Top Ten: Beach Weekend Essentials

The time has come for long weekends spent at the beach!  This is one of my absolute favorite parts of summer!  My family has a beach house in the Outer Banks and we spend many weekends there enjoying the gorgeous sun and surf!  Whether your planning a getaway to the beach or lake these items are your MUST HAVES for this summer! Happy summer friends!!

1. Light-Weight Tops: Easy, breezy, beautiful....Covergirl?  Nah, I'm talking about floaty blouses and shirts here.  Anything that allows you to breathe and that you can pull on easily after spending all day out in the sun is best.

Left: Option one, option two, option three, Right: Forever 21 top- option one, option two, option three,

2.  Beach Tote: Use it as a duffel bag to carry your clothes, then once you get there, use it as a beach bag.  It's that simple.
 

Option one, option two, option three, 

3.  Reading Materials:  Fill your bag up with magazines, books, and snacks.  Vogue and Porter are must reads for me!

4.  Beach Hair:  When I leave the beach and take a shower I don't want to worry about drying and styling my hair; there's no time for that!  So, my favorite thing to do is blow dry (or air dry) my hair until it's damp then squirt in some type of texturizing sea salt spray, and braid into one braid.  Wait until it's mostly dry and then take out the braid and shake. BOOM, voluptuous beach waves.  I set my hair with hairspray to make it last.  I prefer Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray or Not Your Mothers Sea Salt Spray (pictured blow).

5.  A Large Scarf or Cover-Up:  I use a large scarf tied as a sarong as a cover-up.  There are many YouTube tutorials on how to do this!            Express Scarf Pictured Below

6.  Bathing Suits:  This one is a no-brainer; of course you're going to need bathing suits if your headed to the beach or lake.  I have an obsession with bikinis but these are two of my new ones.  Left: Aerie Bikini- Option one, option two,  Right: Top- JC Penny, Bottom- Old Navy

7.  Light Summer Make-up:  For me, summer make-up means light feeling foundations, bronzey glows, and touches of mascara.  Summer make-up should be light and fresh- no crazy eye make-up or heavy powders (especially at the beach)!

Pictured below is a Pixi by Petra palette, Rimmel London Stay Matte BB cream, L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara, and Covergirl Bronzer.

8.  Sun Dresses:  Dresses are the absolute best during the summer months.  They instantly make you look like you put effort into what you're wearing (even if you didn't).  This is peerfect for when you hop off the beach and don't want to look like a mess.  Left: Monteau Los Angeles Dress- Option one, option two, option three, Right: Altar'd State Dress- Option one, option two,

9.  Sandals:  Summer=Sandals, there's no way around it.  They're easy to wear and cute no matter what.  I like to bring a dressier/ nicer pair and a pair for messing around at the beach or in the water. Left: Target Sandals, Right: Rainbows

10.  Floats:  You can float away from all your worries; what could be better?! Floats from Five Below