What to Wear to the Beach ('90s Edition)
What to wear to the beach when you're into '90s Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss
It never fails to amaze me how quickly the weather can change from windy rain to full-on summer weather in a matter of days. (Let alone from earthquake to solar eclipse???). It really makes me long for warm summer days and long, relaxing beach vacations. Neither is on the horizon just yet, so I decided to distract myself by mapping out my summer wardrobe instead.
Like many of you, I love a good ‘90s celebrity airport look. So, the theme for this summer? 1990s minimalism meets beach vacation drawing inspiration from editorial looks and some of the biggest supermodels at the time. Shall we? 👇
Emma xx
Gold Chain Necklaces
For seething hot summer days, something as simple as a gold chain necklace is all you need for accessories. Less fabric, less sweaty scenarios.
Black Bikinis
Bikinis, and let alone tiny triangle bikinis, are kind of scary when you don’t necessarily love showing off your body. But something about the photos above makes me want to give it a try this summer! I currently have my eye on a few pieces by the Italian brand Lido. (Linked at the bottom of this issue.)
Waist Chains
These little, jangly accessories are slowly making their way onto the scene. The best ones I have seen so far are from the mini collaboration Ashley Harris, behind the jewelry brand Don’t Let Disco, did with stylist Dione Davis.
Animal Print
I am a life-long leopard print lover. It’s a bold pattern that people mostly attribute to the trend cycle, so I’ve always subconsciously been avoiding it. The thing with trends is that once they’re done, they’re done. Sometimes I worry that if I keep indulging old trends, I’ll seem unaware of all the social cues and codes that are fabricated into our everyday lives. That’s obviously silly and something I can write a whole other post about another time. But, in the spirit of Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, I think getting an animal print slip-on dress or sun hat could be a fun way to spice up your beach look.
Oversized button-ups
White button downs have always been a little bit too formal for my taste. But as with the previously mentioned bikini photos, I changed my mind about them when I came across the iconic Peter Lindbergh photo above. So, I’m heading to the men’s section at the thrift store as this post is being sent out!
Bandanas
If you have dark hair like myself, you’ll know to cover up your hair when the sun is out, if you want to avoid boiling your brain. I think that tying a silk scarf around your head looks so elegant. If you get a bigger scarf you can also wear it as a top.
Slip Dresses
Ahh, the iconic slip dress. The ‘90s classic that deserves a spot in every summer wardrobe. As Vogue writes, “there’s no look more emblematic of the 1990s than the slip dress.“ Throwing a slip dress over your bikini and you’re instantly ready for a night at the beach club.
Levi’s 501 Cutoffs
I really want to start wearing vintage Levi’s cutoffs again. They remind me of the good old Tumblr days when everyone was sporting a vintage graphic tee with a pair of ultra-short denim shorts. The cheapest options I’ve come across are on eBay and at L-Train in New York.
White Mini Dresses
Lastly, we have the white mini dress that comes in many shaped and forms. Pictured above is Naomi Campbell wearing a white, embroidered dress with little ribbon details and Kate Moss wearing a tiny see-through number. I personally prefer linen dresses, but as long as the dress has wider straps and a classic neck line, I don’t think you can go completely wrong.
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this is soo good !! defs in a 90s kate moss phase at the moment ahaha xx
It doesnt get better than Kate & Naomi in summer - love these pics