the pink clutch ...: Emily McCarthy Collection

As you may know Emily McCarthy expanded her lifestyle brand to include clothing a bit over a year ago. It was a longtime dream of Emily's to create clothes and I was absolutely thrilled to see her dream come to life. She has just released her 11th collection and with each and every one I say it is my absolute favorite. I stopped into her Shoppe yesterday on my way to St. Simon's Island and had a bit of time to hug her, shop, and catch up on our respective lives.

There are many things I can share with you that I love about Emily. We have been dear friends for a number of years and her dedication to her Shoppe and her brand is high on the list for me of things I admire about her. She has a young family and is very dedicated to being there for them all the while designing clothes, couture monograms, and all sorts of products you can shop both online and in the store. Emily has a distinct signature style and does not shy away from it. She is always in beautiful pieces, both her own designs, and those she chooses to partner alongside her own clothing in the shoppe. She is kind, hardworking, funny, stylish, beautiful, and most of all, a true friend to all.

I am completely smitten with this collection, but also remember I say that with each one. I grabbed two pieces of it yesterday and already plan to wear them all summer long. Among the many things that draw me to Emily's designs are the colors, patterns, and her incredible attention to detail. Each piece has so many hidden little extras like the buttons with her logo, the embroidery, the beautiful lining on the dresses ... I am telling you she is so picky with her designs and the construction and you can most definitely tell.

I have many favorites from this May drop, but if I had to pick ... and I did I can narrow it down to three different pieces! First I absolutely love the Poppy Dress in Burst. Can't you see it being perfect for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day? The burst pattern is so darling and looks just like fireworks to me. Next I am smitten with the new Poppy caftan and love it in either the Sugar Coral or the Peony stripe.

And last, I just adore the Starry night print. I snagged the Poppy top but the dress is dar-ling. It is possibly my favorite style of the season.

Just a few more images of some of the collection, you must check it out online asap. These collections fly off the racks so if there is something you really want snag it sooner rather than later! I asked Emily what it was like to be a clothing designer and she humbly shared her thoughts with me.

"It still feels surreal to see customers and friends around town and on social media feeling so confident in one of our pieces of clothing. It brings me such joy to be able to bring that joy to each of them."

I also inquired about her inspiration for this collection as I silently wondered how she continues to dream up the most beautiful patterns collection after collection. I love her vision for this one.

"Summer is about celebration and easy, breezy styles. I personally love an Americana-inspired print or color palette so it felt natural to design a collection around the colors of summer. Our April drop is a bit more colorful, adding the brights of florals and always hiding that bit of cheetah in the Flora print. For May, stars are the star of the show in bold colors but also soft glittering golds. I also added a few new styles making our collection great for young and older customers."