I live in a coastal town so beach bodies are everywhere.
I recently went down to silver strand beach on 5 de mayo with with friends and family.
The kids had a blast and it was a great day to be out soaking in the sun.
Sadly this beach visit caught me off guard so, I threw on last years bathing suit and found out it no longer flatters this years body :( Thankfully, I have a husband that loves me no matter what my body looks like <3
I did everyone else on the beach a favor and covered up almost every inch of my body that day.
As soon as I got home I started shopping around for cute "curve" friendly swimsuits.
**I refuse to become the size 0 girl that's half naked on the beach. I am a mother, and happy wife so the thong bikini days are behind me....no pun intended lol**
I have to say that I was surprised to find so many options!
I had to share!
Here are my favorite pieces for all the "curvy-er" ladies out there. I hope this helps you gain some confidence and join me on the beach this summer ;-D
These first couple of looks are from www.theorchidboutique.com
the romper on the bottom is my fav!!. Its such a fun fresh take on the old terry cloth cover up <3
I also loved all the Juicy & Betsey styles on www.everythingbutwater.com
I'm head over heels over the cute pin up swim dresses right now.
The black Betsey Johnson is my top pick <3
One of the many vendors at the Sassy City Chicks (sample sale) event
that impressed me the most was Eva Franco. The mix of classic sophisticated styles and fun girly patterns are adorable.
If your a housewife with a girly girl side you will loooove all her dresses. www.EvaFranco.com
**price range is $100-$500**
here are my top fav's from her current collection.
I like to mix it up every once in awhile
this website gives such a fresh new take on classic styles.
STYLE TIP: pairing a sweet looking dress with the more rough looking leather jacket is such a great idea if you want to go for that effortless COOL look ;-D (see yellow maxi dress bellow for example)
Designer/Model Lauren Elaine is more than just a pretty face. This girl has talent and it's evident through her current designs. I can honestly say I can see myself wearing almost ALL of her dresses. There is a level of sophistication with her designs that I can absolutely appreciate. She does like to add a little drama but always keeps it pretty tasteful.
Her new swim collection is a mix of it all. She does lean more towards the physically fit woman with her 2 piece bikinis but, also throws in some fun flirty cover ups for those of us who aren't ready to bear it all this Summer.
From what Ive seen she has a great selection of casual dresses, formal wear, and even some great separates.
Below Are my top choices from her line. I usually only pic 6 but with her amazing taste its hard to limit myself!
Make sure to visit her site and shop shop shop!I guarantee you will find something you will go GAGA for.
My top MUST HAVE PICK from her "Black Label Swim" collection is the "Lela" tunic.
This teal colored, one shoulder, cover up is great if you want to throw something over your swim suit this summer.
click on the pictures below the video to go shop for swim wear.
My top MUST HAVE PICK from her "Laine Collection" was a 2way tie between the pink "Angelica" and yellow "Fancie" dress.
I love the free flowing pink design of the Angelica dress although I tend to be biased on color. The back detail just threw me over the top with this dress. I can see myself wearing this to the beach or to a casual brunch with a belt to cinch in at the waist and some fabulous flats.
The Fancie dress is the perfect name for this yellow full skirt dress.
It looks chic & polished. When I first saw this I instantly saw Charlotte from "Sex in the city" rocking this dress with some fabulous peals, cardigan and flats.
Its definitely something you can dress up or down depending on the occasion. versatility is key when it comes to casual wear.
to shop from her "Laine" collection click on the picture below.
Finally the piece de resistance! Her "Black Label" formal wear collection.
(Ive also sprinkled in some limited time items below)
She really made my job hard with her black label collection.
I really sincerely loved all of her pieces!
I would have to say this was another tie between the deep red "Viviane" and the white "Ophelia" dresses.
The Viviane dress is DRAMA at its best! the deep red color is fierce and the shoulder detail that goes across the front just makes you want to GASP when you first see it. You will definitely make a splash at any event with this dress.
The shoulder detail was toned down and cleaned up for the Ophelia dress. The subdued color and floor length tulle skirt also lends itself for the perfectly for bridal wear if you are in the market ;-D
to get your formal Lauren Elaine wear click on the picture below.
I recently bought a dress from Suzi's line at Nordstrom's and fell in love with the style.
When I logged onto her website I found she not only does regular sizes. She is one of the few designers who actually has reached out to plus size women as well.
Without a doubt all her designs are must haves for this season. The colors range from the bold and bright to more subdued pallets.
The dresses featured on the left are the Suzi Chin for Maggie Boutique collection and can be found on Nordstroms website.
The dresses featured on the left are my top favorite must haves from Suzi's website
Expressclothing is a MVP in my wardrobe, has been for many years. Their contemporary designs - paired with reasonable prices and great quality cannot be beat.I purchased my first sweater dress in 2008 and I was hooked. I love their basic tanks and work attire.
Below are my TOP 6 picks for the summer:
**PSST!!! - Check out the EXPRESS RADIO tab on the bottom right corner of their homepage for awesome playlists that change monthly.
I'm quite easy to figure out gift wise.
I like all things girly, classic, pink and fabulous.
The following are my top wishlist selections for this mothers day....hope your listening hubby!!! ;-D
This will be my 2nd year as a mother and I could use a trip to my all time favorite spa. If your planning a trip to this spa book now. They fill up quick. Coldwater Creek Spa in Simi Valley has been my favorite for the last 3 years because of the attention to detail and all around great service. www.coldwatercreekspa.com
I could also use a new diaper bag since my last PPB cake cameo clutch was stolen :(
the new PPB cake collection is, as usual, beautiful. www.petuniapicklebottom.com
I am also running low on my perfumes and would like to bring back one of my all time favorites= Christian Dior's Hypnotic Poison which always reminds me of high school and a good friend who introduced me to it. Also Viktor and Rolf's Flowerbomb is a fragrance that reminds me of the
City Center in Las vegas. I have been wanting to purchase this fragrance since it debuted
a couple of years ago but never got the chance to.
I am also getting a little tired of applying my make up and doing my hair in front of my current mirror so a vanity would be quite nice.
www.amazon.com has the best online prices Ive seen so far.
