Swimwear for the Ocean-Challenged

After seeing Maud's swimwear post, I thought I'd do one for those of us, namely me, who never, ever make it out to the beach (or have a paralyzing fear of the ocean. anyone? anyone else?), but have to own at least one swimsuit because as soon as you throw away your never-worn swimsuit you get invited to some awesome beach/pool party and have nothing to wear (story of my life). So I rounded up a few very basic, very timeless swimsuits that you will just have to buy once and look cute in for years. And yes, they are all from J. Crew, because one, they make high-quality swimsuits, that two, come in like 2523525 colors.

J. Crew Tortoise Ring Bikini: about $90 total at Jcrew.com. Very basic, very chic. It might give you funny tan lines, but it's got a bit of old-school glamour.

J. Crew Braided Halter Bikink: about $86 at Jcrew.com. A softer take on the typical halter, it has tiny braids along the edges, which add a little visual interest but still keep it streamlined and simple. Plus, that purple is gorgeous!

J. Crew String Bikini: about $78 at Jcrew.com. Probably the most basic swimsuit ever, aka perfection. This string bikini will last you years, because this look never goes out of style.

J. Crew Gladiola Print Bikini: about $90 at Jcrew.com. I love this! The gladiola print is really subtle, but still really fun. The yellow color is so cheerful., and the pleats are cute and young, but small enough that they don't add bulk in that wrong places.

J. Crew Pleated Bikini Top: about $42 at Jcrew.com, Ruched Bikini Bottom: about $38 at Jcrew.com. This is the plain version of the pleated top above, so it's even more timeless, and again, those pleats are so cute! They come with this weird applique flower bottom, so instead I'd go for this simple, ruched bikini bottom. That's why I love J. Crew. You can mix and match tops and bottoms to your heart's content.

And of course, if you have a fabulous swimsuit, you need fabulous cover-ups! I may be more excited about these than the actual swimsuits. Sad.

Victoria's Secret Pink Smocked Dress, about $39.50 at victoriassecret.com. This dress is just so young and fun! The subtle tie-dye is going to be big for spring, and this dress could totally work off the beach too. It's a steal!

DVF Ganza Cover-up: about $360 at dvf.com. This is sickeningly gorgeous. I don't think I could bear to wear this to the beach. But if I ever go shopping on an exclusive Caribbean island, this is what I'm wearing.

Brette Sandler Ashley Print Caftan: about $165 at shopbop.com. Not only is this totally on-trend for spring (sheer and floral), but it looks so easy to wear and comfy. Layer a tank dress or a slip underneath and you can work this on and off the beach.

Image Sources:

Tortoise Ring Bikini: jcrew.com

Braided Bikini: jcrew.com

String Bikini: jcrew.com

Gladiola Bikini: jcrew.com

Pleated Bikini Top: jcrew.com

Ruched Bikini Bottom: jcrew.com

Victoria's Secret Cover-up: victoriassecret.com

DVF Dress: dvf.com

Brette Sandler Caftan: shopbop.com