The Cutest Girl on the Beach

It's been a good strategy, and one that has worked well, especially now that I'm 40 with two small kids in tow. Guys are checking me out again (only now they're other dads hanging out with their kids).

The uniform is simple: cute and not frumpy skirt-suit, awesome hat, old men's shirt for cover-up, sunglasses, and Havianas Slims. The hardest part is finding a not-frumpy skirt-suit, so let's start with that.

While I don't like Juicy Couture as a rule (no one should wear track bottoms that say anything on the bottom, especially Juicy), this suit gives you the idea.

Finding an awesome hat or good-looking sunglasses isn't hard, so now we'll move on to the old men's shirt for a cover-up. Before I had a significant other, I went to charity shops to buy old, worn, classic shirts. (Then I slept in them.) I also wore them as cover-ups on the beach. If you're going to work this look, make sure you off-set it with jewellery - ideally pieces that can go with you into the pool or the ocean.

Lastly come the Havianas Slims, the best flip flops in the world. A more delicate take on the classic style, they're actually pretty, as opposed to schleppy. And, if you buy them in a metallic colour, they could almost be described as elegant. They go in the pool, the ocean, the sand, the shower. There is no need for Crocs in this world.

I'm still working on identifying the perfect beach bag for this look, but I'm almost there. Maybe next trip.

Sarah Western Balzer

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Sarah Western Balzer is the editor of HITC Life. She grew up in Tampa, Florida, and lived in Washington, DC and New York before moving to London, where she lived for seven years. She now lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons. Her background is in the music industry, lifestyle relocation, and journalism. If you'd like to contribute to HITC Life, and work in banking or a field related to finance, please drop her a line (sarah.balzer@hereisthecity.com).