Outfit Details:

9seed dress (also similar here, mini version here and midi version here), Carolina Herrera x Hunting Season Bag, Castaner Espadrilles, Cult Gaia Earrings, Bobbi Brown Lipstick in “Blood Orange”

I’ll be the first to admit that I probably spend more time thinking about clothes than many people do, given my line of work. While I truly don’t believe they’re the most important thing, I do believe that clothes play a large role in our our mood and can make us feel a certain way. For me, it doesn’t matter if I’m only getting dressed to work from home with our team here in Charleston, heading to our office in NYC, or just relaxing on the weekends, I love getting ready in the morning to set my tone for the day ahead. And, simply put, an outfit I love can quickly turn an ordinary day into an especially happy one and give me an extra pep in my step. I have developed an even deeper appreciation for clothes (the amount of hands that touch and create a single garment from inception to finished product) since launching Gal Meets Glam Collection, so wearing something that feels good on my body and is beautifully designed never fails to instantly brighten my mood.

I do most of my shopping online, and when something makes me smile and stop mid-scroll, I know it’s going to find a place in my closet. Such was the case with both of these colorful pieces: my rainbow ricrack dress and this striped Hunting Season for Carolina Herrera bag I bought last year in Dallas. Individually, these pieces are a delight to wear, but especially paired together, I could hardly keep from grinning every time I looked down at them throughout the evening. Like I shared in this post last week, I’ve been living in long dresses this spring since they make getting dressed with a growing bump so easy. Waking up to find that whatever I had wanted to wear suddenly didn’t fit got old quickly, especially when all I had to choose from was what I had packed in my suitcase! Thanks to this dress’ length and its extra-roomy silhouette, I know it’s one I’m going to reach for often throughout the summer as our little lady continues to grow. That said, it’s not actually a “maternity dress,” so anyone could wear it beautifully this spring. I think it’s more of a beach cover-up, but with the temperatures rising here in Charleston, it feels pretty great to wear on a warm humid day.

I loved dressing it up with statement earrings and bright orange-red lipstick for a date night downtown with Thomas, but it would look right at home style casually with raffia sandals, perhaps for a beach vacation, too. I also love this sleeveless maxi in a similar ricrkack for the summer months, and this crisp red and white version of my dress—both of which could also be described as mood-lifting, happy dresses.