Mr. Mags and I were down in Charlottesville — home to our alma mater, the University of Virginia — for the wedding of two of our dear friends last weekend. The event was absolutely stunning, the groom wore the hugest smile you’ve ever seen on a human being the entire day, and the reception had everything from a bourbon-and-bubbly bar (uh oh) to mini donuts and other midnight snacks during a surprise after-party unveiled on-premises after the formal reception had come to a close. And my Mr. Magpie looked like a total movie star in his Ralph Lauren tux, Persol shades, and new tuxedo slippers. (Not to brag, but I’m kinda lucky.) Setting the wedding’s glam and glitz aside, I must say: if you’ve never been to Charlottesville, I implore you to add it to your travel list; Mr. Magpie and I spent the majority of the weekend waxing poetic about the bucolic home to our former campus, with its rolling Virginia hills, lush greenery, and quiet, hazy summer aura. Combine that pastoral peacefulness with the fact that Charlottesville has one of the highest concentrations of advanced degrees in the country (a stat that brings with it all of the intellectual/artistic outlets and events you might expect), is affordable, and has a lovely burgeoning farm-to-table foodie culture, it’s no wonder that our beloved Charlottesville has been repeatedly rated as the #1 place to live in the US. Mr. Magpie and I want to move back there…and if that’s not in the cards, we’re at least planning on visiting Keswick a few times in the near future, the stunning resort that we stayed at when Mr. Magpie proposed to me.
On our begrudging egress from Charlottesville to catch our flight to Chicago, we retraced the familiar route we drove countless times during college: route 29 to route 66. Somewhere along the way, we pass and occasionally comment on a hippie-looking tie dye stand. It’s been there as long as I can remember, and I’ve been making trips to Charlottesville since I was a wee mini Magpie. My father attended UVA law and shares my sentimentality about the environs, so he would take us down for basketball games and brunches at Boar’s Head Inn (he loves the grits). I even earned my own Virginia cheerleading outfit when I turned five, complete with orange and navy pom poms. I wore that get-up proudly.
At any rate, we spotted the tie dye stand and Mr. Magpie commented: “Who even wears tie-dye anymore?” Hmmm. I had just been eyeing a tie dye bikini at J. Crew ($52 for top; $44 for bottoms):
I’d envisioned throwing it on beneath a neon yellow cover-up (Miguelina, $285 — although I also love this white style with neon trim, on sale for $59, or even — gasp?! — a pair of joveralls, $118), likely with a little white Panama ($125):
I like it with some simple metallic sandals ($78 — these are as close as I’m gonna get to the Birkenstock trend):
And, of course, a durable beach tote ($30 — also love this Anya Hindmarch straw beach tote, on sale for 50% off!):
I’m also smitten with: these tie-dyed tootsies ($278), these stunning drops ($118), this painterly tie-dye maxi (Alice + Olivia, $396) I’ve had my eye on it for a wedding later this summer, this ink-splatter clutch ($200), these espadrilles ($395), and these statement-making earrings ($396):
Other chic tie-dye options? This Graham + Spencer throw and go dress ($112) — perfect for weekends at the beach; this silky maxi ($80); and for the truly bold out there, these silken Haute Hippie trousers ($395), which my little sister owns (or a variation thereof) and constantly receives compliments on.
Leave A Reply