Magpie Musts: The Mid-Summer Edition

I haven’t done one of these puppies in awhile, so I thought I’d share my top “must haves” for this steamy summer season.  {Personally, I love the heat.  Would much prefer 100 degrees and humidity than freezing cold winter blackness.}

1.  Cat-Eye Shades.  The bigger, the better. Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I’ve mentioned these a bajillion and ten times, but only last Friday did I actually pony up the cash to make good on my word.  And now {drumroll, please}, these Elizabeth & James Lafayette sunnies are mine, all mine ($155, Shopbop).

I had been waiting for just the right shape, just the right coloring.  I knew I wanted tortoise shell and I knew I wanted something with a little va-va-voom to them.  And these were just perfect.  {And not too ridonculously expensive.}  Also, Rachel Zoe owns them, so you know they’re cool.

2.  ArmCandy. The more the merrier.  All the cool girls are doing it.  As mentioned in yesterday’s post, it’s time to really load up your wrists with all sorts of gems and threads and things.  Don’t be shy.  (Shown below: Shashi’s Petit Golden nugget style, $18 apiece, Shopbop).

3.  Oversized Chain Necklaces. I, like, CAN’T get enough of this style at the moment.  I snapped up this J. Crew resin version in the aqua/green hue ($39, J. Crew), but already want the solid orange and tortoise versions ($29 each) as well, and I’d wear them layered atop one another.

Also seriously contemplating one of these lovelies (Kenneth Jay Lane, $80, Shopbop):

TDF, especially the jade one.  I’d wear that with my new favorite color combo — what I call “fire and ice” (cinnamon and mint green).  Lovely.  Other options for those less interested in the bold color combos?  Check it out: 1. Bellissima’s tortoise-shell style caught my eye ($98, Max&Chloe); 2. This inexpensive black version could be fierce over a simple work sheath ($35, FriisCompany); and 3. Ben-Amun can do no wrong — this could go with anything from a strapless cocktail gown to a white tee ($260, Shop Twigs):

4.  Colorblocking. Um, still not done with this trend.  We’ve seen a.lot of the bold stuff thanks to Prada and Jil Sander and then, a few weeks later, Zara {I’m talking blacks with blues and oranges with pinks}, but I’m still very much into the BRIGHT against the neutral, and especially tangerine against taupe/tan.  First up — my dearest obsession du jour, this amazing, Celine-look-alike tote (seriously, it looks identical to the Celine Cabas — $100, FriisCompany):

Second, I’m still madly in love with the Kate Spade “Tipsy” flat.  It’s pretty much sold out everywhere, but you can still find it in select colors here and there (and on sale to boot) — the melon can be found for $138 at FootCandyShoes, for example, and the neon yellow is still available at Endless for $198.

Meanwhile, dresses like this ($250, Karen Millen) take little to no effort when paired with simple pumps and a big statement necklace (i.e., one of the huge chain necklaces above…)

Or, for a slightly more formal occasion, do you not die over this geranium-on-tan cut-out style (Marc by Marc Jacobs, $598, Barney’s)?

Hello, l.o.v.e.  I’d wear it with big sparkly earrings and slender neutral strappy sandals.

5.  Bold Stripe Maxis. This is a new love.  At first I was anxious about the widening effect of horizontal, thick stripes running across my body, but then I realized that if you make sure that the dress is drapey enough and flattering enough at the neckline, it ain’t no thing.  Also, sort of fell head.over.heels for this tan-on-black striped number ($138, Saks) by Joie’s new diffusion line, Joie Soft, which I saw in person at Intermix and seriously hemmed and hawed over.  Luckily, didn’t have the time to try it on that day…but now it’s haunting my dreams.

I like the idea of wearing it with enorma-shades (like, face shield style — my newest covet is a pair of these Tom Ford Ceciles — $360, Shopbop), neutral t-straps (love this “patent almond” color — $60, Zappos), and a huge, roomy black bag (I’m thinking of the Balenciaga city tote in particular — $1,795, Balenciaga)…

Other top picks for wide-stripe maxis?  First, this Enza Costa demi-sheer dream ($218, Intermix) in fresh-looking white, black, and blue.  I’m pretty much obsessed with it.  Second, a classic cotton striped maxi ($60, TopShop) — perfect for the 4th of July, and I love a racerback.  It seems on point this season.  Third, a well-draped variation on the theme from SeatonSurf ($195, SeatonSurf).  I love how this style fits.

6.  The Perfect Everyday Flat. I think I’ve hit a wall with Tory Burch Revas.  I mean, there was a time where I lived in them, and I loved that the little logo plate add a little pizzazz to any ol’ thing, but they are now as ubiquitous as Rainbow sandals in a frat house, and I’m kinda getting sick of seeing them.  I’ve been on the hunt for a perfect replacement flat that can similarly go with anything.  My top picks are all (!) by Belle by Sigerson Morrison, and are all (!) cap-toe style — which totally caught me by surprise.  I realized that I’d bookmarked only Belle, cap-toe flats and thought — OK, OK, these guys are on to something.  My top pick was this lovely blush-on-silver combo (on sale for $150, Bergdorf Goodman), but they appear to be sold out in the hue in my freakishly small pixie foot size (5).

The next best thing was this pair of white-on-taupe (on sale for $157, LaGarconne), also inconveniently sold out of my size.

I contemplated their hot-pink-and-taupe combo ($157, OtteNY) but then realized I was still going to need something wearable with anything, and that hot pink wasn’t exactly in the cards given the number of red and orange separates I’ve snagged this summer.  So where does that leave us?!  I’d love to snap up the Jimmy Choo Whirl style ($345, Net-A-Porter), but I’m just not enthused enough to spend the money.

Perhaps I’ll consider the J. Crew Cece in the sand dune color ($148), but something’s just not connecting…so until then, I’ll remain on the hunt.

7.  BioSilk. So I was pretty much head over heels with that MoroccanOil wonder potion this past winter, but now that it’s summertime I almost think it’s overkill/runs the risk of over-greasing the ol mane.  While visiting my sissie in Charlottesville a few weeks back, I rediscovered BioSilk Hair Therapy ($19, Amazon).  It’s a very light oil/gel substance that you apply to your hair post-shower, and it seriously (SERIOUSLY) works wonders.  It leaves my hair so glossy, shiny, volumized.  I love it.

8.  Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout. It’s time to stress out about myself in a bikini summer, and I always up the ante on my workout regimen in the warmer months.  I’ve been running a lot more (check out the Nike+ App for the iPhone if you’re a runner — it’ll change your life.  Especially if you’re a competitive over-achiever like myself.  I pretty much run myself ragged trying to outdo my best time.), but I’ve also been open to trying new routines — a boot camp with some girlfriends snagged on Groupon or LivingSocial, and now, Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout ($35, Amazon).

Now, I’ve only been using this DVD for 3 days so far {as opposed to two of my very dear friends, who have been using her for months or even years, and who swear by her stuff}, but I swear it is already paying off.  Or at least I have to tell myself this to cope with the intense pain in my arms {her arm routine is no.joke.}  Besides, Gwyneth Paltrow used this workout method, and she looks freaking phenom, so I might as well stick it out.