eywasouls malibu Dresses: The Best Pieces Right Now

I fell for the idea of this label before I looked at a single dress. Jane and José, longtime friends with a shared love of maxi dresses, launched eywasouls malibu in 2018, inspired by blue ocean waves, golden sand beaches and a bohemian way of life. It is a very specific picture of the coast, all bright prints and open air. I went deeper on a related idea in AREA Tops & Dresses: The Best Pieces Right Now. I went deeper on a related idea in Atlein Dresses: The Best Pieces Right Now.

The label now has a new pair of owners, Stacey Spigel Dim and Blair Nance Kenyon, who bring their fashion and retail experience to the collections. Their own story talks about thoughtfully chosen fabrics, relaxed silhouettes and signature prints, for everything from early walks to a sunset dinner. I like that the mood is specific and not generic resort wear: color gets the starring role, but the clothes still look wearable on a regular afternoon.

That is the thread I followed through these picks, from airy dresses to swim with bold pattern. I would start with the setting, then decide how much print to bring along.

The Jaya Dress is the airy one, deliberately sheer, so I would pack a slip or a tonal layer underneath. The Diana Bell Dress keeps a feminine neckline with a keyhole detail, and I can see it at a long dinner where a flat sandal still feels right. The Emma Dress in Fuchsia Frenzy changes the mood with a vivid one-shoulder shape, best when the print has room to talk.

The Sammy Dress, Annie Sleeveless Midi Dress, Montana Midi Dress, Scarlet Mini Dress, Jemima Dress and Annie Short Sleeve Dress fill out the range from midi to mini. The color does most of the styling, so I would keep jewelry simple and bring a light wrap for the walk home. If you want more coverage, choose a lined dress first.

The Soleil Bandeau One Piece is the cleanest line in the swim group, and its Solstice Leopard print does all the talking. The Layla Bikini Set ties at the neck and at the sides, so I would try the ties before travel and make sure everything feels secure when I move.

The Kaya Bikini Top in Bohemian Meadow and the Kaya Bikini Bottom are the more mixable pair. I would pair the top with a quiet solid, or with the matching bottom. For a beach-to-lunch plan, a loose cotton shirt is the easiest cover-up I can think of.

The separates are where this edit gets playful with pattern. The Celeste Top and Billie Short in Saffron Gingham are obvious companions, the Phoenix Top with the Leslie Pant in Midnight Safari make another set, and the Tom Cropped Top with the Jerry Skirt in Muted Marble offers a third. The Alicia Skirt and Brooke Blouse in Orange on Fire can travel together, or I would split them with a quiet solid.

For single pieces, the Della Mini in Celadon Foulard and the Dylan Dress in Nightshade give me different proportions, and the Romy Dress in Indigo Wildflower and April Mini in Solstice Leopard shift the mood again. The Seby Pant carries that leopard into a trouser, the Paulina Sarong is an easy bridge back to swim, and Kimberly in Retro Mosaic Green and Sophia in Retro Mosaic Red add two more colors.

There is a lot of pattern here, so I would pick one pair as the outfit and let the rest be the backdrop. Keep shoes and bag simple and repeat just one color. What I would skip on a long walking day: another busy print over any of these sets.

I keep coming back to eywasouls malibu for the sense of place: sun, color and clothes that turn an ordinary afternoon into a small escape. It is not a label for someone who wants quiet neutrals from head to toe, and I would still check how a sheer piece sits before I fall for the print. My best pick is the dress that feels right on your body before it looks right in a vacation photo, although I would never say no to the leopard.