26 Things That Basically Scream Summer
Scream sing it with me — ♫ What time is it??? Summertime ♫
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A retro-chic bikini that over 4,000 reviewers love and that just might become your favorite suit of all time.
Promising review: "I wish I could give this six stars! To my curvy people, this bathing suit is an absolute must! I'm about to buy it in every color it's so perfect! The quality feels super expensive, and the colors are vibrant and just straight-up stunning." —HoneyEyes0012
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in women's sizes sizes S-4XL and in 13 prints; get it in solid colors here).
2. A delightful ice cream sandwich-shaped beach blanket ready to ~chip~ in and add an extra ~sprinkle~ of joy to an outdoor day.
3. The NYX Ultimate eyeshadow palette, which features 16 bold hues, because I personally believe that bland neutral colors should be left behind with the cold weather.
Promising review: "This is one of my all-time favorite palettes. I don't have a lot of money to spend on makeup, but I wanted a colorful palette that gave me a good value and was decent quality. I'm really happy with this one — I use a primer on my lids to keep the shadow in place, and it stays pretty well all day and even into the next morning. The colors are BRIGHT and I always get compliments. They also blend well." —Lindsay Mayer
Get it from Amazon for $17.97 (available in three color combinations), and get some highly-rated primer to use with it for $5.99.
4. Handmade beaded flamingo statement earrings that are just plain fabulous as ~flock~.
These beauties are from a Black woman-owned business!
Get them from The Tiny Tassel for $30.
5. An effortlessly stylish spaghetti strap sundress, which may cause uncontrollable twirling.
It's got over 2,000 positive reviews! Check out BuzzFeed's full write-up on this beauty.
Promising review: "If you've heard good things about this dress, they're true! I'm one of those people who never writes reviews. I found this dress through a BuzzFeed article and couldn't resist the white sunflower one. The material is stretchy and just fits your body so well. I didn't have any problems with it being see-through while I was wearing light grey underwear. The length is cute, it hugs you in the right spots, and the buttons are fake so they stay uniform all the way down. It's stretchy across the back of the bodice, so bigger-chested people would love this. My mom and I have completely different body types and the large fits us both amazingly! I'm definitely going to try to order as many prints as I can!" —Courtney Clark
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in women's sizes S-XXL and in 38 colors and prints).
6. OMG-worthy mermaid tail drink floats just begging to be ~part of your world~ this summer.
Get a set of two from Amazon for $10.65.
7. Or a rainbow drink float that can basically work as a whole dang bar and will make any pool day more colorful.
There are tons of uses for this — you can also use it as a centerpiece or for festively serving food on dry land, or to hold your essentials when you're just chilling in the pool.
Promising review: "This is a great pool accessory! It’s perfect for holding our drinks, sunscreen, and waterproof phones. It stays balanced and hasn’t tipped over." —Lauren E
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
8. Kan Jam, an easy-to-set-up game to bust your family's backyard boredom this season. Trust me, the competition can get HEATED.
My family has played this in the yard for years. I do not personally partake because I have an irrational (?) fear of Frisbees, but my cousins are OBSESSED.
The set comes with two flying disks, instructions, and two goals that can be unfolded, so they're very portable.
Promising review: "My nephews introduced me to this game and it is FUN! It's a team game, so it's fun to get the whole family involved. Basically, you have one member from each team by one of the goals while the other member stands on the other side of the field and throws the frisbee trying to score. The teammate close to the goal basket hits the disk to help it either go inside or touch the basket in order to get points for their team. Then that team member throws it back, attempting to do the same thing. The number of points each toss gets depends on if the Frisbee goes into the basket without help, with help, or touches the basket with or without help. This is a great game for summer!" —A to Z for Moms Like Me
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in five designs).
9. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Soft Waves sea salt hair spray, a beachy banana-scented formula that'll make your locks look like you just got back from a fabulous surfing excursion, when really you just forced yourself out of bed on a Monday morning after snoozing your alarm six times.
It's made with aloe extract to help your hair stay moisturized and soft!
Promising review: "I use this every time I wash my hair. I live in a very hot, humid climate so drying my hair with a blow dryer just isn't happening. This leaves my hair soft and wavy with a wonderful smell." —RayeG
Get it from Target for $5.64.
10. A truly genius corn on the cob-buttering knife that'll make enjoying the single best summer food (don't @ me) way less of a mess. Also, imperfect butter-to-corn ratio is one of my biggest BBQ pet peeves, so I'd be very glad to kiss that goodbye.
You can use the cool shape of the knife to slice off the end of a stick of butter or scoop some out of a tub. Plus, it's top-rack dishwasher-safe!
Promising review: "This is one of those things you didn’t know you needed until you try it. I hate buttering corn on the cob! It's messy, butter falls off the knife, etc. This genius little thing makes it easy. Love it!" —Christa
Get a set of two from The Grommet for $13.95.
11. An insulated Baby Yoda cooler tote, because while The Child is seasonless, the need to keep your drinks and snacks (frogs?) cool is very much a Right Now problem.
The liner is water-resistant and the tote can fit up to 24 cans!
Get it from ShopDisney for $39.99.
12. A quirky-cute flip flop bottle opener here to help you enjoy sand-all your summer drinks ASAP.
Get it from Amazon for $3.99.
13. A super affordable and soft tank top with enough structure that it works for work or play, so go ahead and pick up multiple colors and make them your summer uniform.
Promising review: "These tops are so cute! They're soft and flowy. The material is nicer than I expected and looks nice enough to wear to work under cardigans or blazers, but could also be a casual look, too. They're true to size. If you are between sizes and/or less busty, I would size down. The arm holes aren't as big as they look in the picture, so no worries that your bra is going to show!" —Suzi
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in women's sizes S-XXL and in 27 colors and prints).
14. A sheet of handmade Harry Styles stickers, featuring plenty of references to the top contender for song of the summer, "Watermelon Sugar."
Check out more great Black womxn-owned Etsy shops like this one!
Get them from StylishSista on Etsy for $4+ (available in matte or glossy).
15. Distressed, edgy acid-washed denim shorts to make all your fave graphic tees 90-degree-weather-ready.
Reviewers say they run large!
Get them from Forever 21 for $22.99+ (available in sizes 12-18 and in two colors).
16. A glittery unicorn beach ball, because the only thing better than the feeling of hitting a beach ball with a perfect serve? RAINBOW UNICORNS, of course.
17. Some classic cocktail umbrellas to ensure your drinks and snacks are all made in the shade.
Get a box of 144 from Amazon for $7.49.
18. Rainbow-soled Keds for anyone who's looking to upgrade their basic white sneakers. These babies are ready to get down to ROYGBIV-ness.
19. Glittery pineapple-shaped earrings that'll bromeli-add an extra tropical touch to any ensemble.
Promising review: "I thought I needed these in my life and I was right!!! I've worn these twice and I gotten complimented by literally EVERYONE. My guy friends, girlfriends, therapy clients, hosts at restaurants, and even bank tellers and people at the grocery store! They are sparkly and adorable, they don’t look cheap, the stones are well-secured against falling out, and they’re lightweight. They’re a fun addition to any summer outfit or even a playful juxtaposition to a black winter ensemble." —Kate Christensen
Get them from Amazon for $9.99.
20. A super summery sand mold set (say that three times fast) in a silly shark drawstring bag that's jaws-t the thing for the sandbox enthusiast in your life.
Get the backpack plus six molds from Target for $8.
21. A shakeable infusion pitcher, because while I love a delicious fruit-infused beverage any time of the year, it feels particularly appropriate on a 92-degree July day.
It's got a removable middle compartment you can fill with the fruits and veggies of your choice. Plus, it's BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and has a leak-proof lid.
Get it from BuzzFeed's Goodful line, exclusively at Macy's for $28.99.
22. A cruelty-free and vegan pastel and glitter nail polish trio, because your typical red or neutral mani can wait till fall. Time for fun colors and sparkle!!!
These beauties are from a Queer-owned beauty brand and are 7-free, which means they're free of seven common polish chemicals like formaldehyde and phthalates.
Promising review: "I love these three polishes, together or separately. Really fun colors that look great. I've layered the glitter polish on top of the pink and it looked really cute. I also did a look with each nail a different shade; that looked good too! Great coverage and long lasting." —Chloe T.
Get a set of three from Fluide for $30 (originally $45).
23. A giant inflatable mermaid pool volleyball set sure to ~serve~ up some fun, ~bump~ up your mood, and ~set~ you up for an awesome pool day you'll tell ~tails~ of for summers to come.
It comes with an inflatable net (with holes on the side that can be filled with water to help hold it still) and ball — perfect for folks like me who are always afraid of getting smacked in the face. This inflatable version would hurt wayyyyy less than a real volleyball! The package also includes a patch for repairs.
Promising review: "Amazing! My daughter is obsessed with this pool volleyball net. The mermaid tails are super cute and it’s very big!" —Jacqueline G.
Get it from Sunnylife for $40 or Amazon for $46 (also available in a palm tree version).
24. A trendy beaded pineapple mini tote that all your canvas totes from summers past will look at with pure envy.
Get it from Francesca's for $19.98 (originally $54).
25. A Mickey ears ice cream cone personal fan ~ear~ to cool you off and keep you smiling even on the most sauna-like days.
Get it from ShopDisney for $14.99.
26. And finally, the giant pool flamingo of your dreams, which doesn't actually require a Taylor Swift Fourth of July Party-level budget.
Ahhh, remember the good old days of Taylor throwing celeb pool parties? Simpler times. Anywho, my family has one just like this (I do believe it's the exact same one but my mom found it at the grocery store lol). Her name is Janice and she is huge. Like two-adults-can-easily-fit-on-her, she-is-actually-comfy, you-could-read-a-book-or-take-a-nap-or-have-a-drink-on-her HUGE. The handles are great for getting on her and floating around, and she feels very sturdy and durable. This is our second summer with her, and she's definitely an upgrade from the awesome-but-smaller Janice #1 floaty flamingo we used to have.
Promising review: "I named her Rizzo the pink lady, and I love her. I didn't realize, until my husband pointed out the dimensions post-purchase, that this float if huge! I'm 5-foot-10 and I easily fit on this thing! Two people my size would easily fit. She's perfect for sunbathing. My nephews are obsessed, and she took a beating with all three of them leaping on her, but held up great." —Kara Q
Get it from Amazon for $40.15.
All of us after seeing these products:
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.