fashion blogger Archives - Page 13 of 26

Vintage Style Swimsuits

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1) Splendid Malibu Stripe One Piece: Swim Spot / 2) Rocksanda Ilincic Talgo Color Block Swimsuit: Matches Fashion / 3) Adreana Degreas Striped High Waisted Bikini: Moda Operandi / 4) Red Polka Dot Swimsuit: ModCloth / 5) Island One Piece: ModCloth / 6) White & Black Polka Dot One Piece: ModCloth / 7) Black High Waisted Bottoms: Mini Hammer via Etsy / 8) Floral Two Piece: ModCloth / 9) Zimmerman Verano Floral One Piece: Madewell / 10) Betsey Johnson Floating on Petals Two Piece: ModCloth / 11) Cherry Two Piece: ModCloth / 12) America Stars and Stripes Fringe Tankini (this is kids and obviously too small for me, but it was too adorable not to share): Shop Justice

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Also a fan of these suits from grey dog (not pictured).

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Memorial Day Weekend has passed which means it’s officially summer in my eyes! We went north to New Hampshire over the weekend, and lucky for me, I didn’t have to put on a bathing suit. I know lots of women tend to be self conscious at the beginning of summer. Leftover weight from the holidays that hasn’t come off…pasty pale skin that hasn’t gotten tan yet. You know the drill. It’s normal. Only this summer, I’m feeling a bit more self conscious than usual. I mean, last year I was pregnant in a bathing suit, so as uncomfortable as that might be, at least I felt that I could own my body and be proud that I was carrying a little guy in there. Now, 9 months post birth, I am feeling great, and I have shrank back to my pre-pregnancy weight…and even back almost to my wedding weight! I should be screaming and jumping for joy at my accomplishment! However, it’s been said time and time again not to look at the scale. The scale does not measure how you look and feel. My body has been through a year, oh it has. I’ve been stretched out and starved for time and I’m completely out of shape. Breastfeeding and walking have gotten the weight off, but my body looks completely different than I am used to. My belly is much squishier, and that jiggle jiggle is anything but attractive. I have been patient with getting back to my normal self. No crazy diets or workouts here. Just steady walking, breastfeeding, and trying to eat healthy when I can. What I really need is time to tone. Or maybe I just need to make it a priority. It’s tough, this mom thing. By the time I get home from work, it’s time for Nico’s bath and bedtime routine. After that, it’s cooking, dinner, clean-up, and I maaaaybe have an hour or so to get anything done, yet I am exhausted. The last thing I want to do is a work out at 10pm that would keep me up even later with all the adrenaline. I do hope and plan to get back on some kind of fitness routine in the near future, but in the meantime…it’s bathing suit season people, and what is a beach-loving mommy to do?

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Well…I have decided to embrace and love the body I currently have and find a suit that flatters it as much as I can. Work with what ya got, right? Besides, my body got this way because of the incredible tiny human who now fills my life with so much joy. There is something to be said for that. We moms make sacrifices for our children every day, and if a little extra belly fat is what it takes to be blessed with such an amazing little boy, then so be it. Luckily, vintage/mod/retro style suits are all the rage right now, and I am planning on rocking an adorable high waisted swimsuit or one-piece this summer. Who says you can’t look hot in a onesie!? The most important thing is that I am comfortable, so I am going to go with what works for me right now.

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Would love to hear from any new mamas on what you plan on donning to the beach this summer? OR if you have any great fitness routines that you swear by, I would love to hear from you as well!

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Hope you have a happy one!

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XO,

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Gina

Love, Lori Michelle

Aside from the amazing Mother’s Day gift that I received from my husband and son, I also received an incredible mommy necklace made especially for me by Lori of Love, Lori Michelle. She worked with me to custom design the necklace I am wearing in this post, and we chose a heart with an “N” cut out in the corner for my little Nico. Lori is a digital artist and designer whose work with 3D models inspired her to create 3D printed jewelry. Most of her early designs were created as birthday or wedding gifts for friends, and she prides herself on her custom one-of-a-kind designs. Her silver and stainless steel pieces are both beautiful and original, and I’m so happy to be the recipient of such a wonderful gift!

What is 3D printing you ask? Lori describes the printing process here if you’d like to read on.

Custom Necklace: c/o Love, Lori Michelle / Dress: F21 – similar / Sandals: Sam Edelman – red sold out, but many color choices here / Heart Sunnies: Amazon – super sale! / Heart Striped Tote: Ban.do / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Stella and Sparkle / Earrings: ALDO / Lip: Lancome Red Haute / Toes: Essie Lights

On Nico – Oxford Button Up Bodysuit: Baby GAP / Shorts: Crazy 8 / Fedora: Old Navy – similar / Stroller: Uppababy Vista

My 1st Mother’s Day was absolutely everything I could have asked for and more. Nico woke up an hour later than his normal time babbling “Mama Mama” in his crib to awake me from slumber. A whole extra hour to sleep in? That never happens! And saying Mama? First time ever! What better way to wake up on my first Mother’s day huh?

We ate breakfast together at home, and then headed outside as it was a perfect, sunny, beautiful day sans humidity. Naturally the beach was calling our name! Although it wasn’t quite bathing suit and ocean weather, it was a perfect day for walking around Coney Island. It was just before tourist season, so it wasn’t too crowded. We had delicious pizza at the new Grimaldi’s (which is super family friendly by the way), and we took a long walk on the boardwalk and out on the pier. We watched people on the rides, got ice cream cones, and even played a little ski ball. The best part was watching Nico’s face as he saw people the Cyclone for the first time. I’m guessing he was thinking: 1) What is that, and 2) That looks awesome! I love seeing him experience things for the first time, and I admit I even got a little teary.

We are headed off to New Hampshire this morning for the Memorial Day holiday. If you want to follow our adventures, you can catch me on Instagram!

XO,

Gina

{24} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading The Girl on the Cliff by LucindaRiley. This book came on recommendation from a friend, and so far I am super captivated!

writing A packing list for our trip to the lake house in New Hampshire. We leave tomorrow, and I cannot wait!

listening Let me start off by saying I know this song is kind of terrible. But something about this song and my old club days makes me not hate it.

thinking Time is going so fast! Nico hit two milestones this past week. “Crawling” – or his version of it at least. He’s basically sliding all over the apartment (including underneath the table and chairs as seen above…we are in trouble), and I told the hubby we should at least strap a swiffer duster to his belly so the floors get cleaned at the same time. I kid, I kid. He also pulled himself up to a standing position all by himself on Monday. I was at work, and I missed it, which sucked, because as a mom you never want to miss those first moments. I am so happy for him and all of his latest accomplishments, but it’s starting to hit home that our little baby is getting bigger, and it’s impossible to go back in time to when he was tiny.

smelling Not much of anything, because I have been all stuffed up with sickness this past week. Meh.

watching The Bachelorette is back! Any early guesses of who will win?

wishing For clear skies in New Hampshire, so we can view all the pretty stars at night again this year.

hoping Along the same lines…for sunshine this weekend! The weather is looking a bit gloomy thus far. I know we will still have fun catching up with our friends, playing board games and watching movies, but if possible, I would prefer to be hiking and exploring!

wearing Casual today in Paige denim, black and white striped tank, Camo jacket, and New Balance tennis shoes

loving The fresh Hazelnut coffee we have been getting from Fairway. I’m not much of a coffee snob. I usually drink one cup a day, and the Keurig system works for us. I had never really thought much about the freshness of the K-Cups, but until you have had one of the new Fairway One Cups (which foregoes all the bottom plastic as well for the green folks out there), you haven’t had a good K-cup!

laughing At this woman who was just a LITTLE bit excited to be a grandmother.

wanting A recommendation for a new spring nail polish! Who has one?

needing A new bathing suit for summer, but dreading the shopping process this year. None of my old suits fit my current body, so it’s back to the drawing board. I have a couple ideas in mind in terms of styles, so hopefully I can find something that works.

feeling Still feeling pain and popping in my thumb a couple days after the Cortisone shot. Hoping it kicks in soon, or else I may need another injection and possibly surgery. Oy.

craving Fresh fruit. It’s almost summertime, which means all my favorite fruits will soon be in season!

clicking Around on the Father’s Day gift hunt…it will be here before we know it!

What have you been up to lately?

Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

In the Garden

My guy has been working hard on our garden this year. I can’t say I have participated much more than a trip to the nursery to pick out some plants (which was really fun by the way!) and a couple days of watering, but I’ve been watching the baby, ok? In due time when these plants start producing some vegetables…that’s when my work will come into play. I will be making homemade tomato sauce and pesto, and I will have a happy husband. Teamwork makes the world go round.

Top: J. Crew (old) / Dress (worn as a skirt): Free People (old) – shop day dresses / Shoes: Nordstrom Rack / Bag: H&M / Sunnies: YSL / Lip: MAC Up the Amp / Necklace: Gifted / Bracelet: Oja Jules / Watch: Coach

It was a bit of a rough weekend, as I caught a sinus infection and was completely laid up. We had to cancel our anniversary dinner and I missed the 30th Birthday celebration for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. On a separate doctor’s note, I spent yesterday morning in the orthopedic office getting a Cortisone shot to try and help my trigger finger. Womp womp.

Starting to feel better today, and enjoying the amazing weather we have had in the city the past few days. We are getting excited for our upcoming family mini vacay with our best friends Erin & Rai. You may remember them from our Maine trip last year. We have decided to take another adventure with them to the New England region, and this time we are visiting New Hampshire (and we will also have a mini addition to the crew this year!) We are heading north earlier in the season, so it will be a bit chillier than last year but we are looking forward to a bit of adventure, some breathtaking natural surroundings, and some R&R as well.

Hope you are all enjoying the week so far!

XO,

Gina

Weekend Casual

Maxi Dress: Forever 21 / Hat: P. Luca for Barami – similar on eBay / Shoes: ALDO / Scarf: Gifted – similar / Jacket: American Eagle – similar / Necklace: Vintage / Aviators: NY Street Vendor / Watch: Michael Kors (now on sale!) / Bracelet: J. Crew – also love this gold pave link bracelet / Earrings: Forever 21 / Lip: MAC Impassioned

Along with spring cleaning, we also joined my grandmother and aunt for lunch over the weekend while they were in Brooklyn for the day. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I’m excited to break out the dresses again. A maxi dress lends itself to putting together a complete look quickly. It allows you to stay comfortable, but also put together at the same time. Nico is just starting to be a bit more mobile and with all the chasing I imagine on the horizon, I have a feeling maxi dresses are going to be a staple item again this summer. The only difference (as I quickly learned Saturday) is that I am going to have to hem my maxis. They tend to run a little long when I’m sans baby bump!

In case you missed my post yesterday, I’m hosting a little closet sale over on Pinterest if you are interested in checking it out!

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

P + P Spring Closet Sale!

Hello there lovely readers!

You know when your closet gets so messy that you can’t even see the floor anymore? Things piled so high, so utterly disorganized, that you give up and just forego cleanliness and keep piling things on in heaps? No? Is that just me? Well, my closet had definitely gotten to that point, and this weekend I finally decided to do something about it with a little spring cleaning. I must admit, I have a little bit of a hoarding tendency. My husband is constantly getting on my case about throwing things away.

Zack: I mean Gi, do you really need to keep every birthday card, soccer trophy, and note you passed in 8th grade?

Me: YES HONEY I DO.

When it comes to clothing, I am not much better. I usually keep things around until they are unwearable. Clothes stick around in my closet waiting for a day when that trend will “come back in style.” I have sorority T-shirts that I don’t even wear anymore, but I cannot bear to part with because of all the memories associated. A dress that I didn’t wear all summer will sit there with the clear intent that I will wear it. Then that summer goes and passes, and the dress is still hanging by its lonely self hoping for the following summer to grace the world with it’s presence once again.

That being said, it’s tough to hoard in a two bedroom apartment with a husband and a baby. The things pile on and the clutter becomes absurd. Gretchen says de-cluttering is one of the keys to happiness, and I certainly agree that lack of clutter has eased my stress in the past.

So there you have it. On a quest to staying happy and relieving stress, I spent the weekend cleaning. And here is my first little online closet sale to show for it.

Here’s the scoop:

1) I created a Pinterest board with all the items for sale.

2) If you want to buy an item, write “Sold” in the comments section along with your PayPal email. If you don’t have a PayPal account, you can create one here.

3) Half of all proceeds will go to a Reader’s Choice charity. After you write your intent to buy an item, please cast your vote for your charity of choice. I will then randomly select a charity from the reader’s votes to make the donation.

4) Shipping is not included. All items will be sent standard USPS.

5) All items are final sale.

Happy Shopping!

XO,

Gina

Rainy Day Essentials

As I sit and listen to the rain fall against my windowpane, it only seemed appropriate to put together a collection of rainy day essentials. While the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers, I’m willing to bet we will still get a fair amount of rain this spring. These pieces help to embrace the stormy weather while we wait for brighter days.

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1. Wide Brim Hat: ASOS – To cover your head on those days when it’s sprinkling or when it’s too windy for your umbrella.

2. Umbrella Studs: Etsy – Embrace the rainy day with these adorable studs.

3. Panda Umbrella: ModCloth – I mean, is this not the cutest umbrella you have ever seen?! I need this.

4. Waterproof Mascara: Tarte – Because running mascara is not a good look.

4. Rainboots: Hunter – Rainboots are a must in the city, and these bright pink ones boost my mood on a rainy day.

5. Hairspray : Dove – For those frizzy fly-aways, because we all know rain equals a bad hair day.

6. Teapot: Occa Home – The most adorable vintage teapot, because there is nothing like a cup of hot tea while you watch the rain fall.

7. Rain Earrings: Etsy – Remember when we were kids and we used to splash through the puddles and get excited about the rain? These earrings bring me back to that place.

8. Raincoat: ModCloth – Who says you can’t look cute in the rain? The polka dot raincoat is fabulous!

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Happy Rainy Thursday!

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XO,

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Gina

-Wide B

{23} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin. I am two chapters in, and I’m already thinking about what I could do to be happier. I am totally with Gretchen in the fact that I am already happy…but I agree that there is no reason to not be the happiest you can possibly be. So far, it’s been pretty thought provoking, and I’ve already thought about so many little changes I could make that would add up to a big difference.

writing RSVP’s. Wedding and baby shower season has officially begun.

listening I’m guessing this will be the “song of the summer” – #SELFIE by the Chainsmokers

thinking It will be strange to celebrate Easter without my Uncle this year…at the same time, I am excited to celebrate another 1st holiday for my little man, Nico. Thoughts on painting Easter eggs vs. dyeing them this year?

smelling Garlic and onions and a sweet smelling tomato sauce. Mmm.

watching Dallas Buyer’s Club. So happy I finally got to see this Oscar Nominated film. I can’t believe how far Mathew McConoughey has come in his career. Bravo.

wishing A Happy Birthday to my {might as well be} brother-in-law, Adam. Hope you and your Mama had a great time celebrating yesterday!

hoping That my child will learn to take a nap in his crib. He’s starting to sit up in and grow out of the swing (I know, we were able to use this a lot longer than most, and it has served us well). It’s starting to get to the point where he will only nap in the stroller, and that isn’t always an option!

wearing Dresses! It’s now warm enough that I don’t have to bundle in pants every day. I love wearing free flowing dresses in the spring and summer seasons, and I am particularly loving these daytime dresses from Free People.

loving The amazing weather that we had over the weekend! We went on multiple walks, enjoyed the Brooklyn Smorgasbord, had a night out at the beer garden, and relished in the sunshine. Nico also had his first adventure in a swings last weekend, which was a ton of fun!

laughing At Nico’s current method of transportation. After a few failed attempts at crawling, he has resorted to scooting while sitting up. It’s hysterical.

wanting A pedicure. It’s almost flip flop season people, and these puppies are not ready for open-toed shoes.

needing To baby proof our apartment. You don’t realize the potential dangers of your home until you have a little one almost on the move. We ordered a few things from Amazon including these, these, and these. If anyone has any suggestions in this department, they are welcome!

feeling Very behind at photo editing. Between keeping up with work, a baby, this blog, mealtimes, and an attempted social life, my personal photos have been severely neglected. I still have to edit our family Christmas photos and ones from Nico’s Baptism. I keep setting time slots to do it, and something “more important” and time sensitive arrises.

craving Coconut sorbet. I have been cutting back a bit on dairy currently, because I think it might be having a slight impact on my babe’s digestion. I tried out almond milk for the first time, which is surprisingly decent, and coconut sorbet has become my new best friend (because a girl has to satisfy that sweet tooth).

clicking Over on the Merch website. Love these stamped necklaces, and would love to get one that says “Ditmas Park.”

What have you been up to lately?

Also, congratulations to readers, Rachel and Joyce! You have each won a $35 credit to Stella & Dot jewelry for shopping the trunk show! You have also won an additional piece at 50% off. Check your e-mail later today for details.

Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Flower Child

Flowing Floral Pants: Forever 21 / Top: Target / Jean Jacket: American Eagle – similar / Flower Crown Headband: Urban Outfitters – similar / Shoes: Nine West – similar / Earrings: Baublebar – similar / Medallion: old / Sunglasses: Vintage / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff – also like it in silver / Chevron Rings: Baublebar (sold out, but like these sets as well) / Bracelet: cara New York – similar / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: MAC Snob

I’m not usually one for a wide leg pant, but I could not resist this vibrant floral pair from Forever 21. If you are looking for a pair of pants as comfortable as pajamas but acceptable to wear outside of the house, then these are definitely the pants for you! I wore these last weekend on a long walk to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and they were both flowy and light. I was clearly excited that spring had arrived as you can see from the multitude of florals in my attire. We had a great time exploring and seeing the new buds coming up showing the first signs of the season. I am definitely planning on going back here again toward the end of the month when things are in full bloom. I took a few more photos of our trip to the botanical gardens, so stay tuned next week!

Happy Friday!

XO,

Gina

Pastel Pop

Mint Coat: Goodnight Macaroon (runs small – now on sale!) / Polka Dot Sweater: H&M / Pink Tank: Old Navy / Denim: Rag & Bone / Sparkly Loafer: Seychelles (on sale!) / Necklace: Flair Accessories / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Henri Bendel / Lip: MAC Snob

Pastels are all the rage this spring, but it can be tough to pull off the look without looking like an Easter egg. My strategy here was all about balance! (or maybe you do think I look like an Easter egg in which case, I have failed miserably). The mint coat is a bold pastel statement, so I paired it with a darker hue & polka dot print to balance out the look. As always, I also like to add some fun accessories to the mix.

What is your strategy for wearing pastels this spring? Totally avoiding it, or jumping on this trend?

Hope this week is treating you all well. I am enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather!

XO,

Gina