Friday, April 28, 2017

Blue Lady-like Outfit for Spring Now on The Trove App!


Well, it's no surprise that today's post is in blue and white... as are probably 75% of my outfit posts on Summer Wind! So it's certainly no secret that blue has my heart, that's for sure. I love this outfit sooooooo much. You last saw me wearing this navy blue sweater tee here, in a much more casual way. Now you can see it dressed up. It truly is one of the most versatile pieces in my closet right now. 
I am excited to share that this look is being featured on the cover of Trove today! If you have not checked out their app, make sure you download it here and give me a follow me! The app is one of my most-used. If you aren't familiar, it was co-founded by fellow blogger, Mary Orton of Memorandum. The app works to aggregate all of your favorite fashion bloggers into one platform. So, it pulls blogger's outfits from their website and social posts so you can see everything all in one app. The outfits are all linked to the products right within the app, too. It's super easy to navigate and even will recommend other bloggers that may meet your own personal taste based on those you already follow! I'd love for you to check it out, I know Mary and her team have been working really hard on this and it's really amazing to see their hard work and success!

So back to the outfit! I wore this on my birthday during the day! It was an absolutely gorgeous 75-degree day with plenty of sunshine... which is kind of unheard of for April in Pittsburgh. When my parents brought me home from the hospital after I was born, it was snowing!! So I had every bit of a reason to get outside and enjoy it!

I know if you've followed along since last summer, you have seen these nude heeled sandals about a billion times... they're the best. So many of my girlfriends have bought them, too, after seeing just how versatile they are. I definitely think they're one of my most worn pair of shoes during the warmer months because they are comfortable/easy to walk in and a neutral color so they match with everything.

The pair I am wearing is under $100, but there is an even less pricey pair available for just $30! I can't attest to the quality of the $30 pair because I have yet to see them in person, but they look identical to the pair I have!
The skirt was a must for me. Worn for work play, special occasions, it kind of just works for absolutely everything! I love a good midi skirt. It is so lady-like and elegant... even when cut in a more casual fabric like seersucker! The blue and white striped midi skirt is definitely having a moment in the fashion world, too. So many of my favorite brands are carrying something similar. I've found a bunch and linked them above. They are all at different price points so hopefully, there is one that works for you!

Another item that is having a major moment in the fashion spotlight? Straw/wicker/rattan handbags. I've always been a fan of these. In my mind, a good basket bag is always a summer wardrobe straple, but right now, they are an abundance of choices! Another great thing about this style? They are usually pretty inexpesnive! See some of my favorites in the widget above! 

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Lately 4/27/2017

Eating: I've been following what What's Gaby Cooking for a while now on instagram and her food pics are seriously drool worthy. As I've become more comfortable in the kitchen, I've been open to trying new recipes. This one isn't a hard one at all, but it's certainly delicious. It's burrata pizza and I could not recommend it more! Definitely not great for the wasitline, but the calories are more than worth it, I promise! 

Reading: This AdWeek article where Ikea pokes fun at Balenciaga. It's too good. 

Reading II: Anyone that lives close to the East Coast, read this article about ticks and lyme disease. I've seen several news articles and segments on TV about this and it's important to be wary... especially with your pets, too!! 

Laughing: I would like to meet someone who would actually buy these $425 jeans that actually look like someone rolled around in the mud. Distressed denim, I get, but 'fake dirt'?! It's making its way around the internet with memes and even making news stories! 

Loving: Have you seen the Draper James x Jack Rogers collaboration, yet? There are three pairs: one with 'hello darlin' embroidery, a gingham pair, and a seersucker pair. SO cute. 

Loving II: Bridal Fashion Week has come and gone. I don't keep up with it that much, but I follow several of the designers on Instagram. Oscar De La Renta, one of my favorites, created one of the most stunning dresses I have ever seen. You can see it in this article (it's slide #21). Cannot get over how incredible it is!!! '

Watching: I just finished 13 Reasons Why. There is a reason it is the most tweeted about show of all time. It's really good and addicting. You can stream it on Netflix. I also watched Hidden Figures this weekend and it was amazing. I could not recommend it more. It's powerful and inspiring and overall, the film is really well done. 

Watching II: When I first watched this video for Amazon Echo Look, I truly thought it was a joke. But nope, it's legit. Does anyone else find this beyond creepy?! The marketing behind it is genius, no doubt, but still, V creepy.
Loving: Not too too much on my radar this week, but here are a few things that I have had my eye on! 

Wearing: I did a super quick mini-try on of some new arrivals on Snapchat last night (you can see all of the items linked in the right sidebar!). You can still catch it (@SummerWind41490) if you watch before 6pm ET. But I really wanted to highlight these linen shorts. The quality is so great, but the price is even better! They are currently on sale down to $31.50 (use code BIGSALE for 30% off your purchase). After receiving my first pair, I went back and ordered pink and white, too. They are really flattering and look put-together but feel like wearing pajamas (or nike tempo shorts).... and that is saying a lot for me, because I typically don't wear shorts during the summer months. I more so lean toward dresses, skirts and white jeans! A big tip, though: they run really big. Definitely size down at least one size.

Listening: I just started on May's playlist (jumping the gun, I know) but I only have a few songs, so I'll be sure to share when it is worthy! This past weekend I went to the Chainsmokers concert and it was SO good. This was my third time seeing them and this was just as good if not better than the other two times! Definitely, check them out if they come to your city!

Spend vs. Save
Spend vs. Save: Usually when I feature a spend vs. save it's for accessories or shoes. However, this time around, I found the most perfect dupe for a dress I've been eyeing for over a year! I've been dying for this blue and white striped dress which is actually currently on sale (for $400, still). It's still too pricey for me to buy for no reason, but I found something that has almost the same look for a fraction of the price (Under $150!!). Now to find a dupe for this $600 stunner... 

Quoting: 'You are on my mind, in between red lights and meetings, in between sips of coffee, in between ringing phones...' // See more of my favorites, here. 

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

What It's Like Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot





I'll be the first to let you all know how much I absolutely love Pittsburgh and living in this wonderful city. However, as a blogger, it can be a little tough because a lot of the events, companies, and opportunities are located in cities such as New York and LA. 

Sometimes, I feel like I miss out on a lot. I never let it get me down, though! Plus, it's fun to be able to live vicariously through other bloggers as they attend some really amazing events and behind the scenes fun. That's also not to say that I don't get to do some pretty amazing things while traveling or even right here in Pittsburgh...but, this experience might just take the cake on one of the cooler things I've gotten to be a part of while living in this great city!

As you can imagine, there's not a whole lot going on in Pittsburgh fashion-wise... however, a few companies call Pittsburgh home, one of them being Rue21. Last year I got to tour their headquarters (and meet Daya, who actually went to my high school!) and it was so neat to see how a company that large is run! They actually have an entire 'store' at their HQ that is just a mockup... kind of like you are playing pretend. Pretty darn cool. 

Typically, Rue21 holds their photo shoots for campaigns in LA or New York, but just last week was their first ever photo shoot in Pittsburgh! Needless to say, I was thrilled to be invited to go behind the scenes of their summer 2017 campaign. I had never been behind the scenes of a photo shoot and had no idea what to expect. 

I was so excited that I had trouble sleeping the night before! I remember being in middle school and high school and pouring over magazines and catalogs marking what I loved and reading all of the articles about models, fittings, and the top photographers. In high school, I was also a big America's Next Top Model junky. So I had always been so curious as to what goes on at an actual shoot! So in case you are as curious as I was, let me walk you through it! 

First, a few days before the shoot, I was e-mailed a call sheet from a producer. Think of this as a master schedule for everyone that will be on the set. Everyone from creative directors, art directors, photographers, hair and makeup artists, stylist, models (and even me!) was included on this list. It gives you the run down of where you need to be and when.


The day of the shoot, I arrived on the set just as they were finishing up setting out breakfast for the crew and starting the shoots! Rue21 has their own photo studio. From the outside, it's pretty nondescript and looks like a large warehouse. A few of the models had just finished hair and makeup (here's an instagram from Moiz, the hair stylist on set and the messy bun he did on June) and one of the guys was in the chair actually getting his hair cut! The area for hair and makeup looks just like what you'd imagine: products everywhere with directors chairs and vanity lights around a large mirror. 

Different 'sets' were set up with photographers at-the-ready. There were also stations with computers which transferred the photos from the camera immediately to the computer screen for review. At each 'set' there was also lighting set up to achieve just the right look.

They had a great playlist blaring as the models all posed and the photographers snapped away. It was so much fun to watch all of the different outfits being tried on by the models. There were so many cute pieces, it was hard to pick my favorite! Also, as the models moved around/switched poses, there was always someone there to touch up their hair or makeup and even to fix the clothing to make sure it looked perfect.



It was also interesting to see how amazingly organized everything was. The stylists had everything laid out and ready to go for each outfit... down to the tiniest details. There were people steaming clothes, pulling clothes from racks, and walls upon walls of shoes!

It was also really neat to see how certain photos are achieved. For example, there were special tripods just for the flatlays that you often see on Instagram and on product pages on the Rue21 website.
It was also really neat to see how certain photos are achieved. For example, there were special tripods just for the flat lays that you often see on Instagram and on product pages on the Rue21 website

Overall, the experience was one for the books. I had no idea just how many people and how many moving parts are necessary for a successful shoot. I love that the vibe was overall relaxed, but you could also tell how hard everyone was working to get the best results! You could see everyone's talents shining, but I loved that they all worked together as a team and really respected each other and their opinions and ideas!

I received a ton of questions from those of you who were watching my snapchats and insta stories about the two outfits I wore while at the Rue21 shoot. I tried my hardest to get back to all of you! Everything I am wearing is Rue21 and will be available the first week in May! I'll let you all know in a future 'Lately' blog post once everything is live. The pieces are really cute and very affordable. I noticed lots of blues and ginghams (love love love) as well as comfy basic tees, cute slide sandals and mules. A big thanks to Rue21 for having me behind the scenes!

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Weekend Night Out Outfit Ideas













Thank you to Kohl's for sponsoring this post! 

Outfit One:

Outfit Two:

I've always shared my opinion on 'going out' outfits and how I struggle stocking my closet with anything that serves that purpose. For a hot second, I thought I was outgrowing my bar hopping days, and just when I think I am, my friends and I plan a night out! Not to mention, all of the bachelorette parties on my calendar. When trying to dress for a bar/bachelorette party, or something that requires me to dress outside of my comfort zone, I get a little intimidated. 

I like to try new things, but I also like to stick with what I know, too. On nights out, I will usually try and dress a little trendier or more my age since I've always tended to dress more conservative/mature. I also don't like to spend a ton on these types of outfits. I was introduced to the brand, k/lab, which is available at Kohl's. It offers on-trend items that are inexpensive. It makes trying out a trend affordable.

I love Kohl's for housewares and appliances. When I moved into my apartment, that's where I bought my coffee maker, placemats, etc. I didn't know they had such a cute selection of clothes/shoes/accessories, too. What I like about the k/lab brand is that it has higher quality pieces than most fast fashion brands but for the same prices or even less!

Today I'm sharing two outfits that I styled for a girl's night out! They are very on trend but also inexpensive. I love the slimming effect that the blush romper has due to the draping and tie at the waist. I also think that the black dress is so fun because of the dramatic bell sleeves. Besides the actual outfit, they also had a selection of trendier shoes. I've always wanted to try the strappy sandal trend, but never wanted to spend too much one them, so this was a really great opportunity for me to try it out! I've actually been wearing these sandals non-stop. They're not only fun and cute but so comfortable, too. I paired the blue sandals with the blush romper for a pop of color! 

Monday, April 24, 2017

A Post with My Mom

Photo overload today! Keep scrolling! 










On Mom:

On Me:

We are just three weeks away from Mother's Day! It's kind of hard to think of what to get your mom, isn't it? I mean, there is really nothing in the world you can give to her to ever let her know how much you truly appreciate and love her. However, there are definitely some good gifts and fun things that you can surprise her with to make her day as special as she is.

I did a post with my mom this past fall and we had so much fun doing it. It's kind of tough not living at home and seeing my parents every day. I really love them and am so close to them, so any opportunity to hang out with them is a good one. This time, we styled outfits from Talbot's spring collection that just launched today! I'd also love for you to check out the Style Stories page on the Talbots website that features my mom and me! I am sharing how my mom has influenced my style and you can see some great throwback photos of us (like the one above)! 

In fact, this past weekend, my parents came to my place for cocktails and then we walked to the William Penn Hotel for drinks and then headed to dinner at the Capital Grill. The weather was cooler than it has been, but it was such a gorgeous night to walk around the city. At the William Penn, there was a really great jazz trio playing. My parents made friends with the musicians and they were talking about jazz artists that they loved. I chimed in letting them know that I really love Ahmad Jamal (who was originally from Pittsburgh). The musicians couldn't hide how shocked they were that I not only loved jazz but knew and loved Ahmad Jamal. 

It's the little things like my love and appreciation of all kinds of music that my parents passed down to me throughout the years. I look up to them in so many ways and love learning from them. In this case, my mom has always guided and influenced my style. 

I can remember her starting me out young with dresses... she said that I always wanted to wear dresses when I was young. Then, as I grew older into middle school and high school, I started to dress much more casually. However, as I look back, my mom definitely helped me to keep my classic, timeless style, even through my awkward years, and for that, I can't thank her enough! 

One of the things that we have always agreed on is our love for Talbots. It really is a family affair when it comes to the brand. My mom, grammie, and aunts are known to get together and go to Mt. Lebanon's Galleria and have lunch and then stop into Talbots. We all love it and when we are together, there is a 90% chance that at least one of us is dressed in the brand!

It's one of those brands that looks great on everyone and has something for everyone. Their latest spring collection is gorgeous. It is made up of bright colors but also has some neutrals and my favorite color combo: blue and white. Any of the pieces would make wonderful gifts for your mom- or for the two of you to wear to a Mother's Day brunch!

A big thank you to my mom for always supporting me and being by my side... and especially for doing this post with me! Check out our Style Stories, here!

More Talbots Pieces I Love:
 

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