Hi everyone, welcome to my first blog post! I want to start by saying thanks so much for giving it a read; I’ve been wanting to start a project like this for a long time and thought I should finally take the leap. The goal is for this to be a place to express myself creatively and share my view of the world with my audience, and while it’s not much now, I’m super excited to highlight the fun moments of my life as a student in the city through my love for fashion, music and experiencing life. Let’s dive right in with my first Summer Smash experience:
This was my first time attending Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash festival at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL, and let me just say, I LOVED IT! It was awesome. From the atmosphere to the lineup to the overall energy that the crowd brings - all of it was genuinely a great time. It was also a great opportunity to come up with some fun outfits.
I love dressing in whatever makes me feel comfortable and confident, but street style holds a place near and dear to my heart. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go out of the box with my outfits from what I usually wear. I’d describe my personal style as pretty understated and polished with mostly neutral colors; but in the spirit of festival season in summertime Chi, I wanted to play with more bold colors and complex pieces.
Day 1
In honor of the NBA Championship, my friend Ana repped a Celtics jersey with some cargo pants. I thought I’d match her vibe by showing love to my home city with a vintage Pistons jersey. I then paired that with a cute cargo mini skirt and kept the bold red consistent with a trucker hat sporting an orange “D” from a small brand called LoveYourself. Hearing “Go Pistons!” and “Number 31!” from fellow Detroiters all day was fun, and it was more than fitting for Big Sean’s set, which easily had to be my favorite of the day!
We went to Destroy Lonely’s set too and while it was a great show…long-story short is to stand at the front of the crowd at your own risk. Some pro tips are to stay hydrated and under no circumstances let yourself end up on the ground (I learned that the hard way), but it was nothing a giant slice of pizza and a Cactus Jack performance couldn’t fix! Great first day overall.
Day 2
Saturday was the big day because there were so many great artists I wanted to catch, so of course I had to dress the part! I knew I wanted to go little-top-big-bottoms, but I thought taking my Levi’s overalls and wearing them as jeans would add an interesting twist to the fit without being too over-the-top.
To tie in a more urban look I had some white Fruit Of The Loom boxers sticking out. This with a bright orange vintage bikini top (thanks momma!), a bright blue bandana, sporty shades and Air Force 1 Shadow sneakers formed one of my favorite fits I’ve
ever rocked.
It was incredibly hot this day, too, so this fit kept me pretty cool during Lil Skies, Zack Bia, Rich Amiri, Kodak Black, and Playboi Carti’s sets. Like I said, it was a big day to see some great artists and I had SO MUCH FUN! The only casualty this day was losing a rose gold tennis bracelet in a FE!N mosh pit for Carti’s performance, but on the bright side, I’d say that’s the best way for it to go haha. Not sure how I didn’t expect it to get that crazy, but it’s just what you sign up for at festivals like these. But hands down the best night because seeing all of Opium was insane.
Day 3
I initially only meant to go Friday and Saturday, but a friend hooked me up with a free Sunday wristband so I thankfully got to treat myself to Sosa Sundayyy! I had to work on my last final project of junior year during the day so I only really showed up to see Chief Keef's set, but after going hard the first two days I appreciated the break.
I went for a more simple summer look and kept the colors bright and fun. I had a bright green Hollister halter that I converted to a tube top paired with some white denim shorts. I accessorized with a tan bandana and fit all my stuff in a LuluLemon Everywhere Belt Bag. Yes, I ADMIT it’s basic, but it’s a hill I’ll die on as my go-to for festivals because it’s so secure and goes with everything. Don't knock it till you buy it!
The performance itself was great: Sosa had a more wholesome vibe than I anticipated due to Father’s Day, but Faneto still went ridiculously hard. It’s the first time the man performed in Chicago in a little over a decade and you could tell he’s matured a lot as an artist and performer, so it was really cool experiencing that in-person.
Overall, my first Summer Smash was a success! The festival was well-organized, amenities were pretty easy to access, and my friends and I had so much fun. There inevitably were some tough moments and you really have to enjoy the music to withstand the constant mosh pits, but personally we could take the heat and it just gave us fun stories. We’re even planning for next year already haha. It’s a bit pricey, but I recommend it if your favorites are performing. Fortunately I finished that final before seeing Keef, so honestly it was an amazing way to celebrate becoming seniors and obvi perfect for kicking off summer 2024.
Until the next post, Mecca <3
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