If you’re loving the recent hike in temperatures and are craving some fun in the sun, you’re probably itching to get out there and make the most of every minute. But channeling those summer vibes depends at least partially on what you’re wearing. Head out in anything tight and uncomfortable, and the oppressive heat and sticky humidity will soon take its toll. And that’s if the fashion police don’t haul you away first for wearing an outfit that screams “summer 2019.”
You can resolve these bothersome heat issues, however – and stay one step ahead of the style watchdogs – by upgrading your summer outfits with the help of Zazzle. In the following article, we introduce some of our favorite tips for assembling midsummer outfits and point out what to take into consideration with each accessory and item of clothing. Perfect for anywhere your warm-weather agenda may take you, these summer style suggestions are destined to keep you cool, comfortable, and stylish throughout the season. You can even use what you learn here to build a capsule wardrobe (a small collection of clothing you should be able to mix and match for a variety of occasions).
So don your designer sunglasses, slip into your open-toed sandals, and apply a healthy dollop of SPF, because the heat is on.
General Summer Style Tips
Before we actually hit the shops, however, we have a few preliminary pieces of advice to dispense. Keep these general tips in mind when updating your warm weather wear, and be sure to share your own at the end of this article!
Stick to Tighter Budgets
Yes, it can be tempting to cast aside everything you bought last year in favor of several shiny new things this year. However, doing so doesn’t make good fashion – or financial – sense. Instead, elevate an old outfit by combining it with new accessories, or at least set yourself a manageable budget and maximum number of purchases. Vintage stores and thrift shops are also a way to fill out your collection sensibly and sustainably.
Create Capsule Wardrobes
Like we mentioned earlier, a capsule wardrobe is a condensed collection of clothing that you can easily blend into multiple different outfits – which is useful when you’re trying to cram your belongings into a suitcase for your vacation. Typical capsule wardrobes follow a 5-4-3-2-1 rule: they should consist of five tops, four bottoms, three layers, two pairs of shoes, and an accessory. When piecing together your capsule, then, think about versatility, and items of clothing that will serve a dual purpose. Good Housekeeping gives the example of a linen shirt: cool enough to wear while lounging by the pool but warm enough to cover up on those chillier evenings.
Declutter Your Space
To be honest, if you were thorough enough during your spring clean earlier this year, then you shouldn’t need to whittle down your wardrobe any further now. However, if you still can’t see the forest for the tees, then it may be time to donate, loan, recycle, or package away any items of clothing that you don’t wear, leaving you with the essentials you actually love and need.
Wear Lighter Fabrics
In order to prevent yourself from devolving into a squirmy, sweaty mess at your corporate BBQ this summer, plump for thin, lightweight fabrics instead of thick, starchy material. Cotton, for example, is extremely breathable, and linen dries quickly, making it perfect for some beach party chicken fighting.
Choose Cooler Colors
While there have been attempts made to debunk the theory that darker clothes make you hotter, the general consensus is that a black t-shirt will heat you up faster than a white shirt would. Save those rich, dusky colors for fall and winter, and focus instead on softer tones and pastel hues. A white summer dress and light blue button-down wouldn’t be out of place in any wardrobe this summer, in other words.
Have a Plan in Mind
Finally, before you start placing online orders and packing boxes for Goodwill, have a look at your calendar: what social events and activities do you have planned for this summer? There’s no point in dressing for the catwalks of Paris and Milan if your July and August will consist of wall-to-wall camping trips. Keep clothing that you know will be worn within arm’s reach, and parcel the rest away for now.
Build Your Summer Wardrobe
Now for the fun part: building out your summer wardrobe. Get to work with these essentials – the core pieces that you can sometimes mix and match to create entirely new, fresh ensembles. With these articles in your closet – and with the help of Zazzle Ideas’ resident fashionistas – you’ll never run into the dreaded “what should I wear?” conundrum again.
Dresses
Billowing gently at the top of this list is the ubiquitous dress, which is available in thousands upon thousands of summer-appropriate styles. Before you try to recreate something you saw at the Met Gala, however, consider what makes you feel most comfortable, first. If you don’t mind showing some skin, you might want to snap up a few mini dresses for those balmy days and nights. A midi-length, meanwhile, is a classic option that provides some extra coverage without sacrificing any comfort. And alternatively, you can opt for the timeless maxi dress if you want to cut a flattering figure and still keep your body temperature down.
White, sheer dresses are always popular during the summer – they’re simply perfect for beating the heat while looking chic. However, Vogue predicts that diaphanous white dresses will be particularly trendy this year, compared to the usual pops of color we see with summer dress patterns. If the lightweight white fabric ever becomes too chilly, however, layer it with a comfy cardigan or denim jacket.
Tops
If you’re keeping it casual this year, then a fun graphic t-shirt is a must for your off-duty look. You can wear these tops with everything from denim minis and shorts to jeans and casual cargo skirts, and they’re perfect whether you’re walking the dog in the park or studying up on “How to Pack and Prepare for a Music Festival.” Men love to wear t-shirts too: they add a little personality and thought to an otherwise laid-back outfit, and they can be customized with almost any design or license you can think of.
Meanwhile, for a dressier look, try an off-the-shoulder top that bares just a hint of skin and makes it easy to soak up the sunshine. The only caveat here is to avoid dark colors, which will absorb too much of those darned UV rays. Stick with whites, ivories, and pale tones, like soft mints and blushes, to create a well-rounded, cool-inducing group of tops strictly for summertime. Likewise, men can opt for cotton and linen shirts that allow for more airflow and aren’t likely to cling unattractively to your skin.
Bottoms
As Tan France wrote for Masterclass in 2021 – and as will continue to be relevant this year – it’s time to “ditch jeans” when summer comes along. Stylish though your skinny jeans may be, they aren’t exactly going to keep you cool when it’s bordering on 100 degrees in July and August. For that, then, you need a few sensible bottoms. How about a fit-and-flare skirt in denim and canvas: they’re breathable, easy to wear, and even easy to pair – with everything from cropped tops to the fading band tee you swear you’ll never stop wearing. Capri leggings are another way to feel comfortable and sporty, and they even have a welcome slimming effect!
If you want to wear pants, then choose those with a wide or flared leg for better air circulation. Indeed, cropped flared pants are perfectly acceptable when you need to dress up a little – they may even pass muster in some workplaces with a pair of loafer slides and a cute blouse. Men, meanwhile, can probably skip the “cute blouse” and head straight for three-quarter length capri trousers to achieve a casual but trendy look.
Outerwear
While jackets and sweaters are pretty much relegated to the back of the closet during summer, it’s still nice to have a few lightweight layers that you can rely on when the occasion calls for it. Think in terms of airy, translucent materials that won’t add any bulk. For example, you could keep a lean, sheer duster jacket on hand; something that you could as easily wear with jeans as you could with shorts. Another option is the barely-there cardigan: that type of shawl that feels light and wispy but would still warm up your arms if you felt a shiver of a summer’s evening.
Speaking of which: a cute wrap sweater is also a practical choice for when someone has cranked the air conditioner just a little too high in the office. Men, on the other hand, can couple those linen shirts and graphic t-shirts we keep mentioning with a lightweight blazer or jacket – cotton, microfiber, or twill are the best and breeziest picks.
Accessories and Footwear
Ah, to misquote an old saying: it’s the accessories that maketh the man. Think of accessories as little extras that will add some spark and personality to your outfit: how about a comical baseball hat, custom-made wallet, or a sharp-looking watch? Likewise, if you think that brand new summer dress isn’t quite bowling people over like the salesperson promised it would, then maybe an accessory will complete the look. Try a pair of trendy oversized sunglasses, a roomy straw bag or reusable tote, and a wide-brimmed hat to shield your eyes and complexion from the sun.
You can’t forget the footwear, either. Good Housekeeping reminds us of the importance of proper sandals: nothing can ruin a vacation like blistered feet, and so you should “choose a flat sandal with some support and cushioning (for extra height, go for anything with a flatform).” If you want to ensure that your flip flops will match the majority of your outfits, you should also stick to minimalist designs that are easy to coordinate, too.
Congratulations: if you’ve been putting these tips into practice and shopping with our advice in mind, you should now have the summer wardrobe of your dreams! If your social calendar isn’t looking quite as vibrant, however, we’re happy to help on that front, too. Take a look at our articles on “25 Indoor & Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids,” “Personalized Travel Accessories for Summer,” and – if you can stomach it – “Ways to Mark the End of Summer (Before School Starts).”
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
