CITY GUIDE: CHARLESTON, SC

Charleston was even more picturesque than I could have imagined! Having all the bloggers with us was such a blast for the first half of the trip, but I was definitely excited when the boys go to town. With the quaint cobblestone streets and amazing architecture waiting around every corner, there is definitely a very romantic vibe about Charleston. I feel like I barely scratched the surface on everything this city has to offer, but lucky for me Kristin is getting married there this coming Spring! I've included some of the highlights from our trip below, and if y'all have any places you think I need to visit next time please share them in the comments below :)

EAT

Halls Chophouse // Talk about service with a smile! The owners will great you at the door when you enter, and send you off with a glass of Champagne before you leave. I'm sure it goes without saying, but order a steak ;)

82 Queen // This was the perfect place for a post engagement celebration. Pop a bottle of Veuve and enjoy the gorgeous garden seating. The Crab Cake Benedict was beyond.

High Cotton // A great spot for a classy night out in Charleston, with great live music. The Gorgonzola Gnocchi was EVERYTHING. 

DO

Charleston Waterfront Park // Take a stroll along the pier, and make sure you check out the Pineapple fountain! You may even see someone getting proposed to ;)

SHOP

235 King Street // This is hands down where to shop when visiting Charleston. Hampden Clothing's curated selection of designer duds is definitely a must see.

DRINK

Gin Joint // A mixology snob's dream. The service was a tad slow, but the drinks were definitely worth the wait - the Gin Basil Smash is on point.

Carmella's Dessert Bar // The perfect place for after dinner drinks and dessert.

Republic Garden and Lounge // Packed on the weekends and with good reason. Great live music, and a very creative cocktail menu.

c/o Maison Jules embroidered drawstring dress | c/o JACK ROGERS white lauren sandals | OLD NAVY bucket bag (similar)

BLOGGERS DO FOLLY

It's always nice to get to know other bloggers better beyond the fashion week parties and hectic conferences.  I went into this #bloggersdofolly trip ready for some bonding and real talk, but anytime you get a group of girls together there is bound to be drama...except there wasn't any! Honestly I had such a blast hanging with all of these babes. I mean it's been almost 2 weeks since we all went our separate ways, and the group text has yet to go silent. I think the proof is in the pudding.

{Me, Kristin of Living in Color Print, Shelby Glitter & Gingham, Emily of Life with Emily, Cathy of Poor Little It Girl, Jess of my Style Vita, Bethany of B Soup}

I'm wearing this Orange Striped Monogram Beach Hat with my WILDFOX pineapple bikini.

EAT

Lost Dog Cafe // Mimosa Monday's and some of the best biscuits n' gravy I've had in a while.

Folly Beach Crab Shack // Voted best seafood spot by Southern Living. Make sure to try the fried shrimp.

Taco Boy // I have pretty high standards when it comes to Mexican food (see: TexMex), but I was pleasantly surprised by this spot. The Tempura Shrimp Taco was pretty dank.

Mini Tumbler | Drink Spiker | Radio | Flamingo Koozie | Hat | Sandals | Hello Summer Cup

How sick was all of our beach gear?? Monogram er'ythang

These Sociologie Wines were the perfect refreshments to take down to the beach.

DO

Folly Beach // Obviously the main draw to Folly Beach is the actual beach! Make sure to take a stroll down the pier. 

SUP Safari // Paddle boarding was definitely one of the highlights of the trip! Our guides were super friendly and knowledgable during the tour - and we only had one woman overboard...wink Emily.

Bike Ride // Our Rathershack rental came equipped with bikes, and I highly recommend taking an afternoon to cruise around the island and explore. 

SHOP

L. MAE BOUTIQUE was kind enough to host a brunch for us while we were in Folly, and bring their mobile shopping trailer! I picked out this adorable palm print romper, which I will definitely be wearing for Miami Swim in a few days. 

VDAY STAYCATION - PART TWO

After a fun night of dinner at CBD & drinks with friends at the Midnight Rambler, Christian and I were in a need of a serious pick me up before we headed out to lunch with my parents. Lucky for us one of the best coffee houses in Dallas is located in the lobby of the Joule. I've tried pretty much every Chai Tea latte in town, and Weekend is definitely in my top 3. It also bares to mentioning that Traffic LA, TENOVERSIX, & Neiman Marcus are all within walking distance...but I opted to spare Christian from having to watch me shop and test his patients on another day. Check back tomorrow for Part Three of my 'Vday Staycation'!

EVERLANE striped tee (love the men's version) | FRAME le crop denim | c/o KENDRA SCOTT rayne necklace | J.CREW metallic sandals (similar) | c/o MISSGUIDED 99 problems clutch

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

NOTTING HILL

c/o WALLIS leather jacket | H&M striped blouse (last seen here) | 7FAM roll up denim shorts | JENNIFER ZEUNER bar necklace | c/o FRENCH CONNECTION zoe satchel*ON SALE | ZARA suede booties (similar - love these too)

I wore this outfit for a day shopping in Notting Hill. It was one of my favorite parts of London, and I will definitely try to spend more time there on my next trip. We started the day with breakfast at Granger and Co (the best meal of my trip-thanks to Mary for the rec), and then headed down the road to All Saints & Portbello Market for some shopping. 

See all of my London posts here.

*Photography by Colleen Aspinwall for SideSmile Style