Malibu Solstice: Chasing the Sun

Winding along PCH, nearing the county line, is a reclusive Malibu cove that requires a hike down a steep hill to enjoy the beautiful sandy beach lined with tidepools and hidden by the sweeping cliffs. Malibu is often associated with a relaxed, coastal lifestyle, and the coastal California city is known as a hub for surf and fashion — blending elements of both styles in a way that has become associated with the beach town’s aesthetic.

Ashlyn Lie and Bentley Smith appear in a sunlit summer setting, shaped by warmth, ease, and the slower rhythm of long days outdoors. It is photographed by Carly Sharp, who grew up in Southern California, immersed in beach culture and is constantly looking for fresh ways to bottle it up.  

Inspired by the nostalgia for the days of summer’s past — spent in the warm sand with your close friends that live in your memories like a dream. The time around the solstice, when the days get longer and longer, and you have nothing to do and nowhere to be. Taking natural form in every way — freckles, curls, and untouched skin take the forefront, and many people spend more time outdoors during the season. Your skin warms to the sun, and your hair responds to the water, leaving everything stripped down and organic. 

In a place like Malibu, which is known for its mild climate throughout much of the year, it might seem to the rest of the world that the idyllic town lives in an endless summer; there just truly is something very different and radiant about the true season of summer. When the sun goes down late, and the scent of the ocean floats in the air, school is out, and kids are lining their bikes along the beach paths and spending their days in the water. The heat of summer has its own language — the crash of the waves, the music you blare on PCH, the shuffle of book pages, and the roaring, care-free laughter with friends. 

This day, as a classic Malibu beach day goes, was spent in the morning fog that is all too familiar along the coast. The shoreline was blurry, and the ocean blended with the horizon in the early hours. As it cleared, the day warmed, and the blue sky opened up, and the styling throughout the day evolved with the weather. A day at the beach requires room for movement and clothes that have space for play —Ashlyn and Bentley ran up and down the shoreline alongside the seagulls, the hems of their dresses picking up the saltwater and later, bending down into the sand to count seashells and exchange them, as a common sight on beaches for many children growing up.

Whether walking along the shore barefoot in a dress or in platform sandals and swimsuits, Ashlyn and Bentley’s looks draw inspiration from coastal style. The sun-kissed feeling with sand in your toes and freckles on your cheeks, a natural, sun-kissed appearance. Wearing bold California styling and clothes that are meant to be lived in, they can take you from a day at the beach with friends to a night out on the coast. 

This story is set at the solstice, the midnight sun, a midsummer’s night dream, invoking feelings of an endless summer — a secret beach along the shorelines that lives under the cliffs of Malibu and comes alive in the summer months. The styling focuses on strong colors and mixing layers and patterns — the type of outfit many people may find suitable for summer wear. A bouncy skirt, swimwear that steals the show, barely there sweaters and coverups, and the perfect summer dresses. Summer dressing has to be easy and heat-friendly. Favoring different types of sets — a long sweeping pink skirt and top, or a swimsuit that could be worn on the town. Something you can throw on and elevate and comfortably spend the day in. A bag that can carry everything you need, from your SPF to your sunnies to your change of clothes. Summer is the accessory.

Photographer: Carly Sharp @carlyjeansharp

Stylist: Ashlyn Lie @ashlyn.lie

Models: Ashlyn Lie @ashlyn.lie, Bentley Smith @_bentleysmith_

Makeup: Beth Follert @bethfollertmakeup Using YSL Beauty @yslbeauty

Hair: Adri Gomez @hairbyadrig

Lighting and Photo Assist: Lauren Nieves @laurennieves_

Photo Assist: Nolan Montgomery @nolan_mont

Style Assist: Liz Pleasant @lizpleasant