Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Monica Vinader Sale


Just wanted to highlight that Monica Vinader is currently having an amazing sale. I find myself wearing my gold bracelet engraved with 'Sydney' all of the time. I wear it with a bunch of other bracelets, but also wear it by itself. It also makes a really nice gift... especially love the idea of giving it to a bride-to-be with her future last name engraved! 

Scroll through the widget above to shop some of my favorites. Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Lately



I've been up to a lot lately, so I thought I would share! This post is all over the place. First up, I saw two on demand movies over the holidays. The Other Woman and If I Stay

The Other Woman was awesome. A total chick flick, girl-power type movie, but you could watch this and just be satisfied with all of the gorgeous clothing. Carly's (Cameron Diaz's) Manhattan apartment was also major eye candy. The outfit in the above still was my favorite from the movie, but Kate's (Leslie Mann) wardrobe was a close second. 

If I Stay held my attention, but nothing to write home about... the ending was the worst. One good thing that came from If I Stay: This Song. Cannot stop playing. 

I'm not a huge Ann Taylor shopper, but really couldn't resist popping in this season. Fell in love with this simple ballet pink sweater




Yes, my friends (see what I did there), the entire season is coming to Netflix... just in time for the freezing cold days ahead. Throw me a blanket and  pour me some hot tea or wine and I'm never leaving my bed. Kidding... kind of. 

Christmas may be over, but I'm still obsessively burning my Holiday candle. Best scent. Gives my favorite, Feu de bois, a run for its money.... practically half the price, too. 


I'm obsessed with this song. I've been playing it over and over and over. Can't get enough. So catchy and fun to drive to. 

Talbots is having their Red Hanger sale right now. Things are deeply discounted and it's awesome. This sweater is $36!! I wear it all the time. There are several wool coats under $100.. my favorite is this classic and preppy toggle coat. There are also great shoes (super comfortable, quality/well made). This suede pair is only $36. Winning. 

Neiman Marcus + Super inexpensive never really go into the same sentence... until now. I scored these classic pumps for a song. Definitely worth it if they have your size-- they're comfortable, too! 

I forgot how much I love my monogrammed all-in-one pouch. I took it to Christmas mass with me and it was the perfect shade of Christmas green. I've been using it non-stop ever since! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Monday, December 29, 2014

Chic Sneaks for Women

Nike// New Balance// Stan Smiths
Newton// Jack Purcells// Kate Spade Saturday (coming Feb. 2015)
Gazelles// Montreals// Waffles
I am not a sneakerhead by any means. Really, I'm anti-sneakers, unless you are working out. However, I've recently developed a leggings + Patagonia habit and sneaks are pretty much the only shoe that works with that type of ensemble. Case in point, the photo below is what I was rocking last night. #SportySydney 

Not to mention, the pair I just got are so incredibly comfortable... and cute. They might just help me with my new years resolution... one can hope. 
I thought I'd share a few pairs that I like. Some are actually meant for athletic purposes and others are more fashionable than anything else. A lot are vintage classics and are unisex, too. Do you have a favorite pair of sneakers? Have a fabulous day! 
Yours,


Friday, December 26, 2014

Outfit Details

Ballet Flats (old, similar & similar)

I've been getting a lot of questions via e-mail since I instagrammed this earlier today, so I thought I'd link to every piece. They're all time sensitive since almost everything I am wearing is one sale! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours

I'm taking a mini blog break and will be back on Friday... or Monday, if I so choose. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, though! 

Wishing you and your family the merriest of Christmases. I hope Santa brings you everything you wanted and more, but most importantly, I hope you get to celebrate the reason for the season with those nearest and dearest to you. 

Today, my sister, Callie, and I are having a girls day out having coffee, getting mani/pedis and a delicious lunch! Tonight, my family goes to mass and then we host an amazing party. It's hands down one of my favorite nights of the year. All of our family and friends attend and there is tons of food and plenty of cocktails and bubbly. 

We open a few presents, sing Christmas carols, but we do two strange things that most families probably don't do. One has been going on for years now... we sing Christmas carols, and different family members play the piano... but we always end with Viva La Vida by Coldpay. We throw the lyrics up on screen (although we all have it memorized by now) and everyone sings... even Grammie. The woah ohhhh ohhh part gets pretty intense. 

Then, we choose the pop song of the year (one year it was Kesha's Tik Tok, embarrassing) and dance around the kitchen and start our game of 'champagne flip cup'. Everyone gets into it. This was a recent addition to the odd traditions as cousins started to get old enough. It's pretty much a blast to be playing flip cup with champagne, in a cocktail dress, with your parents, cousins aunts and uncles. We don't do teams, we just do it survivor style until there's one person left. Last year, I won... but my cousin, Michael, has been practicing and I know he's got his eye on the number one spot. We shall see, we shall see. 
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Yours,

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

It's Christmas Eve Eve: Eloise Is Rawther My Spirit Animal



I've already watched Eloise at Christmastime more times than I can count this season. If you've been reading Summer Wind for a while, then you'll know I'm rawther obsessed with her (see past posts herehereherehere and here and my Pinterest board, here), because she is too too too fun. I've decided to satirically and exaggeratedly list the reasons I can relate to Eloise (aka take these as a joke...kind of ;)). She's rawther, charming, don't you think?

After my 6th cup of coffee of the day. 

When I'm showing off a new outfit to my girlfriends. 

Color coded calendars, FTW.

'I wanted shoes for every outfit'. 

 OMG 'he' called... or when I'm ordering sushi. 

When Taylor Swift's Blank Spaces comes on. 

'They were having a sale'. 

My lists have lists. 

Too much champagne. Oops. 

'Help me, I'm poor' 

When UPS and FedEx come at the same time. 

 Post-sushi feast.

Hanging with my mostly companion, Mac. 


And, what would this post be without including fabulous pink items? I'd like to think if Eloise was 24, we'd hang out and go shopping... Bergdorf's, of course, and we'd pick up things throughout this slideshow. Have a rawther fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Gorgeous Brown Ferragamo Handbag

Bag
I'm sure Santa has his sleigh all pack up and ready to go... but my birthday is in 4 months... just sayin'. I've never shopped on this site before, but they have some really great finds, I knew I had to share! Have a fabulous day! 

Yours, 

Mambo Italia, Sewickley





One of my favorite things is trying new restaurants. Mambo Italia in Sewickley (a suburb of Pittsburgh) just opened up this summer.  I recently went and cannot get enough! There are a lot of neopolitan pizza restaurants in Pittsburgh (Italians, represent), and I feel like I've tried them all. Il Pizzaiolo was my absolute favorite, but let me tell you-- this has taken my number one spot. 
My friend Amanda and I started off with the burrata and prosciutto and it was incredible. The burrata was chilled perfectly and the bazil was fresh and the EVOO and salt paired so well with everything.

 We each ordered our own pizzas, because Amanda has Celiac's and can only eat gluten-free. For those who are gluten-free, it is a very GF friendly restaurant. Amanda had the Margherita pizza and I had the Mambo (prosciutto and arugula) and it was sooooo good. The crust was out of this world, and I'm one of 'those people' that doesn't really eat pizza crust. 

Not only was the food the best, but the atmosphere was adorable, too. It's located right off of Beaver Street which is already quaint and adorable itself and the inside of the restaurant is warm and cozy. Not to mention, it is BYOB (which is the best)! Amanda and I walked to the liquor store right before dinner and grabbed one of our favorite bottles of pinot noir. All in all, I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you are in Pittsburgh. It's a great date-night spot and also would be great a great place to bring out of town guests to.

Next up, Amanda and I are going to try the Slipper Mermaid and Vivo Kitchen... stay tuned. Have a fabulous day! 
Yours, 

Friday, December 19, 2014

Auld Lang Syne, My Dear






Dress
Warning, this is a text heavy post. 
First, I wanted to share my New Year's Eve dress. I threw it on on a random night because I wanted to share it with you all in case anyone wanted to order it for themselves. I also wanted to mess around with my camera and the Christmas lights. Killing two birds with one stone, ya know. Anyways, I have something super fun planned this year and cannot wait! You'll have to follow along on Instagram! Now onto 2014's reflection....
What a year it has been. Can I just openly say how much I love having a blog. A perfect example of why is that I can look back on this post and see exactly what I wanted from 2014. And I can look back even further than that. I actually look back on this post from just three years ago and laugh. So here is the Spark Notes version of my 2014 goals:
Savor the Moment
Travel More
Wear Lipstick more often
Show Gratitude More
Go To Church More
Be A Morning Person
Go To Bed Earlier
Be Less Type A, aka Chill. 
Take more photos and videos
Drink More Coffee
Overall, I'd say I did pretty darn good. I'm glad I didn't set unrealistic expectations for myself either. These were all very attainable goals. I'd have to say I improved on all of these items. I especially improved on savoring the moment. Sometimes I just smile to myself about the stupidest little things during my days and weeks, and that my friends, is savoring the moment. 
I traveled a ton... but bring on more trips for 2015! I already have a super fun trip planned for South Carolina at the end of January. Can't wait to share more about that! 
I wear lipstick almost daily thanks to this.
Gratitude, I've been decent, but I can show improvement, for sure. 
Church, morning person and going to bed early. Well, those are going to have to flow into 2015 as well because I need major improvements on those three. 
Less type A, more photos and videos and more coffee... check, check, check. But really, being super super up tight and on top of things is great in certain situations, but I've really learned to cool it this year. I've been so much more lax about things and I really think it has help me to come a happier person. 
-----------
Ok so, 2015... boy oh boy. April will mark my 25th year. I'm not going to lie. I'm somewhat dreading it. I've never been freaked out about my age, but the fact that I'll officially be in my mid-twenties is a little bit of a scary thing. I still feel like a child 50% of the time. It's funny, last year at this time, I was 23, and now 23 sounds so far away. This year brought upon a lot of change for me--but luckily, in all of the best ways possible. Here's what I hope to be able to work on in 2015:
Get into a workout routine. 
I used to love working out. I mean seriously I would work out every single day in college. I have to get back into it because it's a great stress reliever and I also like having a six pack... I mean, who doesn't?
Say I love You more
I love a lot of people. Seriously. Sometimes I feel like I have so much love bottled up in me, I want to explode. But I feel so lucky and I need to tell the people I love that I love them more often. So Callie, Mom, Dad, I LOVE YOU (hehehe... but really). 
Trust My Gut
This is somethingI learned in 2014. Have you ever been in a situation-- whether good or whether precarious, where you just know what you should do? I've had a lot of gut feelings this past year on what to do and how to handle situations and decisions and so far, trusting my gut has really been a great thing. I need to remember to continue to do this in 2015. 
Value Relationships
This kind of goes along with last year's resolution to show more gratitude. If there is one thing I have learned from being a post-grad is that as the years go by, you learn what a truly incredible friend is. I think in the business world, and in the general 'adult world', people are all trying to make connections for selfish reasons. We are all guilty of it. You know you want to connect with someone because they know someone who can help you get the job you've always wanted... or maybe your neighbor knows a cute boy for your sister to date... I mean whatever the reason is, people are oftentimes not genuine and selfish. So when you realize you have a 100% true friend, you need to value it and be the same friend back. The same goes for any type of relationship. I think in the digital world, hookup culture or whatever it is that they are calling our generation these days, that it is harder to genuinely connect with someone-- so when you do, recognize it and value it. 
White Hot and Passionate Is the Only Thing To Be
This is an excerpt from my favorite quote. I think this is another one of my lessons learned since I've graduated college. Having a passion in life is so important. Whether it's watching your favorite sports team, playing an instrument, traveling the world, whatever it may be, I think it's important to be passionate about certain things. Skiing is definitely one my life's passions. I may not be headed to South Korea for the 2018 winter olympics, but I still enjoy everything about skiing. There's a finite time period for ski season, so I need to make the time and effort to get out on the slopes more often!
Spend Time With Mac 
I love Mac so much. He's my best friend and I truly think there is an unexplainable love that a dog and a family share. I hesitate to even write this-- but Mac is getting old. He's 13 and he's started to slow down a bit. I know there will be a day where he won't be with us, and I hope that time is very far off in the future...but it is truly something that worries me and weighs heavily on my heart and mind from time to time. But sometimes, when the havoc of life gets in the way, I get annoyed when he needs to be let out or walked or whatever it is that he needs... I need to remember that he is the best and I am so lucky to get to spend time with him. 
Spend More Time Writing
Working full time and blogging while still trying to have a normal 24-year-old social life is pretty darn hard. Sometimes, I only have time to write a quick post and it's hard for me to accept that when I want more time to write. Who knew I would miss my college days when I was able to leisurely sit at my computer and work on Summer Wind all day. I love shooting outfit posts and sharing my latest fashion finds, but I also love writing articles like this and sharing posts like this. But those take time... I've just gotta find the time... anyone know where it is?!
Read More Books
Like actual books...not on my iPad or not small articles online. I love reading, but I never make time for it. This year I definitely resolve to make more time for reading... leave your book suggestions in the comments! 

Try Something New
I really want to take a class of some sort. I'm all about bettering myself and being well rounded. I used to dance when I was younger and then cheered in high school, I miss that and think it would be cool to take a dance class or gymnastics class. I also loved French in middle, high school and college, I think it'd be fun to take a French class at a University, just for the heck of it. I've also thought about cooking classes, photography classes, or even an HTML coding class... these are all things I'm interested in and think it would be great to try! Heck, I am even considering joining a bowling league. I am so bad, but my work group went bowling one night at a really cool bowling alley in the city and it was such a blast! 
So I'll stop there, before I add about a billion things and then feel like a failure come 2016. What are your goals for 2015? Have a fabulous day! 

Yours,

Thursday, December 18, 2014

LBD for the Holidays








Dress// Pearls// Pumps (old, similar)// Bag

I love nothing more than getting all dressed up. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Patagonia Snap T and Sweatpants combo (guilty of this more often than not), but there is something so wonderful about wearing a cocktail dress. I had two holiday parties/events to go to this past weekend so it was a great excuse to break out a cocktail dress. Sometimes, occasions don't require a cocktail dress, but often times, I push the envelope and rock one anyways. 

Well, this dress was a hit! It's a great price for a cocktail dress and the cut is flattering and party perfect. As far as sizing goes, it runs pretty true to size-- if you are in between sizes, I would suggest ordering up. Have a fabulous day! 
Yours,
 

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