04.18.2017

Dress: J. McLaughlin Tiegan Off the Shoulder Stripe Dress {c/o}

Bag: J. McLaughlin Wicker Round Bag {c/o} // Eyewear: J. McLaughlin Aviator Sunglasses {c/o}

Shoes: Sam Edelman Yaro Ankle Strap Sandals {c/o} // Jewelry: BaubleBar Piñata Earrings {c/o}

Dress: J. McLaughlin Tiegan Off the Shoulder Stripe Dress {c/o}

Bag: J. McLaughlin Wicker Round Bag {c/o} // Eyewear: J. McLaughlin Aviator Sunglasses {c/o}

Shoes: Sam Edelman Yaro Ankle Strap Sandals {c/o} // Jewelry: BaubleBar Piñata Earrings {c/o}

When the weather heats up, one of my favorite spring activities is exploring new neighborhoods in Chicago – especially destinations with amazing food and street art. During Easter weekend, I decided to explore one of the city’s biggest destinations for murals – Pilsen, a Lower West Side community. Since I was planning to do a lot of walking around the neighborhood, I decided to wear this comfy and chic off the shoulder stripe dress, wicker round bag (long enough to wear crossbody), and these new aviator sunglasses (obsessed)!

Pilsen is widely celebrated for its rich cultural history, diversity, food, and art. I always love visiting their 16th Street Murals (which you may have seen in my Chicago Wall Guide), and also the National Museum of Mexican Art. But this past weekend, I ventured off the beaten path to visit new pockets of Pilsen and walls that I haven’t seen before. After all, nearly every street has art of some kind – from small murals in alleys to large scale paintings on the sides of restaurants. In fact, I stumbled on this mural on a store in the middle of a residential area. Who knew?

After all of the mural hunting, I typically stop at one of my favorite restaurants – Dusek’s, Simone’s, or The Duck Inn (reservations highly recommended where possible). This time I chose to eat at Honky Tonk BBQ, which serves BBQ and homemade southern cooking (save enough room for their peach cobbler for dessert). Nearly every night of the week, they have live music on the Saloon Stage, which just adds to the fun, casual atmosphere. Pilsen is also known for their quaint cafes and restaurants that serve authentic Mexican food, like El Taco Azteca and El Milagro Tortilla to name a few.

From coffee shops to book stores, spacious parks to beautiful churches, Pilsen is one of the few neighborhoods that will make you feel transported to another universe. I highly recommend visiting the neighborhood this spring if you have the chance!

Special thanks to J. McLaughlin for partnering on this post; all opinions expressed are my own. Sponsorships like these help make Style Charade possible.

See all of my favorite colorful walls and murals in my Wall Charades Chicago Wall Guide. Be sure to check out my Los Angeles and New York City guides, too!

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