Layer Up!

Could also be titled Wicker Park Spontaneity.

St. Patrick's Day weekend in Chicago is probably most popularly enjoyed through bar crawls beginning early in the morning until late at night. Or at least that's what I remember.

Being under the legal drinking age of 21, my friends and I decided to do the most hipster thing in the world, and do a cafe crawl. Where better to do the Cafe Crawl of 2015 than in what I consider to be the most hipster neighborhood of Chicago- Wicker Park.

In between our caffeine motivated crawl, we stopped to do a little photoshoot. Behold, my first fashion post, featuring my outfit of the day.

**PHOTO CREDITS TO JASMINE SHIREE**

A quick lookover of where everything is from.

Scarf- Old Navy

Jacket- Charlotte Russe

Sunglasses- Brickyard Buffalo

Dress- Forever 21

Purse- Forever 21

Tights- probably Walmart, let's be real, Homegirl doesn't have time to spend money on tights I'll probably end up tearing at the salon.

Socks- Kohls

Shoes- Target

This outfit survived the crazy wind and weather mood swings that the city is prone to. My "expert" fashion tip to anyone wanting to look cute but stay warm during the spring is to layer up! I hate looking bulky and having to carry a heavy winter jacket around- especially if I'm going to be getting hot and taking it off multiple times throughout the day! Underneath my dress I wore a tank top and a pair of "body shaping" shorts over my tights so I could be warm when the wind hit me. Underarmour or spandex athletic shorts would do the trick too. I layered boot socks over my tights to keep my feet extra warm while we walked.

The dress was 3/4 (and green, because St. Patricks Day, duh!) sleeve and could easily be dressed up or down, so I decided to pair it with combat boots and a utility inspired jacket because when you're going to be walking around all day, comfort is key! If you absolutely need to look fabulous when you're trekking through the city, pack a flat pair of shoes in your purse or opt for a wedge instead of a heel! The jacket had lots of pockets (where you can tuck a lightweight pair of gloves!) and a hood if I needed it.

For my bag, I opted for a small crossbody. I always bring more than I need so a smaller bag limits me to bring only the essentials. I prefer to bring a crossbody or backpack style bag when traveling to a populated area and doing a lot of walking because then I know no one will be able to snatch it away from me- as silly as that may sound, it's better to be prepared!

We were really lucky to have went on a day with such cooperative weather, and I can't wait until the next time I get to head back to the city that stole my heart! If you have a favorite Chicago coffee shop, comment below- my friends and I are always up for trying new places!

#fashion