shopping

The Essential Wardrobe: 10 of the Best Beach Towels

Apart from the perfect black bikini, there's one beach-kit essential that will set you apart from the back-packing crowds — a stylish beach towel.

Apart from the perfect black bikini, there's one beach-kit essential that will set you apart from the back-packing crowds  a stylish beach towel. We know it can be tempting to just keep 'borrowing' those kiddies sized ones from your mum, or nicking your flatty's when she's out  but trust us when we say that shelling out for one quality, designer-name sand-rug is worth it in the long run. Soft, thick, luxurious 100% cotton is the only way to go, but you can choose your own adventure with graphic prints, classic seas-side stripes or tongue-in-cheek slogans. With this top ten edit, your (beach) bum will be the most stylishly parked on the sand. Guaranteed. 

summer

Editors' Picks: The Last Days of Summer

We don't want to alarm you, but there are a mere four weeks of Summer left.

We don't want to alarm you, but there are a mere four weeks of Summer left. Yup. Before you know it we'll be talking about Winter trends, how to layer, and getting knee deep in coat/boot/knitwear shopping galleries. In an effort to squeeze the absolute most out of our Summer wardrobes, we're going to hold-tight to those items that you can really only wear when it's stinking hot outside. Keep-a-clicking to see what end-of-season buys the Sugar editors are making while they still can. 

Hair

Give Yourself a Mid-Season Beauty Tune-Up

Easy, care-free beauty is something to look forward to in the Summer, but becoming delinquent with your daily upkeep can cause your hair and skin to go from glowing to dull very quickly.

Easy, care-free beauty is something to look forward to in the Summer, but becoming delinquent with your daily upkeep can cause your hair and skin to go from glowing to dull very quickly. Luckily, it's easy to breathe life back into your routine with a few simple steps. Give yourself a seasonal tune-up with these beauty-saving products, after the jump.

summer

Cash or Credit: Matte Bronzing Powder On Every Budget

Dewy skin has been popular of late, but come the hottest days of Summer, sometimes you just want to go matte — right?

Dewy skin has been popular of late, but come the hottest days of Summer, sometimes you just want to go matte — right? Matte-look skin is one-dimensional in the sense that the skin doesn't necessarily "pop", but it's a clean makeup look and one that gives that faux contoured look when applied correctly. The key is to start very slow, and build. Dip your brush on the palette, tap excess, and lightly move in a circular motion around all the highest points of your face and along the jawline. We've got five, firm favourites (go on, say that five times fast), and there's one at every price point.

skincare

3 SPF Tips to Get You Through the Hot Days

The hot days of Summer have arrived with temperatures set to soar above 40°C in Sydney today.

The hot days of Summer have arrived with temperatures set to soar above 40°C in Sydney today. And with the sun blazing and humidity rising, skin can sometimes take a beating, especially if your SPF is out of whack. But with a few sunscreen strategies on hand, hopefully your biggest worry will be limited to what flavour margarita to get while dining al fresco. Get three sun protection tips when you read more.

summer

5 Post-Swim Beauty Fixes

You've been living out all your mermaid fantasies in and out of the water this Summer, but perhaps your body is suffering from chlorine overload (or salt saturation) as a result.

You've been living out all your mermaid fantasies in and out of the water this Summer, but perhaps your body is suffering from chlorine overload (or salt saturation) as a result. Spending time at the pool or beach can wear down your hair, skin, and nails. If you follow these simple steps after your next dip, though, then you'll be sure to elude beauty disaster. Find out how to erase red eye, revive chipped polish, and more when you keep reading.

Victoria's Secret

Bikini Inspiration, Courtesy of Victoria's Secret Swim Campaign

It's getting hot in here!

It's getting hot in here! It's got nothing to do with the current heatwave — and more to do with the just-released Victoria's Secret swim catalogue for 2013. Candice Swanepoel may have landed the all important cover (again), but there are cameos from Erin Heatherton, Behati Prinsloo, Lais Ribeiro and Sara Sampaio too. Australian snapper Russell James captured the girls doing their thing in Turks and Caicos Island as well as the sizzling sands of Miami. The teeny tiny bikinis are pretty sexy, but we've got to admit that it's these girls' killer swimsuit bods that are really the centrepiece of this smokin' look book. Your gym-spiration awaits! Images courtesy of Victoria's Secret and Fashion Gone Rogue.

shopping

Fab's Fast Five: Hot Buys to Beat the Heat Wave

Kinda hot outside, huh?

Kinda hot outside, huh? The national heat wave that is set to stick around until at least early next week, so we thought we should give you some tips for surviving the soaring temperatures in style. The key is to pick natural fibres that will let you breathe, so step away from anything in a polyester, viscose or lycra mix. Light-weight cotton, linen or silk will keep you cooler, and looser-cut styles are best as they won't cling if you happen to sweat, sorry — perspire in the sun. Team with a flat strappy sandal and plonk yourself in under the air conditioner coz it's going to be a long, hot Summer!

trends

Shoe Stalking: The Footwear Stars of Summer

Feel like a spot of shoe-shopping?
The Best Summer Shoe Trends: Snoop Our Footwear Report on the Hottest Sandals, Heels and Sneakers to Wear This Summer!

Feel like a spot of shoe-shopping? Well, we've been taking notes on biggest Summer footwear trends to hit the streets and the red carpet, quite literally, on the feet of our favourite celebrities during the northern hemisphere's warmer months. Consider this bit of shoe stalking your guide to the biggest footwear trends of the season to come — and the style setters who made them famous. There are, of course, the obvious seasonal favourites like espadrilles and understated sandals, but we also watched a few stand-outs rise to the top; Givenchy's ankle-strap heels may just have been the silhouette of choice for fashion fixtures and Hollywood style stars, while high-tops and ankle boots from Isabel Marant rounded out every cool-girl's Summer wardrobe. Click on to see the celebs who rocked our favourite footwear, then hit the post-Christmas sales!