Woman seated on a pool lounger in a black high-neck cut-out swimsuit and a long printed satin kimono, desert behind

Swim and resort · Summer

Black cut-out swimsuit under a printed satin kimono

A high-neck black swimsuit with a waist cut-out under a long printed satin kimono, worn on a lounger by a desert pool at the end of the day.

The swimsuit is plain black with a high mock neck and a single cut-out that crosses the waist on a diagonal, so the shape is all in the line, not in the fabric. Over it, a long satin kimono printed in taupe, chocolate and faded marble, with ornamental border bands in steel blue running down the fronts and around the wide sleeves. It falls past the knee and is worn open.

This is a pool outfit that survives the walk to the bar. Black keeps the swimsuit serious; the kimono does the colour, so nothing else needs to. Flat leather sandals for the walk across warm stone, and the bead bracelet stays on. It belongs to late afternoon in high summer, when the sun is low enough to sit in, and works just as well at a lake or a city rooftop pool.

I do not dress for heat. I dress for the hour after it.