Splashy Summer Getaway

This upcoming weekend is a Big Deal.  Mr. Magpie and I will be celebrating our first wedding anniversary (!!!!)  I cannot believe that it’s been a year since we said our (tear-filled, beautiful, oh-so-meaningful) I Dos in front of all of our friends and family — it feels like just yesterday we were ducking into the vintage white Rolls Royce my parents had thoughtfully arranged to have transport us from our reception (which went by in a hot second) to our wedding night at the uber-luxe St. Regis.  (Never have I felt so glamorous, lucky, or happy — arriving in a fabulous car decked out in the prettiest gown I’ll ever wear with my wonderful Mr. Magpie in his tux…ah!  I die.  So.happy.)

To mark the occasion, Mr. Magpie and I are taking a long weekend at a luxe B&B in rural Virginia.  We both wish it could be longer, but sadly (!) I only have a handful of vacation days left this year.  To be honest, though, this summer has been such a fun-filled but BUSY string of trips and events (hence the sporadic posts on this blog), I am just ecstatic about the thought of relaxing, eating well, enjoying wine, and spending some QT with the Mr.  Packing is presenting something of a difficulty — with the weather forecast hovering in the high 90s, I’ll need to dress to beat the heat.  Below, my top picks for just such a summer getaway…

First, a roomy, soft-sided weekender ($345, Clare Vivier).  I very impractically bought a Louis Vuitton duffel just before the honeymoon and while I love it, it is heavy.  Even when it’s not filled with the bajillion articles of clothing that I need want to pack.  And by heavy I mean that I can’t carry it more than a block or two without wanting to keel over and die.  And by keel over and die I mean start to complain loudly until Mr. Magpie carries it the rest of the way.  And by a block or two I mean 10 feet.

Second, a lot of loose, gauzy items in bold prints/colors — it’s the only way to dress for the heat but still look bright and happy and cheerful.  I’m in.love with the line LemLem at the moment, and would opt for this tunic dress ($205, LemLem) with a bold, tribal-style necklace (Lizzie Fortunato, $429, TenOverSix):

I’d finish with a chic envelope-style clutch (love this Clare Vivier find in either the pebbled cobalt or geranium — $104, Clare Vivier) and a pair of Jack Rogers “Navajo” sanadals (like Jackie O., I live in these in the summer months — $98, JackRogers)

Perfect for exploring the town, grabbing an iced coffee, and relaxing on the rocking chairs with Mr. Magpie.  For an easy, light evening outfit, I’d swap the above outfit out for a loose dress in BRIGHT blue (Geren Ford, on sale for $109, Steven Alan) with a statement necklace ($270, Ben-Amun):

I’d finish with a bold cocktail ring ($150, ZeeBerry) and a woven gold clutch ($51, ASOS):

…and then your favorite shoes.  Mine would be a pair of ridiculously painful pink Louboutins, but these Charlotte Olympias are just…phenom ($1,000, Charlotte Olympia):

For daytime adventures, I like loose-fitting cotton dresses like this Paul&Joe number (on sale for $267, MyWardrobe) with bold accents, like this awesome (AH, must have) necklace ($112, Lenora Dame):

I’d tie it all together with a bold printed pouch ($24, Marimekko) and some flat sandals (Dolce Vita, $83, Endless):

Alternately, how about a loose-fitting blouse ($85, Calypso) paired with some cobalt shorts (J. Brand, $159, Shopbop) and a tribal-style necklace ($255, Crumley Store)?

Finish with a fire red cross-body bag ($148, J. Crew) and some simple neutral t-straps (Sam Edelman, $60, Zappos):

Any of the above outfits would look awesome with a stack of resin bangles ($20-$40, Ben Amun) — and J. Crew has styles of varying widths and shades as well ($14-$20):

Finally, if you’re more of a prints kinda girl, this Lauren Moffatt number ($364, Steven Alan) caught my eye as the perfect easy-on dress for a hot summer activity:

I’d wear it with some simple t-straps (you know I love K. Jacques — $225, Net-A-Porter) —

And would finish with wear-with-everything clover studs (I bought an identical pair from Sassanova a few months back and they’ve been in heavy rotation over the summer — $46, FemmeGems) and a stack of gold bangles (top: $300 for 3, Mulberry; bottom: $590, Hermes):

I’d finish with a roomy, oversized leather tote (I own this exact style and l.o.v.e. it — AND so does Olivia P.! — $149, Zara):

Alright, more to come…but for now — don’t forget to enter the UH-MAY-ZINGLY generous giveaway from Graphic Image!  They are offering one lucky reader a free, PERSONALIZED (you know I love a monogram) weekly journal / datekeeper!   In order to win, please become a fan of TheFashionMagpie on Facebook and leave a comment below telling me what your favorite day of the year is.  A winner will be announced this Friday, August 5!  If you can’t wait to see if you’ve won or want to buy your own goodies from GraphicImage, use coupon code DATEBOOK to save 20% off your entire order.  Oh, and pleeeease with a cherry top like them on Facebook / follow them on Twitter.