Classics

Like many other women, there are a few items that I return to using--or wearing--every year during the spring and summer.  I thought that for today's post, I would share a few of them with you.

-No. 1-

brown wedge heels

There isn't enough that I can say in praise of this style of shoes.  

They pair well with practically everything.  

They're very comfortable, and they don't hurt my feet when I wear them for long periods of time. 

They can be casual or dressed-up, depending on what you wear them with.  

This pair is from Target this spring.  $24.99!

-No. 2-

neutral metallic flat sandals

The glamorous, strappy gladiator-style sandal has been a beloved warm weather footwear choice for a while now, and it doesn't look to be slowing down in stylishness or popularity in the slightest.

I bought these sandals at Target a few summers ago.  

This particular style isn't being sold anymore, but there are several other styles that are currently available that are both similar and slightly different, in metallic and vibrantly colorful materials.

I like the neutral silver-bronze of these sandals.  It doesn't make me look paler than I already am,

and it compliments--not competes with--practically any outfit that I wear them with.

-No. 3-

maxi dresses (or skirts!)

My favorite way to describe these long, flowy, and infinitely comfortable 

yet incredibly stylish and flattering dresses is "like wearing a sweatsuit, only dressed-up!"  

And a lot of people that I know would tell you the same thing.  

Maxi dresses are non-restrictive and voluminous, allowing you to move freely and not experience the sensation of being trapped inside a bunch of fabric.  They make your figure look long and column-like, because of the way that the material hangs off the body in long, vertical lines.  

So if you're tall, these dresses will flatter your figure, and if you're not tall--like me, I'm 5'4"--a maxi dress can make you look tall and slim...especially if you wear it with a shoe that has a bit of height.

-No. 4-

tank tops

Tank tops are endlessly versatile shirts.  They can be worn in so many different ways, 

and they come in so many different colors and patterns, with a myriad of different accents and embellishments.  These are some of my favorite tops, which have been accumulated from stores like 

Target, Old Navy, and JCPenney's.  

I like the feel and fit of the tank tops from Target the best.  I find that they don't stretch out too easily, they don't shrink like some other brands' tank tops do, and--most importantly--they're on the long side, so I'm really never faced with the fashion and comfort scourge that is a too-short, shrunken tank top.  And they're also extremely decent in price--usually around $8 a shirt.  Not bad at all.  I highly recommend these little sleeveless wonders for comfortable and stylish warm weather wardrobes.

-No. 5-

bright coral nail varnish

Yes, I'm still on the tangerine-coral-bright orangish red kick.

It's a fabulous summery color, and it looks great on any skin tone!  

This is a nail varnish that I found at Target last summer, in a shade called "Big Daddy" 

by the brand Sinful Colors.  I was originally looking for the shade "Braziliant" by Essie, which turned out to be more orange than I was hoping for when I found it in the store.  I next turned to the shade "Clambake", also by Essie, and that was almost the shade that I purchased...until I decided that I would rather look around for a close match to the Essie nail varnish, from a less pricey brand.  Essie is a great brand, but sometimes spending $8 on a bottle of nail polish just isn't in my budget.   Then I discovered Sinful Colors, and matched "Clambake" with "Big Daddy".  It's almost exactly the same shade, and it has a beautiful bright, shiny look on the nails.  And it costs only about $2!

-No. 6-

sugar scrub body wash

This has been my absolute favorite warm weather skincare product for the past several summers.

It works to gently exfoliate the skin: buffing away dead skin cells to even out the skin tone and reveal the new, fresh, and glowing skin underneath, and preps the skin for your daily moisturizer or sunless tanner.  I have very sensitive skin, and this scrub doesn't make it feel dry or irritated.  The smell of this scrub is also nothing short of glorious!  It has a sweet, almost buttery aroma, like sugar cookies, but it's also pleasantly fragrant and almost floral...almost like a lovely, breezy night on a tropical beach.

And the best part?  This is a Caress product, and so you can find it at almost any grocery or drug store.

-No. 7-

makeup favorites

The brand Fresh--available at Sephora, Ulta, and other stores--offers its buttery, hydrating lip balm in an ever-increasing line of shades, which has recently been expanded to include this year's popular coral trend.  It is a staple product in my makeup arsenal, and although it's a bit pricey for a lip balm, it really works to keep my lips smooth and hydrated, and it looks lovely.

Covergirl's Liquiline Blast eyeliner goes on smoothly and has a great, rich pigment.  Its formula allows for you to draw it on with the precision and concentration of a liquid eyeliner, and it stays on really well through the day.  It helps if you add a swipe of an eyeshadow--in a similar shade as the pencil, or a different shade if you like--over the eyeliner to help hold it in place, if the weather is especially warm.

I turn to Jergens self-tanning moisturizer almost every year to help me look a little less pale than I naturally am, after a friend told me several years ago about how well it worked for her.  It takes a few days to build up the color, so you have time to adjust any missed places or blotches that might occur...hey, it happens.  It gives me a nice amount of color, it moisturizes nicely, and it doesn't smell awful as some other self-tanners have been known to do...what's not to love?

-No. 8-

citrus cilantro home fragrance

This is, bar none, my favorite home fragrance for the warmer months in the year.  It is fresh and invigorating, somewhat fruity--in that orangey, lemony, grapefruity way--and also somewhat green.  It is also offered in a full range of products at Pier 1, so whether you like reed diffuser fragrances, room sprays, or candles...you can't fail to find one that works best for your home.  And that reminds me, it really is high time that I get myself over to Pier 1 and buy some more of this room spray.

So, these are a handful of my favorite things for spring and summer--the list is by no means exhaustive, but these are all definitely things that I find myself going back to year after year.  What are some things that you like to include in your spring and summertime wardrobe, makeup arsenal, and home?  

À bientôt!

Cait

PS  The only images on this post that I claim as my own are the photos of the shoes, clothes, and nail varnish.  All of the others are from various sources on the internet, via Google image search, and I do not  claim them to be mine or anyone else's but their respective owners.  C'est tout.