Beach Bag Essentials

My beach trip isn't until August 6th, but that doesn't mean that I'm not already planning outfits and books that I plan on reading on the trip. I cherish my days at the beach, sunning my body (with a safe layer of SPF applied regularly of course!), listening to the waves, reading some good books, and watching the attractive lifeguards work out.

This year I'm using my beloved Kate Spade Call to Action tote, but a few more options are the Market Basket from Design Darling, Merona Straw Tote Handbag from Target, or a Beach Tote from Maptote.

The most important item in my beach bag is sunscreen. I like using Banana Boat's Sport Performance UltraMist Sunscreen in SPF 50+ when I'm on the beach all day and I make sure to reapply every 2 hours to ensure that my skin doesn't burn. Last year I forgot to reapply when I flipped over and had to drive 9 hours with a burnt bum. The moral of the story is, don't forget to wear SPF! For my face, I like to use Cerave's facial moisturizing lotion with an SPF of 30. The same thing goes for this, though I reapply less frequently than my body.

The next thing in my bag is a towel or some sort of blanket to lay out on. I prefer extra long and wide towels to make sure none of my body is touching the sand because it normally burns a lot. Some cute options are this ombre towel for two from Target, Harper's Bazaar for Bed Bath and Beyond towel, and this Nine Space for J. Crew striped beach towel.

Books and magazines to read are a must for me on the beach. Last year I read Seriously…I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres and Don't Worry It Gets Worse by Alida Nugent on the beach and they were perfect light reads that I thoroughly enjoyed. As for magazines, it all depends on who is on the cover. Porter is my current favorite, so I will most certainly have the most recent copy in my bag!

This year I am so excited to have my combination of my floppy beach hat from the Gap outlet and my new Free People Abbey Road sunglasses (hello, Karen Walker look alines anybody?). You can't go to the beach without a pair of sunglasses and I spent every minute terrified that my Ray-Bans were going to get crushed on the beach. This year I won't have to worry about any expensive sunglasses being ruined because my new Free People pair were only $18. Not exactly what I would call irreplaceable.

Last but not least, I always keep a water bottle and some sort of granola/protein bar with me. Being in the sun for long periods of time can dehydrate you and if you're like me, you're not going to want to give up your spot on the beach to get a full meal. A granola bar or some fruit will hold me over until a late lunch or early dinner.

What is a must for your beach bag?