Your Summer 2020 Amazon Home and Fashion Glow-Up Guide
Preparing for Summer this year has certainly been interesting to say the least.…
Instead of booking flights and making plans for trips around the world, we’ve been forced to focus on our immediate surroundings. Comfort is now more important than ever (both physically and mentally), so it’s vital that we’re feeling extra cozy during all of this at-home down time.
With an oversaturation of products literally available at your fingertips, one-click online shopping may be easy but it can be incredibly costly and overwhelming if not exactly sure what you’re looking for.
Keeping trends and seasonality in mind, read below for the GALA guide on some of our favorite Amazon picks to beautify yourself, your space and to help unwind this summer season. The BEST part is that all of these products (minus one) come in at under $90 or way less, allowing for a much needed seasonal retail refresher without breaking budget!
For You
Guys, I literally cannot take these joggers off! Not only are these super cute, flattering and available in a bunch of cool patterns, they’re SO COMFY! From working at-home to runnings errands, these have been my go-to pandemic pants (I’ll work on that pun), as they make me feel like I’m standing in marshmallows while also providing a pop of pastel! 10/10 recommend a buy and perpetual wearing. Click here to purchase the joggers!
Whether tanning on your balcony, celebrating in your yard, or socially distancing at the beach, summer 2020 is here and it’s time to look cute in your swimwear. I prefer to stick to mostly neutral bathing suits but I love to add a pop of color with a colored/patterned piece or accessory. The timeless sarong is the perfect quick cover-up to take you from tan to grabbing a beer at the bar. Order the sarong in black and multiple colors here!
This season’s barely there go-to sandal is not only reserved for celebs and models, you too can dip your toe in the trend pool without risking an overly priced purchase. These will definitely want to make you leave home for a stroll around town. Pick your fave floss here.
Once deemed horrible eighties-mom trend, the biker shorts are back baby, and I truly don’t see them going anywhere. I admittedly resisted the comeback as I personally never saw the appeal. Fast-forward to slipping on a pair of flexible and form-fitting athleisure biker shorts and there’s no turning back. Wear them for workouts, walks or casually with an oversized vintage band tee and you’ll live in them forever. Buy the shorts in an array of colors here.
With added downtime during quarantine, I decided to finally eschew my love of paperback books to try a more efficient and sustainable approach with the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. Although my love for tangible books will always remain, I seldom leave my house without my Kindle now, as I’ve found it to be an accessible and more soothing entertainment alternative than my iPhone. For an endless resource of knowledge and entertainment (that won’t have you sidetracked by social media) and a new digital buddy that you can take on the go, give the Amazon Kindle a try. Click here to shop the Kindle.
While the Kindle Paperwhite is basically waterproof and feels super solid and sturdy, you still want to protect your new device. I love the pattern of my Kindle case, not to mention the case brings an awesome hand strap and little kick-stand making handsfree reading a total breeze just about anywhere you go. Find your perfect Kindle case here.
One of the {many} aspects of normal life that quarantine (and now social-distancing) has me missing is an authentic spa experience. My bathtub and epsom salts can only go so far as I really wanted to achieve the most authentic spa-feel possible, and some intense steam is definitely needed for that vibe. I realized I could (kind of) recreate this in my own bathroom with a portable facial steamer, which has been a total game changer.
This steamer is great because it’s discreet and easy to use as it times out 10 minute intervals of optimal steam for face hydration. I love to add in some essential oils depending on the benefits that I’m looking to gain, whether adding some chamomile oil for some quick hydration in the morning or using a dash of lavender or tea tree oil for pore-opening session/deep-cleaning, you can {almost} have an authentic and luxurious spa experience from home with this product. Get your skin glowing and radiant and order your facial steamer today!
So I’ve always been of the camp to purchase quality skincare products, as I have uber sensitive skin and it’s going on my face for hours and all. Moisturizer has always been a tricky find for my combination skin, so it wasn’t until Tatcha Harper’s Water Cream that I found the perfect match.
However, the $65+ price point was not doing it for my wallet as I have a habit of slathering on the stuff. So I sought out to find the perfect moisturizer dupe, offering the optimal oil-free hydration. After tons of research and a few trial and error buys, I found the K-beauty moisturizer of my dreams with the ETUDE HOUSE Moistfull Collagen Cream. I was a little skeptical at first, but became a believer once I tried it. The gel-like consistency is made up of collagen small-particles, which offer up a burst of hydration for your skin. I love the light scent and nude color of the cream and how well it layers under makeup. Not to mention at under $20, I don’t feel so guilty using all over my face and neck, layered with some serum and SPF. Do yourself a favor and buy the cream here!
For Your Home
I’ll admit to you, I have a problem…I am not a good plant mom :( I promise that I’m working on my greenthumb, but my ability to keep a succulent alive seems to be my least futile effort at botanical nurturing. While I’ve had a few lucky indoor plants that have survived my inability to consistently water, I wanted a statement plant that could live in our living room and do just that — live! After some research and budgeting, the idea of an artificial plant kept popping into mind. I’ve tried to resist the faux plant life but I’m officially a convert as I’m obsessed with my recent Amazon purchase of my very own faux fiddle leaf fig tree! Upon arrival I was incredibly impressed by the realistic quality of the plant as well as the weight and sturdiness, also the leaves are UV resistant, allowing for outdoor use too. Find the plant here for purchase.
As an aquarius, I’m forever a hippy at heart and anything bohemian almost immediately calls to me. As soon as I moved into a home with a front porch, I knew that I needed some type of swinging leisure device that could allow me to enjoy the view of the birds that have taken up residence in our oak tree. Thanks to the wonders of Amazon, I was easily able to find the boho fringe chair of my dreams, providing all of the comfort and gypsy aesthetic that I so lusted after. You will frequently find me in this chair, wearing aforementioned joggers and reading my Kindle Paperwhite. Find the perfect hanging chair for your home here.
Originally purchased as a laundry basket, I’ve quickly stocked up on several belly baskets to use throughout my house. I actually just purchased one to use as a basket for my aforementioned faux fiddle leaf fig tree, which I filled with string lights for a dash of ambiance (vibe totally achieved!). Shop the belly basket here.
I ordered this adorable vintage tea towel hoping to add a dose of whimsy and color to my kitchen, which is exactly what I got and more. The bespoke, vintage-style tea towel boasts a nostalgic mushroom print on a beautiful light cotton material that will make you want to frame the piece instead of using it as a kitchen towel. To note, I’ve hung the towel proudly over my oven handle but seldom touch it with dirty fingers whenever possible. Order your own mushroom tea towel here.
As mentioned earlier, my green thumb is more pink than anything. Flowers are definitely easier to maintain and are a such a wonderful treat-yourself kind of buy that can easily brighten up your mood and home. There’s no denying that purchasing fresh flowers once-twice per week can be costly. I decided to extend my faux green-thumb to floral arrangements (succulents too) and have absolutely loved the end result, which allows me to play around with ideas without having to worry about dirty water and dropping petals.
While I still love to purchase real flowers when possible, their synthetic counterparts don’t hurt as a permanent home decor fixture. I’m currently crushing on these faux chrysanthemums, but you can literally find just about any flower or succulent and go crazy with DIY arrangements!
I love me a long taper candle for some added height and sophistication to just about any table setting. I purchased a pack of taper candles off Amazon for a Valentine’s Day dinner and have repurposed the set for just about every occasion. From spooky halloween decor to romantic setups, these tapers have gone far. I finally found the candles’ permanent home in these very chic and mid-century modern gold candle holders that provide some much needed structure and pizzaz to my bar cart or dining room table, depending on the occasion (or my mood). Buy the candle holders here.
A ladder to nowhere? Seems kind of pointless and very M.C Escher but once you finally acquire a plethora of cozy blankets, aesthetically pleasing storage can become a problem. Discover the ladder, which provides a rustic feel with some functionality. You can even use the ladder as an outdoor piece to hang plants, lights and other goods! Click here for the blanket ladder.
Hope you enjoy this GALA guide and find yourself some summer 2020 finds! Tag #GALALife if you shop any of the above to showcase how YOU style each piece your way and don’t forget to subscribe to the GALA Life mailing list for more guides, discounts, offers and more :)
Always remember to look your best and to keep galavanting! xx Alexia