As we all know, the beach is a place to relax and renew. I am someone who likes to stay busy and really embrace culture when I’m vacationing; but just lying on the beach gives me a feeling that I can’t find anywhere else. Because we were staying on such a gorgeous beach, I had a tough time pulling myself away from it. Every day the simple pleasure of waking up and knowing there was a beautiful day ahead of me was thrilling. Going down, walking on the beach and feeling the sand on my feet was so enjoyable; I had a hard time even leaving to grab lunch.

I would normally describe myself as a winter lover, which I am, but the beach converts me to a religious dedication of sunshine and warmth. Being in Maui and taking life at a slower pace helped remind me to enjoy the simple things. Feeling the warm trade winds on my skin, or lying on a pool chair and watching the palm trees sway overhead were the moments that stuck with me.

I used to always try to have my hair perfect, clothes unwrinkled, etc. Now, I’ve started a new style for myself where I actually prefer to look a little more undone. Kind of that raw, natural look. I’m not sure how well I pull it off- but I enjoy myself so much more. Not afraid of a breeze to blow my hair in the wrong direction, or the humidity to bring back the natural curl. Instead of focusing on everything staying right in place, I can focus on and enjoy my surroundings and not be afraid to get a little messy.

Even when I’m not on the beach I revert back to this style. I love the look when your outfit is on point, and your makeup and hair is a little understated and disheveled. To me it gives off the impression of someone who is effortless and comfortable in their own skin. Knowing that your natural beauty is enough helps improve our confidence, and of course, saves a lot of time in the morning!

This simple, white dress is perfect for the days when I want my outfit to look like I put in some effort, but I want comfort and practicality. White is the color I always go for when I want to emphasize a tan- and I love the pop of color on the neckline to really add that tropical touch. For me, shape and length are key in order to find my go-to dresses. I always love a flattering v neck, and because I’m petite I like to go for a length a few inches above my knee in order to help give me the illusion of some height.

Even though it can be easier to enjoy the simple things in paradise, every place has an authenticity that can’t be recreated… and a beauty that we shouldn’t take for granted. Every morning holds new possibilities and new pleasures; they just need captured.

xx Hailey















OUTFIT:

Dress: ASOS Skater Dress with Embroidered Tape Detail

There is something lovely to be found in each season; summer makes me want to go out and enjoy the sunshine in any way I can, fall is an exciting transition where all I want to think about are the holidays, winter is a good time to cozy up; but now that we are starting to peek into spring, I am wishing it was fully here. I am loving sun, warmth and am very much anticipating cheerier weather. This transitional time of year can be challenging, and that is why my family always tries to plan a vacation for the end of January- it gives us that exciting piece that may normally be missing from this time of year.

We stayed in Maui, Hawaii, and I am so thankful that I was able to go and experience such a beautiful place. I have to say that I absolutely love flight and travel (apart from the whole occasional turbulence thing…) but other than that I am in complete heaven whilst traveling to an exotic and fun place. I will do a separate post on the trip, but for right now I will just say that the location was insanely gorgeous and we were definitely blessed with consistently spectacular weather- thank you mother nature.

I have been to Maui several times and each time have never been brave enough to go snorkeling or truly swimming in the ocean. This time, however, I was able to step out of my comfort zone and give myself a pat on the back. Even though travel has always been huge to me, in the last few years I’ve realized how much I really want to enjoy the culture and take the most from each location I am able to visit. I believe I stand with the majority when I say that I find the ocean a bit scary and intimidating. Being suddenly submerged in the unknown, I find myself in a state of ambivalence because on one hand anything daunting can be beneath you and the intimidation can make the shore sound very inviting- on the other hand, beauty and adventure can be at your fingertips and sometimes it just takes a leap of faith to explore.

I will say that if the ocean does not strike your fancy, of course you shouldn’t feel obligated to dive in. For me it was always something that I didn’t do purely because I was scared. When I can look at a situation and determine that the fear is the component stopping me- that’s when I like to see what I’m made of (within reason, of course). This was a time for change. I grabbed a boogie board and just went for it. It helped that to my left I could see 10 year old children swimming about… that’s when I realized it probably wasn’t as big of a deal as I felt it was. But anyway, I faced my fear and swam out. I can’t say I saw anything too groundbreaking, after all it was more just floating around out there keeping an eye on the waves than an actual sight-seeing excursion.

It was a lot of fun though, and I’m really glad I took the plunge. Attempting to ride in the waves was hilarious. I in no way looked like a professional, there was not much technique that I displayed- it was more just hugging the board and squeezing my eyes tight for the anticipated action. I now have my fair share of entertaining videos! But for this day, I enjoyed playing in the surf, relaxing in the sand, enjoying the ocean breezes and taking in some much needed vitamin D.

For these days, the perfect swimsuit is definitely needed. I love this baby blue one piece that brought color in a subtle way. I have to say however, when I ordered it, it didn’t look quite so low cut and I was debating not wearing it… but I loved it, and I think it’s a beautiful piece. I normally just go with a simple two piece, but this time I decided to stick with my vacation theme and step out of my comfort zone. I must say, it put a different spin on the ‘typical shoot”. I certainly had a ton of fun playing around on the beach this day, but it’s always important to choose swimwear that is comfortable and makes you feel confident.

Through experiencing new waters, I learned that I can do things I didn’t think would ever be for me. I suppose trying new things really can pay off- after all, I did have a lot of fun pretending I was a mermaid. And as the wise quote says, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone” and that is something I am trying to remind myself daily.

xx Hailey

























OUTFIT:

SWIMSUIT: Out From Under Plunging V Printed One-Piece Swimsuit