SUMMER STYLE SURVIVAL
Five easy wins to see you through the season
After 25 years in fashion and beauty, we’ve learned a thing or two. Mostly that summer is the trickiest season of all. Winter is easy — throw on a great wool coat, your favourite jeans and a solid boot, and you’ll look like you have your life together, even when you don’t. Summer? Not so much. It’s where wardrobes go to die.
Don’t panic. We’re here to help you breeze through the next few months looking cool, feeling confident, and dodging every “Where did she get that?” moment for all the right reasons. Here’s how…
1. Go easy on the patterns
We get it. That tropical print calls to you like a siren in Zara. But stop. Breathe. Step away. Patterns, lovely as they seem, have a short shelf life. They date fast, shout where you bought them, and (whisper it) make you look two sizes bigger. Unless it’s a classic stripe or dot, leave it behind. If it makes your heart sing, you do you. But if you’re building a wardrobe that lasts more than one summer, keep prints on a tight leash.
2. Fabric matters more than you think
Polyester is nobody’s friend. Not in summer. Not ever. Choose natural fibres — cotton, linen, poplin, merino, silk — that breathe, move and look effortlessly expensive (probably because they cost a little more, but hey, they last). Trust us, nothing feels worse than sweating in something shiny and synthetic on the hottest day of the year. Check the label. Every time.
3. Stick to a tonal palette with a pop
We love colour — just not all the colour all at once. If you go head-to-toe sunshine yellow or ocean blue, you’ll risk looking like you’ve joined the cast of CBeebies Live. Instead, start with soft, tonal layers and add a pop where it counts — a red knit flung over your shoulders, a cobalt sandal, a sunny yellow bag. It shows personality without making you feel like you’ve overcommitted.
4. Accessory joy is real
Shoes, bags, hairbands, belts — this is where you can have real fun. Look after them well (dust bags are your friend), and they’ll pay you back for years to come. That straw tote you grabbed in 2021? Pull it out again this year. It’s still perfect.
5. Sort your swimwear
We bang on about bra fittings all year long, but somehow swimwear slips under the radar. It matters just as much. Invest in a classic cut, from a proper brand, in a neutral shade you won’t hate by August. It should lift, sculpt and make you feel like you actually want to hit the pool. No tugging, no pinching, no regrets.
