Guest post :: Ashley of Ashley Nicole Catherine

Good morning, everyone!  Today kicks off "Ode to Chicago" week.  Be sure to stop back by this week for all the guest bloggers who have kindly put together their own posts dedicated to Chicago and all it has to offer.  I want to say thank you to everyone for helping me out while we get settled in our new home!  

hi, everyone! this is ashley of fashion and style blog ashley nicole catherine. as you know, meagan is moving this week (we'll miss her!) and asked me to share what i would miss about chicago if moved to another city. well, hands down, one of the best things about chicago is the boutiques! the shopping here is amazing, but my favorite places to shop are the independent boutiques unique to chicago.

two of my favorites are mint julep in lakeview and handle with care in old town. both carry a range items at different price points and lots of designers i love like shoshanna and trina turk. mint julep has great affordable accessories and you're sure to find an amazing dress at handle with care!

thanks for having me, meagan! chicago will miss you!

Thanks so much Ashley!

P + L

Yesterday, while running around town going crazy, I stumbled into this adorable new-to-me boutique in Lakeview called P + L.  It's a clothing/accessories boutique for not only women but men and children too.  In fact, the children's section tempted me to purchase some super incredibly adorable teeny eeny weeny wellies for my friend Hadley's not-born-for-a-long-time baby.  Everything was SO CUTE. 

Like this dress - perfect for a summer stroll along the bay, right? 

Or this tank here (sold out though) which has such cute colors and a great shape. 

Or this tank - it may be gray and sort of boring but look at those little details.  They make it special.

I actually bought a stripey tank from the sale section.  It's sherbet colored and I love it.

The boutique has jewelry, belt buckles, artwork, you name it.  While it is rather small, it's independently owned and operated and it's basically what I want in my not-so-far-off future.  If you're in the area, I suggest a visit.  The clothes are pretty affordable and if you have a baby or small child, you'll find it hard to resist!   While the website may be kind of bare, don't let that deter you. 

I was hit with some super annoying news yesterday so I'm gonna do some stress-relieving yoga, get my hair cut and hopefully do a little retail therapy late this afternoon.  I'm soooo ready for this to be over.