A kaftan that goes from the beach straight to a party is my ideal Saturday uniform! I recently bought the embroidered beaut by , above, and wouldn't mind putting a few more into play, such as these by (love!), , , , and .

As long as I am feeling the summery sandal vibe (despite the dreary El Nino storm currently wreaking havoc outside!), I thought I'd introduce you to these new beach-ready lovelies from Daft. Beautifully embroidered, perfectly punchy and impossibly cute, these and linen caftans are just what I'd take to Fantasy Island!

Several good friends of mine have long been in the practice of wearing caftans as dresses, elegantly transforming the traditional poolside garment into a polished evening-out (or day-out!) frock. Leandra Medine, above, is clearly well-versed in this practice. I'm a big fan of this relaxed-elegant (and beyond comfy) look and would like to jump on the bandwagon this season with these languid lovelies by , , , , (on sale!), , and . (I recently wore this

This morning I was talking with a friend about her upcoming trip to Mexico and she asked me what she should pack for her trip. (Um, pack me?) For those of you who are about to jet off to sunny climes, here are the newest, cutest poolside-perfect pieces I'd bring: these about-to-sell-out (next summer's must-have!) or this similar-looking ; several statement one-piece swimsuits such as this crochet (pictured above) and this halter-style ; along with a few stay-on, standout bikinis by (so chic!), (the back is almost better than the front!) and (love the scalloped edges and stripes). I also love this crochet . I'd fill up this canvas with books I'm dying to read like , , and . And I'd happily slip into any of these effortlessly glam cover-ups by , , , , , and . For evenings out, I'd bring a range of options from this sea breeze-proof to this raffia-trimmed vibrant to this Cosmo-ready silk chiffon to this flirty off-the-shoulder . P.S. I'd also take the body, above, if I could!

The end of daylight savings means it's time to begin planning that warm winter getaway! I'd like to get the ball rolling with this gorgeous embroidered kaftan.

I'll never tire of summer's steamy, sun-soaked weekends at the beach--but my swimsuit cover-ups are already starting to feel old! This pic offers up a cool (and sexy) solution: a vintage-y army shirt like or , unbuttoned over an alluring bikini (love this crochet !). Other out-of-the-box options: this lace , this (on sale!), this and this .

With many of my friends on spring break in places I wish I were (i.e., St. Barths, Hawaii, bobbing around in the Bahamas, etc.), I'm feeling a little deserted--and jealous! So I spent the morning licking my wounds and fantasizing about what I'd be wearing if I were frolicking in the deep tropics. For starters, I'd want the outrageously pretty , above, to throw over a sea-salted bikini. Then I'd have these caftans by , , , , , and , at hand to wear should I be struck by the whim to peel myself off a chaise lounge and get a pina colada or go souvenir shopping. I'd definitely pack at least a few vibrant tunics like this or this to pair with shorts or white jeans. Lastly, I'd love a serious beach bag such as this one from and a striking hat like this to shade me from the intense sunlight--and, of course, make a glam I'm-on-holiday statement!

Photo: Pinterest

There is nothing more luxurious than packing a bag and heading off on a tropical winter getaway--except for, of course, packing a very large bag and heading off on that same getaway! For my recent to Careyes, Mexico, a few weeks ago, I brought along more swimsuits, dresses, and kaftans than I could possibly wear in a week, but it felt so indulgent to have those options with me (and, as it turned out, unpacked for me as well!). With the holidays coming up--and high hopes for warm weather vacations ahead--I did some reconnaissance on all things resort wear and came up with a list of the latest and greatest must-pack items. Because the list is quite lengthy, I thought I'd break it up into two parts and start with swimwear and cover-ups today. For starters, the array of swimsuit options is immense, but I love that you can get a bunch of styles to try on from sites like Netaporter, Asos and Shopbop with free shipping and returns--and avoid the harsh lighting of a department store dressing room! I tend to bring a mix of staple suits (i.e., the solid black bikini) with more adventurous styles (the cut-out one-piece) and wear according to mood/agenda. I actually just bought this crazy sexy, which I fantasize wearing on a far-away beach with just my hubby, but I also fancy this and this , all of which would be suitable at a family resort! Bikini wise, I still swear by this (I took it with me to Mex!) as it's perfect for all sun, sand and sea outings, but I also love these just-out stunners by , , and . Statement-y kaftans and tunics that go from the beach to the bar, such as this (on sale!), this and this are fantastic in my book, but the easy ones you can throw on over a wet swimsuit and feel dressed are also practical, like this , this , this , and this . Stay-tuned for winter-getaway part deux, where I will cover sandals, apres beach wear and accessories!

Even though summer has not officially begun (summer solstice occurs on Friday!), J.Crew's last summer collection shipped today, and there are gems aplenty, all reduced by 25% courtesy of the site-wide sale through June 24*. On my wishlist: this graphic print , above, this striking fringed , this embellished party-ready striped , and these floral print .

*Use code NEWSTYLE at checkout.

A friend's milestone birthday party in Santa Barbara this past weekend entailed a day-to-night celebration, kicking off with lunch on the beach, followed by a hike capped off with summit-top sunset cocktails, then dinner and dancing in an oak forest known to be frequented by mountain lions, and then still more dancing in a barn complete with disco-ball. It was an amazing day, but not without its fashion challenges: What garment moves seamlessly from beach to hike to dance floor? What shoes are stylish enough, but still facilitate a speedy escape in-case-of-mountain-lion? I found resolution in a post-beach wardrobe change from kaftan to flowy open-back (sweat-proof) dress and (beach-, hike-, boogie- and flee- friendly) flat metallic sandals. But other women took their beach cover-ups straight on through the evening. Albeit, these were cover-ups that were fun and festive looking, or worked after hours teamed with a cute pair of shorts (like the one above)--but all of them were thoroughly inspiring. Very much like these from (a graphic knockout), (floral and feminine), (I adore this new line, and this flowy number can explain why), (easy breezy), (an investment with long-term benefits) and (strapless, ruffled and flirty).