The White Lace Dress — Anna Elizabeth

If you remember this look from a couple weeks back, you know that it was my "birthday #OOTD" for turning 24! I've always loved a classic, white dress, and the lace details on this piece has made it one of my favorites this season. The funny thing about this dress is that I purchased it over a year ago in Georgetown, DC at the Violet Boutique. It was 50% off on the clearance rack (a place I am always drawn to). However, I brought it home and realized that it didn't fit me quite right in the waist or the shoulders; the fabric was loose and didn't flatter my frame. So, there it hung in the back of my closet, with the clearance tag still in tact, month after month, season after season.

When I was doing a wardrobe purge in mid-April, I almost donated the piece because I was keeping to the rule "if you haven't worn it this year, get rid of it". But, I decided to give it one more shot. Then, the week before my birthday, I rediscovered it hiding behind one of my favorite tulle pieces and realized it was the PERFECT dress for a Spring birthday (or event). I rushed to get it altered before I could change my mind and when it was complete, I was over the moon that I had kept it. All it needed was a statement earring and a simple nude heel.

Now, let me tell you a story about the weekend that this look was shot. Sam and I had taken the two weekends off prior, to relax and plan for 2 major shoots for the blog - one on Saturday evening at sunset and one on Sunday morning. Both of which had a ton a moving parts and people involved. On Saturday morning, I visited The Babe Spa in Timonium to get a full set of lashes put on (complete post on this coming soon) for my first time, then Sam and I hurried over to buy and cram 5 major-sized balloons into his car, before I visited with my hair sylist, Megan Gugliotti of Honeycomb Hair Artistry to get a fancy, fishtail-braided crown. We were tracking the changing weather all day as the rain stopped and started - being that our shoot was scheduled for a rooftop terrace with no cover. Once I got back home, all dolled up with makeup and hair, the sun began to sink and the rain started to pour.

It was one of those moments, Sam and I were standing in our kitchen, our photographer Jade in the car outside waiting, that tears began to well up in my eyes and I thought of the people who worked on this shoot that I might let down if we had given up. As I panicked in my pretty white dress, Sam and Jade scoured Google Maps to find a place in the city that was covered somehow (and still open this late on a weekend). We decided on the Baltimore Basilica downtown, parked our car a few streets over, and walked to the entrance which we then discovered was locked and closed. As the 3 of us huddled underneath a tree on Mulberry street, trying to make yet another plan without getting absolutely soaked, a sweet dog ran up to us at the edge of the courtyard, followed by the Pastor. After his inquiry, I quickly explained our situation, hoping that we might get a hint of sympathy.

He agreed to let us in if we met him around front, and he let us shoot under these beautiful columns for 30 minutes as Sam talked his ear off about his practice and the church's history. We thanked him over and over again for his kindness before leaving him to close up the Catholic church. It was one of those moments that you don't easily forget. It made this shoot and this location, especially, that much more special to me.