10 Essential Pieces You Need for a Chic Woman Summer
Not sure what clothes to have in your wardrobe for summer?
I've rounded up 10 essential pieces you need to have in your wardrobe for a chic and elegant summer.
Having these must-have pieces will allow you to expand your wardrobe, so you'll have many wardrobe options for everyday living as well as any special occasions that might pop up.
These 10 garments are going to take you through summer and really keep your wardrobe pulled together.
You can read the entire article or watch this video for all the details!
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#1. Basic T-Shirt
I love tee shirts because they are great for wearing by themselves, layering under jackets or blazers, or pairing with shorts, skirts, or jeans.
That's the thing about a little basic t-shirt you can mix and match it with pretty much anything in your wardrobe.
Tees come in four basic styles. We’re going to cover all of them and discuss which one you should choose for your body type.
Crew Neck T-Shirt
Crew necks look great on a small to medium bust, someone with broad shoulders, or someone with a long neck.
V-Neck T-Shirt
Choose a v-neck if you have a medium to large bust.
In addition, any shoulder width looks great in this tee. If you have a short to medium length neck, this style elongates it.
It’s my favorite to balance and flatter apple, pear, and curvy body types.
Scoop-Neck T-Shirt
Great news - All bust sizes can wear a scoop neck!
And even better news, if you have a short or medium neck this style will elongate your look.
For balancing your body shape, wear this tee of you have a pear, petite, and curvy figure.
Bateau Neck T-Shirt
A bateau neck can also be known as a “boat neck” tee.
This shirt is perfect for women with small to medium bust sizes.
It also helps balance narrow shoulders and provides a slimming effect to bulky arms.
Boat neck tees are also recommended for and it's great for a pear-shaped figure.
That was a round-up of the four basic tee-shirt styles. Choose ones that you love to wear and look good on you.
I recommend choosing mostly solid colored tees because they will provide the most opportunity for mixing and matching to maximize your wardrobe.
If you find a few printed tees you like, go for it, just make sure they work with at least three other garments in your closet.
Here are links to my favorite t-shirts:
#2. Shorts and Skorts
Next on my list are shorts and skorts.
If you've watched any of my other videos, you've probably seen me talking about my skorts and shorts in capsule wardrobes.
I love them both and they're a vital part of my wardrobe because I can pair them up with t-shirts, tanks, cute tops, linen blouses, and jean jackets.
They're comfortable and great for wearing in hot weather.
I recommend looking for quality pieces. You can choose solids or some fun prints that coordinate with solid tees and tops.
They add a little pop to your wardrobe and since they aren’t up against your face, they are definitely a garment to choose some whimsical options.
SHORTS and SKORTS
#3. A Cane Bag
If you’re looking for a summer bag that you can carry with anything in your wardrobe, consider a cane bag!
Cane bags are an ultimate summer classic! Not only are they lightweight and easy to carry but they coordinate with everything in your summer wardrobe (so you don’t have to keep switching bags) and you can have it for many years to come.
Now even though I listed it as a “cane bag”, look for straw, rattan, wicker, cane, and bamboo. The key is you want a natural and neutral look for summer that goes with everything and screams summertime.
CANE HANDBAGS for Summer
#4. Jackets and Blazers
Blazers, lightweight sweaters, and jackets are must-haves for summer.
You may be thinking, “why do I want any of these things when it's 95 degrees out?”
Well, you could be going in and out of air conditioning.
Perhaps need a little extra layer at times over your shoulders. Often times, after I eat I get cold and I need a little layer to help me warm up. Does that ever happen to you?
Another layer really helps to warm you up quickly, so keep a neutral colored blazer, jean jacket, or cardigan around so that you are comfortable no matter the situation.
JACKETS and BLAZERS for summer
#5. Linen Shirts
Have you seen the coastal grandma trend? Nothing could be more granny-core than linen shirts!
I love the natural slubs and slight rumples of linen fabric. It provides a devil-may-care look to your outfit so you are ready for any and all relaxing summer activities.
In addition, linen light, breathable, and doesn’t go out of style.
These shirts will be your go-to tops year after year for summer.
My favorite linen shirts are classic relaxed-fit, button down shirts and tunics with long sleeves. I like to roll-up the sleeves, tie or tuck the shirt in the front, and pair it with jeans, skirts, shorts, and even wear it as a bathing suit cover-up.
LINEN SHIRTS for Summer
#6. Chic and Comfortable Sandals
A must-have for summer involves footwear, specifically comfortable and chic sandals.
Now you may be thinking flip-flops, Yay!
No!
Flip-flops are great for the pool, the beach, or the lake. That’s pretty much it.
As tempting as it is to live in your flip-flops, don’t go that route because they really dress down an outfit.
Let's elevate our style a little bit.
If you want to look pulled together, if you're going out to dinner…say no to the flip-flops.
Elevate your outfit with a pair of chic yet comfortable sandals.
There are so many gorgeous flat sandal options available instead of flip-flops.
CHIC SANDALS
#7. Wrap or Shawl
Wraps and shawls are a fabulous accessory to keep handy even in summer because you might be in and out of air conditioning or it gets a bit chilly at night.
Let's say you have a wedding to go to and you need to dress up.
You don't want to put your blazer or jean jacket on. Instead, you're going to elevate your look with a wrap.
So, for example, if I'm at a wedding and wearing a fancy dress and starts to get chilly in the evening, I put and elegant wrap.
This finishes the look, keeps me warm, and still looks elegant and dressy.
I also love using wraps and shawls for dinners out, brunch, or evening walks on the beach.
SHAWL or WRAP
#8. Lightweight Jeans
Jeans are a must-have on my list for summer. Look for lightweight options in both white and denim blue.
If you want a crisp summery look go for white denim. They will pop all of those bright summer shades and provide a crisp look to neutrals shades like wheat, cream, khaki, and olive.
For blue denim, not only do you want to choose lighter weight jeans but you also want to look for lighter denim shades. These will pair well with white, bright colors, and neutrals for a perfect summertime vibe.
JEANS for Summer
TOPS Featured WITH JEANS
#9. Activewear
Recently, I wrote a post on the 5 best activewear brands to help you make sense of all the workout clothes available today.
I love to wear leggings, skorts, shorts, athletic tops, and activewear jackets. You don’t need to wear these items exclusively to the gym. Activewear also known as athleisure has become an important part of the American wardrobe.
I find it perfectly suits a summertime lifestyle as well. Not only are these clothes great for vacation, they are also suitable for running errands, meeting a friend for coffee, walking the dog, bike riding, or hiking.
ACTIVEWEAR for Summer
#10. Dresses
I recently did a poll on YouTube and asked, “what do you prefer to wear when it's really hot?”
The answer by a large majority was DRESSES.
Of course! Dresses are free, breezy, light, and airy allowing you to be comfortable on the hottest days.
So dresses are definitely an essential item that you need to have in your closet for summer.
I love wearing dresses in the summer time and you can go from prints to solids. I like having a few darker colors in my collection like black or navy in case I need them for a wedding or other some other special event.
Having fun dresses that are flowy, comfortable, and pretty for any other occasions are essential.
