No one can argue that getting dressed in the winter is more difficult than in the summer; gone are the days of both layering and matching, an especially draining task for those early mornings before class or the office. Summertime is an invitation to wear more of what makes you comfortable and break out some of your favorite tops that won’t be hidden underneath your leather jacket when you head to the bar on those chilly nights.
Of course, your fashion choices are directly influenced by your daily schedule and the weather of where you live. Often, the dilemma with summer is, however, finding something to wear that’s NOT a sundress or the time-old jean shorts and a tiny top. Although they are the classics for a reason, it can be a little boring and repetitive wearing variations of the same outfit for months on end. Thankfully, there are a ton of other emerging styles and trends to adopt this summer!
It seems to be the case that in recent years, the rise of high-top white sneakers has replaced our love for flip-flops on trips that don’t end at the beach, lake, or boardwalk, and right alongside them are sundresses and extra-short jean shorts. Last year, we saw something new emerge from the depths of closets across the world: mom jean shorts and white button-downs, which were gracefully adopted as beach coverups, going-out tops, and bike-ride attire, all while retaining their chic office practicality.
Mom jean shorts are not only demonstrative of a nostalgic return to the fashion of the 80s and 90s, but additionally are a great alternative to the Daisy Dukes of the Y2Ks; they prevent chafing due to their longer inseam, they’re insanely more comfortable, and they’re trending. Influencers such as Viviane Audi and others have begun linking them across their LTK lookbooks, often in conjunction with corduroy shorts layered over tank tops, t-shirts, and more.
But, alas, mom jean shorts are still jean shorts. Another item that’s quickly gaining traction in the fashion community is the rise of the maxi skirt. It’s common to see them paired with the aforementioned white button-downs, but also with other tops like tie-front crochet sweaters, long tank tops, puff-sleeve corset tops, and Skims bodysuits, which have skyrocketed in popularity since those TikTok try-on videos (you know the ones). Skims can arguably be partially credited with the comeback of maxi dresses at large; floral maxi dresses, maxi dresses with thigh-high slits, and two-piece maxi skirt outfits look great on everyone and can be found in the “New” section of virtually every highly-regarded online shopping website.
In terms of shoes, you can’t go wrong with a simple pair of high-top sneakers, strappy sandals, or wedges, but the word on the street is that ballet flats and cowboy boots are continuing the upward projection we’ve seen in the last year or so. Platforms, it appears, are here to stay as well.
My personal favorite outfit I’ve seen is a comfortable tank top underneath a colored cotton button-down over a long denim skirt or complementary maxi skirt with brown cowboy boots; bonus points for a sunhat, layered necklaces, and mid-length earrings to accessorize.