Shore Glamour

When hitting the beach isn't necessarily a low-key affair.

By Heather Summerville

I'm in the middle of packing for a quick trip to Miami. It may seem like an easy enough task--bikini, flip-flops, sunscreen, done--but weirdly, there's more to it than that. Unlike most beach towns, South Beach has turned taking it easy into a rather fabulous affair, where you see people having business lunches in their bathing suits and it's not at all odd to go straight from surfing to dinner. 

So it's not surprising that the first items I pulled out for inspection were my bathing suits. As I've mentioned before, swimsuit shopping for me is about as chore-like as shopping gets. Bad dressing room lighting, inconsistent sizing, unhelpful sales help...the list of complaints goes on and on. But this year, I was able to skip this unsavory experience altogether thanks to Lucky's guide to buying swimsuits online, which is a super-helpful rundown of all the best e-commerce sites that sell suits--it made the whole experience unbelievably painless. I had no idea one of my favorite labels, Malia Mills, was even available online. They're one of the few brands that truly cater to every shape: You shop by bra size (I generally get a size smaller because they tend to stretch after a few wears). I love to mix-and-match my suits, so I've invested in a range of patterned bikini tops that draw the eye up and low-cut bottoms--which I find are the most flattering--in solid, neutral colors that are a bit more forgiving.

I decided to skip the casual flip-flops on this trip and try something a bit more polished, but still appropriate to wear to the beach. The Coclico website has been my go-to source for summer sandals this season. I recently bought a pair of nude flats with a woven toe that are perfect for this scenario. I'll slip them off as soon as I hit the sand, but they'll look so cute when I run back up to the cabana for lunch.

Every year I buy a new cover-up from Calypso, a line that has perfected glamorous beach fashion. This summer, I picked out a cotton floral dress with buttons at the neck and straight-cut arms: These are key, since they have a bit of shape but won't be too clingy when I throw the cover-up on after swimming for a few hours. Even if this dress gets a little wet, it still holds its shape and won't become completely sheer thanks to the allover pattern.

My last--but certainly most important--item is sunscreen. Since I have access to a closet of beauty products here at Lucky, I've tried everything from the most expensive names that promise full coverage, no wrinkles, and a glowing tan, to the cheapest drugstore brand out there. I have to say Neutrogena's line of ultra-sheer, dry touch sunscreens is my favorite. They sink right in and aren't at all greasy, so at the end of the day you have just the right amount of color and don't have to worry about post-sun breakouts--though I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to reapplying. I suggest you do it at least every two hours. There's nothing more unattractive than a big old sunburn, no matter how cute your beach gear.

Heather Summerville is the senior editor at