My Fashion Favorites: The Summer Edition
- Abby Graf
- Jul 15, 2018
- 5 min read
Now that we're a good chunk of the way through summer, seasonal trends have escalated and this summers styles were taken to an entirely different level. One of my favorite things about summer wear is that it all tends to be very versatile, and it's a great season to try out new styles, prints, colors and more. Summer is the season of personal style exploration. This year brought back to life a new rendition of '80s wear, two-piece matching sets, rainbow colored shirts and dresses, jumpsuits, and much more.
Summer makes exploring your personal style easy and worthwhile due to the variety of showstoppers that hit the racks each year with countless budget friendly options. Stores like Forever 21, Lulu's, and Free People have great summer collections where you can almost always find exactly what you're looking for (or something very similar) while managing to still get the bang for your buck.
Because there are endless options of styles, I wanted to curate a list of my fashion favorites including styles under $100 from this summer to share with all of you.
Two-Piece Sets
Whether you call it the co-ord, the matching set, or the two-piece set, we must celebrate the return of these beauties. I’m so so happy about their fresh new arrival, favored by many all over, including myself. For a while there last year I was a little concerned they were being overshadowed by new trends, but alas, they are back, and are my absolute favorite!
I love that two-piece sets come in all different styles, with high-waist shorts, mini skirts, maxi skirts, or trousers. Back in the summer of 2014 when sets were summer’s hottest style, we saw a lot of those head-to-toe matching schemes in the style of a crop top and skirt...the ideas of high-waist shorts and trousers were on the rise and spring looks in 2015 flourished with the matching shirt and pants.
This is one of my summer favorites because if you’re feeling bold, step outside of the box with a printed set like this, or this. But if you’re feeling subtle, a solid colored linen set or a cool toned striped set may do you the trick. With matching sets, it’s easy to stay true to your own personal style but also test out new or other styles you maybe haven’t in the past and find ways to improve your current wardrobe or incorporate new looks into it if you feel it needs some polishing.
Stores such as Forever 21, Lulu's, and asos are perfect places to shop these great summer pieces!
Here's how I styled a two-piece set this summer:
Striped Woven Linen Blend Cropped Cami: Forever 21 (wearing S, fits TTS) | Striped Linen Skirt: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here) | Wrap-Up Heels: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here)
To see how I styled another two-piece set, visit here.
Espadrille Platform Sandals
These sandals are a summer blowout and a favorite beauty of mine! They are on the list of my summer fashion favorites for many reasons. Not only do they guarantee a little extra height to any outfit, but they look effortless when paired with something like boyfriend jeans and a white tee, but have a versatile wear-ability and can create the ultimate chic look when paired with black trousers or black fringe jeans and a neutral toned top.
The sandy hues of the sandals are perfect for summer because they can help neutralize a look. But if needed to help add contrast or a little pop to a look, the sandals are sold in many different colors and are sold at many different stores like Target, Forever 21, Lulu's, Nordstrom and more.
Here's how I styled espadrille sandals (sans platform) this summer:
Espadrille Sandals: Target (no longer available, similar here)
For the full look, visit here.
Wrap Dresses
Wrap dresses are one of summer's hottest trends, and they are one of my absolute favorite styles! I love that these dresses are tight around the waist and can define the figure, but remain flowy throughout the rest with the light and loose material.
They are such a versatile piece in any woman's wardrobe because they can be worn on multiple occasions. If you're headed to a wedding, a mauve floral midi wrap dress is a great option, but there are styles such as blue and white or grey and white striped wrap dresses that are great for a brunch or dinner party. If you're looking for a more casual or everyday look, a solid colored tank wrap dresses will nail it right on the dot and give off the most relaxed vibes while remaining stylish.
These dresses are available at many stores, including Forever 21, Lulu's, and Target.
Here's how I styled a wrap dress this summer:
Wrap Dress: Pitaya (only available in mauve, wearing S, fits TTS) | Fringed Edge Slides: Old Navy | Wristlet: Old Navy | Necklace: Maurice's
High-Waist Shorts
Every summer my go-to outfit usually consists of high-waist shorts and a crop top. Wearing low-rise shorts/pants now just feels weird to me because even all of my jeans are high-rise. I love that high-waist shorts continue to remain as a trend each summer because they can give off the ultimate casual look or a cute and sophisticated chic look.
High-waist denim shorts are easy to get that casual look when paired with a white, striped, or neutral colored tee. I always dawn high-waist denim shorts as either the perfect morning/day out look, or the perfect causal bonfire look (maybe you could say this is a Minnesota thing). An easy way to glam up a look with high-waist denim is to add a statement belt. The belt will add another appeal to the outfit and speak to more occasions such as a night out or a festival.
Aside from high-waist denim shorts, when I think of high-waist shorts in general I usually think of softer materials such as linen, polyester or cotton. Some of my favorite styles of high-waist shorts are paperbag and drawstring/tie shorts. They both have that tie effect, which allows for the shorts to sit snug on your waistline and accentuate your figure.
Here's how I styled high-waist shorts this summer:
Crop Top: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here) | High-Waist Shorts: H&M (no longer available, similar here) | Sandals: Amazon (wearing light brown) | Necklace: Maurice's
To see how I styled other high-waist shorts, visit here.
Sundresses
Sundresses are a popular statement piece each summer and are known for their lightweight, flowy appearance. Most commonly seen with a thin spaghetti strap, these dresses are a fun way to express personality through a look and convey an effortless appearance amongst any print, fit, and style.
My favorite sundress style is the bright colored floral print dress. It's the perfect attire for a casual day, and/or going out. For almost any occasion, the sundress is a versatile go-to look. Paired with platform sandals and a natural woven clutch, the outfit will give off the ultimate summer vibes with remaining an ever-evolving investment within your wardrobe, able to be styled around different accessories, shoes, handbags and more.
Some of the perfect summer sundresses are available at Modcloth, Forever 21, and Nordstrom.
Here's how I styled a sundress this summer:
Dress: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here) | Necklace: Maurice's | Heels: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here)
There are endless styles made to fit in perfectly with any summer wardrobe. To see more ways I styled statement pieces this season, visit my summer style page.
Xoxo,
Abby
Thanks for aa great read
You post a great blog!!
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