I’ll be honest, my workout game has been pretty pathetic over the past 3 months. My excuse is I was traveling a lot and away from my gym membership in Chicago while I was out of my apartment, that counts right? I decided to motivate myself to get back into it with some cute workout wear and by shooting some new workout content for my blog. I wanted to show you guys some exercises I think do a great job of toning and ways to incorporate cardio if you hate running (me). And considering it’s summertime and I’m off to a tropical destination in a few days – now is crunch time (literally) to get in bikini shape! New fitness content coming here soon, so stay tuned!
In my opinion, Nordstrom has the best selection of athleisure and fitness wear. There are always so many different options and they carry my favorite brands – like Nike, Zella & Adidas. Ok so this outfit: I am obsessed with this sports bra. It’s a little pricey for sports bra, but it’s so soft and stretchy and I love the mesh and double straps. I paired it with these Zella color block crop leggings with sheer panels. Ever since they started making high-waisted leggings I refuse to by anything else. They just make ya feel better and are so much more comfortable! Wearing pretty much the only athletic shoes I own – Nike Juvenates – and a lightweight athletic bomber jacket to wear to and from the gym. I have my eye on these nikes in this color, I love it! And how pretty is the view on Chicago’s lakefront running path?! Hope you’re having a good week so far and THANK YOU to everyone who came to my Equinox class tonight, I’ll be hosting another one soon!
Still celebrating the fact that Express decided to make short girls everywhere happy by offering sizing for women 5’4″ and under! (Still patiently waiting for every other retailer to jump on board..). Express launched their petites collection at the beginning of this year and it was full of so many great denim & outerwear options for winter. With June in full swing & July just around the corner (how), they just launched so many cute pieces for summer!
Chicago weather can be pretty crazy – one day you’re in a jacket and being blown over by the wind, and the next it’s 90 degrees. I’m pretty much cold 90% of the time regardless of the time of year, so I like to keep a bunch of layering options in my closet for all occasions. This pinky-peach trench is the exact jacket I’ve been wanting for nights in the city. Even though the days are hot, the nights still drop down to the 60s – which calls for a silky, soft, and elegant trench to layer over any summer outfit. The notched lapels and sash tie compete this classic coat that can transition through the seasons. Underneath, I’m wearing a petite double ruffle scoop neck tee that comes in a bunch of other colors here. It’s soft, light, and great for tucking into high-waisted jeans – like my new favorite petite distressed denim I’m wearing. They’re called ‘leggings’ on the website because they’re pretty stretchy and light. Check out the entire petite collection here.
One more thing! Just a reminder for all my Chicago girls – I’m hosting a ‘summer sculpt’ class at the Equinox in Lincoln Park this Thursday 6/15 at 7:15. It’s a strength & conditioning workout for your entire body! The class is free and you can bring a friend, but space is limited and is filling up quickly. To RSVP, email shanevidal.charles@equinox.com. Parking is validated – come work out with me!! See you soon xo
Thank you to Express for partnering on this post. All photography by John-Philp.
My family is everything to me. They’re my home, my heart, and my happiness. I’m not sure how I was lucky enough to be given two of the greatest human beings as parents, but I couldn’t have asked for a better team to call my mom and dad. I always rave about my mom, but this post is about the #1 man in my life and how I am completely my father’s daughter. I was asked to participate in the #HallmarkAtWalgreens campaign sponsored by Walgreens to show how a simple card can be the most meaningful gift for Father’s Day. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.
I’ve always believed there’s no better way to express your feelings than to write them down. I love to share my love through words, so a handwritten card was the perfect personal touch. I spent over 30 minutes in the Hallmark section at Walgreens looking for the perfect card for my dad. Instead of leaving with one card, I walked out of there with two because I couldn’t just pick one! I found 2 different cards that covered two different sides of him – funny & sentimental.
The funny card I picked for him (at the end of this post) is the ideal Mike Rink card. But the sentimental card card I picked for my dad was simple with one line about celebrating him and plenty of blank space to write down all the reasons I love & appreciate him. Hallmark asked me to share a little bit about what I wrote, so Dad this one’s for you!
Thank you for teaching me to always work hard and go above and beyond
I’ve watched you run your own business since I was a little girl and work day in & out to give us the best life you possibly could. I might’ve inherited your perfectionist mindset and spitfire attitude, but those are qualities I’ve learned to embrace because I’ve watched them lead you to be the best, work the hardest, and achieve your goals in everything you do. Thank you for teaching me the value of hard work, and pushing me to be self-sufficient & independent.
My favorite thing about you is the way you make me laugh
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again – you are the funniest person I know (and the funniest person you know). This is why I love being around you. Ever since I was little, you’ve joked and teased us and made sure the last thing we ever were was thin-skinned. Thank you for teaching me to laugh things off, because in this life I’ve learned that’s a very important skill. You can always lighten the mood, make everyone in the room laugh, and your ‘I don’t care what anyone thinks about me’ attitude is so great (but at times so embarrassing haha). Your Elton John karaoke performances, hobby of covering our house in rainbow LED lights whenever possible, teaching us to eat shredded cheese off the table like dogs, and the toss-up between who the better dancer was – you or Michael Jackson, are just a few reasons why you’re the funniest.
Thank you for celebrating my victories as if they were your own
I know I was the cheerleader in the family, but my entire life you’ve been mine. Every time before leaving for a competition you’d ask “gonna kick some butt?” and I’d roll my eyes at you.. but I made sure I did so I could come home and tell you. You’ve read every blog post and never let me forget that you’ve ‘liked’ every post on Instagram I’ve ever posted (and get mad at me when I’m not your first like). Dads like you are the reason their kids are happy and successful.
You are the ultimate planner, provider, and entertainer
Being a parents is a selfless thing and you have proved that my whole life by being our #1 travel agent. You’ve put so much time into creating family vacations that have given us so many awesome memories I will never forget. Putting your hard earned money into creating fun experiences for us is one more reason why you’re the best dad. Thank you for showing your love for us in so many ways. Thank you for being my friend, role model, teacher, guide, and father. You are the best man I know, I love you & Happy Father’s Day!
You can’t really find a better card for a man who loves bacon [almost] as much as he loves his kids. He’s always making me laugh, so I figured this would be a good way to return the favor. He loved both cards and our little photoshoot we did when I was home last weekend. The pictures of us in his office definitely needed a little update – my high school senior pics weren’t gonna cut it anymore.
Sometimes all your dad wants to hear is how much you love and appreciate him. Hallmark has the best selection of funny & heartfelt cards to give your dad this Father’s Day. Celebrate your father, father of your children, or father figure with a hand-selected Hallmark Signature card this Sunday.
