Botanic Garden

Theme 32: Boho Chic. My California Moonrise Lookbook

California Moonrise is a brand that I have discovered just recently. To be honest I have never been a huge fan of bohemian and classic festival looks, but California Moonrise surprised me with their quality and original designs. Almost all the clothes I have received are even better looking in person than on their website! There are many little details like tassels, intricate embroidery and beautiful prints which completely blew me away.

I have shot this gorgeous dress in a New York Botanical Garden, and tomorrow I will show you another look with California Moonrise.

SHOP MY LOOK AND SIMILAR (all under $90)

Week 20: Kauai Island. Allerton Garden Review.

Allerton Garden, also knowns as Lawa'i-kai, is a gorgeous botanical garden located in Poipu, on the south shore of Kauai island. The Garden was created by Robert Allerton and his adopted son, John Gregg Allerton, and was transformed into an exotic, lavish paradise with the help of the Hawaiian Queen Emma in 1938. 

Queen Emma was queen consort of Hawaiian King Kamehameha IV until his death in 1863. A year before the King's death, their son Albert also died, leaving Queen Emma mourning and lonely for the rest of her life. After the death of her family, Queen Emma shortly retreated to Allerton Garden, where she planted beautiful bougainvilleas that you can still see now!

The botanical garden is definitely worth visiting if you are on Kauai. Ben and I really enjoyed our 2.5-3 hour guided tour ($50 per person) and we were fascinated by the original garden rooms, exotic plants and fountains. Allerton Garden also has many hidden little treasures like old, intricate stone benches and dreamlike sculptures. It was so easy to imagine how lavish and exotic balls and receptions must have been on this transformed Hawaiian plantation.

The picturesque garden has been used in many films and TV shows, including South Pacific, Starsky and Hutch, Pirates of the Caribbean and Jurassic Park. I am sure you would immediately recognise the Moreton Bay fig trees/banyans that impressed Steven Spielberg back in the 1990s so much that he included them in Jurassic Park. 

Dress - Vintage Dress from 80s (found in Topshop on Oxford street, London).

Similar here and here.

Week 13: Grace Kelly. My Eliza J Pink Dress

I discovered Eliza J on Nordstrom’s website when I was looking for an outfit inspired by Grace Kelly. It was love at first sight! The delicious pastel pink colour, elegant 50s silhouette, rose lace, and a full crisp skirt; the dress was rapidly added to my shopping cart.

When the dress arrived, my husband immediately asked if they had it in other colours (as a matter of fact they DO) and that I should purchase them all! The moment I put this dreamy pink dress on I felt incredibly feminine and classy. The silhouette of the dress is very flattering and makes my waist look tiny.

I felt really lucky to find something so similar to Grace Kelly's signature style and in one of her favourite colours.

These wonderful photos were taken by my friend Agne Gadišauskaitė at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Eliza J has other gorgeous pieces (check out my new favourites at the end of this post!). The brand's dresses and skirts are all beautiful, very feminine, and have a fabulous vintage feel I adore.

MY LOOK:  Dress - Eliza J (they also have it in black here), Heels - Pigalle Christian Louboutin, Bag - Dior (similar here), Gloves - bought on Amazon (here)

More Fabulousness by Eliza J: