School’s out for summer…

At least, for the kids.  For me, I’ll be spending the bulk of my summer pregnant, hot, and chained to my desk.  Ah, the life of an associate attorney.  But if your summer is going to be more fun than mine (and I hope that it is), here is a very cute beach look that keeps you summery, breezy and safe from the sun.

If you don’t follow Candace Read on Instagram, what are you waiting for?  Her style is fresh and cool, with a little bit of designer mixed in.  And this beach look is the bomb.

Linen Shirt // If you need a beach over up that offers sun protection but is still light, look no further than linen.  Everlane has two options: this cool utility shirt, and a relaxed button down.  I also like this Polo shirt.

Looking for a tunic length?  BR has a long one.  And Wolf and Badger gives the Coastal Grandmother vibes with this long tunic.  Plus-size? Try this Vince Camuto option.

Swimsuit // The inspiration image is of a rust-colored one piece, which is lovely.  If you’d like a rusty-orange suit, this one from Toteme and this Kalaia bikini.

Because I loved this dusty rose color from J.Crew, I decided to add this earthy, desert tone to the outfit instead.  J.Crew also has a bold fig color that I like a lot.  Or if you’re size L, get the best of both worlds with this dramatic suit in a wash of desert hues.  For something under-$75, this NA-KD bikini is nice.

Shorts // I really love the idea of a breezy, swingy khaki short for summer.  It’s a little more lively than a chino short, and gives me the ability to cover up in a modern, fun way.

This pair from Ba&Sh is a good basic in the right color palette to match the image.  This Michael Stars short and this Ann Taylor short both give you a breezy look. Or go full flowy in a skort, like this rusty one from Heartloom.

Plus-size?  I really like these paper-bag waist shorts from the Drop, also in misses.

Sandals // I have long loved the Hermes sandal in the photo, but I will not buy them.  You see, there’s an old adage about “if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it,” and while I could pay the money for these sandals, once they were beat up, I would be devastated.  And they’re shoes, so they’re definitely getting worn to death, and I just can’t handle the emotional roller coaster.

Regardless, these Sam Edelman sandals are similar without being a direct copy.  For that, you need to visit French Soul, who makes a pair so similar you wonder if lawyers may at some point get involved.  Either way, they’re lovely, mid-price sandals for summer.

Accessories // The sun hat is key here, and this cool Panama style from Rag and Bone is a cool, but pricey item.  If you love a hat, it might be worth it though.  For under-$75, try Nordstrom.  And if you’re going to carry a hat, and you don’t have one of these magnetic hat holder clips, get one.  Worth every cent.

Beyond the hat, I like these knotted earrings.  They’re simple, they’re fresh, and if you lose one in the drink, you can replace it a decent price (this pair comes as a set).

Add in a straw bag, like this one from J.Crew, and you’re set.  Also, if you’re headed to the beach, a mesh or open-work net bag will let the sand just fall out of the bottom.

Styling // I wear my hair up under my hat, otherwise the hat hair is extreme.  To keep it in place, I coat a comb with hairspray or use gel to get a smooth finish and pin the heck out of it.  Also, an edge comb really helps achieve a smooth look and fewer flyaways.  Edge brushes are meant to style baby hairs, but I find they work well for smoothing updos.  And once again women of color have led the way on bringing this beauty must-have to us all.

For the makeup, I’m all about spf this summer.  So I’m using my Suntegrity, some Dr. Jart redness corrector, and a little bit of bronzer/blush duo from Wander on the cheeks.  If you want a bronzier look on the body was well, Fenty makes a body luminizer that looks slightly shimmery when lightly applied over self tanner.

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