Fleur d'Elise at the Beach

Last week I spent the day at Golden Gardens with my cousins. It's something I aim to do every summer, but being an adult makes it tricky. The summer here just isn't long enough either.

We all made it at least up to our waists in the water (it's freezing). Of course, I was the one that wimped out at the end. Josiah dunked a couple times, though! After swimming, we sat in the sun and ate cookies & popcorn and I got to use my mega awesome new beach towel from 9th & Elm. 

They approached me last month to see if I was interested in reviewing something from the site. They specialize in handmade and independent designs, so of course I was on board. It took me a while to pick something out, though. They have a lot of neat stuff! In the end, I opted for these embroidered striped cabana beach towels. They're half price right now and there's no extra charge to have your name stitched into one of the corners! I really love the bold stripes and soft terry, but the towel I ordered for Trevor has some imperfections I am less than impressed with. Probably just a lemon, since mine is in tip-top shape.

Molly is gonna be a foot taller than me by next summer.

My accessories are from two of my favorite brands right now: Tarboo and Ban.do. Everything at Tarboo is designed and made right here in Seattle! They're all about sturdy construction and long-lasting materials, like canvas, felted wool & leather. 

We carry a lot of Ban.do stuff at Paper Source, and for good reason. Everything they come up with is bold, colorful and tons of fun. Look! They even make shoe clips!

GAP sun hat - Ban.do Sip Sip Tumbler - vintage sunglasses - Custom Embroidered Towel - Tarboo tote bag

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In Photos: A Trip to the Ocean

Disclaimer: I wish I could take credit, but I did not build this. 

Chive cream cheese, candied salmon, cucumber, and roasted goat from my mom's farm! 

Tilly took this picture of me. She's the size of 6 year old, so her hands are just big enough to hold the camera. All her other pictures are of the dogs and her feet.

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HiLo Dress by Day

This past month, I had the opportunity to work with two local boutiques here in Seattle. Located in Fremont, Bliss, and her sister boutique, Dream, supply the city with trendy, affordable clothes, accessories, and other fashionable necessities. If that isn't enough to bring you in, well then you must not be interested in clothing at all and are probably on the wrong blog... or you're my dad reading this... I've lost my train of thought. What I was trying to say is that on top of carrying lovely summer dresses and gorgeous jewelry, both stores are staffed by wonderful sales people happy to help you find the perfect piece for any occasion. I spent two afternoons with them, so I have first-hand knowledge of just how lovely they all are! I got to browse both shops (conveniently located across the street from one another) and try on some of their new Spring and Summer styles. My favorite pieces: a beige hi-lo dress, a black convertible purse, handmade gold earrings, and the cutest pair of ankle-strap wedges!

Okay, I'll admit it. I've finally been convinced by those hi-lo dresses that are so big right now. This one just called to me. Maybe it's partly to blame on the fact that it's, as my sister-in-law says, "Catie colored"; I blend in with it. Mainly, though, I saw how versatile it could be. It has an elegant and simplistic style, perfect for so many occasions. You could go minimalist, elegant, casual, beachy, whatever you like. The feminine, but not overly girly, neutral shade can be combined with almost any other color or texture your wardrobe may contain. This dress is what I would call a clean canvas, just waiting to be decorated.

I thought this dress would be the perfect piece to style in a day-to-night post, but because my photographers, Maria Gunawan and Praisley Jonatan, took so many gorgeous pictures, I decided to break it into two posts.

For the day time look, I went for something summery; perfect for walking the pier or one of our local farmers' markets. A sunhat and a oxford shirt protect me from the sun and keep the look casual. Bright necklaces pop against the pale pink dress and a shoulder bag is the easiest way to tote around extra sunscreen and a little spending money.

Stay tuned for Look #2!
Until then, check out their online boutique, Finch & Sparrow, and take advantage of the discount code, FLEUR12. Enter it in at check-out to receive 15% off your purchase! The coupon is also good in-stores! (Expires 7/4/12)

HiLo Strap Dress - Grommet Clutch - H&M necklace - vintage & handmade necklaces (similar) - thrifted oxford shirt (similar) - thrifted sandals - Old Navy sunhat (similar) - H&M sunglasses (similar)


Photographers: Praisely Jonatan & Maria Gunawan

Farewell

One last hurrah: a day at the beach. It was rather melancholy as it was my first visit of the entire summer. I think it is shameful if you live in the Puget Sound region and don't make it down to the beach during the summer. Shame on me.

My beach visit reinforced my preference for cotton pencil skirts. So comfortable and practical, with the perfect amount of stretch. They make for easy outfits and look so much more put-together than shorts. And let's not forget how perfect they convert for Fall! The thin cotton is perfect for layering, and I would suggest you try doubling up with two skirts. The one I have on is from American Apparel, and is perfect for the double skirt combo. They have so many colors and the waist band folds down nicely so you can have two skirts of varying length. If American Apparel is not in your budget, then Forever21 should be your next stop. They have great cotton skirts for around $6. They're a few inches shorter than American Apparel's, but aren't scandalous. I wear them to my nanny job even! Anyway, at $6 it's worth it, even if you just want to experiment with them.


In this shot:
Sun hat from GAP
Tank top from H&M
Pencil Skirt from American Apparel