Summer Love

How about a lush and adventurous yet relaxing and unwinding exotic summer vacation filled with sun, fun and spa?  Think amazingly refreshing summer food, carefree beach moments, relaxing mud treatments, cultural treats, lazy naps, nature treks, lush locations and fun lessons in unfamiliar art forms?  This is my idea of summer and Karlie got to experience just this on her recent shoot for Vogue's July edition. This ten-page portfolio called “Brazilian Treatment" was shot by Mario Testino in a lush gorgeous brazilian location, Bahia, which Karlie calls as a little piece of heaven and an untouched paradise. You could use this shoot as an inspiration for not only your styling needs but also to draft out a memorable summer activity list that you could look back and cherish forever. From planning nature treks and beach visits to collecting fruits or flowers on our trails and engaging in new craft projects, my summer vacations were very close to what I see in this editorial. Here are things you could do if you plan a vacation to an exotic lush location such as Bahia.   

Source: Vogue

Nature Trail: Explore the nature and enjoy the beauty unique to the area. This above picture was taken right in the middle of the mangrove during sunset. According to Karlie, the mosquitos gave the whole crew a hard time and the head-to-toe wrap made out of sliver mylar fabric she is seen wearing in the above picture made her feel like a baked sweet potato. The shot looks beautiful without a hint of torture so it's the beautifully captured moments that matter in the end. 

Source: styleite

Tasty Treats: Make friends with the locals and enjoy local food. Karlie says she was obsessed with brazilian food. She loved fresh smoothies and acai-berry fruit bowls with granola sprinkled over them in the morning. She even made best friends with the hotel cook, Bernardo, who let her help him in the kitchen at night. She managed to collect a bunch of Brazilian recipes such as  feijoada, that she says she can’t wait to try. She also enjoyed chocolates made for her from a local cacao tree. If you can't make a trip to any exotic places, make yourself a delicious mango-berry smoothie and pretend like you are on an exotic location. 

Source: visualoptimism

Spa Time:  Try purifying mud treatments. Karlie got to travel to the local cliffs made of red and white clay which could be scraped off from the ground and mixed with water to make a purifying and exfoliating treatment mask for the entire body.

  

Free Bird: Having spontaneous moments can make for those special moments when you are out on an exotic vacation.  After the clay treatment, Karlie took a dive in the ocean to rinse off which was followed by her excitement to show off her graceful ballet (which she calls as jumping) skills. Carefree leaps and dances can be captured for beautiful picture moments  just like the one in the above picture. This picture taken right after her dip in the purifying red and white clay from the local lagoon captures the idea of free spirit perfectly.

Source: thecysight

Craft Collector: Nature can be an amazing place for a collector. Karlie spent her time costantly picking flowers off the bushes and trees and sticking them in her hair. This served as an inspiration for this beautiful shot you see in the above picture. The hairstylist Julien d’Ys collected different flowers that were growing around the hotel and turned them into a stunning headpiece that karlie is seen wearing in the above picture. Karlie also spent her free time running to the local market or shopping for handmade jewelry for her sisters. Local markets and jewelry shopping can make your trip fun and you can collect things that can serve as a beautiful souvenir to remind you of your beautiful vacation.  

Source: musingsinfemininity

Vision in White: Summers are better in airy whites. They reflect light and keep your skin cooler and lighter. Exotic embroidery on the white pieces coupled with unique backgrounds for pictures can give your pictures a vacation feel. 

Source: musingsinfeminity

Art Inclined : Learn a new art or craft local to the place. Karlie got to learn Capoeira, an art form unique to the area. She describes the dancers from the region’s nearby capoeira school who taught her the moves as spectacular to watch with powerful bodies. The dancers are seen showing off their flipping skills around Karlie in the above picture. 

Romantic Evenings: Karlie got to take daily horseback rides along the beach every night in the moonlight by her 75-year-old Brazilian guide. According to Karlie, she couldn't understand what her Portuguese guide was trying to say because she spoke French but this just added more fun to her experience . Unfamiliar languages and new places can bring out the fun, romantic and versatile explorer side within you. 

Source: Radiere

Lazy Moments: You can't forget to include those lazy nap moments into your summer schedule. A relaxing lazy nap on a summer afternoon is one of those beautiful moments to treasure. The above picture portrays this beautifully.

Source: Icanread

I love the picture above which inspires us to focus more on the beautiful moments and not things. I think the quote goes perfectly with this editorial. According to Karlie, the whole experience made her believe that the heart if Brazil is  Bahia and we can see why she feels that way. Which place would you like to explore this summer? What's on your "to do" list this summer?

Credits:

Vogue July 2012

Pinterest



"Celebrate summer--sun-drenched days and starlit nights."
- Gooseberry Patch


xx
Heel in Mint