Summertime Outfit Basics

Summer time is a core time for Fashion, which means its a prime time to choose your outfits for vacation, outings with friends to summer night dinners. Throughout this blog post, I will be explaining options for summer outfits that are great go-to's.

Me and My friend Olivia are at the State Fair, where I wore a creme crop top with a dark green button up top to layer it, along with some black ripped jeans and Vans skate high shoes. 

First of all: shorts. Shorts are so essential for the summer time, as most know, but it's the type of shorts you chose that can make or break a look. In your wardrobe, you should have at the least, two pairs of shorts. Lilliana Vazquez, the author of The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style, says in her section of necessities that "Modest shorts (for weekends) is needed as a basic" (Vazquez, 104). Whether its mid-thigh or short-shorts, you should keep some at an easily accessible place at all times during the hotter seasons. along with that, a pair of ripped jeans are a nice keeper to bring out if it's a colder summer night and you'll be going out.

Here I am in Pac Sun trying on Shorts with a Def Leopard shirt I wore that day. I chose these shorts because they were a basic pair that I didn't have at the moment.

Next are tops. Just because its summer, doesn't mean you only have to wear tank tops. Vazquez states in her seasonal shopping list that " An open-weave sweater (in cream): I love to layer these under vests, and worn as swimsuit cover-ups in the summer." (Vazquez, 131).  Like she said, you can use this for multiple purposes such as a swimsuit cover-up or a non-bulky top that still keeps you covered. Due to the hot weather, tank-tops and tee's are needed. I find that graphic tees and band tees look best in hotter weather. They're easy to throw with a pair of shorts and skater shoes and go. Also, open back and cut up shirts are nice because they are cooling, but may cause weird tan lines if worn in the sun for long periods of time. Finding your best colors is an important step in the process too. I personally look my best in dark/Forrest green, mustard yellow, creme and crimson, so most of my closet are those colors. I find that in the summer, the hippy vibe clothing becomes more popular, along with Boho chic. Most of these styles can be found at clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Pac Sun, and many more stores during their summer collections.

 In this picture, I wore a high-neck shirt along with a white bralette to compliment the white background in the shirt. This shows how layering different elements help make an outfit look bolder.

Recently, rompers have become a popular OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) for younger generations. They're a one piece jumper that is like a dress, but with leg holes. A long sleeved patterned romper is nice to have during the summer because you can wear it to semi-formal events such as a family gathering or a banquet.

Clothes aren't the only thing that you'll be needing this summer, shoes are important too. For summer, basics in the shoe department include a pair of nude sandals, strappy wedges and breathable tennis shoes for a feminine style. For masculine styles, boat shoes, flip flops and dress shoes should be in your closet. "Nude flat sandals: I wear them with everything, so i can never have enough pairs" (Vazquez. 132) says Vazquez in her summer necessities section of her book.

In the summer, there are lots of job opportunities for people at seasonal places such as water parks, ice cream shops, and anywhere with a pool or resort. If you're going to be earning more money, you need somewhere to spend it. During this time of the year, many stores will be starting to sell their fall clothing to start to get a feel for the market. this would be a good time to start looking at fall clothing to get a head start on everything that appeals to you. In her savvy shopper chapter, Vazquez states that you should be saving around 25 to 40 percent of your money on clothing. "Summer sales are in full swing, so scour the racks for anything you can still get a good wear out of - shorts, sundresses,a  flirty romper, or those sandals you've been lusting after will be heavily discounted. The first fall items will be starting to hit the racks, so begin browsing for inspiration and think about what items you have in storage that you'll want to keep around for another year." (Vazquez, 159)

Summer time seems like it's forever away, but it doesn't mean that you can't start looking at what you can find for the upcoming season. Are you excited for summer shopping? What do you tend to see your summer style being? What are your predictions on the 2018 summer trends?

Source: Vazquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style: Secrets to Shopping Cheap and Looking Chic. Gotham, 2013.