Pink Retreat Series: In The Beginning - an interview with Tosha Williams

c/o Lilly Pulitzer

Hey! Did you know this is part of a series? You can check out the other Pink Retreat posts here!

I can't believe it's been almost 3 weeks now since the Pink Retreat, and I still have so much to share and discuss! I'm going to kick off the rundown of my experience at #TPR by giving you guys a little background & inside look at how this weekend even came to be, including an interview with none other than the creator herself, Tosha Williams!

For those that don't know who she is or haven't been to a Pink Retreat (yet!), Tosha is the one who made this entire event possible. The Pink Retreat is her brainchild, born out of obviously a love for the Lilly Pulitzer brand, but also for the sisterhood that bonds its fans together.

Pink Retreat Series: Colony Hotel Review

Did you know this is part of a series? You can check out the other Pink Retreat posts here!

Hi friends! I'm so excited to share the first post in my Palm Beach/Pink Retreat series from my recent trip. There is so much to discuss & share, so I'm splitting up the trip into several different posts. Up first is a full review of where we stayed: the Colony Hotel!

Palm Beach has plenty of options for accommodations, but only one clear (& obvious) choice for us. As a preferred hotel & kind of home-base for all things Pink Retreat (read more about #TPR here & lots more to come, so stay tuned), we knew we wanted to stay right in the action.

"Oh my God, you look like the Fourth of July!"

Happy 4th of July, friends! We all get to be out of office today thanks to living in the land of the free because of the brave, so let's party like it's 1776! Ok, ok, enough with the overused sayings. Today I'm just showcasing a little bit of my own personal July 4th style by giving some new life to a dress that has been hiding in my closet, and I felt it was time for it to come out & play.

Lilly Pulitzer has several really cute patriotic prints, but I don't own any of those (I mean really, when else would I wear a shift printed with fireworks?) so ya girl had to work with what she's got!

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

When the temperatures hit the 90s and the humidity is nearing 100% (or at least what feels like it), I want to be as breezy and cool as possible. So when we were in Florida (when am I not in FL these days?), I packed a lot of rompers, sundresses, and sleeveless tops to be sure I didn't suffocate in my clothes. There's nothing worse than walking around with a tshirt plastered to your torso and boob sweat slowly sliding down your chest. The "just fell in a pool with my clothes on" look doesn't really work for me.

So one night when we were headed out for a nice seafood dinner on the waterfront, I put together this casual date night look, featuring my favorite romper. I wanted to be comfortable, but still cute (& attempted to not be a sweaty hot mess; not an easy feat in FL heat!), instead of my usual mom uniform of sticky-finger, baby-food covered tee + yoga pants combo.

Magic At Any Age

“Growing old is inevitable. Growing up is optional.”

I’ve just crossed the threshold of 31. Yup, I’ve already transcended my 20s & am now traversing my way through my 30s, but I swear I don’t feel a day over 22 (insert other Taylor Swift song here). So what better way to celebrate my 31st birthday than by channeling my inner fairy princess? I had the opportunity to attend the most magical event that was essentially the manifestation of my childhood fantasies come to life & it had my inner 6 year old self fangirling so hard. Excuse me for quoting Taylor Swift, but that day was a fairytale...literally. 

But first, a little backstory. Fairytales have always resonated with me. I remember as a kid I would walk to the public library almost every weekend & wander the stacks (hello Belle complex), almost always checking out books about fairytales, princesses, fairylore & basically anything fantasy. I devoured the Harry Potter series (like most now-grownups my age), grew up on Disney culture, & wore out the Little Princess movie until the VHS tape broke. I got very competitive at Pretty Pretty Princess (we were all vying for that plastic bejeweled crown), played dress up in anything & everything tulle, and had a rather active imagination when it came to playing “make believe” (this was before the renaissance of modern day technology like the internet & iPhones - back when you actually had to use your imagination to have fun).

National Donut Day

Let’s talk donuts. Is it a dessert? A breakfast treat? A substitute for dinner? (I’m going to go with all of the above.) No matter how you look at it, you have to admit, donuts are pretty delicious (unless you’re one of those weird types that doesn’t like them; in which case, you probably just haven’t had the right kind of donuts yet. Come see me; we’ll chat). They are also pretty cute, so it’s no wonder that you can find these sweet treats in all kinds of merchandise these days. I’m a sucker for anything donut…

Pink Prep & Print Picks (say that 5 times fast)

Hey! Did you know this is part of a series? You can check out the other Pink Retreat posts here!

Did you know that June 21st, the first day of summer, is also National Wear Your Lilly Day? The countdown is on! I’m so excited to be celebrating this year by not only sporting my favorite Lilly look, but also with a girls getaway to Palm Beach for the Pink Retreat! This will be the 2nd year for the Pink Retreat, but a first for me (GASP! A trip to somewhere other than Disney!? Spoiler alert: keep reading…). I had so much FOMO last year, watching everyone’s stories from that weekend. However, I had more pressing matters to tend to (mom duty calls), so I was not able to make it, but I promised myself I would make it happen for 2019 and here we are!

That's a Wrap!

Summer is almost here, and I’m ready for it! I love bold, bright colors and fun prints & patterns; plus, I am not one to shy away from a statement piece (oversized earrings are a must). Summer is also the perfect time to get crazy with all those colors and styles (because a tropical pineapple skirt in November might be a bit strange in TN, just sayin’). 

The G̶r̶e̶a̶t̶e̶s̶t̶ Longest Post on Earth

The circus has always been one of those magical experiences for me, shrouded in wonder and a little bit of mystery, and I liked to imagine what it would be like to be a part of it all. I wanted to wear the glamorous costumes (I think that's where my love of fashion initially stemmed from), see the world (a new city or town every few days would quench my wandering spirit), and get up close & personal with animals that can literally bite your head off (it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise then that I went to school for biology, with the initial goal of moving into the animal husbandry field. The coolest job I ever had was taking care of the jaguars one summer at the Chattanooga zoo). In fact, it left such an impression on me, that I actually applied for an elephant trainer internship with Ringling Bros. my senior year of college (I made it to the 3rd round of interviews). It's kind of crazy to think how different my life would be had that panned out.

But then life happened (ie. the highway robbery that is student loan interest rates) and I let go of my childhood dreams in order to pay the bills. A part of it definitely still lingers, and I'm still amazed by all things circus. So naturally, a visit to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL was a must-do for me.

Take Me To: Polynesian Village

If you asked me to rate my top 5 resorts, Polynesian Village is 100% in the top 5, battling it out with the Grand Floridian for the coveted number 1 spot. Although I have yet to stay here, I’ve visited numerous times. The Polynesian is such a fun resort to explore and has so much to offer, and in my opinion, it has some of the coolest architecture and design out of all of the Disney resorts. 

It’s themed around the South Pacific and tiki culture, a popular trend back in the mid 20th century, and you know my vintage loving heart is so into that. If you like tiki/Hawaiian themes and mid-century modern design, you will fully appreciate this resort.