Creeping Myrtle

       (Top: American Eagle, Skirt: Typographie Vintage, Jacquard Messenger Bag: Pendleton Woolen Mills, Boots: Decree)    

"According to English folklore, myrtle will only grow if a woman plants it. Best beloved by the goddess of love, Venus, myrtle is surrounded by myth and legend."

The sea of Creeping Myrtle in these photos is located at my uncle's house in upstate New York. My grandmother used to live in the house before moving to southern Pennsylvania, and the myrtle was grown off a clipping from my great grandmother's house down on Long Island. It's in such a mythical spot, located between a waterfall and a fruit orchard. 

I couldn't have dreamed of a better location to shoot this adventure-inspired outfit. I had bike shorts underneath the skirt (which acted as a wonderful mosquito net- pretty spots like this one are well loved by many other species besides us), comfy boots for trekking, cool top, and a bag that is as beautiful as it is tough. I love that this satchel, which is designed with padding for a 13" laptop or a tablet, looks so rustic and outdoorsy. It brings a little bit of the adventure aesthetic to the more mundane moments.

All pictures were taken by John McGuiness, and edited by Grace Lind.

*This post is sponsored by Pendleton Woolen Mills, all opinions are my own.

Western Wool

(Hat: Minnetonka, Tank: Charlotte Russe, Bag: Pendleton Woolen Mills, Skirt: Typographie Vintage, Boots: Express)

The feel of wool on my fingertips is something I equate to only perfect days. My mom is obsessed with wool blankets and sweaters, so we always had them piled up on us both before and after sledding. I had horses that needed wool saddle pads, feet that needed wool socks for long hikes, and fidgety hands that needed something to do while relaxing on the couch afterwards.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when I found a way to wear wool during the hot summer months. The jacquard bag I'm wearing in this shoot was nothing short of awesome. Beautiful color and pattern, soft to the touch, and although light and small, large enough to carry a big clutch wallet, phone, headphones, and some makeup!

P.S. This shoot was one of the coolest I've been involved in so far. It seemed like everything just fell in to place. As I drove around with my uncle/photographer to find an interesting spot, he thought of checking out the county fair grounds to see if we could get a few shots in the grandstands. The universe was apparently on our side that day, because we stumbled upon a Western Quarter Horse show that ran all afternoon. I was even lucky enough to get that gem of a picture with my new horse buddy, Kneely. 
All pictures were taken by John McGuiness, and edited by Grace Lind.

*This post is sponsored by Pendleton Woolen Mills, all opinions are my own.

Wanderlust NYC

This past weekend John and I took a trip to Hudson River Park (NYC) for a one day yoga in the city festival put on by Wanderlust. I have been dying to go to a Wanderlust festival since I found out about it a few years back from a fellow yogi! The regular events are four days long, and feature yoga classes by some of the most renowned teachers, live music, speakers, vendors, and more.

Even though this particular session only spanned an afternoon, they managed to pack a lot in. Three classes were offered, and John and I signed up for the middle class, with Schuyler Grant and Dana Slamp. The first half hour of the class taught by Schuyler, was accompanied by Hannah Thiem, a violinist/vocalist of Copal and violinist of Nyxyss. Her dark, yet spiritual melodies made pushing through some of the more challenging poses easier. My muscles were definitely trembling by the end of this one, but I was still able to focus on my breath.

The second session with Dana Slamp was more relaxed, and went through a series of restorative poses, which felt wonderful after the first session. Dana's class was accompanied by a harpist and guitar player, which matched the serene mood of the class.

White baloons decorated the tents, health food piled into the hands of toned people in spandex, and it was just a wonderful environment to be in! I can't wait to attend a four day festival. All of the longer events take place in gorgeous remote locations, so your down time is truly down time.

To learn more about Wanderlust Festival click here. 

Silver and Mud

      I have always been an active person. I grew up on a farm in upstate New York and spent most of my days with our two horses, Ryal and Nyzette. My home is a barn that was converted into a house in the 1930's, so you can imagine the amount of work that has gone into fixing and maintaining it. My parents always encouraged outside play and there wasn't a day that I came into the house without a mud splatter up the back of both legs.

       I remember my mom saying with a grin on her face, "What planet did you come from?" as I laid out my outfit for the day on the floor: a dress, loads of jewelry, and a pair of boots. I was four.

      I love the feeling of not being physically constricted by my clothing and not having to worry about keeping them perfect. Clothing that ages well and can take a hard day are the pieces that tell a story in the end. If I'm gonna go for a walk and play a gig it might as well be done in something pretty.

These Free People ankle boots have become my new go-to shoes. I absolutely love the henna design on them, and comfort wise there is nothing better.

This terracotta shirt achieves what I wish most of my clothing would: it's basic, but it still has some real interest to it that makes you take a second look. Check out all of Free People's gorgeous henley shirts!

The silver maxi, earrings, and pendant are all from a local designer of Indian clothing, Vijaya.

Having real style is doing all the things you want to do in the clothing that you want to wear.  

All photos were taken by my dear friend, Grace. Check out the rest of her work here.