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

Hello lovelies! Last weekend, my mom, sister and I decided to make a trip over to visit family in Oregon. I was excited as always; as I am whenever we travel- mostly because I feel like we don’t see them near enough. It’s about a four hour drive and it goes through several valleys and a beautiful mountain range. We’ve driven it more times than I can count, yet I had never really noticed most of the nature outside (as most of the time I was trying to sleep or watch a movie in order to encourage the drive to end quickly). But this time we left early in the morning, and decided to take a couple of scenic stops on our way.

It’s so funny to me how when we travel (especially) it can be all about getting to the destination as swiftly as possible. And granted, we aren’t always in the mood to take our time. But it was pretty interesting how just paying attention to the scenery and making a couple of short stops opened my eyes to the beauty that I’ve briefly noticed so many times from out a car window, yet had never experienced it with more of my senses. Breathing the crisp air and realizing how different it is, getting to touch the moss growing on the trees, actually hearing the sounds of the breeze in the background….it was so refreshing to just be in the moment.

As much as I love the outdoors, I can find it hard to take an hour or two to enjoy it as much as I’d like to. Now I’ve realized that really I can appreciate nature on a daily basis throughout day-to-day life. I realize through writing this that I sometimes compare travel to exercise, it can be daunting to see a how far you have to go, and wanting to rush to just get it done instead of making the most out of the process.

Switching it up a bit from my usual sweatpants and t-shirt look I would typically go for in order to achieve extreme comfort for the journey, I chose this super cozy wool pullover and my new favorite jeans that no joke, feel like pajamas. The pullover is made of wool and like most, I can be pretty picky when it comes to wool but this sweater doesn’t irritate at all. Always excited about new warmer fashion trends, I like to make sure I have comfortable, versatile staple pieces where I can change the look easily but still stay cozy and comfortable. An outfit like this can be dressed up with accessories or even a skirt or different pants in order to make it a completely different look.

During this time of year, it’s important that we take a minute in all of the hustle and bustle in order to cherish the people that mean the most to us. Sometimes the overwhelming commercialization of this holiday season can distract us from what really matters, quality time and conversation with family and friends. I’m so glad I got to spend some time with my far away family, and I hope you guys also get a chance to show your love to those who are important to you. :)

























Special thanks to my sister, who let me use her hand-knit scarf for this shoot!

OUTFIT:

Sweater: Boucle Mockneck Pullover

Jeans: Pilcro Serif Legging Jeans

Hello everyone!

I have to say, I have been really excited to share this post, as my family and I are planning a trip to Mexico (and this dress is sure to get me in the Mexican spirit- plus I really just want to be there right now). But until then, I thought I would wear something that made me feel as though I was somewhere warm, endearing and far away.

This dress really does remind me of travel, because I actually wore this dress on my first trip to Mexico which means it’s full of really crazy memories of being totally submerged in a different culture. That was actually the first time I had been out of the country, and it was such an interesting experience. It really doesn’t matter how many movies you watch or pictures you see, because as soon as you arrive somewhere new all of your senses are enveloped into an ocean of something totally different. I find that my mind is widened by being in new places, and it definitely encourages my natural incentive to explore.

Whenever you enter into a new destination, there is something so ethereal about everything- the food, the scenery, the people and so much more. Obviously Mexico has definite differences from where I am, but even when I travel semi close to home I get that same feeling of curiosity and excitement.

I also love seeing in other cultures how normalcies for them are such a surprise to me, and visa-versa. Mexico has a sultry, ethnic, serene beauty and I can’t wait to visit there again. When I wear something that reminds me of a faraway place, I can’t help but feel like that same attitude of being on vacation is with me wherever I wear it; even when I’m still in my home town.

What places do you guys dream about visiting?

xx Hailey





















Dress: River Island Misha Mexican dress