Picnicking—from families to fashionistas, it’s everyone’s favorite summer activity. Whether you choose to do it in the city or the countryside, what you wear is just as important as what you pack to eat and drink. After all, those Instagram posts aren’t going to style themselves. Drawing inspiration from some of our favorite spots around the globe, we pulled together four distinct outfits and accessories perfect for dining alfresco, minus the chairs. We tapped Abbe Wright, editor of Read it Forward, to provide us with synopses on some of summer’s must-read tomes.
Cote d'Ivoire
For picnickers with a penchant for the exotic, we came up with a look inspired by the French-speaking West African country Cote d’Ivoire. Shorts in a jungle print paired with off-the-shoulder stripes and a Panama hat will turn heads on both a grassy field in Central Park or a tropical paradise far, far away. Top by Topshop, shorts by & Other Stories, espadrilles by ASOS, wine tote by Mark and Graham, hat by Cuyana, cooler by Crate & Barrel.
What to read:
Here and Gone by Haylen Beck
A mother of two young children escapes her abusive husband in New York and drives West with her children in tow, careful to stay on the back roads to avoid Child Protective Services who may be looking for them. Outside of a small town in Arizona, Audra is pulled over by a shady local sheriff, who takes her into custody over some trumped-up drug possession charges. Her children are taken to a safe place by another officer, but when she’s thrown in the jail cell, begging to know where her children are, the sheriff looks at her and says, “What children? There were no children in the back seat when I picked you up.” This psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat and is a must read for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. Nab it here.
Cinque Terre
There are very few places in the world prettier or more magical than the Italian fishing villages of Cinque Terre. As we focused on its pastels and dramatic cliff sides, we were drawn to ultra-feminine pieces, like this flowy floral dress perfect for a dreamy daytime date. Gold slides and a retro picnic basket complete the fairytale vibe. Dress by H&M, sandals by Free People, blanket by Amara, wine key by Vinotemp, glass by World Market, basket by Lands’ End.
What to read:
White Fur by Jardine Libaire
Jardine Libaire’s searing, sexy novel is like Romeo and Juliet meets Bright Lights, Big City. Even though Elise Perez and Jamey Hyde are next-door neighbors in New Haven, CT, the two are from entirely different worlds. Jamey is a trust-fund baby who is expected to graduate from Yale and go into investment banking and Elise grew up in a housing project to a single mother and never graduated from high school. But when the two meet, their connection is electric. Despite his family’s warnings, Elise and Jamey move to Manhattan together and—as one might expect from a tale of star-crossed lovers—a bad night leaves the two clinging to their love and their lives. Shop it here.
Big Sur
California’s central coast is equal parts bohemian and romantic (BoRo?). For a look that pays homage to that sensibility, we pulled together textured pieces in colorful prints that beg to be mixed and matched. Don’t forget playful accessories with embroidered details and a cutesy basket to transport your kombucha and tarot cards. Dress by Mango, scarf by Caslon, sandals by indigo rd., plates by Target, basket by World Market, blanket by Gunn & Swain
What to read:
Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki
Writer Lady Daniels decides to take a break from her husband, forcing him to move out of their glass-walled mansion high in the Hollywood Hills. However, in order to finish her memoir, she needs someone to watch over her toddler Devin, and Seth, her mute eighteen-year-old son from a previous marriage. Enter S (née Esther), a recent college grad and budding artist, who applies for the babysitting gig. As the summer wears on, S proves to be a good nanny to Devin and she and Lady form an odd, co-dependent friendship. But there are cracks in the foundation: S embarks on a dangerous art project and forms an attachment to Seth—both of which threaten to tear this already-fractured family further apart. Buy yours here.
Nantucket
Plaids and stripes, navy and whites—that about sums up the style of this ultra-preppy Massachusetts island. A color-blocked espadrille is the perfect finishing touch for the off-duty outfit, while a traditional East Coast picnic basket is the ideal carryall for all those fancy culinary essentials, like aged cheese, stuffed olives, and (without even a hint of irony) Grey Poupon. Pants by American Eagle, top by Cuyana, shoes by & Other Stories, blanket by Amazon, wooden dice by Crate & Barrel, basket by Macy's
What to read:
I’ll Eat When I’m Dead by Barbara Bourland
When fashion editor Hillary Whitney is found dead in a windowless conference room in the chic New York City offices of RAGE fashion book, it’s assumed the cause of death is related to starvation, a side effect of the unrelenting pressure to be thin. But when hunky NYPD detective Mark Hutton discovers a note of warning in Hillary’s hand, sent before her death, he reopens the case and sets out to discover if something more underhanded is at play. He teams up with RAGE senior editor Cat Ono and assistant editor Bess Bonner after the two women find some questionable beauty products in Hillary’s handbag. This debut novel by Barbara Bourland is at once a satirical skewering of the fashion industry and a thoughtful commentary on social media, ethical fashion and the impossible standards of beauty that women are held to. Pick it up here.
—A.Z. + A.W.
* To read more about Read It Forward, tap the pin at the top of the article.
