The Perfect Beach Accessories

Accessories are big news for Spring 2012 beachwear collections, with designers Melissa Odabash and Helen Kaminski leading the way.   No stylish holiday wardrobe should be without the perfect hat, bag and sandals. 

Melissa Odabash - Cameron Hat

Today there are so many different types of hats to choose from.   For a fashion forward look go for the Melissa Odabash, Cameron Panama Hat.   Or for some timeless elegance look at the Liseli or Provence Hats from Helen Kaminski.   Kaminski hats are all beautifully hand made, and most are designed to conveniently roll up in your suitcase.    For an active holiday, this raffia visor is a chic option. 

Natural woven beach bags for holiday always look elegant.   Helen Kaminski does a great selection here, especially her classic Rio Bag, with a long over the shoulder strap, its big enough to fit everything for the beach, is also a chic bag for about town.  Ondedemar also designs a great palm leaf bag with leather handles.

5 Reasons to Love Seafolly

Every girl should have some beachwear from Seafolly in her holiday wardrobe.   With everything from sporty swimsuits to easy beach coverups, Australian swimwear designer Seafolly have it covered.   Here we pick some of our favourites from the Spring 2012 collection.

Seafolly - La Vita Swimsuit

 Turn heads by the pool in this super glamorous swimsuit.   Gone are the days when the swimsuit was a boring option for beachwear.   The La Vita swimsuit in black and white polka dots, has a feminine skirted bottom and bustier style top.

Seafolly - Coral Kiara Bikini

Add a splash of colour to your holiday wardrobe.   Seafolly always use a rainbow of sun drenched colours, designed to enhance your holiday glow.  

Seafolly - Chill Kaftan

Seafolly have a huge selection of easy beach coverups, all reasonably priced, starting at just £49.  From simple white kaftans, to bold prints like the Chill Kaftan above, a Seafolly kaftan is a beach essential.

Sefolly - Pin Up Bikini

Release your inner goddess this summer in a 50s style bikini from Seafolly.   One of the big swimwear trends for 2012 is the sweetheart pin up style, and this is one our favourites.

Seafolly Sorrento Bikini

Seafolly bikinis always offer great support, but never compromise on style.   With many styles designed to fit up to an E cup, their bikinis and swimsuits have clever hidden padding, boning or underwiring, making you look and feel fabulous on the beach.

These are just a few of our favourites, there is a huge selection of gorgeous beachwear to choose from in the new Seafolly collection.   www.beachcafe.com/designers/seafolly     Enjoy!

 

NEW IN - Juliet Dunn Resort 2011

The hotly anticipated Juliet Dunn Resort 2011 collection has arrived.   Juliet never fails to produce an effortlessly chic collection of kaftans and beach dresses. 

This season Juliet has delighted us with both her iconic styles in a laid -back beach look and new glamorous pieces in exotic shades of sapphire, green opal, sunset pink and flame red.   Juliet has introduced a pretty pintuck detail to her super soft cotton kaftans for a more tailored look.   Another new look is the luxe-hippy with ombre washed out sapphire and opal blending into white in Juliet's classic Gypsy dress and new chic Button Down Maxi Dress. 

Take a look at Juliet Dunn Resort 2011 favourite pieces at Beach Cafe.  We love her modern twists on the classic kaftan, and stunning new embroidered details.   Whether you are sipping a Bellini in Capri, lunching at Club 55 in St Tropez or chilling out on your favourite Caribbean island you'll want to make a splash in Juliet Dunn's stunning collection.

Juliet Dunn - Cotton Pintuck Dress

 

 

Juliet Dunn - Sapphire Drawstring Dress

 

 

Juliet Dunn - Button Down Maxi Dress 

 

Juliet Dunn - Aqua Gypsy Dress

This is just a selection of Juliet Dunn resort 2011 - have a look at ww.beachcafe.com/designers/juliet-dunn for full range of gorgeous beachwear.

Swimwear Trends - Resort 2011

Colour is a Big Deal 

Capture the season's mood and select from our hot parade of colour: cobalt, lipstick pink, flame orange and watermelon.  We love Melissa Odabash Paris Bikini in apricot or celebrate a brilliant orange in Seafolly's Maxi Gladiator Dress at sundown on your favourite beach.   Sing the Blues at your beach bar in Cuba in vibrant marine blue Coastal Swimsuit from JETS by Jessika Allen.  Colour is here to stay for Spring 2012 and Beach Cafe have many more designs coming your way during the next few weeks.

ALOHA to floral - Big bold prints and tropical hothouse flowers

Transport yourself to Hawaii, watching the famous Waikiki sunset in JETS by Jessika Allen's Iconic Swimsuit, with overblown flowers in jewel tones.  Capture this season's mood and pile on the flowers, we love the JETS by Jessika Allen Iconic Bikini.

Sporty Luxe 

Tough it up with smooth, sleek zip up suits - keep the look edgy.  This season we are introducing Lisa Marie Fernandez, innovator of the New Sports Cool.  You no longer have to be riding the waves on a surf board to don one of these suits - look sleek poolside in Jets by Jessika Allen's Racer Swimsuit in fuchsia.

Bohemian Rhapsody
Return of the native and African inspired prints are big this season.  Our favourite is Ondademar's St Tropez bikini in jungle tones.    Sarongs make a come back and Ondademar's tie dye piece makes a boho statement over any bikini or suit.  Wear it with the new Palm Beach Bag by the same designer.  Juliet Dunn's Gypsy Dress in opal green and white is pure boho chic worn with a fabulous natural brown belt.   

Coral: The Hottest Colour for 2012

Nothing lifts us out of the winter blues than wearing a pop of color. Next summer, it's all about integrating hints of red-ish, pinky corals into your wardrobe. It's a beautiful meld of contrasts—classic but still fresh, girlish but still edgy, youthful but still sophisticated—that makes for an unforgettable statement. From maxi dresses to skimpy bikinis, we've got your only summer colour covered. 



Coral adds warmth to all skin tones, making it the most versatile swimwear colour for your whole holiday - softening paleness on day 1 and enhancing your golden glow at the end of your trip. Follow the spring 2012 catwalks and add some sizzling coral to your holiday wardrobe.   Swimwear designer, Melissa Odabash has designed a collection of elegant bikinis in flattering pinkish coral with the stunning Laura kaftan (above) to match.  Both Seafolly and JETS by Jessika Allen have also have highlights of coral in their new collections, such as the stunning Gladiator Maxi Dress from Seafolly (below) and the sporty Bandeau Costal Bikini (above) from JETS.  

Limited Edition ANIKA Bikinis

Monika Hornbostel the designer behind Anika Brazil has designed an exclusive collection for Beach Cafe for Resort/Spring 2012.  Each bikini is a unique limited edition of only 20 so indulge yourself to one of these exclusive designs before they fly out at www.beachcafe.com/designers/anika-brazil.


 
  
Monika is based herself in Rio since her love affair with Brazil began and the Anika collection once again is super chic with elaborate side pieces.  Whether made from white quartz, green precious tone chips, mother of pearl or opal these embellishments are made to go in the water.  Anika swimwear is beautifully handcrafted in Brazil and her swimwear is now flooding beaches and poolsides around the world.



Sip your favourite caipirinha with your brunch in Buzios wearing Anika's private label collection for Beach Cafe - Anika is famous for inventing the 4-way bikini as well as the details of the sliding hardware to ensure the fit is perfect.   The colour palette is cobalt blue, white with graphite, rasberry pink and a fabulous sugar pink with sand coloured mother of pearl button detail.   Anika has also designed for us an exclusive bird print in shades of graphite and slate against a white background. Anika will inspire you to make Brazil your next getaway destination!

This collection is exclusive to www.beachcafe.com with only 20 of each style available. 

Year of the Swimsuit

For several years the only beach attire considered by the fashion conscious has been the bikini.  But in 2011 things have changed...the swimsuit has seen a huge comeback.    Most luxury beachwear brands now have nearly as many swimsuits in their collections as they do bikinis.   With everything from draped tummy control pieces to full on glamazon crystal-embellished cut away swimsuits.   Gone is the day when the swimsuit was the shrinking violet option for the beach.   Leading the way in the new wave of swimsuits are designers JETS by Jessika Allen, Seafolly and Melissa Odabash, with a huge range of glamorous, durable and athletic styles.   

It is chilly October, with the shops full of dark colours, so the safest colour when buying a swimsuit may be black, but once you're in the sun you'll wish you'd chosen a bright blue or coral.   White swimsuits also look fantastic once you are tanned.    In terms of fit, a swimsuit should always feel snug, no baggy bottoms.  So unless you are tall, buy a swimsuit a size smaller than normal for a flattering streamlined look.   It is important you holiday swimsuit doesn't look like the one you wear to the gym at home.   Choose a style in a bold print or with pretty details like a tie front or lace up.   
 

We all love a bikini, but this year add a swimsuit to your holiday wardrobe.