Beach Mode

Swimsuits! Sun Hats! Sunnies! Shorts! Sun-Kissed Cheeks.

Happy July 4th weekend! We are officially entering heat season (slightly late in the North East this year, which is fine by me.) To celebrate, a dense newsletter with five categories to crush the sunny days ahead.

Hats. That are not baseball hats.

This came from a reader request from the comments! “What’s a great hat that doesn’t look out of place in the city that is NOT a baseball hat?” Three below that don’t scream “I’m wearing a hat!!!!!” because I do not like when the hat is louder that the lady.

The Janessa Leone Rhett hat. I scrunched this up in my duffle to spend a week in Minnesota. Still looks perfect. There is a wire in the edge of the brim to reshape it after rolling it up and stuffing in your bag. It has a wide enough brim to cover my face, isn’t super stiff and importantly, is not a fedora. Khaite x Oliver Peoples Sunglasses (see below). Frances de Lourdes t-shirt. Sapir Bachar ring.

Jacquemus hat Jacquemus is the king of the “It” hat. This is not those hats. Its even better. I love this hat. It only really reads as fashion if you already know, my favorite kind of fashion. It is made from a windbreaker material (folds into nothing), it’s longer in the back to protect my neck and has a really pretty heathered-tan elastic strap across the back to hold it on. I initially ordered a small in this but it was too tight and sent back for a medium or 58. FYI. It kind of reminds me of this classic which I also love if you are going to do actual trekking (Maybe for you Kathy!?) . OAS terrycloth swimsuit (not in the five below but also great, so soft!) and Kloto necklace (drool! she’s on loan.)

Back of said Jacquemus hat. That lighter strap is elastic, holding it onto my head.

Madewell’s wide-brim fishing hat. This is a bit stiffer than the Jaquemus. A good option for those looking for more of a classic bucket, but wanting to stay logo-free. I particularly love how the sides can snap up and the drawstring neck cord. It’s always good to be able to throw it behind you and go hands-free. I’m wearing medium/large.

Style First Swim

Swim is such an overwhelming category, no? With so much BAD. Guys, I tried on A LOT of swim. It could be it’s own Sunday read. But for this summer, since this whole newsletter started as a place to spend LESS time thinking about clothes, lets just go over my favorites.

I wanted to find a swimsuit for this summer that felt like it hit the same design criteria I use for the rest of my wardrobe. When shopping for swim, its so easy to forget about your personal style codes, trying to mold yourself into a combo of what is out there and what will flatter. I only ordered brands/styles that felt like they suited my personal style and were not merely functional vessels, which narrowed the search. But then of course they actually did have to be functional vessels! Swimwear designers, I do not envy you.

Here, five swimsuits that feel like fashion, are functional for swim and cover enough to not make me want to run for my cover-up. It was a first place tie for one pieces between Matteau’s Scoop maillot (for a more full coverage bum, the Matteau square neck maillot is IT!) and Lido’s Trentanove. And then I had a little more fun with two-pieces since those are less function-first to start with. Overall, I’m content with my variety. It is getting me excited to for the season…if you have a pool, I’m available. Oh, and notes on all in the captions below.

If you see me this summer, I’ll be wearing one of these.

Lido’s Trentanove swimsuit - I will be showing you model shots for swim, because I’m not quite there yet to be taking swim pictures, I’m sure you understand!! Anyway. Love the ribbed almost tank-top like material of this suit. It’s slightly higher cut than I’m used to but not so much so that I refuse to give it a go. I also ordered the Uno swimsuit in black which is a silky, soft material with a criss-cross back. Both really unique but simple shapes.

Anemos balconette top and high waisted bottoms in espresso stripes. I mixed and matched and did the thick stripes on top and thin on the bottom. The top is itty bitty but kinda fun…if you’re not chasing your kid. And the bottom is thankfully full coverage, just how we like it. I feel great in it!

Matteau scoop maillot. This is the BEST swim brand! I mean, tied with Eres. I have had the square neck suit for seven years and it has not stretched out. Truly, so well made. Best colors, prints, styles. I decided to try a new style this summer, which is higher-cut than the square neck (if you want a full coverage, hold you in, plain black suit the Matteau Square Is Your BEST FRIEND.) I ended up sizing up in the scoop because I know it will not stretch out. So size 2 for me in this (their sizing is 1,2,3,4,5).

Hunza G Juno bikini. I had been wanting to try this brand forever, so this was a perfect excuse to order. I ordered both the one-piece and the bikini and much to my surprise liked the bikini more. It’s a one size fits all swim brand, much like Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please (or Michael Stars LOL!) The one-piece was just too high cut for my comfort level. But the bikini can be moved along the hip to wherever you want to place it. It was super soft and the vividness of the color is great. Only word of caution…this is more for the mom that sit’s poolside than the mom doing cannonballs. Apparently it takes FOREVER to dry. But I feel very cute in it and it’s comfy. So, its a win. I imagine it as the swimsuit I bring to the beach to change into once I don’t want to be wet anymore. *Editors note - from the time I ordered to publish, it has sold out in red. But it’s a classic so it will come back. I also LOVE the pink/purple combo. And black of course.

A fifth! This guy is not in the group photo above because I just tried out the sample for a week and it already went back to the studio (I can’t buy it all people!) This is the new collaboration from the women’s surf brand Seea and Outerknown. I tested out the sample for a week and loved how compact it felt, it really held me and the straps did not fall down at all. I was drawn to the white trim and the super simple, almost retro shape. Also comes in a great red (which I might even like better!) and black. I wore this to the community pool to splash around with my kid. I felt like myself in it and relaxed in the way one feels when they know they are appropriately dressed for the setting. Two thumbs up.

And a quick note on Eres because how can you talk about the best swim without talking about Eres?? The blue and coral swimsuits you see here? I’ve had them since 2014. (The green is slightly newer.) They are just as vibrant, just as stretchy and the same shape as when I got them. So for those who say Eres swimsuits are too expensive….their price per wear is probably less than anything you can get at Target which will hold its elasticity at most, two seasons. While the suit above is my tried and true style, they’re not in the group above because I am trying to spread my wings. I want to be excited by my swim, which I haven’t been in a while.

Chic Sunnies

I ended up ordering this Khaite x Oliver Peoples pair from our “summer off duty uniform” letter a couple weeks ago and am extremely happy with them. Have worn them everyday and not that it should really influence your decision, but they have a soft-shell case in a siren red which has greatly helped me take better care of them. 1) I don’t lose the case. 2) I’m more likely to actually use it because it’s semi-squishy and doesn’t feel bulky in my bag. My laziness usually kills sunglasses but this case, the CASE might just be what makes these my favorite sunglasses for more than one summer.

Sunglasses worn throughout. This case is the real star though! Somehow they are $150 cheaper on Mytheresa than on Khaite or Neimans. I don’t understand, but win for us!

Summer Face

No, this is NOT a beauty blog. But the internet got me and below are the two things we all must have for summer. Well, at least the two I caved on and do not regret.

Earlier this spring, I took so many Jones Road online quizzes that I ended up going to the store and getting my makeup done, prom style. I NEEDED someone to tell me what to do. (Whoever does JR social media marketing needs a raise!) Anyway, it was a great experience and I’m sold. I got the Miracle Balm in Dusty Rose and have been using it on my cheeks and lips when I have to leave the house for anything non-child related. I even keep it in my bag sometimes. Who is she!?

Miracle Balm in Dusty Rose. I was hypnotized by the videos until I caved. And then not annoyed at all I was lured in.

And then, in case you missed our community Instagram quest to find THIS LIP last month, I’m putting her here so no one misses it. Apparently I was living under a rock. Thanks to all who helped me hunt it down! The lip shade of summer. You heard it here first last.

Fara Homidi lip compact in Red 1. Have you ever seen a more perfect summer red!? I’ll wait.

Just a really great pair of shorts!!

“Boxer shorts” are trending as a swim-adjacent, summery idea but I can’t walk down the street with a straight face in something that looks like I’m actually wearing men’s underwear on the NYC sidewalk. I’m sorry, I’m just too old. Enter these Proenza Schouler White Label “boxer shorts” in seersucker. They are an easy breezy fabric (more on gingham next week - or maybe the following), they have an elastic waist (NOT a paperbag waist). They appear to be proper shorts. And they have pockets! I can dress them up and down and all around. Some outfits below, both town & country, to send us off into the sunshine.

The shorts. With the Rhett hat, Khaite x OP sunnies, Oddobody tank, Bean boat tote, flip-flops.

The shorts. With a Tory cardigan, Refine tank, granny sandals…feel free to revisit that letter here. :)

The shorts. With a High Sport polo and sneakers.

The shorts. With a blazer and vintage mules. Now we are getting carried away. I probably won’t actually wear this outfit outside…but never say never!

But I would wear THIS outfit for a ‘dressy’ lunch! The shorts. With Dorsey necklace, dreamy Frances de Lourdes t-shirt, Savette bag, and Celine mary janes (extremely decent alt. here.)

The shorts. With an old Loewe floral shirt. Fun alternates here and here. The Row sandals…but also.

Would now be a good time to tell you I found a jean jacket I don’t hate!? Its a men’s medium. And no buttons on the front pocket. And super soft. I am a convert…sort of. The shorts. With said jean jacket and Doen woven bag.

And to send us off…camp mom! The shorts. With the Khaite x OP sunnies above, tie-dye, Clare V. bag and Grenson fishermans in brown, I got them!

That’s all folks. Happy Fourth of July. Now go outside! (If its not a heat wave or unhealthy levels of forest fire smoke where you live…so like, maybe five of you go outside?)

Yours TRULY,

Becky

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