my summer must haves

As we reach the end of January and approach the start of school next week, I reflect upon my summer, the incredible memories that I have made over the past two months, and the products I used and clothes I wore the most this summer.

Vintage denim mini skirt

One of the most essential pieces I believe every girl needs in her closet is denim mini skirt. Styled up with a going out top and sandals, or styled down with a bikini, tank top and birkenstocks, my denim mini skirt is my go-to for all occasions. I bought mine from a friend's vintage market stall, and love that by purchasing a vintage piece, I have not fallen into the trap of fast fashion companies and have prevented an item of clothing from ending up in landfill.

Spf 50 sunscreen

In summer, we are constantly exposed to ridiculous amounts of UV, especially living in Australia. UV causes irreversible sun damage to our skin, resulting in the risk of skin cancer and pre-mature ageing. So every morning, whether it be as a primer for my makeup, or to create a sun safe barrier for my skin post morning skin-care, I use sunscreen. My personal favourite for my face is the La Roche Posay Anthelios Sunscreen.

Alias mae slides

As you can see in the below photo, the Alias Mae Paris slides are a very popular shoe within my friend group, and rightfully so. These shoes are the perfect summer shoe! When you don't want to wear uncomfortable sandals or sneakers to go out, but don't want to be too casual with birkenstocks, these shoes are the perfect middle ground and can be styled in endless different ways.

statement sunglasses

Sunglasses are an obvious summer essential, however it is very important to choose sunglasses that suit your face shape and make a fun statement at the same time. Once you find yours, they will become you favourite summer companion. I bought mine at the start of 2023 and wore them all throughout my Euro summer trip and now for my summer back home. These are my sunglasses:

White maxi skirt

Summer is filled with post-beach/pool day dinners and what has proven to be my most worn item for said dinners has undoubtably been my white maxi skirt. After a day of tanning , there is no better feeling than washing off the salt water and putting on a cute summery outfit afterwards - and I feel as though this skirt is the tangible object that embodies this feeling. I bought mine from a market in the South of France, and it is safe to say that after being worn throughout my two summers this year, its price of wear is nearing $0.

After sun body butter

Getting a bit sun burnt is inevitable during summer, however using the right after sun cream can determine whether that burn peels, or provides you with a tanned glow. My personal favourite after sun cream is the Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Body Butter and I am proud to say that in using it, I haven't peeled all summer! Bonus - it also smells AMAZING!!

Denim jacket

It may seem odd to have a jacket on this list, however given I live in Melbourne where the weather is bipolar, there have been many days where the "summer" weather looks like we have time travelled 6 months forward to July. So, for Melbourne summer, a denim jacket can look super cool with a mini dress underneath it to maintain that summery vibe whilst also being a comfortable temperature.

Wishing everyone a happy new year and best last week of summer!