To celebrate, or perhaps mourn, the end of summer, today's post is Summersong, by the Decemberists (hipster alert). The Decemberists are straight out of Portland, Oregon, the hipster mecca (actually I just made that up, but then I looked it up on Wikipedia and it was right. Call it intuition, or an educated guess). Aaaand their music is described as "indie folk rock."
You don't get much more hipster than this, people. Which is okay. I've been coming to terms this summer with my innate hipster side.
When I hear this song, I get this series of snapshots in my head. A love story unfolding along a beach. A girl with messy hair from saltwater and freckled skin from the sunshine. Golden light falling before the sunset. And a boy trying desperately to capture these moments for a memory.
...I love it. I LOVE IT. I should be a filmmaker.
American Apparel one piece bathing suit, $45
BKE vintage style swimwear, $30
I started out with a swimsuit, to reflect the song's beach theme. They both are warm colors, appropriate for a summer day, and both have a light-reflecting gold/bronze quality to them, reminding us how "summer arrives with a length of lights." Mmm, beautiful lyricism. Cue melt.
I'm definitely a fan of one-piece swimsuits like the one on the left, because of their classic, retro quality--plus this one's from American Apparel, one of, like, three "mainstream" stores true hipsters are allowed to shop at--but I really like the gold embellishments on the bikini too. So potato, potato (wow, I forgot how poorly that translates to text). Just pick a suit you like.
Cheap Monday cream shirt, €16
Denim shorts, €76
Miss Me beige shoes, $20
Buckle belt, $8.99
Over that, layering a loose-fitting, sand-colored tank adds a casual feel and elicits memories of "digging deep into the sweep of the sand." Painter's cutoff overalls are a super-cute way to add visual interest to a basic outfit, especially ones like these, which look worn and easy thanks to the light wash of the denim, as well as the bleach stains and holes.
I also love these sandals. The sweeping pattern and bright turquoise have an ocean appeal that fits perfectly with this song's vibe. The belt is cool in a 70's kind of way, with the two-tone braiding and circular gold buckle. You could probably find something similar at a thrift store for total bonus points on the indie-hipster scale.
Vintage jewelry, $24
Flower earrings, $13
Vintage scarve, $18
ULTA Search Results for coral lipstick, $29
Finally, the right accessories really make this outfit work. The pièce de résistance is a vintage compass necklace, alluding to the bit about "boats bobbing in the blue of the bay/in deep far beneath/all the dead sailors/slowly slipping to sleep," and vintage turquoise earrings match the feel of the necklace and the color of the sandals. The bandana adds to the nautical theme of the lyrics in a cute, pin-up girl way (this one's from Urban, duh), and the bag is totally explorer chic (yeah, I made that up too, sue me). Add some coral lipstick for a modern pop of color, and you are all ready to adventure by the sea.
Bon voyage!
