Economy of Style
A notebook on evolving trends, fashion sense and cents

Cut It Out: The Coolest 2020 Swim Trend

One-piece swimsuits have come to prove that they can be just as sexy and more interesting that bikinis this year. Enter, the cut-out swimsuit! Since it’s never too early to get ready for swim season, I’m checking in with several affordable options in the coolest swim trend of 2020. Psst…my suit is from Target. I kid you not.

cut out swim trend

What I’m wearing:

Cut-out swimsuit | Kate Design cover-up | Dale Kelley hat | Sunglasses

Earrings | Anklet | Lip: Mac “Ruby Woo”

It’s totally still winter in St. Louis, but I’m working with the St. Louis Boat & Sportshow this weekend. I had a ton of fun of exploring the largest yacht at the convention. Of course, I had to style the moment.

Dale Kelley Hat

My black one-piece is $39.99 at Target. For size reference, I’m wearing a small. I was immediately drawn to this beauty because of its striking silhouette with front and back cutouts. It also offers a great deal of coverage for a swimsuit with so many openings. The bottom is high-waisted, and the leg cut can be adjusted to your personal taste.

cut out swim trend

My cover-up is actually a robe by Kate Design St. Kitts. I’ve always found it too adorable to just wear at home. And, my magnificent hat (did you peep the details on the top?) is by Dale Kelley of Dale Original Art & Style in St. Kitts.

cut out swim trend

Et voila! I had the perfect yacht day style.

Going on vacay? Check out some fly vacation style options here.

Location: St. Louis Boat & Sportshow

Shop the cut-out swim trend:

The Eyelet Dresses That Are Perfect For Your Summer Fetes

Yesterday, I attended Carambola White Sands in St. Kitts. It’s a huge white party on the beach. Attendees go all out for the fete. It’s usually sizzling hot in St. Kitts at this time of year, so when I thought about choosing an outfit, I knew I wanted something regal but breezy. And, the lacy details of an eyelet dress meet both requirements. I knew I found THE ONE when I first saw today’s featured dress–the Lilly Pulitzer Melody Maxi Dress.

eyelet dress

What I’m wearing:

Lilly Pulitzer Melody Maxi Dress c/o | Sunglasses (similar)| Sandals | Lip

eyelet dress

I love the feminine silhouette and the striking tiered skirt on this dress. It moves beautifully, and in turn, makes your every move look graceful.

eyelet dress

The strappy dress has see-through lace at the waist, which adds a subtly sexy touch to the maxi dress.

Of course, there’s nothing more lovely than an all-over eyelet dress. This one has lightweight fabric that kept me cool throughout the party.

Need something similar? I highly recommend this number. By the way, this dress fits true to size. I’m wearing a size 4.

Be sure to check out all the eyelet dresses at the end of this post. There’s surely an option for your next summer fete in there.

Location: Park Hyatt, St. Kitts

Find your next eyelet dress:

Get more white party outfit ideas here.

How I Celebrated National Stripes Day

Happy April! I spent Easter Weekend and the last moments in March celebrating in stripes. Last Saturday was National Stripes Day, and that was my queue to reach for my favorite stripes. It’s a holiday created by J.Crew, creator of some of the best striped styles. I was especially stoked, then, to be featured by J.Crew (in the brand’s IG Stories) as one of their favorite ways people celebrated #NationalStripesDay.

#NationalStripesDay

What I’m wearing:

Striped shirt (under $20) | Jeans | Loafers | Sunglasses (option)

Need inspiration for styling and wearing stripes? I got you covered. I shared 20 of my favorite ways to rock stripes (see that post here).

Back to this outfit. For the occasion, I reached for a red striped shirt that I purchased in H&M recently. Get this. This shirt is only $19.99. Its subtle details—an oversized fit, drop shoulders, and curved hem—make it appear much more expensive than it is. The shirt seems to have sold out online, but you may have luck finding it in-store. My local stores had quite a few of them.

No surprise, I love mixing prints. For more on that love and my favorite techniques for making mixed prints work, see here and here. Graphic prints like stripes are easy to build upon because they go with everything. Stripes and florals, for example? Almost always a winning combination! I was excited, then, to finally rock my LifeStride Viva loafers. How fun-for-spring is the tropical print on these loafers?

Location: Midtown St. Louis

Shop my #NationalStripesDay Outfit:

This is My Kind of Winter Blues

I got a fairly warm welcome back to St. Louis following my trip home to St. Kitts. But, winter is showing up and showing out this weekend in the Lou. Cue the winter blues! Talking about blue, classic navy blue is one of the IT colors of the spring. I’m here for that because navy is such a lovely color to anchor a wardrobe.

One of my current favorite navy blue pieces is the Lilly Pulitzer Sanilla dress (see more Lilly styles here). It’s a stunning off-the-shoulder silk dress. I rocked it on vacation, and I can’t wait to wear it all summer long. If you’d like to add some classic navy to your wardrobe right now, check out the curated selection of styles at the end of this post.

classic navy blue

Wearing: Lilly Pulitzer Sanilla silk dress c/0 | J.Crew Sandals (old)

Shop Classic Navy Blue:

Like Mother, Like Daughter: Celebrating in Lilly

Visiting my mom is my favorite reason for going home to St. Kitts. 2018 is already off to a fantastic start, then, because I got to bring in the new year with her. Of course, as style enthusiasts, we seized the opportunity to do another mother daughter style photoshoot (see the last one here). Big shout-out to Lilly Pulitzer for allowing us to celebrate this magical moment in lovely Lilly outfits.

Mother Daughter Style

Our Mother Daughter Style:

Mom: Lilly Pulitzer Corie top | Lilly Pulitzer Chantal Pant

Me: Lilly Pulitzer Myri Romper | Earrings (now on sale)

From browsing old photo albums to talking about the future, I love spending time with my mom. She’s my number one fan, and everyone needs a dose of that kind of love and encouragement from time to time. Am I right?

I’m a huge fan of Lilly’s solid designs (see here and here). But, the Swirling Seadream print is one of my faves because of its happy colors and wavy pattern. The print is available in a variety of styles to suit many style sensibilities.

No surprise, I was drawn to the Myri romper. This short romper with its stunning off-the-shoulder silhouette had me at first sight. My mom, who also loves to show off her clavicle, opted for an off-the-shoulder top that she paired with white skinny pants (shop her pants here).

Location: St. Kitts Marriott Resort