Totally Beachin'

Wearing: 

Dress - WhoWhatWear x Target

I hadn't been to a beach in a long time.  Okay, that's not completely true.  Last May I went to Cornwall and spent some time at the beach there.  What I'm trying to say is, I hadn't been to a warm, swimmable beach in a long time.  When my friends and I tried to go swimming in Cornwall, we genuinely thought we were going to get hypothermia if we stayed in the water longer than a few minutes.  So when my mom suggested that we go to Santa Cruz for the day while we would be in California, I immediately jumped at the idea.

My mom is from California, and I still have a lot of family there.  Lots of people told me over and over again that the water in California is too cold to swim in, even during the summer.  Listening to their advice, I decided not to pack a swimsuit.  I mean, would I even want to go further in the water than my ankles?  However, once you swim in the ocean off the coast of the UK, any other water will feel warm.  When I first dipped my toes in the water, it was definitely chilly, but I quickly got used to the temperature and regretted not packing a suit.  The unpredictable tides were constantly splashing me, soaking my dress.  I had decided to go for a bit of a 1950s retro look for my beach day.  My new gingham, off-the-shoulder dress was an obvious decision, and I also added a touch of red lipstick.  (I think I unintentionally channeled Taylor Swift circa 2012.)

My time at the beach was not long enough, as my family quickly grew hungry for lunch.  I can't wait to head back to Santa Cruz - hopefully next summer - and just devote an entire day to relaxing at the beach.

Elizabeth xx