What to buy and why: Cinq a Sept jacket | Rag & Bone jeans | Sandals | Bag, similar | ATM t-shirt
Don’t buy so much! I’ll tell you why
With summer officially just weeks away, it’s the perfect time to talk about summer outfits, and why it’s important to prioritize your purchases. Summer is a short season, so I recommend being really selective and investing in things you’ll wear over and over again. Of course, there are exceptions — like a special event or a wedding. But, for everyday summer staples, believe me: less is more!
This coming week, I’ve been invited to speak about summer style at a luncheon here in Portland. People are often surprised when I say I’m not a public speaker, especially since I show up on Instagram stories every day! But most of the time, I’m just alone talking to myself in my closet 😂 Thankfully, the speech class I took a few years ago in order to get my college degree will come in handy (yep, I finally graduated from Oregon State University, Class of 2020).
Today’s post is about how to make easy, everyday outfits without buying a lot of new clothes and accessories. I’m sharing 5 style tips that will help you prioritize your purchases, which is the topic I’ll be presenting at the luncheon. Think breezy dresses, casual denim outfits and, of course, all the cool accessories that complete every outfit. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll recognize some of these concepts — but of course, now it’s with all new summer pieces! I hope you find this helpful, and put together outfits you love 🌟
P.S. ICYMI … a few recent blog posts that didn’t go out in emails
The Newest Summer Collection: So Many Things To Love
New Varley Pieces You’ll Love For Summer
Don’t Miss This Week’s New Arrivals
Street style inspo
Images: @vilmabergenehim @iglora
How to prioritize your summer purchases
#1 Stick to a color palette or two
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13
Selecting one or two color palettes is a great way to streamline your purchases. This method also really helps if you’re going on vacation — it’s almost like you have a vacation capsule ready to go! My two favorite color combos this time of year are black/white/caramel and faded blue/white/raffia. These are timeless color combinations, and you’ll use them for years to come.
#2 Dresses, dresses and more dresses
Left: Reiss dress | Chloe bag | Sandals | Bracelets – top and bottom | Reiss blazer | Right: Green dress | Raffia tote | Sandals | Sweater | Earrings
This is truly the easiest way to put together an outfit! And, there’s a dress for every day of the week. Whether you want a comfortable knit style like this to wear with sneakers, a pretty daytime dress like this, or a special event dress like this, you really can’t go wrong with this one piece! I always tell my clients when you find one you love, buy it! This is also a category where you can branch out and buy any color you love — as long as you have a neutral shoe and bag to coordinate with it.
#3 The hottest accessory trend this summer
Hands down, the best thing you can do for your closet is invest in great accessories. Why? Because they complete your outfits! There are two specific ones to consider right now. First is the raffia trend, which is the “it” piece this summer. Find a raffia tote or bag you love, along with a couple of coordinating shoes, and you’ll have some of your best outfits yet! The next color that ALWAYS works is saddle brown. Talk about the easiest way to make your outfits look expensive — add a saddle brown accessory and it instantly elevates. Bonus: it compliments literally every other color.
Left: Stripe shirt | Cardigan sweater | White jeans | Valentino canvas bag | YSL sandals | Bracelet | Right: One shoulder top | Rails top | Jeans | Bracelet | Sandals | Tote
#4 Lightweight layers: denim jackets, blazers or utility jackets
A stylish “third” piece always completes an outfit. I’ve found time and time again that anywhere I go, any time of year, some sort of jacket is key. Even if you live in a hot climate, the air conditioning can get crazy cold, so a third piece comes in handy. See below for some summer favorites, including this one by Rails that’s perfect for warmer weather locations.
Denim jackets: this $98 Levi’s one is a fave, as is this one by Rails and this cool Frame one
Utility jackets and lightweight styles: Invest in a good utility jacket like this or this. This one by Rails is a best-seller!
Blazers: Love this relaxed style by Cinq a Sept, this linen style by Rails and this green one by Scotch & Soda
#5 Match your top and bottom
If you’ve been following me for a while, this isn’t a new concept — but one that always works. You all love this suggestion. Why? Because it makes it so easy to get dressed! This time of year, I love white/white, écru/écru, and a monochromatic combo like blue/blue. The idea is to have many jacket options that work over these combos. I guarantee you’ll always looks sophisticated and chic!
Left: Top | Utility jacket | Sandals | Jeans | Tote | Right: Blazer | Tank | Sandals | Jeans | Chloe bag | Earrings
Thank you for reading xx
