By the time you read this, I will have packed my little black traveling case for a long, lovely weekend by the coast. Hello from Boracay!
I’ve never liked any place better than the beach. When I was younger, my family would whisk off to the islands every few months. I would revel in the soft sand, catching baby crabs and etching out my name in huge letters. My dad would take us jet-skiing for entire mornings, and after, I would lie on my back in the murmuring waves, pretending I was a mermaid. My skin would turn deep brown, and when I got back to the city, I would keep track of my tan lines on a daily basis, until, all too soon, they’d melt back into one even shade. It was always great to be home, but I never stopped missing those starlit seaside evenings.
The beach was magical, as far as I was concerned—and the way I feel about it hasn’t changed to this day.
But the way I dress for it certainly has!
I discovered the concept of “resortwear” when I was in high school, as I was thumbing through a magazine. Maybe I was predisposed to this kind of fashion to begin with, having grown up totally in love with the beach—who knows. But when I laid eyes on those printed tunics, jersey dresses, linen tops, and a certain louche garment which my mother told me was a “muumuu”—and which we now refer to as caftans—well, I was sold.
From then on, I never wore board shorts again. What was the point, when I had all these amazing options to experiment with?
My fascination with the beach—and beach style—was such a definitive part of my life that I even made it the theme for my “debut.” (I use quotation marks because, in essence, I just threw a big party without any sort of ceremony.) “Come in ‘beach glam’ attire,” read my little invite—a message-in-a-bottle sort of thing. The girls attended in sheer tunics and little white dresses and bandeau tops with linen trousers. There was a lot of bronzer. The boys were confused, resulting in a mix of Hawaiian shirts and formal leather shoes. I had a lot of fun.
Fast-forward to today. It’s summer—the most delicious, exciting, and fleeting season of all, and the springboard of my oceanic obsession. At one point or another, I expect that most of you will be hitting the shores. And before you do, here’s the question of the day: what are you wearing?
If you’re ready to embrace your inner beach goddess, don’t waste a minute! Find my easy, insta-glam guidelines below, guaranteed to help you make a splash at the shore. Pun intended.
Now off I go to work on my tan!
For more Stylewise, click below:
- 10 Forever-and-Ever Staples for a Fine Summer
- Oh, Maillot! 10 One-Pieces on My Mind
- My Life in Heels
(Flashbox photo from Sex and the City 2 courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
