My summer essentials are breezy cotton dresses, easy tees and loose linen pants, sandals and a straw bag! Lately, I have been making an effort to add responsibly and ethically made pieces to my summer capsule wardrobe instead of just buying trendy fast-fashion pieces. Classic pieces that have lasting power. Those that have a story, make a statement and more importantly, make a social impact. Investing in fewer but better clothes has become my goal.
Oh, one more thing – don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot wear! I’m constantly told (by family members) that I’m too short for those pants or to carry a caftan! But I really don’t mind, I wear what feels good to me on a given day! Fashion is fleeting, style stays… at the end of the day, it is about taste, lifestyle. I STRONGLY believe women of any age, shape, color can wear anything as long as they wear it with confidence and a smile! Own it and make it YOUR style!
I usually shop at my favorite Indian Brands for the dresses and have them shipped. They are usually handmade cotton in subtle colors, some of them printed by hand using carved wooden blocks by artisans who for generations have passed on these techniques to their families. Some are hand-embroidered labors of love, worked on by women artisans in remote villages of India. Sometimes I manage to find these dresses in Anthropologie. Here are a few places I like to shop from:
10 Piece Summer Capsule Wardrobe
Here is what is on rotation for summer, whether at home or when traveling. I keep my wardrobe simple and to a minimum. My Summer Capsule & Wardrobe Essentials is easy! Add splashes of color in the tees or scarfs, buy one are two summery dresses that you can wear on the repeat and feel good that you made a difference in someone’s life while enjoying the outfit.
1. Linen wide-leg pants.
2. Tees made from organic cotton ( Industry Standard, Pact and Everlane are great options) in summer colors or just white and black.
3. White Jeans. I like the ones from NYJD that help tuck that tummy in! NYDJ jeans are made with Lift Tuck® Technology, a proprietary slimming panel designed to flatten in the front and curve-contouring construction to flatter curves in the back, so you look, feel, and wear a size smaller! “Not Your Daughter’s Jeans”
4. A lightweight scarf(s) in fun vibrant colors
5. Fun espadrilles (a summer staple)
6. A pair of sneakers in tan or white
7. A Black summer dress! It goes with anything and perfect anywhere – from safari to the beach!
8. Chambray pants or Culottes in lieu of jeans for summer
9. Leather or leather-like sandals in nude, tan, or brown. Invest in a good pair of sandals that pull an outfit together.
10. A Caftan or Jumpsuit for reading, lounging, and sipping iced tea. Pick ones in bamboo silk for softness or modal for a silky feel. Both are natural materials that are completely biodegradable and sustainable.
That’s all you really need IMHO. Add in a couple of dresses or colorful tunics you got yourself a summer wardrobe that is smart, does not break the bank and is still fun. What I save on clothes, I spend on a good pair of shoes or a bag! My vice 😉
Shop my summer favorites here
Ideas for some Summer Wardrobe Essentials
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