casual style

Beach bags for summer 2014

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Swimwear  tagged beach / casual style / summer 2014 / totes by

One of the necessities for summer 2014 is a fabulous beach bag! When the sandy beach calls, the last thing you want to do is bring your prized designer tote to the beach where it can be bleached by sun, filled with sand, get wet; or who knows what?! Beach days call for a beach tote which is playful and reflective of the fun times that can be had while playing on the sand, in the water, and around a beach town.

There are so many things to look for in the perfect beach tote. The main features a beach tote needs for the summer season is to be sturdy, roomy, easy to wear over the shoulder (never know when you need to free up your hands for a boogie board, surf board, cooler, etc.), colorful, and lightweight. For summer 2014, there are many beach bags on the market which fill these needs. Since this is the case, it is time to start looking for a pattern, print, color combination, and style which fits your personality; and your hot-off-the-runway beach-wear!

For summer 2014, beach bags are being shown with classic nautical stripes, in bright colors, clear PVC, with playful prints, catchy sayings and in timeless straw. Since beach bag styles for summer are a little bit different than the trends we saw on the runways, they are not in line with the trends we are seeing in swimwear and beachwear for the summer 2014 season. 

When wearing beachwear or swimwear in graphic prints, stripes and with sporty inspiration, look for a solid colored beach bag, clear PVC, or one with a solid background and kitschy saying in one color. This way the beach tote will stand on its’ own without competing with your overall ensemble.

If you are going for a classic, all-black look on the beach, or a brightly colored ensemble in solid hues, look for a beach bag with stripes, a playful print or straw. This will add dimension to your solid hued look and make your beach bag a focal point in your overall look. Love that!

I found a few fabulous beach totes around the web for summer 2014 and assembled them into the shopping widget below. I hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

What are your favorite beach tote styles for summer 2014?

Espadrilles for summer 2014

 in General Fashion / Shoes / Shopping / Trends  tagged beach / casual fashion / casual style / espadrilles / runway trends / street style trends / summer 2014 / wedges by

espadrilles summer 2014

 

Pictured: Black and white espadrilles / orange espadrilles / wedge espadrilles / striped espadrilles.

Espadrilles are a classic summer staple nearly every Fashionista needs in her closet. Aside from walking barefoot on the beach, espadrilles are the one street shoe which makes walking on sand easy. In addition to making walking on the beach a breeze, espadrilles look casual and laid-back; which is what summer is all about!

There are many espadrilles on the market for summer 2014 which reflect the trends we saw on the spring/summer 2014 runways in New York. In addition to the runway trends, leopard print espadrilles are a huge street trend this summer!

Wondering how to wear espadrilles outside of the beach or pool party circuit? Espadrilles look amazing with maxi skirts, maxi dresses, wide leg pants, shorts, cotton dresses and any casual summertime look. Espadrilles are an easy alternative to flip flops or sandals when putting together a ultra-casual look on the weekends, after work or while on vacation. Wedge espadrilles are a great way to be casual without having to give up a little lift.

I found a few fabulous espadrilles for the summer 2014 season around the web and assembled them into this article. When shopping for espadrilles for the summer 2014 season, look for animal prints, stripes, black/white, bright colors and graphic prints.

What are your favorite espadrille styles for the summer 2014 season? Do you prefer flats or wedges?

Summertime black, white and pink

 in General Fashion  tagged casual style / monki / outfits / rebecca minkoff / summer 2014 by

DSC_0074DSC_0079DSC_0092DSC_0080DSC_0076DSC_0100

Pictured: Earrings: John Hardy / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana “Petal” / Dress: Monki / Necklace: Stella & Dot (old, also love this one) / Belt: Target (old, also love this one) / Bracelets: Beau Bijou, Tory Burch / Nail Polish: Chanel “Sweet Lilac” / Handbag: Rebecca Minkoff / Shoes: SixtySeven / Toe Nail Polish: c/o Dolce & Gabbana “Petal“

In the summer months, I love wearing dresses as an alternative to pants or shorts. They can be just as comfortable and cool as shorts; yet appear so much more “put together.” I love this little striped dress by Monki for summer. It can be worn casually without a belt and paired with flat sandals, or dressed up as in the photos above. For less than $40, that is downright amazing!

This summer I have been gravitating towards black and white pairings with pops of pink or blue. This tote bag has been my go-to “pop of pink” since January when I first purchased it! I had originally planned to bring it to New York with me last February for fashion week, but it was too big to fit inside my suitcase, yet not big enough to use as a travel tote. Since I refuse to check my bags for fear of the airline losing one, I always try to pack things which fit easily in my carry-on. It would have been perfect during fashion week because it is roomy and would have fit my camera, a scarf, gloves, iPad and more!

This Rebecca Minkoff tote bag has been an amazing handbag this season. It can fit extra clothing, a book, my laptop and more. I can’t wait to see which colors it comes in this fall. I may need to to invest in a fall hued one. . .

Do you have a favorite piece you cannot live without this summer? Any great deals on clothing you are excited about for the summer season?