Throwback at the Beach

Escaping the city heat and heading to the beach this summer? We are too! The only thing that's more exciting than some time in the sand and a drink in our hand is a new suit and accessories to go with it. Lately we've been inspired by the retro swim trend, and admittedly have been stockpiling high-waisted bottoms. If the high-waisted cut isn't for you, however, you can still get on the retro band wagon with accessories and fabric patterns. Scroll down to see what we'll be wearing at the beach this summer.

Top | High-Waisted Bottom | Bag | Sunnies | Flip Flops

Suit | Bag | Sunnies | Wedges

Once you've got the look down, it's time to pack your beach bag for your day. As year-round beach bums, we feel we have the ultimate list of must haves (trashy tabloid mags excluded!).

Wide brimmed hat that is chic and keeps the sun off your face. 

Reusable water bottle to help you stay hydrated all day.  

Large beach towel in a fun pattern, finding one that can fit two people is ideal. Sharing is caring! 

Small cosmetics bag to organize small items such as lip balm with SPF, a small hair brush, and sunscreen. We also like to include a couple snack-sized Ziploc baggies to protect items like cash, cell phones, and iPods from getting wet.   

Happy Summer!!

What We're Wearing: Day to Night looks for Summer

With summer merchandise hitting the floors we can't help but drool over the endless outfit possibilities for the coming months. Maybe it's because of those Summer Fridays, but we love the spontaneity of summer. We find it helps to have a few go-to outfits planned in advance so you'll be ready for anything. Check out our picks below, where we've shown you how to take these looks from day to night by simply changing up the accessories. Carpe diem/noctem! 

Top, Maxi | Day: Bag, Sunnies, Sandals | Night: Clutch, Sandals

It's no secret we are fans of sophisticated crop tops and metallics for day, and we love how this outfit works both. The top is a little daring, but the length and fit of the skirt keeps the look more demure. For day, this look can take you to swaying at an outdoor concert or scouring vintage finds at the flea market. Trade your bucket bag for this gorgeous mother of pearl clutch (definite splurge!) and you're ready for a romantic dinner complete with moonlit stroll.  
  

Dress | Day: Crossbody, Sunnies, Sandals | Night: Clutch, Heels

This punchy orange shift is the perfect blank canvas. For day, pair it with some neutrals for a chic shopping/lunch/errands look that is put together and unfussy. For a fab night out, turn up the volume with a vibrant purple clutch and black and white chunky heel sandals. 

Blazer, Tank, Shorts | Day: Crossbody, Sunnies, Flats | Night: Clutch, Heels

Nothing pulls an outfit together like a blazer, and this graphic tank + printed shorts combo is no exception.  For day and night, take this look almost anywhere as it is a polished balance between casual and tailored without looking like you tried too hard (and that's the whole point, right?). The tank and shorts are a way to express your personality. Have fun with it and try some unexpected pairings!

White Hot American Summer

There is nothing fresher than white, and in case you haven't noticed that whole "you can't wear white after Labor Day" thing is lonnng gone. To honor you traditionalists out there however, we're celebrating Memorial Day (aka the day you're finally "allowed" to wear white again) by sharing our top picks for summer. White is super versatile: use it as a blank canvas to make bright accessories and jewelry pop, or look effortlessly chic by layering it with other neutrals. And because there is probably nothing we hate more than VPL, we're also including some tips on how to look flawless in white. 

1. Mango 2. H&M 3. Top Shop 4. Intermix

Wear White Like a Pro: 

• In a humid climate (Hello: Miami!)? Trust us and steer clear of silk which tends to turn into a wrinkly mess fast.  More structured fabrics will fare better.
• If you'd rather not deal with complicated underthings, opt for fully lined pieces.
• Conduct a transparency test by holding the garment up to the light, and also by seeing if your hand shows through the fabric. If so, you'll need some strategic armor.  
• Avoid visible undergarments or shapewear (That's right, even Jessica Alba cops to wearing Spanx) by sticking with nude, not white. We love pieces by Cheeki, Commando, and Spanx (Hey, if it's good enough for Jessica, it's good enough for us).
• Makeup should be applied after you're dressed- no girl wants foundation on her crisp white collar.  
• Watch where you sit.
• Do yourself a favor and stick a Tide To Go pen in your handbag.

Pocketbooks & Polishes

With summer right around the corner (did we sleep through spring!?), chances are you have some fabulous soirées in your future. How better to accessorize your look than with a punchy mani and vibrant patterned clutch? To keep the pair from looking too "matchy-matchy" start with a multicolored pattern and select only one hue to highlight with a polish. Très chic! 

1. Clutch & Polish 2. Clutch & Polish 3. Clutch & Polish 4. Clutch & Polish

Glam Punk at the Met Gala 2013

Unsurprisingly, last night's Met Gala in New York City was full of major fashion moments. This year's exhibit, 'Punk: From Chaos to Couture' had us extra interested to see what our favorite celebs and tastemakers would be strutting up the Met steps. We expected to see a lot of black, safety pins, and studs and were not disappointed (we chose to ignore those whom had chosen to ignore the theme). 

What was most exciting to us, however, was seeing the unpredictable. We loved that completely un-punk ladies transformed into glam punk goddesses. Below we've selected our favorite looks from the night as well as our favorite punk inspired pieces to make your own. Because every girl has a little misfit inside of her.

Top: Miranda Kerr/Michael Kors, Jessica Alba/Tory Burch, Jennifer Lawrence/Dior, Dakota Fanning/Rodarte. 

Bottom: Taylor Swift/J. Mendel, Cameron Diaz/Stella McCartney, Minka Kelly/Carolina Herrera

1. ASOS 2. Top Shop 3. Vince Camuto 4. ASOS

Red Carpet Crush: Selena Gomez's Crop Tops

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably noticed crop tops are back in full force. Starlets have been dabbling in the trend since last summer, but we're totally digging the lady-like yet youthful take Selena Gomez has been gracing the carpets with.  

Spring Breakers (!) SXSW Premiere & 2012 Kid's Choice Awards

                

The trick to keeping the look classy like Selena is to show only a sliver of skin by pairing the crop top with a high waisted skirt or shorts. This can be surprisingly flattering because it exposes the narrowest part of your torso, creating an hourglass illusion. If you want a more modern and youthful look try playful shapes, vivid colors, and mixed textures.

1. Top, Skirt 2. Top, Skirt 3. Top, Skirt

1. Top, Skirt 2. Top, Skirt, 3. Top, Skirt

Ode to Chunky Heel Sandals

We've recently noticed that chunky heels are everywhere. Not only do they make a statement, but they are also super comfy on our (stiletto-challenged) feet because of the thickness of the heel. This style may be overwhelming to your figure, so if you're looking to elongate your stems try lighter tones which won't visually cut you off at the ankles.

       

1. Senso 2. Calvin Klein 3. Sigerson Morrison

       4. Elizabeth & James 5. Rachel Roy 6. Ted Baker

                                      7. BCBGMAXAZRIA 8. Rachel Zoe 9. Rachel Roy

Trends We Love: Metallics for Day

Much to our delight, daytime metallics have been tapped as a Spring '13 trend. We can't help but feel that the trend is a nod to Miss Serena Van Der Woodsen's sequins-for-day style (RIP GG). Pastel metallics are our favorite for spring and summer, pair them with light neutrals or work them into a monochrome outfit.  If you want a more subtle look, pieces with metallic accents are a great place to start.

Trousers, Polishes, Sunnies, Sandals, Tote, Shirt, Earbuds, Clutch

Trends We Love: Short Suits in Prints and Textures

Short suits graced the runways for Spring '13 (Michael Kors, Helmut Lang, Rebecca Minkoff), and we couldn't wait to see them translated to more affordable ensembles we could rock. We were kind of bummed that the trend didn't blow up more because it left us with limited options. Check out the affordable little numbers you can purchase now and sport all the way through summer (or year round if you live in Miami!). We love how the use of white and cream in the below prints and textures keep these suits looking light and airy.

1. Mango 2. Mango 3. Top Shop 4. Mango

If none of these "perfect pairs" grab you, or if you're not ready to invest in the trend you can get a similar look by creating your own shorts + blazer combo.  Don't get caught up in trying to match fabrics and colors, mixing and matching is a way to make the outfit all your own.  We pulled together some looks to get you started- the possibilities are endless!  Happy styling!

1. Blazer, Shorts 2. Blazer, Shorts 3. Blazer, Shorts 4. Blazer, Shorts