I’m not sure exactly how we started chatting – but Elle is one of my very favourite penpals. I adore her. She’s an Aussie girl living in London, and she’s a sweetpea. Her emails always give me the biggest smile!! We recently did a little vintage teacup swap – and it was so fun!! She sent me a very British teacup and I sent her an American teacup. Love her :)

Anyway, I was obviously thrilled when she bought the Ridgeway top from my winter collection. Doesn’t it look wonderful on her??

You can read more about her on her blog!

Photo credit // A bird in the hand

I thought it might be fun to share some of my original sketches for the Country Roads collection. It’s always interesting to me to see how the pieces change during the process… colours, fabrics, etc. Like the Highland dress above. Originally intended in a greenish chiffon, with a much lower neckline. The first test pieces were disasters. completely unwearable. But with changes to the fabric and making the neckline higher it became the dress i now love. The Sudley blouse & Chantilly skirt started out completely different colours/fabrics too. It’s funny, i can’t even imagine the collection in these colours anymore!!

And sometimes (unfortunately) pieces i love get cut, like the ones below. (though you may recognise that green sweater as being the early concept for the Briar sweater)

Since I got my Wacom tablet last year I’ve been using it for all my sketching and i absolutely adore it. I think my skill is definitely improving. Plus it really helps that since i’m using photoshop i can draw my form once, and then draw the pieces over and over – it just makes things a LOT quicker. Not exactly where i want to be yet, but i’m happy with the progress – thinking back to my Sunburnt Country sketches - I feel good about how much better these are!

I had so much fun working on the Country Roads lookbook with my two incredibly sweet/talented/amazing friends Tania and Sydney that I thought it might be nice to share some of the behind the scenes photos!

It took me ages to find a good spot to shoot at. I really wanted something that looked very Virginia, but at the same time, that can be hard to find if you want it to be relatively uncrowded, and accessible. Finally I decided on one of our favourite family walking spots – an area next to a historic stone bridge in the Manassas Battlefield national park. It’s honestly stunning there, one of the most gorgeous places ever. I love the Manassas Battlefield! There were a tonne of other spots i would have loved to have used too, but they were only accessible after a mile hike – and that my dears, would have made things infinitely more difficult! hehe

Honestly, this photoshoot was so incredibly fun. One of the most enjoyable afternoons ever! After it was over we kinda just wanted to do another one again! It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon – but it was definitely cold! We had so much fun running back and forth to different photo spots, eating muffins and having girl talk. Afterwards we hopped into Syd’s car while she fed little Everett and looked at all the photos on my laptop. I love these girls, and I really feel so blessed that we were able to do this together. It was amazing. Just amazing.

I have to say, Tania was such a trooper. It was so cold, and she never complained once. Not once. She was such a pro, and so natural! Changed in my car (ah ha! the minivan has it’s uses! hehe), put up with me constantly rearranging her, and asking her to change into yet another pair of tights (because I’m so indecisive) and then stood in the cold looking gorgeous for hours. I was blown away.

And Sydney, my goodness – she is one super talented photographer! I was just in awe the whole time of how she would pick the perfect angle, the perfect light – and always get the perfect photo. She was amazing!  She brought her precious little baby boy Everett with, and i was lucky enough to get to push his little stroller all over and take lots of peeks at him sleeping. And then i stole cuddles. Because he’s crazy cute!

I hope you enjoyed our little behind the scenes look!! Thank you so so much Syd and Tania!! You girls are just the best, and I love you to bits! XOXO

All pieces from the Country Roads collection are now available in store, in limited quantities!
XOXO

Modeling:: Tania (What Would a Nerd Wear)
Photography::  Sydney Poulton (The Daybook // Espee Photography)

The Briar cropped sweater is such an easy piece to layer. Shorter in the front than the back, it hits at the natural waist – making it the perfect compliment to dresses and highwaisted skirts. Also features 3/4 sleeves and a patch pocket. Seen here with the Ridgeway top & Chantilly skirt.

Available in store this Saturday Dec 17th, 10am EST.

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Modeling:: Tania (What Would a Nerd Wear)
Photography::  Sydney Poulton (The Daybook // Espee Photography)

The Highland dress is sweet and loose fitted – and much like the Sudley blouse, it can be just as easily worn forwards or backwards. Made from 100% silk chiffon in a tiny floral pattern, it is fully lined and features 3/4 sleeves, a full gathered skirt and keyhole opening at neckline that closes with ties. The dress can be worn with keyhole opening at the back or with the opening in the front (as seen in lookbook).

Available in store this Saturday Dec 17th, 10am EST.

Modeling:: Tania (What Would a Nerd Wear)
Photography::  Sydney Poulton (The Daybook // Espee Photography)

The Ridgeway top is a soft cotton jersey blouse with a large peter pan collar and gorgeous stripe pattern. By popular demand, the Kelly skirt is returning this winter in a deep wine red denim. It features pleats, wide waistband, button front and lovely scoop pockets.

Both available in store this Saturday Dec 17th, 10am EST.

Modeling:: Tania  (What Would a Nerd Wear)
Photography::  Sydney Poulton (The Daybook // Espee Photography)

The Sudley blouse in 100% silk, is such a versatile piece, it’s almost 2 tops in one. One side features a pretty peter pan collar, and the other the same collar but with keyhole opening and ties. It can be worn with the the keyhole & ties in front or at the back as pictured in the lookbook. The Chantilly skirt is an incredibly ladylike full circle circle, in a subtle plaid, featuring a wide waistband and gorgeous unique scalloped pockets.

Both available in store this Saturday Dec 17th, 10am EST.

Modeling:: Tania  (What Would a Nerd Wear)
Photography::  Sydney Poulton (The Daybook // Espee Photography)

Meet the Piedmont blouse and Meadow skirt. (Remember our  little sneakpeek of these on Saturday?)

The Meadow skirt is a buttery yellow wool blend mini. It’s fully lined, with side zipper and gorgeous big scoop pockets. The Piedmont blouse is the long sleeved sister of the Banksia top from last fall. Made from a gorgeous navy blue silk, it features a placket front, shell buttons, peter pan collar and lovely long sleeves.

Both available in store this Saturday Dec 17th, 10am EST.

I am so so soooo beyond excited to share with you my winter collection!! My original plan for the next few weeks had been to share with you some Christmas projects. But then at the end of this week I spent an amazing day working on the lookbook for my winter collection with my wonderful friends Sydney and Tania, and honestly cannot wait a second longer to share the results!! Tania was our incredibly gorgeous model, and Sydney did all of the stunning photography. I am so blown away by these talented girls, and so grateful to have such wonderful friends to work with!!

I’m so in love with this collection and with the way the lookbook turned out, that I’m going to do things a little differently than i usually do and spend the next week sharing the different looks with you. I’m so excited! I hope you love it as much as we do!

Everything will be available in store on Saturday December 17th (next weekend!).