A Few More Things You Need To Survive Summer

1

Summer happens every year, so you'd think at this point in my life, I'd be prepared for it to strike sometime between May 20th and June 11th. And yet! Each time the temperature gets above 80 (and that's before humidity), I completely forget how I've dressed for this hellscape in the past—and if it'll ever be over. This year, I'm inclined to lean into it—to see if I can be one with the heat instead of constantly fighting it. To encourage myself, I've pieced together something of a summer care package full of things that will keep me motivated and moderately comfortable, assuming I can't stay in air-conditioned spaces 100% of the time. I'll share it with you if you promise to share yours with me in the comments. Just because I don't love summer doesn't mean I don't want to shop for summer things essentially all of the time. Here's what I'm buying:

Really reliable bandages

First things first, protect your feet. Mine are already chewed up from a combination of stiff rope pool slides, sweaty mules, and low sensible heels that are also conveniently made out of chains. I could have avoided my current fate had I invested in some Band-Aid Advanced Healing Blister Cushions, which feel a little like pimple patches for your feet. They stay on forever, outlast showers, and let your feet recuperate quicker than simply wearing socks and sneakers for weeks on end. Not that the socks and sneakers look is bad (says the girl wearing them as she types), but it's about having options.

Rosé in a can

A thing you didn't know you needed (and probably still don't need) but it's a fun concept and I recommend it. A four-pack of Una Lou, a very elegantly packaged canned rosé, showed up anonymously on my desk a few weeks back, so I drank it with friends and let me say: Wine in a can is great! Each can itself is about half a bottle, so it's perfect for sharing, particularly at a picnic or some other outdoor event that lets you bring your own booze. Vintners Andrew Mariani and Lia Ices created the wine to celebrate the birth of their daughter (also named Una Lou), which is a very good story and results in a festive taste profile. Buy it because why should beer have all the fun?

A seasonal tote

Something about a net bag never fails to remind me of my grandmother—a look I wasn't confident was actually chic until The Line told me it was with their version of the summery classic. An important reminder that when you merchandize anything next to this Jacquemus dress, people will buy it in droves.

Summer smells

Given that all of my swimsuits are Matteau, I figure why not keep it in the family (specifically Ilona Hamer's family) and make sure all of my candles are Matteau, too? Well, just one candle—Matteau's excellent collaboration with Maison Balzac, which is going on Year 2 as my apartment's summer scent. The main note is jasmine (I'm a bit of a white floral freak), but grounded in vetiver so it doesn't get too heady. The top lemon and bergamot notes burn off fast, but in a good way. Almost as if to wake you up from a summer nap and get you ready for a long luxurious evening spent with friends.

Waterproof reading material

I know I'm about a decade late to the e-reader party, but how great is the Kindle? (Or any other non-Amazon version of a paper-thin digital reading device.) I recently stole my mom's to take on vacation to read the 500+ page A Secret History and thought—wouldn't this be great if it were waterproof? It's not surprising really that anyone would beat me to that punch, so if that sounds appealing to you, please get yourself a Kindle Oasis. Now Donna Tartt can go swimming with you in two meters of water for up to 60 minutes. Isn't she sporty?

—Emily Ferber

Photo via Getty.