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Before I moved to Savannah, I dreamed about it.
It must have been months before I even applied to graduate school that I starting dreaming about moving to the South. Not just one dream – not the kind you forget about until someone or something gently nudges your psyche and reminds you – no, this was persistent, like a little voice inside me was pointing the way.
It didn’t make sense, because I had just spent three glorious unemployed months teaching myself to make patterns and use a sewing machine, all while watching How to Train Your Dragon on repeat and praying I would get into the Costume Studies program at NYU. New York had always been my “dream” – or so I thought.
On my first trip to visit the Savannah College of Art and Design, I was late getting ready, had to finish my oatmeal on the way to the airport, and forgot to pack underwear. I remember in clear detail crying in the car on the way to the airport, my Mom driving, because I felt so ill-prepared for the trip. Yet, when I arrived at the snug Savannah Pensione hostel and ate more oatmeal at the bar at Clary’s, and spent the weekend riding around in a SCAD trolley going from building tour to building tour, it felt like I was in the right place at exactly the right time.
Fast-forward seven years and I found myself back where it feels like my adult life really began, back in Savannah for the first time since the cool November morning Reed and I got into a little red rental car filled to the brim with all my belongings and drove for 10 straight hours back to Maryland.
When I came back, I found I had missed the trees – the swooping live oaks that protect the baking sidewalks from the heat. I found I had missed the houses – sweet little buildings in pastel colors with wrought-iron railings and dark green shutters. I found I had missed the quiet of the squares at night – a patchwork of greenspace I would zoom around on my little blue Walmart bicycle that I had named Amelia (after Amelia Peabody, that most intrepid of book characters).
There’s something magical about Savannah.
Ok, back to fashion.
During the year I lived there, I had a uniform – black tights, denim shorts, and Sperry topsiders – all paired with tri-colored blue, red, and purple hair. This uniform was extremely practical for biking the four miles to and from class every day (sometimes twice a day), but, well, was not the most stylish.
For my reunion visit to Savannah, I planned a look that represents its mood – vibrant, yet softened; quirky, yet demure.
I found these high-waist Yumi Kim culottes (yes, they’re pants!) from Rent the Runway as part of my Unlimited subscription last year – but loved them so much I ended up buying them. I’m partial to geometric prints, and the mix of pastels and bold tones in these pants makes them super versatile. Try them out yourself with my code for $30 off your first rental (full disclosure, I’ll get $30 off too), or read my mini guide on how to Rent the Runway.
In Savannah’s heat, a loose cotton-poplin sleeveless blouse is perfect for staying cool. I found this mint one at Nordstrom Rack, but am also a big fan of Everlane’s billowy silk tops.
For accessories, I turned to mirror metallics that would play well against the pastels and make them pop. And the finishing touch – a swipe of teal eyeliner to pull it all together.
Do you want me to write a more in-depth post about Savannah? Request a travel topic in the comments!
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Photo Credit: Pedro Torres