A High Summer Shopping List
Twenty of the best fashion and beauty bits to add to basket this season.
Welcome back to Late Filing.
Summer has officially arrived and once again I feel woefully unprepared. How is it that when winter rolls around, I go through my wardrobe and it seems to be full of flimsy little outfits, but by the time it gets to June I have nothing to wear?
In any case, I won’t bore you with a long, unnecessary pre-amble. Essentially, I’ve curated a list of all the bits I’d really love to buy this summer – for your browsing pleasure.
Enjoy!
Fara Homidi Beauty Bronzer £74
This minimalist-cool brand by makeup artist Fara Homidi has finally landed in the UK. I’m most intrigued by the bronzer – very few get it right for deeper skin tones but this shade looks lovely and rich and just the right shade of reddy-brown. Speaking of rich, this stuff isn’t cheap but I’m telling myself the sleek packaging makes it worth it.
Wales Bonner Sonic Vest £157.50 (originally £225)
Wales Bonner is my favourite brand in the world, and I’ve had this tank top on my wishlist for a while now. As if to lure me in even further, they’ve just dropped the price.
Jimmy Fairly Nax Sunglasses £135
I’m beholden to the Jimmy Fairly Nax style for my everyday eyeglasses, and now I’m tempted to add the sunnies to my life. Personally, I find Jimmy Fairly eyewear to be just as good quality as designer pairs, which are basically all made by one company and outrageously marked-up.
Toteme Woven Clutch Bag £880 (originally £1,100)
My dream forever handbag is the classic Toteme T-Lock BUT if money were no object, I’d also buy the woven leather version just for summer. I tried it on (cradled it) in Liberty and it feels exceptionally well made. And while it’s certainly not a bargain, it’s also not as outrageously priced as I’ve come to expect for ‘designer’ handbags.
Sara Cristina Bahia Bikini £223
Earlier this year, I bought the Hunza G Tammy bikini which I fear looks rather unflattering and baggy on me (one size is not a thing), but I’ll be forcing myself to make it work. Were I to go back in time, I’d probably purchase something sleeker and tighter and sexier, such as this from Sara Cristina.
WNU Palazzo Trousers in Hemp, Parchment £120
WNU is a brilliant brand that’s mostly known for its shirts but it also does these fabulous palazzo-style trousers. I feel like this is the sort of thing I’d end up wearing to death in the summer and on visits to Abu Dhabi.
Olivia von Halle Bella Asterias Camisole Set £330
In this sort of heat, I imagine most of us are wearing very little – if anything – to bed. However, I’m an advocate of swanning around in Olivia von Halle pyjamas in the evening and I genuinely feel more glamorous in their pieces than anything else. (Full disclosure: I occasionally work with them.) If you’re a fan of the brand but can’t afford their prices, there are always lots of ‘new with tag’ bits on Vestiaire.
Cos Pinch Tote Bag in Linen £130
For bags and shoes, I tend not to shop on the high-street because I consider them to be investment purchases. I do make an exception for Cos though, and this linen tote bag could totally pass for a far more expensive brand. (It’s giving old Céline Pico.) At the slightly higher end, I’m also loving the Hereu bags in raffia and cotton.
Perfumer H Bergamot Eau de Parfum £160 for 50ml
Probably the chicest fragrance brand ever. I went into their store on Chiltern Street and totally fell in love with the Salt scent – although for summer days, I’m partial to a citrus-y perfume that transports you to Porto Ercole.
SIR Thistle Striped Open-Back Silk Satin Top £160
I’m really into the Australian brand Sir at the moment – it feels like a much cooler, more elevated version of Reformation (which is rubbish quality, sorry!). Their current collection has a bunch of these gorgeous scarf-style silk dresses and blouses. I’m dying to get my hands on this.
Ameliorate Body Lotion £28 for 500ml (originally £40)
I’ve been through a few bottles of this stuff and I genuinely cannot rave about it enough. Throw in the shower gel too. All of Ameroliate’s products contain their ‘LaH6 Skin Hydrating Complex’ (lactic acid), which essentially chemically exfoliates your skin so it’s smooth and even and gorgeous. Use it daily and you’ll notice a difference in a week or two.
Rejina Pyo Denim Shirt £295
Pieces like this remind me why I’m a Rejino Pyo stan – she’s so great at playing with proportions, and the oversized collar and elongated cuffs on this instantly make it feel high-fashion. This is the sort of thing I’d throw over a tank or halter for laidback nights out.
This is on my wishlist for two reasons: (1) I refuse to wear anything heavier than a tint when it’s above 20 degrees and (2) I’ve been thoroughly impressed with everything I’ve tried so far from Lisa Eldridge, including the lip gloss, the liquid eye shadow and the eyeliner. As in, I think it may just be the best makeup brand in the world right now.
Ancient Greek Matina Slippers £190
A year or two ago, I bought a pair of leather ‘flip flops’ from Ancient Greek that were inspired by The Row, who were almost certainly inspired by Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. I personally think they’re very chic but it’s an ‘if you get it you get it’ look and I feel quite silly clacking about in them sometimes. Anyway, if I were to make a second purchase from the brand (which is very reasonably priced), I’d go for the Matina Slipper – it’s walkable and wearable and won’t get you turned away from a members’ club in Mayfair.
Shiseido Expert Sun Protector SPF £38 for 150ml
I wear a very unsexy high-factor SPF from a dermatologist-recommend brand because I have melasma. However, I tried a sample of this one from Shiseido and the formula is so sophisticated and genuinely pleasant to wear. I feel like when it comes to sun protection, you can’t go wrong with a Japanese or Korean brand.
Toteme Knitted Tank £290
Yes, more Toteme. This is a little heavier than a classic tank top, which makes it feel a bit more polished. I have something similar in black from Rohé and it’s become my go-to for when it’s absolutely boiling but I want to look smart for a meeting.
Susan Caplan Vintage Swarovski Chandelier Earrings £125
Forget beads and seashells. IMO, it’s far cooler to dress up your bikinis and caftans and tank tops with very glamorous, un-beachy jewellery, such as these vintage Swarovski chandelier earrings from the Susan Caplan edit on Farfetch.
Susamusa Arki Dress in Black £125
You won’t catch me in a milkmaid sundress (no matter how many straight men say they’re the hottest thing a woman can wear) but I would do this nineties-style sheer piece by a brand I discovered on TikTok. I’d probably layer a black slip skirt underneath because I personally don’t want everyone seeing my knickers – but each to their own.
Westman Atelier Lip Shape Lip Liner in Mink £30
My Charlotte Tilbury liner is looking a little stump-ish and while I do love it, I’m always keen to try out other brands. It’s between the VB one and this from Westman Atelier. So far I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from Westman – although admittedly it was all sent to me for free and I tear up when I see the price of repurchasing their gorgeous Complexion Drops.
WNU The Boxer £60
I find shorts tricky: I feel like I can never find quite the right length or fit. However, I’m tempted to give them another go this summer, and at the moment I’m into anything that resembles men’s boxers or pyjamas (see also CDLP).