LE CATCH

All summer long, I have relied heavily on (and enjoyed so much!) my Reformation dresses. (See proof here.) Hence, I am super psyched to take advantage of its VIP sale, starting today. There's lots to choose from, including the sexy ruffled mini, above, this super flattering lace-up midi, this cute cropped top, this perfectly-fitting white t-shirt, this off-the-shoulder dress, and this pretty lace-trimmed wrap. Shop it all here.

Photo: Bambi Northwood

Animal prints will be out in the wild this fall, and already I've spotted some spectacular specimens on the loose, including the leopard wrap Ganni, above, and the Topshop denim skirt, below. Also paw-worthy: this Rixo London silk crepe skirt, this teal Michelle Mason dress, this Maje ruffled midi, these Sam Edelman slingback heels, and this zebra-print Topshop.

It may be Monday--but at least it's still summer! And there's lots more summer to be had. This fact sunk in over the weekend while I was sitting in the sea of bikinis that is Hawaii, where I spotted suits that would perfectly suit me! They all featured unexpected details--unusual cut-outs, embellished straps, mixed prints--that will be sure to make a splash. Examples include: this chic tortoise chain-strap linen top (OMG!) by Donni, this flirty bow-trimmed Tularosa, this cute knot-accented For Love and Lemons, this mixed print ruffled Ayla (above), and this boho-cool floral Sea.

The last time I saw my beloved, perfectly-worn in straw hat was on my husband's head at London's Gatwick Airport. He was holding on to it for me as I negotiated not checking my carry-on bag with an airline agent. (Who knew your carry-on can now only weigh 12 kilos? Who even carries a bag that light??) Though I won the negotiation (phew!), we arrived on the tarmac in LAX, minus the hat. Bummed, as we have at least another month of summer sunshine, plus more travel planned, I set out to find a replacement and lucked out with this Reformation hat. It comes with a handy dandy tie, so the chances of losing it are next to nil--and it's under $100. Yesss!

Well, of course, a decadent boat trip calls for a decadent dress, but I love that Nasiba Adilova, above, opts for drama that's under $200! Her tiered frock is by Stylekeepers. Other yacht-worthy looks that don't cost a fortune include this one I just snapped up from Free People, this ruffled Keepsake, this ruched La Ligne, this floral print Nightwalker, and this cross-backed Reformation.

Photo: Nasiba Adilova

One of the highlights of my trip to Italy was lunch at La Conca del Sogno. Built seaside in a former stone quarry, this Euro-chic, see-and-be-seen restaurant/beach club features an outdoor terrace that juts out over the Gulf of Salerno. The way to get there is by boat, and the enchanting 20-minute journey from Positano provides views of dramatic cliffs, super yachts, luminous grottos--and, once there, lots of fashionable clothes! When we pulled up to the restaurant's dock, a chic English woman appeared wearing the vibrant Dodo Bar Or dress, above: i.e., the exact right outfit for the relaxed glam setting. As she motored off in the tender to her yacht, I realized that along with the linguine alle vongole, I now wanted this dress, too! As fate would have it, the dress is now on sale at Shopbop, along with tons of Sogno-suitable styles, such as this Zimmermann mini, this crochet lace Thurley, this Paul & Joe gauze blouse, this smocked Petersyn skirt, these Salvatore Ferragamo slides, and this Hat Attack straw cross-body bag. Shop it all here!

This is the rare-to-find kind of top that will literally fly anywhere, from Manhattan to Malibu.

So how exactly was I able to fit my medley of holiday dresses into a carry-on, you asked? Easy. I only packed styles that straddled the sea to city gap: ones that can be worn with beachy essentials (i.e., swimsuit, Havianas) and concrete-ready extras (elegant sandals, both high and low), such as the Reformation dress, above in Positano and below, in Kensington. Okay, so London's heatwave helped me streamline my suitcase, but I did have two cozy cardigans on hand, just in case, that I tucked into a weekend-bag sized Gucci (AKA: my other personal carry-on), which also accommodated my lightweight cover-ups, bikinis, and sandals. Next up for me this summer is another surf and turf vacation, with time spent in both the Hamptons and in New York City. You can be sure I will employ a similar packing strategy, but with some (hopefully) new options in the mix, including this flowy H&M, this floral Veronica Beard, this Draper James denim wrap dress, this romantic LoveShackFancy, this dramatic Free People, and this tiered Wayf.

So far my dress-and-bikini-only wardrobe is sailing seamlessly through Positano, Italy. (And I was able to cram it all in a carry-on, thank you very much!) My strategy: easy, throw-them-on, bathing suit-friendly but still chic frocks for day and decadent midis and maxis at night, including the re-worked Asos, above, along with a dozen (or so!) swimsuits. My favorites, some of which you can see on my Instagram feed, include this And Other Stories rope-trimmed bathing suit, this linen Reformation mini, this Rhodes Resort robe dress, and this ruffled Shein body suit (below). If I could do it all over again, I'd squeeze in these La Dolce Vita-suitable styles from Topshop, Loeffler Randall, H&M, and Rixo London.

If you're starting to cook up your August vacation packing list (or just round out your summer wardrobe), I strongly urge you to hit The Outnet first, as it's rife with incredible sunshine-ready sweets, including the cute raffia Dolce & Gabbana sandals, above--all majorly discounted! Particularly tempting: this ruffled Zimmermann bikini ($137!), this sexy Derek Lam cut-out one-piece, this pretty broderie anglaise one-shoulder Nicholas dress, these adorable Tabitha Simmons slides, this slinky Ganni maxi (pictured below), this March 11 embroidered mini/cover-up and this Iris and Ink bow-strap dress (for a mere $155!). Check it all out here.