Fashion for the Defense

When I started law school, ironically my biggest fear was that I was going to be expected to wear black all the time. I wear all black for my gigs and that's definitely enough for me. I couldn't do it every day for the rest of my life. I might actually go insane and have a nervous breakdown. I decided I would just throw caution to the wind and channel all my Elle Woods vibes for my first day of school and I wore a pink suit. I got a whole lot of compliments on it which gave me confidence. And then we had an assembly where we got to meet a whole lot of the teachers. And one of the teachers had blue nail polish. I remember thinking if she could do that then I would be fine. Little did I know that she had been an attorney for the fashion houses in Italy and would end up being one of my favorite teachers. But my first year I still dressed pretty conservatively, for me. And each year I got more and more comfortable just dressing myself. And this year I just let it all out of the box. haha But I've realized that many female lawyers wear all black all the time because it is the easiest way to look professional. Especially if you don't feel like you have a personal sense of style. I've gotten so many compliments from teachers, attorneys and other students on my outfits that I realized that no one actually expected me to wear black. And maybe they are as tired of seeing it as I am. So as graduation looms and being an actual attorney starts creeping up on me, I'm finally feeling like I can be myself and I can own my own space and not feel like I have to fit into anyone else's box. So here's my own artistic take on the suit world.

White House Black Market

I wore this suit for my first day of law school and thought its only fitting to wear it for my first day of my last semester of law school.

White House Black Market

J. Crew

Yep. I definitely bought it in tan and in pink. Don't judge me. It's a very nice suit. Granted it fits a lot better now than it did when I bought it. There's about a 20 pound difference between the tan picture and the pink picture. But that's a story for another day. 😋

White House Black Market

I wish y'all could see this suit up close. It has white, black, rust and gold threads. The way it catches the light is super interesting. This has always been one of my favorites even though it is neutral.

White House Black Market

I love this suit so much. It might just be my favorite one. It's so unique, it's pink, and it's houndstooth! All my favorite things. The shoes are also from WHBM so they are the exact color of the suit. I wore this suit for my first day at my current law firm job.

Brown Fox Coffee Co.

307 Simmons Street

This is such a cute little place. It does not have an inside seating option, but the outside area is incredibly cute. And it's right next to a neat little jewelry store so you can get your coffee and a unique pair of earrings at the same time. They also bring in live musicians and food trucks on Saturdays from time to time. I give this place an 8 for atmosphere even though there is no inside, and a 6 for flavor. I got a caramel vanilla latte, and it was good, but definitely not as sweet as I had wished that it had been.

Metto Coffee and Tea

354 West Coleman Boulevard

This place is a hidden little gem off of Coleman. I drive by it regularly but somehow still manage to forget about it sometimes. The whole little cafe seems like it's been built around this magnificent oak tree. It has a huge deck that provides as much seating outside as there is inside. I definitely give it a 9 for atmosphere. I've gotten a lot of regular coffee drinks there which I enjoyed, but wished they were sweeter (sensing a theme?) so this time I decided to get something different. So I got a Caramel Mocha freeze. It was absolutely fantastic. I give it a 8.5 for flavor.

Vintage Coffee Cafe

219 Simmons Street

This cute place is right across Coleman from the Brown Fox. It also has a really special pizza place attached to it in the back. So you can get coffee, breakfast and lunch at this place, and then get dinner and dessert and drinks at Coastal Crust in the back. I was impressed by how extensive their breakfast menu was. Usually it's fairly concise at coffee shops. They also make all their own syrups for their coffee, so I got a Hazelnut White Mocha which was a seasonal flavor. I give it a 8 for flavor and an 8 for atmosphere.

Tidal Grounds

1039 SC-41 #200

This place was another really fun discovery. It was further north in Mt. Pleasant than I usually go on a regular basis, but it was totally worth it. It somehow managed to be cozy and industrial at the same time in the most charming way. I also loved that the menu was little wooden blocks like a tasty game of scrabble. I got a Pumpkin Vanilla latte, and they had a special chocolate drink for the minion. I'm not sure who enjoyed their drink more. I give it a 9 for flavor and a 8.75 for atmosphere.

Sena Cafe

2170 Snyder Circle #117

I had seen this sweet little cafe before, in fact I almost got an apartment adjacent to it. But I was definitely not prepared for all the flavors of coffee syrups and all the amazing looking desserts. Just when I was beginning to think that downtown had the monopoly on dessert places. It is also the only place that I visited that had amaretto for coffee. That absolutely made my day. I got an Amaretto White mocha. I give it a 9.5 for flavor and a 6.5 for atmosphere.

Gala Cafe and Bakery

123 Pitt Street

I was really excited to try this particular place. I had seen people rave about it on the internet for a while as an amazing girls' lunch place and dessert spot. I was surprised when it was recommended to me as a coffee shop. And it had just moved to the Old Village too which was exciting to me. I walked in and it was a gorgeous and quaint and cozy and so enchanting inside. I got a cherry mocha and a vegan pumpkin muffin. I was feeling pumpkin and they didn't have a normal pumpkin muffin so I figured I would try the vegan one. I was absolutely floored. It was beyond amazing. It was by far the best pumpkin muffin I have ever had. I give it an 8 for flavor and a 9 for atmosphere.

Owl Bear Cafe

1964 Riviera Drive

My student recommended that I check out this place because she said she enjoyed doing her homework there. So I had to go. It is a a very quaint little place. The unique thing about this coffee shop is that they have several very tall bookshelves of different board games. So if you are looking for somewhere to get coffee and stay awhile, this is your spot. I got a pumpkin vanilla latte and a gluten free cookies and cream donut (which was fabulous tasting, I had just forgotten I don't love the texture of gluten free baked goods). I give this place a 7 for flavor and a 7 for atmosphere.

The Front Porch Coffeehouse and Creamery

3510 Park Avenue Boulevard

This special little spot is tucked in a brand new shopping center behind Costco that I had no idea existed. It was the perfect pitstop on my way north for a gig. They have a little bit of everything you could want. Coffee, ice cream, pastries and the best cake pops I have ever had. All tied up in a the perfect little cozy country farm feeling interior. For a moment you forget that you are in a super busy shopping area. And with a name like Front Porch, I'm fairly sure that was their intention. I got a pumpkin white mocha and a vanilla cake pop. I give it a 9.5 for flavor and an 8.5 for atmosphere.

Saveur du Monde

536 Belle Station Boulevard

This sweet little spot has been my neighborhood coffee shop and breakfast place for a while. I simultaneously fell in love with their spot here and in Seaside Farms without paying enough attention to realize it was the same company. Their nutella crepes are the stuff that dreams are made of, as are their nutella eclairs. Ok, yes, I love nutella. But so do the French so I come by it honestly. They used to have a limited number of flavors for their coffee, but they recently expanded their collection, much to my excitement. All three of the locations are owned by a very lovely man who is from France. Over the years, I have had many nice chats with him. I usually get something basic for coffee, but they also had a fall special which was fantastic. This day I got a caramel vanilla latte. I give them a 8.75 for atmosphere and a 9.5 for flavor.

Cooper River Coffee Roasters

1303 Ben Sawyer Boulevard #5

This place was also a new discovery. I had seen it before but had never been in. The owner was there the day that I was in and he was very nice. They had a large board with all their drinks listed on it. I got the Fireside Chat, which was chocolate and marshmallow latte. It was phenomenal. As was the lemon poppyseed muffin. The place is decorated with all different kinds of coffee beans that you can buy and take home. And a lot of them have descriptions of their tastes. I give it an 8 for atmosphere and a 9 for flavor.

Second State

766 South Shelmore Drive #202

I have watched this little coffee shop go thru many variations over the years. I've always wondered if it's the same owners that keep changing the concept, or if it is new people that keep continuing the evolution. Either way, this has always a great spot. They also have breakfast sandwiches and other yummy breakfast dishes as well as the usual pastries. I've always found their drinks to not be quite sweet enough, so this time I added vanilla to my mocha. I give it a 7 for atmosphere and 6.5 for flavor.

River Watch Cafe

71 Harry M. Hallman Boulevard

This little cafe is located in the most perfect beautiful spot about halfway down the walkway at the Mount Pleasant waterfront park. If you are trying to find it, don't follow your GPS once you hit the parking lot. Just park and walk toward the water and you will find it. This little place sells breakfast, lunch, gifts and coffee. They don't have any espresso drinks, but the coffee that they do make is fantastic. I got a drip coffee and put vanilla and hazelnut creamer in it. I wished that I had had the time to sit it and drink it there and look at the water, but I had to run on to work. I give it an 8.5 for atmosphere and a 7 for flavor.

The Village Bookseller

761 Coleman Boulevard

This little spot is a fabulous little gem that is easily breezed by on an incredibly busy road. The other tricky part is that they are only open from 10:00 - 6:00. And sometimes even when you expect them to be open, they aren't. But it is definitely worth the patience to get to experience this special place. It is a beautiful bookstore with all sorts of fabulous books for adults and children. I could have spent hours in here. I got a vanilla pumpkin latte and had a great chat with the girl working. I give it a 10 for atmosphere and an 8 for flavor.

Saveur du Monde Seaside Farms

1960 Long Grove Drive

This is the other Mt. Pleasant location of this sweet little cafe. This one is about twice the size of the Belle Hall Station location. I think this one may have a slightly larger breakfast menu as well. I could live off of macarons for the rest of my life, and so I was ecstatic that they had pumpkin macarons that day. I had never had a pumpkin one before, and it made my absolute week. I wish it was something they had on a regular basis. Since I was on a pumpkin kick for the day, I also got a vanilla pumpkin latte and got a nutella eclair as well. Just be careful though because I was unprepared for just exactly how hot the coffee would be. You won't have to worry about it getting cold quickly. I give it an 8 for atmosphere and a 9.5 for flavor.