Summer Essentials with Miss Abi Jane

Hello! This is Abi Jane from {Lilly Limes} – and I am so excited to be guest blogging for Emily Ruth today while she is out of town! Since it is now the time of year for having fun in the sun, I thought that I would post my top 10 summer "essentials"! Here it goes…

#1 - Nail Polish

I think that summer is the absolute best time to go all out with bright nail colors - and, thanks to Essie's 2012 Summer Collection, it just got a little easier :)

[1] off the shoulder [2] bikini so teeny [3] mojito madness [4] cascade cool [5] fear or desire

#2 - Lemonade

Literally the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of summer is lemonade (and sitting on a front porch swing doing absolutely nothing while drinking it!). Here are a few of my favorite versions of this refreshing summer treat...

[1] Vitamin Water ZERO "Squeezed Lemonade" [2] Simply Lemonade [3] San Pellegrino Limonata [4] Homemade Lemonade made with Truvia - see recipe HERE

#3 - Lilly Pulitzer Dresses

Ahh... Lilly Dresses! They just scream summer with bright, bold colors and fun lacy designs.

[1] Briony Dress [2] Shauna Tunic Dress Crochet [3] Delia Dress [4] Camie Dress [5] MarieKate Dress [6] Quinn Dress [7] Adelson Shift [8] Isabel Dress [9] Adriel Dress [10] Avaline Dress

#4 - Lip Colors

Most of the time I like to go with neutral lip colors (or none at all - thanks to Carmex!). However, in the summer, I love experimenting with bright hues of red, coral, and pink! Sunday Riley has the absolute BEST line of lipsticks and lip glosses because they stay on forever, have amazing color, and won't peel/shred (ick... I can't stand when that happens!).

NOTE: 1-7 are Sunday Riley's Modern Lip Color and 8-12 are Sunday Riley's Crème Gloss Sheer Impact Lip Color

[1] Sugar Blossom [2] Shakespeare [3] Sunday [4] Gamechanger [5] Ruby Bite [6] Havana Heydey [7] Coral Reef [8] 

Beachfront [9] Pink Lemonade [10] Frostbite [11] Vacay [12] Cherry Pie

#5 - Accessories

Sunglasses, Scarves, and Super-cute bracelets...oh my! Seriously... what would we do without sunglasses? 

[1] Lilly Pulitzer Summer Classic Charm Bracelet [2] Lilly Pulitzer Murfee Scarf [3] Kate Spade Alda Sunglasses [4] Lilly Pulitzer Paley Sunglasses [5] Lemon & Line Newport Navy [6] Lemon & Line Newport Kelly & Pink

 #6 - Classic Books

I think that everyone should make an effort to read classic literature... and I think that summer is the perfect time to do just that! These are some of my favorite classics (along with the Bible!) that will be riding along to the pool with me in my beach bag this summer!

[1] Frankenstein [2] The Scarlet Letter [3] Cold Sassy Tree [4] Little Women [5] Treasure Island [6] Jane Eyre [7] Sherlock Holmes [8] To Kill a Mockingbird [9] The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [10] Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

#7 - Beach Bags

These are just TOO cute - and beach bags are most definitely a summer essential! Number 9 is actually a Lilly Pulitzer insulated cooler, but sCe from Summer Wind gave me the idea to use it as a beach bag (which is actually my current beach bag)! Read her post on it HERE.

[1] Lacoste Summer Holiday Beach Bag [2] Monogrammed Canvas Tote bags from The Knot Wedding Shop  [3] Vineyard Vines Striped Rope Tote [4] Lilly Pulitzer Shoreline Tote [5] JCrew Boardwalk Tote [6] Tory Burch Beach Tote [7] Vineyard Vines Palm Tree Beach Tote [8] Blue Seersucker Beach Bag from Just Madras [9] Lilly Pulitzer Insulated Cooler 

#8 - Madras Print

I know that you can wear this print year round, but there is something about it that is just so summer-ish! It reminds me of walking down a boardwalk by the ocean while licking a melting ice cream cone... mmm.

[1] JCrew Madras Tote Bag [2] Madras Patchwork Belt from Just Madras [3] JCrew 5" Madras Shorts [4] Lilly Pulitzer Madras Dress [5] Vineyard Vines Madras Patchwork Flip Flops

#9 - Frozen treats

From ice cream to snow cones to popsicles to smoothies, frozen treats are HANDS DOWN my most favorite thing about summer! (click on the link to get the recipe)

[1] old-fashioned milkshakes [2] raspberry creamsicles [3] homemade frappuccino [4] berry smoothie [5] virgin pina colada [6] frozen yogurt [7] ice cream [8] watermelon frosty [9] snow cones

#10 - Shorts

I am SO in love with JCrew's 5" Chino Shorts! Some people like shorter shorts, but I am tall and I want to keep it modest (and classy!) so I prefer slightly longer shorts. I seriously want one in every color! (How do you choose???)

[1] stone [2] neon pink [3] ornament orange [4] daiquiri ice [5] neon peach [6] lemon zest [7] modern red [8] bright green

Hope that y'all have a fantastic summer!

~abi jane~