By Sarah Willcocks
So I may be getting a tad ahead of myself with my anticipation of this Summer. After all, Spring hasn’t really hit full force yet across much of the nation. Well, the glorious sunshine part hasn’t hit us yet, just the windy, rainy and apparently dust storm-y part of Spring has. I want Summer’s return already. I want to languish in a turquoise, salty pool for hours. I want Saturday arvo barbeques that run long into balmy evenings. I really want a massive cone of rainbow gelati from an ice-cream van (I swear the scoops are far more stingy now that I have allegedly “grown up”). I can, however, live without the mozzies.
Let’s indulge in the memory of an ideal luxury summer until those 49 degree scorchers come back to try and sting our skin again…
1. We are undoubtedly the world leaders when it comes to designer swimwear; Tigerlily, Jets, Seafolly, Zimmermann; we are spoilt for choice. Following the path of those illustrious labels is Colin Heaney. Swimwear seems an unexpected twist in the career of this glass blowing artist, but once you see the wearable, waterproof artwork he creates it will all fall into place. Colin has turned his intimate understanding of pattern, colour and organic forms to silk printing and now creates exotic, striking swimwear. His designs make shopping for a new cosi bearable.
2. When Sue Di Chio couldn’t find a decent beach umbrella that was both functional and chic she simply went out and started her own label, Suboo. How can you not like that kind of ingenuity? The umbrellas come in signature prints named after famous seaside destinations from Capri and St Tropez to Zanzibar and Mailbu and come with a matching carry tote.
3. A fluffy cotton beach towel is obviously an essential Summertime item, yet you don’t have to resort to the old Aussie flag, boxing kangaroo or surfboard and dolphin prints (not that there’s anything wrong with those). The Terry Rich aesthetic is all about clean lines, block colours and bold simplicity. Their towels have names that are more ritzy resort than back beach…Beluga, Catalina, Iced Coffee. This one is titled ‘Cocktail’ (I’m guessing of the strawberry daiquiri variety). How could one resist?
4. Speaking of cocktails; the easiest way to turn even the daggiest of dad-built backyard watering holes into feeling like a marina-adjacent, yacht-club pool is to have a pretty drink in hand, over-adorned with paper umbrellas and curly straws. Sweet strawberry daiquiris, sour margaritas and, naturally, pina coladas are mighty tempting on sweltering days. These shake and freeze varieties by Kick Ice Cocktails should do the trick (and they include only natural ingredients too).
5. A couple of British friends come to mind as disbelievers when we warn travelers that they ‘Must. Wear. Sunscreen. Here’. They certainly get the picture quickly though, after their first welcome to an Oz pool party. Invisible Zinc make award-winning sunscreens (the kind promoted by beauties Megan Gale and Elle McPherson) with zinc oxide, the super special key ingredient to watch out for in your sun protection lotion. They have also released this Environmental Repair Serum in a nifty roll-on pen to combat sun damage if you have been lax (please don’t be: ‘Must. Wear. Sunscreen. Here’). It is packed with antioxidants and good calming ingredients like rosehip, green tea, calendula and aloe vera. Lovely.
