Rules Were Meant To Be Broken!

What to Wear 

for Every BBQ On Your List!

As the dog days of summer roll in everyone is having their last hurrah with BBQs, bonfires, and patio parties. It's always hard to decide what to wear when the festivities lend their name to something a little more cozy and casual.  

Here are a few of our favorite ways to amp up a casual vibe with a touch of style to keep your look elevated while still being dressed perfectly for any end of summer party on your list.  Hint, they're all a little risky when it comes to following the rules!  

Layer a fun floral patterned top with distressed denim and a cozy cardigan!  

This Ted Baker T gives me life!  I love the vibrant colors and floral pattern keeping summer alive with a comfortable fit! Take a fancy floral pattern top and bring it down to a relatable level with a classic neutral cardigan and perfectly fitting denim!  Florals are most definitely not just for spring and summer anymore ladies!

Who says you can't wear white 

after Labor Day?!

Rules were meant to be broken!  The quickest and chicest way to elevate a look is to pair a bright top with a pair of white jeans!  So simplistic yet such a statement!  Keep everything else simple and let your rule breaking ways do all the talking!  😉

A cropped boot cut and fancy shoe!!

Stick with a jeans and t-shirt look but make it modern with one of my favorite denim trends of the season!  A chic cropped boot cut is such a fun way to make your look modern and fresh!  This style goes great with a chunky sandal or a killer ankle boot depending on the weather!  Cropped cuts only in the summer time are a rule of the past my dears!

Stylist:  Lora LaPratt

Model:  Emily Ward

Clothing:  LBD Chciago

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...

WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

Lora LaPratt

Boat Babe!

Soak Up These Last Days of Summer 

In Style!

It's super easy to finish off the summer in Boat Babe Style by grabbing yourself a few of these fun, fashionable and easy to wear pieces! Whether you're the proud owner of your very own boat or you like to create the beach bum vibe from shore, LBD has you covered!

A piece with nautical stripes is always a no-brainer!  

Stripes are still everything this season and what better way to wear them than in all your nautical glory!?  I just love the effortless flow and color combo of this summer frock!

A cover up that can double as a dress!

Find yourself a fun printed cover up that can be worn multiple ways.  Rock it as a cover up on the water with jeans when you head to lunch or as a dress for evening cocktails! This piece can literally take you from morning to night!

A maxi dress that can be 

dressed up or down!

A classic black maxi can be so perfect for any type of boating event you have on the horizon!  I can't get enough of this stunning dress that can be rocked off the shoulders as shown, pulled up for a more formal look, or simply with spaghetti straps if you're feeling mellow!

Stylist:  Lora LaPratt

Model:  Emily Ward

Clothing:  LBD Chciago

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...

WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

Lora LaPratt

Lora's top TOP trends for summer!

A Fabulous Top Can Turn Any Day Around!

When it comes to updating my client's wardrobes for summertime in Chicago the key ingredient always comes down to a new selection of standalone, easy to wear tops! As long as they have one of my favorite trends incorporated they will be super easy to mix-and-match into your existing wardrobe to create tons of different modern, chic, outfits that will make you feel confident, comfortable, and super pulled together!

Cold Shoulder!

Bows Galore!

                          

Half Tuck Realness!

                           

Try any of these styles with a perfect pair of cut-off shorts for a great every day look, a crisp pair of white jeans for a fancier vibe, or a pleated maxi for a statement look!  All of today's looks are available at LBD Chicago!

Stylist:  Lora LaPratt

Model:  Emily Ward

Clothing:  LBD Chciago

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...

WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

Lora LaPratt

Millennial Pink

The color everyone can't get enough of this summer!

What is Millennial Pink you ask?  It's that rosy pastel, muted shade of blush pink that you're seeing on all the IT girls and in all the best boutiques (like LBD)!  

I have been obsessed with this glorious shade for far longer than I knew it had a token nickname.  My much cooler, much younger, millennial cousin complimented my look, "I love your outfit, I'm into Millennial Pink too!"  And thus created the title for today's blog.  

Summer's Hottest Color; great for any age!

Have no fear, you do not have to be a millennial to add this fabulous color into your summer mix!  The shade is so simply romantic and effortlessly cool that it can slip into your wardrobe no matter what your style is!

I've done all the hard work for you and highlighted some of my very favorite pieces from LBD to show you a few of my favorite ways to rock the shade of the season!

Monochromatic From Head to Toe!

The monochromatic look is such a modern spin on office chic!  Keep it effortless with a fitted suede jacket rather than a blazer over your sheath dress!  Perfect mix and match pieces to create multiple combinations!

Flirty Blouse Paired with Crisp White!

The perfect girls night out look?  A flirty blouse in just the right pink paired with crisp white pants!  Add a choker to give your look just the right amount of edge to pair with your soft shades!

Ruffled dress and floral printed clutch!

If you're on the hunt for the perfect date night look, this combo is all you need! Ruffles, pink, and florals can easily go too girly, but done the right way have such an air of sophistication and romance!

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...

WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

LaPratt Lora 

Staying Sexy Cool

Holy Heat Wave Chicago!

It's time to get ready for a sizzling summer in the city and I'm here to tell you  my simple summer rules to keep you cool while staying fabulous in a heat wave!

Keep your jewelry delicate and light!

The worst is to plan your whole look around a massive statement necklace and then be too hot to rock it for that special event!  Get yourself a selection of perfectly delicate go-to pieces to wear with everything!  The SGXOXO showroom always has a great selection of beautiful locally designed jewelry at your finger tips!

Keep your clothing minimal 

with fun and flirty summer dresses in light colors! 

Get yourself some fab little dresses for every event on your summer calendar!  Keeping your color scheme light will help you stay cool while incorporating some of my favorite trends like flowers and lace will keep you even COOLER!

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...
WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

LaPratt Lora 

Transitional Pieces For Spring!

How To Transition Your Wardrobe

from breezy spring nights to hot summer days!  

We all know that Chicago weather is a guessing game and the answer changes from hour-to-hour in this beautiful Windy City!  Spring is the time of year when my e-mails are overflowing with clients looking for items to get them through the transitional months of the season.  Everyone wants to start wearing fun bright colors and can't wait to start rocking the easy breezy dresses that summer begs for, but the weather doesn't always cooperate! 

I've highlighted some of my top transitional wardrobe pieces that every fashionable city girl should own!  The best part about the pieces is that they really do help expand the longevity of your favorite summer duds, and most likely they will become your obsessions as much as they are mine. Let's just say I have a lot of options to choose from when it comes to....

Blazers!  

I can't get enough of a great fitted blazer!  It is THE PERFECT way to make almost any dress work-appropriate, and takes any casual top to a much more trendy/sophisticated level!  You can get them in major color statements, funky materials, and the perfectly flattering length for your height!

Skinnys!  

A cute pair of super fitted skinny jeans can not only keep your legs warm on a breezy day, but easily add a trendy "cool-girl" vibe to any dress!  They are such a fun way to play with your style!  Wear them under a super girly dress to give yourself some edge!  Play around in the mirror to find the perfect combo for your personality and cuff the bottom to make it clear they're pants and not leggings!

Scarfs!  

Such an obvious answer to the problem of seasonal temperature changes!  So many people think scarves are just for winter, but luckily the materials, lengths, shapes, and uses of scarves continue to evolve!  Find yourself a scarf that you love and experiment with all of the different looks you can create!

Hope this helps you finally bust out your favorite warm weather looks and enjoy this crazy beautiful city and it's crazy beautiful weather no matter what the temperatures bring your way!

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...
WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

LaPratt Lora 

Pull Any Look Together In A Snap!

3 Super Simple Styling Tips 

to Pull Any Look Together!!

Hi fashion lovers!  

As a personal stylist one of the things I hear over and over again from my clients is that they want to look modern and put together without any stress!  Any morning can be a hectic, blurry haze and figuring out how to tie your look together gets overwhelming and often forgotten about!

That’s why I’m going to share with you three of my SIMPLEST styling tips to instantly take any look from drab to fab in a snap!  I’m keeping it short and simple just like getting dressed in the morning should be!

DRAB...

TO FAB!

CUFF IT!
Cuffing your sleeves OR your skinny jeans is a simple way to tailor your look and give it a "cool girl" vibe!

TUCK IT!

Play around with a messy front tuck with your blouses.  This gives your shape definition without having to wear super fitted clothing and gives your look more polish!

BELT IT!

If your belt loops are going to show, even only when raising your arms put a belt in them! Think of this as another accessory that can tie your entire look together!

CUFF IT, TUCK IT, BELT IT!!!

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If you're interested in learning more about my styling services or want to follow us on Instagram and Facebook visit ...
WWW.SHOPPINGGIRLXOXO.COM

XOXO,

Shopping Girl,

LaPratt Lora