first look: free people

I'm not here to ruffle feathers and tell you that going to the beach in winter is better than in summer--because obviously I'm not crazy--but I do think that cold weather trips to the ocean are underrated.

Need proof? Start with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which besides being one of my favorite movies of all time, features arguably the most pivotal scenes in a chilly, snowy Montauk (yes, New York does have swimmable beaches). And then follow it up with Free People's new lookbook for their BLDG 25 blog. Dubbed Higher Love, the entire thing was shot in California (where, for the record, the water temperature in summer is colder than what we've got on the East Coast) and features the store's latest arrivals for winter. 

Think nubby sweaters, lace dresses, and loads of maxis, all in the white-to-cream palette. While I might not be able to go barefoot in these outfits, a little help from NYLON"s recent guides on pulling off slips and skimpy dresses in winter should be enough to keep us warm. As for taking a quick dip? I'll wait until summer for that, thanks.