Wearing a red and white polka dot bathing suit with a matching red headband and retro sunglasses, stretched out on a white beach blanket beneath a red and white striped umbrella—just like the cover of The Best We Could Hope For by Nicola Kraus—might be more than a style choice. It might be a statement. A declaration. A moment of main character energy in its purest form. Because sometimes being the main character isn’t about the plot twist—it’s about owning the pause between chapters. It’s about reclining under that umbrella, drink in hand, letting the sun kiss your skin while you marvel at how far you’ve come. It’s about the contrast of those playful polka dots with the weight of your own hard-earned wisdom. You can carry generational trauma and look fabulous doing it. The cover of Kraus’s novel is deceptively breezy, just like this moment. But underneath the surface? There’s heartbreak, resilience, reinvention—and a reclamation of self. The same is true of you. You know what it means to question the past, to pick up the pieces of someone else's choices and try to make sense of them. And yet, here you are: soft, strong, and sun-drenched. So go ahead—channel that vintage glamour. Wear the polka dots. Lean into the light. You deserve a main character moment that’s beautiful, bold, and maybe even a little bit bittersweet. Because surviving is one thing—but thriving under a striped umbrella, in a story you’re writing for yourself? That’s the best we could hope for. LTKStyleTip LTKSwim LTKSeasonal