Yesterday morning, all of a sudden, we were going to the beach. With my husband already waiting in the car, I threw caution to the wind and sprayed self-tanner from head to foot. I remembered the way my feet, elbows, and knees tend to come out over-tanned in dry spots, and I quickly rubbed body oil over any suspect areas. When I say the color came out PERFECTLY blended—not a streak, not a spot—I mean, perfect enough to look unstreaked and unblotchy at the beach, in broad daylight, all day long.

—Jennifer Scruby, contributing editor, Miami

This is my absolute favorite obsession for summer: vintage canvas-and-leather bags. They are just so cool-looking—part old-school professor, part Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient, part French lady from the '70s. I love that you could wear them with wide-leg jeans and a tank or a really ladylike shirtdress and they'll look equally good.

To get out of my cashmere cardigan rut, I've been looking for a little cape to wear instead. I finally found a strong contender by A.P.C., a knit version with a double row of buttons down the front that make the whole thing look a lot like a peacoat—one of my all-time favorite wardrobe staples—minus the sleeves. Even if you're a bit daunted by the thought of wearing a cape (the silhouette can get a bit dramatic at times), this one is so simple and pared-down, and throwing it on loosely over your shoulders—whether it's with broken-in cropped khakis or a colorful silk slipdress—instantly telegraphs a je ne sais quoi, gamine cool. It's classic and refined yet interesting, which, come to think of it, in a perfect world would be the common thread of every single thing I own.

Buy two bottles of Herbal Essences shampoo and/or conditioner, mail in the UPC codes, and get a voucher for a free manicure or pedicure. There are tons of participating salons all over the country—just check the website for all the details. The offer lasts until the end of the year but the sundress-and-sandal moment is happening now.

—Dawn Spinner, associate beauty editor

Something spectacular, unexpected, and a little out of character happened in my apartment over the weekend: I got kittens.

For those of you who didn't act fast enough to get a pair of those navy cotton In God We Trust shorts before they completely sold out, here's a second chance at another really cute and similar pair. In this case they come from Vena Cava, and they're a kind of dressier, more stylized version of the ones I wrote about last week. A high waist gives them a '50s pinup quality, but they're not so short nor so tight that you wouldn't want to wear them out and about. These also have a row of buttons on the side, this time in the form of squared-off gold studs. I like what the girl in this photo has going on, wearing hers with a tucked-in bright peasant blouse.

Let's face it, summer fashion can be a little blah, glamourwise.

A few weeks ago, I woke up to skin that looked like old paper. I tried several rejuvenating creams—no glow. Shimmery powder blushes: Terrible (pink crepe paper). Highlighting creams? More moist, but still not truly glowy.

Because of course, glow really comes down to skincare. When a skin product's name includes the words "Radiant Glow" or "Brightening" or sometimes the slightly dubious "Energizing," it's usually code for "Hey! I Exfoliate, But Not in a Way That Will Make Your Skin Angry." That, in turn, is code for a number of exfoliating ingredients—namely, glycolic acid, retinol, vitamin C, or various fruit acids (papaya or pineapple, most frequently). So I set off with these ingredients in mind—and discovered two skin-sloughing agents that worked: one, a twice a week (okay, fine, I did it four times a week), scrub/fruit acid peel/mask deal, the aptly named Facial Glow from the new organic British line Elemental Herbology. The instructions say to rub it into your face for three minutes, but I was way too impatient, and washed it off after a minute—and it seemed to do the glowifying trick.

Glow product #2 is this bottle of once-a-day Dr. Denese's glycolic acid pads. I dearly love the convenience of a swipey pad, and this is particularly good because you don't need to rinse your face after you put it on—just put on your face cream as usual afterward. And lo and behold, the website has automatic redelivery—which I always think is pretty neat.

—Cristina Mueller, senior beauty editor

I'm kind of terrified of boiling-hot liquids, a fear that resurfaces with every trip to Starbucks. I like the coffee (especially the new, much-hyped-but-indeed-delicious Pike Place blend), but the temperature at which they serve it seems, to me at least, rather dangerous. I usually wait at least 10 minutes for it to cool before taking a sip, and I employ those cardboard cozies they have to avoid hand scalding. I just saw that an artist named Jacqueline Dufresne has come up with a chic, imaginative alternative to those standard-issue paper sleeves, made of handknit cotton—which ends up looking like a cute little scarf for your to-go cup. I love it when something so basic and utilitarian gets a designy makeover. Coupled with a Starbucks card, this would make a really sweet gift for any caffeine-addicted friend.

Though it's still a little cold and rainy in New York, we're about to enter my absolute favorite time of the year: outdoor-socializing season.