Brands I Love

I’m constantly on the hunt for new brands and retailers on the market. In the past few months I’ve discovered some companies that have earned my stamp of approval and quickly become a few of my favorite places to shop. Today I thought I would talk about three of them—Everlane, & Other Stories, and Monday Swimwear.

Everlane:

As a young woman who just started her first full-time professional job, I’ve come to see Everlane is a great resource for finding high quality, basic pieces at a reasonable price. Their clothing is nice enough to wear at the office, but comfortable and balanced. I find them both trendy and classic. See for yourself:

everlane, professional clothes

everlane, professional clothes

everlane, professional clothes

everlane, professional clothes

& Other Stories:

If you love H&M’s fashionable pieces, but find yourself disappointed in the standard of their quality, look no further than & Other Stories. Coming from the same people who brought you H&M, & Other Stories is literally a couple of stories above them, unintended he he. This collection is more expensive than H&M pieces, but you’re paying for better made items. Though just as stylish, & Other Stories is not competing with other fast fashion retailers like H&M and Forever 21. Instead they are selling items that are built better and can last. Check them out:

& Other Stories, Fashionable Clothes

& Other Stories, Fashionable Clothes

& Other Stories, Fashionable Clothes

& Other Stories, Fashionable Clothes

Monday Swimwear:

I’ve talked about the subject of swimwear many times on the blog, usually with a heavy sigh, because it’s the one category of clothing that is difficult for me to find a good fit for my form. That’s not because I don’t see tons and tons of styles that I would love to wear, but instead it’s because the bathing suit industry rarely offers sizes and cuts for the common woman. Luckily Monday Swimwear is here to make the swimsuit buying process more fruitful for your everyday girl. They offer a range for women up to an E/F cup with an impeccable fit and standard. They refuse to include any piece that has not been tried on and fit the buyer’s body and needs. Their Clovelly top, in particular, is well known for being supportive and flattering. Keep scrolling:

Monday swimwear, bathing suits

Monday swimwear, bathing suits

Monday swimwear, bathing suits

Monday swimwear, bathing suits

“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” –Bill Cunningham

Swimsuit Cover Ups

With warm weather, the beach, and bathing suits on the brain, I can’t forget about an often overlooked yet equally (if not more) important summer staple…cover ups. There’s nothing worse than shopping for months and finally finding the bathing suit of your dreams only to realize that you have nothing to wear over it on your way out the door to a last minute pool side BBQ. We have all been there—your favorite low rise jean shorts look weird with a high waisted swimsuit bottom underneath; or maybe your bikini top isn’t sitting well beneath your tank. Or worse, your swimsuit ties are rubbing uncomfortably against your hips because your shorts are too tight with your bathing suit bottoms on, but you hate the tacky look of ties hanging out the waist of your jeans so you just can’t win. No matter what the issue might be, there usually is one (if not a couple) of set backs that make getting dressed for a swim day a drag.

Instead of going through this fashion fumble another year in a row, I’m planning ahead and shopping for cover ups early. To me, the best type of cover up is one that can be worn all year long, like an oversized t-shirt dress or a lightweight cardigan. Take a look at my cover up shopping list and save yourself from the stress of picking out an outfit that doesn’t make you feel confident. It’s not worth it.

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Zappos

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Nordstrom

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Zappos

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Nordstrom

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Nordstrom

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Vineyard Vines

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Anthropologie

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Zappos

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Zappos

swimsuit cover ups, summer, bathing suit

Nordstrom

“Summertime is always the best of what might be.” –Charles Bowden

Not Your Average One Piece

As a pre-teen and teenager, I ran as far away from one piece bathing suits as I could. Bikinis were cool, and one piece bathing suits were lame, period. I associated one pieces with little kids or moms. Two pieces were a right of passage—the minute you put one on you instantly joined a club that all the girls I ever looked up to and wanted to be like were already in. It was kind of like when you start shaving or wearing a bra. Once I was in, I definitely wasn’t going back. 

Yet here I am, a 23 year old in 2018, finding myself wanting to buy a one piece! Here’s the thing: one pieces are COOL now. Either I didn’t notice back when I was fixated on two pieces, or they have really upped their game, but one piece bathing suits for my age group no longer just come in the junior life guard plain tank top look, with no added designs, styles, or embellishments. Now they are flattering, fashionable, and fun! If you’re curious about this new bathing suit revolution, check out a few one piece suits I have my eyes on: 

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Reformation

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Barneys New York

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Revolve

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Ted Baker

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Reiss

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

AllSaints

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Carbon38

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Ted Baker

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Ted Baker

one piece bathing suit, summer, spring, swimming

Carbon38

“Don’t grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach.” –Michelle Held

Vintage Style

Most trends are cyclical, moving in and out of vogue over time. What was fashionable for an older generation, i.e. bellbottoms, may be a dreaded faux pas later; yet some pieces are so iconic that they have made repeated encores. Here are a few examples of style fads that have made impressive comebacks:

Oversized Sunglasses

oversized sunglasses, vintage style

oversized sunglasses

High Waisted Bathing Suit

high waisted bathing suit

high waisted bathing suit

Square Scarf

square scarf

square scarf, vintage style

Beret

beret, vintage style

beret, vintage style

Pea Coat

Pea Coat

pea coat

Wide Leg Pant

wide leg pant

wide leg pant

Oversized Sun Hat

oversized sun hat

oversized sun hat

Off The Shoulder

off the shoulder dress

off the shoulder dress

Crop top

crop top

crop top

LBD

Little Black Dress

Little Black Dress

High Waisted Jeans

high waisted jeans

high waisted jeans

Asymmetrical Shoulders

asymmetrical dress

asymmetrical dress

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” —Coco Chanel

ModCloth Swimwear

I know it’s only April, but the warmer weather has got me thinking about beach days and lake trips! Every Spring I like to make sure my swimsuit collection is ready for Summer. I’m attracted to vintage pieces that are supportive and comfortable. ModCloth has a variety of options to choose from. Here are a few of my favorite swimsuits from their line:

ModCloth Swimwear

Chilling by the Cove

ModCloth Swimwear

Sass on the Beach

ModCloth Swimwear

Beachy as ABC

ModCloth Swimwear

Coastline Icon

ModCloth Swimwear

Haute in the Hamptons

Swimsuit Season

It’s finally time to pull out those swimsuits. Whether you’re headed to the pool or a lakeside bbq, stylish swimwear is in order. I love bathing suits that feel timeless, unique, and flattering. I always struggle this time of year. It’s hard to find a bikini I feel both confident and fashionable in. Luckily, I discovered albionfit! Their bathing suits are truly one of a kind. There is a swimsuit for every shape, size, and style. They are vintage and modern all at the same time–voguish.

Check out a few of my favorites:

albionfit swimwear

albionfit swimwear

albionfit swimwear

albionfit swimwear

“People will stare. Make it worth their while.” —Harry Winston

Swimwear

Finding the perfect bathing suit, particularly bathing suit top, has always been a struggle! I either love the way a suit looks on the hanger and it ends up not fitting me well, or it fits me and I’m not thrilled about how it looks. Fortunately, I have finally found the perfect bathing suit for me!

Cotton On Booster Bandeau

This is the Booster Bandeau from Cotton On. It is supportive, cute, and comfortable. I think the difference with this bathing suit and some of the ones I am used to wearing is that they size the tops by bra size. I no longer have to try and fit into only three sizes–small, medium, and large.

Shop the look here! I bought a second one in black too.

Pool Day

What to bring to the pool.

On a day when the beach is just too crowded, make it a pool day, and ditch the make-up. Instead, use an organic sunscreen to protect you from both the harmful UV rays and unhealthy chemicals. I love bringing a chap stick since my lips love to succumb to the heat too.

Perfect hat and cover up for a pool day.

Don’t forget your shades! Anthropologie has a wonderful selection. Remember, they aren’t just for style, but to help make reading Cosmo and the new Jeanette Walls novel a little bit easier.

Shoes and summer reading ideas.

Light toned sandals, a baggu bag, and cute fedora help my bright bathing suit stand out. It was hard for me to find the perfect suit this year, but if you’re ever in Santa Cruz, Beach St. Boutique has an array of options and colors for everyone.

Bags to bring to the pool.

You might want to find a loose and lovely cover up with many colors so you can wear it with any suit, or even on a night out. The last thing to remember—water, and try adding a delicious cucumber or lemon for a nutritional twist.

What to pack for a pool day.

Ahh… All ready to go!