OY! KRISTEN

Outfit Details:
ASOS Floral Bardot Maternity Dress, Pink Hat (borrowed from my Mom's hope chest, similar here and here), Charming Charlie Clutch (old, similar here and here), Banana Republic Wedges (sold out, similar here), Anthropologie Stud Earrings

It was all just so British.

The cobblestone streets, the rare London sunshine and the hat atop my head. Coming out of the whitewashed hotel we stumbled upon these flowers that freakishly matched my dress and then a Rolls Royce just appeared out of nowhere. Beckoning me to it, really. Not only is this is the stuff dream blog posts are made of, this is the stuff that dreams are made of! I can't say enough gushing things about this particular experience, because Stevie and I were literally so giddy, relishing the most British experience of our lives (except for maybe the time we did high tea at Fortnum & Mason). We even rode on that red bus you see in the background (up top!), across town to the loveliest of weddings. It was an experience friends, one that I will never ever forget.

I was a little bit wardrobe challenged when I received the invitation to the suite of celebratory events for this wedding. How in the world does one plan for so many maternity outfits? Well, ASOS Maternity ended up being a lifesaver, because the prices are so reasonable and the options are so stylish and sassy. The problem I've found with most maternity sites is that all the dresses look very classic and alike (and let's be honest - bland), which is sort of understandable, since women want to be able to wear their maternity clothing throughout several pregnancies. But that makes it really hard to find trendier, or even colorful options, especially when it comes to occasion-wear. That's what really sets ASOS Maternity apart - I found so many options that I loved, and actually ended up ordering about ten dresses, trying them on at home, and choosing between them. Obviously ASOS is known for it's non-maternity clothing, but if you're a pregnant lady in need of a nice dress, their maternity line is the go-to. And as for that hat, well, what can I say. My mom is my style icon, the original fashionista in my book. This thing was just laying around in her closet.

And there's my date. Oh, and there's Stevie, too. JUST KIDDING! As much as I loved that bus ride, I loved experiencing it with him even more. It was sightseeing and transporting and Kate Middleton stalking all at once. :)

P.S. - More from our London trip here - inhaling rose lattes around Notting Hill and wearing a sari on Queen's Gate Road.

ASOS Floral Bardot Pencil Dress

Jessica Simpson Wedge Pump

Anthropologie Aludra Post Earrings

Goldie Chain Strap Clutch

London, I love you.

This is the loveliest of towns. Stevie and I spent last week in this polite, prestigious hamlet for a good friends' wedding and it was nothing short of exciting, invigorating and so, so inspiring. It's just the most attractive city - so clean and historic and well-maintained. There were enormous planters of cascading flowers everywhere - hanging from lanterns, peeking out from enclosed gardens, and pristinely lining the sidewalks in the most polite fashion. I've never seen such gorgeous maintenance, city-wide. The British really care about orderly fashion, and I kind of love it. Of course, I don't know any American girls who aren't fascinated with British culture, those Disney movies really did us in.

Though we were busy for most of this trip, celebrating the 3-day wedding, we managed to do a bit of exploring in between events. One of my favorite parts of the city is Notting Hill, and the last time we were there it was a bit rushed, so this time we wanted to take our time and enjoy the colorful homes (and vibrant doors!) that line these quaint streets. We took the long walk from our hotel in Chelsea, The Doubletree Kensington, through Kensington Garden, past the Kensington Palace (where I'm certain I lost my phone, RIP) up into Notting Hill.

Side note - these maternity overalls are going to be on constant rotation these next few months. They are so comfortable and actually fit incredibly well. Have I mentioned how much I love ASOS maternity? More on that later.

Kensington Palace! Where Diana lived and where Prince William and Princess Kate reside where they're in London.

I have no reason to believe that London is a soggy, cloudy town because it was like 70 degrees and sunny the entire time we were there. Also, he's cute.

A botonist's dream.

I read about Farm Girl Cafe on Portobello Road here and wanted so badly to try the famed rose latte. When we arrived, the little place was packed and the waiter warned us that the drink of our choice was "a little girly" - so of course Stevie chose something else. MISTAKE. My rose latte tasted like a floral coffee wondertreat with crispy bits of rose to munch on (the tastiest of surprises, I assure you) and Stevie kept asking for sips. I was a bit stingy though.

The beauty of this area of London is found in the wandering, and perhaps getting a bit lost along the cobbled side streets. Peeking through the wrought-iron gates into the private gardens and imagining what it would be like to have afternoon tea on the terrace and pulling open the brightly-colored front doors - the dreaming is all part of the fun. We spent the morning talking about which house would be ours (I kept changing my mind, because they're all just too pretty to choose), and what life would really be like, living in London. Does anyone else do this when they travel? We do this everywhere we go, whether it's on a road trip to the beach or a quick trip to London. We like to imagine our life and our family living in different places, just for the fun of it. I guess you could call that grown-up make believe. This fun was only the beginning, I'm excited to share more about this trip in the coming weeks!