How To Style: The Straw Bag For Summer

Easily one of my favorite trends for summer is the straw bag. I love how it's equal parts casual and classic and I couldn't be happier that they're absolutely every where this season. As you know, I have a very small handbag collection that takes me throughout the whole year but I recently decided that a straw tote would make a great addition to this collection. To help me narrow down the exact style that will round out my closet, I've rounded up some outfit inspiration and a few bags that I'm loving. 

Fourth Of July Outfit Inspiration

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week and are gearing up for the long weekend and loads of Fourth of July festivities! To help get you in the mood to celebrate our nation's birthday I've put together some festive looks that you can easily recreate using pieces you probably already have in your closet. What's even better, is that these looks are patriotic without being too cliche so you can wear them to a backyard BBQ and beyond.  

1. Crisp White Shirt 2. Boyfriend Fit Chinos 3. Mango Leather Clutch 4. Pomade 5. Nude Heels

1. Linen Pants 2. Gold Necklace 3. Brown Sandals 4. Linen Tank 5. Straw Tote

1. Classic White Tee 2. Gladiator Sandals 3. Straw Fedora 4. Satchel 5. Striped Skirt

1. Low-Maintenance Hair 2. Light Base 3. Red Lip 4. Linen Shirt 5. Easy Slides 6. Denim Shorts

June Favorites

It's favorites time again! This month I've been loving fashion, makeup, skincare, a couple YouTube channels and a local restaurant here in Charleston. So, let's hope right into it shall we? 

EVERLANE 100% HUMAN TEE

My first favorite this month has been the 100% human, pale pink tee from Everlane.

I picked up this tee for my summer capsule and couldn't be happier with it. Like all Everlane tees, this is super soft and lightweight.

The light color and airy cotton make it the perfect summer piece but I know that I'll get plenty of wear out of it in the fall and winter as well. 

In addition to being a lovely closet addition, the 100% human range from Everlane donates a portion of each sale to fabulous causes. The pale pink range donates $5 from every sale to Equality Now which has been fighting to promote equal rights for women around the world since 1992. 

DRYBAR DETOX DRY SHAMPOO

Next up is the best dry shampoo I've ever used! The Detox Dry Shampoo by DryBar is a miracle product that revives my hair and stretches my style to unbelievable lengths.

With just a few sprays to my roots I'm able to fake a fresh blowout even if I haven't restyled my hair in a few days. Plus, the smell is lovely and not overpowering like some dry shampoos and the formula never leaves my roots feeling sticky or icky. 

GLOSSIER CLOUD PAINT

If you saw my review and GRWM here, then you know that I LOVE the new Glossier Cloud Paints. I love how pigmented they are, I love the concept of watercolor for your cheeks, and I love the staying power - they seriously don't budge even in heat and humidity. 

BIOLOGIQUE RECHERCHE LOTION P50W

If I had to pick my favorite from these favorites, it would be the Lotion P50 W by Biologique Recherche. I first encountered this brand when I was starting out in PR in the city. At the time, the price was a little too steep for my 20-something PR budget, but I knew that someday I wanted to try it.

Not only is it French (which you know I love), but every woman that I've encountered that uses BR has the most amazing skin.

So, I made a note to keep up with the brand over the years and to finally give it a go when I turned 30 - which happened in April. After doing some more research on the brand and the P50s in general, I settled on the P50W for my sensitive, reactive skin. I've been using it for about a week and a half now and I am completely blown away! In just a short time I've noticed an incredible improvement in the condition of my skin and I couldn't be happier with it. I discuss it in more detail in my favorites video below but can honestly say that my only complaint is that I didn't try it sooner. 

GOTHAMISTA YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Since placing a stronger emphasis on skincare, Renee of Gothamista has been my go-to for relearning everything I thought I knew about skincare. Renee has worked for over 10 years in product development and buying and is truly a skincare encyclopedia. Her knowledge knows no limits and she presents it in such a simplistic way that anyone can follow along. If you're interested in skincare at all, I highly recommend checking her out. 

DEARLY BETHANY

Another YouTube/Instagram account that I've been loving is Dearly Bethany. I recently discovered Bethany's channel and Instagram account and am absolutely smitten! Bethany creates the sweetest, most soothing videos all about her journey towards a minimized wardrobe that she loves, as well as the books she's loving. If you're interested in slow fashion and lovely imagery I think you'll love her. Plus, over on her Instagram account she is showcasing what she wears and reads every day for a year so she's definitely worthy of a follow in my book! 

POKE TEA HOUSE

I love sushi and when I was living in the city I would eat it at least 2 times per week. Now that we've moved to Charleston though, good sushi is almost impossible to come across (one of the downsides of living in a developing city). I'm confident that we will have sushi soon enough, but until then I'm loving Poke Tea House which is the perfect compromise. This no-frills spot has recently become a favorite of mine and Jason and I eat there at least once a week. It's delicious, well prepared and affordable. If you're ever in Charleston and need a quick, healthy meal then I definitely recommend stopping in. 

Summer Capsule Makeup Inspiration

Now that summer is finally here, I'm slowly transitioning my makeup products over to lighter, long-lasting products that stand up to the heat and humidity. For me, that means switching from a a liquid base to dabs of concealer and a powder, and sticking to simple eyes with neutral, sun-kissed colors on my cheeks. To help focus my intentions this summer and narrow in on the products I want to use this season I've put together some inspiration for the looks I'd like to create and the products to help me do so. 

Much like a capsule wardrobe, I've found that when creating a capsule makeup collection a solid foundation is key.

Whether that's liquid or powder, it's crucial that my canvas look fresh, even and clean so that it can take me from morning to night and everywhere in between without touch-ups.

If you saw my spring makeup capsule then you know that I love the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer for keeping oil at bay and turning my skin to silk and I can't imagine doing my makeup without it so it will definitely be in my summer capsule.

For base, you know that I love the By Terry Cellularose CC Cream (I wear shade 3) and Becca Aqua Luminous Concealer to even out my complexion while still letting my skin show through. 

My By Terry CC is almost empty so this summer I'm swapping it for mineral foundation on days when I need extra coverage. I'm a huge fan of mineral makeup because I love how it melts in my skin to become virtually invisible, doesn't irritate my incredibly reactive skin, and stays put during the hot, humid months - especially when layered on top of the Hourglass primer. I love this one by BareMinerals, this one by Laura Mercier and this one by Jane Iredale but I recently picked up this one that I'm loving, so deciding which one makes the final cut will be more difficult that I expected it would be.

For concealer, I still have some of the Becca Aqua Luminous Concealer left so that will be staying in my capsule until it's used up (I apply it with this concealer brush that's super soft and affordable). When that time comes, I may make a switch to something new because I LOVE trying new products. Until then though, this concealer is a must for me.

It's lightweight, blendable, stays put and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin - win, win, win. Plus, I love that Becca is cruelty-free (something I'm looking for more and more in my products), and that it is reasonably priced for a high-end concealer that actually works. 

I don't usually use a setting powder simply because I find I don't need one when I use the Hourglass primer but I recently re-discovered BareMinerals Mineral Veil and have fallen completely head over heels! I love this not so much for oil control, which it does beautifully I should add, but because it leaves my skin looking airbrushed while feeling completely weightless. I especially love this on light makeup days when I'm only wearing concealer and I know that this will be a permanent staple in my summer capsule.

This summer I'm loving sun-kissed cheeks with a subtle glow that's equal parts peach and tan like the images here - you can see more over on my Pinterest page here. 

To achieve this natural color I'm likely going to turn to a few products and I anticipate that the "cheek" category of my capsule will be the fullest. For blush I'm still in love with my peachy Milani one and my newly discovered Glossier Cloud Paints in Haze and Dusk. 

For bronzer, I have a never-ending love affair with "Faux Tan" from BareMinerals. For me, it's the perfect bronzy glow that looks completely natural and lasts all day. I love it so much that it's actually the only bronzer I own right now. If you're someone that doesn't like loose mineral powders, this one by Guerlain is gorgeous and was a favorite for years - I am contemplating picking it up again for summer so stay tuned on that. Plus, it's beautifully packaged and looks incredibly chic on your vanity - which is always a bonus. 

For my eyes I've been loving the look of bare lids and bold lashes. To achieve this, I'm in love with this eyelash primer layered underneath my current go-to mascara by Clarins. Combined, these products give me stand-out lashes in a flash and I can't recommend them enough. 

For brows I will likely stick to my favorite brow pencil that offers stay-put color in a waxy formula that always looks natural.

To set my brows I tend to use the Clear Brow Gel by Anastasia but have loved my new Cloud Paints so much that I may give Glossier Boy Brow a try. I'll definitely let you know what I think about it if and when I pick it up. 

Having great products that I can rely on is half the battle when achieving a makeup look I love. The other half is having the right tools for the job. In the case of my summer capsule I should need a fluffy concealer brush, slightly dense but super soft powder brush for applying mineral powder and setting powder, and a cheek brush (ideally one that I can use for both bronzer and blush. 

For the mineral and setting powder I rotate between this one, this one and this one in my collection. The first I like because it is the best I've found for applying the BareMinerals foundation and the second one works beautifully with the Jane Laura Mercier powder and has the perfect shape for applying mineral powder, but can sometimes irritate my skin because it has natural bristles. The third one is a lovely shape and has hypo-allergenic taklon bristles that are so gentle on my skin that I almost don't feel them. I tend to reach for this brush on days that my skin is feeling especially sensitive or I have an active breakout. 

For bronzer and blush I prefer smaller brushes that apply sheer washes of color. I love this one, this one, this one and this one and I am planning on filming my entire brush collection for you soon so that I can share my hits and misses.