Dressing for Milos: Nejilka Arias' AOCO Vacation Edit Picks

In conversation with Nejilka in Milos

Photography by Guglielmo Bongini

Milos doesn't look like anywhere else. Nejilka Arias packed the AOCO Vacation Edit and headed to one of Greece's most extraordinary islands, and came back with a new perspective on holiday dressing. Here's what she wore, where she went, and why she's already planning the return trip.

Q. Milos has a reputation for being one of Greece's best kept secrets. What was it like when you arrived?

Not to sound dramatic, but Milos gave us this incredible Eat, Pray, Love feeling from the very first day.

The white volcanic rock, the colour of the water, the way the light hits everything in the late afternoon. It has this almost otherworldly quality, like the island exists slightly outside of normal time. We found ourselves slowing down almost immediately, not because there was nothing to do, but because the island has this slower pace of life that you can’t help but fall into. It really gives you the space to disconnect and just enjoy being somewhere beautiful, and I think that’s part of its charm.

Q. Your AOCO pieces looked incredible against the backdrop of the island. How did you approach dressing for a destination like Milos?

I wanted the clothes to feel like they belonged there. Milos has such a strong visual identity, the whites, the blues, the terracotta, so I gravitated toward pieces that complemented that rather than competed with it. The green leaf of the Anaiis Silk Top and Gia Silk Pants felt particularly right against the landscape, and the ecru and champagne sat so naturally in that setting. I wasn't thinking about outfits, I was thinking about how I wanted to feel moving through the day.

Q. Silk is such a considered choice for a vacation. What surprised you most about wearing it on holiday?

I think people assume silk fabric is precious, that you have to be careful with it. But wearing it in Milos completely changed that for me. The Bella Silk Dress and the Anaiis Silk Top and Gia Silk Pants packed down beautifully, came out without a crease, and in the Greek heat felt more comfortable than anything else I could have chosen.

Q. The Shura Kaftan looks like it earned its place in the suitcase - we'd love to hear how you wore it.

I didn't leave the villa without it.

I wore it over my swimsuit at Sarakiniko in the morning, paired it with the Bella Silk Dress when the evening cooled down. It's so lightweight it takes up almost no space in a suitcase, but the number of ways you can wear it made it the most useful thing I packed.

Q. For someone planning their first trip to Milos, where do you send them?

Sarakiniko first, always - and if you can, get there at sunrise. The white volcanic formations are extraordinary. Walk out onto the rocks early in the morning before anyone else arrives and it feels like you’ve landed somewhere that doesn’t quite belong to this world. For something more secluded, Tsigrado is worth the climb down. There's a narrow wooden ladder between the cliffs and a hidden cove waiting at the bottom. And if you do one boat trip, make it Kleftiko Bay. Sea caves, turquoise water, and no other way to get there. It's worth every minute.

Later in the day, spend an afternoon in Klima, the fishing village with the painted boathouses right at the water's edge. It's one of those places that looks almost too beautiful to photograph well. Then head up to Plaka for sunset. I wore the Bella Silk Dress with simple sandals exploring the streets as the light faded and it was one of those evenings that felt like complete bliss.

For food, O Hamos was an absolute staple in our rotation. And for breakfast, the pastries from Mouratos Bakery are worth building your morning.

More than any specific recommendation though, what I’d really tell someone planning their first trip is to resist the urge to fill every day. Milos is at its best when you let it set the pace. Swim, explore the villages, sit down to a long lunch, watch the sunset. There isn’t an endless list of things to tick off, and that’s exactly the point.