About a month ago, my mom and I took a road trip to visit my brother in Milwaukee. I mentioned on my Instagram about a month ago that my family had to put Oscar, our beloved family pet of 15 years, to sleep. I haven’t written much about it because it was the most painful and traumatic thing I’ve ever had to experience. Even typing this is making my eyes fill with tears. Oscar was my best friend and companion. As much as I wanted him to stay around forever, we also knew how much he had been suffering recently due to his strokes and diabetes.

A few days after we had to say goodbye to Oscar, I was in one of my best friend’s weddings. It was a ton of fun, but trying to put a game face on when you’re grieving is something I now know is extremely hard. Long story short, I was pretty drained. My mom and I decided to escape reality for a few days and drive up to visit my brother. She had visited Milwaukee before, but this was my first trip.

Our trip was short but eventful. Although I feel like I got to experience a nice sampling of Milwaukee life. Since the trip was kind of a mental escape, I didn’t take many pictures of the places we ventured. Honestly I didn’t even realize until after we left. I can tell you though, that the food was incredible and the sights were impressive.

I know I’m missing a few places, but these are the restaurants we ate at and loved: BelAir Cantina, Mo’s…A Place for Steaks and Carson’s Ribs.

Now, onto the outfit choices for the trip. I knew it would be a lot colder up in Milwaukee because it sits on Lake Michigan. I’ve learned from visiting Joe in Cleveland over the years (thank you cold Lake Erie) that the wind chill can be completely mind-numbing. Especially for someone who is always cold like I am.  My goal was to pack warm and comfy.

I knew we’d be venturing to the lake on this day, so I dressed accordingly. That meant breaking in my new Cocoon coat from J.Crew, which I was more than happy to break out. I’ve wanted this coat for years now. So I decided this was the year I was going to suck it up and buy it. It’s probably the best outerwear decision I’ve ever made. This coat is perfect! The color, the simple design, the length. It’s all so good, especially when you need to bundle up but still want to look put together.

Ever since this trip, I have been living in my J.Crew coat, and get compliments on it wherever I go. I know this is one of J.Crew’s staple coats, and if you’ve ever toyed with buying it, I can vouch that you won’t regret it. Another thing I’ve been living in are these incredible Rebecca Minkoff loafers. They’re black patent leather, and I think I’ve worn them every single day in November. There’s something so effortless and chic about a good pair of loafers.

What To Wear On Lake Michigan:

J.Crew Stadium Cloth Cocoon Coat | Banana Republic Black Skinny Jeans | Uniqlo Turtleneck | Rebecca Minkoff Edie Loafers  | Kendra Scott Rayne Necklace c/o | Kate Spade Bag (love this option)