In the summer of 2021, my mom, brother, and I packed the car for a long six-hour ride to Charleston, South Carolina. As it was the midst of summer and we were heading further into the south, we all knew to pack light. My suitcase was packed with tank tops and jean shorts that I knew would keep me decently cool on these humid summer days. We were going to visit my mom’s best friend, Kelly, and since the three of us had never been before, we got the full experience of Downtown Charleston.
We finally arrived at a parking garage after spending no less than 30 minutes searching, gotta love Charleston traffic, and left to venture downtown. Kelly first led us to the Charleston Pier to show us the harbor view. Instantly walking down the pier the wind began to pick up, blowing the crop top I was wearing around me like a flag. In hindsight, I probably should’ve known better than to wear a loose shirt near a body of water but 16-year-old me wasn’t as knowledgeable about fashion as I claim to be now. However, as I walked to the edge of the pier my worries about the practicality of my outfit washed away in place of awe. It really is a beautiful view, especially on the day we visited. The clear sky melted into the blue waterline of the bay. After watching ships pass by for a while, we decided to begin walking to our next destination.
As we made our way down the walkway, I couldn’t help but stare at how beautiful our surroundings were. On our right was a gorgeous view of the beaches of the harbor. I have to be honest and say it took everything in me not to run down that beach and jump in the cool water. Summers in South Carolina are no joke! I reframed though, instead gazing at the townhouses on our right. They reminded me of those in the Upper East Side of New York, a place I’ve always admired and wanted to live. As I admired the houses though, my mom was quick to drop a reality check on me about the cost of a house like that in this location. Never say never, Mom!
We neared the end of the walkway, taking us into a place Kelly described as the White Point Garden. I couldn’t help but sigh in relief as we approached the garden. The trees were so beautiful and strong, but most importantly, they were casting a shade. I dropped down on a bird-poop-ridden bench with my mom and just relaxed, people-watching in the process. We were watching two dogs play with each other for a bit, missing our dog, Penny, back at home, but grateful for the vacation away.
Our last stop on the downtown Charleston experience was a little Christmas shop we stumped upon. At first, we all filed in there for the air conditioning but after we looked around for a bit, we realized how cute of a store it was. The store called A Christmas to Remember, was filled exclusively with ornaments, but pretty much any ornament you could imagine. My brother and I wandered around the shop, occasionally making fun of an ornament we thought was ridiculous. After departing the store, we all agreed we had our fill of humidity for the day and decided to head back to the hotel, putting a close on a great day.
I add this travel experience to my blog to highlight the fact that even though you may have an outfit mishap, it doesn’t take away from the experience! Fashion doesn’t always come first when it comes to memories.
