These 5 Summer Outfit Templates Will Make You Stop Hating The Season Of “Skimpy Clothes”
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by The Candidly Team
We’re not trying to be the Scrooges of summer, but can we at least stop pretending we love getting dressed on 98 degree days?
Sunshine? Yes! Vacation? Bliss.
But trying to shimmy our thighs into jean shorts on mornings we’re so sweaty we can’t seem to get dry after a shower? Nightmare.
Or how about shrink-wrapping ourselves into spaghetti-strap dresses on evenings we’re bloating to the heavens?
Hell. Just outright hell.
The point is, while we’d love to have a “hot girl summer,” we struggle to muster the will to dress in, much less “style,” any of our clothes when real-life, (peri)menopausal summer kicks in.
But we won’t let that stop us. Because we found a somewhat mindless solution. And it comes in the form of 5 lazy, foolproof, and chic outfit templates that are doing nothing short of saving us this summer.
We look good. We feel good. And here they are.
1. The Summery Way To Wear Jeans
WHY IT WORKS: For starters, proportions. Pairing a flattering, fitted tank that sort of sculpts your upper body with looser fitting but still tailored denim like a barrel jean, makes us feel as comfy as if we were in soft, airy PJs, but we come off completely put together. The second trick is to create a little “color moment” as the fashion people say. These pink jeans from Madewell have us emitting a kind of glow and makes our sun-kissed cheek color really pop.
WHAT YOU NEED:
The Light-colored Barrel Jeans:* These are the perfect fit but also the perfect pink.
The Ribbed Tank:* We’re tank people, and we admit, we do own $75 tanks, but this one fits so well, it’s pretty much all we wear. And it’s less than $15.
The Comfy Plats:* A cushioned, supportive platform will give us leg length and butt lift but zero foot pain. This pair are an investment but we’ll be wearing them til the day we die.
* Gifted products
2. The Non-Skimpy Shorts Set
WHY IT WORKS: A set makes everything look intentional and chic, while requiring zero thought. Choosing an almost trouser-like, not-too-short, A-line short is the key to nipping the waist and making legs look longer and leaner. Then, if you add a not-too-long, matching top, you can wear one that’s more spacious and look summery and sophisticated while feeling properly covered up.
WHAT YOU NEED:
The Staple Linen Set:* We’ll start with the basics. It set the exact right proportions and fit at a phenom price.
The Accessories: The accessories keep it minimalist but make it sing. We like it with an elongating necklace,* strappy flat sandals,* a floppy hat,* and this anklet bangle* we die for.
The Fancyish Shorts Set:* Another option is the slightly zhuzhed up, more elevated shorts set we’re absolutely mad for this summer because we can wear it over swimsuits or out to dinner where we unselfconsciously eat any bread put in front of us cause the fit is so comfy and the look is so chic.
* Gifted products
And Nation was kind enough to give us a code for 20% off. Use CANDIDLY20.
3. The Eternally Chic Floaty Skirt And Tank
WHY IT WORKS: Like look #1, the proportions are hourglassy and gorj without anything feeling skintight or like it’s showing a ton of skin. Plus, black on top and white on the bottom is the most understated, expensive-looking color combination that can’t not look good.
WHAT YOU NEED:
The Floaty Skirt:* This one from Paige is a dream in the way it skims without adding too much volume to the hips, but we also love THIS $60 one that comes in every color under the sun.
The Tank:* Choose skinny straps and a scoop neck and even linebacker shoulders will look narrowed.
The Nude Flips:* This pair is like butter and soooooo minimalist, we look more dressed up from wearing flip flops.
The Hair Accessory:* It’s the little things that turn clothes into looks. Plus, our hair is not coming down this summer, so we might as well make it chic.
* Gifted product
4. The French Lady In Summer
WHY IT WORKS: We talk all the time about the magic of the mariniére. It makes us sound fancy, but the truth is it’s just that classic, striped, boatneck tee you see all elegant French women wearing. The most classic version comes in white and blue (which we have), but we also like it in a warmer color in the warmer months. We wear it with a tan belt and white pants, which are not scary when they fit like this. It’s a look we can wear on weekends of to work, and it absolutely makes us feel like we know exactly what we’re doing where fashion is concerned. But we’re really just in wide-leg pants and a tee. So easy!
WHAT YOU NEED:
The Mariniére:* Here’s where we got this divine brown color, but we also have this incredible-fitting one* from J.Crew that isn’t fitted but somehow makes our waist look shrunken.
The White Pants:* If they’re wide-leg and fit like this heaven-sent pair, they’re not scary. Trust.
The Tan Belt:* This wider one is our dream belt but if you want a more classic version, this* is our fave.
The Accessories: An oversized scrunchie* and bright pair of sunnies* says “I’m classic but also an original.”
* Gifted product
5. The Smocked Dress And Ballet Slingbacks
WHY IT WORKS: We like the idea of skipping around town in a sleek, little dress but we don’t want to mess around with thick bras and dresses that make us feel like we have to suck in our bellies all day (not that we should ever feel that way but tight things just have a way of making us feel on full display). A smocked dress is such an easy solution. It holds you in up top and has room to breathe on the bottom. Here is our current favorite midi and maxi versions that we plan to wear 57 times this summer.
WHAT YOU NEED:
The Midi Dress:* It also comes in black but this color looks amazing on everyone.
The Maxi Dress:* Another one we could live in, and you can go braless or wear a light, breathable bandeau and be set.
The Shoes:* The slingback is summer’s ballet flat, so you can have an Audrey Hepburn moment at every street corner.
* Gifted products
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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