Sombrero Beach

J.Crew linen beach tunic — Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Light blue linen beach tunic on Sombrero Beach, Florida — Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Black bikini, straw sun hat, striped beach blanket — Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Palm tree at Sombrero Beach, Marathon, Florida — Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Beach essentials: straw bag + straw hat + striped towel — Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

As you know, I spent all of last week in the Florida Keys on a family vacation. Our first full day consisted entirely of relaxation. We slept in (not difficult considering we jumped ahead two time zones), spent time at the beach, and then hung out in the pool at our beach house rental. The goal was to do nothing, and I'd say that goal was accomplished. ;)

Sombrero Beach is one of the few beaches in the Keys and was conveniently located across the street from our beach house in Marathon. It's not the most "pristine" beach, as there is a lot of seaweed and other marine debris lining the shores, but it's still a beach! There are a few areas of dead coral that make for interesting terrain and require some sort of footwear. The real reason why you'd go to the beach here (other than to sunbathe) is to wade/swim in the water. The water temperature was in the upper 80s—it felt like bathwater! It felt warmer than the water around Maui, and I thought that was warm. I could surf all day in the Keys if there were any waves. (The reef surrounding the Keys protects them from big waves, which is great if you're all about the wading and paddle boarding life like I am!)

Of course, I wanted to document the trip as any blogger would... with lots of outfit photo shoots, haha. I knew I wanted one of the looks to be a beachy one like this—with a swimsuit and coverup—but I wasn't 100% sure about taking "bikini" shots. No one follows me because I post bikini shots (because I have never done that), and it felt really weird to have my boyfriend take some with a ton of other people around (outfits are one thing, but when I'm wearing only a bikini...?). I channeled my inner Nicole and shared a photo anyway because, well, I was on the beach! In a swimsuit, like everyone else. (Have you read her post on how to stay body-positive while on vacation? It's a must!)

For this outing, I picked my black bikini and layered my light blue tunic over it to "go" with the striped beach blanket (which I purchased in last year's Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and finally got to use!) and the tassels on my straw bag. Can't go wrong with a few different shades of blue to mimic all the colors in the ocean! ;)

OUTFIT DETAILS

J.Crew tunic / old; similar
Victoria's Secret bikini / old; similar top by J.Crew and similar bottoms by Betsey Johnson
Old Navy hat / exact
Hat Attack bag / exact (on sale!)
Moorea Seal sunglasses / old; similar by American Eagle Outfitters
Linum Home Textiles towel / exact