It’s definitely summer and this heatwave is no joke. We are looking at a high of 99 for Sunday…yikes! I’m ready for a weekend-long siesta with the primary goal of staying cool and not die of a heat stroke. Maybe it’s my Asian / Chinese background, but I really try to refrain from blasting the AC as much as possible, for environmental and financial reasons. It might also be my way of back lashing at the excessive AC at work, where I have to pile on the cardigans or sniffle and shiver from 9 to 5.

To stay cool and refrain from melting into a hot mess, I’ll be:

• Pulling down all the shades and maybe even the black out curtains in the PM. Our living room and bedrooms have southwestern exposure, which is usually a wonderful thing, except on hot summer days. Black out curtains are one of my must-haves for the home: they keep the bedroom dark to promote better sleep, and they keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by providing an additional layer of insulation. I’ve been using these for 4+ years now, and they’ve held up very well through two moves and three apartments.
• Drinking lots and lots of water. Staying hydrated is always a good idea, but even more critical on hot days! I aim for at least 8-oz every hour, and switch between tea (or iced tea), fruit flavored soda (Spindrift is my recent favorite, better than Lacroix), and plain H2O.
• Lounging around in these. I used to scoff at bralettes as a marketing gimmick and something only teenagers would wear. But now I’m about to eat my own words. The bralettes from Lively come in dozens of different designs that appeal to a variety of tastes and come in a wide range of sizes. Many of their pieces are featured on several different models with diverse body types to show that you don’t need to be a size 0 to look good in their clothes. My personal favorite might be the Palm Lace Bralette, but I also really like the Geo Lace Bralette and the Long-Lined Lace Bralette. The Lively bralettes have become my go-to for lounging at home because:
• • They feel a million times better than traditional bras, which are pretty much the antithesis to lounging and comfort.
  • They are better than PJs or slips because I can do a lot more in these, like working out at home. And when I need to run an errand, I just throw a t-shirt or dress on and I’m good to go.
  • They are better than sports bras because they look cuter and are way easier to take off (trying to get out of a sweaty sports bra after an intense arm work is arguably one of the most frustrating things ever).
  • They are the perfect combination of pretty + comfortable + functional. I don’t know about you, but that’s a definite win in my books (and closet).

If you are interested, here’s $10 off your first order. Lively offers free shipping and return for orders of $40 and above. If you get hooked on their products there’s more good news: when you sign up for an account, every $1 you spend will get you 1 Lively Point, and every 10 Lively points get you $1 off your next purchase. TL:DR: you get 10% rewards on all orders (pretty good for a loyalty program IMO).

So why am I telling you all this? Is this post sponsored by Lively? Nope. I honestly just really like these bralettes, and I like to share things I’m obsessed with. The discount link above is provided through the Lively ambassador program. I joined the ambassador program after purchasing and repurchasing (a total of 3 orders within the last month!) from Lively and just absolutely digging everything I’ve tried. These pieces have been such a joy to wear and I’m sharing with the hope that you might fall in love with them too.

What are your plans this weekend? How’s the weather where you are? What are your favorites ways to lounge? Let me know in the comments and stay cool.