Summer Under $100

Lucky Magazine has a great feature on its website right now: 50 items for summer, all under $100. Not only did they find a mostly great selection of reasonably priced clothes, shoes and accessories, but they do an excellent job of finding different ways to describe each piece. Since I started writing in this blog, I've gained a newfound appreciation for fashion writing-- it's so hard to find words beyond "cute" and "hot." I aspire to be as good at fashion blather as the Lucky writers are.

Anyway, here are a few things I'd like to add to Lucky's summer essentials.

J.Crew Rafina Espadrilles, $69.99: It's not summer until you're wearing brightly-colored espadrilles. I'd love to wear these with toenails painted a sunny yellow color, and perhaps a pure white dress. I really like that the top is tied in a knot, instead of a bow-- it's a badass element on a very girly shoe.

I obviously love madras, and I can see myself using this Madras Cabana bag, $29.99, every weekend this summer. The round bamboo handles are so fun and whimsical, and the roomy shape will be able to carry a swimsuit, sarong, sunglasses and gossip magazine-- everything you could possibly need.

My favorite thing about these cuffed short shorts, $10.49, from Target is that they're in a color called "lemonade." And I like that they're a little bit country, sort of a Daisy Duke feel with the cuffs at the bottoms.

The Embellished Strappy Dress, $29.99, from Urban Outfitters, has the soft and flirty look that should be mandatory for everything you wear during the summer. The teal color will make you think of a refreshing mountain lake, and the faux-Indian totem pole embroidery will make you happy to be outside and not wasting away in an Indian casino.

Old Navy has a ton of fun, cheap jewelry that you can wear to the beach and not really care if it falls out in the ocean. Like this set of three drop stone bangles, $7.50, that'll glam up any old bathing suit.

Speaking of swimsuits: I have this theory that they started selling tops and bottoms separately in order to charge more, not to "create a more customized fit" for girls who may have big boobs and small butts. But on the other hand, not having to buy a swimsuit as a set allows you to do a little mix and matching, which is never not fun. On the Fourth of July I want to be wearing this tankini top, $25.88, and essential hipster, $22.12.

And then, when I hop out of the pool to watch some fireworks, I want to be wearing this Calypso by Christiane Celle Malekai Sarong, $26.95. The red-on-white paisley print and beaded trim on the bottom add a bit of sophistication to your usual sarong. Also, the big size allows some experimentation with tying; my goal for the summer is to figure out how people tie sarongs into halter dresses.