Styling the Basics - at the beach

The Windy Beach Doesn't Scare Me

I'm a lucky girl! Not only did my love take me on a weekend beach getaway but he also indulged me with a quick photo shoot under the pier!  It was the perfect location to showcase my styling solution for those of you attending summer soirees and weddings on windy beaches this summer.  Long, flowy, colorful dresses can be styled up and down depending on the occasion and let you worry about more important things like chasing down the hors d'oeuvre waiter versus whether your dress will blow up and expose your Britney.  Oops!

The second dress is a vintage find from a trip we took earlier this year to New Orleans.  Originally the dress was a billowy house coat with pockets.  But I immediately saw it's potential and couldn't resist such a beautiful fabric with those brightly colored fish! I took the dress to my seamstress to slim up the sides and remove the pockets.  By wearing the dress backwards I elevated the neckline in the front which immediately gave the dress a more regal structure.  Adding my go-to gold belt dresses up the ensemble perfectly for a summer wedding I'll be attending in June.  With a little imagination I have a one-of-a-kind dress that cost just under $100 in total.  I'll take that any day!

Have fun at the beach this summer!

Photos: Evan Thompson
Dress One: Gap; Hat: Brixton; Sunglasses: Fossil
Dress Two: Vintage; Alterations: Anna's Alterations on Park Rd; Hat: Gap; Belt: Vintage