It’s summer! My favorite season of the year. As I finished my last pop up shop, I’m thinking of how to take a full advantage of the season. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to take an overseas vacation this year, but there are still things we can do to enjoy the weather. 

Make a summer activity list

I do this with my kids. I ask them to create a list of things they want to do during the months of July and August. Here are a few from their list…

• Go to the beach at least once with a new bathing suit (the previous one was too small, so I expanded the size by adding the three bars on the sides).
• Have a party with fireworks at local park (unfortunately all the major public fireworks shows (hanabi taikai) are canceled because of the pandemic).
• Eat italian ice (Japanese version).
• Go to piglet cafe
• Eat watermelon! 

Wear Things You Can Only Wear in the Summer. 

One good thing about Tokyo summer is that the temperature is hot and stable. In the other parts of the world, there is a huge temperature fluctuation from day to night. In such places, you need to be prepared for cooler nights. But here, no such problem. It stays hot and muggy from dusk till dawn! Some might hate this but I think of it as an advantage. You can wear a cropped top and shorts regardless of the time. I made a bunch of cropped tops recently. Here are a few I added to my online shop. They are all made of reclaimed kimono fabric. 

Make A Summer Reading List

I was exclusively an old fashioned paper books reader until recently. But a few months ago  I bought a Kindle Paperwhite. I started studying French and it was easier and cheaper to find e-books on a kindle. I was skeptical at first but now I’m hooked. The Kindle books do not tire my eyes and the built-in dictionary is very helpful! I’m working off of this list, as all of the books listed are public domain, which means they are free! I’ve already finished “L’Enfer’, “Le Grand Meaulnes” and “Le Mystere de la chambre jaune” (the mystery of yellow room), and am on to “Le Diable au corps”. I am also reading Wolf Hall in English. If you have any recommendations of either English or French books, please comment below!  

Update Summer Accessories 

I made this bag using plastic circle handles and obi fabric. To my surprise plastic handles are perfect for the summer, as you can easily wipe off sweat. I’ve also updated my jewelry collection with this gold chain pegasus necklace and handmade beads choker, using the beads laying around in my sewing stash. I often check out Valeria Lipovetsky’s jewelry line to get ideas on how to layer jewelry!