The Trench: A Spring Staple (See Jane Wear)

Burberry trench (look for less here), Zara top, Gap pants, J Crew heels, Celine bag

A classic trench coat is one of those items that I grab for year after year.  I've had this particular version for four years now and I think the cost per wear must be mere pennies by now.  It's appropriate for the most conservative of offices and can be dressed down for the most casual wardrobes, too.  I relied on this coat for business travel when I worked in finance; now that I work at a start-up where we can be as dressed down as we please, I still pull it just as often during springtime.  They now come in a plethora of colors and styles (and price ranges, too), but you can't go wrong with a standard khaki or black trench.

Burberry trench, H&M jacket, DL1961 jeans, Joie flats, Chloe bag (old, but similar size/shape)

What A Peach (See Jane Wear)

Zara coat, J Crew tweed tee (on sale!), Zara jeans (similar), Pour la Victoire wedges, 3.1 Phillip Lim bag

I'm done boycotting outfit posts only because Mother Nature has risen the temperatures above freezing.  I swear, though, as soon as they dip, I'll be back to protesting once again.  Now that my threats to stop posting pictures of myself on the internet have been vocalized, I have a feeling the weather is finally going to cooperate.

Green Breakfast Smoothie (See Jane Blend)

I know, I know--I'm about a century behind on the smoothie craze.  My mom, however, is one of the original pioneers of the smoothie movement.  She's been forcing them down my throat for as long as I can remember.  Every single time I'm home, she makes me a healthy smoothie for breakfast (and yes, they're actually healthy..no processed foods allowed!).  I've never been big into breakfast on weekdays, either; I'd much rather sleep.  However, sipping one down in the morning has really quelled the "hungriness" (hungry/angry) I feel by noon due to skipping breakfast.

handful of spinach

handful of kale (broken up, with stems)

handful of strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 banana

2 spoonfuls of raw almond butter

2 spoonfuls of greek yogurt

spoonful of chia seeds

1/4 (eyeballed) of filtered water

Disclaimer:  I'm not really into sweets so this isn't sugary at all--it's more nutty than anything.  I'm also not a health expert; I just know I need to eat healthier and this is a great way for me to incorporate more nutrition in my life.  Here's my ingredient list.  I'm curious, if you make smoothies, what do you use?

Repurposed (See Jane Wear)

Kenna-T jacket (old but similar), Gap turtleneck, Old Navy skirt (old but this one is awesome for spring), J Crew pumps, Gap sunglasses

I will not discuss the weather.  I will not complain about the cold.

....ok, fine--I can't help it!  I need spring temperatures in my life.  If anything, the abysmal weather is keeping me creative.  I've been pulling items from the depths of my closet.  It's not like I have a choice in the matter; if I have to wear another sweater with skinny jeans and boots, I might go insane.

Time Out (See Jane in Print)

J Crew coat, Old Navy chambray, Rag & Bone jeans, J Crew heels (wedge version still available), 3.1 Phillip Lim bag, Super sunglasses

Check out my writeup in Time Out Chicago.  Thanks so much to Nick Murway for snapping these photos and Kevin Aeh for a great interview.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Overwinter (See Jane Wear)

Zara jacket (old but similar), Club Monaco blouse (old but similar), Rag & Bone jeans, Dolce Vita heels (on sale!), Celine bag

I'm so over winter.  Every morning I look into my closet and think "you again?" to all my clothes.  Bare legs aren't an option and I'm tired of tights and heavy overcoats.  This morning, I decided a lightweight leather jacket was the only thing that would work for me, so I compensated for the chilly temperatures by wearing another coat (a trench) on top for my commute to work.  It's the only thing I can do at this point short of hibernating.

Any tips for getting through these last weeks of winter?  I'm desperate.

Salad Lyonnaise (See Jane Cook/Inhale)

A lyonnaise salad takes me back to my days of studying abroad in Europe during college.  I ordered it frequently because you could always count on it being on the menu (especially in Luxembourg, where I studied) and I thought I was being somewhat healthy because hey, it was a salad!  As soon as I spotted "lardons" and "oeufs" on the menu, I thought,   "mmm, bacon and eggs.  Sold."  It's no wonder I gained a few pounds that semester along with all the pommes frites I devoured.

To construct this salad is super simple; frisée (but I just used spring mix + arugula, bacon, croutons, a poached egg (great tutorial here) and a dijon vinaigrette (I make my own--there recipes aplenty on the internets).  Bon appétit!

Mirror, Mirror (See Jane's Reflection)

Ray Ban v ASOS

Super v ASOS

It's no secret that mirrored sunglasses are a big trend right now.  Sometimes I think I love them, other times I'm whisked back in time to my high school days when tinted, frameless lenses were all the rage (examples here and here--it's ok, you can admit you had them, too).

Designers are all over the map with their own mirrored lenses, but I'm not quite sure if I can commit to this trend--but I'm looking to try it.  Luckily, there are affordable versions available so you can try the trend without blowing your allowance AND getting Nokia phone cover you've been eyeing.  Wait, sorry, I thought it was 2001 again.

Past Winter White (See Jane Wear)

MBMJ coat (old), American Vintage sweater, Zara jeans (old, but similar), Chloe bag, Super sunglasses (sold out, similar), Joie flats, J Crew + Giles & Bro bracelets

Wearing creamy neutrals in the dead of winter is my little way of wishing warm weather my way.  Let's face it, we're in the dead of winter and a world without tights seems eons away.  For now, I'll wear my white jeans with exposed ankles (let's be real, I commute in boots and change into different shoes at the office) and continue to be blissfully unaware.

Fab in Mexico (See Jane South of the Border)

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As I mentioned earlier this week, I took a jaunt to Mexico last weekend.  Sadly, I took one pic (via instagram), but it was nice to just shut off for the weekend.  When you live in a city like Chicago, it's truly a treat to escape to warm weather.  If you're looking for fun/colorful/quirky items to bring with you to the tropics, look no further than Fab--an online marketplace for everything under the (Mexican) sun.

Enjoy the weekend!