A Month of Sun-days

Exploring Sarasota, style by style

South Florida is my home-from-home. My parents began snowbirding there during the late 90s, and after my first visit, I was soon making an annual pilgrimage to see them, escape the Scottish winter, holiday with friends and, of course, soak up all that sun at the beach.

Siesta Key, with its white quartz sand, as powder-soft as icing-sugar, and miles of shoreline, is my favourite beach - which is no surprise as it holds the title of Number 1 beach in the USA.

Happy place!  Relaxing at Siesta Key in La Senza bikini, Le Specs eyewear and lashings of coconut Hawaiian Tropic Factor 50!  This little spot, up beside the palms offers some welcome natural shade. — Happy place! Relaxing at Siesta Key in La Senza bikini, Le Specs eyewear and lashings of coconut Hawaiian Tropic Factor 50! This little spot, up beside the palms offers some welcome natural shade.

Now I'd be lying if I said that Floridians are a dressy lot!

Between the heat, humidity and the outdoor living, many have relaxed into a shorts-and-t-shirt style that can take them from desk to dinner, or beach to brunch like no other... except perhaps their Cali-girl rivals!

True story: never seen without my lippy, even at the beach! Like mother, like daughter!

Many a time and oft I've arrived at a restaurant, bar or gig thoroughly overdressed for the local stylometer! But with so many gorgeous, colourful buildings here, and all that wall-to-wall sunshine rendering everything in glorious technicolour, there's something about this place that makes me feel I belong!

There's one other reason I haven't adapted my style when I'm here, and that's the genuine and generous admiration the locals seem to have for it.

Floridians are as warm as their climate. Their ease with sharing a compliment is simply unmatched. They are prolific in their praise for a 'cute purse', kindly in admiration of 'wonderful curls' and spontaneous in remarking: 'I just love your whole outfit!'. They have mastered the art of giving a compliment and it makes me feel 10 feet tall!

So here are some of the looks they admired the most and where I wore them:

New threads at Burns Court, Sarasota

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I may have accidentally (!) broken my self-imposed 'no-shopping' rule for this fabulous Gracia skirt. Find it at Ana Molinari Salon and Spa on Main St, Lakewood Ranch - please tell Frederique Nikki Oji sent you and hurry, only 3 are stocked and it's currently 50% off! Delighted how well it works with my Zara shoes and Tibi coat!