Gift Guide!

For the past month or so I've been collecting things for my usual Christmas/holiday gift guide. Last year I did a "beach babe" theme. This year I figured I'd also do something specific, but the theme kind of just came out as "a bunch of stuff I think is rad." And I think that worked out pretty well! You could also count it as a last minute gift guide since this one has come pretty late in the season. However, I know I am one of many who have yet to complete shopping, let alone start wrapping. That's a whole other animal! Well, without further ado, here's a bunch of stuff I like...I mean my Gift Guide!  [Follow from left to right!]

1. North Shore Candle Company Limited Release Heather Brown Collaboration Candle (Surf Wax)- When it comes to gift giving, you can hardly ever go wrong with a candle! This collaboration is super cool because not only does it smell good, but it also showcases awesome art work. Both the company and artist are native to Hawaii!

2. Goldfish Kiss Goods Print (Scenic Set in Bloom)- This one mayyyy be on my personal Christmas list this year! If you know me, you know how much I adore the Goldfish Kiss blog and it's author Rebekah Steen. She also makes lots of cool stuff, like this beautiful watercolor! A great addition to anyone's art collection and a great gift!

3. Hot Dudes Reading (The Book!)- If you haven't already followed the Instagram account, you are totally missing out! Every single post has me in stitches and now they are all complied into one handy book! It would make a great coffee table book and is a funny but practical gift!

4. Souled Out the Label Hippie Crew Mug- A cute mug is always handy, especially as a last minute gift! This one is super cute and I love the saying! Souled Out also makes other really cool stuff, like embroidered denim jackets!

5. Kopari Beauty Coconut Multitasking Kit- Who doesn't love coconut?! This little set is great for travel or just for trying out some new products! It's a cute little gift but also useful! And better than a knock of Bath & Body Works set from Kmart (like every secret santa gift I've ever gotten, lol.)

6. ALOHA Collection Monstera Tote Bag- I love this giant tote bag! It's great for every day or for a trip to the beach! Plus, the black and white palm print will go with just about everything! Perfect for the jetsetter, beach girl in your life!

7. Blonde Shark Shark Tooth Pareo- You could pick anything on this site and end up with something totally rad, however I've personally taken to this little wrap! I love the print and it's a really versatile piece. Use it as a cover up, a shawl, a sash, etc. Definitely a unique present!

8. Soda2Art Surfer Hawaiian Cuff Bracelet- I actually came across this shop on Etsy looking for a gift for my dad! This girl makes some of the coolest jewelry! She makes bracelets, earrings and necklaces out of upcycled cans with Hawaiian motif! Plus they are super reasonably priced. Guaranteed one of a kind gift!

9. Billabong Baja Beach Sweater- A beachy spin on the classic go-to gift! This cute hoodie can be worn all year long, and comes in two color-ways.

10. LvcJewelry Nalu Edison Bangle- For your beach lovin' bestie! Or anyone who loves the ocean for that matter! I love the pretty pink freshwater pearl against the golden wave! So unique and something she can wear all the time! Handmade in Hawaii!

Happy Shopping!

XO, Briana

A Happy Little Mess

Recently I've been day dreaming a lot about where I want to live after I graduate. Somewhere that's always warm and sunny where I can walk outside and be on a beach. I can actually see my little bungalow in my mind's eye, full of details from the wallpaper to the dishes in my cabinet.  An image of myself that reminds me of one of Lilly Pulitzer (below) will not escape my mind; me standing on the lanai in a silk printed robe, tan and with the biggest smile on my face.

Although this is a "dream" for a reason; it may be a bit far fetched for my financial status, but you gotta dream big baby! So I've put together a collection of photos from Pinterest & Instagram that really spoke to my dream house vision. I like to call it my happy little mess!

XO, Briana

Endless Summer

It's just the beginning of December and we are swiftly approaching several months of unbearable cold. We've already seen our first snowfall here in the Northeast!  These are trying times for people like me who are naturally creatures of the sun and warmth.  And also for those of us who suffer from that weird seasonal depression syndrome thing.  Basically, I hate the winter.  So I do what I can to create an endless summer for myself!  It's the only way to truly survive until next summer!  So I'm going to share with you my top five tips to keep it summer in your brain when it's definitely not summer outside.

1. Create a Summery Atmosphere

A lot of us have sensory triggers that make us think of summer: the sounds of the ocean, the smell of tropical fruits, the unparalleled warmth of the sun on our skin.  So in order to make it feel like summer, take a few easy steps to create that scene in your bedroom.  

First, get some summer scented candles!  I personally have a large collection of candles, most of which are scents like "Endless Ocean" and "Pina Colada."  However, my new favorite set is the Old Factory Vacation Set!  Three small all soy, hand-poured candles are packaged in an adorable box, and each candle smells better than the next!! The ones in this set are called "Sea Breeze," "Hawaiian Lei," and "Awapuhi." The smell great when burnt separate and amazing together! Light these babies up and you've got that summer scent in an instant!  (Also, if you need candles for other occasions, Old Factory has several great sets with witty names like "50 Shades" and "Coffee Shop") You can get the vacation set and/or any of there other sets HERE! Much thanks to Old Factory and Brand Backer for letting me try these awesome candles!!

Crank up the heat!  Turn the heat up in your house, or get a space heater and sit next to it with all of your lights on.  This might run up your electric bill, but it will also make you feel like you're getting your tan on in Hawaii or somewhere warm of your choosing.

If you're going for the long haul, paint your room in bright summer colors!  That way, it'll feel like summer all year long, in your room at least!! My childhood bedroom has been painted in this pallet along with hibiscus flower stencils and homemade surfboards hanging on my wall.  It definitely made getting through high school a much better experience for me, haha.  But if you don't want to commit to something so, well, loud, then you could always get a tapestry or a beachy quilt to spruce up the place.

       

2.  Wear Bright Colors

In the Winter, we instinctively turn to darker colors like black, gray, black, burgundy, and black. Also we wear a LOT of black.  However, this doesn't have to be the case!  Just because the winter darkens our souls (I guess?) doesn't mean we have to dress like that!  Keeping within the realms of Winter clothing, you can throw in a hot pink bag, a bright blue dress, or killer orange shoes with your boring Winter colors to give your outfit a pop!  Also, throw in some summer textiles/patterns if you like! One of my favorite tricks is to pick one of my favorite summer tanks and pair it with jeans and a sweater!  Check out my Island Style pinboard for inspiration!

Follow Briana Rivas's board Fashionista {Island Style} on Pinterest.

3.  Pump Up the Jams!

Create a Summer playlist and play it nice and loud!  Pick songs that remind you of Summer or of memories you have from Summers past.  It will make you happier, I promise!  If you don't want to make your own, or just need a little inspiration, check out my Summer Vibe playlist on Spotify!

4. Use Summer Beauty Products

Pretty much all of the skin and hair care products I buy are purchased for their scent.  And most of those have a summery scent!  So grab your beach wave spray and your coconut body wash and get your Summer on! Or, get a nice summer glow going with some sunless tanning lotion! Also, using a tropical or citrus scented perfume will leave not only your hair but your whole body smelling like you spent the day on the beach! Here are some of my favorites!!

[ Malibu Tan Hemp Golden Glow Skin Firming Bronzing Moisturizer | OGX Kukui Oil Frizz Defying Curl Cream | OGX Moroccan Sea Salt Spray | Victoria's Secret PINK Sun Kissed Perfume ]

5. Get in a Summer State of Mind

Think about all of the things that make you love summer so much.  How does it make you feel? What things do you do?  What foods do you eat?  What places do you visit?  Try implementing some of these things (within reason of course) into your daily life to invoke the sense of the season.  For example, if you eat a lot of tropical fruits in the summer (or drink a lot of them if you know what I mean), then do that same thing every once in a while to bring your mind back to when you ate/drank that in the summer.  Keep your vibes happy and positive, while doing all of the above and you're bound to have a much happier winter!!  Aloha!

XO, Briana

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