Red Marissa Webb Dress

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Each season, I always seem to find a color I love. Last season, I couldn’t get enough blush in my life. And while that’s still the case, this season, I have a thing for R E D.

I rented this insanely gorgeous dress Marissa Webb from Rent the Runway for my last vacation at the beach and I shed legitimate tears when I sent it back. It’s the softest silk, perfect fit, modest with a bit of side leg action, and basically everything I could want in a dress. 

And with New York Fashion week only a month away, I’ve already started creating a folder for the looks I want to take with me. Because let’s be honest - I’d much rather have Rent the Runway deliver looks straight to my hotel door than trying to lug all my clothing from DC to NYC. 

I mean - can we talk about how amazing that is just for a moment? Let me give you an example…earlier this week I met up with Lauren Louise to shoot a look for the DC Wedding Collective. I was SO excited to shoot another red silk dress, but when I got to the site and unpacked my garment bag, the dress had fallen off the hanger, into the bag and was COMPLETELY wrinkled. 

Not only was it severely embarrassing, but unprofessional. With no steamer on hand, what’s a girl to do? Luckily, only the bottom was wrinkled, so I threw on my trousers that I’d worn to work to create a more casual wedding look. If anyone asks, TROUSERS are the NEW THING in weddings, ok? ;)

I can laugh about it now, but it was horrifying at the time. That’s just one of the many reasons I love using Rent the Runway for events, shoots and vacations. This dress arrived in perfect condition so I could easily throw it on for dinner without fusing with the iron.

Check out some of the pieces I’ve been eying below from Rent the Runway below and be sure to check out the Rent the Runway Clearance Sale!

Wearing Marissa Webb dress and Loeffler Randall bag via Rent the Runway, Sophie Blake necklace and Finding Ferdinand lip kit

Tips to Conquer the Farmer’s Market

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There are very few things I love more than the farmer’s market. There’s this magical mix of supporting local businesses, eating the tastiest foods and finding the prettiest flowers that when mixed together, creates the most beautiful medley of feelings.

While shopping at the farmer’s market is one of the loveliest experiences known to man…I’ll admit, going in without a game plan can be a bad idea. It’s overwhelming - sometimes in the best way possible…other times not so much. Like that one time I bought like 20 tomatoes, 6 different cheeses, multiple gallons of syrup and 10 plants at once. My hubby was not happy when I got home.

Here are  a few tips to keep in mind next time you attend a farmer’s market:

Do a lap BEFORE buying anything
I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but I know it’s SO much easier said than done, friends. It’s like, the first stand I see I start to hyperventilate with excitement. Before grabbing all the things, walk around the market once, or even twice, before deciding on what you want.

Decide on a budget
Phew, this is a hard one. If I had unlimited supplies of money, I’d probably just buy the farmer’s market all for myself. Then find a way to make all the food and have everyone I know over for the fanciest, yummiest dinner ever. But alas, such is not the case. I try to go into the market with a set amount in cash (for me, it’s usually about $40) so I don’t overspend.

Get inspired with recipes
Sometimes it’s best to hit the farmer’s market when you have a particular recipe in mind. Let’s say you have your heart set on some bruschetta later. You’ll be on the hunt for mozzarella, the ripest heirloom tomatoes and maybe a basil plant. It makes the process a whole lot less overwhelming rather than if you go with a “need some cheese and bread” mindset.

Ask questions
Friends, there is nothing worse than buying the freshest loaf of French bread for a weekend dinner party or picnic then finding out you really need to eat it that same day. I’m always the crazy person asking all the questions (so, like, I can’t actually eat the blackberries during the first year?!) but it’s saved me a lot of heartbreak. It can save you too.

Share on social!
Small businesses thrive on word-of-mouth. If you find something you love, snap an aesthetically pleasing pic, slap a VSCO filter on it and tag them on social media! This is how I actually became friends with the super babes who run Greenheart Organic!

That’s it from me - do you have any fun tips on how you conquer the Farmer’s Market? Share them below!

Wearing Marissa Webb dress and Loeffler Randall backpack from Rent the Runway, Sunnies via Ditto (get a free month with code ITSJULIEN.) Sophie Blake bracelet.