Things I Find Incredibly Chic This Summer
I am a seasonal creature.
Come fall, I buy new notebooks, bake pumpkin pies, wear cashmere, and watch Gilmore Girls. In winter, I curl under heavy blankets with herbal tea and dark chocolate. Spring is for new beginnings. And summer—summer is for long dinners, starlit kisses, iced coffees, and sleeping in. I know, all of it is very basic bitch of me. I don’t care. I am just like other girls.
Summer is, of course, not what it used to be now that I am a mom. I used to wear pearls and red lipstick. I went on dates, had sex until dawn, listened to jazz, read books in the parks, ate ice cream like there was no tomorrow, and travelled to Italy—because, well, it’s Italy. Is there anything better? I miss the old summers, of course, I do. They felt like endless, unbroken light. But life does not stay still. It changes. We change. I can no longer live the way I used to live and do the things I used to do, and that’s okay. Now, summer is about the beach and playgrounds, about darkening the windows so the baby sleeps well. It’s about berries—so many berries—and sunscreen, because we all must use sunscreen, don’t forget.
But I am still just a girl at heart, so I try to romanticise every waking moment. I keep seeing all these marvellous “chic lists”, like this one or this one, and decided to make my own. So here we do. Take what fits, leave what doesn’t, and let yourself feel good however it looks today.
Things I Find Incredibly Chic
Felling good in my own body. When I say “feeling good in my own body,” I mean the utter relief of not fighting yourself, of moving through the day without that constant inner critique. I am now in a good place with my body. I wish I didn’t have cellulite, but I have accepted I have it and am mostly okay with it. My body is strong, it’s able to do miraculous things, it’s, more importantly, able to enjoy life with zero guilt—eat pasta, drink wine, walk barefoot on grass, gave sex, swim in the ocean, lie naked on cool sheets—and there is nothing more chic than that.
Air-dried hair. I’ve been letting my hair air-dried this summer. I can’t be bothered to blow-dry at the moment. I have a Dyson Airwrap (that I absolutely love) that I used to use all the time and it actually made my hair look lovely, but now it’s so hot that it makes no sense to spend eternity blowing more heat onto my head. So I wash my hair and that is it.
Bare skin. It’s so hot, makeup melts, so bare skin it is, maybe only a lip tint.
Minimal skin care routine. Right now, I love this By Wishtrend Enzyme Powder Wash, it makes my face feel squeaky clean, this COSRX peptide skin booster, Dr Althea relief cream and this sunscreen.
Spraying this Heritage Store rosewater mist over my face whenever I am out and about. It’s inexpensive but feels and smells amazing. I partially credit it for me surviving the heat so easily. Such a great product.
Exercising/daily movement. It is chic to move with intention: to walk until your feet ache, to stretch until your muscles loosen, to swim in cold water and feel the shock of it, to do hot yoga and breathe through the heat. It is chic to treat your body as a forever home, to honor its strength instead of punishing its shape. And it is chic to enjoy the aftermath: the clearer skin, the calmer mind, the sense that you are a little more present, a little more alive, a little more at home in yourself. I don’t go much to classes lately but try to do an at home pilates workout and go on a long walk every single day. It does wonders for my mental health.
Silk and satin. Skirts, dresses, tops; anything that drapes and flows as you walk.
Crochet and handcrafted details, embroidered patterns. I recently took up embroidery. It’s summer craft as a little luxury. I am not any good at it, but I think with a bit of practice I might be!
Oversized sunglasses. A little drama, a lot of Riviera; they make even my tired mum face look cinematic. I imagine myself as Angelina Jolie in By the Sea. Also, I am completely obsessed with her hair color.
Wearing coastal and mermaid-inspired jewellery: shell necklaces, tassel pendants, oceanic motifs; very island, very poetic, very chic.
A single statement necklace with a plain white tee.
Carrying a woven bag loaded with books, a notebook, and flowers from the farmer’s market. And, well, also diapers, wipes and other baby items.
Serving ice-cream in silver coupes. LOVE these ones.
Serving tiramisu in a tureen. I am obsessing over this antique tureen. I don’t think I can spend that much on a tureen, but you bet it’s in my cart. A girl can dream.
Eating peaches dunked in sea water. I keep it a secret from my husband because he would think it’s madness, but if I am ever eating a peach at the beach, I’ll dunk it in the sea first. The saltiness, the swiftness—it’s heaven.
Eating outside. Al fresco dining is everything in the summer.
Simple berry compote over yogurt or quark for breakfast. Local berries, a touch of honey, a sprig of mint. It’s such a lovely meal, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Reading physical books. I am always reading or listening to a book, most likely on my phone or on Kindle, but lately I’ve been carrying a physical copy with me everywhere I go. It reminded me of my uni time. You could find me in some cafe with a glass of wine in one hand and a book in the other on pretty much any given day. I was, needless to say, undeniably chic.
I just bought this stunning collection of summer stories at the train station.
Wild flowers bouquets and also monochrome bouquets. Both are so incredibly beautiful. I almost always have flowers in my house.
Elevating leftovers. I love Hope Batchelor’s recipes (Hope Batchelor from Something Very Good) and videos so much, and her attitude to cooking and life. I believe it’s actually her birthday today. Happy birthday, Hope! You are amazing.
Making a commonplace book or a seasonal journal. I am a sucker for an empty notebook.
Listening to a podcast while walking. I love walking and I love podcasts. It’s honestly a perfect combo. My current favourite is A Day in Her Life. It’s no secret I am nosy. And who wouldn’t want to know how other women organise their days.
Evening journaling. I can no longer reliably do morning pages as my baby is an early bird, so I found myself journaling in the evenings instead. It’s just as good.
Ice-cold red wine. I know, I know, very plebeian of me. I don’t care. It’s delicious.
Writing poetry daily. I made a promise to myself to write a poem every day this summer. Believe it or not, I am still going. Most of the poems are positively shitty, but there are a couple of good ones.
Hope you are having a wonderful summer.
Love, Alena
P.s. This post includes affiliate links, but I only ever link to the things I truly love.
I love this. It's funny how motherhood shifts what feels beautiful. These days it's much more about how something makes me feel than how it looks. 🤍