Outfit Details:

Halston Heritage Dress c/o, Mansur Gavriel Bag, Steve Madden Heels (also love these), Lisi Lerch Earrings (wearing Kaanas Sandals & Illesteva Sunglasses in the afternoon)

Having no outside space to call our own in SF, we loved Southern porches. During our trip to South Carolina, we tried to maximize our time spent in the evening relaxing on the porch. Each night while staying at Zero George (which is even more beautiful in person), Thomas and I enjoyed a refreshing cocktail before dinner. After a long day of heat and running around exploring, there was no better way to catch our breath. It was such a treat to be able to curl up next to each other in the quiet balmy evening and listen to the soft mix of music and cicadas.

If there is one item that speaks to summer, it’s a white dress. Whether that’s a go-to little white coverup for the beach, a simple cotton one, a white shirtdress, a boho maxi or something to dress up for a night out. I brought this Halston Heritage one from Net-A-Porter with me to Charleston and dressed it up for dinner with heels and statement earrings after wearing it with flat sandals and sunglasses during the day. It falls in all the right places and the open back, front slit and lightweight stretch-crepe fabric is ideal for a a warm summer day.

Earlier in the day, in the late afternoon, we set off to Magnolia Plantation for a change of scenery (after exploring downtown Charleston all morning/afternoon). It took us about 25 minutes to reach the Plantation from downtown. Founded in 1676, Magnolia Plantation has a rich history, having been right in the thick of both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. It’s also the oldest public garden in America, opening up to the public in 1870.

The Plantation sits along the Ashley River in Charleston and has lots of swamp land, including some in the garden area. We saw alligators, frogs, egrets and butterflies while we were there but I’m sure there were lots more critters hiding amongst the thick natural landscape. The Plantation has a beautiful long, white bridge that crosses one of the garden’s ponds and combined with sun and still water, creates a beautiful reflection. Like most great gardens that we’ve come across during our travels, they have a wide variety of plants, ensuring that something will be in bloom all year long. I’m sure it’s even more beautiful during the springtime when the azaleas are in bloom (the Magnolia Plantation website says that the azalea bloom is the best time of year to visit). 

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