Girls' Life magazine

Go into any grocery store/airport/mall and it’s almost impossible to believe that just three years ago the entire world basically shut down. Team GL was just about done with our June/July 2020 issue when it dawned on us that the pages and pages of sun ‘n’ fun content we’d been working on for months were suddenly about to feel, well, really, really off. As we scrapped our hard work, donned our masks and scrambled to find hand sanitizer, I wondered if there would ever be a time when we’d all feel “normal” again. While I certainly don’t want to come off as cavalier about the human (or financial) cost of the COVID crisis, it’s safe to say that moment when we can all be like, “remember that? That was weird…

Once upon a time, there was a shy little girl in Georgia who loved singing along to Disney DVDs (as one did in the early 2000s) and daydreaming about becoming a seafaring songstress like Ariel from The Little Mermaid. And in a turn of events fit for a fairy tale, that little girl would grow up to be part of that world and actually *become* Ariel (at least on the big screen) in a ground-breaking live-action film, in theaters May 26. That little girl? Halle Bailey (now 23), who says she identified with Ariel from the start. Not because of the animated character’s aesthetic (you know, the red locks, blue eyes and milky skin tone), but because of her fierceness and determination. “Ariel was my princess when I was younger,” Halle…

YOU DON’T HAVE A SHOT BY RACQUEL MARIE FEIWEL & FRIENDS, $20 Star athlete Vale knows one thing all too well: This summer is her last shot to prove she can play collegiate soccer. The only catch? Vale and her longtime rival Leticia are going to have to work together as co-captains of their camp team to secure that chance. Fans of She Drives Me Crazy will fall head over cleats. CHLOE AND THE KAISHAO BOYS BY MAE COYIUTO G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS BFYR, $19 Chloe Liang has her future all planned out: leave the Philippines to study at a top American university, become an amaze animator and live happily ever after. But when her dad sets her up with an unexpected love interest, Chloe suddenly has a reason to stick…

Do BRING OUT YOUR INNER BOLD FLIRT. Nothing says summer quite like partying by the pool, and nothing says “I’m interested in summer dating you” like flirting by the pool. Actually, scratch that—nothing says “I’m interested in summer dating you” like flirting *in* the pool. Channel your inner Belly Conklin and make this your personal “The Summer I Turned the Pool Into My Flirting Domain.” Don’t BE AFRAID TO PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE. Just the idea of being real and vulnerable with your crush can feel like a literal, physical weight bearing down on you. Trust us, we know it seems way easier to just smoosh down those feelings and keep them to yourself—but this is definitely one of those “no pain, no gain” situations in life. Be the Gina…

What’s your summertime aesthetic? Choose one (or all of them!) and we’ll show you everything you need to nail the look. Smash “add to cart,” then become the summer queen you’ve always been destined to be. Candy-colored anything calls your name, you’ve never met a pink-hued filter you didn’t love and you definitely know which Disney princess you are. Your idea of fun in the sun is an Instagram-friendly pool float and a mani to match. Sweet. Just like you.…

CLASSIC FOR A REASON Prep is anything but stuffy when you style it like this. A cropped, hot pink polo with a contrasting kelly green collar and stripes, a coordinating golf-course ready bucket hat and shortie gingham shorts take this look from caddy cutie to poolside perfection. IT’S A WHOLE VIBE Sure, you could wear a “swim cover-up.” But you could also wear a tropical, brushstroke-print bikini with a matching blazer and drawstring pants and top it all off with strappy sandals. No pressure or anything, but you know which one we’d tell you to choose, right? PRETTY IN PINKS This is California Dreams Barbiecore in full force. We love the baby pink cropped tank, pastel printed pedal pushers and an accessory pack every kindergartener would open a lemonade stand…