Category: Lookbooks

Good morning all!!!

About two weeks ago, I was contacted by someone from Spring, an online store inspired by the boutiques lining Spring Street in New York. Featuring items from over 900 brands, tons of sale prices, and a range of prices from under $75 to over $500, this is an amazing online resource to find great sales on clothes, accessories, beauty, and lifestyle items. I was asked to write a post about my clothing and accessory must-haves for the beach this season and, after browsing several items and brands, I wanted to share with you what I would love to wear and bring to the beach.

To start, this Ted Baker shopper bag would be the cutest beach tote. I love the floral pattern and the square shape, plus the internal pocket would be the perfect place to zip away a bit of money in case an ice cream truck drove by. While this bag is quite small, it would be just the right size to bring everything with me, right down to a water bottle to stay hydrated and a good book to read. And, of course, all my other beach must-haves included in this post. With weeks of hot sunny summer days ahead, a hat is a definite must-have for a beach day, especially if your skin is porcelain white like mine. This Me to We Boater Hat is such an adorable style with the statement black ribbon trim against the simplistic wide brim design, plus Me to We donates a portion of each purchase cost to Free the Children, a charity that seeks break the cycle of poverty in developing countries. So, this hat does so much more than shade my face from the sun.

These sunglasses are from a brand I had never heard of before going through all of the sunglasses available from Spring’s accessory store, but I think I would really enjoy them. The subtle cat-eye shape and tinted lenses give them a timeless chic look, and I would expect them to flatter a wide variety of face shapes. Most importantly, these sunglasses offer 100% UV protection to keep eyes safe when out in the sun, especially if by the water.

Now, when it comes to clothes to wear and bring to the beach, I went a little crazy and selected a whole bunch of options because there were so many lovely clothing items. While browsing the online store, I discovered the brand Genuine People and absolutely fell in love with their designs, especially these rompers. I couldn’t pick which one I would wear to the beach, so I just included them all to showcase how gorgeous they are and illustrate why I had such a difficult time deciding on just one.

 

Now, in case I wanted to pack a romper to wear over my swimsuit at the end of the beach day, I would probably wear a dress like this French Connection one. The style is adorable, and I love the sheer white fabric with raised dot effect. Plus, it is lined. The scalloped trim peter pan collar and scalloped edging on half button-through placket adds to the cuteness of the style, and the gentle pleating at skirt makes the fit and flare dress even more flattering. In addition, the three-quarter length sleeves is perfect for summer weather. This dress falls just above the knee, and could be worn with white converse, black flats, flip flops, or heels for a summer dinner or barbeque. The only cons to this dress are that it is 100% polyester, which is not nearly as breathable as cotton, and is dry clean only.

I could also opt for a shirt and shorts combo to wear to the beach, in which case I would wear something like this super cute Genuine People Back Bow Tie Striped Blouse, which is made of a breathable cotton blend, and is unlined to keep it light and flouncy. The gathered bottom and sleeves are such adorable finishing touches, and I love the huge bow tie at the back.

The shorts I would most likely pair with this shirt would be the Kendall + Kylie Washed Black Cuffed Denim Mom Shorts. Since the comeback of high waisted denim a few years back, I have been loving how flattering it is, and I haven’t really gone back to hip-hugging bottoms. These shorts hit a very flattering part of the leg, and the rolled-up cuffs give them a playful vibe.

Swimsuits are something I really struggle to purchase because I feel like they never fit quite right and they are not usually very flattering. This suit, however, is such a gorgeous modern take on the classic bikini that I would give it a try. The parallel double straps and brass coin bling at the ends of the centre tie give this ever-chic black polka dot swimsuit a but of an edgy look. The low-rise fit and extra long adjustable side ties help to make the bottom piece fit as well as possible, also featuring antique brass coins at the ends of the ties. Both the top and the bottom are fully lined, and are made from a unique Lycra blend fabric. The top features removable padding, and the bottom is available in both Full cut and True Brazilian cut.

And now for shoes. I selected one pair of flats and one pair of sandals because I typically wear one or both of these styles to the beach. The flats are great shoes to wear if I am spreading out a blanket on the sand and sitting in the shade of a beach umbrella reading a book, but the sandals are far more practical if I am planning to go anywhere near the water. I think both of these styles would look lovely with any of the outfits above, but I would have to narrow down my choices if I wanted to get everything into my one beach tote.  What items are on your beach day wish list???