Sunglasses: Ray Ban
Shirt: J Crew
Pants: Club Monaco
Scarf: Onassis
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
I recently had the opportunity to explore the Pilsen neighborhood in the Lower West Side of Chicago and boy was it an adventure! Home to one of the largest Hispanic populations in the city, Pilsen has an impressive art scene with its vibrant murals, historic architecture, and an endless array of art galleries. Perhaps you’ve heard of “2nd Fridays Gallery Night”, a monthly walking tour of 30+ Pilsen lofts, studios, and retail spaces centered around Halsted and 18th Street. It’s an awesome (FREE) opportunity to get up close and personal with many forms of art and chat it up with the respective artists every 2nd Friday of the month. Pilsen has also allowed me to indulge in my recent obsession…TACOS! These are not your mystery meat, bagged lettuce, neon yellow hard shell tacos either (Sorry Taco Bell fans). Here you can find arguably some of the best Mexican food around. Restaurants like Nuevo Leon serve up some mean Mexican that’s easy on the wallet and authentic as it gets without crossing the border. I’ll take 3 churros and that horchata por favor!
As for my outfit, I wanted something casual and fuss-free so I could soak in my surroundings without thinking twice about what I was wearing. Hence, why I chose to sport a heavier weight denim shirt and green chinos for a pop of color. I’ve also been wanting to try a scarf inside of a shirt, similar to what is known as an ascot, so I used one that has been untouched in my closet for years. Finally, I finished the look with my blue Jimmy Choo tasseled suede driving shoes, which added more of a refined accent to my otherwise understated look.
Location: Pilsen/ Chicago
Photography: Nancy Rahman