Travel: Country and western cool

Who would have thought Nashville and New Orleans could be so cool? Not me. So when I was invited to a wedding in New Orleans and we embarked on our road trip I just had to take some pictures to share with you just how cool the deep south really is (and what great shopping it has!)...

First stop was Nashville and thanks to a beautiful guidebook in our hotel we found the chicest of little towns called Franklin to kick off our trip. After breakfast at the Frothy Monkey we headed down Main Street for some retail therapy. I was delighted to find one of my favourite shops - Anthropologie - so couldn't help myself when I saw this tan leather cutout peplum top and denim shirt (seen below), both currently available in the sale section online at www.anthropologie.eu

Clockwise from top left: Espadrilles and gold leather clutch; butterflies for a window display; peplum top and denim shirt, all Anthroplogie.eu; Main Street, Franklin, Tennessee. 

After a brief stop over in Memphis, we headed to New Orleans for the French Quarter Jazz festival. Thousands of people lined Bourbon street and the all kinds of different music could be heard at the waterfront. The vibe was definitely festival chic with lots of cut-off denim shorts, peasant maxi skirts, flower braided headbands and gladiator flats. 

Clockwise from top left: Festival goer in the French Quarter, 7 ft chalk board skull drawing,  55 bar and restaurant, live jazz band at the waterfront in New Orleans.

The morning of the wedding we hopped on a tram and went for breakfast in the Garden District (think Richmond Upon Thames in New Orleans!). I found a great little boutique called Spool and couldn't resist these two dresses, scarf and silk jumpsuit.

All in all it was a jam packed 6 days of partying and shopping in what can only be described as one of the coolest places I have ever been.