Destination Beach Wedding with Carve Designs, Carrie Dunham, Naturalizer Shoes

Attending a tropical, destination wedding? Here are some beach-worthy outfits and accessories to pack.

SOMEWHERE WARM AND SUNNY Whether you are the bride or a bridesmaid, a destination wedding or anniversary celebration is definitely in your not too distant future. Wedding season may be in full swing but here's how to get ready for beach nuptials plus all the dinners and outings these invitations often include. First check out how to get ready for your flight using my super streamlined packing list by reading: "What's in My Resort Bag?"

Getting Your Beach Body Back
Summer is HERE so look for not only those beach wedding invites but pool parties, trips to the shore and water sports such as kayaking and boating. A really quick way to get in shape is to do Dry Body Brushing at least 3x per week. Long strokes with a firm boar bristle brush followed by an application of Cellulite Whisperer Gel and Lotion by Sublime Beauty will shape you up in about 2 weeks. Get some extra exercise too. Walk about 3 hours total per week and cut down on the saturated fat.

Dry Body Brushing =big results! Sublime Beauty's Cellulite Whisperer & Wilma Schumann Algae Contouring Soap.

Bronzed & Buffed
You can go the salon spray tan route but I prefer Fake Bake Tanning Butter and Tinted Body Glow. Both formulas are very moisturizing and give a beautiful, natural tan. I also like Australian Gold SprayGel Sunscreen with Instant Bronzer which has a SPF of 30. This product is water resistant for up to 80 minutes and contains both tea tree and olive oils as well as aloe. Protect your face with something like Yes to Cucumbers, Calming Moisturizer - SPF 30 or Obagi Medical's Hydra-Factor which also has SPF 30. Always remember to wear your sunglasses for all outdoor events.

Air travel can take the moisture out of your skin

Your Plane Trip
Staying Moist is easy with Wilma Schumann European Skin Care Hydrating Facial Mist. At under 3 ozs, it is the perfect size to take on your flight and combat dry cabin air. 

Stay moist and protected in the summer sun.

Summer Outfit Ideas-Because Life's a Beach
What do you bring when you may be spending days on the sand and nights on the town? It's easier than you think and won't mean emptying your closet into your suitcase! Bring the basics and switch up your look with accessories.

Expect to attend bridal and anniversary luncheons. The Cooper-West Palm Beach

The first outfit is The Gansett Dress by Carve Designs of California and will take you from the beach to shopping or even lunch. The Pebble Leather Tote is by designer Carrie Dunham. Looks much more posh than a rustic tote but is fully lined in nautical striped fabric. The Sag Harbor and Nantucket ladies do lunch like this. Fabulous!

Gansett Dress in color Anchor Bali by Carve Designs, CA

Leather Bag by Carrie Dunham, Dahnny Sandals by Naturalizer

Switch it Up with a Cover Up!
Here's how a few accessories can change up this Gansett Dress. I've topped this sweet frock with the Lagoon Tunic in White with Anchor details. This works for blocking a bit of sun and keeping off the chill when the sun goes down or when you encounter AC. Looks like a completely different outfit layered this way so be sure to pack both.

The Lagoon Tunic changes up this whole outfit.

Your Evening Out
An easy way to transition from a day at the beach to dinner out is to bring a maxi dress. This Maxi Tank Dress is made of 100% Pure Organic Cotton and is the softest dress I own. Made by Indigenous, it is fully lined and so easy to wear. You will feel extremely elegant in a longer dress like this.

Maxi Tank Dress by Indigenous

Take Cover
One thing I was happy to have brought when I visited West Palm Beach last month was a little cover up. Just the thing for going out to dinner in air conditioned restaurants or for taking a walk at sunset. Some of my favorite toppers are those made by Carve Designs. 

Stylish yet comfy evening outfit.

Get one in WHITE and it will top most any and everything you'll wear this summer. Here, I'm wearing The Anderson Cardigan by Carve Designs while going to dinner. It can be draped over the shoulders as a shawl. Tres chic!

Anderson Cardigan tops my Maxi Tank Dress in style.

Indigenous Maxi Tank Dress in Organic Cotton

Shoes & Bag
I purchased these beautiful yet comfortable coral sandals by Sofia-Z Natalia Designer Shoes for dressier evenings out. Despite the  5 inch heels, they are reasonably easy on your feet. I paired these shoes with my Dsenyo Fair Trade Adriana Clutch with lovely woven floral textures.

Dsenyo Clutch & Sofia-Z Designer Sandals

Summer Beach Accessories
A straw hat like the one in the lead photo from Pistil Designs and sunglasses are obvious choices. Your jewelry can be cool jade, tan and white leather with rose gold. My jewelry choices for this shoot were more aquatic, natural and organic. Follow these points and you will be so ready for that upcoming beach wedding, trip or vacation as you can mix and match these outfits into several stunning looks.

Summer beach accessories take a cue from nature. 

Philip Stein Bracelet & Daniel Wellington Classic Ladies Watch

Garments c/o Carve Designs and Indigenous respectively.
Dahnny Leather Sandals c/o Naturalizer Shoes available at Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom's
On Location Set Design & Photography by Magda
Makeup: Kett Cosmetics

Baked Goods - NEW Fake Bake Self Tanner Bronzer and Mistifier Plus Australian Gold

Just in time for SUMMER!  New Fake Bake Bronzers and Oil Free Mistifier.

When it comes to faux tanning, I think I've been a bit spoiled because for years I've used a professional air brush with tanning solutions. So, it took quite some time to find a rub on product that comes anywhere near that. Air Brush tanning is very even in application and will last for about a week depending on the solution, how often you shower and exfoliate.

My AirStar Spray Tan Compressor

Fake Bake
FB is perhaps one of the better self tanning products out there. I've used the drug store Jergens products but they never really came close to the depth of color of my air brushed tan. So as I said before, I'm some what of a hard sell for these rub on products. All of the Fake Bake products I tested come with a pair of gloves to protect your palms. I saw that as a really good sign! They are good quality gloves and I just wash them as I would my hands, dry and then reuse them.

New Formula Beyond Bronze Self Tan Lotion

FB Beyond Bronze Self Tan Lotion
This was by far my favorite of all self tanning lotions. Perhaps the reason why is because it most resembles the spray tan formula used in my air brush compressor. This new UK formula Beyond Bronze is very liquid but not overly runny. You can see it on my hand, it's almost like melting Jello. It is very dark but spreads very evenly and leaves a beautiful, natural tan color, not unlike what I usually get from the sun. It gives you an immediate glow but darkens over time. Exfoliate first before application and apply at night for a longer lasting tan.

Golden Faux Glo Bronzer Matte Medium Instant Tan Lotion Wash - Off

FB Golden Faux Glo Bronzer Matte Medium Instant Tan Lotion Wash - Off
This is a wash off product for face and body. This would be good for a quick bronzing of tan color but it's a one shot deal. It will not darken over time like the Self Tan Lotion. Comes with gloves just like the Self Tan product but washes off with soap and water. This is good for editorial work when I have an outdoor shoot early in the season. This would not be a good choice for a day at the beach or pool but it definitely works for a night out on the town or to even out previous tan lines.

FB Oil Free Mistifier Moisturizing Body Spray

FB Oil Free Mistifier Moisturizing Body Spray 
Once you've got your glow on, don't try to apply oil based moisturizers. The oil undermines the tanning additives, stripping them away from the skin. The result can be a patchy, streaky mess! I thought this was pretty clever. Fake Bake Oil Free Mistifier Moisturizing Body Spray to top off your newly faux tanned skin. A little goes a long way as this ginger - aloe based spray also contains glycerine and Vitamin E. If you really want to amp up the glow, top everything off with some Hard Candy Glow All the Way made with 24K gold. It is an instant bronze and gradual self tanner in one but it does not get you anywhere near as dark as the Fake Bake. See all of Fake Bake's New Products at FakeBake.co.uk 

Fake Bake is the closest to the professional airbrush tanning solutions I use.

  
Sun Protection
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that none of the aforementioned products offer SPF or UPF protection. You may look fabulously tanned but your skin is still very much at risk without solar protection. So be smart and use a sunblock when heading outdoors. I tried a new product from Australian Gold which contains Kona Coffee infused bronzers and has a SPF of 50. It is water resistant for up to 80 minutes so you can enjoy some pool time. It is not a dark self tanner but it is made with aloe so it won't strip your other products either. See more of their new sun-care products at AustralianGold.com 

Australian Gold 50 Lotion Sunscreen. New Eyewear from the Converse All Star Line

Skincare products c/o Fake Bake