It seems that as soon as summer rolls around, my favorite follows on instagram and all the fashiony Substack authors start churning out packing lists for Greece, France, Italy, and other glamorous destinations. Swimwear advice abounds; there are the practical among us, Nellie Diamond - our queen who is at the helm of Hill House, who lets us know that she likes to be more covered up when she is chasing her children around - and the chatter about Left on Friday is downright deafening. It feels like every influencer is pushing this brand and it’s this season’s Summersalt, which makes me suspicious. I’m not sure what all of the fuss is about - we are told that LOF produces the suit that you can surf, run, and swim in! It’s made by Lululemon alumnae after all!!!!!
Okay.
I do not have small children to chase. I do not jog or otherwise work up a sweat in swimwear. As has been well documented here, I do not, as a rule, enter a pool or the ocean because 1) I don’t like to get my hair wet and 2) I love the sun, but the sun does not love me. I like to sit under an umbrella or in the shade in my swimsuit but not actually enter the water at any point.
As such, practical, athletic swimwear is not a necessity for me. I adore a ridiculously expensive bathing suit under, let’s say, a fabulous caftan, with a completely over the top sunhat. I have three of these incredible Lorna Murray pleated hats in different colors.
I do have a trip coming up next week (!) where I will have a chance to try out several Fancy Looks that I have been cooking up. I did not, however, put together anything that would qualify as a “look” last week when I spent seven days with my family and our best best best family friends in North Carolina on the Outer Banks. We stayed in a ramshackle beach house that can only be reached by 4x4 vehicles and the dress code was decidedly one notch below casual. We didn’t go into town, out to dinner, or even out for ice cream. We only saw each other and a bunch of wild horses so there was no need to get creative.
Still, one has to wear something.
Regular Folks in Beach Clothes
I packed:
Several mismatched J.Crew bikinis - all old:
The bottoms were my tried and true hipster bikini bottoms in black, red, and blue.
Two 1993 underwire tops - one red and one black.
Two string/triangle tops - one black and one white.
Two pairs of shorts
1 pair of jorts that I cut off myself the morning before I left
1 pair of NEW Tibi cargo shorts - the only new and glamorous wardrobe item I packed.
Various white t-shirts and tanks, two baseball caps, two non-fancy sweatshirts, my favorite Sundry yellow sweatpants, a Billabong beach cardigan that’s older than my kids, and two pairs of Havaianas flip flops.
Want to see?
The children, of course, were eager to share their looks, but we had some confusion about who is who.
It’s always hardest to be the middle child.
I don’t know how anyone instagrams.
Towards the end of the trip, someone (not me) thought it might be a good idea to get a family photo. “I did not pack for this,” I said, “plus my Tibi pants are in the wash.” Still, we scrambled down to the beach at sunset in our Regular People Clothes and gave it our best shot.
While our outfits were not anything to save to your Pinterest boards, I do have some Actual Advice to share about beach supplies. When you are on the 4x4 beach in Carova, North Carolina there are no chair or umbrella rentals or shops or snack stands so you have to haul all of your own supplies.
Favorite Beach Gear
The BEST cooler - Pelican Elite Cooler
Our fabulous, easy to set up beach tent - Neso Gigante
A Very Good Beach Chair - Tommy Bahama Backpack Beach Chair
An umbrella that attaches to your beach chair (good in a pinch if you are too lazy to set up the tent or have marched down the beach alone to avoid your family during the dinner making hour).
My favorite beach towels - Sand Cloud
What I Read Last Week
You Like It Darker: Stories by Stephen King - I really loved this and tore through it in one and a half days. I enjoy King’s works that are suspenseful but not gory, and creepy but not scary if that makes sense. And I find him to be a master of the short story genre.
Come and Get It by Kiley Reid - for me, this was just okay. The plot resonated with me but I found the dialogue cloying and didn’t really like any of the characters. The NYT review is here.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles- It’s too soon to tell on this one. It could be promising or it could be a grind to get through. I will report back.
Never Not Shopping
Will somebody please buy these men’s Hill House swim trunks and wear them with the matching bikini top. My summer spending is DONE so I cannot purchase it, but I want to see someone in this look.
Oooooh this Wiggy Kit dress - I love the neckline and the color and the print.
There are so many wonderful things in the Tory Burch sale (sale items are an additional 25% off) including the cropped pants I’ve been stalking forever, this little tennis skirt, and these cute as a button printed golf dresses.
Speaking of preppy, Molly Moorkamp has a sweet little eyelet shift dress on preorder.
I hope your summer is off to a fabulous start and thanks so much for reading!
XOXO,
Tara