Transitional Dress with a Castle Backdrop

As you may have seen in my July post, I was recently engaged on our vacation in Italy. Since then we have started the process of searching the wedding websites and venues to find out perfect fit for the big day. We've been trying to make the best of this process, as I'm sure it can become stressful and overwhelming. We had some fun with the beginning steps last weekend when we took a trip outside of Manhattan to attend some appointments in Long Island. Kevin's secret obsession with grand homes, mansions, and castles brought us to viewing the Oheka Castle in Long Island. (As if!) You may recognize it from Taylor Swift's Blank Space music video. Even without the dramatics the place was absolutely gorgeous in its grandeur with sprawling lawns and manicured gardens, with some extra special rooms inside. It definitely could be a fun spot to spend a romantic evening in after dinner on site if you wanted to make it a weekend away. The historical story behind it is something worth experiencing, even if it's not to attend a wedding. 

What better spot to showcase my simple look this sunny day than wearing a light weight  dress that works for that transition from summer into fall. I paired it with a pop of color cardigan and some lace up flats. I've linked some similar styles below my photos. 

And in case you were wondering, Oheka will not be our wedding venue, though it's very fairytale like. Let me know if anyone has any suggestions of places!

Shop the Look

Dress: Who What Wear for Target, Shoes: Nordstrom, Sweater: JCrew, Tote: Louis Vuitton Neverful GM Sunglasses: Prada, Watch: Michael Kors

*This post is not sponsored by Oheka Castle.

Nautical Stripes in Cinque Terre, Italy

I'm recapping our visit to Cinque Terre, Italy from this summer. This was my second visit to this special place along the northern coast. In Italian the Cinque Terre or "five lands" are connected by a series of trails which make for a day or two hike with varying degrees of difficulty. The entire route there are breathtaking views of mountains, water, trees, and the colorful buildings.  There's also the option of boating between them.

We stayed in my favorite town, Vernazza and had some wonderful dinners in the mountains overlooking the Meditteranean. The fresh sea food will keep you wanting to come back for more! There's nothing that compares to this unique travel spot, rich with history and plenty of beach for taking a swim or cliff jump.  Although it's highly tourist attracted in summer months, I remember it more calm in the fall which makes for much milder hiking between the towns without the crowds. I definitely recommend it for a visit, it's a romantic and adventurous spot to experience. 

We didn't hold back enjoying the panoramic view  from the top of the castella which made the perfect back drop for photos. Though my shorts are unavailable, I'm linking some similar sale styles as we close out the summer. 

             Outfit Details:

Shorts: Nordstrom, similar fall option, Sandals: Dolce Vita similar style on sale here 

Watch: Michael Kors, Bracelets: Loft, Sunglasses: Fendi (past season) similar here, Tank: On major sale in tons of colors!  Loft

Cold Shoulder Dress exploring Siena, Italy

If you haven't noticed yet I'm continuing to cover my recent trip to Europe where I spent most of July traveling. Hope you're not sick of it, because there's so many photos and looks to cover!  I definitely get a little camera crazy, but who wouldn't when theres so many photo worthy places we stumbled upon in our adventures exploring.

These photos were taken during my time in Siena, Italy. Siena is located in central Tuscany and is one of the oldest medieval cities still functioning today with traditions like "Il Palio" The annual summer horse race between the contradas. I'm hooked on this unique culture, because in 2009 I lived and studied in Siena. This started my passion for travel and opened my eyes to other cultures. I couldn't have chosen a more beautiful place and was blessed with the best Italian host mother whom I had the privilege of reuniting with again! The 55th reunion took place over 5 days and it was amazing to be back to my little home and see some familiar welcoming faces. 

These photos were some of my favorite from a day where we explored the oldest and remote area of Siena, tucked behind winding roads before the rest of the city was later developed. And of course I had a little fun with someone's moped. And no I didn't take it for a spin. I've worn this dress before and it was the perfect light weight outfit for a lunch out filled with lots of walking. 

I'll be sharing more photos from my stop to Siena as soon as I get my travel section up and running. Enjoy!

My Outfit Details:

Dress: Loft (sold out) similar looks here and here, Sandals: Dolce Vita, Straw Tote found here, also loving this option,  Bag tassels: MISA, Sunglasses: Loft, Lipstick: MAC (in color snob)

More photos to come, stay tuned for my travel section to see the full round up of my exploring in Siena, Italy!