COOL IT
Mary H.K. Choi’s adult fiction debut, Pool House, is a Hollywood-set family drama. Chanel Coco Beach Bucket Bag.Photographed by Matin Zad; Prop Styling by Christina Allen
You might not realize it when you’re sitting in the middle of Central Park, but New York City is a water city. More than 500 miles of coastline line the city’s shores, and when the temperatures creep up, many city dwellers head to the public beaches that line the coast. “I often think about the phrase ‘nobody owns the beach’ when I'm there,” says photographer Matin Zad of his trips to the Rockaways, where these photos were taken. The phrase can be a “reminder of how [the beach] attracts every type of person who just wants a little escape from city life.”
And no escape is complete without a good book. We don’t begrudge the kindle users—but there’s nothing quite like cracking the spine of a new novel, the lapping waves offering the purest white noise soundtrack there is. But how to get your beach read to your destination? We have some suggestions—classy bags for classy books, some of the summer’s best.
PAST PERFECT
Maggie O’Farrell, riding high on Hamnet acclaim, publishes her new novel this summer, set in Ireland in the years of the Great Famine. Alaïa Le Pochon fishnet bag.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
COCO MANGO CHERRY
Andrew Sean Greer’s Villa Coco will bring the flavor of an Italian idyll to your summer reading. Miu Miu Bucket Bag.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
SANDSCAPE
A sweeping tale of friendship and artistic collaboration, Dave Egger’s Contrapposto envelops the reader with its intricate plot. Staud Jewel Bucket Bag. D&G Solid Perfume. YSL Cushion Foundation.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
CAN I KICK IT
Shannon Garvey’s June Baby takes place on Block Island, over the course of one transformative summer. Graf Lantz Fishnet Bag. Tory Burch Bag Charm.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
LOOK OUT!
Imogen Crimp’s Give Me Everything You’ve Got is a seductive story featuring a young filmmaker, Ruby, who is invited to a famous director's country estate. Loewe Braid Basket Bag.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
MAIDEN VOYAGE
If you’ve never read Homer’s epic, maybe this is the summer to dip into this new edition of The Odyssey—bragging rights before the Christopher Nolan film comes out! Tory Burch Chain Mesh Tote, Loewe Beach Towel, Rive Droite Saint Laurent Donut Float. Tory Burch Sublime Shimmer Oil. Clinique Lip and Cheek. Westman Atelier HydroBalm Tinted Lipstick.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
MELLOW YELLOW
Sofia Montrone’s Nymph is a sultry, queer coming-of-age romance set in rural Italy. The Attico Via Del Mare Tote Bag. Emi Jay Big Effing Clip in Tortoise Hibiscus.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
ON THE FENCE
No waffling needed here: Go ahead and pick up the latest from Sigrid Nunez (best known for her beloved novel The Friend)—the first short story collection of her decades-long career. Saint Laurent Bucket Bag. La Bonne Brosse Small Brush N02.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
BEAD IT
Benny B. Peterson’s debut, set against the Washington, D.C., indie music scene, offers a fresh new beat in fiction set in the nation’s capitol. Staud Sea Glass Bag. Marc Jacobs Born Star Cream-to-Powder Long-Wear Eyeshadow. Ultra Violette Vibrant Screen SPF 50.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
FEEL FREE
Does anything top the feeling of getting out of a sandy suit? Zinzi Clemmon’s essay collection Freedom celebrates myriad forms of liberation. Fendi Mamma Baguette.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
LAST LOOK
Nothing gets left behind when packed in a Proenza Schouler Days Mesh Carryall.
Prop Styling by Christina Allen
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