If I had to pick one style of shoe to wear for the rest of my life (solely based on preference not practicality) I’d pick sandals. Maybe it’s because I was born and raised in California, but I just feel most like myself in sandals. Below are my top picks for sandals this season.

1. Slides I have these slides in a different color and I get so much use out of them. I love that slides can make a look very casual and effortless.
2. Rockstud Heal Slide To me, these sandals are the ultimate shoe to wear as a guest to almost any Summer wedding. They look good with almost every dress from casual to semi-formal. The block style heel also makes it easy to walk and dance at outdoor weddings.
3. Flip Flops Flip flops are the ultimate utilitarian shoe for the Summer. I like these ones because they are made of leather so they are more comfortable and durable.
4. Raffia Mule I have an almost identical pair of shoes (from previous season) and I love wearing them out to dinner in the Summer. They’re stylish and surprisingly comfortable and easy to walk in. I know most people gravitate towards light colors during the Summer but since these are a raffia material they still feel very Summery despite the dark color.
5. Clog Sandals I have a pair of clog sandals that I wear non stop in the Summer. I think most people see the wooden heel and assume it’s uncomfortable, but every pair of clog sandals I’ve ever had have always been the most comfortable shoes in my wardrobe.
6. T-Strap Sandal T-Strap nude sandals are probably my most worn shoe in the Summer. Whenever I can’t decide what shoe to wear, this is my go-to.

One of the reasons I prefer Fall and Winter style to Spring and Summer style is the accessories. I find it much easier to accessorize in the colder months. It takes more of a conscious effort for me to accessorize this time of year. Over the years I’ve collected some go-to accessories to wear during warm months which has made accessorizing much easier. If you are like me, and find it difficult to accessorize this time of year, below are my favorite accessories to wear in the Summer and how I style them.

Earrings I’ve never been much of a jewelry girl, and when it’s hot outside wearing jewelry is less appealing. I find that sticking to earrings and rings on a hot Summer day is more comfortable than wearing necklaces or bracelets.

Sunglasses Sunglasses are a necessity all year but especially if you plan on spending more time outside during the Summer.

Twill I’ve gotten so much use out of this silk twill over the years. It’s one of my most worn accessories this time of year. I primarily use it in a ponytail this time of year but there are tons of ways to style it which I’ve outlines in this post.

Boater Hat I’m pretty big on sun protection so I wear a lot of hats during the Summer. This is on of my favorite hats to wear this time of year because it protects the part on my hair from getting burned as well as some sun protection on my face.

Headband I like to keep my hair out of my face on a hot day but sometimes I don’t want to wear it up. On those days I like to wear a headband.

Belt I have a lot of loose flowy style dresses that I love to wear in the Summer. Sometimes I like to wear them loose but sometimes I like to cinch in the waist with a belt.

I recently shared a post on the Best Beach and Pool Accessories for this year and I included a couple of bags. In my search for beach and pool bags to include in that post, I came across a ton of great options. Over the last couple of years I haven’t seen a lot of cute bags for the beach and pool. Since there are so many great options I came across this year, I decided to dedicate a blog post to the best beach on pool bags this year.

1. Lemon Raffia Bag I just had to include this bag because the detailing is gorgeous. Raffia style bags are my personal favorite style bag for the beach. This bag is stylish enough you could wear it on other occasions than just the beach or pool. I love that you can get more use out of this than a typical beach/pool bag.
2. Hat Bag I love this bag because it is designed to carry a hat in the straps which is very convenient.
3. Beach Please Bag I want to include a canvas style bag because I know not everyone prefers raffia. This bag is ideal for anyone packing for 2+ people because of it’s larger size.
4. Black and Pearl Bag I have a handbag from this brand that I absolutely love. This is another bag that is suitable for the beach or pool but can also be worn on other occasions.
5. Woven Bag I love an open woven bag like this one specifically for the beach. Since it is more loosely woven, sand won’t collect in the bag it will just fall through. If you are concerned about smaller items (like lip balm) falling through then I suggest putting those smaller items in a makeup pouch in the bag.
6. Coral and Starfish Embellished Bag I love the embellishment of this bag. I personally would wear this bag for a pool day rather than a beach day. This bag is so beautiful you could also wear it on other occasions.

Summer is particularly here and I’ve become more fond of dressing for it. Below are some outfit ideas to spark inspiration with your Summer wardrobe.

Shirt Pants Brooch Sandals

Dress Hat Sandals

Tank Jeans Earrings Shoes

I had a rough Spring season with the loss of my beloved cat. With that loss I sought out a little more escapism than usual. I read 5 books over the last season. Some of them were good, some of them were bad, and I want to share my thoughts on them with you. The reviews below do not contain spoilers.

Me: Elton John Official Biography by Elton John

To be honest with you, I would not consider myself a fan of Elton John’s music. Aside from Tiny Dancer (which I only love because it’s on the soundtrack of Almost Famous which is one of my favorite movies) I really don’t like his music. However, he is an interesting person and he’s got a great sense of humor. I love how raw and honest this book is. This book did feel like it dragged on at times and I found myself struggling to maintain interest at times. I think this was due to the book being much longer than it should have been. I would really only recommend this if you are a fan of Elton John.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

I absolutely loved this book. There were so many wholesome moments in it and I loved the characters. This was the type of book that I could have easily read in a day but I savored it over the course of a week and I looked forward to reading it every day. This book felt like a romcom feel good movie.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I loved that it was a page turner and I HAD to find out how things ended. I hated it because the characters were all horrendous in some way, whether it was from just being a horrible person or from making irresponsible and blatantly bad decisions. The characters discussed money, class, and status a few times in the book that left a sour taste in my mouth. The way the main character, Lilly, describes a good person as simply someone that donates money seemed really juvenile. There were parts of the book that felt like the author was originally trying to write a YA but because of the darker content of the book it is adult. I find it mildly concerning that this book gets romanticized by it’s fans.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

This book was written by the same author as It Ends With Us. Much like the previous book, I also have a love/hate relationship with this book. This author really knows how to captivate you. She also really knows how to create characters that make horrible decisions. This one did actually feel like an adult book so by default I enjoyed it more than the one above.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Tsujimura Mizuki

This is one of the most heartwarming and beautifully written books I’ve read. It was incredibly moving. I loved the storyline and the author had me really rooting for the characters. This is the type of book I wish I could read again for the first time.

Dress Hat Sandals

I’m a huge advocate for doing manicures and pedicures at home. It might be more costly upfront, but it saves money in the long run. It’s also usually more sanitary to do it at home. I personally enjoy the experience more when I give myself a manicure or pedicure at home. Since I started doing it myself I only go the a salon twice a year. Although you can certainly trim your own cuticles, I find that to be the one thing salons do better so I still go a couple times a year for that. I recently shared everything I use for an at-home manicure, so now I’m sharing everything you need to replace salon pedicures.

Dr. Scholl’s Exfoliating Foot Mask These foot masks are what I use during the Winter to exfoliate my feet. It does make your feet peel which is why I only use them in the Winter when I’m not wearing sandals or any shoes that exposes my feet because it is unsightly.

Dr. Scholl’s Hydrating Foot Mask The week following using the exfoliating foot mask, I like to use these hydrating foot masks. These help protect and hydrate the newly exposed skin on your feet.

Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair This is my product of choice to keep my feet exfoliated during the Summer. It’s really gentle but effective and it does not make your feet peel like the Dr. Scholl’s Exfoliating Foot Mask. I apply a pea size amount to each foot before putting on socks. I like to use this in the evenings and leave it on for a few hours before I go to bed.

Callus Remover If you want to exfoliate your feet and remove calluses quickly then this callus remover is the best option. It does require soaking your feet though.

Foot Spa If you are interested in the full salon pedicure experience and/or you want to use the callus remover above, then you will need a foot spa. There are tons of options out there but I recommend one that allows you to adjust the temperature.

Foot File If you do go the route of soaking your feet and using the callus remover then I suggest also using a foot file after you have soaked your feet.

As a makeup lover I have tried MANY eyeshadows over the years. In recent years I don’t venture out of my comfort zone much, and I’ve found what works best for my blue eyes and skin tone. Most makeup artists suggest wearing warm eyeshadows to really make blue eyes pop. I do agree with that, but there is a huge range of blue eye colors and skin tone also plays a roll in eyeshadow color selection. For me personally, I love neutral and sometimes even cool tone brown eyeshadows. Ultimately, you should wear (or don’t wear) whatever makes you happiest and feel your best. If you are at a loss though, I have some eyeshadow recommendations below. For reference, I have blue eyes with green specs and light warm skin tone.

1. Natasha Denona Mini Glam Palette This is my go-to everyday makeup eyeshadow palette. I have used this palette nearly every time I’ve done my makeup over the past 3 years I’ve had it (it’s probably time to replace it). It has a couple of matte shades and a couple of shimmer shades. It’s easy to blend and long wearing. I also like that it is small so it’s easier to travel with. It’s the only palette I’ve ever had that I use every shade in it.
2. Armani Beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in the shade 30 Taupe This is a great option if you prefer liquid eyeshadows. It won’t budge during the day and it’s one of the easier liquid eyeshadows to blend.
3. Hourglass Eyeshadow in the shade Coy Hourglass makes great eyeshadow singles. I love this soft brown shade.
4. Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette If you are someone that prefers warm tone eyeshadow this palette is a great option. It has 12 shades so you can create tons of different looks with it.