Jen’s 15 Amazon Summer Must Haves to Survive the Heat in Style
I used to hate summer, growing up in Australia. Dry heat for months and we only had one room with air conditioning. We were very lucky to have a pool, but it was still pretty unbearable and certainly not easy to look cute sweating non stop.
Still, I survived. Moving to Toronto was a nice sea change and I swapped the long, hot summers for long, cold winters. I’ve always preferred winter to summer.
After plenty of therapy and some “ahem” age, I’ve grown to understand that the true reason for disliking summer and preferring winter was poor self image and an eating disorder. I felt exposed in summer clothes, always sure I looked fat (like that was the worst thing in the world) and unwilling to dress without layers to cover my body.
Winter was great because of all those clothes I had to wear to cover my shame.
It makes me so angry now, to see how much of my time, energy and youth was spent worrying about such nonsense. Even with plenty of therapy and work on myself I have those thoughts to this day, I’m just better at pushing them away. As I commit to body acceptance I become increasingly able to dress appropriately for hot weather. I wear shorts now, something I haven’t done since I was in middle school.
I’m spending a month in California right now and it’s certainly hot like those summers from my childhood but I find that I’m tolerating it just fine. The AC actually shut down a week ago and we are having a long heatwave, it sucks, but I’m not melting as much as I’d expected. I think being born into this weather helps but, more importantly, my growing comfort in my own skin makes me think less about how I may appear in summer clothes and just get on with living. It’s kind of astounding.
Anyhoo, all this is to say that it’s hot and there’s little to be done about that except lean into it and get on with things. I pulled together some fun pieces on Amazon that help me beat the heat in style. From cute straw bags to shady parasols, I love to have fun with colour in summer when these cute items are more easily available.
A special note here that sunscreen/sunblock is a non-negotiable. My Dad died of melanoma years back, and my siblings and I have to have regular skin checks to make sure we are safe from that terrible disease. If you aren’t using sunscreen daily, let this be a reminder to you. No matter the weather, if it’s sunny out you should protect your skin and your health.
Sunbum sunscreen smells like childhood beach time, it’s the best.
A waterproof portable speaker is perfect for poolside, beach or lake time.
A mini fan is fantastic when you’re without AC for a time.
Of course, beach towels should be bright and cheerful.
I really love this green straw bag.
Why not wear a bold, sequined visor. You know I love sequins!
Hydration is so important, I love the colour and style of this water bottle.
Something light, breezy and colourful to throw on over a swimsuit is a must.
I love these pool floats. They make me want a cocktail.
I’ve always had a paper parasol, perfect for shading your face if you’re safely tanning.
Hope you’re enjoying the summer so far. I actually am for the first time in years!
Did you see my last post? I created a cool paint colour scheme from one of my laneway walks with Neko. The colours remind me of Aussie beach houses from the good old days.
Thanks for reading.
