I'm heading to the beach soon for our annual beach trip and this dress will certainly be in my overpacked suitcase.

It's perfect for strolling down the beach, around the resort, or down the streets of Charleston.

Blue is the epitome of summer. It's the color of the sky and the sea. It's also my least favorite color.

Always has been.

As a kid I remember coloring pictures of outdoor scenery (trees, flowers, houses, the usual) and there was always so. much. blue. I felt it was overused and I burned out quickly. Thus, blue became my least favorite color.

Which is ironic since I have a number of blue items in my closet. Sigh. Just like in landscape pictures, blue is an universal color. There are so many shades of blue you can to wear with any color. It's annoying. It's like that "friend" that is good at "everything". But no matter how annoying you may find that person, you can't shake 'em.

Yes, I know I'm weird. I embraced that long ago. 

Thankfully the blue is broken up by a white, Native American-esque tribal pattern along the entire dress. The detail of the pattern makes the dress even more intriguing up close, but also makes it look good from afar.

What I really like about this dress is the fit. The patterned fabric is sheer, making it solely the outer layer of the dress. A tight fitting navy lining runns from the top of the dress to the top of the slit. The waist is accented by a tied belt that can be tied in the front or the back — depends on how crazy you want to get.

Even with the underneath form fitting under dress, this entire outfit is very comfortable for our hot southern summers because it's airy and breathable!

This dress has a slit up a-little-higher-than-mid-thigh on both sides. It's very breathable, very flowy, and the perfect recipe for a beach dress... and to cover up any streaks from my self-tanner. This skin stays way white, y'all.  

But I'm always cautious when wearing a dress. You never know how large a step you'll have to take, when you'll have to bend down, when you'll have to chase a toddler, or when you'll have to sit, so I always wear compression shorts underneath. The best way to avoid any type of wardrobe malfuntion is to prevent it completely.

PSA: Compression shorts have been one of the best fashion investments I've made. They are invisible under dresses, can smooth any "love handle bulges" and 100% prevent underwear flashing related wardrobe malfunctions. They also are great when it's hot to wick away moisture and prevent thigh chafing! 

The back of the dress is a t-back, so this dress is best worn with a strapless bra. But ladies, make sure that bra fits. There's nothing glamorous about having to constantly adjust and pull up your strapless bra. If you're constantly pulling it up, your band is too big. It is possible to have a comfortable strapless bra — trust me, I have 2!

No outfit is complete without a fabulous pair of shoes. A dress like this is very versatile when it comes to adding some SHOEgar.

On this particular day I paired it with navy wedges, but this dress would pair just as well with a pair of tan, black, white, red, or brown sandals.... Or even Chacos when trekking to the beach.

Dress it up or dress it down. Clothes that can go either way are the best for frugal fashionistas.