Feel like getting frisky? Get yourself “Whipped” Over this Jewelry collection by the lingerie-loving Agent Provocateur. And while we’re talking about jewelry…check out some Unique Jewelry Finds in our What to Wear feature.

Halloween’s over, which means winter is on it’s way. But check out How to Look Stylish and Stay Warm! during this transitional weather.

Love precious metals? As requested, this week’s Q&A featured one great tutorial How to Apply Metallic Eyeshadow. Have another tutorial you want to see? Be sure to let us know and your question could be our next feature.

Like leather leggings? Can’t get enough of Chanel? All in this week’s Weekly Shopping and Goodies! Check it out.

Violet’s Week in Review: November 1st-November 5th is a post from: Violet Revolution

Dress Code featured the work of talented student designers, which looks were your favorite??

Sportswear, casual dresses, cocktail dresses, & flowy ballgowns graced the runway during the Style Chicago finale show. Which designers were your personal favorite?

Check out these denim styles that will flatter any body type this winter! Are you over the jeggings yet?

Still need a Halloween costume? Here are a few easy & fashionable last minute costume ideas!

Check out these Halloween fashion festivities happening this weekend!

Don’t forget to enter Violet’s “How to Throw Yourself a Birthday Party” giveaway! You have until Sunday, October 31st to enter for a chance to win a $50 giftcard from Pixie Chicago!

Violet’s Week in Review: October 25th- October 29th is a post from: Violet Revolution

Thus, I find myself taking a Project Runway approach to eliminating runway looks for my article.  For those of you who haven’t seen the show (I’m sure most of you know the drill already), the judges determine the top and worst few, then eliminate the middle ones from further critiques.  Then they go to town praising or expressing their loathe for the looks presented.  Although I’m not that harsh, I felt last week’s Dress Code show from Chicago’s Fashion Focus fashion week could be categorized into beautiful,

elegant,

and wearable looks…

…vs. creative and, to some audiences, downright kooky looks.

Dress Code differed from the other fashion shows last week in that students from the various local design schools (Columbia College, IADT (International Academy of Design & Technology), Illinois Institute of Art, and SAIC (School of the Art Institute of Chicago)) were given free reign to some degree to flex their creative muscle.  I even felt it was a little Project Runway-esque as the designers were tasked with incorporating social responsibility into their designs, which took the form of reusing discarded materials, like plastic, newspapers, seat belts, and potato sacks…

…or recycling every day materials, like wood,

or brocade and quilted fabrics, into fashion statements.

What do you think?  Do you feel fashion shows should stick to wearable looks, or consist of entirely “off the grid” whimsical looks?

Fashion Focus: Is ‘Dress Code’ Off the Grid? is a post from: Violet Revolution

A preview of  local designers & their current collections you can shop this Saturday, Oct. 23rd at Fashion Chicago located at Millennium Park!

What kind of party would you throw if you won Violet’s “How to Throw Yourself a Birthday Party” giveaway?? Enter now because you deserve to be queen for a day?

Why did Violet become a Jess LC Ambassador? Find out why she supports local Chicago design!

Gorgeous gowns, structured details, fierce, innovative designs, a few words to describe these amazing designers collections! Check out our favorite pieces from the Macy’s Fashion Incubator Past & Present Show!

Fashion Focus is off to a great start! Continue celebrating Chicago Fashion this weekend by attending these fabulous events!

Violet’s Week in Review: October 18th- October 22nd is a post from: Violet Revolution

WE <3 the “Lauren” handbag from Brynn Cappella! Watch Violet convert the bag 7 ways! So many different looks, which is your personal fave??

How will you celebrate Sweetest Day? A wine tasting, dinner, or just relax at home? Here’s a look that is stylish & versatile—no matter where you go!

Here are a few tips of what to wear & what Not to wear on a first date!! Share your best/worst date stories!

Check out the many Fall deals this weekend, plus Fashion Focus Chicago begins next week–we’ve got the details here!

Violet’s Week in Review: October 12th- October 15th is a post from: Violet Revolution

Check out Violet’s favorite treats & fashion finds from the Chicago Chocolate Tour!

Trendy, affordable jewelry from 3 Hearts Boutique, helping women feel good about wearing today’s hottest fashion trends while helping support a great cause!

Not a fan of strapless? Try the very flattering one shoulder top or dress this fall. Which style is your favorite?

Zac Posen, Lanvin, Nina Ricci, Dior– we adore them all! Which looks do you <3 from Paris Fashion Week??

Upcoming events this weekend– Pretty in Pilsen, Explore Fulton Market, Fear No Fashion, plus some amazing deals, you don’t want to miss out!

A little something extra for our lovely readers, use code “violet20” online, or mention the code in-store, for 20% off your entire order through Oct. 20th at Nika Butik!

Violet’s Week in Review: October 4th- October 8th is a post from: Violet Revolution

Give up?

Answer: Chocolate and Shopping!

Although there are some good men out there, I don’t know that it can get any better than sampling chocolate treats and shopping at the same time.  Throw in a little wine and some walking to burn off the calories, and this could be the best tour Chicago has to offer.

Yes, this is an actual tour you can take in Chicago.  Chicago Chocolate Tours does various public chocolate tours throughout the city, bridal party chocolate tours, and on-site chocolate tastings in Chicago, as well as Boston and Philadelphia.  You’ll visit chocolate shops, bakeries, and cafes to sample chocolate in various areas around the city.  Every so often you can take a combined chocolate and fashion tour downtown, which is what I did.

So what was it like, you might ask?  See for yourselves:

We started off at a Sarah’s Pastries and Candies, a chocolatier and maker of exquisitely decorated occasion and wedding cakes.

Our samples of yummy goodness included a candy called “The Haystack,” a mixture of chocolate covered pistachios, rice krispies, and almonds; as well as a de-li-cious peanut butter rice krispie chocolate covered candy.  I love peanut butter, so needless to say, that one was my favorite.

Next stop: SHOES.  If you haven’t stopped in Block 37 lately, you should stroll through the shops there, especially if you work in the loop and it’s on your way to and from work.  One of the stores inside is Alternatives Shoes, which is also in The 900 Shops on the other end of downtown, FYI.  I’m just going to show you some photos of some of the cute shoes and handbags they carry:

Need I say more?  One of the ladies on the tour bought the oversized snap clutch (which also converts to a shoulder bag) pictured at right in the last photo above, I bought the below rain boots,

while this woman tried on and bought these leopard flats for fall:

(Photo Credit: Chicago Chocolate Tours.  To see more photos from the tour, click here!)

Then we were off to sample more chocolate.  I won’t give all the locations away, but some of the other heavenly treats I tried were chocolate mixed with earl grey tea, a strawberry white chocolate bar that tasted like strawberry shortcake, and a doughy dessert treat oozing with molten chocolate.

Next: Clothes shopping and MORE SHOES!  Maybe I should have said Chocolate and Shoes are a woman’s two great loves?

We stopped in Florodora, a clothing boutique that packs a lot of fabulous into a little space in the Monadnock building.  Because of being in the business district downtown, Florodora’s options cater to a working business woman who wants to have her own unique flair:

We couldn’t get enough of the Fall outerwear that was on full display.  Here’s Valerie, the owner of Chicago Chocolate Tours, modeling one of the new hats:

(Photo Credit: Chicago Chocolate Tours)

And everyone was crazy about this snow white asymmetrical snap jacket for fall.  Could you blame us?

Just next door is Florodora Shoes, where you can find novel shoes, boots, handbags, and jewelry.

One of the ladies was contemplating this open-toe buckle bootie, while I had my eye on the mary janes:

All in all, we had a fabulous time on the tour, bought some unique finds, and sampled delectable chocolate!  If you want to take a chocolate tour too, click here to find out how!

Chocolate and Fashion – What Could be Sweeter? is a post from: Violet Revolution

European fashions graced us with their presence. Which looks were your favorite from London & Milan Fashion Week?

Take a look inside Violet’s handbag! What essentials do you carry in your handbag??

The smell of vanilla & a hint of brown sugar…mmm…..the perfect candle for fall plus its a lotion too! Enter here for our beauty giveaway from Mojo Spa!

Check out the latest fall fashions from Gavin Boutique–you can now purchase online from their newly renovated website!

Any fall activities planned this weekend?? Here are some ideas for a cute & casual look!

Check out The Find.com for a chance to win a $50 giftcard from Bare Necessities!

This weekend enjoy the Ravenswood Artwalk, Design Harvest, The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair and more!

Violet’s Week in Review: September 27th- October 1st is a post from: Violet Revolution

“Owner, Lauren Cavallo Runzel, a former European runway and editorial model, launched the boutique in 2009 so every fashionista and style maven could find apparel and accessories with a little extra ‘edge,’” according to a recent press release.  Now, you fellow fashionistas can either take a short trip to Evanston if you’re local, or shop online at your leisure, 24/7, from wherever.  However, if you are local, I would encourage you to take the el to check out the amazing finds at Gavin.  There’s other shopping nearby, plus it being college football season, you could maybe make a day of it with your BMF (Best Man Forever or Best Man Friend) and go shopping before, after, or during (which I’d personally advise, if you’re not a sports kinda girl) a Northwestern game.  Then refresh at a local bar or restaurant before heading back to the city.

Here’s a peek at what the website looks like:

The website is much more straightforward to use, some famous names will be weighing in with their fashion thoughts, and best of all you can shop and buy online.  I personally think it’s a bonus for local stores to add this aspect to their website; as it not only allows us to see the merchandise available in-store, but it also allows someone who doesn’t live here to still buy from the boutique.  And if you are local, you could still shop online when it’s convenient for you (say at night, when you’re not at work), then have it shipped to your door or pick it up in person. 

We had a lot of fun at the party while admiring the jewelry and sunglasses from Nicole Richie’s new fashion line, House of Harlow.

One thing was clear to me while perusing all the merchandise during the party: You will not see these clothes everywhere.  I’ve talked about the grandpa cardigan being in for fall, but have you seen one that looks like this?

We loved the sparkly lariat necklace this girl tried on…

…the studded grey handbag on this mannequin…

…and this sexy strapless number.

Recently, someone asked me about stylish coat options.  Finding a coat that’s not like everyone else’s with some styling details can be a daunting task.  Sometimes I feel like I see the same styles over and over again, and each are mostly plain and not that visually interesting.  Gavin makes it easy to find some spectacular outerwear options, like this 3/4 length embellished wool coat:

Adorable, right?  It isn’t like the coat is so avant guarde you couldn’t wear it every day, but the hardware detail at the waist and collar are different enough to make people turn heads and wonder where you found it.

In fact, that is how I would describe most everything at Gavin: wearable, unique styles that turn heads.  Now that the website is live, see for yourself and tell us which piece you must add to your closet this fall!

Website Launch Party at Gavin Boutique is a post from: Violet Revolution

Audrey Hepburn, Vogue, Sophia Loren…. a little inspiration for Paris Fashion Week!

We love Chicago fashion & Local Lookbook is all about celebrating local designers! Who is your favorite Chicago designer??

It is possible to wear animal print and not look overdone! Try these clothing & accessory options this fall!

Lace up booties, motorcycle boots, foldover cuff boots–which boot fits your personal style? Share with us!

This weekend: Last call for Randolph St. Market, Akira presents Folklorique, Local Love at Manor, plus some fabulous deals!

Check out Violet Revolution featured on Links a la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup this week!

Violet’s Week in Review: September 20th- September 24th is a post from: Violet Revolution