Daily Inspiration

I am a big fan of J. Crew lately – their summer drop makes me want to get on a plane to Europe immediately!! It’s colorful, wearable and coastal in a way that is not overly preppy. I recently styled a photoshoot for a luxury silk scarf company and used a ton of pieces from J. Crew’s new summer collection. Here are some of the pieces that were simply too good to send back!

Shop the Look:

J Crew Cotton Voile Plunge Maxi Dress / J Crew Hand Knotted Straw Rectangular Clutch with Paillettes / Phillip Lim sandals / H&M sunnies

Shop the Look:

Crew Crochet bandeau tank top / Simkhai jeans / Phillip Lim sandals / Mansur Gavriel clutch / Zara necklace (sold out)

Shop the Look:

J Crew Soleil eyelet trim shorts / L Space bikini top / FWRD bag / Loffler Randal slides

My absolute perfect day?

80 degrees and sunny, not a cloud in the sky, an iced latte in hand and a good book in my bag heading to the beach. That, to me, is heaven. My sister is my favorite person to go to the beach with because we will arrive, plop our chairs down, take out our respective books and read in silence for the next 2-6 hours. If you’re heading on vacation this summer, whether that be to the beach, on a cross-country road trip or on an incredible journey abroad, you’re going to need a great book to keep you entertained. So I’ve rounded up some summer reads that may not leave you in total silent rapture, but guaranteed to boost your entertainment on the beach or while hitting the open road.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach: This book surprised me with its substance and subject matter, going deeper than its cute cover had me assuming. I devoured this in just a couple of days, the plot twist that is the entire book makes it hard to put down.

The Windy City series by Liz Tomforde; the first book – a summer reading list is not complete without a spicy novella. Don’t blame me if you lose your next two weeks to this series. This classic romance is flirty, current and hotttttt. You’re welcome in advance.

And last but not least, the book that’s made me laugh the hardest this year: I’ll Have What She’s Having by Chelsea Handler

Stop what you’re doing right now and read this book. Actually, I recommend listening to this one on your coffee walk to the beach, because Chelsea narrates herself and I really just feel like her comedic timing accentuates all the stories tenfold. I love her perspective on life, the energy she lives and the way in which she exemplifies how we could all take life a little less seriously.

Jamie also read a couple great books recently that she couldn’t put down:

The Tell by Amy Griffin: My best friend recommended this book and recently lent it to me. I finished it in a couple of days so you could easily devour the entire thing at the beach in a day (sans kids of course). The book is about what happens when you start to face secrets you’ve been holding onto your whole life that even you yourself didn’t want to see. She takes us on her journey of self-discovery in day-by-day detail, what got her to open up and how it helped her to heal and strengthen her closest relationships.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: My favorite books suck you in right from the beginning vs waiting a long time to develop. And this one hooked me immediately. Simulteanousely a thriller, a murder mystery and a detective novel, this books keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns you didn’t see coming. This is one of those perfect summer books to keep in your beach bag at all times.

Sometimes all you really need are accessories. Take this white on white look…a white tee and white jeans are the perfect blank canvas to create any statement you want. This one says, I’m chic, casual and ready for wherever the day takes me! You could be in NYC or St. Tropez and this look would work. If you’re trying to do less with more this summer, try wearing all white and layer your favorite accessories du jour! It’s perfect for traveling too – add a few white basics to your weekend bag and fill the rest with scarves, jewelry, sunglasses and sandals to make every day feel fresh & new.

Cool Jeans in Milk, STILL HERE, $285
Ribbed Tank Top, H&M, $8.99
Paloma Scarf, 8 OTHER REASONS, $29
Metal Framed Oval Sunglasses, & OTHER STORIES, $49
Ralph Hat, POLO RALPH LAUREN, $89.50
The Icon Watch, HEAVEN MAYHEM, $280
The Tie Suede Sandals, TOTEME, $500
Canvas Dash Bag, VERONICA BEARD, $698

It’s after Memorial Day, so you know what that means – it’s officially white jeans season! Although I believe in wearing a white pant all year round if it makes the outfit, it does feel like a sign the tides are turning when you dig them out of your closet for the Memorial Day bbq. Still Here NYC is one of my favorite brands right now, I think they know their lane and do it super well. Their “Cool Jeans” in Milk are the first item on my summer wish list, and I found an amazing dupe for them last week at Target. For $30 I had to snag them, and they’re low rise and so easy I’ve worn them twice this week already. And if you are a 501 fan, Levi’s makes their ‘90s jean in Ecru.

Here’s a little inspo to put your best legs forward and kick off summer in white jeans!

When I can’t figure out what to wear to an event, I immediately turn to matching sets. There’s something about how instantly polished and put together they look without any effort at all. (If only everything in life were that simple!) From crochet shorts & matching jackets to skirt sets with meet & greet tops, I am filling my closet with as many easy to reach for looks as possible! I’ll wear this crochet set from H&M to graduation parties, this printed set and this embroidered set from Zimmermann for summer vacation, these cashmere sets in fun colors from J. Crew for summer meetings and this quilted floral set from Farm Rio for lunch out with the girls (the jacket will definitely be paired with cut off denim shorts too!)

If you’re looking for other ways to wear sets, here are five ways you can incorporate matching sets into your wardrobe from beach days to work outs.

Jelly sandals are back—but you already knew that. They’ve been inching their way into warm-weather wardrobes for a few seasons now, and this year, they’re summer’s unexpected hero: in neon, in metallics, in translucent blush tones that remind you of 1987 in the best possible way.

Maybe it’s part nostalgia, part practicality. As style continues to embrace play (think sheer everything, oversized bows, charm jewelry), jellies naturally slide right in. They’re unfussy, fun, and surprisingly comfortable. And paired with tailored separates or a good sundress? Suddenly they feel… chic?

Some fan favorites are from Chloe and Tory Burch, flip flops from Ancient Greek Sandals, and playful versions at Loeffler Randall and Jeffrey Campbell. And the best part: they hold up to heat, sand, and even surprise summer rain. Pretty and practical, what’s not to love? Your inner eight-year-old couldn’t be happier.

Style them with a crisp cotton skirt or your favorite denim. Wear them to the beach or out to dinner. Just don’t wait too long—they’re already selling out fast.

Where to Shop for Jelly Sandals

The good news is there’s a style for every mood and budget.  Here are some favorites:

Splurge-Worthy

Chloe – Jelly sandals that are part casual part polished in beautiful feminine shades.
Loeffler Randall – Fisherman jellies with glitter and studs? Somehow it works.
Ancient Greek Sandals – The pvc flip flop you can wear anywhere and with anything.
Cos – Their take on The Row red jelly ballet flats for a fraction of the price.
Tory Burch – Mary Jane’s meets jellies meets ballet flats

Under $100

Gap – Trend-forward flip flops with a designer feel, minus the markup.
Jeffrey Campbell –Jelly flats that skews more statement in 8 fun colors.
J. Crew x Tkees – T-strap sandals you can dress up or down.

Baby showers usually call for floral maxi dresses as the uniform-of-choice but I decided to mix it up a bit. For my cousin’s recent shower, I wore an oversized “tuxedo” shirt that I designed for Outerknown a couple of years ago with an A.L.C. moto mini and pearl sandals from Stuart Weitzman. I’m finding that I’ve been reaching for mini skirts as the summer arrives as a versatile alternative to shorts. And I slip these sandals on more times than I care to admit! They are super comfortable jelly sandals but with the pearl trim, everyone thinks they are way more elevated.

While these exact styles have sold out, here are similar versions to shop now. I’m loving this latest update to the navy mini skirt from A.L.C. as well as this pleated mini from Reformation. This shirt with contrasting bib looks way more expensive than it is and this shirt with stand collar is a great update to a classic white shirt. These chic jelly sandals and this chunkier version are great versatile options for this summer to help dress up any look.

I don’t know about you. but I am READY to hit the beach this summer. The heat of the sun, the smell of the sunscreen and the sound of the waves hitting the shore are a few things I live for all year round. And to that end I am securing my favorite beach bags and stocking up on everything I need for the perfect day ocean-side. This year I’m packing up raffia bags like this striped tote from Cesta with stylish and light weight Turkish towels, Supergoop! sunscreens, my favorite classic aviators and this sand and waterproof Bose travel speaker.

In this longer post I detail the top 10 things everyone needs in their beach bags to ensure a perfect day at the beach. Happy MDW everyone!

As far as hair accessories go this summer, the bandana trend is my favorite. Whether it’s weaving it through a braid, tying it to a baseball cap or wearing it as a head scarf, they all have an effortlessness to them while simultaneously packing a ton of style. I love a blue and cream scarf worn back to denim  á la the images below – bonus points going to the denim-on-denim fits to really drive the look home. This light blue Maje bandana is a favorite this summer as well as this floral print scarf from Etro (which is not as pricey as you might think), this pretty toile from Aritzia and this feminine silk square from Zimmermann.

Here is a look to create your own denim-on-denim vibe this summer with a gorgeous blue & white scarf, fisherman-inspired bag and Greek-style sandals. Now we’ve all got the blues.

Lotta Organic Denim Shirt, AGOLDE, $229
Parker Vintage Cut Off Shorts, AGOLDE, $148
Floral Print Chiffon Scarf, ETRO, $192
Shell Necklace, CHLOE, $550
Le Pilage Tote Bag, LONGCHAMP, $120
Epicure Thong Sandals, K. JACQUES, $263

When I saw this Loewe bag, I started styling outfits to wear with it right away. Do I own it yet? No. But am I ready for it? Yes. There are so many raffia bags in the market, that this one stood out immediately. I love its graphic nature and the way Loewe so brilliantly keeps iterating on the now iconic puzzle design. Plus it folds up neatly into a little square (a feat of engineering?) which makes it the perfect bag to pack in your suitcase without ever getting crushed. Ready to one-up everyone’s vacay looks this summer? This is one puzzle that’s already been solved.

Linen Halter Vest, DONNA KARAN, $149
Rigid Tapered Jeans, AGOLDE, $238
Heidi Leather Sandals, A. EMERY, $200
Triple Time Earrings, MÉGA, $188
The Grace Sunglasses, BANBÉ, $70
Paula’s Ibiza Puzzle Raffia Tote, LOEWE, $2100

Here are more neutral outfits to style back to this bag right now.