Issue Twenty-Six
Summer Preparedness
Hi, everyone. It’s officially Memorial Day Weekend. We kind of can’t believe it. If your spring has been anything like ours, things have been moving pretty fast. That’s why this issue is concerned with slowing down. It’s about easing into summer with the critical building blocks you need—the beach bag, the nail polish, the shoe, the jean—to feel (and look) fresh for a new season. There are also handy little items like a wonderful post-workout spray for your hair, an unfailing face sunscreen and some healthy alternatives to coffee for rising and shining without the jitters. The chaos of June, July, and August will be here soon enough. So let’s all take the next few weeks to thoughtfully prepare and chill the eff out. And don’t forget to stop and smell the peonies, lilacs and wisteria!
P.S. We’ve been hiking, playing tennis, ballet dancing and running in workout gear that’s designed to drastically reduce your skin’s exposure to microplastics and other toxins. We’ll share our findings and favorites in next week’s paid post. You don’t want to miss it!
It’s a whisper of wildness from beneath a tissue-thin beach dress. ANIMAL PRINT SUMMER is here! Yes, a hint of zebra, cheetah or leopard makes everything better—and a little bit weird in a good way—whether it’s Celine’s striped sunnies, Marysia Swim’s spotted one-piece or high-waisted bikini or our favorite K. Jacques sandal styles in zebra, leopard and snakeskin.
After a sunny sweat on the courts, you mist and go. BUMBLE AND BUMBLE’S PRÊT-À-POWDER, engineered as a post-workout dry shampoo, is one of our warm-weather essentials. It’s perfect for frenetic summer days when there’s no time for a shower after tennis or a swim, is non-aerosol, doesn’t leave any stiffness or residue behind and smells like old-school Secret. We keep ours in the tennis bag we wish we owned.
With a crisp glass of rosé and your hurricane lamp ablaze, you sit at your garden table and scheme. A PARTY JOURNAL for the many candlelit dinners and BBQs you’ll throw this summer is one of those little things you’ll get a lot out of. Not only is it a place to put down all your checklists, seating charts and party hopes and dreams, but it’s also a diary you can look back on and reference for years to come. Big Night’s big red book has templated sections dedicated to table seating and scaping, menus and is printed and bound by an old leather goods shop in NYC. For after a big night, pls try our new obsession, Super Seltzer (go grape or go home)!
They slide on (and off) nice and easy. A BASKET-WEAVE FLAT is one of those secret summer staples. When you’re tired of wearing sandals to dinner and heels to a cocktail, they offer a comforting, classic alternative that’s breezy and yes, easy. We’re slipping into Loeffler Randall’s raffia ballets, Target’s stretch crochet flats, Margaux’s woven leather versions, Ancient Greek Sandals’ open-weave raffia style and Le Monde Beryl’s raffia Mary Janes and ballets.
There’s nothing better than freshly lacquered toes ready to be buried in the sand. If you’re like us, we have time for about two pedicures a summer. That’s why we prefer a LONG-LASTING POLISH that stays shiny even after a long barefoot beach walk (and a week-long vacation). Our love for Dazzle Dry’s ultimate neutral, Peacefully Me, hasn’t changed but we’re experimenting with another long-lasting polish line called Olive & June, specifically this nautical navy shade and orangey lobster red. Both of which will look great on our new favorite clay and grass tennis court beach towels.
For those bonfire nights, they are the perfect pair. LEVI’S UNDYED RIBCAGE RIGID JEANS are our favorite denim silhouette at the moment. With a very high waist and a leg-lengthening cut, these ‘90s-inspired jeans are 100% cotton with zero stretch, which means they look oh-so-expensive and will only get (much) better with age. We’re wearing ours on foggy, cozy beach nights with a Vintage Patagonia Retro-X and Museum Earrings.
Gentle breezes call for gentler wake-ups. We’re trying to cut back on the intensity of our morning beverages. That means throwing a spoon of COFFEE ALKALIZER into our cups, which neutralizes coffee’s acids, replenishes the minerals it depletes and supports digestion and gut comfort with enzymes. The goal, though, is to cut out coffee all together. Enter ICED SPORTEA, a ginseng, green tea, maté, black tea, ginger and vitamin c blend that provides hydrating electrolytes along with a natural energy boost but with less caffeine than a cup of decaf coffee. Each cold-brew tea bag makes 1 quart of Sportea and is perfect to throw in a very cool water bottle before an early morning walk.
It smells earthy, like salt and sea and always has a little sand collected in its crevices. A GREAT SUMMER TOTE is a treasure, and Hunting Season’s artisanal raffia bags are best-in-class. Woven by a community of generationally trained artisans in Colombia, where the company’s founder is from, this Trapeze style is woven from iraca de palma leaves with nappa leather trim and comes in a mini size that’s perfect for toting to dinner or a party and a larger carryall version that’s ideal for long, busy-bee days.
Through sweat and sun, it holds its own. For us, summer’s single most important beauty product is a face sunscreen that doesn’t cause breakouts, doesn’t get in our eyes when we sweat and stays put even during long, intense workouts. The only one we’ve found that does all of these things? iS CLINICAL ECLIPSE SPF 50+ (thank you, Taylor!) Formulated specifically for extended outdoor actives, it blends transparent titanium dioxide and micronized zinc oxide with pure vitamin E. Once applied, it looks completely sheer but feels very “there” in a non-greasy matte-feeling way. In short: the dream screen. And for a derm brand, the price is also so very right.
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As always, all of our illustrations are original and hand-drawn in ink by Courtney Broadwater.
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