Stripes At Sea

I am a fan of nautical themed items. I'm a sucker for matelot shorts/pants, red or blue stripes, and pretty much anything with anchors. To me, this shirt says "wear me by the ocean", so I did so.

[Shirt: Forever 21
Shorts: Forever 21
Shoes: Rialto Comfort
Sunglasses: Nine West]

I put this outfit together last minute before going out one day last week. I got the shirt during my trip to Florida in March and hadn't styled it yet. I decided it was finally time to just wear it, already. It's perfect for the humid weather we've been having lately because it's so light and airy. I've been trying to match it up with something for a while now, but nothing seemed to fit right with it. Finally, I just ended up pairing it with these floral shorts on a very odd whim of inspiration. Sometimes I forget that I enjoy mixing patterns.

What's even better than a beach? A beach with a grassy park area, complete with a playground and swingset, picnic tables, and a little rooftop patio overlooking everything. My friends and I laid down some blankets on this same patio to stargaze after Hurricane Irene knocked out the power for a few days.

Although the hurricane did some damage and people were without power for a week or more, it was still a treat to be able to see so many stars without having to travel deep into the woods. I don't know why, but there has always been something about natural disasters that draws my interest. I'd love to be a storm chaser and learn more about it all. We've had lots of thunderstorms lately, and Chris and I have gone out in the pouring rain to watch them a few times. I love seeing the lightning cut across the sky and light everything up with that purpleish-blue hue. There's a beauty to the chaotic mess that is a storm.