The perfect summer kiss. You might not recall any of the fuzzy details of the actual moment, but you probably will remember the perfect sundress you wore. It might not have been the most fashionable or expensive thing you owned, but man, you felt good in it. That’s what summer style is all about.
Adventure defines most of our summers. It is the time when internships, summer jobs, visits to friends’ homes and travel all weave together. These three months are when you are separated from the normal pattern of your life. There is no better time to open your eyes to new ideas and new style. Perhaps that is why summer style is so personal to us, and so fresh. This summer’s style echoed with the excitement of summer exploration.
White has always been the summer staple. It can mean safari or can say East Coast preppy. Its current manifestation is breezy and slouchy. Lots of layers and lots of linen feel airy versus starched. There is a sway toward picking one slack-fitting piece, such as a Caribbean tunic-style linen blouse, and pairing it with more tailored pants or shorts. The same relaxed style is channeled through loose, low riding, cuffed pants paired with a form-fitting feminine tank.
My favorite part of white’s novelty is its ability to change. The color was used differently everywhere I went this summer. In Colorado, funky jeans, a vintage belt and a white t-shirt were the sleek looks for summer. In Connecticut, I saw long white shorts with a simple tank complemented by a pair of flip-flops. In New York, a more pumped-up white: form-fitting white pants with a bohemian patterned tank-smart and chic. When going out at night, the same look can be worn with gold sandals or heels. In Atlanta, it gets so hot that a sundress always works. Basically, no matter where you are, the color takes on a different edge.
The patterned bohemian top or dress is the other big trend I saw, not the awkward patchwork of summers past that always looked homemade. Maturity and a foreign influence differentiate the style now. A short dress that moves comfortably with a small paisley print at the bust, and an ethnic print of the same color family at the cap, sleeves and skirt creates a young look. With summer wedges, it gives you the style of a seasoned traveler, not a kid in a quilt. The look crossed my path everywhere from Athens to Connecticut to Dallas.
In Dallas, the bohemian look seems to be harder to pull off-there is a sort of crisp formality here that we all get used to. There is perhaps no greater style example from day to day, but an injection of a little hippie style in modern day wear, and is frankly quite refreshing in the summer. It is not the city you normally think of for cuffed, big, white linen pants and a flowery tank. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it the Dallas way: pair it with heels, make sure the top fits and wear a proper accessory like pearls.
That is the beauty of summer style. The details ebb away and it’s only a subtle influence for the rest of your style, just like the perfect summer kiss.
