I’ve always thought of July as the heart of summer. The middle of the oreo. The best and steamiest part of a love scene. It’s one of the most precious parts of summer. The only month you can really settle into because it is tightly book-ended by two other glorious summer months. Because of this, I feel like I am always living in the present, which is a rarity. If July would be a day of the week it would be Saturday, my absolute favorite day. For the majority of this month, we celebrate the Cancers of the zodiac. A sign that is ruled by the element of water and also deeply emotional and intuitive. This is an important month to stay kind and nurturing to those around us while we aim to feed our creativity and not our fears.

July is usually filled with sticky BBQs and lazy days at the cabin, summer nights out on the town, hosting friends over for dinner, or drinking wine with your best girlfriends on the patio. Which is fitting because this month at Wit & Delight our editorial theme is all about unplugging and getting outside. Whether that be camping, hosting a bonfire party, or just going for a walk with a good friend. As Ralph Waldo Emerson would say, it’s time to “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”

Here are a few must-have items we think will help you enjoy summer to the fullest!

Disposable camera

A good book (The Rules Do Not Apply by Arial Levey)

The perfect beach throw

A new pair of sunnies

A comfortable, yet irresistible, sundress

Fresh journal – W&D’s Thoughts and Things Journal

Vintage jean shorts

What are you up to this July and how are you enjoying the heat and heart of summer? Are you interested in being featured on the blog? Submit your best stories to stefani@witanddelight.com of how you are unplugging and getting outside this season. At the end of July, I will choose a contributor submission that best fits this month’s theme to publish on Wit & Delight. Please submit your stories by July 15 for consideration!

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Stefani Hodzic is the Editorial Director at Wit & Delight. When she’s not feverishly editing or writing about style and interiors, she runs her bohemian shop  Arden Trading Co. where she sells artisan-made home goods. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband Muhamed.