Happy Wednesday, friends! As I write this, I’m getting ready to head to California for a mother-daughter weekend in wine country. I’m posting from my phone so I’ll keep this short. I’ll check in later this week with updates! In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a few photos of my favorite vest. If it wasn’t strange, I think I would wear it every day. And the best part? It was only $35 dollars at our local department store.

Espresso and Cream has never been, and will never be, predominantly a fashion blog. I have too many bad hair days and not enough items in my wardrobe. But I do enjoy posting fashion photos when I find an outfit or item of clothing that I think other readers might love, too. Last week, I got sucked into the clothing section of Target over my lunch break and bough this shirt on a whim. I was feeling frumpy, having a … Read More

jeans: banana republic outlet premium denim skinnies | shoes: banana republic outlet | shirt: target | cardigan: j. crew Ladies, let’s talk about shopping for jeans. I know, some of you might be groaning at the thought of shopping for new jeans after wearing skirts and dresses all summer, but I’ve got good news. Last weekend I discovered flattering, comfortable and affordable jeans. I think Banana Republic Outlet should start sponsoring my posts (the don’t, just to be clear) with … Read More

Last week I was browsing through my Google Reader (man, I start a lot of stories like this…) when I came across a post on Sarah’s blog that really caught my attention. Sarah had read a couple other posts by bloggers about dressing like a blogger vs. dressing for their husbands. The blogger Sarah mentioned had husbands with some pretty strong opinions about their fashion choices, which got me thinking about what I wear and what Joe thinks about what … Read More

Blouse: Banana Republic | Jeans: Banana Republic | Shoes: Kenneth Cole (from DSW) You guys, if there ever was a time for you to consider traveling to Iowa for a long weekend, this would be the time. The weather we’ve been having here in central Iowa as of late has been nothing short of perfect. Chilly (50’s) in the morning and evening and in the 70’s and low 80’s during the days. If I could pick my dream weather, it … Read More

{Dress: Target; Shoes: Calvin Klein; Sweater: J. Crew Jenna Sweater} Running out of the door, almost late to work, with dirty hair and not a whole lot of time is probably not one of the better times to snap a fashion photo to share on your blog, is it? But this little dress I snapped up last week from Target for $24 was too good not to share with you all. In the past, I’ve made a bunch of unwise … Read More

{Shorts: Banana Republic Outlet; Sandals: J. Crew; Bracelet: Banana Republic Outlet; Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft} Somewhere along the lines in the last couple years, I’ve grown to stop hating shorts and, dare I say, actually enjoy wearing them. I’m not sure when the shift happened, but I’m going with it. Though I’m still not sure shorts are the most flattering choice, they’re just so darn practical at times that it’s hard to avoid wearing them all together. Though I certainly … Read More

{Skirt: Banana Republic Outlet; Top: Banana Republic Outlet; Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction (last year)} First of all, thank you so much for your kind words about yesterday’s No Fat Talk Tuesday post. I was SO encouraged and uplifted by the great dialogue and the comments that you all shared. You are all so truly amazing and inspiring in your own right. Now, let’s lighten things up, shall we? My mom spent this past weekend with us, and we used part … Read More

There’s nothing I love more than summer weather, and being in Iowa makes me appreciate the high temps even more. But since our hot weather days are so limited in the Midwest, it sometimes seems like a waste to spend a lot of money on dresses that will only get used three months out of the year. Max dresses, on the other hand, are a different story. Because of their length, I could see myself  wearing this dress in the … Read More

I’ve never really noticed before, but it turns out that our back alley is a fashion blogger’s dream. I think someone who enjoys taking outfit photos more than I do (and has more fashion sense) should move into our apartment just for the endless backdrops. I can’t believe last weekend was the first time I noticed it! Joe and I headed up to Minneapolis two weeks ago for Jason and Ali’s graduation. Typically, I wear gym shorts or sweats in … Read More