Building A Summer Wardrobe (Beyond Vacation Dressing)

Summer in the city dressing… and our plans for July!

I have some fun news after the jump ~ but my mind has been on summer in the city dressing, specifically, building a versatile summer wardrobe that works for you in various destinations… beyond your vacation.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my own summer style… and why is it that I’m enjoying getting dressed more this summer compared to the past couple of summers?! And I realized I’ve invested more in my *actual* everyday summer wardrobe versus one off vacation specific pieces this season. I’m guilty of getting overly excited about vacation dressing and can easily narrow in on destination specific looks when shopping during the summer months… but over the past couple months I’ve noticed I have invested more in pieces that complement my year-round wardrobe. I also noted I have made more accessory purchases to wear with my older summer styles (i.e.: sandals that give that edge I crave, that I know I’ll wear well beyond just this summer… and upgraded basics I can mix-and-match in all of the ways, that can take me from summer camp drop-off and to that dinner on the beach).

Blending City / Everyday Summer Dressing with Vacation Pieces…

Adding in a few new destination specific pieces for vacation is fun… so don’t let me stop you!! But I do love the idea of thinking about how I’ll wear these vacation pieces back home after the trip again, and building a wardrobe of foundational staples that I can wear all summer long. Or maybe it’s more of an accessory for the trip that you know you’ll actually carry in real life and get more use out of.

If you follow me then you know I am a bit of a minimal capsule wardrobe wearer for this reason and appreciate investing in these more practical pieces that I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of beyond just one season.

Khaite Sunglasses. Knit Tank. Poplin Shirt. White Shorts. Black Dress. Suede Bag. Alaïa Suede Flats.

Mixing-In Breezy Poplins and Linens |

Incorporating those breezy materials as soon as the temps hit is always key. Linens, poplin and cottons. Tops like this poplin style or this one which can be paired back easily to any pant, shorts or skirt. Both styles add a dimension of volume to any look and can easily be dressed up or down. I always like the added element of some voluminous poplin in the summer!!

Or a classic cotton poplin dress that transitions well from the office to the streets of Italy. (I’ve included multiple versatile pieces from Banana Republic as I think they have some great basic summer staples at the moment that I can see wearing back home, in any city, and on vacation).

Adding Summer Texture |

Mixing texture is key to an interesting look year-round but in the summer I like to mix loose knit tees and tanks as well as raffia (bags)… and suede (bags / shoes). If you live in a cooler city like San Francisco, you also have the benefit of truly stretching your wardrobe ~ incorporating your leather and suedes into your looks throughout the year. A leather jacket or layered sweater is an instant way to make any vacation dress feel more city.

Knit tops and tanks like these are a go-to’s of mine in the summer with shorts or loose flow-y linen pants (these come in a number of colors).

Saint Laurent Sunglasses. Knit Tee. Leather Jacket. Gathered Top & Cotton Pants. Linen Pants. Brown Sandals. Dôen Floral Dress & Lace Dress.

We are spending most of July in