I just got back from Miami yesterday morning, so figured I’d do a quick recap while everything is fresh in my mind. And before I get back to my usual (crazy, hard to focus on anything unless it’s 11:30pm) routine.
Honestly, I was 100% on the fence about even going, but decided to go a week or two before. Mainly because I LOVE being able to actually meet people face to face – (email is so impersonal, hard to get your personality across, and I am the queen of typos. etc.), there’s so many totally bad ass designers, shop owners, and entrepreneur ladies who all convene into a few square miles that I love hanging with, and I really needed a few days to switch off my mom brain and get back to a beach. Having a big king size bed all to myself was pretty spectacular too. Even though I didn’t get to sleep in it as much as I would’ve liked.
So it was a good trip, yes there were some frustrations, (similar to what I wrote last year in this post after I went to Miami), and I kept on wondering if I even belonged here anymore. But I kind of just laughed at myself for overthinking things, saw some amazing swimwear and beach gear, got to connect and reconnect with some amazing humans…and said to hell with it and wore my skimpiest bikini bottoms at the beach and got some sun on my buns too. Which I’ve been working my butt off to be able to bounce a quarter off of again. Ok that’s another post.
Onto the recap.
• This has nothing to do with swimwear, but I love cuban coffee and drank a ton of it. Strong espresso shots with sugar. Made me feel a decade younger than I was.
• But then again since Levi is 37 lbs and not even two yet. I’ve been having major back spasms from hunching over to pick him up repeatedly, so many of my conversations started with me talking about back spasms…which made me feel about a decade older than I am.
• I also did my hair and makeup three nights in a row. I can not remember the last time this happened.
• Ok swimwear. I am SO grateful that designers like Ola Feroz, Acacia, Issa De Mar and Mikoh are are around. In fact, they are the lines I pretty much started this blog writing about. I love designers that make gorgeous, comfortable, fashionable and flattering swimwear that you can actually be active in, and feel like a total babe too. So bravo ladies. I love what you are doing. Keep it up.
• Indah is amazing. I was so bummed I had to leave before their show, but got to check out their line in their suite, and it’s just so amazing to see what Libby comes up with each year. There’s pretty much a suit or coverup you could use for any occasion. On any continent.
• Mara Hoffman is also so inspiring. Always has been. Always will be. Well made, bright, fun and original suits. Insanely gorgeous prints. Hallelujah.
• The Acacia show was in the 7th floor of a parking structure. The suits were insane. I spied a few fun new styles and tropical prints. And a sweatsuit. I loved the sweatsuit. Big time.
• Ola Feroz knows how to throw a fun pool party, (with people actually in the pool,) and make perfectly fitting suits. I find that these go hand in hand.
• I won’t name names but some suits and lines I saw I have no clue how they’d ever stay on or not fall apart if you’d ever actually wear them in the water. I call these pool lines: Swimwear made to be worn sitting by a pool and taking pictures for your instagram with dry hair and perfect makeup. Not for swimming. Not my cup of tea.
• Loved chatting with Rosanna and Zoe from Indie + Wild and INDIEswim they are too darn sweet, and their suits with the shells and sporty cuts are just so…me.
• Also have a new girl crush on Mamie Ruth and all that she’s doing. Stay tuned for more on this line…
What else…
• I scored a pretty sweet vacation package deal and stayed at The Miami Beach EDITION – Felt a bit out of my league, but man that place was insane. I thoroughly enjoyed having my morning cup of coffee in a hammock, and floating around in their pool all by myself for a few minutes.
• I was invited to a GORGEOUS brunch for a newer line, L’Port Swim. It’s a contemporary meets classic line, made in the USA, with some seriously great fabric and reversible suits. It was a Moroccan themed brunch with some of the tastiest avocado toast ever. (Other than the avocado toast my mom’s been making me since I was a kid.)
• Had dinner with some friends and former bosses at 27 restaurant. Then chowed down on some seriously delicious Cuban food with my Bikini Bird pals at Puerto Sagua. I’m not a foodie, but if you are ever in Miami, go eat at those places.
• And I still managed to log in some beach time. The key is waking up early, before all the swim week shenanigans start. In fact, those two mornings were some of my favorite times. I don’t know about you, but waking up, and just walking out to a warm, peaceful uncrowded beach all by yourself…is one of life’s great luxuries.
Whoa. It’s kind of amazing how much I crammed into two days. Apparently when I travel by myself, and without a toddler, I just go into beast mode.
So it was a good trip – eye opening, encouraging, and motivating.
Yay Miami.
And high five to all of you amazing designers and your crews. I don’t know how you do it.
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