I just rediscovered all of these unpublished photos from my latest trip to St. Maarten and couldn’t help but share them during New York City’s coldest weekend to send a little sunshine your way. Boy, I can’t wait until the return of summer. It was June. Butterflies were zooming by everywhere we turned. The orange blossoms of the Flamboyant trees covered the sidewalks. The water was absolute heaven on earth. The French/Dutch culture gave this island a flare that just oozed chic. I had an incredible time shooting here, meeting it’s people, and becoming one with it’s surroundings. Since Hurricane Irma hit it’s shores, it’s hard to believe that so much of it has been blown away. It may be a while until the island can get back on it’s feet. Though the island has gone through a lot of disaster and sadness in these past few months, there is still so much hope. I believe St. Maarten will come back stronger and more beautiful than ever. For now, all I have are my memories and some of the most beautiful images to grace the blog. I can’t wait to visit again.

Karen Walker sunglasses

Bondi Born Australia one-piece

Bondi Born Australi two-piece

Lack of Color hat

Katya Dobryakova tiger top

Rebecca Taylor orange dress

Claudia Li white top

7 For All Mankind flare jeans

Magali Pascal nude slip dress

Jennifer Zeuner earrings

The post BEAUTY AND HOPE | ST. MAARTEN first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.

It felt very Old Hollywood glam at the La Samanna Hotel in St. Maarten. It’s beautiful veranda and pool, perched perfectly on the side of the cliff. It’s a place I would only read about in novels. I whipped out my most ruffled and metallic dress for the afternoon…both it and my sweat glistening in the island sun, as I was lulled by the waves.

All I felt like doing was sit back and let the fans cool me down before a dip in the water. The hotel felt like out of an old Woody Allen movie. It sparkled. What I love about the summers in St. Maarten is that the island is a lot more relaxed and a lot less crowded. It feels secluded. It’s during the holidays and Christmas that the island is packed with returning visitors and new ones. La Samanna felt so classically elegant, a mix of old culture and new. The moment you drive into the exclusive driveway, through the luxurious rot iron gates, you’re immediately greeted by rows of St. Maarten’s national flower, the Lantana, blossoming from the trees with butterflies buzzing about in and out of your car windows. How is that for a grand entrance? This is an alternate universe I could certainly revisit again and again. I spent a little too much time by the pool and in the ocean and sipping on fresh strawberry banana smoothies in between. It’s what you come to an island to do…simply fall in love with mother nature’s wonders all over again. This summer has felt a lot like a mix of romance and understated glamour, two of my favorite things. I’m already planning my next summer, but how can you top this? Simple elegance on an island, not so far from home.

Rebecca Taylor blue dress

Lack of Color hat

X Nihilio handbag 

Humo Blanco sandals

Kore swim bikini

Zimmermann headband

Miu Miu sunglasses (similar on sale!) 

The post UNDERSTATED GLAMOUR | ST MAARTEN first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.

Team Suarez consists of both Dylana and I, either behind and in-front of the lens. Dy and I just get one another. We’re free to be our crazy selves. We’re sisters. There’s no filter in anything we say or do. As a model, I shoot with different photographers all the time, switching in and out of character, sometimes I’m more comfortable in front of an unknown lens, I get to act…but there’s just something about being photographed by the people you love, which allows you to really be yourself. There’s an ease. It’s rare my boyfriend photographs me, but this time on our trip to St. Maarten, I let him. I guess now you can call him an instagram boyfriend. He absolutely loves to take photos and really does have a fantastic, editorial eye. I let him have a little fun behind the lens and gave him full creative freedom with my 35 mm. Only he can think wearing a towel as a dress is elegant on me.

He suggested we go stretching for coconuts (which I at first refused of course) and we ended up climbing one of the most beautiful Italian staircases from the private beach. Sometimes it’s nice to have a little change of perspective, all while having so much fun doing it. I think someone’s found a brand new passion!  Besides finding picture-perfect corners everywhere we turned, I had to put my camera down. St. Maarten was certainly one of my most effortless vacations. So many gorgeous, white sand beaches. I took any opportunity to jump in the ocean and float in the pool, staring up into the clouds. I stopped worrying about what to wear, or what to do. When you start dressing up your towel, you begin to realize there’s glamour in even the littlest things. Take me back to the beautiful island of St. Maarten.

Club Monaco towel

Les Nereides Paris earrings

Zimmermann headband

Magali Pascal orange dress

Magali Pascal white blouse

Jennifer Zeuner gold hoop earrings

L SPACE swimsuit

The post PHOTOS BY HE | ST MAARTEN first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.

I am excited to take you down St. Maarten memory lane. It was such an incredible getaway. Just my boyfriend, a 35mm lens, a car, and a whole island to explore in one week. We stayed along Cupecoy Beach…and I rank it by far the best beach on the island. Imagine crystal clear, calm and steady, turquoise water. Gorgeous white butterflies, fluttering their wings everywhere you turn. St. Maarten is part French and part Dutch. We stayed on the beaches of the Dutch side, where we indulged in fresh seafood and hours of swimming under the hot Caribbean sun. I tried snails for the first time..and liked it. Can you believe it? There’s an elegance to the island which I really love. The beaches. The hotels. The restaurants. I can’t wait to show you more. You get a real European summer feel with just a 3.5 hour flight away from NYC.

Here you’ll find this little cove, with it’s stunning white staircase, just steps from my boyfriend’s family home. I called it cliff beach. I’d look at it everyday. The rocks gave off a faded pink/orangish glow depending on the time of day. It felt untouched. So raw. Porto Cupecoy will always stick with me…everything from the food in Grand Case to the majestic winding roads. For our easy days hopping from the ocean into the pool, I kept my wardrobe extra simple, like a classic black triangle bikini, adorned with really decadent jewelry and head scarves. It’s a tiny touch of glamour I gravitate to. May all summers be as romantic, simple, and beautiful as this one has been.

Anine Bing bikini

Zadig et Voltaire silk scarf

Luiny earrings

The post FRENCH/DUTCH | ST MAARTEN first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.