Must Have Right Now! Part 2

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Is it just me or is this summer flying by faster than ever? But let's not get whiny about it - there's still plenty of time to wear all our favorite must haves, and maybe even add a few more pieces before it's time to start drooling over that black leather motorcycle jacket and corresponding Frye boots you...we... ok I have been coveting for Fall since before this fabulous recession landed me in Brokeville. I'm excited to share with you the rest of my Must Haves for summer, all of which will take you well into Fall and can totally be done on the cheap, if not already inexpensive by nature - gotta love it.Mini Cross Body Bag

When the cross body bag initially made its comeback, I was bored with it. But on a whim, I bought this Tano one at my fave Northfield boutique, Sisters Ugly, and now my life is enriched. Not only are they adorable and effortless, but the main draw lays in their brilliant functionality. There's something so freeing about filling it with nothing more than my phone, lipgloss, credit cards, license, and cash and walking out the door... with both hands free for my Starbucks venti iced Zen tea, and soon-to-be-acquired shopping bags!

From Left: Marc By Marc Jacobs $188, Paradox $70, Botkier $425, Kate Spade $195

American Apparel Tri-Blend Unisex V-Neck Tee

It's safe to say my obsession with these tees has definitely gotten out of hand. Like, enough already - time to move on. But I can't! One might think that great t-shirts are a dime a dozen, but not for me. There are certain factors that simply must apply in order for me to be reaching for a tee day after day. First and foremost, it must be long. I never understood where clothing companies get their measurements for women's t-shirts - remember the baby tee? It's like that never went away. The longer, the better in my book - leaves room for shrinkage, and adds a little drama with draping and/or bunching at the bottom, not to mention the option to wear it with leggings or skinny jeans. These tees are unisex and a tri-blend of cotton, poly, and rayon, making them the perfect length and consistency. My favorite part is the slighty-deeper-than-the-average-v-neck v-neck, which adds the perfect amount of drama and sexiness - something us Fires simply must have in a t-shirt. If that's not your thing, they do come in a crew neck as well. Much to my delight, they just added a few new colors like cranberry, and light green!

American Apparel Unisex Tri-Blend V-Neck Tees $22

Statement Nails

Nowadays, it's getting harder and harder to think of a time, other than the 80's, that the most popular nail colors were just pinks and reds. Over the past few years, more and more options have been added to the roster of acceptable nail colors - from black, to orange, to gray, to blue, and now neons. At this point, nail color is pretty much just no holds barred and I LOVE IT! No matter your mood, there's a nail polish to match. Even mismatched nails with multiple shades on each hand had made its way in. I'm loving the OPI/Paige Denim collaboration brights, Essie neons, and all the Sephora by OPI colors. It looks like fall is bringing the Matte nail polish trend, which I'm not sure how I feel about since I love me a fresh shiny top coat (the very best is Seche Vite Dry Fast - hands down). But we'll have to see... In the meantime, grab whatever shade inspires you and use it as your statement de jour!

From Left (All around $8): Sephora by OPI Metro Chic, Essie Greenport, OPI No Room for the Blues, Essie Funky Limelight

White Jeans

This one might be a little obvious as it's always been one of the most popular summer staples, but the white jean is an oh-so-important summer must have. There's just something so crisp and flattering about fresh white denim, especially this season's skinny distressed versions. And that "no white after Labor Day" rule? Eh. Let's face it - the heat stays with us well into October all across the country, making it hard to get into the cozy football game mood until the leaves are officially falling. When September is upon us, just ditch the floaty summer tanks in favor of your more structured deep hued tops, throw a scarf or cardigan over, and keep rockin' the white denim!

Mine are J. Crew Matchstick (in Tall - thanks for getting it, J. Crew!), and Joe's Muse (love the gold hardware).

From left: 7 For All Mankind Bootcut $169, Gap Always Skinny Destructed $69.50, Hudson Signature Bootcut $165, J. Crew Matchstick $78

Rocker Jewelry

One shopping trip this spring lead me to Forever 21 where I walked out with a bag full of rock star inspired jewelry, and I've been obsessively adding to the collection ever since. This completely transformed my wardrobe! Any blah outfit instantly becomes livelier, smarter, and more daring when you add a stack of sparkly bangles or a hard edged black beaded necklace. Of course, this look might be more inspiring to the Fires and Waters out there, but my list of must haves would not be honest if it did not include this. The best part is, for every $3,000 Lanvin stunner out there, there's a $7 version just waiting to be mistaken for the real thing at Forever 21, H&M, Topshop, or Urban Outfitters. I enlisted the help of Polyvore to show you some of my favorite steals (well, some are steals, and all are under $100).