fashion blogger Archives - Page 20 of 26

Grecian Gown

I was able to snag this Ella Moss beauty on sale via Gilt, and I couldn’t be happier (again, not maternity)! I wore this gown on a beautiful night out to dinner in Maine. I love the ease and flow of this dress as I walk, and the jersey material makes it super comfortable as well. In these photos, I am 30 weeks pregnant, and this week, I just hit 32. Little Monkey will be here before I can blink.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Gown: Ella Moss via Gilt / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff / Shoes: ALDO – similar / Earrings: ALDO / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: ASOS, Gorjana, c/o Guilty Jean, Henri Bendel / Toes: Essie In the Cabana / Nails: Essie Forever Yummy and Set in Stone

Oh, how I miss this little lake house already! Wishing I had the lake to jump into and cool off this week; it’s been brutal! Trying to stay hydrated and enjoy the AC indoors.

Stay cool ya’ll!

XO,

Gina

{13} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Just finished What Remains by Carole Radziwill. She is one of the more recent additions to the New York City Housewife cast, although she wrote this book long before. Carole was a reporter for many years, a princess, and related to the Kennedy’s. This memoir is about friendship, love, and loss. It’s extremely sad, but very real, and Radziwill is an excellent writer. I just started Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks as I heard it was decent and was looking for a light summer beach read (even though I’m not at the beach).

writing Contracts. I’m no lawyer, and I can’t exactly say much yet, but it’s exciting, and I’m drafting, drafting.

listening I’ve always been an Avicii fan, but I’m really loving his new single Wake Me Up. It starts out with a folk/country guitar style, and breaks into the typical dance/house style of Avicii that we know and love.

thinking That all I wanted was summertime, and now I got my wish…but it’s so hot, I don’t know how this prego body is going to make it through August.

smelling Breakfast food…my favorite!

watching Holy Bachelorette! Some intense home visits and a sad goodbye. Go figure they are all in love with her, except the one she is in love with. I still can’t believe I got into this show this season…those to blame, you know who you are…

wishing That I could fly out to San Fran to celebrate my friend’s Trey and Suzette’s big day this weekend! I know it will be amazing, and I’m sad to miss it. But excited instead to celebrate my bestie Teri’s bridal shower and a baby shower for my Little Monkey.

hoping For good weather this weekend. We have a maternity photo session scheduled with Misa*Me Photography, and I’m hoping the weather will cooperate!

wearing Gray and blue striped cotton jersey dress that was handed down to me by Danielle, my college roomie and cutest little mama!

loving The new Up the Amp MAC lipstick that I got for free by turning in my 6 empties to recycle. Also loving the new Benefit They’re Real Mascara I got for my birthday from Sephora.

laughing At this awesome maid of honor speech I discovered on Zigi’s blog. I died laughing, and it totally made me think of my bestie Teri. Let’s just say this girl does a sick Eminem.

wanting To jump in a pool for my birthday (next weekend)…anyone know a place in the city that could throw a good pool party?

needing Air conditioning. Been blasting it lately! I’m dreading the electric bill.

feeling Incredibly lucky for my amazing family and friends. Everyone has been so generous, and we have already started getting lots of packages and gifts to the house for our little man, and I haven’t even had my shower yet! I cannot wait to get everything in order! Thank you everyone, I really appreciate it.

craving Chocolate and fruit. I have been wanting a little bit almost every day lately.

clicking Photography inspiration ideas for our shoot this Saturday.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Tuesday!

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.

Wedding Wear

The last weekend of June, the hubby and I headed down to Maryland to see our good friends Kurt and Tiffany tie the knot on the Chesapeake Bay. I struggled with whether or not I should buy a maternity dress for this event, but ultimately decided that it wasn’t worth the expense for one night, since this is the last wedding I am going to be able to make before the Little Monkey gets here. Instead, I decided to wear this number I purchased from Forever 21 a few months ago. I wore it to another wedding earlier this year, and because of the stretchy middle material and the flare underneath the bust line, it works perfectly for my prego shape. I topped off the look with earrings from Amrita Singh (a bridemaid’s gift from my friend Katie’s wedding), and these gold sparkly bow pumps. My husband calls them my “Wizard of Oz” shoes, but I absolutely love them. Before you think I am insane for wearing 5 inch heels while 6.5 months pregnant (ok, so maybe I’m a little insane, but heels just make a girl feel prettier, right?), I did end up changing into flats for the dancing portion of the evening. No one needs a pregnant woman falling over on the dance floor.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Dress: Forever 21 (now on sale!) / Sparkly Glitter Bow Pumps: ALDO / Earrings: Amrita Singh – this pair is also similar / Watch: Michael Kors / Gold Clutch: (old) – similar here / Lip: MAC Candy Yum Yum / Nails: Essie Boom Boom Room

We got back from our mini-vacation to Maine this weekend, and wow did we have an amazing time! I have so much to share from our trip, but first I want to share some fabulous wedding photos from Kurt and Tiff’s big day. I have lots to edit and catch up on from my time away, so stay tuned this week and next for some exciting posts to come!

XO,

Gina

Family Reunion

fam·i·ly

/ˈfam(ə)lē/

–

Noun: A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.

–

Now, this gigantic group of people above may not all live together in one household…but I certainly consider them all family.

–

After at least a 10 year long hiatus, my Italian grandfather’s side of the family got together at the end of June for a family reunion in Davidsonville, MD. My cousin, Valerie, was kind enough to open her home to 100+ crazy Italianos from all over the U.S. Some as far as Maine, Iowa, and Washington state. I expected maybe 40-50 people or so, but to have over 100 just blew my mind. It proved to me that I was not the only one who saw a larger definition to the word “family.”

–

We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day, a pool for the kiddies to enjoy, delicious BBQ, and a lot of fun. We had a large family tree diagram to trace each bloodline back multiple generations thanks to my Uncle Art. People brought tons of old photos. One of my favorite moments was sitting with my Uncle Danny (my Grandpa Frank’s 1st cousin) while we looked through an old photo album of his life from childhood to the present. He had so many stories of growing up with my Grandfather that really just made my day. Everyone brought tons of desserts, and many of them were family recipes. I think I ate more dessert than actual lunch food! Oops.

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We had such a great time catching up with each other that I really wish so much time hadn’t gone by since our last reunion, and I’m hoping that the next one will be sooner rather than later.

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When I think of family, I think of love, respect, sacrifice, holidays, being there for one another, having a shoulder to cry on, people to laugh with, those to get crazy with, honesty, trust, friendship, acceptance, support and care. Family shapes who we are as people and changes us for the future. I realize that not everyone may have this same definition of family depending on their life experiences, but I am so grateful for the amount of love in my family.

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You can’t choose who is in your family, but you can choose whether or not you want to spend time with them. The fact that so many people came out for this reunion shows how much we all care about each other even after so much time had gone by. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such a greater whole, and I’m looking forward to when my Little Monkey will be able to join this amazing group of people that I can call my own.

–

XO,

–

Gina

America’s Playlist

Wanted to wish you all a Happy 4th of July week! As you may already know, we are taking a mini-vacay in Maine, and I will also be taking a little break from posting on popcorn and pandas. Although, rest assured, I will be taking many photos while on my trip of course, and will have lots to share when we return.

I decided to put together a little playlist of some of my favorite patriotic American jams. Hopefully you can use these ideas for a BBQ or however you happen to be celebrating this year.

1. God Bless the U.S.A. – Lee Greenwood

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q65KZIqay4E]

2. American Child – Phil Vassar

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c1x3wcbvAc]

3. American Woman – Lenny Kravitz

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzWHE32IxUc]

4. American Boy – Estelle feat. Kanye West

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic5vxw3eijY]

5. Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4&oq=born%20in%20the%20usa&gs_l=youtube..0.5j0l9.59101.60371.0.61884.15.13.0.0.0.0.138.1150.10j3.13.0.eytns%2Cpt%3D-35%2Cn%3D2%2Cui%3Dt.1.0.0…1ac.1.11.youtube.NSProT_-o3Q]

6. Independence Day – Martina McBride

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPpAZ9_qAw&oq=independence%20day%20ma&gs_l=youtube..0.5j0l9.37455.41797.0.43532.19.10.0.1.1.0.1302.4006.3j1j0j4j7-2.10.0.eytns%2Cpt%3D-35%2Cn%3D2%2Cui%3Dt.1.0.0…1ac.1.11.youtube.fKC5U7bc-x8]

7. Rockin’ in the Free World – Neil Young

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdiCJUysIT0]

8. American Pie – Don McLean

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAsV5-Hv-7U&oq=american%20pie%20don&gs_l=youtube..0.5.130478.133372.0.134948.16.9.0.2.2.0.793.1970.5j2j5-1j1.9.0.eytns%2Cpt%3D-35%2Cn%3D2%2Cui%3Dt.1.0.0…1ac.1.11.youtube.u1FnLcTufeA]

9. American Girl – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WBWov6nd6E]

10. Pink Houses – John Mellencamp

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOfkpu6749w]

11. Born on the Bayou – CCR

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIjUY3pjN8E]

12. Everyday America – Sugarland

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntQPddLf97g]

13. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. – John Mellencamp

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dO_QKwtko4]

14. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue – Toby Keith

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PXSK3iDeAI]

15. Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11SvDtPBhA]

16. America the Beautiful – Ray Charles

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg]

Hope you enjoyed this little mix of classic rock, country, and a little dance to celebrate America!

Happy 4th!

XO,

Gina

Fashion for the Fourth

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1. Nautical Knot Earrings: J. Crew / 2. Red Stripe Sperry Top Siders: Nordstrom / 3. American Flag Sunnies: PacSun / 4. Tory Burch Kelsey Laser Cut Tote: Neiman Marcus / 5. Religion Flag Tee: We Like Fashion / 6. NARS Jungle Red Lipstick: Beauty.com / 7. Gucci Envelope Clutch: Profile Fashion / 8. American Flag Shorts: We Like Fashion / 9. Red Retro Sunnies: Liberty / 10. Nautical Stripe Bangle: Coach / 11. Anthony Peto White Panama Hat: Modewalk / 12. Red and White Stripe Button Dress: New Look / 13. Red and White Stripe Tote: Modcloth / 14. Americana Pillow: Calypso St. Barth / 15. Dolce Vita Striped Sandals: Jildor / 16. NARS China Blue Eyeshadow: Beauty.com / 17. Vintage Style Polka Dot Bathing Suit: Unique Vintage / 18. Red and White Sailor Dress: Attitude Holland / 19. Navy and White Sweetheart Dress: Forever 21 / 20. Navy and White Soludos: Shopbop / 21. Marc Jacobs Red Jean Shorts: Stylebop / 22. Fossil Watch: Piperlime / 23. Z Designs Anchor Necklaces: MetroPark / 24. Essie Butler Please: Target

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The 4th of July is right around the corner, and I decided to put together this little red, white, and blue inspiration board to put me in the mood! We are getting extremely excited for our upcoming mini-vacation to the cutest lake-side cottage in Maine. But first, we have a wedding to celebrate on Maryland’s Eastern Shore! We are headed down there tonight to celebrate our friends Kurt and Tiffany tomorrow, and we couldn’t be more excited.

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Happy Friday, and hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

–

XO,

–

Gina

It’s Electric

And it’s back to my uniform this summer…the maxi dress! I scored this one at a discount price from a local spot near my office. Again, it’s not maternity, which makes me happy because I know I will be able to wear it post-pregnancy. I love the rainbow of colors on this dress, and it was perfect for a beautiful sunny Saturday family reunion with my Dad’s side of the fam.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Maxi Dress: K&G Fashion Superstore – similar / Sunnies: Modcloth / Sandals: Dolce Vita (on sale!) / Necklace: Baublebar / Bracelets: J. Crew, Flair Accessories, ASOS, and c/o Guilty Jean / Watch: Michael Kors / Nails: Essie Turquoise and Caicos / Toes: Essie DJ Play That Song / Lip: MAC Snob

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Girl’s night went off with a hitch last night. Mucho thanks to my girl Ailie for graciously painting my toes (I can no longer reach them). I am not a big fan of feet, and not sure I would have jumped at this opportunity had the roles been reversed, so this task was very much appreciated! We had a great night of nail painting, mud-masking, movie watching, and festival chicken.

This morning I rose early to meet my cousin Seamus for breakfast in the city. He is in town from Cali to surprise his sister today as she is giving birth to another little baby tomorrow. So sweet! The last time I saw him was on his wedding day to my cousin Alex, so it was great to catch up! So glad we were able to make a little get-together happen this morning.

Hope you are all enjoying the week so far!

XO,

Gina

Skull Tank Revisited

You may remember this top from earlier this spring when the weather was still a bit on the chilly side. I decided to break it out again for summertime while it still covers my baby bump. I paired it with some mint short shorts and some comfy sneaks for a fun filled family day in Maryland. We had our belated Father’s Day celebration this past Sunday with both my family and my husband’s, complete with crab cakes (because that’s what Maryland’s all about right?), brisket, chicken, corn on the cob, pasta salad, strawberry salad, beans, homemade tortillas, rolls, ice cream, cake, a musical performance, a little rain, a little sunshine, and a lot of fun.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Skull Tank: Hot Topic – similar / Mint Shorts: Motherhood Maternity – non maternity version / Sneaks: ALDO / Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean (2), ASOS, Flair Accessories / Watch: Michael Kors / Necklace: c/o Guilty Jean / Chevron Ring: Baublebar / Nails: Essie Turquoise and Caicos / Lip: Korres Guava Lipstick Natural Pink #13

Last night, we went to our final child birth class and learned a lot about breastfeeding and newborn care. I’m really glad we decided to take the class, and now we feel a lot more confident going into the whole birthing experience. Tonight, I am joining the ladies for a spa night in complete with manicures, pedicures, and facials! Whoo! Nothing like a little mid-week pampering. The rest of the week, I plan on relaxing, and getting ready to travel back down to Maryland again for my friends Kurt and Tiffany’s wedding on the Eastern Shore! Shortly after returning from that trip, we head off to Maine for our last mini vacay of the summer. Fun times ahead!

Hope you all are stayin’ cool this Tuesday.

XO,

Gina

Happy Summer!

Summertime is…

sunshine

the beach

picnics

friends

ice cream

family vacations

outdoor concerts

boat rides

amusement parks

frozen drinks

iced coffee

swimming pools

Central Park

bike rides

sunbathing

long walks

BBQs

tank tops

watermelon

midday thunderstorms

holiday weekends

bright lipstick

crab feasts

snow cones

…and so much more…

These are all things I look forward to in the summertime…and now it’s finally and officially here…

HAPPY SUMMER YA’LL!

Zack and I are headed down to Maryland tonight for a big family reunion and a belated Father’s Day celebration. We have been blessed with beautiful weather, and we cannot wait to see everyone!

Have a great weekend.

XO,

Gina

Weekend Snaps

Wanted to share a few photos from the past couple weekends we have spent in NYC. It’s been nice to actually be in town for a bit and enjoy this amazing city!

My awesome soccer team at our championship BBQ in Williamsburg, BK

A little corn hole action…

Taking a walk in the neighborhood with our neighbors

Pretty little house in the ‘hood

View of Coney Island from my beach chair…

Brighton Beach – so happy to be at the Ocean!

Toes in the sand (Wearing Essie DJ Play That Song)

It’s been so nice and super relaxing these past few weekends staying in town and enjoying this city in which we live. I often think about how lucky we are to be in such an urban place with so much to offer in terms of food, theatre, culture, events, and more. And in addition to this crazy metropolis, how is it possible that we still have the ocean only 4 miles away from our home? For me it is the best of both worlds, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Hope you all had a great weekend, and wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

XO,

Gina