Midwestern Heaven = Summer in Milwaukee

After a much-needed chill weekend, FINALLY, I realized this morning that since the weather here hasn’t much resembled “summer” for a while, I should be taking this time to cultivate my summer style.  I am confident that while we haven’t seen the 80′s in too-too long, they will eventually (in August?) make another appearance.  I’ll be READY for it!

Although I recently posted a guide to spring dressing, which has been my bible tuhus far this “summer,” it looks like one for actual summer is needed on its heels (or, on it’s espedrilles, since we’re talking summertime!).  My picks are:

• Braided Belts – For the most part, I’m so over big, chunky belts; I’m also rather high-waisted, so I can’t wear them, as they end up riding right under my bra.  I LOVE a skinny braided belt though, and favor the ones from Old Navy (no longer available online, but they’re only $12 if you can still find them!).  I wear them over cardigans, over casual knit dresses (like Anne Hathaway in the final scene of Bride Wars – love it!), over shirt dresses and shift dresses to create a waist – and I have them in medium brown, dark brown, and white, as well as a funky jersey one in peachy-gold from American Apparel.



• Natural Hair – For me, natural = weird wavy/curly, so on a day to day basis, a great blow dryer is necessary, and since I’m all about embracing my (nappy) texture in the summer, so is a good beach spray.  I’ll admit, I’m still rationing my since-discontinued John Frieda Beach Blonde spray, so I switch off between that and Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray.  When my crazy texture needs some help, I break out my trust flat iron to straighten bangs, and to get a perfectly imperfect curl sans curling iron.  Finally, in the summer heat, my sometimes-oily roots need the help of a dry shampoo in order to make a blowdry last more than a day.  For now, I’m mixing baby powder and B & B’s hair powder (the old-school, non-spray version, since the spray nozzle “update” is gross!), but will be trying Oscar Blandi’s shortly as well…Such work to look so low-maintenence!
• Sun Protection – great shades are a given, and I’m partial to my Pradas!

Also needed, a hat – I usually go for floppy, but this season, I’m feeling the linen fedora I scooped up at Banana.  Since I’m less than bikini-ready, I get extra coverage with either a white long-sleeved, v-neck tee, or a little sundress (I’m obsessed with Tibi’s, but since I haven’t yet mastered shopping on Gilt, I’m left still craving the easy style of their one-sleeved tunics…)

• A Tan! - Fake, obviously!  While I’m partial to the next gerneration of Mystic tan offered at only one of our local tanneries (it’s amazing – you get a skin prep layer first, blowdry, tanning from four directions, blowdry, anti-aging/skin-softening mist, and then a final dry – NO STREAKING!), for my budget’s sake, I stick with the plain-old spray tan offered elsewhere.  When I’m really in a (pasty) rush, I reach for my trusty TanWise Foam:

After trying sprays and loations from Neutragena to Bliss Spa, I’ve found that nothing compares to this little angel.  The foam is tinted so you get believable color immediately, and it’s super easy to avoid streaking.  It’s the only thing I use to self tan, although I try-try-try to go to the pros when possible!

On that note, I’d better get back to work…On second thought, I’ve got another entry idea to hash out – here’s hoping that this one makes it out on schedule!