny, beach days.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am a huge fan of the little details in clothing. You can bet if the piece has multiple textures or mixed media in creative spaces, I’ll love it. The same goes for bows as accents to rather classic clothing. I first saw these high-waisted Zara shorts in Piazza della Repubblica in Florence, Italy, and after leaving for a pasta lunch, I quickly rushed back to try them on. That was three years ago – and these shorts are still one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe. The military green goes well with most colours. My typical pairing is these shorts with a white tee, but you can dress them up or down, depending on your plans for that day.

Do you have a strict no-pants-in-summer rule? Then this Express dress is for you. My friend (who’s also a Style Editor) and I both purchased this dress after seeing a feature on Gal Meets Glam, and we haven’t looked back since. The fit is flattering on all body types – I’m quite short and curvy, but I’ve seen girls wear this dress who are tall and thin… and it looks just as beautiful! Special shout out to the button detailing the length of the dress – and the tie sleeves.

My other staple piece are my Moroccan-inspired shorts from Loft. I found them in the clearance section a few days before flying home and I swear trumpets sounded when I tried them on. Easily one of my new favourite shorts, I like them best tucked into a tee or tank with their bow detail (are you sensing a trend here?). Comfy and bright, these shorts are perfect for a dinner date due to their looser fit and eye-catching colour. The hand-sewn details throughout the pattern make them even more unique – I just knew when I found these shorts that I’d found a friend for life.

Speaking of friends for life, thanks for sticking with me throughout this adventure! I can’t apologize enough for being MIA the past two months, but I promise I’m back for good now – even if it’s just once a week. If you can’t wait to see my surprise life update on the blog next week, make sure to follow me on Instagram to get a sneak peek of the big news!