Not a Curtain

Hey lovebugs,
I'm back from my very well rested vacation in New Hampshire. I hope you enjoyed the fabulous bloggers who were nice enough to fill in for me while I was away. Today we're getting right back into it and looking a great style of dress that flatters any shape or size, the drape.

Nordstrom, Max & Cleo Lylia, $75

What a stunner this dress is. I'm thinking about getting it for a September wedding.

Macy's, DKNYC One Shoulder Dress, $29

A great priced dress for a Saturday night out with the girls. I'd add some silver earrings and go!

Elie Tahari, Christie Draped Jersey Dress, $62

I'm sorry an Elie Tahari for $62? Just say yes.

Banana Republic, Cowlneck matte jersey dress, $98

I would feel like one hot Barbie in this number.

A dress with some draping can be really beautiful when it lays correctly. For taller, thinner women try the draping tighter to the waistline, for those of us trying to conceal something a loser drape that cascades is the best bet.

Be fabulous today!

Guest Post: A Lacey Perspective

And our last fabulous blogger for a week of guest posts; please enjoy a peek inside Lacey's beach bag!

 

I never go to the pool/beach without my favorite panama hat, bright cover-up, sunnies, sunscreen or a good read. 

 

 If anyone is curious about the book above, I would call it entertaining but not well written.

xoxo

Lacey :)

Guest Post: So Much to Smile About

Hi Capital readers! Liz here from So Much to Smile About. I’m so happy to be helping Kelsey out with a guest post today, and am super excited that she was wondering what is in my beach bag! I love summer and heading to the beach whenever possible (and you’ll find me at the pool when it’s not), so this was the perfect post for me. 

In addition to a cool drink and some good reading material, the most important things I pack are the swimsuit, towel and sunglasses (of course). My favorite swimsuit these days is this one from Old Navy – I wear it all the time. Also, I recently found this beach towel from Bloomingdales and need to make it mine. It’s a reprint from a Conde Nast magazine (and it’s on sale)! And my go-to sunglasses will always be Ray-Bans, either these aviators or the classic wayfarers. Finally, you can’t forget some sunblock (this Clinique City Block is perfect for my face), a fun hat, these sandals and some Bumble and Bumble surf spray to keep my hair looking beach-y perfect. When I’m all situated, I just put in my headphones and listen to some tunes (you can find my summer playlist here). Now, get me to the beach!

Guest Post: Capital Style

First, a big thanks to Kelsey for having me today! I LOVE the beach, so when she asked me to write about the must haves in my beach bag...well she didn't have to ask twice. So without further adieu, here are the 5 things you will find in my beach bag.

J. Crew {$165}

1. Sunscreen: I have darker skin and don't really sunburn (except that time I sat out from noon till 6pm on a cruise ship somewhere in the Caribbean - not smart), but I am concerned about sun damage and super concerned about wrinkles as my twenties disappear in the rear-view mirror. I usually use an SPF 15 or 20 - like Coppertone - on the bod and a SPF 30 for my face - like Kiehl's sunscreen.

2. Hair care: I wear my hair natural which, for those of you who do not know me, is super curly. If I put it up in a ponytail, by the end of day, it snarls and starts turn into dreadlocks and that's on a normal day. Add surf, sun and sand and well, you got a big ol' mess so I need stuff to fight the frizz. I am a huge fan of the "Not Your Mother's" line of products. It's affordable and available at most drugstores. My go to these days is the "Kinky Moves" curl defining cream {$5.99}. It does exactly what it says and gets rid of the frizz. That is after I brush out the tangles. I use a big flat brush cause it doesn't rip out my hair. I also love the ribbon hair ties - they actually hold thick hair and don't rip it out!

3. Tunes: I love music just about as much as I love fashion, so I'm certainly not hitting the beach without a soundtrack. One of our summer interns recently told me about Songza and I'm obsessed! It is "music conceirge" that offers you music for the situation. Just pick a playlist and voila - chilling by the water, beach party, BBQ - music for any occasion!

4. A good book: I saw they're doing a film version of Anna Karenina with Kiera Knightly. I'm pro reading the book before seeing the movie so that's my summer reading. For something a little lighter, I'd recommend "Let's Pretend this Never Happened" by Jenny Lawson.

5. Sunglasses: Remember how I said I was worried about wrinkles, yeah, wan't joking. I don't really leave the house without sunglasses, so they are definitely a staple for the beach. This summer I'm into the cat-eye shades.

So here's to sand-filled wishes and rum punch dreams! Hope you all stop by Capital Style sometime to say hi!