Kelly in the City - A Preppy Chicago Life, Style and Fashion Blog

September 18, 2018 •

“The Care and Keeping of You”

I’m going to go ahead and admit that there has been a lot of “American Girl” talk around these parts lately. From Gammy giving Emma her first Bitty Baby for her second birthday (#omg) to this feature I published on my new friend Sydney’s awe-inspiring artwork, it’s clear that I’ve reverted back to my eight-year-old self. What can I say? I’ve loved being able to pass the joy on to my daughter and watch her discover the magic herself. And yes: I’ve also loved having an excuse to play with the dolls again. Few things take me out of the seriousness of adult life–and remind me of the importance of play–like a good, hourlong American Girl make-believe session.

Lincoln Park, Chicago

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September 17, 2018 •

Lincoln Park, Chicago

Kelly + Jess Q&A and What We’re Wearing this Fall

Barbour Altair Waterproof Jacket / Navy Isobar Waterproof Jacket (Also available here. Other favorite jackets include the classic Beadnell in navy and olive, and the warmer quilted Beadnell. Same cut and look but so toasty!) / Roll Collar Sweater / Bird Shirt (In white here.) / Umbrellas (Though this is my favorite, and the navy is adorable, too!) / Green Scarf (Here’s the cape version. And love the navy!) / Wellington Boots / Dog Jacket (Love this one, too!), Dog Leash and Dog Collar

If you’ve been coming around here for a while, you probably know that Jessica Lynn Keys is one of my very best friends. There’s a running joke with our husbands and friends that every year, we do a couple of projects together that result in a zillion “engagement-like” photos of the two of us. 😂 I mean, who can forget this collaboration with Barbour, which kind of looked like a pregnancy announcement? Or this pajama shoot? Or this one, where we’re snuggling Noodle together? And nothing tops this. All jokes aside, these projects hold a lot of special memories for us, and they remind us of just how lucky we are to have each other.

Lincoln Park, Chicago

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September 16, 2018 •

Lincoln Park, Chicago

Daddy/Daughter Fall Looks

Cole Haan Navy Car Coat / Vineyard Vines Oxford / Bass Loafers / J.Crew Cords/ Emma’s Crew Cuts Shirt (Newer), Similar Cords, and Denim Jacket

By Mitch Larkin

Mitch here!

A few “Fatherhood Fashion Rules” I’ve discovered:

Lincoln Park, Chicago

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Baby, Fall, Family, Kelly in the City, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Menswear, Mitch's Posts, Outfits, Style

September 15, 2018 •

New York, New York

Lynndalyn Dress

Club Monaco Lynndalyn Dress (On sale!) / Old Cole Haan Wedges (But love this newer pair.) / Chanel Bag c/o (Love this similar one under $60 as well as this one from Tory Burch… and I like this this one and this one from Gucci–though not sure I could pull off that much bling. 😉) / Tuckernuck Earrings (Incredibly lightweight, which is why I wear them all the time!)

Took some time off after the craziness of the Lilly sale, a really fun EveryGirl event, a home shoot, and a big J.Crew Instagram project I did with my Chicago girlfriends. 😉 (This is the IG, and you can see the videos in Instagram Stories!)

New York, New York

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Kelly in the City, New York, New York, Outfits, Spring, Style, Summer

September 13, 2018 •

Lincoln Park, Chicago

Easy Ways to Decorate for Fall

I want to like decorating. But it’s daunting for me. On so many different occasions, I’ve invested good money into furniture and decor only to wind up regretting it. (And, of course, I kept the stuff out of guilt.) There were those awful nesting tables that looked flimsy, offered no storage, and showed all the wires. And what about that twill couch that collected stains like Emma collects rocks? (So many stains. So many rocks.) And we can’t forget the innumerable rugs I thought I loved but then inexplicably grew an intense hatred for down the line. Idk, guys. It’s hard. 😂

Seasonal decor, though, is something I adore. It’s ever-changing and less of a commitment, and I never grow sick of it since it’s switched out before I have the chance. It’s just fun… and a great stress-free and easy way to change up the feel of my home. It also makes the seasons special for Emma.

Lincoln Park, Chicago

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Fall, Guides and Reviews, Home, Kelly in the City, Lifestyle, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Little Home in the City

September 12, 2018 •

Lincoln Park, Chicago

Lilly Try-On Session

I totally thought I could handle everything yesterday: live blogging about the Lilly sale, a photography project deadline, and mommying. (The most important part of it all!) Truth: not so much. 😂 But hey. The project has been submitted, and we decorated every square inch of the sidewalk outside our home with chalk. (It’s truly stunning. So many mermaids, so many “Beales,” and so many blue hearts because blue is our favorite color right now.) And here we are with a static post, which is something to be proud of!

Btw: you can scroll down to the bottom of this post to see who won the $300 giveaway. ;) Oooh — the anticipation! Is it you?!

Okay. So today’s the last day of the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale. (Regular content to resume tomorrow; so sorry I haven’t posted anything of real substance over the last week. I guess there was this somewhat hidden post on why Fashion Week wasn’t the best for me, and this post in which I launched a new “book discussion” series of sorts. But yeah. I’m itching to sit down and write today! Suggestions on topics? Gimme something thought-provoking!)

This morning, though, I wanted to highlight and review a few of my most-loved Lilly products that are included in the sale. Guys, I even went so far as to take selfies of ’em on my headless body at night in my mirror. I mean, if that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is. ;)

Things I learned from the try-on session:

Lincoln Park, Chicago

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September 11, 2018 •

Lincoln Park, Chicago

Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale: My Favorites

Tops

One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine / Ten / Eleven / Twelve / Thirteen

Hey, guys! In case you’re tired of hearing about the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale, here’s a “regular” post for you today. :)

Anyway, just wanted to quickly pop on and update my shopping guide, and tell you a couple of things:

I’ll be coming back on later today to update this post (or create a new one) with recommendations as well as sizing and fit information.
Comment in the below comment second for a second chance to win the $300 e-gift card giveaway! Simply tell me something else that’s on your mind. Can be totally random; this is very open-ended. Meant to be entertaining. ;) Just be sure to leave your email in the following non-spammy format: kelly [at] kellyinthecity [dot] com. Winner will be contacted/announced at some point tonight.

Lincoln Park, Chicago

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September 11, 2018 •

New York, New York

Velvet Leopard Wrap Dress

Velvet Leopard Wrap Dress (Runs TTS. In solid velvet here and in solid crepe here.) / Tortoise Sandals / Chanel Bag c/o (Love this similar one under $60 as well as this one from Tory Burch… and I like this this one and this one from Gucci–though not sure I could pull off that much bling. 😉) / Tuckernuck Earrings (Incredibly lightweight, which is why I wear them all the time!)

I thought I’d put a “regular” post up for those who aren’t Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale fans today. ;)

Anyway, I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t love the Fashion Week aspect of my recent trip to New York. Which was weird, considering Mitch and I had been really looking forward to getting away together!

New York, New York

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Fall, Kelly in the City, New York, New York, Outfits, Style

September 10, 2018 •

Lincoln Park, Chicago