I was mesmerized by The Biltmore in Asheville, so it really shouldn’t come as any sort of surprise that I cherished my time at The Breakers in Newport. To be completely honest, my Floridian upbringing and I had never heard of the Newport Mansions prior to visiting Kyle’s mom in Rhode Island. It’s one of the first sight-seeing suggestions she made, and as soon as I heard the name Vanderbilt, I was all in. 

Since The Breakers in Newport is known as the crown jewel of the area– or maybe even of Rhode Island itself, I got dressed in my Sunday best just to set foot on the prestigious property. I opted for this classic black and white Whitney Ruffle Dress from Brit Rose. The dramatic ruffled collar and gold button front closure sold me on this dress. Those little embellishments add so much class to an ordinary black and white dress. I accessorized with a classic black leather Vera Bradley satchel and black ballet flats. Head down to the bottom of this post for outfit details!

Before diving into some pretty amazing travel shots, please keep Brit Rose in mind the next time you feel the urge to indulge in some online shopping. They have absolutely adorable clothing and accessories, and your purchase will benefit the Brit Rose Foundation, which is a family run nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise awareness for suicide prevention, mental illness, and bullying. Inspired by the loss of their beautiful daughter Brittney, the funds raised will go directly to several organizations dedicated to changing the way we talk about mental health, like The Grant Halliburton Foundation, American Association for Suicide Prevention, and National Alliance on Mental Illness. The story behind Brit Rose is a tear-jerker, and the passion behind their mission is palpable.

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The Newport Mansions, which consists of eleven historic properties and landscapes (seven of which are now National Historic Landmarks), trace America’s architectural, social, and cultural development from the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. The Breakers in Newport, not to be confused with The Breakers in West Palm Beach, was built in an Italian Renaissance style as the ultimate Newport summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II. It covers a gross area of 125,339 square feet with 62,482 square feet of living space scattered throughout seventy rooms on five floors.

Upon entry, you’ll have the option of exploring independently or taking a pretty awesome guided audio tour. Kyle and I were privy to a condensed version of only the best and most entertaining information by his mom. Sorry, she’s not available to the public.

The rules on photography keep changing, so depending on when you visit, you may or may not be allowed to take photos inside any of the Newport mansions. To our surprise, we actually were able to, but by the time we made it inside, my DSLR camera had of course died. I did manage to snap some decent photos on my iPhone, but they honestly don’t compare to the absolutely breathtaking gardens of The Breakers in Newport.

Also, let’s talk about the definition of gate goals. After over a hundred years of extensive rust and actual loss of decorative elements, the newly-restore north side driveway, which consist of two large gate sections (each weighing more than 5,000 pounds) and the crown top of the gate, were reinstalled in April 2012. Stunning is obviously an understatement.

Shop the Look: Black and White Ruffle Dress: Brit Rose, $48 (on sale) | Ballet Flats: Betsey Johnson (similar), $99 | Bag: Vera Bradley, $137 (on sale) | Watch: Michele, $445 | Bangle: Kendra Scott, $70 | Necklace: Kendra Scott, $65 | Sunglasses: Fantas-Eyes, $23

Who else has been to the The Breakers in Newport? Or to anyone of the Newport Mansions? I’d love to hear your experiences, as well!