I have a theory that the best clothing brands start with someone being annoyed at the shops, and Frankies Bikinis fits it perfectly. Francesca Aiello was a teenager in Malibu who kept wanting a bikini cut that did not exist, so she started making her own. Her mother Mimi cheered on those first custom pieces and then became her partner in the company, which is a very good way to run a family business (at least from the outside). If you want to keep going, Belle Anna Bikinis: The Pieces to Know is the one I would read next.

You can feel that origin in the clothes. They begin with how a real person wants to feel on a beach day, not with a runway brief, and Francesca showed her early work on Instagram long before she was a name. Today the label stretches from swimwear into knitwear, dresses and activewear, and Frankies' own story is worth a read if you like a home-sewing-to-lifestyle-brand arc. Sunny, but made for the everyday wardrobe. I went deeper on a related idea in 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall/Winter: Dresses, Jackets and Knitwear.

The knits are where I would start, because the sun always drops and somebody is always cold. The Dudley Cotton Knit Cardigan in Rain Cloud is the layer I would throw over a tee or a swimsuit without thinking. The Kingston Cotton Knit Zip Up Sweater is the sporty one, and the Jude Cashmere Cardigan and Noelle Cotton Knit Turtleneck Sweater are the bundled-up pair, for evenings when the wind comes off the water.

Picture her at a beach cafe after a swim, Noelle over shorts, hair still damp, watching the light go. My one tip is to choose the cardigan you can wear over more than one outfit, then let the rest of the closet decide between cotton and cashmere.

The dresses carry the summer mood past the shoreline. The Christa Denim Dress is the easy daytime one, and the Sunshine Crochet Mini Dress has an open, airy texture that looks made for long lunches. Then there are two collaborations, the X Paige Lorenze Forever Yours Chiffon Mini Dress and the X Devon Lee Carlson Lalala Jersey Mini Dress, which feel a bit more playful and a bit more evening.

In my fashion dreams, she wears the crochet mini to lunch, then changes into the jersey mini for a concert after sunset. What I would skip: choosing by color alone. Decide on the occasion first, then compare the denim with the floatier chiffon and jersey and see which plan you actually have.

This is the part where Frankies stops being a bikini brand and becomes an everyday one. The Benny Knit Poncho and Everett Cotton Knit Cape keep layering loose and slightly dramatic, while the Parker Cotton Twill Bomber Jacket adds some structure. The Topanga Cashmere Zip Up Hoodie sits in between, cozy and casual.

For a cool morning I imagine the Shore Cloud Knit Short Sleeve Top with the Shore Cloud Knit Pant, then the bomber for the walk out. Or try the School Girl Pointelle Three Quarter Sleeve Shirt with The Frank 01 Denim Jean and see whether you prefer matching softness or a little denim contrast. One soft top, several ways to wear it.

What I like most about Frankies Bikinis is that it still begins with two people making something together. Mimi's encouragement and Francesca's eye for swimwear grew a Malibu hobby into a much wider wardrobe, and the beach never left the center. The knits and dresses feel relaxed, playful and personal, which is exactly what I want from a cool morning by the water. Although I suspect the cardigan will end up in my bag all year.