Loving this mood— the visual story gives me the feeling of ease and effortlessness. The epitome of what we all envision for our summertime. Giving your neck some airtime with a tied up bun, glistening skin a la sweat, breezy linens, disconnecting a bit and treating your senses to the season’s offerings. May you soak up every drop of August, and while it may be toasty, there is so much to appreciate and savor…
What I’m up to and inspired by
—Organizing. I’ve been in a mood to pare down—craving simplicity! I get this bug a few times a year, maybe it’s knowing a season shift is coming. A nice plan for a super hot day while stuck inside with AC! Plotting a big closet/pantry/cabinets organize and edit. One other thing I like to do this time of year is drop off any of my fall knits that need some love at the dry cleaner. Since I won’t be using them much, it’s the perfect time to prepare for the start of fall. What admin-y things can you do now on long summer days that your future-self will thank you for?
—Social summer energy. Whether it be a morning coffee shop date with my laptop before the heat or an al fresco happy hour after work—I want to relish the big energy in the air that comes with being surrounded by others enjoying themselves and the beautiful weather. A very contagious and happy buzz indeed!
—Reading a magazine cover to cover. I’m off to a favorite little magazine shop in San Francisco today after my hair appointment. I used to love getting the urge to read through a few inspiring issues and making an afternoon out of it. I’d pack a blanket, pickup a few to peruse, and make my way to a local park. I’ve always loved this ritual… forever inspiring to me and feels nostalgic these days, which is that much more appealing.
—Cold showers. I love taking a cool or cold (depending how ballsy I’m feeling) shower after a workout in the summer. The rush of energy that comes with it is electrifying!
—Eyelet everything. Only interested in light-weight boxer/sleep-like shorts teamed with a tee or button up or breezy skirts and dresses. I’ve weirdly steered clear of denim shorts this year, which is unusual for me! But, the whimsy that eyelet shorts bring to my outfits have brought me lots of ease. This is the time of year I start to tire of warm weather clothes, but these kinds of things are keeping me going! And living for those cooler mornings and breezy evenings where I can don on a knit… gotta get my fix when I can, you know?
{ Side note, I went into Aritzia yesterday to try and seek out more light-weight shorts and ended up marveling over their sweatpants (holy!!)… you know you are a sweatpants aficionado when coming close to caving to a purchase in the thick of summer. Made a mental note to go back when the weather cools down, their selection was insane. No luck on the shorts front. }
Savoring the season
Whether it be at the farmer’s market or your local grocery store… produce is looking (and tasting) bomb, bountiful, and as beautiful as ever! I usually like to come prepared with a list, but this time of the year it’s nice to let inspiration strike upon seeing what looks delicious. Also the perfect opportunity to enjoy super simple ingredient dishes because when things are at their peak, they don’t need much enhancing! Been saving so many recipe ideas here if you’d like to peruse.
Ice cream shop dates after school. I surprised Grace with a detour on our way home from school and felt like I was in a movie scene. Pure delight to offer up ice cream before dinner… an idyllic summer ritual.
Enjoying late sunsets. Making it a goal to sit outside more after we put Grace to bed. I always miss this come daylight savings, so reminder to get outside and watch the day turn down.
Summery shares and saves
By the way, if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter, I would love for you to join me! It made my day to find out I’m on the bestsellers list in the style/lifestyle category. I haven’t advertised it much as I have been sorting through my direction with creation—so know this is thanks to word of mouth, so thank you to those who have followed along and shared, it means a lot to me! Currently reworking and training myself to operate a little differently than I have and shift areas of focus. I love how Substack feels like the infancy of blogging again, community-driven and intimate. It’s my speed. Excited to continue to put more energy into that space and staying connected over there!
Thank you for reading and happy August!! x
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