Floral Maxi Dress in Charleston

Happy first day of spring! I’m back from Charleston and feeling so inspired by my visit. The highlights of the trip were wondering the gorgeous streets aimlessly, taking in the picturesque homes, spending quality time with girlfriends, and all of the food we ate. I had no idea how great the restaurants would be!

Tomorrow I’ll be posting a food recap/restaurant guide, but I decided against a full on city guide because we were only there for a few days and I felt like I had so much more to see. For some great comprehensive Charleston guides, check out this one from Grace and this one from Julia. We did explore three adorable stores that I highly recommend you check out:

Candy Shop Vintage
One of Grace’s friend’s, Deirdre, owns this adorable jewelry store filled with vintage treasures and a bunch of her own creations. She’s famous for creating the now iconic Charleston Rice Beads, and makes the prettiest elephant jewelry (I bought these earrings). It was fairly close to Leon’s, so you can easily stop by before or after a lunch there.

Candlefish
I’ve been wanting to visit Candlefish for the longest time, but had no idea just how cool the experience would be. They have a library of 100 house-made candles, labeled only by numbers. You get to work with the sales team to find one that you love by sharing what scent family you’re drawn to (e.g. florals, citrus, etc). I ended up taking home number 31 (with hints of lime, leather, and amber) after smelling a few options in the cedar wood family. I also bought a travel sized version of 88 from the “green and natural” family, with hints of lime, musk and tulip. Both candles smell incredible and very different. They also have a very well-curated array of gifts, cards, and other candle brands.

Madison Mathews
I randomly stumbled upon this store as Victoria was buying an antique print next door. I saw lots of stripes in the window, and figured I could do some casual browsing. Little did I know I’d fallen right into my dream store full of cotton tunics, tops, and dresses, perfect for my growing bump and after. There isn’t a huge selection online, but if you’re in town, stop by if you can. You won’t regret it!

Victoria and I were so grateful to Grace for showing us newbies around a place where she spends a lot of time, patiently letting us take pictures of every pink and mint-colored house we passed. We were lucky enough to meet a bunch of her friends and attend a Charleston Historical Society party set in the most beautiful historical home in town.

Another highlight of the trip was shooting with with Clay, an incredible local photographer, on the most beautiful sun-soaked cobblestone street. And yes, it was just as dreamy as it looks.

I’ve been holding onto this dress for a few months, waiting for an excuse to wear it. Charleston set the perfect backdrop for it’s ethereal floral pattern. I didn’t realize in those months, however, how much I had grown, oops! The dress barely zipped, so I’m pretty sure it’s the last time I’ll be able to wear it for a while. Obviously it’s a non-maternity piece, and it’s selling out quickly so snap yours up if you’re looking for the perfect breezy frock for summer.

Despite how wonderful everything was, I had a hard time keeping up with the girls, and often had to take rests and breaks. I hate feeling like a burden or a complainer, but I definitely felt like both, so would just step away when I felt too tired to participate. Despite not having any alcohol, I felt like I had a terrible hangover on the way home. Traveling these days is definitely a different beast, but with every trip, I learn a little bit more.

It didn’t help that on Saturday, our flight was delayed for five hours. I didn’t end up getting home until 2am. I was a total zombie yesterday, but glad to be back in the game today so I can put together my restaurant guide for you guys to read tomorrow. Stay tuned!