shell chic'd

Beachy Keen

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One of my favorite things about Boston is that you are never more than an hour away from a beach. We put up with some pretty gross + unbearable winters here, but it’s worth it when summer hits and you can hop on [literally] a subway to sand. This is my favorite sort of New England beach look: a nautical two-piece, lightweight maxi dress, and a wide-brimmed sun hat. And of course sunscreen— I signed the sun savvy pledge long ago and hope you will too!

(1) Navy Stripe Bikini Bandeau + Bottoms, Topshop, $52
(2) Pulau Shades, Anthropologie, $38
(3) Maxi Dress, Free People, $100
(4) Patent Bow Sun Hat, Juicy Couture, $90
(5) Shelly Jelly Sandals, Lilly Pulitzer, $38
(6) Audrey Tote, Tory Burch, $265

Bonus points? This look also works for the 4th of July!

Vera does Zappos!

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Tuesday already!  I’m excited that today’s Shoesday features the cute and classic Vera Bradley flip flops that have recently been added to Zappos!  The bold prints make them fun additions to solid colored sundresses and bathing suits for this summer.

Which are your favorites??

Rhody & Rings

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Happy Monday lovers!

I got to spend a wonderful weekend in Rhode Island with a bunch of my college friends… can’t believe it’s only been six weeks since we graduated because it feels like we’ve been apart forever! Anyway, seeing one of my best friends, Samantha, gave me some inspiration for this post.

Sam has got to be one of the best people I know at accessorizing. I’ve always envied how easily piling on jewelry comes to her– she can wear about nine bracelets and a ring on every finger and make it look so natural! Example A:

She has a style that’s hard to copy, but I can at least offer you some cute rings that remind me of her. These picks are from pretty mainstream stores, but I find that this style of jewelry is best found at little beach shops and individual boutiques– you’ll find incredibly original pieces there. Also, don’t shy away from those jewelry kiosks in malls; some can be pretty tacky, but a lot also have some hidden gems. Literally.

Sealife Ring, Free People, $28

Aged Leaf Ring, Anthropologie, $88

Silver Spoon Ring, California Spoon Rings, $25.50

Delicate Arrow Ring, Urban Outfitters, $12

Delicate Leaf Ring, Urban Outfitters, $16

Dragonfly Stack Rings, Fossil, $36

Frank Gehry® Torque Micro Ring, Tiffany & Co., $125

And on another note, can we talk about how fun Instagram is? Here are some other edited shots from our beach day:

Here’s to a great week for you all!

Weekend Carryalls

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First weekend trip of the summer starts tonight after work– heading to Rhode Island for a graduation party and beaching with college friends!  I actually find it more difficult to pack for two days than I do for a week-long trip… so much I want to wear and not enough time!  I limit my packing by forcing myself to fit everything within a small duffel or tote.  It’s never easy, but I’m so much happier in the end with a small shoulder bag than a clunky rolly suitcase or oversized duffel.

These are some great sizes to go with for weekending, and what fun looks too!

Small Duffel in Blue Lagoon, Vera Bradley, $69 (select colors on sale!)

The Gardiner's Island Seersucker Acrylic Duffel Bag, Wm. J. Mills & Co., $130

Denim Beach Tote, Lucky Brand, $79

Jute Based Tote, CALYPSO St. Barth for Target, $14 (sale!)

Key-Per Duffle Satchel, Fossil, $98

Medium Weekender, LeSportsac, $98

Safe travels!!

Stylin’ in the shade…

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Who first introduced me to big, floppy hats?  That would be my girl Audrey.

And there’s no better time to sport this style than on sunny summer days! If you’re heading down to the beach this weekend, or any weekend over the next four months for that matter, cover up and look cute with one of these great sun hats:

Ultrabraid Hat, San Dieego Hat Company, $30

Straw Hat, H&M, $12.95

Packable Mixed Straw Super Floppy, Nine West, $40

Pins and Needles Basic Straw Floppy Hat, Urban Outfitters, $29

Too plain for you?  Dress up these straw hats with a Coach scarf tied around the brim!

Coach Poppy Dream Signature Ponytail Scarf, $38


An alternative eating surface…

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This past weekend, I finally got to visit my godmother’s new house that she and her husband recently built… coincidentally (or not at all) right across the street from my parents’ new house 🙂  Alice is super talented at furnishing on a budget, and I just love what she chose to use for one of their kitchen “tables”:

It’s her grandmother’s old washing bench.  Their place is right on the water, and it’s very Maine cottage-y, so we both thought it fit in beautifully with the house’s interior style.  Plus, since there’s only two of them, it’s the perfect size for a quick little breakfast or lunch together.  So resourceful!

And as if the inside of the house wasn’t pretty enough already, check out their outdoor surroundings:

Can’t wait to get to spend some weekends here again this summer!

Calypso St. Barth for Target

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The summer after my freshman year in college, a bunch of my friends and I had the amazing opportunity to spend two weeks in Greece.  To prepare for the trip, my [female] roommates and I did two things together: 1. Got bikini waxes (TMI? Sorry!) and 2. Spent just about every last penny we owned buying dresses at Calypso St. Barth (we had to look the part, ok??).  Four years later, our dream has come true, as Calypso is doing a line for Target as a part of their GO International Designer Collective.  Available May 1 through June 11, the line will include summer and footwear for women and girls, plus accessories and homeware.  Racked.com recently posted the complete lookbook and price list, and I couldn’t be more excited to snatch a few of these beautiful beachy pieces, especially at their much more affordable prices!

¾ – Sleeved Tunic in Khaki/Green, $29.99; Cuffed Linen Shorts in White, $24.99; Canvas Fan-Print Tote in Turquoise, $19.99

Embroidered Ruffle Dress in Navy, $39.99; Linen Espadrille Wedges in Tan, $29.99; Embroidered Canvas Tote in Khaki, $16.99

Mini Clutch in Natural Linen with Gold Elephant, $12.99

Elephant Teapot, $12.99

Photos courtesy of Target

And for your entertainment, here’s Demetra and I freshman year on the island of Santorini wearing our sought-after Calypsos:

BABIES!