Jun
28
It must be summer, because the kids are home and the house is a disaster and somebody wants a snack every 7 minutes and no one can take off a swimsuit without leaving it inside-out and sopping on the floor. But the sun is shining and I feel like every day is a grand excuse for ice cream and we have so many fun outings planned for the next couple months! But also: OMG the summer vacation bickering. MAKE. IT. STOP.
Anyway, I thought I would share some things I am enjoying lately, most of which are summer-related. I have a sidebar for this type of content plus a long-neglected second blog but the first is too time-consuming and I have forgotten the password for the second, so here we go:
The following cute dresses, which I got from Zappos. They all fit my criteria for casual summer wear: the fit is comfy, the fabric is soft, there are no zippers or fastening shenanigans, they are forgiving in the midsection (see above re: ice cream), they can be worn with a regular bra.
Marmot’s Larissa dress. This is so super cute, with the contrasting fabric on the bottom.
Toad&Co Marley dress. This isn’t the dressiest of dresses, in fact it’s basically a long t-shirt. But it somehow works, and it’s so incredibly comfortable I ordered a second one in a different color. Perfect for lounging around the house, but not so sloppy you wouldn’t wear it out and about.
KUHL Møva Aktiv dress. I am becoming devoted to KUHL, their stuff always feels nicely constructed and cute in an outdoorsy way. I usually err on going up a size with this brand. This particular dress is very comfortable and is gathered in the bust, which does something flattering I’m sure I could describe if I understood how fashion works, and also the back is all sporty and interesting while still covering bra straps.
Toad&Co Muse dress. This is another dress I love to wear around the house because it basically feels like a nightgown. This has the drape-y appeal of a maxi dress without drowning you in fabric or dragging along the ground because you’re 5’5” and spiritually opposed to wearing heels.
Now for something gross. If one of your children comes home from school with LICE during one of the very last days before summer break, and your combing/haircutting/general hand-flapping doesn’t solve the problem, this right here is what you need. In my experience you have to use it over several days because it’s hard not to miss a tiny nit here and there, but (knocks wood) I think it finally did the trick. (Thank you Leah for bringing it to my attention!)
Back to summer wear: Clarks Breeze flip flops are amazing. My mom has given me a few pairs so I have them in pink, teal, and gold. They’re sturdy and comfy AF and while they probably don’t pair well with fancy outfits they’re perfect for walking, rock-scrambling, water-navigating, backyard-lounging, and so on.
I am a huge fan of this sunscreen by Shiseido, discovered via recommendation from Noemi. I initially bought this and loved it, but it takes a million years to ship via Amazon. The “aging care” version is available via Prime and I can’t tell the difference. No white cast, no greasy finish, no yucky product-y feeling, just awesome coverage that sinks into your skin with no fragrance.
The Kan Jam game is a big hit with our family. It’s portable, really simple and action-packed, and the only downside is that it costs $40 for what essentially amounts to a Frisbee and two pieces of plastic, PLUS we swapped the game’s heavy Frisbee for the more hand-friendly one we already had. Still, very fun and a nice option for those long summer evenings.
Books! Recent reading: The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying, which was difficult and heartbreaking while also gorgeous and life-affirming; Dark Matter, which wasn’t 100% up my alley but the pace was so relentless I liked it for that aspect alone; The Nix, which is hard to describe because it’s so much more than the sum of its parts, just read it I promise it’s fantastic; Theft By Finding, which duh, David Sedaris, and also it’s so cool to watch his writing skills strengthen over time. I just started Every Heart a Doorway and it’s dreamy and lovely and oh boy I would have been obsessed with this book when I was a misfit teenage girl. Lastly, I will mention In the Words of Olympic Peninsula Authors, because my aunt worked her butt off bringing this anthology to life, and I have a short story in there.
This powder from It Cosmetics is great. For a while I was really into Glossier’s skin tint, but as the temperatures have been heating up I like having a mostly bare face. The It powder provides light coverage without feeling chalky or settling into lines, and helps tamp down on shine.
On a final note, if everything in your house is starting to smell sort of like Sweaty Unwashed Socks and Funky Boy Bedroom and Essence of Dog and you’re not really a floral-scent fan, may I recommend this deliciously woodsy candle from Paddywax? Bonus: pretentious packaging so you can be all, yeah I’m totally literary. *hides Us Weekly*
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YES, the house does smell sort of like Sweaty Unwashed Socks and I completely want that candle, but also what I really need is some sort of massive overhaul on The Children’s Method Of Hygiene. Because Hygiene doesn’t just mean swimming pool chlorine baths.
Also, I’m so getting The Bright Hour. Right Now.
We had our first bout of lice last year. I feel your pain!
I love all of the dresses you list here (three of them are on the same model, yes? I’m not imagining that?). I especially like the last one as I’m 5’2″ and own a few things I’m too lazy to hem so I bought platform sandals just so I wasn’t dragging them across the sidewalk.
So excited to get a copy of your aunt’s anthology with your short story in it! :)
I LOVED Every Heart a Doorway.
Very cute dresses and I recently started using IT Cosmetics You Only Better tinted moisturizer. I’ll have to check out that powder.
I felt so duped by Dark Matter… it had so much HYPE about scienceeeee but like, bro, that was a sappy-ass love story. *blinks in rapid succession*
So glad to hear about Every Heat a Doorway. It’s on my to read list and I keep skipping it because I’m so oddly put off by the title, but the synopsis sounds great.
I’m off to order the Kuhl dress. It looks like it might be long enough to cover my veiny thighs (thank you children) but still look kind of young and sporty. And I may break down and order the shoes too. My feet don’t seem to be on board anymore with wearing $2 plastic flip flops.
I love dresses that my bra doesn’t show! Hard to find. Also? All of your stuff!
Thank you for this post! I have a very similar fashion aesthetic and I also have to have dresses that I can wear a real bra with, so I’ll have to check those out!
I love the Larissa Dress, but the XL is a size 12 (and not remotely adequate for those with larger breastages)? Screw you Marmot!
I’m on page 55 or so of the Nix, and I’m torn on whether to continue. Have you read Infinite Jest? So far I feel like the author is trying very earnestly to imitate its style (which I’m not even a fan of, but I do think DFW is great writer). If I really hated it so far, do you think it’s worth continuing?
Flip flops, purchased! Thanks for the tip!