Coming Up for Air

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Magpies, are you out there?  I am so sorry for falling off the face of the earth without a word of warning.  I received a big and unexpected promotion at work and have been burning the candle at both ends at work for the past three months straight.  In the little spots of spare time I have, I need to put Mr. Magpie first, which sadly means that my shopping and fashion addiction have earned the uncoveted slot of third in line.  But – oh my Lord, have I missed y’all.

There is a lot to catch up on.  But first: helloooooo, summer.  Get thee into a bikini and earn your tan lines.  Or, hide out under the shade of a posh umbrella ($159) with a cool drink of limonata, preferably spiked with Tito’s vodka.

As for beach-ware, um, look no further than this adorbs Miu Miu two-piece, which I’ve been coveting for a century and a half, and is oh-so-conveniently on sale for a casual $73 buckeroos.  What what!  Can’t decide if I prefer the seafoam or the citrus.  Big, hand-drawn heartsies for both.

Finish with a LemLem sarong/scarf ($140) tied loosely around les hips, and a pair of simple and unfussy (and tres Frenchy) K. Jacques sandals (Jackie O. wore them…enough said.  They are also on sale for $127 — more than enough said.  Ah, summer sales.)

If you have a Magpie mini, get her in this beyond adorable lemon-print bathing suit ($20) ASAP.

Make sure she has her Salt Water sandals (come in a range of colors, and are designed to be worn in the water – convenient; $35) and this cheery little beach towel (Nate Berkus, $18):

And – I realize this is random, but on my last trip, I picked up Neutrogena’s new Beach Defense sunscreen ($10), and was obsessed — it blends in so easily and quickly, so you aren’t left rubbing it in and still looking like you’ve painted yourself in white.  Highly recommend.

Another bathing beauty option?  I am loving the color palette this season from swimwear line Zinke.  I recently bought the exact bikini below ($88 for top, $60 for bottom) for a trip I took to Naples with some friends, and the fit/style and the color were ba-na-nas.

You can’t see it too well, but the bustier top has a neon yellow piping, and the bottoms are reversible!  How convenient.  I wore this beneath my favorite new caftan from Soft Joie ($118):

Have your mini match with one of these darling Roberta Roller Rabbit dresses ($50)

And some Salt-Waters ($34)…

OOO summer.  And P.S., J.Crew is currently running a 40% off promo on all swimwear, so if you’re a J.Crew lovah, get yourself some.  I love their polka dot pieces, for example…on a different note, I really think I must own this elephant-print poncho thing ($250), don’t you?

Fabuloso with these fringed K. Jacques puppies ($425) and a Rochas tote ($1,245 — I’m dying over Rochas’ simple, unfussy, and understated totes these days.  May trade in my weathered Louis Neverfull for one of these for work travel.  For example, this pastel/nude lovely?) — poolside drama!

(For the tote: get the look for less with this clean-lined Rebecca Minkoff tote, $295 — I saw a chic pea wearing this in brown yesterday in the West Loop area of Chicago, and it looked very smart.  Alternately, check out this Tory Burch cutie pie, on sale for $164 — perhaps more beach-appropriate!  Or — this fetching lovely from Annabell Ingall, $450.)  Regardless of your handbag choice, be sure to lay out on this adorable oversized beach towel ($34):

And – for the mini (I can’t help myself when it comes to baby-sized swimwear…it is so freaking cute.  And, my first nephew/niece is due in just over a week, so I’ve been buying a lot of baby stuff lately!), get outta town with this sweet two-piece (on sale for $31.50):

Bring the beach home with you by adding these sea fans to your home ($18-$38, depending on size):

I can see them looking lovely in a shadow box hung up on a wall, or alternately, placed artfully on a well-styled bookshelf or coffee table.  OH SUMMER.  So tell me, what have you been up to?!