cut off shorts – All Dolled Up

One of my favorite things about the summer is spending time on the water. I love boating, swimming, fishing, rafting, floating on floaties, going to the pool-if there is water involved, you name it and I am there. And while I used to just throw on an old sundress or t-shirt over my bathing suit for the to and from, this summer I have actually been having more fun with it and putting forth a little more effort with my water excursion apparel. And with that, here are some of my current summer must-haves for all things water related (in addition to a fantastic bathing suit, of course!):

1. Neon Cut-Offs: I love cutoffs, always have, always will. But this year, I have been really quite enamored with all of the bright hues available. The below neon yellow shorts from American Eagle are my current favorite-nice and bright and not too short.

2. Off-the-shoulder Tee: While a t-shirt is a super easy thing to throw on over your bathing suit, an off-the-shoulder tee gives you a bit of a sexier, more fashion forward look, while still boasting all the comforts of a t-shirt. I also love how it shows some shoulder and part of your bathing suit when you are covered up

3. A Fedora: I love to get sun on my face, but now that I am getting older and have become much more diligent about protecting my skin, I like to have a hat with me to throw on to give my face (and hair) a break from the sun and heat. Plus its a great way to cover up messy hair!

4. A cute beach bag: I LOVE a good beach bag. And the below Saltbox tote has been going strong as my go-to tote for the last couple of years. Not only is it a really heavy, durable canvas that can withstand a lot of wear and tear but it’s also super bright with a cute, fun pattern. Plus it’s big enough to hold my sunscreen, beach towel (and my husband’s), a book, some snacks, a big bottle of water, and my hat (when I’m not wearing it).

5. Sunglasses: Obviously a no-brainer, but so important to protect those peepers while out on the water. Plus it’s a great way to add some style to your ensemble!

Instagram Filter: Lo-fi

Black off-the-shoulder tee: American Eagle (last summer)

Neon Yellow Shorts: American Eagle (this summer)

Gold Hammered Earrings: Street Vendor in San Francisco

Sunglasses: Calvin Klein via Macy’s

Fedora: Macy’s (recent)

Medallion Tote: Saltbox via Sundance Catalog

Flip Flops: Dini’s Los Angeles (a cute company that adds embellishments to Havianas)

I also love to wear fun earrings with a bathing suit. Something about it feels very glamorous and oh-so-Beyonce to me. I’m not sure I could quite get myself to the point of ever wearing heels with a bathing suit, but earrings I can do. I have also seen lots of gals layer necklaces with bathing suits, which is a cute look, but one I have yet to try. Maybe that will be in order for our Vegas trip this fall.

P.S. Below are a few of my favorite bathing suits from this season-all by Roxy. I always have a hard time finding bathing suits that I think fit really well and all of these do. Plus they are great quality and come in a variety of styles and prints.

Contrary to what you might think, I don’t get really dressed up very often. Obviously I love to write posts and share all of my fun outfit ideas with you guys, but truth be told, if you were to bump into me out running errands around the SLC, chances are you would find me wearing something similar to the below. In the summertime, my general uniform is a great pair of cutoffs (I’m especially partial to white) back to a tee, or a great button down (for a slightly more put together look). So when Justin and I had a mini-golf date with our littles followed by a trip to the new City Creek Center and beers on the patio at the Beer Hive, I knew for once exactly what I was going to wear (without really even putting any thought into it). And sometimes, simple as they are, those are often times my favorite outfits.

Gingham button down: JCrew
White Cut Off Shorts: American Eagle
Neon Bag: Rebecca Minkoff via Bloomingdales
Watch: Michael Kors via Macy’s
Bracelets: Tiffany and Co., Forever21, H&M
Shoes: Steve Madden via DSW

I am so in love withy the color of this JCrew shirt-and the fabric and gingham are a perfect summer combo. In fact I’m not at all surprised that this is actually called “The Perfect Shirt”. So if you are looking for a great fitting, lightweight summer button down, I would highly recommend this one. Plus they have a huge variety of different colors and prints-something for everyone I’m sure!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!!