Beach Style

Dress:              Zara (old, but cute here and here on sale)
Sandals:          LAUREN Ralph Lauren (on sale) 
Swimsuit:       Zinke
Sunglasses:    Ray Ban
Bag:                 Gap (in other colors here on sale)

This past weekend I was in Montauk, New York for my best friend’s bachelorette party.  For those of you who haven’t been, Montauk is a great little surf/beach town all the way out on the end of Long Island.  The first day we got there the weather wasn’t so hot, but the next two days were perfect, possibly the best beach days of the year. 

When I ordered this dress from Zara I knew I wanted to use it as a swimsuit cover-up.  I thought the pattern and bell sleeves were perfect for that.  When the dress came though, it was down to my knees.  Not flattering for a cover-up, so I had it hemmed to this length.  Sometimes its worth paying a little extra to have an item tailored so that it fits just the way you want it to.

MBFWSwim: What I Wore

 

Dress:             Zara (old, but similar here)

Shoes:            Jimmy Choo (no longer available, but similar here)
Bag:                Rebecca Minkoff (on sale)
Earrings:        Ippolita (no longer available, but similar here)
Rings:             Violetfly on Etsy, AmyOHandmade on Etsy 

As soon as I found out I was going to a show at MBFWSwim, I immediately knew I wanted to wear something bright.  I originally planned on wearing a multicolored, silk Alexis maxi-dress, but with the unpredictable weather and the heat, I decided against it.  Instead I went with this purple Zara wrap dress that I’ve had in my closet for over three years.  This dress is one of my favorites.  The color is bright and beautiful, the shape is flattering, and the material is perfectly drapey.  I did my hair in a combo french-fishtail braid, which is surprisingly easy to do and great for the Miami humidity.  You can read more about the shows I attended at MBFWSwim here and here.

Like A Boy

Shirt:            Victoria's Secret   

Jeans:           Rag & Bone  
Shoes:          Nike   
Watch:         Michael Kors   
Sunglasses:      Ray-Ban
Rings:            Violetfly on Etsy 

One thing I hate about my job is that I have to dress up in a skirt and heels every day.  So, when I’m not at work I try to keep it pretty comfortable and casual.  Even though I kind of feel like a boy in this outfit, it’s pretty much my ideal.  A soft tank top, stretchy jeans and comfy shoes… doesn’t get better than that!

I held off on the wedge sneaker trend for a while.  I couldn’t bring myself to drop $600+ on the Isabel Marant’s, and I’m not one for knock-offs, so I waited and waited.  Finally, Nike came out with the Sky Hi wedge version of their classic Dunks, and at only a little over $100, I couldn’t resist.  I thought the color of this pair was a little out there, but I liked that.  I figured if I was going to go for it, I might as well go all the way; and despite the crazy color I actually wear them a lot.  So much so that I think I’m going to buy the all black ones for the fall. 

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim: SUBOO

***ALL PHOTOS ©GETTY IMAGES***

 

So even though I was only invited to the Dolores Cortes show originally, thanks to my boyfriend’s irresistible charm we were able to see a second show—SUBOO.  SUBOO is an Australian brand by designer Sue Di Chio.  This was SUBOO’s second year showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami, and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

The SUBOO show was held in a tent on the beach behind the Raleigh.  There was something about being on the sand that made this show feel a little more “Miami.”  The models were superrrrr tall, and all sported slicked back hair.  To me, the overall vibe of the show was sleek and sexy.  Everything had a geometric feel, from the patterns of the fabric and the shapes of the suits to the strategically placed cut-outs.  Personally, I really love long-line bikini tops, so this collection was right up my alley.  I could see myself wearing a lot of the pieces, but my favorite is the black and goldish suit in the second picture.  Check out my Instagram for a video of the show’s finale @ERIKAH318.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim: Dolores Cortes

 

***ALL PHOTOS ©GETTY IMAGES***

 

This past Friday night I had the pleasure of attending the Dolores Cortes show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim held at the Raleigh Hotel in South Beach.  This was my first fashion show ever, so as you can imagine, I was beyond excited.  Dolores Cortes is a Spanish designer and was the only European designer invited to show at MBFWSwim this year.   Cortes described her 2014 collection—which combines bright colors like blue, pink, yellow and green, with metallic spikes and studs—as fusion of jungle and punk.  I absolutely loved it.

When I first walked into the tent where the show was going to take place I felt like a little kid in a candy store.  I couldn’t stop looking around.  I was trying to play it cool but inside I was kind of freaking out.  It looked just like I pictured it would—the lights, the cameras, everything… but still, it was a lot to take in.  Then they lowered the lights, turned on the music and the models started walking.  It. Was. Awesome.  The models were all bronzed to perfection with punk rock hairstyles and make-up.  The swimsuits and cover-ups were bright and colorful, adorned with edgy metallic details.  Very youthful and modern.   I loved the unique cuts of the swimsuits and all of the different floral patterns.  My favorite though, was the gold spiked bikini top… I mean, just bad ass. 

I didn’t post any of the pictures I took because silly me decided not to bring my big camera and to use my iPhone instead.  I thought it would be annoying to lug my big heavy camera around, and figured that the quality of the iPhone pictures would be good enough. Welllllllll I was wrong.  The lighting from the runway and the iPhone did not mix well and you can’t see the swimsuits clearly (you live, you learn I guess).  But if you want to check those pictures out you can find them on my Instagram @ERIKAH318. 

You can shop the Dolores Cortes 2013 collection here.

Stay tuned for my next post on the Suboo show.

What To Wear to Miami Swim Week

Today marks the start of Miami Swim Week, otherwise known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim.  What better place to host a fashion week dedicated entirely to swimwear than Miami—the land of the teeny bikini? This year MBFWSwim is being held at the Raleigh Hotel and will feature top swimwear designers like Mara Hoffman, Vix, L*Space, and Luli Fama.

Since I’m basically a native Miamian now (after being here for almost 9 years), I thought I would put together some outfit ideas for anyone headed to Miami for this year’s Swim Week.

WHAT TO WEAR ON THE PLANE: 

Jeans, a loose tank and some wedge sneakers (to keep your feet warm on the plane).  Don’t forget a big tote bag to hold all the stuff that didn’t fit in your suitcase.

 

 

 

WHAT TO WEAR TO THE BEACH:

A fun towel, bright bikini (here it’s the smaller, the better) and a stack of bracelets (yea, people here wear jewelry to the beach, weird right?). That’s all you’ll need.

 

 

 

WHAT TO WEAR TO A FASHION SHOW:

 

A bright silk maxi, colorful clutch, bold earrings and a gold cuff.  I plan on wearing something like this to the Delores Cortes show on Friday night (follow me on instagram @erikah318 for updates from the show).

 

 

 

WHAT TO WEAR TO THE AFTER PARTY:



An LBD and statement necklace.  Keep the shoes and bag simple.  Don’t be afraid to show a little skin… this is Miami after all.

 

High-Low

 

 

Shirt:    Zara (old, but similar here)

Jeans:   Zara

Shoes:  ETRO

Bag:      YSL

 

 

I named this post High-Low not only because of the shirt I’m wearing, but because when picking out my outfits, one of my favorite things to do is mix high-end and low-end items.  In this outfit, I kept my jeans and top pretty basic but added designer accessories.  I find that I do this often, because usually, if I spend a lot of money on something, it’s in the form of shoes or a bag.

 

 

When I’m deciding whether or not to splurge on a designer item, my main concern is whether it will withstand the test of time.  Is it an investment piece? Will it go out of style quickly? Will it hold up well? Will I get a lot of use out of it?  That being said, I usually gravitate to classic or very unique designer accessories that I know will go with lots of stuff I have in my closet, and will not be easily damaged or hard to care for. 

 

 

Take these shoes for example.  Even though they are not “classic,” I wouldn’t consider them “trendy” either.  To me they are a unique statement piece that you don’t see every day.  I was drawn to the fact that these shoes have a chunkier heel, making them appropriate for both day and night. Also, the chunky heel minimizes the risk that they will be destroyed by one slip of the heel into a sidewalk crack (we all know that horrible that feeling). The black and white color also makes them super versatile and easy to pair with different outfits.

 

 

When it comes to my clothes though, I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum. I usually stay away from high-end designers, and like to stick to stores like Zara or H&M, where you can get fashion forward items for a good price.  This allows me to try out trends without the guilt of spending a ton of money on something that is just going to go out of style in a month. 

 

 

I find that combining high-end accessories with lower-end items is a great way to give an outfit an “expensive” look, even if what you’re wearing didn’t cost that much.

 

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ERIKAH318