Summer Have-tos

Summer is upon us and we all want to feel fully immersed in all the season has to offer.  This is my list of things to make your summer totally cool.  

Uber cabs 

Luxury sedans at the price of a taxi.  You put in your beginning and ending destinations and watch the map as your driver approaches your door.  You pay by credit card so no need to stop at the ATM while the meter runs, you get the name and picture of your driver so you know who to expect (reassuring for late night cab rides, ladies) and you can rate the driver when all is said and done.  Just remember, he can rate you too.  So if you've had one too many cocktails and haven't got your sea legs you may wanna just flag down a good ol' yellow taxi.  
 


They've got an app for Androids and iPhones.  Uber services cities in the US and abroad.  Check them out!

Caleche eau de toilette by Hermes

A little pricey but a perfect summer scent - clean, light and airy, with a hint of florals.  I left my perfume at home on accident during my last visit to my mom's.  Mom being Mom, she told me I could borrow hers.  I'd never noticed this particular perfume before, way up on the top shelf like an old abandoned toy.  I figured since not a drop was missing (despite its having been there for a super long time), it must've smelled terrible.  Boy was I wrong.  One spritz and I was in love.  I felt transported to a heavenly smelling place of florals and freshness. ( I love my husband but at my house I always seem to be chasing the fresh clean smell I had when I lived solo.  Oh well, I traded heavenly scents for love.)  But I was drunk on Hermes and I couldn't get enough.  I spritzed after showering and when the summer sun had me glistening with sweat, that fresh flowery scent wafted from my skin, evaporating into thin air.  When it wore off I would think about it, fighting the temptation for another spray. I didn't want to waste a drop!  What if I needed that tomorrow for a nice dinner out or some happy hour drinks?!  The perfume was not mine to keep and the thought of my very own bottle tickled me silly.  (My make up brushes still smell like it so for just a wee bit longer I get my own scent of heaven each morning now that I'm home.)

We never picture our mothers as once leading the trends, with hip accessories and fashion-forward style.  This perfume solidified all I'd heard about my mom back in her 20s - stylish, trendsetting and apparently smelling like a little piece of heaven  all the while.  She was albeit...Cool.  She said I could keep it and bring it home with me but that just didn't seem right.  Stealing a piece of heaven?  Bad karma.  I'm definitely saving for some of this and you should too.  If we all wear it the world would be a lovely smelling place. ;)  Worth the splurge!  Go here to get your very own bottle of heaven.

Ice Cream

Don't know about you but nothing's better after a hot summer day than a little,  a lot of sweet, cold melting ice cream.  My go-to is chocolate soft serve, what's yours?  Does anyone else love ice cream best when it melts a little, kinda like a milkshake??  Soooo good, mmm!!

A Good Read

There's nothing like losing yourself in a good book.  Whether you like easy, mindless reads or deep, thoughtful ones choose one that will keep your interest.  Great for traveling, sitting on the beach or out in the yard grab that book (or mag) and get started.  You'll be glad you did.  

Here are some of my favs:

Love in the Time of Cholera

The Great Gatsby (and not because the movie just came out, it really is good) 

Get your tan on and read a little!

Pampelonne Sparkling Wine

When I studied abroad in Australia I was astounded at how many drinks came in cans - they also had drive through liquor stores (!) - which we frequented often.  I never dreamt drinks in cans (besides beer) would come to the U.S.  But here she is America, and just in time for summer.

Housed in pink, white and green cans, this wine is not just delicious but fashionable.  Pampelonne's Rosé Lime is set to launch any day now with Sangria and Bellini on the way for fall and winter.  About $15.00 gets you four of the prettiest little cans of sparkling wine you ever did see.   Ok so I've never tasted it, but it's wine, it has to be good!  I cannot wait to get my hands on some.  I plan on giving this as a gift to my favorite cousin in a few weeks for her birthday.  C'mon Pampelonne get those cans up and ready, summer's here and time's, ahem, wine's, a-wastin!  Once it's up and running you can place your online order here. 





Uptown Cheapskate and Plato's Closet
Need to make some room in that closet of yours so you can hit those summer sales??  Grab an hour or two, clean out your closet and bring it on down to Uptown Cheapskate and Plato's Closet. 




My newest favorite places, both stores will buy back your clothes for cash or store credit.  Take that money and buy yourself something fresh and new to fill up that newly emptied closet.  Or, scour the racks for some new digs.  Uptown is always my first stop as their clothes are usually more high-end and whatever's leftover goes to Plato's Closet which is younger in terms of style and price.  Last stop after that?  Goodwill.  Someone should get use out of all this stuff so why not share with others?  And if you can get cash for it, why not - no harm in that! The better the condition of the clothes and the more stylish they are the more they are worth. Uptown is not as widespread as Plato's Closet but you can check out their websites here and here.   

Now you've got the stuff necessary for a sweet summer, and that my friends, is worth a glass of champagne. 

*All pics from Google images

Bathing Suits A-Plenty!

The warmth of the sun kisses your face, you breathe in warm clean air (depending on where you live, LA you can pretend), birds chirp as a sultry breeze wafts over you.  Welcome to summer.  

It is on its way.  Are you ready? Mentally, you are.  Even your wardrobe might be ready.  However, many women overlook their bathing suit stockpiles, wearing the same few suits over and over. And over again.  

I have a bathing suit problem.  Although it is not quite what you'd expect.  I own close to 30 bathing suits.  I am truly a beach baby and over the years have managed to collect a ton of suits.  In my eyes this is no more a problem than having a ton of money.  That is to say, it's not a problem - unless of course you ask my husband.  I thankfully haven't grown in size much over the years so I still fit in that cute O'Neill suit from college.  And my Burberry suit that I splurged on.  Oh and the VS one with the heart cutout that you need to be really tan to wear and whose metal heart shaped cutout digs into your back as you sun, but worth every wear.  This poses a problem though when trying to convince others, namely my husband, that I need another suit. Luckily, the man above must've seen my dilemma and sent me a solution.  

I entered South Moon Under's Sink or Swim Instant Win contest on Facebook.  

Photo courtesy of www.southmoonunder.blogspot.com

And guess what?  I won!!  I've never won anything in my life so I was super excited.  Not to mention that it was a prize as good as gold in my book!  I was able to choose from a bunch of suits and it was mailed to my door - for free.  What a company.  Thank you South Moon Under!!  I chose this little Trina Turk number. Isn't she gorg?? 

LOVE!  South Moon Under even sent a 'wet bathing suit' bag by Raisins (who make adorable suits btw - very SoCal).  And it was all wrapped so nicely.  What can be better than that?!

So this got me thinking.  Most people, women especially, dread bathing suit season, bathing suit shopping, and some even dread bathing suit wearing! So sad.  There's a world of suits out there to be had and they're waiting for you!  I'm here to help.  After all my years of bathing suit shopping, trying on, and ahem, buying, this is my guide to bathing suit shopping for all body types.  

General Rules

{Buy a suit that fits.}  Even if that means choosing different sizes for the top and bottom.  Or even if that means going up (or down) from your normal size.   A suit that's too large will hang and droop once wet, or can even be lost (!) in the ocean waves.  A suit that's too small will cut into your sides making you appear larger than you actually are.  I'm terrified of the latter so I tend to buy bottoms that are too large and am left hanging on to my suit for dear life with each successive ocean wave.  

{Get a tan.}  Tans instantly make you appear trimmer.  I recommend a faux glow just to be safe.    Sunspots are not pretty ladies and gents.  Trust me, I learned the hard way.  Womp womp.    

Victoria's Secret has a great tanning line (not to mention amazing suits). I prefer the Instant Bronzing Spray ($15) - spray it on and you have color immediately.  You control how light or how dark it is and you see it right away so as you rush out to the beach you can give yourself a spritz.  

Photo courtesy of ww.victoriassecret.com

Whether you are getting a faux glow in a salon or diy, feel free to contour yourself.  Get extra tanning solution sprayed around your abs and on the outside and inside of your thighs.  You are creating the illusion of abs and teeny weeny legs.  This will make it seem as if you have been working in the gym for months - without the sweat or hard work.

{Know your body}.  

{Large Chested}
You want to look like this...

Photo courtesy of www.victoriassecret.com

perky, pushed up, and scintillating - the correct way to wear a bandeau...

But you wind up looking like this....

Email me for the source, I don't want to embarrass anyone on the internet!

Fail. 

The difference between these two pictures is NOT the model or the size thereof.  It is NOT that one suit is a bikini and one is a tankini.  The difference lies in that the bottom picture clearly depicts a natural woman (not photoshopped) whose chest naturally droops.  

This bandeau becomes un-flattering as her chest sinks and flattens.  The ruffle and pattern only draw attention to this.  This type of suit is best left to the small-chested and the silicone chested.  

The same goes for most triangle tops.  You need support.  And it's okay.  There are still cute options, don't fear. 

The fix - Choose a halter or push up top with not too deep of a V and a lot of support.

Photo courtesy of www.leonisa.com

Support, solid color, halter = FLATTERING

Photo courtesy of www.DHgate.com 

LOVE this suit!  Underwire for maximum support, large band around the chest and back, and straps to keep everything perky and in place.  

My friends with large chests often feel as though they only have ugly suits from which to choose, but I think these last two are quite stylish no?  (If you prefer a tankini, keep the same rules)

{Small Chested}

Many people think it's easy for these girls to choose a suit and in some respects, I agree.  BUT, there are things small chested girls should be wary of.  For example, suits with strings that come up from the middle only serve to sag your chest in an outward, downward shape, while flattening at the same time.  Take a look....

Photo courtesy of www.butterfliesandbikinis.com

Photo courtesy of www.swimwearexpress.com

If they're already small do you really need them to look saggy too?  I think not. 

I think halters and tops with underwire are great for smaller chested girls.  Halters and underwires pull up, creating much needed volume. Bandeaus tend to flatten you out and that is really the opposite of what you need.  (Just a note - bandeaus look best on women with moderate sized chests.  Or the models.)

Photo courtesy of www.victoriassecret.com

Photo courtesy of www.victoriassecret.com

{Big Bottomed}

Whether it be your booty, your hips or both, just remember this rule...

The smaller the bottom, the larger your bottom will look.  And the more likely your bottom falls out (sorry for the pun, just had to!).  

A great option for you ladies with a lot of junk in the trunk are hipster bottoms or bottoms other than string such as regular bikini bottoms, or hipkinis.  Be careful with boy shorts.  They can often look saggy if they don't fit properly or at times can appear frumpy and may even make your bottom look larger (no!!!).  I think hipkinis, aka hipsters are the most flattering.  

Photo courtesy of www.victoriassecret.com

{No butt}
Watch for saggy butt in your bikini bottoms.  This happens most often in string bottoms.  Brazilian or cheeky bottoms are a good option for you.  Draw attention to your top half with color, details such as metal, ruffles, or sequins so no one notices your half-butt.  

Photo courtesy of www.google.com

{Love Handles}
Who named these anyway? I don't feel any love toward them or from them.  And I most certainly don't want my loved one grabbing me by them as the name suggests!  Nothing on my body should be referred to as a 'handle,' or muffin top for that matter, ugh.  I don't even like muffins.  But nonetheless, many of us have them.  What to do?  

You're going to think I'm nuts, but buy the suit that fits your HIPS and then alter the rest of the suit to snugly fit your butt.  You do it for pants and those cover WAY more of your body.  Why not for your bathing suit?  

Definitely avoid bottoms that are really low rise and go straight across your hips.  This will only serve to emphasize love handles and the infamous 'pooch' by which so many of us are plagued.

Photo courtesy of www.google.com

{Tummy}
If you're looking to camouflage your midsection tankinis, monokinis, and one-pieces are your best bet.  Your situation will determine which type of camoflaging you need.  

Tankini - To me these are 'mom suits' (and I refuse to wear one).  BUT if these are the suits that make you most comfortable find one in an updated, younger pattern.  Colorblocking is always classy and less frumpy.  Be sure it fits well.  I think the makers of tankinis tend to make the tops unsupported and very low cut to compensate for all the coverage elsewhere.  Drives me nuts.  

Photo courtesy of www.nordstrom.com

Monokinis - If you are just self-conscious but don't have much of anything to cover up, a monokini is a good choice. These often have cutouts and there's nothing worse than flabby skin seeping out of a cutout bathing suit so be sure to choose one that's flattering.

Photo courtesy of www.macys.com

One-Pieces - Be sure you know your measurements.  Despite being 5'2" (and a half!) my torso is quite long.  I cannot order petite one-piece swimwear otherwise I look like I'm wearing a bathing suit from 1985 where the leg opening comes halfway up my body and I'm constantly hiking the top part up.  

Speaking of the leg opening.  Beware.  If you have larger thighs a high cut may thin them out, whereas a lower cut that's more straight-across can make them look larger.  Also, turn around.  If the suit digs into your butt, thus giving you an extra butt outside the suit it's no good, move on!  And this is why I don't wear one-pieces.  

Too many things to worry about that aren't adjustable in the way I wear it.  

{Plus Size}
Unfortunately there aren't many options for you ladies (which is just wrong!) and many companies create these deep plunging necklines (a)assuming all plus size women have large chests - which they most certainly do not and (b)  to detract from problem areas such as the midsection or butt.  

A plus size women is often already self-conscious about being in a bathing suit, why make a suit that requires her to tug, pull and adjust her top the entire time?  Makes me mad.  

Jessica London, One Stop Plus, Old Navy and Lands End have some good plus size options.  

Here are some suits I love from Jessica London and One Stop Plus.

Photo courtesy of www.jessicalondon.com

Photo courtesy of www.jessicalondon.com

Photo courtesy of www.onestopplus.com

Photo courtesy of www.onestopplus.com

Photo courtesy of www.onestopplus.com

Photo courtesy of www.onestopplus.com

My personal fav,

Photo courtesy of www.onestopplus.com

Anyway...

-Look for suits that have a higher neckline.  
-Ruching is your best friend.  Any suit that pulls the material diagonally to one side or vertically will create the illusion of a smaller waist.  
-Thick straps help to support you and are in proportion to a larger frame. Skinny straps on a bigger body just make it look, well, bigger.  
-Don't feel you need to be plain and just blend into the background.  Choose a suit that matches your personality and rock it with confidence.  

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*Just Remember* It's all in how you carry yourself.  If you need a security blanket, splurge on a fancy cover up and rock that suit proudly.    

~And that my friends is worth a glass of champagne!~ 

    

  

Wishing Away

It seems that as we age time goes more quickly. How many of us notice that summers used to feel eternal, time to study the changing light of day, appreciate family and friends, and bask in the warmth of the sun. In school, summer vacation was the holy grail, giving time for friends, the pool, Italian ices and sunset bike rides at 8 pm. Now it seems as if summer speeds by, weekends are planned months in advance, and beautiful days are spent inside at work. Adults always seem to be preparing for what's next instead of truly living in the moment. We worry about squeezing things in, getting ready for the next school year, the next project we will tackle, the next trip we will take. This "squeezing" is only reinforced by the media and companies who advertise and sell Christmas memorabilia in October, resort wear in November, and bathing suits in January (gotta market to those spring breakers of course- you know the ones who leave college behind for a tropical island, all on their patents' dime?).

I wonder, does the speed at which time passes increase proportionally as we age? If so, it's no wonder the elderly are always talking about the past. They can't keep up with the present!  

Try to remember how short life is and savor every moment, because as cliche as it sounds you can't get it back.  When I'm 90 (or older hopefully) and on my deathbed I won't be thinking "Gee, I'm glad I worked so much.  I'll be thinking, I'm so glad I spent that extra time with my family and friends/"  So grab your glass of champagne and mull this over.  Or better yet, call up said family and friends and make some memories over a glass...ahem, bottle...of champagne!

Knockarounds

You've got to check out my new favorite place for cheap stylish sunnies!  Trendy, cool, and customizable designs will help you hold onto those dog days of summer.  Bright colors, lightweight frames and reflective lenses, reminiscent of the 80s, these sunglasses will last well into next summer.

These are the ones I've designed...

My husband has the same lenses with cobalt blue frames, which are equally as cool.

There are a million options to choose from and Knockaround has limited edition frames once in a while, and they sell out almost instantly! I've only been lucky enough to score a pair once, tortoise shell ones that are in transit as we speak.   (My favorite for-fun-pair was a shark frame designed by a little boy - they even came with a copy of the little boys' drawing and story of inspiration!).

If you get a chance and need a way to hold onto summer, check them out:  http://knockaround.com/
It's going to be the hottest thing since Raybans hit the 80s and made a comeback!

And that my friends, is worth some champagne!