The International Rose Test Garden in Portland is the most beautiful place to visit this time of year. I’m always blown away by seeing roses in hues I’ve never experienced in nature before.

But, one corner of the garden is my absolute favorite. It switches from the expected rows of roses to massive palms and tropical plants.

I’d just found this dress at Buffalo Exchange as the summer weather finally hit — the strappy back made it the perfect choice for an unseasonably hot day. Green and royal purple are two colors I normally wouldn’t pair but it somehow worked on this dress.

A mix of bodycon silhouettes, palms prints and stripes feel right for summer:

1. Topshop playsuit, 2. ModCloth dress, 3. Topshop dress, 4. ModCloth dress, 5. Heavenly wedges, 6. Norma Kamali swimsuit, 7. Tibi dress, 8. ModCloth dress and 9. Topshop peplum top.

I’m busy exploring Europe right now and absolutely loving it (Berlin is pretty much the coolest place I’ve ever been) but at the same time, I’ll be glad to get back to Portland and soak up the rest of summer there — it’s my favorite time of year to rediscover all my favorite places across the city like the Rose Garden.

I wore: Buffalo Exchange dress (secondhand) and Marc by Marc Jacobs sneaker wedges.
Photos: Joey Maas.