How One Vogue Editor Dressed for the Island Life on Aruba
In today’s edition of What I Wore This Week, Ciarra Lorren Zatorski shares her past five days—which just so happened to coincide with her much-needed Caribbean holiday.
Some favor their birth months, others the yuletide season. For me, August is the clear winner as the one month of the year that the fashion world seemingly comes to a halt and we working within it can recharge our drained batteries. Don’t get me wrong—the lack of monotony and the unceasing hustle and bustle of the industry lead to a thrilling day-to-day. But truth be told, we all need some R&R from time to time.
This year was certainly no exception. After weeks of back-to-back photo shoots, longer-than-usual workdays, and, of course, navigating the restrictions of the ongoing pandemic, the anticipation of August’s holiday grew stronger by the minute. August has finally rolled around, and my two weeks of break have officially begun—hallelujah.
In celebration of summer vacation and reemerging as part of the vaccinated population, I took a trip to Aruba, the secluded yet breathtaking gem of the Caribbean named One Happy Island. There, the sun is always shining and the weather is sweet. Picture-perfect beaches of powdery white sand and clear water stretching the length of the small island become your backyard and the carefree natives your neighbors. There’s a certain spirit to Aruba—one of ease and simplicity that tends to grab ahold of your worries and send them out to sea. It’s anything but the New York lifestyle. Life is simple; life is trouble-free. And life in Aruba calls for a much more relaxed wardrobe than that of the East Coast. Take a walk in my shoes for a week of easy, breezy (and predominantly monochromatic) island dressing below.
Monday
After two full flightless years, a 4 a.m. wake-up call for the airport felt anything but ordinary. And though I took every possible precaution to protect not only myself but those around me in order to travel, endless fears and questions swirled through my mind the night before my departure. Everything seemed uncertain, so I sought solace in my airplane attire. Sticking to my roots, I worked with layers, sporting cozy sweatpants by Agolde and a matching crewneck draped on my shoulders. I capped the look off with a classic cotton bucket hat and, of course, a protective mask by Kaze.
Agolde Nolan cotton-blend jersey sweatshirt
$140.00, NET-A-PORTER
Zara halter top
$13.00, ZARA
Agolde balloon cotton-blend jersey track pants
$180.00, NET-A-PORTER
Paravel Main Line duffel bag
$285.00, PARAVEL
Gigi Burris Requiem cotton grosgrain-trimmed straw fedora
$375.00, NET-A-PORTER
Kaze three-dimensional respirator mask series in sandy beige
$40.00, KAZE
Tuesday
No shoes, no shirt, no problem! My office for the day called for minimal attire—a clear diversion from my typical Tuesday uniform. I threw on a black bikini, tied a Mikoh sarong around my waist, accessorized with a Gigi Burris straw hat, and set out for a day of beach bumming. The beach was my playground, and I spent much of the day frolicking through the ocean, catching shade under the palm hut, and jumping off docks, all while my Marni tote kept my beach-day essentials together in one place.
J.Crew Women’s 1993 underwire top
$62.00, J.CREW
Mikoh Toyama sarong
$85.00, SHOPBOP
Gigi Burris Requiem cotton grosgrain-trimmed straw fedora
$375.00, NET-A-PORTER
Garrett Leight Del Rey Sun sunglasses
$360.00, GARRETT LEIGHT
Serena & Lily Mallorca beach towel
$68.00, SERENA & LILY
Marni Market check nylon tote bag
$110.00, MATCHESFASHION.COM
Wednesday
On Wednesday, we were strolling on the beach toward the downtown market to shop the local vendors and grab a bite to eat when we came across a charming pier stretching into the sea. It was a bit disheveled, with a few missing and several loose planks (walking across was perhaps not my brightest idea), but it certainly made for a great photo op. Like every day, the temperatures were high and the sun was beaming, so a lightweight cream wrap dress did the trick in keeping me cool. I paired the dress with the same Tkees slides from my travel look and the sweetest mini raffia tote with a black-and-white picnic-inspired insert by Tory Burch.
Faithfull the Brand Godiva wrap dress
$105.00, FAITHFULL THE BRAND
Tory Burch Ella straw basket micro tote
$328.00, TORY BURCH
Tkees Caro slides
$115.00, TKEES
Jennifer Fisher Kevin Huggies gold-plated hoop earrings
$285.00, NET-A-PORTER
Oscar de la Renta x Morgenthal Frederics Holly sunglasses
$465.00, MORGENTHAL FREDERICS
Marni abstract floral-print face mask cover
$95.00, FARFETCH
Thursday
As I grow into my personal style, minimalism is at my heart. I find myself reaching and yearning to be a bit more eclectic like the tastemakers of the fashion industry, but I cannot neglect the fact that neutral colorways, sleek silhouettes, and simplistic staples are at the core of my everyday style. My methodology for vacation dressing is no different. Minimalism with a lighter twist is always my go-to. Take this monochromatic linen set, for example, one of my hero dinner looks from the trip. I opted to dress this ensemble up with a pair of handwoven, knotted kitten heels by Zyne and gold jewelry for an elevated look.
& Other Stories cropped crisscross tie blouse
$89.00, & OTHER STORIES
& Other Stories linen drawstring trousers
$89.00, & OTHER STORIES
Mejuri double curb chain necklace
$95.00, MEJURI
Louis Vuitton Mini Pochette Accessoires
$445.00, LOUIS VUITTON
Zyne the Knot sandals
$320.00, ZYNE
Stone and Strand Bombe 10-karat gold ring
$290.00, NET-A-PORTER
Friday
Nothing shouts summer quite like raffia and linen—arguably the two staple materials for any tropical getaway. Naturally, I squeezed them both into one poolside look with a Loewe tote and a classic white button-up shirt. An underwire one-piece completed this French Riviera–inspired getup, acting both as a bodysuit and a swimsuit and readying me to hit the water for a much-needed cooldown.
Everlane linen relaxed shirt
$65.00, EVERLANE
Solid & Striped the Veronica one-piece
$158.00, SOLID & STRIPED
Zara high-rise denim shorts
$36.00, ZARA
Loewe small leather-trimmed raffia tote
$650.00, NET-A-PORTER
Arms of Eve poppy pearl and glass-beaded gold anklet
$35.00, ARMS OF EVE
Rag & Bone Parker thong sandals
$195.00, RAG & BONE
Originally Appeared on Vogue
