We don’t know about you, but we’re itching for a beach day. So badly, in fact, that even though it’s not quite beach weather yet, we just couldn’t help ourselves from asking a handful of our cabi Executive Team which beach bag items they simply cannot live without. Whether you’re lucky enough to live in a climate where you can already enjoy the sand between your toes or if you’re longingly looking ahead a few weeks to warmer weather, you’ll want to take note of these must-haves. They’re also giving us their destination recommendations, what they’re currently reading, and their go-to summer activities!
Sharing their lists with us today are Chief Culture Officer Syd Ryan, Chief Marketing Officer Katie Malone, Chief Design Officer Kat Woodside, Senior VP of Field Strategy and cabi Stylist Cheryl Higgins, and Executive Fashion Director Becky Jantzen, President. We love knowing what these fashionable women are up to in the summertime. And that’s not all, they even put together a summer playlist just for you. Put this on and you can practically smell the salty breeze.
What’s one style from the Spring 2021 Collection that you’ll be taking to the beach?
The Pacific Top. I just love getting it in a bigger size so it works as the perfect cover-up!
What three things do you keep in your beach bag?
Beach Chair – Okay, this may not be in my beach bag, but I always keep one in the back of my car in case an opportunity arises to grab a beach moment.
Flip Flops – I always need a chic pair of flip flops that are perfect for the beach or walking around town!
Sunglasses – You can’t go wrong with a classic pair of tortoise glasses.
Do you have a favorite beach you love going to and why?
I grew up in San Diego and my beach was 22nd Street in Del Mar, it is still my absolute favorite! But, I’ve lived in Los Angeles for decades now and our family beach is RAT beach (that’s what the locals call it…it means Right After Torrance). It’s just perfect for swimming, body surfing, and paddle boarding.
What book will you be reading at the beach?
Kristin Hannah’s new book, The Four Winds and Jon Acuff’s Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking.
What is one activity you love doing in summer and why?
Paddle boarding on the lakes in the Grand Tetons where you can paddle forever and not see another soul…except maybe a moose!
What’s one style from the Spring 2021 Collection that you’ll be taking to the beach?
I just love wearing the Midsummer Dress as a cover-up!
What three things do you keep in your beach bag?
Neutrogena Sunscreen – Always a classic! Keeps my skin feeling fresh and soft, and I really love the light feel.
Eric Javits Hat – I invested in this hat about five years ago and have used it obsessively ever since! I know it’s expensive, but I have worn it so much it’s worth every penny.
Havaiana Flip Flops – These are so comfy and so cute! Easy to slip on and off once you get to the sand.
Do you have a favorite beach you love going to and why?
I always take the kids to Huntington Beach because we can ride our bikes from our house!
What book will you be reading at the beach?
Right now I am reading The Power of Others by Henry Cloud (again!) and No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame—not exactly beach reads, but I don’t have much time to read these days so I often like to read books that are relevant to what is going on at work and home (and yes, at home, I currently have a very defiant three-year-old. Who says the twos are terrible? It’s threes that are tough!).
What is one activity you love doing in summer and why?
Riding bikes with my kids on the paths down in Crystal Cove, then stopping at Beachcomber Café for lunch and their famous Beignets!
What’s one style from the Spring 2021 Collection that you’ll be taking to the beach?
The Perfect Wrap. It’s so easy to keep open and wear as a cover-up, and then just wear it as a dress if you want to head over to a restaurant after a day at the beach.
What three things do you keep in your beach bag?
Tanner Goods Sunscreen – Isn’t that everyone’s must-have for the beach? Not just any sunscreen—it MUST have zinc oxide. This is my favorite because you can use it on the face and the body.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – This is my current fave (PS it isn’t just for sleeping). It keeps my lips soft in the summer sun!
Beach Hat – I always buy Janessa Leoné because her hats are exquisite, the company is LA-based, and they offer size large for my giant head. They also have packable hats so you can squish them up without them ever losing their shape. These hats last FOREVER.
Do you have a favorite beach you love going to and why?
Laguna Beach. It’s a stunning cove and it’s great going up there. Yes, you have to climb down (and up) endless stairs, but it’s like being on a gorgeous secluded island once you get there.
What book will you be reading at the beach?
David Bowie: The Oral History – I am a huge fan and love a good biography.
What is one activity you love doing in summer and why?
Living in SoCal, we can do this all year, but I do SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) more in the summer. I don’t have to wear a wetsuit, I get a killer workout in, and I can go for miles.
What’s one style from the Spring 2021 Collection that you’ll be taking to the beach?
The Midsummer Dress—it’s really the cutest beach cover-up! So easy to wear with any swimsuit.
What three things do you keep in your beach bag?
Supergoop Sunscreen SPF 40 – I love how it looks on my skin and it always just feels great. Sunscreen is a must for the beach.
Chicas Tortilla Chips – They are so yummy, and they really make the perfect salty beach snack.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray – I love this cult favorite! So cooling on a hot day at the beach.
Do you have a favorite beach you love going to and why?
Los Zacatitos, San Jose del Cabo. My mother lived there for 30 years so it holds so many memories.
What book will you be reading at the beach?
The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat.
What is one activity you love doing in summer and why?
Barbequing and playing games with my friends and family. I love laughing and connecting over good food, drinks, and games like corn hole, rummikub, and cards!
What’s one style from the Spring 2021 Collection that you’ll be taking to the beach?
The Midsummer Dress is my perfect cover-up. I will leave it open and wear with my fave cut-off Levi’s and bikini.
What three things do you keep in your beach bag?
French Girl Organics Bronzing Body Oil – I love a bronzing oil, and this one smells so good! Your skin glows and shimmers with this on, masking imperfections.
La Roche Sunscreen – This is a great face sunscreen to protect my skin without clogging pores (my skin is super sensitive and my dermatologist recommended this one). I love that it is tinted but still invisible, no milky white residue left on your skin, just you…glowing.
Beach Towel – Everyone’s got to have a cute “French towel.” In France, they don’t do terry cloth for a day at the beach (the beach clubs do), but the average person carries a soft, adorable, striped little cotton-fringed cloth to sit on. Elegance at all costs.
Do you have a favorite beach you love going to?
Yes, it’s called West Street or 1000 steps (there’s really only 183 steps, it just feels like 1000 when lugging a bunch of stuff!). I grew up going there and my mom first started going there in high school since her best friend lived across the street! It’s in Laguna Beach, California—a stunning blue water lagoon with the most gorgeous scene and shore pounding waves to ride for hours of fun.
What book will you be reading at the beach?
Anything by Agatha Christie.
What is one activity you love doing in summer and why?
I love a long bike ride along the coast to people watch at a fast pace.
Now that we’ve heard from a few of our Executives, we want to ask you the same questions? What do you pack along to the beach? Let us know your must-haves in the comments section below, and go ahead and include your favorite beachy style from the Spring 2021 Collection while you’re at it!
