1 Girl, 5 Outfits: Katie McCarty

Today’s a special edition of 1 Girl, 5 Outfits. I’m taking a small spring break to go out west to ski, but after Katie sent me these photos I think I chose the wrong climate!!

Hi! My names Katie and I live in a small beach town on the East Coast of Florida. It’s about 30 minutes south of Cocoa Beach. Our area code is 321 to symbolize the countdown of the space shuttle blastoff at NASA! I 100% love everything about the relaxed Florida lifestyle.

I’m 28, love spreading happiness on my blog, Sunshine Style and am currently a middle school teacher. On the weekends, I love to go to the beach, explore local parks, watch old Netflix series (Gossip Girl anyone?) and eat way too many gluten-free desserts (ice cream’s my fave!).
Being born in such a tropical place has really shaped my personal style. I would describe my style as classic, colorful and coastal. My wardrobe is filled with swimsuits, sundresses, sandals, shorts, skirts and so many rattan accessories. Those are also the only items you need for a fun spring break trip.

When I wrote Carly about sharing five of my outfits, we came up with the idea of a Spring Break Packing List! Dressing for the beach, warm weather, and tropical destinations are what makes me most excited!

Similar Crop Top // Similar Skirt // Similar Bag // Earrings // Similar Sandals 

You absolutely cannot go wrong with a crop top and one that’s off the shoulder is an added bonus! I am not one to wear crop tops that show a ton of skin. A high waisted skirt will fix that problem. My skirt is from J. Crew last summer and the top is from an ethical brand called VETTA.

This is an outfit I wear all the time. I love the ruffle detail on the skirt and white is so easy to match with everything! Personally, I’m not big on capsule wardrobes but I do like to mix and match pieces when you travel. You could easily double this outfit as a beach cover up or wear it to an outdoor dinner.

I cannot get over rattan accessories. This J.Crew bag is my favorite neutral and screams Spring Break style if you ask me! Crossbodies are my favorite because they force you to carry the bare minimum. Growing up in Florida, I’ve learned that instead of layering, I accessorize. When chunky necklaces were the cool “thing,” I wore those and now it’s statement earrings! Target has really budget friendly accessories which is where I bought these SUGARFIX by Baublebar earrings.

Dress // Wedges // Earrings // Jean Jacket // Bag

Wrap dresses are truly the best thing ever! They are so flattering and instantly make you feel elegant. After a long day in the sun, my favorite piece to throw on is a dress. My favorite color is yellow but this Everlane dress comes in multiple colors and even a short version. It’s made of sustainable fabric which makes it that much more special to me.

Even though it’s a post all about spring break style, most places still get chilly at night in March/April. That’s why packing a jean jacket is a must. I would encourage anyone to invest in a jean jacket. This one is 10 years old from Old Navy and has weirdly never gone out of style.

Again, I’m wearing earrings and another straw bag! A trick I use is to buy accessories in colors you wear most. For me that’s yellow. My absolute favorite shoe for the warm weather is tie wedges! These are so easy to walk in and I don’t feel like I’m stumbling all over! The heels make this an easy but dressy dinner outfit. Take it from night to day by adding sandals, a sunhat and large beach bag.

Similar Top // Shorts // Earrings // Similar Sandals // Bag

My third look reminds me of Easter! I literally love all things J.Crew which is where my top and shorts are from. Pretty sure Carly featured these exact shorts last year in a floral print. The pink color is so fun and girly. And if you’re a long time CTP reader, we all know a good bow totally makes an outfit!

I would wear this outfit walking around town exploring cute new shops or for a day full of shopping! There are those floral earrings again from Target! Like I said, mix and match items when you are traveling for Spring Break to make life easier.

Dress // Earrings // Similar Sandals // Bag

When packing for Spring Break, I would make sure to have at least two easy dresses to wear, one dressy and a casual one. Okay, this is probably my favorite sundress I own! First, it’s a maxi which I just feel like it elevates it to a whole new level. They make you feel like you can conquer anything! Two, floral print will always be a perfect print for Spring. When it comes to prints, I always look for ones that will remain timeless and can be worn for years to come. Three, when I invest in a dress, I want it to have unique details. This one has the coolest cutout and ties at the chest, ruffles sleeves and slits! It’s completely flattering at every angle!

Look, it’s more yellow earrings! What’s great about prints is that you can match your accessories to them! Pink, orange, white or green accessories would look just as great because I know not everyone is a fan of bright yellow. My sandals are from Talbots and are best for casual looks like this dress!

Similar Bodysuit // Similar Shorts // Similar Sandals // Bag // Scarf

Can we just talk about bodysuits for a second? To me they’re the best invention ever! It’s like they were a hit in the 80’s and then took 25 years to become popular again. I wear a ton of high waisted clothes and am always annoyed about constantly re-tucking my shirt. It’s like no matter how much you try, you always get bunches. You put on a bodysuit and voila, it stays put!

My white J.Crew shorts are my most worn Spring/Summer item and the bodysuit is from J.Crew Factory. When I mentioned above about paring items together, this is one of those outfits! I’ve worn my red bodysuit with the white ruffle skirt above and these shorts also work with crop tops! Always always always make sure you have white sandals in hands reach. I wear these with everything! My scarf is actually a cheap $5 bandana from Hobby Lobby that I rolled and tied to make a neck scarf!

Similar Top // Similar Bottom // Linen Top // Hat // Beach Bag

BONUS! A sixth outfit because what’s spring break without a cute nautical swimsuit? If you have not tried a high waisted swimsuit, you need to.  Their kind of the best! I will admit, two years ago, I swore I would never wear a swimsuit with a high bottom. Two years later and I am completely obsessed. They are super flattering and you can basically buy them anywhere! Growing up in Florida, I have always had the worst problem keeping my bottoms in place swimming in the ocean waves or even playing games in a pool. Not anymore! Ruffled tops are also great because they make you feel really girly and feminine! Throw on a white linen top and add a beach bag for a fun day in the sun.

 Photos by Isaac Dean Photography