I’ve been dreaming of laying on the beach since February, and I’m finally only a couple weeks out from our family vacation to Florida. It won’t have the same effect as it might have in February, but I am still beyond excited. I wanted to share some of the items I’ve picked up lately for my trip, and some that I’ve been loving forever!

Sun Hat // I needed a hat for the beach and was in the market for something inexpensive and classic. I hit the outlet mall over the holiday weekend and snagged this one at J. Crew Factory for around $12. I’m not super into hats and definitely wasn’t interested in investing, so this fit the bill perfectly. They’re sold out online, but I have seen several similar hats elsewhere for low prices.

Bikini (top/bottom) // Bikinis are, generally speaking, not my friends. The widest point of my body is my hip bones, and I happen to carry my weight primarily in my love handles. Bikini bottoms are basically the least flattering article of clothing possible for that combo. I splurged on this bikini from J. Crew several months ago and haven’t looked back. The high waist pulls me in and the ruching does a great job of camouflaging what I’m trying to hide. This is the first time I’ve felt like I will be comfortable standing face-on in a beach picture in years without looking massively disproportionate.

Sunscreen // My skin is incredibly sensitive (read: I do not wear foundation of any type to avoid breakouts) and sunscreen breaks me out like no other. My family discovered this miracle substance a couple of summers ago and I haven’t looked back. I use it on my face daily and it hasn’t broken me out at all. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Sunglasses (top/bottom) // I have two pair of sunglasses: prescription and non-prescription. I bought the prescription glasses last summer from Warby Parker and like that the lenses are small enough that they don’t take over my face like some pairs. The bottom pair are nonprescription and I picked them up a few months ago at the Prudential Center because it was sunny and I couldn’t find my old pair of sunglasses to wear when I have contacts in. I was looking for something cheap and these fit the bill, but I’ve gotten more compliments on them than any pair ever.

Sandals // I’ve been looking for a go-to pair of sandals for a while now, and after getting hooked on reading blogs this winter couldn’t get Saltwater sandals out of my mind (I’m guessing Saltwater is a Mormon-owned company). Guys. These things are incredible. I walked three miles to and from work in them for two months and never once felt them rub, got a blister, or had to worry about getting them wet in the rain. They don’t have any arch support, so if that’s what you are after, these may not be worth it. But otherwise, these receive a 10/10. I expect to have them for years to come.