Summer Essentials: Amy's Afternoon Reading

Hello Style Obsession, lovelies! Jessica, I hope you are having a relaxing vacation (with a little bit of shopping thrown in). I am Amy from Amy's Afternoon Reading and I am very excited to be asked by Jessica to be a part of this guest blog series. This post will always have a special place for me because it's my first time (and hopefully not my last) guest blogging.

To be honest, I had such a hard time narrowing down my Summer essentials because I find summer to be the most lust-worthy season. So I cheated a bit on the assignment and created Summer Lusts (things I really want, but may not be so affordable) and Musts (pocket-friendly alternatives). Enjoy!

1. Sexy Summer One-Piece - I find that I am most confident in a bathing suit when I am in a one piece. And when I feel confident, I am sexy. So ...
   
   
   
   • LUST - baja suit monokini - apartstyle.com - $150
   
   
   • MUST - halter swimsuit - newport-news.com - $49
     
     
2. Beach Cover-up that can Double as a Dress - Since I live in Manhattan and take the train to the beach (as opposed to the privacy of my own car), I need quick-drying, street-appropriate beach cover-ups for travel.
   
   
   
   • LUST - Diane von Furstenberg zumi cover-up dress - Saks Fifth Avenue - $32
   
   
   • MUST - twist-front bandeau dress - Newport News - on sale for $24


3. Movie Star Sunglasses - I actually own the Lust selection because I decided this year to treat myself to designer sunglasses.
   
   
   
   • LUST - Marc by Marc Jacobs square sunglasses - Nordstrom - $98
   
   
   • MUST - Express oversized square sunglasses - Express - $29.50
     
   
   
4. A Lighthearted Beach Read - I can't think of anything more relaxing to do in the summer than to sit outside (preferably at the beach) and read. I even started a summer book club. My current reading list is 200 books long and growing. Feel free to recommend more.
   
   
   • LUST - Sony pocket e-reader - Sony - $149.99 (plus the cost of e-books)
     
     
   • MUST - Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell - Border's - $11.10
     


5. Frizz Control! - No amount of spray will tame my hair, so I actually splurge for the Keratin hair treatment. It makes my beauty routine so much easier and faster and I never have to worry about messy, dull, or frizzy hair. Plus, it lasts all summer (3 months). If you can't afford it though, Biolage is a good alternative.
   
   
   • LUST - Keratin hair treatment - ask you local salons. I go to Gerard Bollei (in NYC) - $200+ (price varies on city, salon, expertise of stylist, etc.) Gerard Bollei offers 20% off to new clients.
   
   
   • MUST - Biolage deep smoothing serum - drugstore.com - $16.50

Thank you, Amy! Now what happens when I'm craving both the lust and the must options?

Be sure to visit Amy over at Amy's Afternoon Reading.