belated honeymoon essential #5: the statement necklace

"Gwyneth" necklace // Loren Hope // $165

Belated honeymoon essential #5: the statement necklace. My current favorite is this gorgeous sparkler from Loren Hope. Perfect for dressing up a plain tee and making it look like you put way more effort into your outfit than you actually did.

PS – A little outside of your price range? Yeah, me, too. Le sigh. But check out Bauble Bar's necklace section for a ton of affordable options. I'm loving this one (super similar to the one above), this one, and this one.

belated honeymoon essential #4: the carry-on

the OG // Lo & Sons // $295

Another glaringly obvious essential for traveling pretty much anywhere: the carry-on. I've been waiting for an excuse to order the OG from Lo & Sons for quite a while now and don't know how much longer I can resist. Seriously, check out the link above to see how much crap you can fit in this bag. It's unreal.

belated honeymoon essential #3: sunglasses

'Era' sunglasses // Juicy Couture // $120 now $73

Belated honeymoon essential number three is a no-brainer: sunglasses. I mean, duh. If I had been really on top of things, I might have ordered myself a pair of RX sunglasses from Warby Parker a few weeks ago, but I'm just not that organized. Such is life, I suppose. So instead I'll be bringing my favorite Juicy Couture sunnies with me to Kauai. (And probably a pair of classic Ray-Ban Wayfarers, too, because sometimes a woman needs options, damnit.)

belated honeymoon essential #2: red lipstick

semi matte lipstick in red lizard // NARS // $26

Oh, you thought item number two might be something practical, did you? Sunscreen or something along those lines? Nope. Meet my belated honeymoon essential number two: NARS lipstick in red lizard. 

Disclaimer: I promise, sunscreen IS on my packing list. I'm not completely insane.

belated honeymoon essential #1: the bathing suit

JCrew polka-dot underwire top ($54) / JCrew polka-dot retro brief ($50)

K and I leave next week for Kauai (a belated honeymoon of sorts) and although I've started putting together a packing list – you know how I love lists – I'm still totally paranoid that I'm going to forget all the essentials. This bikini is number one on my list and already tucked securely into my suitcase. 

summer reading list: vol. I

(alternate title for this list: books I re-read compulsively at the start of every summer)

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

This book has a special place in my top-five-books-of-all-time list, especially if Harry Potter isn't up for consideration. If you've already read it, I also highly recommend Unaccustomed Earth. Or basically anything else Jhumpa Lahiri has ever written.

The Beach by Alex Garland
SO much better than the movie. Seriously, give it a chance. Especially if you're like me and entertain fantasies about living on a beach in Thailand. 

*In the interest of full disclosure: I read this book while traveling through India with my then-boyfriend-now-husband (more on the whole wedding thing soon, I SWEAR) so I might be slightly biased.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling rocks, and her first book is just as clever/entertaining/hilarious/truthful/awesome as you'd expect it to be. (If you don't already know who Kaling is, please consult Google.)

It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig

If you're interested in learning more about how food affects us -- both physically and psychologically -- this is a fantastic read. (I also enthusiastically recommend their Whole30 program, but that's another post.)

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Don't judge me.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

I first read this book during freshman year of college and I still have so much love for it. Don't even get me started on the copyright page or the appendix that was added to later editions. I die.

So what's on your summer reading list?