spring break essentials

here at IU, spring break is just around the corner. (two days!!!) and if you're heading south for warmer climates, you'll need more than a string bikini to get through the week. (but those are essential, too - check out the guide to mixing and matching swimwear i posted a few weeks ago!) my suggestions are as follows:

first, fashion. i love embracing bold, bright hues on spring break - it's not only fun and stylish, but bold colors actually lift my mood. for the past few gloomy months, i've been living in equally gloomy colors. spring break is a huge breath of fresh, colorful air! it's like the sun is melting away all of winter's stresses. ahhhhh. much needed.
this year, i'm packing lots of bright pinks and oranges, with plenty of whites and neutrals to balance them out. and i love easy, simple, comfortable silhouettes; how amazing is that heidi merrick shift? dying for the shape and mixture of orange, aqua & yellow. as for shoes, flat sandals are my best friends. comfortable, chic, and durable... what else could you want in a shoe?

you know i'm a huge jewelry girl, but arm party + beach = misery. nothing is worse than getting sand stuck in your favorite rhinestone bangle, and it's just uncomfortable wearing lots of metal in high temperatures! as a result, i tend to leave most of my jewels at home, but i always make sure i pack a few sleek, statement-making pieces for nighttime. a chunky gold bangle is perfect for my colorful vacation ensembles; gold goes with everything and makes even a t-shirt and jeans feel a bit dressier. (plus, it looks extra chic with a slick gold iPhone case - a total necessity for beach music!)

when it comes to beauty, of course the first item on your shopping list is sunscreen. i always wear at least spf 30. believe me, no matter how much you want to be tan, it isn't worth a sunburn or the skin damage down the road. i love spray-on sunscreen and handy little sunscreen towelettes; they're surprisingly effective and so much easier to use than lotion!

now, the subject of makeup is kind of a nonissue. i mean, who goes to the beach wearing foundation and eye shadow?? that's just silly. even when you're going out for dinner and drinks at night, chances are your skin will be a little sensitive from all the sun, so i'd advise against slathering on layers of makeup. 
instead, i like to use a gentle soothing cream on my face and neck to avoid irritation, then i just dust on a bit of loose powder, sweep bronzer over my cheeks, and add a touch of highlighter (learn how to use bronzer & highlighter to their best potential with this recent post; and yes, i'm aware of my nars obsession). i usually balance out the natural look with some shockingly bright nail polish, like fuchsia or aqua.

is there anything i'm missing? what are your must-haves for spring break/vacation?

the list:

1) heidi merrick dress 2) clare vivier clutch [similar here] 3) incase chrome iPhone case [similar here] 4) asos sunglasses [similar here] 5) nars nail polish in "schiap" 6) nars illuminator in "copacabana" 7) nars bronzer in "laguna"  8) j.crew bangle [similar here] 9) neutrogena ultra gentle soothing cream 10) tocca spf30+ sunscreen towelette multi pack 11) marc by marc jacobs nylon tote [not yet available, but similar here and here]

II emily