Creative Fashion

I have been craving creating my own unique dyed and cut top for weeks now, but unfortunately have not had enough time to "craft" one myself. However, I am lucky enough to have an a extremely artistic friend, John a.k.a. J-Rye, who created these AMAZING shoes for me. They are so bright and add a fun and unique touch to any outfit. I got the all white shoes at urban outfitters and he used sharpies to created the design. Although time consuming, projects like this are fairly inexpensive. It is always more fun to do crafts with other people, and I am hoping to get started on some of my own projects when more of my friends get back to St. Louis next week. A great way to beat the summer heat is to have a craft day: you and your friends could decide on a project and have everyone bring one of the needed materials and a snack to share. What could be better? For some great ideas, check out psimadethis.com.

The Importance of Music

Recently, I feel as though I have been running around in circles and not really getting anywhere. So, unfortunately my weeks have been lacking the usual fun events that come with summer. However, there is one thing that I refuse to avoid- music. This past week, I once again attended the Whitaker Music Festival at the Botanical Gardens. It is always such a great time, that it seems like a sin to not make time for it. FolknBlueGrass were the performers for this week, and they did a great job of getting the crowd moving. This acoustic group's music is a great twist on classic bluegrass. I checked out their schedule for future shows, and they will be playing at Oyster Bar (downtown, on Broadway) almost every weekend of August, so if you get a chance, you should check them out!

To continue with my musical focus, I wanted to mention my recent obsession- Mumford and Sons. I have found this folky rock group from London to be addictive. The band is made up of four friends- Marcus Mumford (hence the name), Country Winston, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane. I would say their music has the soul and charm of that of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young with the fire of groups like Kings of Leon. If you haven't heard any of their music before- I insist you check them out ASAP! Here is this myspace site where you can hear most of their recent CD: http://www.myspace.com/mumfordandsons

Summer Nights

This past Wednesday evening, myself and a few girlfriends went to check out the Whitaker Music Festival at the Botanical Gardens. I have been a few times in previous years, but this was a first for this summer. There are a couple reasons why I love this event so much:

1. IT'S FREE!!!

2. You can bring your own food and drink (I'm a sucker for a picnic)

3. The music is always pretty good

4. Amazing people watching- the crowd includes families, young adults, older couples- you name it

5. The Botanical Gardens are an amazing place to spend an evening

On the night we attended- the performers were Dawn and the Electro Funk Assembly- a very upbeat group that played a lot of original music along with a few covers (the Michael Jackson cover was my personal fav). Usually the music is more of a blues/jazz style; so it was fun to here something different. This event was the perfect beginning for the evening, and if you haven't gone to a night yet- I encourage you to check it out! Here is the website for more details about the festival: http://www.mobot.org/events/Whitaker/default.asp

Style Inspiration: Classic Americana

With the 4th of July quickly approaching- my newest style inspiration is everything America, specifically items with a western flair. Here are a couple images of what has been inspiring me recently:

You can see just about every sort of style in the Loop, but it is clear that the popular plaid/ flannel shirts from the fall have transferred into lighter versions for summer. I was lucky enough to find an amazing version for myself at J. Crew yesterday (on sale!) , and I cannot wait to wear it. I am also feeling the urge to invest in a pair of short cowboy boots like these: http://www.freepeople.com/shoes-boots/coachella-boot/, but I might have to hold off because I already own what is probably to many pairs of boots.

Another thing that screams America in classic red, white, and navy. I love the idea of mixing tomboyish pieces- boxing tops, rugby strips, or baggy jeans with girly touches of lace, shimmer, or layers of necklaces within this color palette. If done correctly, it can create some of the most beautiful and interesting ensembles.

One thing that that i am definitely going to have to do soon is create a version of these shorts for myself.

I'm hoping to find an inexpensive vintage pair of cutoffs and paint the stars and strips on using fabric paint pens. It should be fairly simply, but I think it will make a bold statement. Maybe I will have time to get this done so I can sport them on the 4th!

It's Beginning to Feel Like Summer

I can now say that I am truly in summer mode after attending a Kim Massie show the other night at Beale on Broadway. Nothing is better than relaxing outside on a hot night with a cold beer at a picnic table- that is until you do all of the above with Kim Massie as entertainment. Although I have seen her on several occasions; she never disappoints. My friends and I are always up for a night filled with dancing to her great soulful covers. Being from Memphis, the music definitely feels like home to me. If you haven't checked out a show yet, I highly recommend you head down to Beale on Broadway for a great evening. If you miss seeing Kim; don't worry because there is live music every night at Beale. I think that I might end up becoming a regular this summer...

Party at Mandarin Lounge

the indoor bar

outside with friends

outdoor bar

This past Saturday, Jeremy Maclin of the Philadelphia Eagles hosted a party at Mandarin Lounge in the Central West End. The party was put on by Synergy and it was a really fun summer night. Mandarin is a rooftop lounge, and it was great to be outside and enjoy the hot, sticky summer weather. It is decorated with a very sleek Asian theme, which was perfect for this fun event. I love that the bar is covered in warm red and orange tones, that are fun but chic at the same time.

The highlight of my night was getting to meet Jeremy Maclin himself. Although it was only for a brief moment, it was awesome to get to meet the man of the hour. Even though the party was packed, it was actually a pretty relaxed night. A large group of my friends were in attendance, so I was never concerned about having a good time. As always, I was probably having a bit too much fun, but who could blame me?

outside with Jeremy Maclin

Cyrus at the Tivoli

Thursday afternoon I attended a screening of the Jay and Mike Duplass movie, Cyrus. This movie stars John C. Reilly and Marisa Tomei as a blossoming couple. Cyrus, played by Jonah Hill, is Tomei's 20 something son in the movie, who has an unhealthy obsession with his mother. The movie explores the troubled relationship of a mother and son while looping it around a romance between two very needy people. It is both romantic and funny at times, but also extremely uncomfortable to watch at many points. Overall, I found it entertaining, but I left the theatre not really knowing how I felt about it. This is definitely not your typical romantic comedy- so if your into movies that are a bit different, you might want to check this out. Here is a link for the trailer if you want to see more: http://www.breakingentertainmentnews.com/watch-cyrus-online-trailer/8883463

What I enjoyed most about this movie was Tomei's characters 70's inspired wardrobe. I loved that she was wearing what appeared to be vintage slips in several scenes, and now I am on the hunt for a few for myself. It is such effortlessly chic style that can be interpreted to your personal taste. I love the idea of layering a few styles in order to create your own look. I am hoping to have time to check out Tag (http://www.tag-stl.com/) this weekend, a vintage store in the the Loop, to find a few for myself. The best things about shopping vintage is that each item is unique and eco-friendly!