It’s Fest Season

Tags

best dressed, Bonnaroo, Free People, Lollapalooza, music festivals, SXSW

And the festivities at Bonnaroo have officially begun! Three years ago, I stuffed a light duffle with head scarves, airy tanks and a pair of shoes I didn’t care much about and was on my way to my first music festival.

Bonnaroo weekend was packed with heat, an amazing line up, run-ins with friends, a bit of mud and—did I mention a whole lotta heat? After three days of killer concerts, some by artists I already loved, some whom I have since come to adore, I was ready to rinse the dust off my bronzed limbs and chill in the AC. (Definitely read my Bonnaroo 2010 post to hear all the awesome details!)

Don’t get me wrong, the music is clearly the central purpose of a music fest. But there is a reason entire blogs are created just to showcase fests’ best dressed—and there is certainly no shortage of eyes scanning the computer screens, dreaming up their own wardrobe concoctions.

“Dressin’ for Festin’” is always a favorite topic of mine– I did attend Ohio University, fest capital of the college world, after all. Fest season gives everyone the opportunity to break out of their weekday suits and ruffles in exchange for the fringe and denim of their inner bohème.

Coachella and SXSW have passed for another year, but huge concerts such as Firefly and Lollapalooza still loom on the summer horizon. So grab your friends, book your tickets and start piecing together your fest attire. Here is some inspiration (mostly from Free People, of course) to get you started!

Coachella, via Free People

Coachella, via Free People

Outer Lands, via Free People

Black isn’t ideal in the desert, but it’s a hawt look nonetheless, via Free People

Um, wearing this tomorrow, k thnx bye! Via Free People

Natalie Suarez and Dylana Suarez, via Free People

Governor’s Ball in NYC, via Elle Magazine

Graphic T, metallic shades and a killer hat. Yepp!

Airy dress in tribal print and a henna om, via my own trip to Bonnaroo

Cut offs and lace are always a good way to go

Kid Cudi at Bonnaroo 2010, photo via Hallie Rybka

Best way to start the day — entrance to ‘Roo, photo via Hallie Rybka

Hanging at ‘Roo with my boyfriend

Groovy shades, feminine fest attire

Kate Bosworth, Queen of Fests, knows to go straight to the wellies to avoid inevitable mud pits

Redefining Beauty

Tags

Distal 18q, Marfan syndrome, NBC, Rick Guidotti

Click this image to watch the video at NBCNews.com

When I came across this NBC video yesterday, it was truly a blessing. In the past, I’ve written about Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches and finding beauty in imperfection, and I feel like this is in the same vein. Rick Guidotti is a fashion photographer working to help people reinterpret what they see as beauty. As the video shows, he spent years capturing Cindy Crawford and other gorgeous models that graced the glossy pages of magazines.

I am the first person to admit I love looking at glamorous images. But during this video, I found that I was extremely touched by the beautiful pictures Guidotti captured of women with Albinism and children with disabilities. Some of the images brought a genuine smile to my face.

“Rick took pictures of him the way I saw him,” one woman says of her son. “Not the way everyone else saw him, but the way I saw him.” And that is exactly how I saw the pictures—adorable, happy children.

The point I find the most striking is the comparison of these joyous pictures to those found in medical textbooks. Guidotti indicates how genetic counselors will open a book to show parents a disability their child will have and actually cover the photos with their hand. Why, he asked, do we have to use such horrifying images? Not only is Guidotti trying to redefine beauty, but he is redefining perceptions of what we are taught to consider “defects.”

Enough from me. Take the time to watch this short video and witness the beauty and happiness for yourself. Here is another example of someone attempting to redefine beauty and change our perceptions.

Related Posts:

• Wednesday Wisdom: Soul Food
• Beauty is Imperfection

Gilmour Academy 5 Year Reunion

Tags

Gilmour Academy, high school reunion, then and now

Sometimes I think it was just yesterday I graduated from high school. The memories, friends and professors are still fresh in my mind, and my love for the school has yet to fade.

So how is it that I just attended my 5 year reunion?

No one throws a reunion party quite like Gilmour Academy, complete with open bar and martini bar, and food stations including pasta, sushi, Asian, salads, shrimp galore and a beef tenderloin carver.

As you can see, food was certainly my main concern. I was also super excited to see my classmates, though! Fortunately, many of us run into each other throughout the year, but it was great catching up with everyone and seeing how much has changed, and yet how little has changed at the same time.

Enjoy a few snapshots from then and now!

52 of 99 students in the Class of 2008 returned for reunion!

Some of our class on the last day of school, 2008

We’re bringing sexy back (ha!). I guess not much has changed

From homecoming senior year to our 5 year reunion, my boyfriend and I look about the same… maybe?

Mike and Mike!

At my high school graduation and at reunion with my parents. My dad celebrated his 40th the same night!

The Trio. It’s time they get one all together again.

A group of Ohio U Bobcats at the Lancer Reunion

No one has school pride like the Lancers

Junior Winter Formal

As goofy as ever! We had a great reunion weekend.

 

Wednesday Wisdom: No feeling is final

Tags

quotes, Rainer Maria Rilke

Hopefully, our days are filled with much more beauty than terror, more happiness than heartbreak. But disappointment is inevitable– we simply have to learn to live with it. “Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final,” Rainer Maria Rilke says. 

I love each segment of this quote, but especially the last sentence: “No feeling is final.” This statement is so true. A bad grade, bad day, little fight or big fight– tomorrow will be a new day. If not, then at least we can look forward to a new season or even new year, right?

I try not to let the little things get me down. But instead of letting them go, I often let them build up inside me. Then that last bit might push me over the edge. Everyone needs some work letting things go. Be optimistic. Remember to laugh. And instead of letting disappointments consume your day, take them in stride and vow to work harder, happier or stronger tomorrow.

On the flip side, this quote is a reminder that joy can also be fleeting. Do not take your happy days for granted, only to be thrown away at the first sign of trouble. Write down your good times, take pictures and keep souvenirs. Nothing can get you into a better mood than stopping to remember all the positives in your life. Take a moment to be grateful.

There are few situations that cannot be altered. No feeling is final. Put a smile on and just keep going.

100 Things to do in Cleveland

Tags

Blossom Music Center, Burning River Fest, Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, The Plain Dealer, University Circle, West Side Market

I have been thinking about writing a post on my “Cleveland Bucket List.” Then The Plain Dealer goes and beats me to it! Well, sort of. Last week they published “100 things to do in Cleveland for the summer of 2013.” The list is pretty good and spans most of Northeast Ohio.

Here are 18 highlights I’d like to add to my own list:

28. Get gussied up for the art party of the year, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s annual Summer Solstice Party, Saturday, June 22.

31. Grab a seat on the street for the music and fireworks at the Cleveland Orchestra’s Monday, July 1, “Star-Spangled Spectacular” on Public Square. I did this a few times when I was younger. Maybe it’s time to return.

38. Relax on the lovely grounds of the Holden Arboretum at a Tuesday night Summer Garden concert, 6:30 p.m., through Aug. 27. Visiting the Arboretum has been on my list for a while.

48. Rock your week with an after-work Wednesday-night Summer in the City outdoor concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, beginning July 17.

51. Take off your shoes and dance in the fountain at the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s enchanting Hershey Children’s Garden. Any visit to the Gardens will be worth your time.

52. Take in the beauty of the bridges and river with an umbrella drink on Shooters’ patio, 1148 Main Ave., Cleveland. Ready for the Flats revival? You should be!

57. Raise a mug at Great Lakes Burning River Fest, Friday-Saturday, July 26-27, at the historic Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island.

62. Get some satisfaction with the new Rolling Stones exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Again, any exhibit is worth the visit. I went in 2009 to see the Woodstock exhibit.

64. Spend a classic night with the Cleveland Orchestra under the stars at Blossom Music Center. I’ve done this before, too. But packing a picnic and grabbing lawn seats sounds perfect just about now.

65. Explore Cleveland’s diversity with an afternoon drive or walk through the Cultural Gardens.

67. Be WOWed at Wade Oval Wednesday. They’ll supply the sounds and sights (and cash bar), you bring the picnic.

74. Spend the day with some of Cleveland’s most famous residents — who are 6 feet under — from James A. Garfield to John D. Rockefeller, at the scenic and historic Lake View Cemetery.

75. Enjoy a local brew on the patio of Market Garden Brewery after shopping for local produce and baked goods at the West Side Market next door. I have the first half done, but it’s about time I return to the Market. It did just celebrate it’s centennial! 

76. Grab a counter seat for a root-beer float at old-school Sweet Moses Soda Fountain & Treat Shop, 6800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland.

80. Take your time machine, er, car 50 years back in time and 50 miles east to the kitschy strip in Geneva-on-the-Lake: burger joints, ice-cream stands, mini-golf, arcades and more.

83. Sip one of the best mojitos in town on the streetside patio at Johnny Mango World Cafe & Bar, 3120 Bridge Ave., Cleveland.

84. Sign up your little Picasso for a Saturday-morning art class at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Okay, I just included this because I took those classes throughout my childhood. Memories…

96. Try the cavatelli, and the gelato, and the cannoli, and the pizza, and the sausage, and the . . . at the 115th Feast of the Assumption in Cleveland’s Little Italy, Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 15-18.

Wednesday Wisdom: What we do for others

Tags

Albert Pike, biomimicry, Great Lakes Biomimicry, Northeast Ohio, quotes

A biomimicry-inspired picture from Google Images

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ~Albert Pike

I got today’s quote from Tom Tyrrell, Founder and President of Great Lakes Biomimicry. For the past couple weeks, I have been interviewing the people involved with GLBio to write fun, mini biographies—which is a tough task, because they are all very accomplished professionals.

Biomimicry is not sustainability, it is more. Nature has survived and adapted for billions of years—success is all around us, so it’s time we take a few hints. Biomimicry is seeking sustainable solutions to contemporary issues by imitating nature. A few examples: applying the study of porcupine needles to medical technology or a solar cell inspired by a leaf. Northeast Ohio has the unique ability to lead the world in the study, education and application of biomimicry because of our place-based assets, including a combination of the natural environment and established industry.

Throughout my life, and this is often reflected here in my posts, I have had a special connection, love and appreciation for nature. I’m excited to be a small part of this growing collaborative and proud that Northeast Ohio is shaping up to be a world leader in biomimicry.

Enjoy today’s Wednesday Wisdom and try to think: in what small way can I make an impact on the world or future that is more significant than just me?

Great Gatsby Soiree Inspiration

Tags

inspiration board, The Great Gatsby, themed parties

After all my hype, I still haven’t seen The Great Gatsby. But like I promised, I have been compiling a Gatsby-themed inspiration board. When our crazy Cleveland weather gets a bit warmer, my friends and I hope to party like it’s 1922 in West Egg.

Here’s some of that party inspiration. For more, see our Pinterest board here. All photos via Pinterest.

It’s not a 20s party without popping the bubbly

Chandeliers outside? Oh so classy.

Gorgeous cocktails

Crab-stuffed cucumbers. Those East Coast folks love their crab!

Earl Grey lavender iced tea for non-alcoholic refreshments

Outfits inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s film, of course!

Anything worn by Marion Cotillard in Midnight in Paris is acceptable

If you can’t have chandeliers, at least white lights can set the mood

Men’s wardrobe inspiration

Black tie, white tie, doesn’t matter. Just let Jay inspire your attire!

Petit croque monsieur

White chocolate lavender vanilla popcorn. Say that five times fast!

A pretty way to chill champagne

Summer berries in a lemon sauce for dessert

Summertime pizza

Teacup florals. Love it!

Met Gala 2013: Best Dressed

Tags

Amanda Seyfried, Beyonce Knowles, Blake Lively, Cara Delevingne, Carey Mulligan, Chanel Iman, Costume Institute Gala, cut outs, Elizabeth Banks, Emmy Rossum, Hailee Steinfeld, Jennifer Lawrence, Joan Smalls, Kirsten Dunst, LBD, Mary Kate Olsen, Met Gala, metallic, Rooney Mara, Sarah Jessica Parker

The Costume Institute Gala sneaks up on me every year. It seems like much less than 12 months ago that I was scouring through fashion sites to see each and every gown. And yet, just last night, over-the-top ensembles graced the rouge colored steps once again.

As usual, hemlines were mixed and there was an abundance of pattern play (Kim K, Amanda Seyfried). Our favorite designers were featured by our favorite celebrities.

Is it just me, or were there as many wacky outfits as there were glamorous? Bizarre ruffles, shredded hems, satin plaid and a few styles that should have been forgotten in the ’90s (Oh, she’s just being Miley). Then again, the theme was “Punk: Chaos to Couture” …And I thoroughly believe punk is not dead!

A few trends to note include la petite robe noir and a glimpse of metallic. Joan Smalls, Michelle Williams and Florence Welch are just a few women who stuck with the dark shade. Metallic trimmed a number of dresses, including Taylor Swift’s by J. Mendel and Gisele Bundchen’s very-mini dress. Beyonce’s gown sent a nostalgic shiver down my spine, reminding me of her gorgeous black and gold Emilio Pucci design from 2011.

Cut-outs were another obvious trend. Black dresses worn by Emma Watson, Miranda Kerr, Carey Mulligan, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Hart featured the trend, along with multiple others. Jessica Biel opted for a two-piece, midriff baring ensemble by Giambattista Valli, and Gwenyth Paltrow had an illusion cut-out below her collar bone. Jessica Alba, always a favorite of mine, wore a metallic hued dress with cut outs below her neck.

Questionable decisions aside, I am plenty impressed with a variety of looks. Here’s a selection of the best dressed ladies at the 2013 Costume Institute Gala.

Blake Lively chose glamour over punk, wearing a Gucci Premiere gown

Carey Mulligan opted for a clean and classic Balenciaga — with a cut-out twist

Hailee Steinfeld put Miu Miu aside for an age appropriate, beautiful dress by Donna Karan Atelier

Joan Smalls accompanied Tom Ford, who dressed her in a glamorous black lace gown.

Curtain or Couture? I love Amanda Seyfried’s pattern play with Givenchy Couture

Elizabeth Banks wore a Versace Atelier piece that resembles a gilded men’s blazer

Rooney Mara could have left the black plum lips off, but her Givenchy gown is both feminine and sexy

Back in black and gold, Beyonce wears Givenchy with a fabulous train

Committed to punk, Cara Delevingne wore a plunging, studded Burberry dress

Few smokey eyes from the punk-infused night succeeded like Emmy Rossum, who wore Donna Karan Atelier

It may look like a beach cover-up to you, but I find Chanel Iman’s J. Mendel stripes to be right on trend

Dedicated to the designer, Jennifer Lawrence wore her trademark Dior in an A-line silhouette

Mary Kate Olsen wore a vintage Chanel dress below an oriental-looking coat. Penny Lane, in a way?

Kirsten Dunst took the plunge in a deep cut Louis Vuitton gown, dipped in feathers

The mohawk headdress kept Sarah Jessica Parker on trend while wearing Giles Deacon

Derby Day

Tags

Churchill Downs, Golden Soul, Kentucky Derby, Lily Pulitzer, mint julep, Orb

Grab those wide-brimmed hats and pour a couple mint juleps, it’s Kentucky Derby day!

You might say southern girls have all the fun, donning Lily Pulitzer sundresses and shiny pearls to every football game they attend. But to me, Kentucky is just as much Midwestern as it is Southern, and I like to claim a little of the excitement for us. Regardless of any ripped-jean, t-shirt trends of the day, the Derby never fails to remind us of the beauty in refinement and elegance.

Not that today is all about fashion. Let’s not forget the true stars: the horses. I could never be involved in horse racing, simply knowing the chance of injury. But watching these majestic animals pounding their hooves around a turn, flying with all four legs off the ground, is breathtaking. It’s no wonder so many horses have become household names.

As the clock ticks closer to the opening of the gates, I can’t help but get excited watching the [rain soaked] crowd and sifting through glamorous pictures of derbies past. Cheers!

Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. Photo via Google Images

A 1932 Derby photo, via NPR.org

Men also get into the Derby fun, enjoying a variety of hats and pastel ties. Photo via Gadling

This hat makes me swoon. Photo via Gadling

And from the front… I’m still obsessed!

Photo via Pinterest

It’s not the Kentucky Derby without a Mint Julep! Photo via Pinterest

Love this vintage Derby photo, via Google Images

Though Orb is favored to win, Golden Soul here got the great shot, via sbnation.com

Will, Harry and Kate show us how it’s done at the 2011 Epsom Derby, via Pinterest

The Great Gatsby Premiere

Tags

Baz Luhrmann, Carey Mulligan, Leonardo DiCaprio, movie premiere, Prada, The Great Gatsby, Tiffany & Co, Tiffany's

Photo via Pinterest

Today is the first of May and a lovely spring day, but that is not the only reason to celebrate. Tonight is also the world premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s much-anticipated film, The Great Gatsby.

Anyone in my high school American Lit class must be rolling their eyes reading this. I opted to read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel early in the school year… and I never let it go. I compared and contrasted scenes, characters and plot developments to every other book we read for the rest of the year (I mean, that’s talent, right?!).

I was almost skeptical when I first heard about the second cinematic adaptation. Fitzgerald’s words held such a special place in my memory, I was worried to see it butchered on film like On The Road was just a year ago (mainly the fault of K.Stew? #sorryimnotsorry).

But Luhrmann has a lot going for him. His modernized Romeo + Juliet was genius and proved this style may win me over yet again. And who could complain about watching Leonardo DiCaprio transform into the great Jay Gatsby himself?

Then, there is the music to consider. The spectacular trailers — yes there are multiple — have featured music from Jay Z, Florence and the Machine, Lana del Rey and other contemporary artists. I am so interested to see how this modern soundtrack will fit in with the classic tale!

As “No Church in the Wild” pumps throughout a trailer, we are reminded of just one piece of Jay Z’s involvement as one of the soundtrack’s executive producers. According to Hip Hop Wired, Luhrmann said in a press statement:

“[Fitzgerald] coined the phrase ‘the Jazz Age.’ So, the question for me in approaching Gatsby was how to elicit from our audience the same level of excitement and pop-cultural immediacy toward the world that Fitzgerald did for his audience? And in our age, the energy of jazz is caught in the energy of hip-hop.”

Photo via Pinterest

Most importantly: the fashion! Guests at Gatsby’s extravagant parties are not merely extras on this set. Each one was tailored with their unique character and story. Costumes are always an important aspect of period pieces, but even more so when every extra has a character and the film is set in an age who’s attire has already been replicated at countless themed parties. Catherine Martin, who won an Oscar for the Moulin Rouge costume design, wanted each outfit to evoke a sense of the Roaring Twenties through a modern lens, all while steering clear of a tacky Halloween costume feel.

Brooks Brothers, who actually sold to Fitzgerald back in the day, provided more than 1,000 costumes for the male actors, according to Anna Dello Russo’s site. Martin also teamed up with Italian designer Miuccia Prada for the ladies’ costumes. Along with the chandelier dress Daisy (played by Carey Mulligan) wears, Prada supplied 40 background dresses.

We can’t possibly discuss Gatsby fashion without mentioning Tiffany & Co. The famous luxury jeweler provided all the pearls, diamonds and sparkly beauties for the film. In April, Tiffany’s unveiled their Gatsby-inspired window displays on Fifth Avenue in New York City. As if I needed more excuses to get excited for the film!

Tiffany’s Gatsby-inspired window displays. Photo via E! Online

Just like during my American Lit course, I am not going to let The Great Gatsby pass on by. The film hits theaters in Cleveland May 10, and I will definitely hop back here to express my opinions. In honor of the decadent parties and gorgeous fashion, I will be hosting a Gatsby party on my roof-top deck. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for a party inspiration board and, of course, pictures from the event itself!

Here’s to a successful premiere and only a week more of waiting! xo