Dumbarton Oaks - Fashion & Fernweh

I think that all I can say to preface this post is that pictures could never do this place justice. A friend told me about Dumbarton Oaks, a 1920’s museum with gardens that were supposedly to die for, and on a whim, we decided to go Sunday night. We happened to get there right around golden hour, which made everything about it even more magical. When you walk through the (engraved, gilded, wrought iron) gates, you immediately see a beautiful house and a large grassy lawn. We followed a pathway around the house and were in disbelief at what we found. The gardens we had heard about continued farther than we could see, with little paths curving off in all different directions. Once I started walking, I couldn’t get enough – I could’ve spent all day there. The few flowers that had already started blooming were so beautiful, and there were benches all over the grounds for you to sit and take it all in. Every corner we turned we were more enchanted with what we found. I know that I’ll be spending a lot more time here, especially once it’s in full bloom.

I recently picked up this eyelet top from Tuckernuck, one of my favorite Georgetown stores. They started as an online boutique and just opened up their first brick and mortar store on Wisconsin Avenue in October. The store is quaint and doesn’t carry a huge selection, but the pieces they do have in store are always so cute. English Factory is one my favorites of the brands they sell because it’s one of the most affordable. I love that this top has a little bit of a boho feel with the half bell sleeves and peplum bottom. It felt perfect for a warm spring Sunday.

One of the best surprises at Dumbarton was the greenhouse we stumbled into at the end. We walked into the house completely unsure of where we were going, and as we turned the corner, the smell of honeysuckle overwhelmed us. Completely entranced by the lush, green feeling of the room, we were surprised at every fruit and flower we found. Among them was a little orange tree, a lemon tree with fruit so large we couldn’t fathom how it was still upright, a massive aloe plant, and of course, ivy blanketing the walls. I said the pictures wouldn’t do it justice, but I don’t think my explanation truly could either; everything about it was so magical.

If you visit D.C. and are spending time in Georgetown, Dumbarton Oaks is a must. The museum is closed until the end of this month, so I haven’t checked it out yet, but it’s definitely on my list of things to do before I leave for the summer. You could tell there’s so much history and planning that went into the gardens and I’d love to do a guided tour and get the full story.