Sense of Fashion: Summer is the season for totes and what goes in them

By this time in the summer, you should have all your good gear together. But just in case you’ve missed out on the best or the brightest, we’ve pulled together a quick hit list for everything you should have in your summer satchel. As for what goes into that bag, here are a couple items we found around town that tested out and proved up to the Savannah heat, sudden thunderstorm and humidity test. Smart phone clutch case First, for your smart phone plus credentials, we found that Michael Kors has the smartest around. I have the winter black snakeskin version of this wallet, and I never go downtown without it. My iPhone fits in it in a way that is usable, and all my cards fit, too. It folds into an easy snap clutch with a removable wristlet band. While talking on the phone, it folds backward and snaps close in a smart shape so your money isn’t where your mouth should be. Cheers to Michael Kors for creating this industrious design that works with color and function. Find these at Michael Kors at Tanger in Hilton Head; we found them for $80 or less if you hit a sale. Round-the-clock eyeliner BareMinerals has moved from their loose powder trademark into the market this year with some new hits. Recently, we tested these round-the-clock, waterproof eyeliners and fell in love! Each a sultry shade that is dark and dusty tand named for an hour of the day. They go on smooth but thick. We recommend touching up with an eyeliner brush to smudge and even following your first stroke. However, they last for hours and don’t fade away in this hot humid weather. At $15 each, these are a great deal since a little goes a long way. Benetint balm This item is not brand new, but there is certainly nothing like it around. Remaining a top seller from year-to-year for Benefit Cosmetics, available at Ulta for $20, we had to check it out. This is an easy benetint lip balm with the scent of rose petals and a lightweight lip tint. The tint color comes from the crushed roses, so you feel refreshed and smell like roses, too! Since it’s a tint, not a solid color, it glides on and works with your lips’ natural color to add a light shade of rosey pink. To go darker for evening, simply apply several coats. This sensible balm comes in a jar, perfect for toting, and of course includes smart sun SPF 15. Top totes And finally for toting! Last year we loved the super stiff form of the classic tote, which is how Kate Spade made our hot list. This year we see two top trends in toting so we picked favorites in each for you to consider. Hit Broughton Street for both of these items! Foldable patterns: First, we like the fact that many totes this year come in a sensible fabric that can be rolled, folded and packed away when you aren’t filling it for fun. This helps us keep organized and prepared for easy travelling, too. Top on our list of this functional favorite is our own Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Tate. This bag is soft with the logo stitching and comes in a bright-hearted pattern or a simple solid. It has outer pockets for water bottles or sunscreen and inside has a bold black-and-white pattern, which actually makes it easier to find things that have fallen to the bottom. Oversized fun: The second trend we see in toting is super sized. We found oversized totes are terrific for super-filling fun. If you’ve ever packed for more than one to hit the sun and sand, you know that really only one towel fits easily in your tote along with your essentials. These huge totes are the perfect solution. They should come with long thin straps so the bulk is not at your shoulder, but at your hip. These top totes can sit on the floor at your feet during brunch with the top reaching your seat!