The last time I gave this capsule much thought was years ago before we went on vacation to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Later this year we’re heading to Greece — and possibly other pool-centric destinations before that — so a refresh was in order. For one, I’m in the mood to wear very matchy-matchy one-pieces in brights, instead of my old navy and white polka dot bikini.
I headed straight to Bleu by Rod Beattie, a swimwear brand I spotlighted a few years ago. I was looking for new one-piece swimsuits. Supportive, covered, interesting design details, a little modern retro, bright, patterned, and sold with a matching support act. I tend to lie in the shade, cover-up in the sun, and don’t swim much. I don’t do water sports either, which is why I don’t need a rash guard.
I found the size guide quite accurate, the quality of the swimwear impeccable, and the service extremely good. I ordered two one-pieces, both of which were perfect fits, absolutely gorgeous, and winners right away: A shirred bandeau with straps, and a strapless bandeau. This is NOT the norm. Usually I need to fit on many styles before I land on what I’m happy with.
Feeling the matchy-matchy vibe, I ordered a solid pareo to match the turquoise strapless, and sarong pants in the same pattern to match the other. The pareo was perfect, but the pants needed alteration to fit properly. I had them altered, and now they look great.
I’m a shirt gal, and tend to cover-up with long-sleeved shirts when I need more coverage up top. I found J.Crew’s long beach shirt in the light blue stripe awfully fun, and got that on sale. It’s my version of a ‘70s kaftan. The white shorts, packable hat, and polka dot beach bag are old. A solid beach bag would have looked visually better, since there is a lot of pattern already. But I can live with the pattern mix, and decided the old bag would do just fine. The ECCO slides are new, and fit my very low-volume feet because the velcro vamp straps can be adjusted.
Last, I needed a new pair of sunnies, and chose Ray-Ban’s iconic classic new round style in gold metal. The colour and shape work well with my new darker and longer hair. I used to wear a similar pair thirty years ago, but they broke. I’ve come full circle, which is fun too.
My beach and pool capsule refresh is complete, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process. I’m very much looking forward to our trip to Greece, which we had to cancel the first time round because of the pandemic. I don’t anticipate needing to think about this capsule for a good long while.
