20 Things I Loved in July

As I’m writing this I’m struggling to comprehend how July is already coming to a close. One of the best months of the year, and it always goes by way too fast.

Here are the 20 things I loved most in July.

1. Lightweight mini dresses. On the topic of not overthinking summer outfits and staying cool, this is what I’ve been gravitating toward. Some favorites: J.Crew seashell printed dress under $100, Posse eyelet mini dress high-neck shift dress with adorable embroidery from Abercrombie and this yellow cotton mini from Minnow with the sweetest scalloped detailing.

2. Going gluten free. I’ve been gluten free for almost a month and have loved the way it’s made me feel. I started it for inflammation but it’s also just naturally steering me toward more health-focused choices overall. Some finds along the way: delicious bread from Knead Love in NYC, Simple Mills almond flour crackers, and I’ve been happily not-so-surprised by how many great gluten free options LA has. Goop Kitchen is entirely GF, Leora does gluten free wraps and bread, Bread Head has a great GF wrap, Farmshop for their chocolate chip cookie, the list keeps growing.

3. Amazon white tank. Trust me on this one.

4. Hats. With summer humidity and my hair, a great hat helps me feel my most confident, keeps the sun off my face, and always looks chic. I’ve been living in the Jenni Kayne hat I’ve been raving about all summer and I just bought a similar one from Janessa Leone in brown that I’m newly obsessed with.

5. Welcoming a slower month. I made a conscious effort this July to shift into summer mode. Working from the beach when I could, reading more, less time on my phone, less pressure to get dressed, more emphasis on staying cool and calm. It felt really good and I want to carry more of that into August.

6. Mahjong. I’m so into it. My mom and have been playing two player messy mahjong and I even did a little mahjong retreat to a friend’s house in Santa Barbara for 24 hours where we fit in 10+ games. If you have access to a pool, you absolutely need a floating mahjong set.

7. Family bike rides after dinner. Taking full advantage of the long summer days. This is one of my favorite parts of the season and I don’t want to take a single one for granted.

8. Christy Dawn dresses. All of them, but specifically The Rinda and The Inez. Way too cute.

9. Reading three books this month! I’m so proud of this one. I’ve been off my reading game for a while and I’m making a real effort to be more consistent. This month: Five star weekend, Yesteryear and Strangers. About to start Heart the Lover. What else should I add to my list? Who read Lena Dunham’s memoir?

10. Tuckernuck T-shirt dress. They took one of my favorite tees and made it into a dress. It really doesn’t get better than that.

11. Q2 favorites. I put together a full roundup of everything I loved in Q2 and there are some really great picks in there. Here are all the links!

12. Live music. I saw Olivia Dean this month and wow. Her voice, the simplicity of it all, it felt like being transported somewhere. I also bought tickets to see Megan Moroney in August and Kacey Musgraves is on the list for October. Such a fun thing I’ve been getting back into, one of the best ways to switch things up and make a night out feel special.

13. Protecting my energy. I wrote a whole post about this recently, “Building a Life That Fits My Energy”, all about learning to be kinder to myself and managing my life in a way that actually works with my energy rather than against it. It came from the heart, so read it if that resonates with you.

14. Unique bags for going out. Ref beaded bag, Marisa La Rosa raffia embellished bag, and this Sac Décoratif satin beaded bag that I’m dying for. How gorgeous are these three. Completely obsessed.

15. Pistola pants. I’ve been loving a striped pant lately and this red is so good. I also just got these green cargos that I’m already obsessed with and know are going to be great for the fall transition.

16. New Sézane. Per usual, the new Sézane collection is absolutely perfect. If you’re looking for a few final summer purchases that will transition beautifully into fall, here you go. The Le flare pants in this adorable gingham, the Cleo basket and the Alcyon white embroidered top. Wear them all together for the most perfect picnic-esque outfit, or mix as separates. So cute either way.