reader question: that perfect beach hat

am i the only one SO glad that the work week is starting on tuesday!? hope everyone had a lovely weekend. i thought a great way to start off the short week is with a question from one of you wonderful readers...

"have you found any good pool/beach sun hats that aren’t ridiculously expensive? i have been browsing in the stores and haven’t been able to find anything that doesn’t look like it belongs on a 90 year old, so before i age myself 20 years i wanted to see if you had any ideas."

great question because there are so many sun hats that borderline kentucky derby or 80-year-old on the tennis court. here's what i came up with.

below: lands end canvas classic straw hat, $29.50

below: express patterned straw fedora, $34.50

below: express straw fedora, $34.50

below: j.crew summer straw hat, $34

below: target mossimo trilby hat with madras trim, $12.99

happy memorial day...beach bag essentials

happy memorial day, ladies! i hope many of you are beach-bound this weekend. i'll be heading up north to oklahoma for a few days at the new choctaw casino...yes, a casino in oklahoma...yes...i know. anyway, i plan to spend a lot of time at the brand new pool and spa so i broke out the old beach bag to make sure i pack the sunning essentials...

forever 21 sequin anchor bag ($10ish i think), clarins sunscreen spray oil-free spf 15 ($32), neutrogena sheer ultra-dry spf 30 ($10), softlips spf 20 ($2), ray-ban aviators ($70-$120), target ruffle eyelet bathing suit ($15 each piece)

ruffle and eyelet bathing suit

i love target. i mean...who doesn't? i ran in on saturday for a few cleaning supplies and came out with this eyelet trim bathing suit - i love the girly details of the eyelet and the ruffles. and hello...$14.99 for each piece. way easier to swallow than that $220 one i posted about last week (although this one is not as awesome, i'll admit, it definitely does the job).

i. die. for. this. bathing. suit.

i die.

but it's $220.

i repeat, i die for this frill chelsea bandeau bikini by zimmermann. *sigh*

jazz up your outfit with an embellished tunic

i love tunics. so easy and comfortable and they look great with all sorts of things underneath - leggings, skinny jeans, shorts - or just a bathing suit. i've mentioned before that victoria's secret is one of my go-to sites for dresses and things like this and they never fail me. this embellished tunic comes in yellow, white and black and goes for $58. don't forget to google around or call the 800# for a discount code!

get your tax return just in time for bathing suit season

happy tax day! i like to splurge on one new bathing suit every spring with the help of my tax return (if i get one, that is). even though i haven't found that perfect one just yet i think this one shoulder bandeau ($70) with matching bottom ($50) is a contender. i'm loving the print but i can't decide if i like it enough to commit to a funky tan line...plus we all know my ass won't look as good as hers...*sigh*

laura's here! well...almost...

my sister laura arrives in austin today! we've come a long way since the days of sharing a room, hiding our bike helmets before riding off so mom didn't know we weren't wearing them, fighting over the phone to talk to our junior high boyfriends about absolutely nothing, and trading techniques for that perfect bang poof. i'm looking forward to showing my big sis around our new town. i'm also excited to give her a hug of congrats on her new house!

i think we're going to...in no particular order...

• drink some wine here
• go for a swim here
• do some shopping here
• walk the dog here
• have brunch here
• rent some bikes (and wear our helmets) here

i couldn't resist. found this as i was looking through my old snapfish albums...my favorite ingog outfit ever. apparently grandma liked it too!

prepster chic - lands end canvas collection

look at lands end reinventing itself!! recently launched, the canvas collection is "a new chapter in a storied brand" with functional clothing created from modern inspiration. the price points are awesome and it totally brings me back to my north shore of long island preppy roots. thanks to martha for turning me on to it. here are a few of my faves:

below: canvas cargo pants, $49.50

below: paisley bikini, $39.50 for top, $34.50 for bottom

below: chunky horn link necklace, $89.50

below: sailor buckle belt, $39.50

below: patterned cotton lawn skirt in gull gray circles, $59.50

below: gingham poplin shirt in green apple, $44.50

below: cotton lawn campshirt in aurora red floral, $39.50

monthly mood board: march

this month's mood board is all about yellow. the perfect sunny color to welcome the spring season.


clockwise from top left:

• william rast silk racerbank tank, nordstrom, $110
• sydney skirt by vans, lulus, $36
• ruffled bandeau and bikini bottom, express, each piece $24.50
• yellow spiraling inversion bowl by frenchcurve, etsy, $40
• magnolia military jacket by nick and mo, lulus, $76
• trigger moto clutch by botkier, piperlime, on sale for $290
• origami pleat shift dress, old navy, $29.50
• vintage whisper racerback tank by splendid, shopbop, $44
• le creuset 9 qt french oven, amazon, $300
• elizabeth and james t-strap sandal, nordstrom, $385
  

happy labor day! i'm off to the beach!

nick and i are off next week for our [kinda] annual end-of-summer vacation at the beach. don't be alarmed - i'll still be posting. happy labor day and enjoy the long weekend!

p.s. starfish colleagues, i cracked myself up with this photo.

the saddest weekend of the year (for me)

sad. very, very sad. that's the only way to describe my mood as we close in on what is considered the last real weekend of the summer season. in honor of summer, i've decided to list (in no particular order) some of my ultimate favorite things about such a wonderful time of the year. not surprising that the majority are beach related.

go ahead, post in the blog's comments section - i wanna know - what are your favorite things about summer?

lightning bugs


hot dogs burned on the bbq and covered in condiments


havaiana flip flops (on sale for $15.50 from piperlime, who also has free shipping and returns)



my victoria's secret ruffle bikini top (still in stock for $18)


swimming in the ocean. even though i'm afraid sea "critters" are out to get me.


my birthday (it's on flag day)


sand in my apartment accidentally dragged in from days at the beach


sweating for no reason



outdoor beer gardens


bright pink nail polish on my toes


tan lines


my bright blue beach chair


evening strolls with nick after dinner


plums

fire island sunsets

a top, a dress or a cover-up? yes.

saw this strapless drop-waist dress in the window of gap body and went in to check it out. although its on sale on the website for $29.99, the price in-store was $20.99 and they still had all the sizes. it could work as a top, a dress or a cover-up. three for the price of one! oh, they had bathing suits to match, too - also on sale! oh, while i was in there i saw a sign for "10% tuesdays" - special for gapcard holders through september 1.

if it ever gets sunny...

as much as i love the ruffle and polka dot bikini i ordered a few weeks ago, i'm not brazen enough to walk to/from my lounge chair without a cover-up. i've already mentioned my "secret" vice and here's further proof - this silk tunic from victoria's secret is the perfect complement to my other beach and pool gear.

on clearance right now for $34.99, its also cute with a pair of leggings or skinny jeans. they're offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more (offer code VS50SHP) but it ends today - maybe the perfect excuse to get the ruffle bikini at the same time?! now if only it'd stop raining long enough to take it out of my drawer...