Essentially Spring

Photos by TheKevinJ. YES! It's about time the weather warmed up. I can't believe how incredible its been outside the past few days. After all the cold temperatures post-cherry blossom bloom, I can finally throw my winter clothing back into storage and exchange heavy jackets for crop tops and sneakers.I pulled together recent purchases/necessities I found myself grabbing more than usual when sunny skies filled the district. Here's a few of my favorites:

• S'well bottle: Funny story. I bought this as a Christmas gift for a friend and after he raved about how great it was, Justin and I felt a slight hint of jealousy and ended up buying it for each other as Valentines Day gifts. A few days later, Hypebeast featured the new line and we knew it was a great purchase. Who knew how great it would be to come back to a cold water bottle despite leaving it in a heat-filled car? Don't doubt this beauty and be sure to add it to your summer necessities as it begins to heat up.
• Hello Kitty: My mom travelled to Hawaii and after receiving numerous jealousy texts and sad emojis, she brought back the cutest kitty that sits amongst my collection of travel babies. Who doesn't love a cute pineapple? Pintrill also released a fun tropical pin that matches perfectly with this plush.
• Kendra Scott Earrings: These "Elle" drop earrings from Nordstrom can be used for both day and night. I love how simplistic the stone is and its edges add just the perfect amount of boldness ideal for any outfit. Kendra Scott recently opened a location near my home, which prompted my interest in the jewelry line. The company offers a variety of preppy to simple pieces making it perfect for any kind of woman.
• Amaze Express: Thanks to a sample from Express, I found a new scent to add to my wardrobe. This perfume offers notes of honeysuckles, apple blossoms, grapefruits, orchids and a pinch of jasmine. The scent adds the perfect hint of floral to the finishing touches onto any outfit. Pick this up easily at your local mall, or purchase it online.
• Kylie Lip Kit: Yes, I am a Kardashian-Jenner follower. After fellow peers raved about how amazing this liquid lipstick fell onto their lips, I needed to try it. I ended up purchasing three colors: Dolce K, Candy K and Koko K (thanks to a bit of help from my sister, Jenna, and my boyfriend, Justin). Don't be fooled, this product is worth the $30 spend since it includes both lipstick and lip liner that pair with each other. Do you keep missing the restock. Purchase Kylie Jenner's app to receive on-demand notifications.
• Anti Social Social Club cap: Don't mind my obsession with this brand. I actually found this company more than a year ago, but recently the hype gained (Kim Kardashian, Cara Delevingne and Wiz Khalifia brought attention) and Justin follows its every move from new releases to restocks. Pieces can be difficult to purchase a retail value, but if you look at any Instagram post, you can find tons of resellers. Thankfully, I bought everything at its original price.

As for my playlist, I listen to TWENTY88's album to commemorate my obsession with Jhené Aiko, along side "The Life of Pablo." I also added a hint of Gallant, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Kid Cudi.Let me know what your summer essentials include and how you're spending time outside!Thank you to Express for sponsoring this post! Photos by TheKevinJ.