In Spades

Style... in abundance

3 Flattering Bathing Suit Trends Worth Investing In

Best Bathing Suits 2019

For someone who lives at the beach, I rarely make my way onto the sand.  I’m more of a ‘throw denim cutoffs and a tee over a bathing suit and ride my bike on the boardwalk’ person.  Despite my limited time in the water, I’ve managed to amass quite the random collection of swimwear.

The situation usually plays out like this.

  1. I have some event in which I’ll need a bathing suit (honeymoon, Vegas trip, family vacation).
  2. I embark on a massive shopping spree and come home with an egregious amount of swimwear.
  3. I return most of it but still end up with a large number of bathing suits only representing one season’s worth of trends.

Sound familiar?

Does anyone remember the tankini trend?  Those bikinis that had hardware on the hips and necklines and just ended up digging into your skin?  Or what about those scuba material bikinis?

Case and point: I never wear any of those suits anymore and find myself looking at my collection and thinking “I have nothing to wear”.

To help you prepare for summer, I’ve rounded up a list of swimwear worth investing in.  These are suits that will truly last you years – no buyers remorse or “I have nothing to wear” blues.  And just for fun, I’m including a list of this season’s trends (hello, belts and ruffles), but in silhouettes that are comfortable and flattering, thus lasting more than just one summer.

Read on for fit suggestions and key details to look out for.

Classic Swimwear
Ruffled Swimwear
Belted Swimwear

13 Spring Wardrobe Staples to Buy in the Shopbop Sale

The Shopbop Event of the Season sale is here!

Save between 20-25% off depending on how much you spend with code EVENT19.

The sale ends April 12, so be sure to jump on this quickly!

Now is the time to stock up on spring wardrobe essentials. I’m sharing 13 pieces that can be interchanged within your wardrobe to create multiple looks.  If you’ve been curious about a capsule wardrobe, all of these pieces are a must.

Read below for my captions on why these pieces are essential to your spring line-up.

The Best Initial Necklaces

Helen Ficalora Initial NecklaceHelen Ficalora Initial Necklace Helen Ficalora Initial NecklaceHelen Ficalora Initial Necklace Helen Ficalora Initial Necklace Helen Ficalora Initial NecklaceHelen Ficalora Initial Necklace

Helen Ficalora initial necklace // Madewell tee // Acne Studios sweater // Re/Done jeans
Givenchy shoes (similar here) // Mansur Gavriel bag // Celine sunglasses

I’ve always been a fan of personalized jewelry.  Whether it’s my astrological sign or initials, anything that includes a personal touch is a must in my style book.  With the birth of my daughter, this sentiment only intensified.  Anything I could get my hands on needed to bear her moniker and likeness.  I engraved pieces, cast her footprint into a necklace and even custom designed a ring with her birthstone.  While the custom stuff is amazing and super special, it’s definitely on another level in terms of price and how often you wear it (I still break out my stunner pieces every day, but know that’s not for everyone).

Dainty initial jewelry has been trending for years and rightly so.  Having a personal touch that you can wear every day is like a signature scent – a style calling card if you will.

There are so many awesome jewelry makers that specialize in initial pieces, but one of the originals is Helen Ficalora.  I first remember seeing her pendant initial necklace on Katie Holmes – she rocked an “S” after the birth of Suri Cruise.

I’m rocking my own Helen Ficalora initial necklace today – an “E” for my daughter – and will definitely be adding more pieces to my collection.  The brand carries everything from initials to charms (I definitely need this evil eye).  There are hundreds of options and I love that you can layer charms together for a truly personalized look.

If you’ve been wanting to get your hands on your own initial necklace, here are my favorites.

Helen Ficalora

Classic, interchangeable charms in a myriad of options (jeweled or engraved).

Maya Brenner

I love the short chain and how the initials are displayed on the side instead of at the bottom of each necklace (hint: if you buy from this retailer you can earn up to a $500 gift card right now).

Celine

This pendant is in-your-face and gorgeous.  The jumbo size makes such a statement.  While my version is no longer available, this dupe for under $15 is a no-brainer.

ZOË CHICCO

There are so many options in their lineup, but I love this uber tiny pendant.  With adjustable lengths and 3 finishes to choose from, this is a never-take-it-off find.

Maje

With an almost disco-era feel thanks to the engraved lines and added jewel, this is my favorite funky yet chic option.

Parpala Jewelry

With up to 8 letters to customize, you can go with one initial or your entire moniker.  I love how the letters hang from the dainty chain.

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Alternative to Jeans and a Tee

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Nasa t-shirt // Anine Bing pants (similar here) // Janessa Leone hat // Calvin Klein boots (under $100 here)

Jeans and a t-shirt.  A winning combination.  While this is likely the world’s most trusted ensemble, sometimes it’s nice to change it up.

If anyone is a denim hoarder, it’s me.  I’ve talked many times before about my denim addiction – at one point I had upwards of 60 pairs (eeek!). As I was staring into my closet last weekend trying to choose from a plethora of denim options, I finally threw up my hands and said “forget it”.  I needed something different.  Kind of the same.  But different.

Enter these houndstooth pants.  They sat in my closet for way too long awaiting a trip to the tailor, but once they finally got hemmed they became a great alternative to jeans.  While I love dresses, I’m just not a dress girl.  I reserve them for cocktail parties and more special occasions.  Day-to-day, I’m wearing pants.

Maybe it’s the fact that I’m wearing more 100% cotton denim these days, but having a comfy, stylish alternative to jeans seems more important than ever.  I recently gave these pants a try, and have been loving how comfortable and unexpected they are.

To style this look similar to my trusty uniform (gotta keep it practical for everyday) I opted for a long sleeve graphic tee.  It’s perfect for those chilly spring mornings that warm up by the afternoon.  To throw in a bit of edge, I added steel toed boots (check here for an under $100 version) and a black fedora.  I love that the finished product is like version 2.0 of my classic ensemble.

And of course, you can’t forget the iced oat milk latte.

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Vacation Prep: Secrets for Looking and Feeling Your Best

Happy first day of spring!

The beginning of spring means fresh starts.  Cue new beauty routines, wardrobe updates and exciting travel plans.

I was recently chatting with a friend about a major trip she was gearing up for.  She asked how I normally prepare for NYFW (the end-all-say-all event for wanting to look and feel your best) and after several back-and-forth emails, I realized this should be a blog post.

My guess is that all of you have a spring vacation on the horizon in which you want to look and feel your best.  Maybe it’s a wedding?  Reunion?  Girl’s trip?

Read on for how I prepare for a trip and my secrets for looking and feeling your best while away.

Vacation Beauty Prep

1 month – 2 weeks before

DIET
I try to cut out or drastically reduce all sugar, dairy and nuts.  They all contribute to breakouts (especially painful, cystic pimples).

So, what exactly do I eat?  Beyond opting for lean protein, veggies and healthy carbs, these smoothie recipes are my favorite snacks.

Blend:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 5 frozen strawberries
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter

or

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 3-4 Medjool dates
  • 2 cups spinach

To cut out bloat, I make a pitcher of this water to drink daily:

  • 8 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 12 mint leaves

FITNESS
Stay consistent with workouts.  This is more for stamina rather than “looking good”.  No one is going to make a massive transformation in 2-4 weeks.  The goal is simply to have a good base built up so you sleep better and feel strong while away.

This also means you’ll get the built-in benefits of workout habits: hydrating consistently and choosing meals that make you feel “fueled” and not “crashy”.

Most weekend trips involve being on your feet all day and staying up late.  Give yourself the benefit of amped-up endurance and stamina!

This is my favorite workout for vacation preparation because you can do it from anywhere and on your own time.

2 weeks before

FACIAL
I have sensitive skin and depending on the level of extractions my esthetician has to do, I like having 2 weeks to recover.  I always do microdermabrasion and recently tried dermaplaning.  This actually removes a layer of your skin with a scalpel (and any peach fuzz on your face – it does NOT grow back as whiskers, not to worry).  It’s not painful at all.  Your makeup goes on SUPER smooth afterward.  Just about every model and actress does this and that’s why their makeup always looks flawless.

TEETH WHITENING
I use an upgraded version of Crest White Strips from my dentist.  If you are pregnant or nursing, clear any teeth whitening with your doctor first.

TAN
Body scrub the night before departing.  90% of the time I don’t do any tanning, but when I do, this is the only acceptable method in my book.

During Your Trip

BEAUTY
No matter how long I’m gone, I always pack these seven miracle products.  They are my literal lifeline for looking my best while traveling.

  1. Sheet face masks – I use one per day for brighter, more vibrant skin
  2. Eye masks – I use one per day, eye bags be gone! (if pressed for time, skip the face mask and just use these)
  3. Pimple patch – emergencies; literal miracle worker
  4. Facial roller – each night before bed to promote lymphatic drainage
  5. Exfoliate – if I’m staying more than 3 days, I’ll bring this
  6. Vicks Vaporub – airplanes always make me feel congested and I use this on my wrists and neck at night to promote better breathing.  It also helps with headaches if used on your temples.
  7. This balm is a miracle worker.  I use it for chapped hands, random irritations or just deep hydration (all things I find crop up on trips)

FOOD
What we put in our bodies is just as important (if not more) than what we put on our bodies.  Studies have shown that sugar, caffeine and alcohol consumption skyrockets during travel.  I keep the following two secret ingredients in my hotel room to ensure I look and feel great.

  1. Pedialyte – the number one reason why you feel like crap when you travel is because you’re dehydrated.  One bottle of this per day (1/3 per serving: morning, noon, night) will keep you feeling right as rain.
  2. Ginger Turmeric Tea, sprinkle black pepper on top – this is proven to reduce bloating.  I drink it as much as possible but aim for one cup before bedtime.

Would you like to see a sample Packing List for a weekend away?  Let me know in the comments!

Photo by Arielle Levy