It’s been a while since I’ve shared a little fashion focused post with you but with so many of you lovely lot reaching out about my latest instagram looks I thought it would whip up a little style scroll for you 😉
As someone who is barely in the country I call home, shopping, for me, is mostly done online. I like to think I’m quite good a styling well for the destination I’m travelling to and being a content creator in the travel industry I do think there’s a certain ‘art’ to dressing well for your surroundings and knowing what’s going to work in a particular country so usually a week or so before a trip I’ll put in a few online orders with that destination in mind. Most recently I traveled to the Maldives spending my time between two heavenly islands, one of which was Kuramathi Island, where all of these photos were taken. Each trip away has it’s own style preparations (please tell me I’m not the only one who packs with a theme?!) and when it comes to the Maldives as both a holiday maker and a content creator I always pack with a few simple rules;
1. Pack Light – There is no need to over-pack clothes for The Maldives as you will spend the majority of your time in swimwear and a cover up.
2. Keep your colours neutral and fresh – My suitcase mainly always consists of natural earthy tones with the highest percentage of clothes and swimwear being white to match the stunning sand and then the odd dash of colour.
3. Loose fabrics are your friend – Asides from the obvious swimwear options I always pack loose and light fabrics. Long floaty dresses, billowing sleeves and delicate laces. In-keeping with the whimsical wanderlust theme these clothes will not only look great they’ll serve the purpose of keeping you cool, they won’t need ironing (because who has time for that in paradise) and they will help to keep the mosquitos away in the evening.
The rest is just down to toiletries and that token swan inflatable 😉 For those of you who haven’t been to The Maldives before, know this, DON’T PACK SHOES! The islands are barefoot territory, you may want to slip in a pair of flip flops if you are staying in a water villa as the walkways are made of wood and can get quite hot but otherwise your feet get their own little sandy pamper for the duration of your stay!
With that in mind, here’s a little insight into some of my own looks whilst white sand wandering last month.
For these two looks I’m wearing one of the new Fae Swimwear Bikini’s and lacey numbers from from Pretty Little Thing.
When it comes to swimwear my personal preference is to spend a little extra on individual pieces that suit my figure well. I adore plain and simple designs and LOVE wearing white as I think the minimal look on me really shows off the tropical scenes that I am encountering at any given time. I also think that there is something so flattering about plain fabrics when it comes to bikinis, for me I always feel my best in simple designs that suit my shape and Fae have always been a really good fit for me and my body shape. I have quite a large bum, which I love (yes, we are allowed to love ourselves out loud every now and again ladies!) but it does inevitably mean I struggle to fit into full bottomed briefs so instead I always have to opt for a super high leg or thong and that is luckily the design for all of Fae’s designs.
If you haven’t shopped with Fae before and you’re based in the UK I personally think the price points are really reasonable BUT it’s the shipping fees that will do you over! So my advice is to buy in bulk and to go halves with a friend 😉 My bestie Emma and I always place our orders at the same time cutting down on shipping costs!
The lace trousers and kimono are both from Pretty Little Thing and are both perfect throw-on options. The Maldives is a year round destination, it’s so beautiful that even the sun doesn’t ever want to leave! So taking into account the heat, it’s always a good idea to pack some light cover-ups for the day and I think I found two super cute options here.
The trousers are a snug fit and look amazing over bikini bottoms as well as being breezy enough to keep cool and the long length kimono was my go-to for taking with me on trips and excursions or having at the bottom of my beach bag if I wanted to grab some lunch or nip to the spa. The set makes for the ultimate Maldives pack as neither item creases and white is always a good idea when visiting an Indian Ocean Destination. I love how fuss free they are and they went with absolutely everything!
This island outfit had to have been one of my favourite looks when staying on Kurmathi Island. I’ve mixed up two different bikini sets here and added in a super ‘of the moment’ fashionable straw bag and hat.
Starting with the bottoms, these are from one of my new FAVE brands Salt & Saunter. They have been my go-to swimwear brand for my last few trips as the entire collection is simple and flattering with a unique twist. I was contacted by the two lovely ladies who started this brand (who are both ridiculously HOT by the way so give them a follow!) back at the end of last year and they very kindly sent out some designs to me for my Maldives trip. They selected some styles and I’m not going to lie, when they arrived I was a little worried as a few of the pieces were high waisted bottoms. I’ve always been someone who thought they wouldn’t be able to wear high waisted bikinis because of my shape but oh my goodness can I in their designs! They have, in my pinion, nailed the fit in their collection and I’ve not stopped wearing their designs since, just check out their tags on my instagram feed for proof!
The top was a steal from my island roomie Amy as I, again, loved the fit and how well it matched my S&S bottoms. See the next outfit for more details on that 😉
The addition of a bag and straw hat to this look just cemented the tropi-cool look and once again you’ll notice shoes haven’t made an appearance. I borrowed this bag too as I still haven’t managed to get my hands on one this season but I am loving all the different straw styles available, here’s some of my favourites to buy online, perhaps you can help me chose?
I loved this simple bikini from Ode and Rae, It’s not usually a colour I would opt for but the rich palm leaf greens and bright blue skies at Kuramathi Island provided the perfect setting to wear this deep tangerine. The design is again super simple and for those of you not wanting for pay out for a Fae number the thong fit of the bottoms is really similar yet far more affordable and available in the UK!
Then finally two new and dreamy numbers from Melissa Odabash. I’ve been a fan of the luxury swim a beachwear brand Melissa Odabash for years now and have always lusted over the beach pretty designs.. The swimwear collection is slightly more conservative and I do sometimes struggle with the fit but this olive green swimsuit was figure perfect! I was able to lift the sides so that the bottom half rested a little higher on the leg and the scoop back, one shoulder detail was simply stunning on. When you are wearing Melissa Odabash you really can tell the difference in quality and design and I’m so pleased I managed to find a design to suit my figure. I love this swimsuit!
What has always drawn me to the designer more so however is the gorgeous beach wear dresses, jumpsuits and cover-ups available in each collection. I was very luckily gifted these two items and scrolling through the long list of beautiful dresses it was almost impossible to chose but I ended up going for this gorgeous long sleeved maxi and I am so glad I did. This for me, was the ultimate pack for The Maldives. The colours and pattern worked so well with the surroundings and the fabric was thick enough that I could wear it in the evenings (it’s not see through at all) and light enough to wear during the day. It’s the perfect disguise for sunburned secrets and keeps any island wandering mosquitos away at night. Tick tick tick.
This is just one of those dresses I know I’ll pack for every adventure now. I especially loved the demure design for when I travel to countries in the middle east where covering up is required. I have always struggled to find beautiful designs and dresses that I can wear with confidence without showcasing so much as a wrist! The design can be tied entirely closed at the front but I chose to wear it open and pulled down to one shoulder in these pictures for the beach edition 😉
Just a little styling snapshot from Kuramathi Island, showcasing some of my favourite fashion newbies! The full island review will be up on Sunday 🙂
Sabrina x
