1. Brooke – I love your hair! style and color What do you ask for when getting it done? Do you have thick hair? How do you style it so it’s not too puffy/curly straight on the ends?
Thank you! You can see all the details about my hair in this post – what I ask for, products I use, and how I style it and get the ends straight. My hair isn’t super thick (the individual strands), but I have a ton of hair so it seems/acts “thick” if that makes sense.

2. So I know you are both into books and I have always been a bookworm. But ever since becoming a mom, I cannot seem to find the time (or energy) to read. I’ve tried reading in bed after everyone else has gone to sleep but the book ends up watching me because I fall asleep lol. Trust me these are really good books; I’m just so darn tired by the end of the night. #momlife The only time I do find to read is when I am going to meet my friends in the city and take the train but by the time that happens, I forgot what the book is about and have to restart it lol. I’m on the same book for the past 6 months! So serious question – how do you both find the time to read? Any tips?
Meggan: That seriously used to be me! I’d only read every once in awhile so then I’d have to reread because I had no idea what was happening in the book lol! I hardly ever read when we lived in Chicago because we had a tv in our room and that’s what I liked to fall asleep to. When we moved, we decided no tv our room and now I get in bed early(ish) to read! I’m a night owl so I can stay late reading (trust me some nights my eyes are fluttering after 3 pages) but I would suggest getting in bed early to read. If you’re too tired at night maybe you could carve out some time while your kids nap? Brooke and I were just talking about starting a virtual book club this AM…if you’re interested let us know!
Brooke: I feel the same way – it’s hard for me to find time to read, but I’m so much happier when I make time to read. I recommend heading to bed 30 minutes earlier – even if you only read for 15-30 minutes every night, you’ll get through a book in a week or two depending on how easy the read is, and at least it will be consistent – you won’t have to start your book over again and again lol that’s the worst!

3. I want to refresh my place with some new furniture, but I do have a budget. I know you love West Elm and Restoration Hardware, but do you have any other go-to’s for quality-made sofas, dining tables, chairs, etc.? Also, any experience with Wayfair, Overstock, Target furniture?
Brooke: Yes – I love Wayfair and Overstock! I’ve never purchased Target furniture, but they have some seriously cute stuff right now! I have these chairs from Overstock and they are amazing – I’ve had them for 5 years. I also love IKEA – I used this tulip table with the Overstock chairs and love the combo! My friend has these counter stools and they are SO pretty and good quality.
Meggan: I love Target, World Market, and IKEA for less expensive items! I have the same tulip table Brooke mentioned in my kitchen with these chairs from Target (I spray painted the legs black). I had these chairs (in navy) in my Chicago apartment and loved them – such good quality too! Check out Targets new line, Project 62, there’s so many amazing things. A few of my favorites are this console table, this lamp (love it in clear), this chair, and this coffee table. Side note: I really want to buy that lamp even though I don’t have a spot for it lol.

4. I’m wondering if the two of you ever miss working in an office…I work from home and sometimes miss going in to work and being with my peers. What do you miss most?
Meggan: I definitely miss being with my peers as well and just adult interaction in general (at least I have Brooke to text all day lol). Sometimes I miss the environment too. Trunk Club had so many badass women that inspired me and I loved being around! There’s definitely pros and cons but I wouldn’t trade getting to be home with Cam for the world!
Brooke: Yes – I agree. I think if we lived in the same city, we would definitely get an office space so we could work together, but texting all day long does help lol. I loved the company I worked for in Chicago (I worked from home for the same company when we lived in CA and again when we moved to NY) – the people were amazing (I loved my boss), the team was fun, and the energy was just so great. I definitely miss that part of working in an office! My friend Sai has an office in Brooklyn and she’s always telling me I need to come work with her – I’m seriously tempted lol :).

5. Meggan – where did you get Camden’s mirror and cactus wallpaper?
The mirror is from CB2 (here) and I found the wallpaper on Etsy (here – but looks like the shop owner is taking a break till Oct). The mirror was possibly for our room but it looked so cute over his crib (and the master bedroom always gets put on the back burner lol).

6. This is so random but you guys seem like Bravo junkies (as am I) and I want to know who your favorite housewives are!
Meggan: Literally obsessed ha – I watch all the seasons and read all their blogs ha! This is really hard to narrow down but my favorites are Erika Jayne, Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna (I know she’s pretty hated but I get her sense of humor lol), Teresa Giudice, Vicki (I have a love/hate relationship with her), Melissa Gorga, Siggy, Phaedra, Bethanny, and Carole Radziwill. My favorite seasons are Jersey and Beverly Hills…maybe NY too. Dallas is my least favorite (seriously how can they not find a better cast) but I like watching to see where they go! I could talk housewives all day…
Brooke: OMG yes this is such a great, but hard question! If I had to narrow it down to my faves they would be: Carole Radziwill (she’s so chill I love it), Teresa Giudice, NeNe (I know she’s not on anymore but I loved her), Kyle Richards, Erika Jayne (obsessed), Melissa Gorga (I love when she and Teresa are getting along), Kandi Burrus, Bethenny (super excited for her new show with Fredrik!), Siggy, and Yolanda (even though she’s gone too, love her energy). I love all the cities equally except Dallas, sorry…lol. It’s just not as good.

7. My friends and I are planning a girls weekend in Chicago. Any restaurant suggestions for brunch and dinner and any spots you recommend for going out? Also any hotel suggestions?
Some cool hotels are The Langham (amazing views), Hotel Lincoln, The Godfrey, LondonHouse, The James, or Dana Hotel. My restaurant recommendations are Hampton Social (the famous “rosé all day” sign), Summer House, Big Star (fun patio and strong margs), Beatrix, Topo Gigio, Parlor Pizza, Luxbar, RPM, and Mercadito – all have a fun atmosphere! Going out spots….hmmm I’m old AF and haven’t been out there in awhile but some spots we used to go to were Pops for Champagne, Paris Club, The Violet Hour, Cindy’s, Bottled Blonde, Joy District, and Fremont. A lot of the hotels I listed have fun rooftops too! Oh and this is a good list of brunch spots! I always get nervous giving recs for Chicago because I’m sure other Chicago girls are like okay those places are old news 😉 Have fun!

8. How did you decide when your toddlers were ready for preschool?
Meggan: I’m not sure if Cam was exactly “ready” but we found an amazing co-op school by our house that we really like. The teacher and classroom are great and I get to help out in the classroom once a month. It’s only two days a week for three hours so it’s not too much. We wanted him to start because he’s with me all day, everyday and thought it would be good to get him socialized and in a new environment with fun things to do! He’s also behind on speech (starting to see a speech therapist!) but his ped said being around other kids would definitely help speed things up. And I will say he has been talking up a storm lately! Not sure if it’s just from school but it makes me so happy to hear him talking!
Brooke: I waited until Sophia was 3 to start preschool and it worked out really well, so I’m planning to do the same with Avery. The only learning-based 2 year old programs near me are full day (5 days a week), so it jut didn’t make sense for her to go to a daycare 2’s program since she goes to the gym with me and the daycare there is basically the same as her preschool would be. I will say though, when I only had Sophia I wished I had signed her up for a 2’s program ;). I ended up doing a lot of classes with her when she was two – gym and music, but it would have been nice to be able to drop her off for a couple hours.

9. So I am going to ACL music festival in October and I really want some cool fashion forward looks, but I am 35 and most festival outfits I see are so skimpy!  Any ideas for something cool and flattering that is still age appropriate?
This two piece set is so cute, looks festival-y, and is age appropriate! We’re also loving this set, this dress, and this dress! Have fun! xx

10. I love both your homes from what I’ve seen on insta! I’m looking for a new tv stand for my living room. I’m going mount the tv but can’t find anything I love to hold the devices. I love the minimalist or mid century look. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much! A few (okay a lot) we’re loving are here, here, here (comes in a large size too!), here, and here!

11. What are your favorite camis or tshirts to wear under cardigans?
Meggan: I like these Zara tanks (here and here), these Madewell tees, and this Current Elliot vneck.
Brooke: I love this cami and this one (have + love both), this tee, and the same Current Elliot one Meggan mentioned.

12. My daughter turns two this winter, and we will be having her 2-year photos done in the AZ desert. I know it’s a few months away, but I’m struggling to come up with outfit ideas. I want something stylish and chic, but definitely not your typical little girl frill. Any suggestions?
This dress is so cute – thought it was Stella McCartney until I saw the price – would be super cute with sneakers. This tee with this skirt would be so cute with little booties. This little dress is super cute, and we’re also loving this vest (love how they styled it, so cute!).

13. I’m looking for an affordable everyday black cross body bag, preferably under $100. Any suggestions?
So many cute ones! Love this Sole Society one, this bucket bag, this envelope bag, or this leather tassel one. Also, this one is a little over $100 but looks like it would be good for everyday and holds a lot!

14. I’m going to NYC for a week for work and staying through the weekend. What are your favorite dinner places and things to see that are local spots not necessarily super touristy?
Question #21 in this post – all of my restaurant suggestions are still the same :). Tribeca, West Village, and Soho are my favorite neighborhoods to explore without feeling like a tourist!

15. I’ve been dating my boyfriend for about 5 months and his birthday is coming up. Any good gift recommendations? I’m lost on what is appropriate for such a short relationship. Help!
You could take him for a fun night out – dinner, drinks, dancing (or whatever you guys like to do together), and tell him it’s your treat ;). Other ideas would be to go to a football game (if you live in/near a city with a pro team), a concert, or plan a different activity. Sometimes, especially in new relationships, an experience is better than an actual gift!

16. I apologize in advance if you’ve already answered something similar to this! but I will be 33 weeks pregnant for wedding in October! Wanted to see if you both had any suggestions for what to wear?
This off-the-shoulder dress is pretty, love this blue one, and this maxi is gorgeous!

17. I recently got a promotion at work and need to get a work bag or briefcase that gets the job done but also looks cute AF; catch is I need something that zips (so most totes don’t work ugh). Looking to spend less than $700.
Congratulations! We’re loving this one, this one, this one, and this one!

18. Which Charlotte Tilbury products do you guys have? Would you recommend them?
Meggan: Okay I just raided the CT counter the other week! The girl working there had the best highlighter and dewy looking skin so I told her I wanted everything that was on her face lol. I got this primer, this highlight wand, this contour wand, this beach stick (in moon beach), this eyeshadow palette, this lipstick (nude kate), and lipgloss gloss in sweet stiletto (such a good combo!). Would definitely recommend all of it!
Brooke: I actually only have this mask and this lipstick (penelope pink). But kind of want to buy everything Meggan mentioned lol.

19. I’m 10 weeks pregnant with my first and wondering what your favorite fall/winter maternity clothes are and what are your favorite baby products to add to a registry?
Comfy, cozy, and oversized for fall ;). We didn’t do a lot of maternity pieces until we were too big to fit into regular clothes, but these jeans were definitely a must have! Oversized sweaters like this one and  this one are great, and you can always do a tee with an unbuttoned plaid shirt like this one – so cute and tons of color options! Honestly it’s hard for us to even remember what must-haves we had on our registry, but this is a great list!

20. Can you talk about taking liquid chlorophyll? Do you both add it to water? Where do you buy it? Any results?
We’ve both been bad about drinking it regularly lately (thank you for the reminder!) but when we do drink it we see results – this is a good article about the benefits. We got ours at Whole Foods but you can also get it online here (I think it’s cheaper in store).

21. We have family photos in CA this fall and I will be 6 months pregnant. I need to find something flattering that’s under $100. Bonus if you could suggest an outfit for my 3 yr old son and husband!
This dress would be so cute on a bump, and we’re also loving this one and this one! For your husband and son we would keep it simple with either jeans & white/black/navy top (depending on what you wear) or khakis and a chambray shirt. Hope this helps! xx

22. I’m curious of sites you think would be worth checking out for gently used designer bags. I am specifically looking for a Louis Vuitton Never full. Any direction would be helpful!
We would suggest checking out Fashionphile, Trendlee, Vestiaire, or Portero.

23. I’m looking for a mid century accent table and chair. Where I live we don’t have much to choose from. Therefore I have to order online and want to make sure it’s good quality. Could you please give me some ideas?! Stuck in a rut.
Did you see Targets new line?! Theres so many cute mid century pieces, they remind me of West Elm! Cute side tables: here, here, and here. Chairs: here (looks just like this one but for way less $$) and here. Some non Target pieces: here, here, and here.

24. I’m going to a wedding next weekend (yikes) in Denver and I need something to wear. It’s black tie, very formal and I would like to have something that is unique and on trend for fall, and at or under $250. Open to buying the dress or Rent The Runway.
This dress is a stunner (love the color!), love this one, the details on this one are gorg, and seriously obsessed with this Jill Stuart dress!

25. I’ve been using the Le Pliage Longchamp bag for work purposes (it can fit my planner/laptop, water bottle, etc) for a couple years now. I’m in the market for a new everyday bag. Do you have any suggestions for a black one that can fit that stuff under $400?
I used to use this TB bag for work! It fit all my stuff – laptop, sweater, planner, makeup, extra shoes (I walked to work), etc. A couple other options are here, here (have it and like!), and here.

26. Can you link some amazing makeup bags? Preferably some with monogram…can’t quit the habit 😉
Brooke has this one from Barrington Gifts (exact one in this post), this Mark & Graham one is cute/classic, this one is cute (no monogram though!), and love this linen one.

27. My sister and I are going to Canada (Montreal and Quebec City) at the end of December and I would like to know if you can recommend any affordable thermals and suggestions for not being cold (we plan to do a lot of walking).
Jealous! I’ve heard it’s so amazing! This one from Patagonia has great reviews and will actually keep you warm, and we’d also recommend this one and this one! This vest isn’t super affordable, but it would be a great layering piece. I have the jacket and it’s so so warm! Also bring warm socks, gloves, and a good hat (fleece lined) to keep the heat in. And hand warmers!

28.We’re having a gender reveal party in October for our families and need help with an outfit to wear! My husband is wearing a button down with pink and blue (easy part!).
This dress is super cute and comfy (easy to wear with a bump) and you could throw on a cardigan if it was cold outside. Love love love this sweater dress (40% off today!), this is a fun option in several colors, and this dress is super pretty (not sure how far along you are but it could definitely work!).

29. I’m looking for black pointy toe pumps (under $150)!
This suede pair is super cute, love the fringe on this pair, love this lace-up pair, and this pair is classic.

30. I’m in search of flared jeans – medium dark to dark and no rips or raw hem (need to wear to work). I see them everywhere and cannot find them in stores!
OMG it’s so hard to find jeans without rips or raw hem these days but we found a few pairs here, here, and here! This pair is black but on sale and super cute!

Thanks so much for another great week of #coffeetalk! As always, leave your questions below or email us at brookeandmeggan@somewherelately.com with #coffeetalk in the subject so we don’t miss it! xo