Photos by Drew
Dress: Secret Squirrel, from Silent Sundays
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Bag: Ebay
This dress has been hanging in my closet since April. It was the one thing I let myself keep from our summer stock, and I was saving it up for the right occasion. First I was saving it up for our store’s opening, and after that I was waiting for the right weekend, only then I broke my elbow and knew I couldn’t fit my splinted arm in its sleeves if I tried. But now I think my days of splinted outfit posts are over, or at least until next year when I go in for surgery to have the metal plates and screws taken out of my arm. Last Friday I went to the physical therapist for the first time, and even though my arm got bent and straightened like crazy (now I see why the nurse made jokes about physical therapy really standing for pain and torture) I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and don’t feel so helpless anymore. I also traded out my splint for the robo cop brace that is huge and scary looking but is actually weirdly comfortable. Fortunately it’s also easy to take off. Which means I’m already pretending my arm is back to normal, even if it does look funny and weak and crooked still. But mostly I stick to my brace. I wear it when I sleep and also wear it when I exercise. On Monday Drew and I even went to hike up Kennesaw Mountain, and I think it was the most exercise and the most fun I’ve had in ages. Civil War history and hiking and amazing views of Atlanta and its suburbs that look a hundred times prettier when viewed from the top of a mountain . . . . next time we go I’ll remember my camera.
Anyway we took these pictures last Sunday. You might remember this rose garden from another blog post I did last year, but it seemed like the perfect place to photograph this dress, though come to think of it I probably just have all of Secret Squirrel’s botanical influences on the brain.
Glad to hear that you’re in better spirits about your elbow. I totally sympathize with you, I had to have a metal rod and screws put into my shin and knee last year and now it looks like they’re going to get taken out at the end of this year, ayayay. Also, I had one of those robocop splints too, although I didn’t think it really helped my knee all that much
Aww, see I think that would be much worse to have surgery on your leg. Poor thing–a second surgery too just puts a damper on everything . . . it’s hard to get excited about getting full range of motion again when you know that in a matter of months you’ll have to start all over again.
I’m with you on the brace–it’s great for sleeping (I know I’ll roll over or bump my arm in my sleep) and for working out, but I feel like my arm will get better faster if I just keep it out of the brace during the day when I’m just sitting down typing or whatever.
Can I live here please? What a dreamy place! I hope your arm i feeling better.
Love that dress, and i love the garden, so pretty! I hope you feel better about the elbow soon!
xxx
wow, amazing outfit!! i love the dress and the bag..
do you know the italian brand Il Bisonte?
i’m sure you’ll love it, it’s in your style..so vintage and chic!!
let me konw!!
good that you’re getting better! the dress is so pretty and the garden really seems to be a perfect place to photograph it, so beautiful:)
i’ve been reading your blog for ages, but i think this is the first time i’m commenting, haha. your blog is lovely x
Aww, thanks, Laura, glad you commented ! : )
So glad to hear you’re on the mend. The dress, the garden and you – all gorgeous x
These pictures and that dress are beautiful!
Glad to hear you’re on the mend too… 
“… jokes about physical therapy really standing for pain and torture…”
You mean PT standing for pain and torture.
Ha ha, yes, my brain isn’t always the best.
So glad you’re feeling better! And I love that Kennesaw Mountain hike. M husband and I went for the first time a couple months ago and brought our dog and got slightly lost and ended up hiking for almost three hours and it was wonderful. We used to hike every weekend when we lived in San Francisco and I often complain about there not being very many places to hike around Atlanta and that it’s so hard to get out of town, but that’s really not entirely true you just have to know where to go, it seems.
Ashley, 3 hours?! I really need to go back . . . I didn’t even realize there was another ridge you could climb until we were on our way back down the mountain. It’s so beautiful and strange that it’s so close to Atlanta; I felt like we were much further away. I bet SF has amazing places to hike . . . even just walking around the city gave me such a workout with all those hills and steps everywhere. Have you been hiking at Stone Mountain or Mt. Arabia? I’ve only been there for photoshoots and stuff but when my arm’s better I want to go try to climb to the top of Stone Mountain.
this dress looks lovely on you! and I’m so happy to hear that your one the mend. Breaking something can be mentally difficult to handle as well as physically. No one likes to feel like they can be hurt. but if you recover, I think you come out stronger of wiser?
Thanks Caitlin, I think you’re right! The worst part is feeling so helpless. I hate asking for help so I’ve had to learn how to let people help me with silly things like opening jars. But I feel a lot stronger now so my mood’s definitely better.
Hi Rhiannon!
EEP. You look amazing.
I just ordered that dress in black from SS myself!
Quickie question, what size are you wearing? I went up to a size S even though it is generous–been into the loose baggy feel these days.
Hope all is well and so happy to see all your fine styling work in your new shop. It is truly breathtaking.
All best,
Winnie
Thanks, Winnie, so glad you like the store!!!
Oooh, I forgot that this dress even came in black. I usually wear a small and got a small in this, and it’s very loose, but I’m into baggy dresses too so I like it. If you’re an XS it might be kind of big, just depending on how you want it to fit. But it’s a gorgeous dress! I can’t even imagine how pretty it would be in black.
Beautiful photos. I love your outfit and the roses.
momentsof-eternity.blogspot.com
GAH these photos are beyond beautiful, the first one is my favorite xxx
Thanks everyone!! : )
Oh, your dress is SO pretty! The detail is so old fashioned and feminine. I’m glad you’re being able to be more mobile with your arm now!
I love Kennesaw Mountain! It’s definitely worth going back with a camera. There are lots of historic trails around there that go around the mountain as well as up it. I think the prettiest trail is off Burnt Hickory (Pigeon Hill I think). It’s a really rocky hike, but so breathtakingly picturesque!
Beautiful pictures. I love the effect of the rose garden with that beautiful house.
- Meredith
http://www.findingsoulbalance.blogspot.com
hooray for healing! so glad to hear you’re feeling better.
speaking of civil war trips… i have a friend moving to athens at the end of the summer and she has been talking about doing sherman’s march to the sea!
Hi Rhiannon,
I just wanted to let you know how much I’ve enjoyed reading your blog over the past year. You have revolutionized my movie tastes! I love silent movies now and I just watched Sunrise the other day. I think you mentioned this movie a while back. Thanks so much for your great style tips and wonderful blog. These are very beautiful pictures in the rose garden. I hope your arm heals soon!
Rosanna
glad to hear that you’re on track to recovery! feeling helpless is worse than physical pain, in my opinion, so at least that’s behind you now.
the dress is really pretty.
I am so glad that you are feeling better!! Your blog has ALWAYS been such an inspiration to me, I’m glad that you never cease to have something new up your sleeve.
Roxanne
Almost you in the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/07/18/fashion/streetstyle-neon-10.html
I’m glad to hear your arm is healing up even though physical therapy sucks. These pictures are beautiful, as always. I love your pretty little dress!
what a nice rosegarden and what a nice dress – they really fit perfectly together.
This place is beautiful! like an old mansion from a classic novel! and that perfectly cream light summer dress looks breathtaking next to the roses!
I really enjoy all of your Atlantan posts. I love all the places you portray in your pics. They are mostly unknown to me (and I’ve lived in ATL for 8 years now). I told my husband that I was going to browse your blog (which I always do anyways) and that I was going to make a list of all the places that I want to visit this summer. I’ll think I’ll have a wonderful start visiting this Rose garden
Thanks for all your posts…truly inspirational
glad to know you are now okay. lovely photos!
These are gorgeous shots. I’m glad your arm is healing! Hang in there