Summer Essentials Volume 4

Summer clothing styles are far and away my favorite seasonal clothing. I just love the lightweight, billowy fabrics, the intricate details, botanical patterns, crisp, cool whites, and reflective metals, and since summer is the most common time for me to enjoy these styles, aside from the occasional winter getaway, I can’t tell you how excited I was to pull some of these beauties out of my closet and enjoy the warmer weather after the summer solstice. Below is volume 4 of my summer essentials. I hope these inspire you to have a beautiful, stylish summer with a few new pieces, things you already own and love, or a mix of both.

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Summer Style Essentials Volume 4

This summer is going to be all about cool, crisp whites, bold blue hues, and natural textures like raffia, straw, rattan, and bamboo, so expect to see lots of blue and white pieces and plenty of basket bags and sun hats, of course. If you want to stand out from the crowd, swap out your favorite basket bag for something metallic, and add a bit of glint to your wardrobe.

We will also see plenty of oversized collars, embroidered details will be huge, and romantic cottage core and light academia styles will be very popular. Tie shoulder accents on tops and dresses will be much more common than they were last summer, and rick rack trim will be much more common in dresses than in years past.

Not sure what shoes to wear this summer? Try a bright pair of all-white sneakers or flats from natural fibers like raffia, which require a bit of breaking in at first but will pair perfectly with anything.

Clean Beauty

I’ve been a part of the clean beauty camp for a long time, with a few exceptions here and there, but now that I’ve finally used up all of my non-organic, non-clean beauty products, soaps, shampoos, and other personal care items, I’ve made the permanent switch. My favorite clean beauty brand is Kjaer Weis because they not only make the best makeup clean beauty makeup I’ve ever used (like this eye pencil, my all-time favorite refillable lengthening mascara, and this pressed powder), but they also provide detailed ingredient information that says exactly what’s in each product and where their products come from, so you can make the most informed consumer decisions possible.

As I mentioned, I’ve used up our stores of “non-clean” beauty products and personal care products (finally!), and I’ve been trying new, cleaner alternatives. One of my favorites has been this brightening bar soap from Kaia Naturals. It smells so fresh, it doesn’t have any synthetic ingredients or fragrances, and it’s helped to make my skin so soft. You may remember that this brand also makes my favorite biodegradable makeup remover wipes which I’ve used for years.

If I use nail polish, I use Sundays clean formula polish, which, as far as I can tell, is the purest nail polish on the market. This crisp white color is my summertime default nail color.

Handbags & Shoes

I love this convertible leather backpack from Senreve. It comes in lots of shades that can be coordinated with their convertible crossbody, last seen here. Click here to be taken to my referral code page, where you can get $100 off your first Senreve purchase.

Metal purses have been a staple in my wardrobe for the better part of a decade, and they’re a timeless investment. From St. Xavier, an Australian brand makes some of my favorites, like this one.

These white Rothy’s are perfect for summer, which is why they’re featured in volume 4 of my summer essentials. They’re eco-friendly as they’re made from recycled plastic bottles, and you can easily throw them in the wash to get them to look like new again. If you’re looking for a more structured pair of shoes, these white leather sneakers, which are handmade in Italy (last worn here and here), are one of my favorite pairs of shoes.

Sterling Silver Accents 

I love few summer styles more than those that are metallic. There’s something so special and quintessentially “summer” in my mind, about sterling silver, or other metal, pieces like this gorgeous sterling silver eyeglass case, this monogram pendant made to look like a wax seal, and this metal handbag (I’ve worn metal handbags here, here, here, here, here, and here). If you want to receive more comments on an accessory than you ever have before, pick up a metal purse and thank me later. They’re so unusual and eye-catching that you’ll certainly stand out from the crowd with one.

I also love to wear more rings in the summer, like this sterling silver cherry blossom ring, this sterling silver monogram ring, and this sterling silver crest signet ring. I like to top everything off with a sterling silver barrette, and a unique necklace, like this sterling silver stamp holder.