Left My Heart in Winston-Salem

What a weekend - over Easter I enjoyed my first return visit to one of my favorite cities in the whole world. My year living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was made extra special by the wonderful friends and families that surrounded me in loving community. Seeing about fifteen of my friends for the first time since last summer was incredibly emotional, to say in the least.

One of those friends is my girl Jodie Brim, a Winston-based creative, photographer, and entrepreneur. She inspires me and makes me laugh until I start snorting (she also may or may not have footage of me dabbing in response to seeing her for the first time in a year…no doubt that’ll resurface at my wedding.)

But what talent she has - we had the most fun shoot last summer (check out this bad boy here), but we decided we had to make time for another one in the little time I had in town, so last Saturday afternoon our combined vision came together to make what might be my favorite shoot I’ve ever done. When it comes to putting together my blog, I’m getting better at picking out what I like - styling outfits with shoot locations, pairing the two to follow what vision I have in my head, what looks good for me, what mood I want out of it. I’ve definitely made mistakes and I’m learning to pivot from that. But Jodie knows how to coach me, and her eye for bringing out the best in other people is her gift. As her friend I’ve loved getting to watch her ride that wave straight into wonderful new chapters for her business.

For instance, I don’t know many who can bring out my inner Princess Aurora, but here she goes working her magic once again. Despite a few hiccups - the rain that day, the cold wind, our original spot having been snatched up by Twin Cities Fashion Week, and (naturally, reliably) my silly faces - we made it work. We ended up shooting at the Centenary Methodist Church downtown on Fifth Street. (Can somebody please get married here? These grounds are breathtaking and look straight out of a fairy tale!)

This dress, by the way, is my favorite maxi I’ve ever owned. The Pink Lily Boutique has been a total golden find for me lately, and my girl Emily Herren from Champagne and Chanel has been gliding through my Instagram feed in their most breathtaking frocks. Amidst all the emotions from being back in a place so dear to my heart, what better way to sail right into all of it in a dress that’s giving me a lot of the same major feels!

Ladies, with outdoor wedding season and all sorts of spring and summer fêtes upon us, this dress is absolutely perfect. The straps are adjustable (a bit of fashion tape still wouldn’t hurt) and the material is heavy and thick, meaning no see-through surprises or VPL. It’s incredibly feminine and enough coverage to keep it ladylike if that’s how you wish to adjust it, if you’ve got a formal family event. It’s also quite long, so either be prepared to hem it or get ready to strap into some sky-high heels to keep up with it!

Windy day? Perfect. This dress moves so beautifully and flows like water, whether it’s from your own twirling or an outdoor breeze.

In addition to the two-tone pink I’m wearing, it also comes in blue and pink, and you can shop it right here.