Summery Vibes & Feeding Your Creativity

It’s crazy how just a week ago I mentioned being in a creative rut, but after that quick trip to Denver I found some new inspiration to bring back home. Not sure how that couldn’t happen for me after Spain. My only conclusion would be since I was away in Europe for so long, it sort of made it more difficult for me to get back on track. BUT, at the same time that trip is what made me realize it was time for a change. Whatever the case may be, I’m feeling inspired once again and that creativity is flowing more regularly through my body just as it should.

I also mentioned a few times that I’m trying to change direction with my style posts and I feel really good about this first step. For so long, I got completely caught up in shooting in the same exact spots in the same exact way. It started to become a routine that I couldn’t get out of. I got comfortable. Ah man, comfortability can kill creativity. I honestly think that was a huge part of it too. I was also so used to shooting more of a street style vibe and after doing it for years, it didn’t move me as much as it used to. My style content started to feel stale, at least to me, and I stopped getting excited to take photos for my outfits. I don’t want my content to be predictable or to always look the same. I want to start telling more of a story through my photos in the sense that you’re getting more from me than just the outfit. I want to challenge myself more creatively and see where it takes me. Even if I end up doing street style vibes again, (hello New York) I want to do it differently. Right now I am just experimenting with this new idea and so far, I think it’s a good fit.

The first step in this new direction was scouting out locations. You might remember this one from my Father’s Day tribute post. I had taken photos there several years back and completely forgot about it. It ended up being such a beautiful place to help bring to life the vision that I had. See, that’s something else that I was lacking before when it came to my outfit shoots. I never really had a vision for them in the same ways that I did for my travel and lifestyle content. I knew I had to change that. I found this location online by simply searching for some of the best places to take photos in New Jersey. I came across a ton, but fell in love with this particular spot and thought it would feed my creativity. The best part about scouting out locations online is that you get to see photos before you go, so it gives you somewhat of an idea as to where you can shoot and how you want your photos to be. You can also search for these places on Instagram for some extra inspiration. I saw a few photos with the gazebo that I had not seen on the website, so I knew instantly that I wanted to look for that and do something there. The only challenging part was that each section had different lighting. I’m learning a bit more of Lightroom each day, so hopefully my editing skills will get better and become more consistent with each post.

I shared 4 ways to help you get out of a creative rut and I firmly believe that a change in scenery and experimenting with new ideas is the way to go. If it works out then that is amazing and if it doesn’t then that is OK too. You will never know unless you give it a try. Either way doing something different will give you a fresh perspective and help you get back the excitement that you lost. I feel excited again and I love it!

Shirt: Bershka [similar style] | Skirt: H&M [also love] | Sandals: Forever21
Hat: Nordstrom [sold out, also love]

I styled my look before finding this place, but it ended up working together so perfectly. I really wanted to showcase these summery vibes and each pieced flowed so well with the scenery. When it comes to my style during the summer, I am constantly gravitating towards comfortable and easy pieces to wear. I like outfits that can take me through the day with ease because when it’s hot outside, you don’t want to fuss. Lately, denim skirts and off-the-shoulder tops have been at the forefront of my wardrobe and for good reason. This trend started when I was in Spain and I continued it once I got back home. Ever since that trip, I’ve also been in a no high heel zone. I just haven’t had much desire to get super dressed up. During the day I opt for slide sandals like these and at night when going out, I’ve been choosing shoes with a low block heel.

Sorry for the photo overload today, but I was excited to share all of these. I would love to get your thoughts on the photos and this new direction! A huge thank you to my mom for driving 45 minutes out of the way with me for this. Thanks so much for stopping by and I look forward to sharing new content with all of you! 💛