Cool Looks for Hot Summer Days (& Nights!)

Alivia Meenan stood out with her relaxed boho-chic look as I was shopping the summer sale at Nouveau home, where she is an interior designer. It’s also clear she has an eye for fashion. What’s more, although it looked like Alivia had stepped off the pages of a magazine, her outfit didn’t break the bank. That’s an Xhilaration skirt from Target, an H&M tank top, and gladiator sandals from DSW. Alivia says she gravitates toward a more urban style- wearing lots of black and boho. She loves solid colors, then finding fun accessories or a jean jacket to give it a little punch of color. It’s also a look that goes straight from work to a fun summer evening on the town.

I spotted another perfect day-to-night outfit on Jill Peterson, who likes wearing clothes that are current and comfortable, especially in the Baltimore heat. This long navy maxi dress with turquoise detailing from poshmark.com is polished enough to wear to work and comfortable enough to head out to dinner or drinks at the end of a long day.

Jill didn’t pair her outfit with many pieces. But, the few she did made a statement. Her sandals by Carlos Santana – with a beautiful beaded feather as the focus – dressed up the look. She found her oversized silver and turquoise cuff on Instagram. Jill follows an exotic store, Gypsy River, which is based in Melbourne Australia. Gypsy Rivers sells a collection of jewelry, home goods, and clothes from around the world. Every item on the site looks like a one-of-a-kind piece with a story to tell.

I found some fun, stand-out shoes that tell a story in Hampden at La Petit Shoe. I fell head over heels for their unique shoe line by designer Irregular Choice. This designer would definitely make you stand out in a crowd. My favorites? Let’s start with the Ruby Envelope with red slipper heel. They’re a combination of satin and metallic gold fabrics, with tassels tossed in, and topped off with synthetic fur to create a Chinese lion, also known as “Foo Dogs”. These shoes would make anyone do a glamour dance every day of the year, not just on the Chinese New Year. Both heels are a true work of art and a wild version of the traditional smoking slipper.

My other faves are the April Showers heels in black and turquoise. This collection uses a lot of textures that are coolly captivating. They combine a glittery fabric with embroidered flowers and a translucent heel with carved leaf detailing.

Then, there’s the kicky Katy Perry line. You don’t even have to be a child from the 80’s to love the Rubik Cube inspired Margot multi-color block-heeled sandals. They have a Charlotte Olympia feel to them, but MUCH more affordable.