Mom Style
Beach Bag Essentials
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photography by James Kicinski-McCoy
Jul 31, 2014
Summer is not over, folks! There is still plenty of time to hit the water and soak up the sun. We’re making your journey to the sand and surf even easier by providing your beach bag packing list for you. See below, and get to packing!
- First and foremost, you need a good sized beach bag that is also easy to carry and large enough to haul all of your essentials. We love this oversized handwoven basket tote from Lydali. It will fit all the basics and then some. And, because it’s made of palm fiber, it’s lightweight.
- We suggest a roomy blanket to sit on while sunbathing and saving your towel for after a swim. There’s nothing worse than drying off with something covered in sand. We’re completely obsessed with these linen beach blankets from Steven Alan. They are easy to tote around, large enough for a picnic spread, and come in beautiful, colorful stripes.
- It’s important to protect your face from harmful rays, in more ways than one. Befriend a wide-brimmed hat this summer to help block the sun and hide your scalp.
- Of course you’re going to need a cute swimsuit to don shore-side. We are loving the tones of this colorblock one-piece from J.Crew with neck ties that are easily loosened to prevent awkward tan lines.
- It’s always good to bring along a cover up to the beach, incase you feel like you need a little shade. This gauzy, indigo-dyed maxi dress from Proud Mary is perfect because it’s breathable and also fabulous!
- Protect the bottoms of those bare feet with these flat raffia sandals. They tie at the ankle, are light on the heels, and can easily go from beach to a summer’s night out on the town in a pinch.
- Everyone needs to dry off after swimming in the sea, and these turkish towels get the job done. They get softer after every wash and can easily double as a beach blanket or sarong. They’re also under ten bucks! Doesn’t get much better than that.
- Why squint all day long in the sunshine? Sunglasses are an absolute must! We love these extra large frames by Karen Walker, but you might opt for an inexpensive pair that you don’t mind getting wet.
- If you’re going to spend a day outside, make sure to apply (and re-apply) a water-resistant sunblock with a high SPF. It’s possibly the most important thing on our list. Our favorite is Sun Bum. It smells amazing and goes up to SPF 70!
- Your lips are sensitive and can burn easily. Protect them and prevent chapping with a good lip product that contains sunscreen. We love Aesop’s Lip Balm with SPF 30.
- Keep a moisturizer handy for dry or irritated skin. Earth Tu Face Skin Stick is hands down our favorite because it’s easy to use, compact, and smells fresh, too.
- There’s nothing quite like a good cool-down mist to refresh while baking in the sun. Evian makes a great one, or if you are wanting something luxe that smells heavenly, we suggest giving this Queen of Hungary Mist by Omorovicza a try.
- If you’re planning to be on the shore for a few kid-free hours, bring a good book to keep yourself entertained. You can work on your tan and feed your mind. Need a great read? We highly recommend The Goldfinch.
- Who doesn’t love music while relaxing on the sand? With iTunes and apps like Spotify, all you need is your phone and ear buds (or a mini speaker).
- It’s important to hydrate in the heat. Fill up a water bottle to quench your thirst. We love the bkr bottles because they come in every color in the rainbow and the silicone shell helps keep your water cold for hours.
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