While Todd is usually the one globe-trotting in this family, this year has been pretty full so far with travel for me as well. I’ve been back to our old stomping grounds in Springfield to visit friends, home to Pittsburgh for different events relating to my brother’s wedding, and out on the road several times to meet up with Todd on different tours. When Naturalizer asked me this spring to partner with them and show how I would style their Kail slip-on shoe several ways for travel, I thought it was the perfect theme for the past few months (see looks one and two if you missed them).

I got to go out with Todd on the first week of their 3 month summer tour with Twenty One Pilots a few weeks ago and we had a day off between shows where the bus was parked in a giant mall parking lot. It’s not too hard to guess what I did that day and I found this super comfortable pink t-shirt dress that was just the thing to pair with my Kail sneakers and beat the summer heat. Layers are key to surviving the back and forth between the cranked AC of the bus and arena and the sweltering heat of the outside world— jacket on, jacket off, jacket on, jacket off! Anyways, on these arena tours, one thing that’s a given is that you’ll be walking a lot. Whether it’s winding through the giant arena maze to get to catering or the green room or just trying to explore a new city for a few hours between band duties, a good pair of walking shoes is a must and the Kail didn’t let me down!

The black jacket helps to balance out the sleek black leather look of the slip-on, the pink adds a pop of color to the overall look, and the pins on the jacket just add plain fun! The cat and cheese fries pins are my fave right now…

I liked this look so much that I wore it again out to brunch when Todd was home for a few days recently. I’m bummed that he’s back on the road already but so happy that I get to fly out tomorrow to join the tour for a few days. Outfit planning is always one of my favorite things so I’m glad to have a pair of shoes I know I can count on!

xo. Laura

Is there any other article of clothing that screams “SUMMER!” more than a flowing short white dress?? I don’t know what the temps are where you live lately, but here in the Music City it’s been flirting between 90-100 and let me tell you that it is not a dry heat y’all! I think the humidity was a big surprise for me when we moved last July. I mean, I know it’s not desert climate, and I’m used to the summer stickiness that PA and MO get, but this is a whole different level for me! It’s totally that wet hot blanket feeling every time I’ve stepped outside this week, so dressing in a light and breezy manner has been good for the old internal temperature as well as the soul.

Todd just happens to be home for a few days right now (it’s the only break of his 3 month long summer tour with Twenty One Pilots) so I teamed up with one of my favorite sites Lulus to find the perfect white summer date dress to wear while he’s home. Since we only have limited time together we are trying to make the most of every moment we can this weekend! Thankfully I can trot around in this easy-breezy number to brunch, coffee dates, or whatever comes up!

Dress/Bag/Shoes/Rings/Sunnies all c/o of LuLus

Of course, we don’t usually do that fancy of dates, but it’s nice to at least feel a little fancy while we make up for lost time. I always have a million saved things to tell him so I basically don’t stop talking for days when he comes home! Do you guys have any good summer date suggestions for us? What do you usually like to do when it’s hot? Make sure to check out LuLus if you still need to find your perfect white dress for summer! 

In case you missed Part One of this series, I’m teaming up with Naturalizer to create a few looks for their new Kail slip-on style as I do some summer travel around the country. Last time I showed you how I styled the shoes for a weekend trip back to our previous home of Springfield, MO, but this time I made the look a little more sleek on a trip back to my original hometown of Pittsburgh, PA for my little brother’s wedding. Wedding trips are full of so many fun events (especially when you are also in the wedding also like I was) so you really have to be prepared for all sorts of scenarios. A dressy skirt with a crisp t-shirt is a great choice so you won’t be under (or over) dressed for most any occasion.

These comfy slip-ons ended up being my main shoe choice for the whole weekend (a nice break from the tall wedding heels) and I like that the sleek leather-look of the shoe pairs so well with the high-waisted leather skirt. Like I said before, high-waisted items are great with flats because it helps your legs look even longer than usual!

I was certainly so glad to have the cushy sole of the Kail as I ran from event to event all weekend—what a life saver! I have to say that seeing my little brother get married was a little bit more of an emotional experience for me than I would have guessed, but we love his wife Sarah so much and are so happy for them! They just spent two weeks in Europe for their honeymoon and I can’t wait to hear all the stories from their trip. Hopefully she had some good walking shoes too!!

xo. Laura

Year 31, here I come! Last May I was turning the big 3-0 and decided to have a 60’s cocktail party to celebrate the occasion. This past year has been filled with so much (moving, going to Paris, renovating our new house) that I just wanted to do something simple and quiet with the one I love most—Todd! He actually wasn’t supposed to be home for my birthday this year but schedules changed and I’m so happy to have had him around for the past month. It’s definitely been the longest he’s been home since we moved last July and I almost feel like a “regular” person with a “regular” life. It’s been a nice change for sure.

Since I didn’t want to make a big fuss this year, all I asked was a trip to my favorite Nashville spot Le Sel for some pink champagne and french fries (they have the best fries!). I feel like this place is the closest embodiment of myself that’s I’ve ever seen in a restaurant so far. Blush pink velvet booths, black and white stripe floor tiles, neon signs everywhere…perfect! I knew that this adorable romper would perfect for just such an occasion as soon as I saw it. It’s a little bit 60’s, a little bit French, and all black and white—YAAAAASSSSSSSS PLEASE!

Romper/Nasty Gal, Shoes/ShoeMint, Sunnies/Forever 21, Bag/Modcloth

I’ve definitely starting thinking more about what it means to get older lately. And yes, that can mean starting to look for wrinkles in the mirror and wondering what the coming years will bring, but in such a youth obsessed culture I’m also trying to focus on the positives being one year older can bring. Hopefully I’m one year wiser, kinder, and more patient than I was last year. I’ve had one more year to know myself a little better and one more year to love my dearest a little bit more. If you ask me, that sounds like something worth celebrating…

xo. Laura

As you know, we here at the Gummerman household live a life full of travel. Well, it’s mostly Todd doing his fair share of travel for work but since I go and visit him when I can and we have all our family (and a good chunk of our closest friends) in other states, I fill up the ol’ suitcase and head out quite a bit as well. While I have been known to choose looks over comfort when a piece of clothing is just too good to pass up, I generally like to be as comfortable as I can, especially when traveling. And when comfort and good looks collide? Well, that’s the sweet spot right there. I’m always up for a sleek and stylish black flat/sneaker so when Naturalizer asked me if I would want to partner with them and style a gift of one of their new shoes for a travel series, it only took one look at the Kail slip-on style before giving a resounding YES.

This past weekend Todd and I got a chance to drive back to our old stomping grounds of Springfield, MO (we lived there for 12 years before moving to Nashville last summer) and see some of our pals, check in on how big some babies have gotten, and eat ALL THE FOOD we’ve been missing since we left. The biggest problem with packing for a trip with a “want to be prepared for every possible situation” brain like mine is always the shoes. Will I be walking a lot? Dressing up? Casual BBQ? It’s nice to have a pair of shoes like the Kail that I can wear with jeans and a t-shirt for brunch or vintage shopping (and for only $69 too!) but then also wear with something dressier for dinner or a drink out.

The high-waisted jeans with the flats make a shortie like me look a little taller and you can’t go wrong with a black and white stripe anything as far as I’m concerned. I also like that the slip-ons have the elongated toe which makes your legs look a little longer too. All in all, this was the perfect look for feeling comfortable and cool while reminiscing a bunch and making some new memories as well. I’ll show you parts two and three to this series when I go to my brother’s wedding in Pittsburgh next month (so excited!!!) and head out to visit Todd on his summer tour in June. Check out the Kail over at Kail slip-on style and see if you just found your new favorite pair of shoes too!

xo. Laura