American Gothic

I think everyone has one thing that really stands out in their mind as the highlight of a vacation. For me on our South Carolina trip it was visiting and touring the Rose Hill Plantation house. As soon as we pulled up to the Gothic revival mansion I knew I was in love with its unique architectural style and Southern charm. But what made the house even better was the fascinating tour given by the owner of the house regarding its history and her endeavors to restore the house back to its former glory.

So just a brief note about fashion: for the the tour you will see I am again decked out in my straw hat. I promise I only have one more post featuring me and this hat. I also decided to go with an easy striped tee shirt type dress that, as you can see from the one picture below, has a host of darling bows on the backside. The dress, like the house, is full of all sorts of pleasant surprises!

I highly recommend that if you are in the Hilton Head/Savannah area you make reservations to see the house. You will receive a wealth of information about its origins, the people who resided in and around the home over its 150+ year history, and the joys and perils of restoring a historic estate.

However, if you can't do that, I'll just give a brief overview of its history. Basically, the house was built in the 1850s by the Kirk family. It was never officially completed (at least not all of the interior) due to a little interruption called the Civil War. In the 20th century the house passed hands many times and was home to everyone from tenant farmers to a World War II pilot. Unfortunately, in the 1980s a fire ravaged the house, leaving it in a state of disrepair. Although the fate of the house was perhaps uncertain at this point, the current owner (who received the house as a gift from her husband for her 30th birthday) saw its potential. Since then she has devoted her life to unraveling the history of the house and returning it to its original grandeur.

The inside of the Rose Hill house is as beautiful as the exterior. Below is a glimpse at what we saw inside on our tour. 

The paining above is of the owner of the house. Believe it or not her husband painted it. I told my husband that I am expecting him to paint my portrait for our up coming anniversary!

The pictures above and below are of the ladies sitting room. An interesting factoid that endeared me to this particular room is that it was featured in Vogue in the 1950s. I love anything that has been in the pages of Vogue!

Thank you for coming along with me on the photographic tour of the Rose Hill Plantation house. It truly was a highlight on my trip and something I will remember for years to come. If you would like to see it for yourself or find out more about its history you can find more here.

Dress: Anthropologie similar here

Bag: J. Crew "Sophie" crossbody 

Sandals: J. Crew

Hat: Off Saks Fifth Avenue here

Belt: Target 

Sunglasses: Prada

Linking Up With: what i wore, Style Me Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl
Thursday Favorites, Throw Date Thursday, Thursday Fashion Files
Summer Style and Fun Fashion Friday