beach essentials.

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Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend! I'm lucky enough to live in the San Francisco Bay Area so several beaches are less than an hour away from me. I spent a lovely long weekend at home in the Bay, including Friday afternoon enjoying the sunshine in Capitola, just south of Santa Cruz.

We still have a few weekends left in August so I thought I'd share some of my beach essentials with you today...

• A great-fitting swim suit - I've been loving the retro swimwear available this year. I got this b+w striped one-piece earlier this summer from ModCloth. It's now sold out but similar versions are available here and here!
• Wide brim straw hat - I got mine at H&M earlier in the summer but this is nearly identical!
• Healthy snacks - I generally try to stay away from the junk food at the boardwalk so I pack my bag with apples, berries, veggies + hummus, and Kind bars instead!
• Fun sunglasses - If they're not fun, then seriously...why wear them? My current faves are these heart shaped glasses!
• A good read - I'm currently reading about Cheryl Strayed's adventures on the PCT...the movie (staring Reese Witherspoon) will be out later this year!
• Sunblock - I prefer the spray on versions so I can prevent my back from getting burned!
• Versatile tote bag - I have a couple of these Land's End bags in various sizes and they can be used for so many different things...they're extremely sturdy and last forever! Bonus...they can be monogrammed!
• Water bottle - Lately I've been using these Lifefactory glass bottles...they're BPA free so you don't have to worry about leaving them out in the sun!
• Beach towel - My friends over at Sand Cloud gifted me with this comfy towel...it has a pillow built in! They're an up-and-coming SoCal company so show them some love!
• Lipgloss w/ SPF - I love these Neutrogena MoistureShine glosses...SPF 20 and the perfect amount of color!
• Flip flops - I recently got these t-strap flip flops from Old Navy and they're perfect for the beach or the pool....and you don't have to worry about getting them wet!

What about all of you...what are some of your beach essentials?

xoxo,