A Boudoir Story Wrapped in Romance


An intimate take on a boudoir moment.




This stunning portrait session was shot by fine art photographer Jose Villa. Warm, natural sunlight played off the neutral walls of Sunstone Villa, and allowed Samantha's beauty to be the focus.


Confidence and romantic details shined through Samantha's boudoir looks so beautifully, celebrating the sweet anticipation every bride feels before walking down the aisle.



We love all the texture and delicate details on our Godiva French lace bodysuit peeking out from beneath our Sublime silk tulle veil, creating an ethereal glow around her. 



And when worn with our Godiva silk tulle cape, layers of soft silk tulle draped her silhouette like flowing water.

Then wrapped in our Nina Silk Chiffon Wrap Robe, Samantha is a vision in pure silk. The fluid drape is perfection paired with her Louboutin peep toe heels.




The effortless charm of Samantha's session is enchanting, and truly a sight to behold.

A boudoir session as lovely as this is a keepsake every bride would cherish dearly for years to come.


Xo,


Anita



Introducing Giselle Leavers Lace Robe for Anthropologie


We are so excited to share that Girl & A Serious Dream is part of the new Anthropologie Fall Intimates collection!

For the past year, we've been carefully working on new designs - testing brand new concepts and ideas - all while sourcing laces to create the most beautiful pieces. 

Every step of the way we make sure that everything we create is special, well made, and fills you with the feeling of truly owning something unique.

Our Giselle Leavers Lace robe was designed to be a fresh take on the classic robe. We wanted this design to have the essence of a bridal cover-up feel - elegant, sophisticated, and sleek - while staying true to our brand, like our eye for the little details: hand cut engineered scalloped edges, impeccable fit and versatile styling.



G&SD for Anthropologie

Giselle quickly became one of our favorite styles to date. From the moment we slipped the first one on our dress form, its fine craftsmanship and luxe fabric paired perfectly with its comfy, stylish feel. We couldn't be more proud that our Giselle robe is all handmade in the USA with love and the utmost care.

The leavers lace we use was made exclusively for us from the archives of a sixth-generation, family-owned lace mill, where they've been perfecting the art of lace making since the mid-19th century! We were smitten by the softness, and truly love how rich in texture and intricate our Giselle lace is.

Designed with an A-line silhouette for a timeless and flattering fit that easily goes from a lace robe to a chic lace jacket, finished with a removable, matching lace self-tie belt. One of our favorite things about this robe is how it can be styled as loungewear or streetwear: over your best lingerie for a chic, timeless look, or over your favorite dresses as a sophisticated lace cover-up.





We wanted Giselle to stand out, and we knew our signature hand cut lace applique was the perfect finishing detail. By expertly engineering the lace into a special spot on the garment, we were able to blur the lines between tradition and innovation by having scalloped edges all around, creating a truly unique design. 

 Available in ivory & black lace on our shop. Perfect for the holiday season worn over an LBD, paired with a cami and jeans, the options are endless...

In the studio starting production

There is about a full year of development that goes into each piece - from initial ideas to final product. It's a long journey, but it's all so worth it when we see you wearing our designs! 

Working with Anthropologie has been an amazing experience, and we're so thankful to be able to offer our favorite styles through their online shop and large-format stores in Portland, OR, Newport beach, CA.

Thank you for coming along on this amazing journey with us. We can't wait to show you what we have in store for the new season!

Xo,

Anita


Real Wedding: Something Old & Something New


Vintage-inspired glamour and Old World charm - what more could we ask for! 
Our real bride Paige took her New Orleans wedding to a new level of elegance, and back to another time.

Dressed in a stunning ensemble reminiscent of the turn of the century, Paige walked down the aisle of the breathtaking Marigny Opera House. Her beautiful dress by Sarah Seven glowed against the moody color palette of garnet and plum, while gold details that glittered the banquet hall heightened all the glitz! 

Our friend and ever-talented photographer Lauren Kinsey captured all the beauty.


Paige's Juliet cap veil we made with lace from her mother's antique wedding gown was a real showstopper


We love working one-on-one with our brides, and when Paige got in touch with us to design her wedding veil, we couldn't wait to get started! Bringing the past to life while creating something new is a design challenge we've been dreaming of.




We designed a custom Juliet silk tulle cap veil with an applique lace train, using the most gorgeous antique French lace cut from her mother's wedding gown, which was more than 25 years old. Since it was stored for so long, the wear and tear of the delicate lace was more than just beginning to show. We carefully analyzed the lace on the garment and pondered how to bring the fragile fabric back to its original state. 

The old lace developed a yellowish patina of age that we restored by professionally washing. Then we painstakingly removed each lace piece from the gown and restored the motifs by trimming each one by hand. 

Finally we were ready for the fun part: designing the veil!





Already familiar with the lace motifs from the restoring process, we spent the next days draping, arranging, and pinning the lace to find the best way to showcase its antique beauty. 

Each piece of lace was hand-cut and sewn to silk tulle, creating a truly one-of-a-kind piece.


In the studio working on Paige's veil

It was an incredible experience to design this wedding veil for Paige. We're simply delighted she was able to wear this heirloom piece that's been passed down in the family, to her very own wedding.

It means so much to us that we were able to make something so dear to her heart a part of her big day.

Xo,

Anita



Photography: Lauren Kinsey Fine Art Weddings | Cinematography: Nathan Willis Wedding Films | Coordination: Down Annie Lane | Wedding Dress: Sarah Seven | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Reformation | Catering: Dat's Good Food | Invitations and Calligraphy: Written Word Calligraphy | Men's Attire: The Black Tux | Ceremony Music: Fine Arts Ensemble | Bridal Veil: Girl & A Serious Dream | Ceremony and Reception Venue: Marigny Opera House | Event Styling and Floral: Mitchell Willis Events | Linens:La Tavola Fine Linen Rental | Napkins: Backyard Printing | Reception Band: Jimmy Maxwell | Rentals:Party Rentals Delivered | Ribbon: Silk & Willow | Second Line Band: Kinfolk Brass Band


Behind The Scenes: BHLDN + Girl & a Serious Dream

We're still in awe over our dream collaboration with BHLDN, and are excited to share all the details from behind the scenes...

After our Swan Queen blush lace robe launched at Anthropologie last Spring, we were invited to Philly to visit the URBN offices and meet with buyers for BHLDN Bridal: Anthro's sister store. 

 


All our favorite brands are headquartered on this amazing campus, where the offices were built from a renovated Navy shipyard. 



Each building on campus exclusively houses the URBN brands. BHLDN being with Anthropologie.

The design of the campus completely reflects URBN's vintage-inspired style; beautifully blending old and new, just like what you find inside Anthropologie stores! We wandered the grounds in awe of the aesthetic, the atmosphere, and the people.


Free People Building

Interior of the Anthropologie Building


Art Installation inside the Anthropologie Building

Here, with Alexa Egeck: lingerie and accessories buyer for BHLDN


The BHLDN offices were filled with lace, tulle & lots of sparkle, and the energy throughout their space was magical. Getting a behind the scenes look of their moodboards, and seeing the team hand-picking the newest samples was heaven! You could tell that everyone genuinely loved being there.
Our meeting with the amazing ladies at the BHLDN offices was wonderful. We fell in love with the culture even more, and were beyond excited to join BHLDN. 

Soon after our meeting we were given the good news. Our Elizabeth lace robe was picked up for BHLDN's Bridal lingerie shop!


BHLDN's space


 Named the Araminta lace robe, this oh-so-sweet lace robe is the perfect piece to pair with bridal lingerie, and to slip on while getting ready on your wedding day. Get yours on BHLDN now.


It's been such an amazing experience working with both Anthro & BHLDN, and we're beyond excited for everything that's in the works.

Thank you to everyone at BHLDN and our amazing G&SD team. Another big thank you goes out to my husband for all his help behind the scenes.

xo,

Anita

Delicate Bridal Boudoir from Jose Villa

We instantly fell in love with this delicate bridal boudoir session by the ever-talented Jose Villa published on Once wed.

The luminous lighting adds a soft, ethereal glow around Allison, and beautifully captures the tender moments a bride has to herself before stepping into her gown.

Our real bride Allison wore our Swan Queen Lace robe lined in nude silk for this intimate bridal session. Paired with a lovely nude lace lingerie set and her wedding veil, every image captures all the excitement and anticipation a bride feels the morning of her wedding.






The minimal styling allows the focus to be on Allison, highlighting her natural beauty and featuring all the sweet and sultry moments of a classic boudoir session.

All shot on film, every gorgeous detail is transformed into a work of art.







Dreamy bridal boudoir is one of our current obsessions, and this getting-ready story is one we just can't get enough of...

See more of this gorgeous boudoir session on Once wed.




Photography: Jose Villa | Hair & Makeup: Mar of Team Hair & Makeup

Happy Father's Day to all Dads + Daughters!


My Dad taught my siblings and I discipline, hard work, and above all, to be true to ourselves...Oh, and math...lots and lots of math! Not only is he a Mathematician, but an Engineer and University Professor as well, so as you can imagine, I had a lot to live up to! 

 I can always count on him to find beauty in the little things.With his love and support guiding me through all of life's adventures, I've always been able to dive in and work fearlessly toward my goals. 

 He walked me down the aisle, and will always be by my side. 

 Happy Father's Day to all Dads + Daughters! 

  
Girl&aSeriousDream real bride and her dad - Photo: Nadia Meli

 Love, 

 Anita

Anthropologie + Girl & a Serious Dream Lingerie: A Dream Collaboration


Before I even dreamed of starting G&SD, I've loved Anthropologie...

Simply walking into one of their stores and browsing the beautiful array of designers made me swoon, as I hold URBN brands very close to my heart. The way they convey vintage-inspired fashion and culture through their brands and catalogs has always stuck with me, and of course, shopping with them is always such a treat!

And so working with them now is a dream come true! I used to daydream that our products would be in their stores one day. So to say that working with Anthro is one of the most exciting ventures I've taken on is quite an understatement!

I was head over heels when Anthro got in touch with us and said they were interested in our designs! It was a lightning fast process from beginning to end, but seeing our pieces released through Anthropologie was completely worth it!

We came up with a special edition of our Swan Queen lace robe in the loveliest shade of blush pink. Made from a custom blush Chantilly lace, produced exclusively for us, with delicate scalloped edges, French seams, and a silk sash tie.


A bundle of blush robes sitting pretty in our #girlandaseriousdreamstudio before heading to the new anthropologie stores and website.


   

Check it out here

In addition to carrying our blush lace robe on anthropologie.com, they also just reopened the doors to their large format stores and lifestyle experience with two newly remodeled locations in Newport Beach and Portland.


Not only is our Swan Queen design available in-store, but our friend Taryn Grey recently photographed the Newport Beach grand opening and was able to snap some pics of the store for us!




The store is literally something out of a dream!

Every vignette and display is so stunningly designed. And don't get me started on the lingerie wall....I'm in awe!


Our blush Swan Queen lace robe showcased in Anthropologie intimates section in Newport Beach, California 

Anthropologie's new venture in creating destination retail spaces, with coffee shops, nail salons and blow dry bars along with new luxury brands makes for such an exciting space and immerses all visitors into the Anthropologie experience.

We are so excited to be a featured brand and hope they continue to open more large format stores nationwide.






Our blush Swan Queen lace robe showcased in Anthropologie Newport Beach, California

Thank you so much to the wonderful team at Anthro, and our amazing team at G&SD for making this all possible. Everyone in the team worked so hard to make these beautiful pieces, and I'm so very thankful! A big thank you to my husband too, for all his help behind the scenes.

It's a dream come true to be part of Anthropologie! Xo, Anita

Stay tuned for more...