Weekending in Whitstable

I was down in my hometown of Whitstable this weekend and what a lovely weekend it was (in spite of the questionable weather). There's nothing like a bit of seaside living to put you in touch with your nautical side, but how exactly does one channel a nautical vibe without looking as though you've left the house in costume? There's a fine line and it is most definitely a case of less-is-more in my book.

For a subtle take on nautical stripes, you can't go wrong with this top [update: 08/07 - it looks like it's sadly sold out - boo!] from 'haute High St' brand Uterque - as at home over a pair of denim shorts as it would be over a pair of white skinny jeans - it's a keeper and looks way more catwalk than its price tag suggests.

Cotton poplin striped shirt, £70, Uterque

Lobsters are something of a sartorial obsession for me so I couldn't bypass this lovely number from Markus Lupfer at net-a-porter. It's says seaside in spades, and it's sequinned too so could just as easily be worn dressed up for an evening out beachside, as it could dressed down in the daytime. 

Lobster sequin-embellished cotton-jersey t-shirt - now £118

Next up, shoes. Totally beach-worthy, totally bar-worthy and everything-else-in-between-worthy, I've had my eye on these Soludos espadrilles for a while and they're just the right way to dip a toe in the water when it comes to beachy attire. I've also discovered a pair of 'ice lolly' gems if you really want to up the seaside ante: 

Soludos Oui Non espadrille flat shoes - £61.08 Soludos

Soludos Popsicle Platform Smoking Slipper - £66.21

On days like today, the British seaside may be many things but it's not necessarily warm, so a sweater is mandatory, and if you're going to do the beach look properly, a flash of yellow is perfection. The Cookham knit tee by Topshop Unique is just right for throwing over a t-shirt when the weather turns chillier and sits firmly at the preppy end of nautical - which is absolutely a bonus in my book. 

Cookham knit tee - Topshop Unique - £90

Or you can channel a full-on fisherman vibe with this J. Crew number from net-a-porter - perfect for when the 'real' British summer hits and the mercury drops but you have no intention of leaving the beach. 

J. Crew Howden knitted turtleneck sweater - £230, net-a-porter

And to round the whole thing off is this great denim midi, creating a laid-back but fashion forward seaside ensemble (says the person who has wasted at least two hours this weekend trawling the internet in search of the perfect denim midi. Time well spent, I say).

ASOS denim midi skirt with patch pockets in mid-blue, £35

I'll finish on a throw-back to a sunnier day on the beach at Whitstable the day after my sister's Whitstable/Margate wedding last year. Tunic dress by Warehouse, heart bag by Skinnydip at ASOS and shawl by Liberty London. I can't actually remember what shoes I was wearing. In fact I might not have been wearing shoes at all by that stage. Happy days indeed.

A sunny day in Whitstable