Tips for Slow Summer Style
I wrote recently about what it means to have a ‘slow’ wardrobe, and how committing to slow fashion is the exact opposite of a fad. But what does that mean for updating your wardrobe seasonally? In the past, I used to get excited about the start of a new season and rush out to buy everything that I thought I needed to wear over the coming months. Summer meant new swimwear, new dresses, new sandals, new everything. The result was that I had a bulging wardrobe full of garments that I barely ever wore. Realistically, we don’t even get that many hot summer days where I live, so there was even less point in me filling my drawers and rails with things that I’d probably wear once or twice. Nowadays, I shop in a completely different way.
Yes, I do still buy new garments for the season ahead. Twice a year I take everything out of my wardrobe, purge any items I no longer wear (these go in my clothes swap bag), pack away things that I won’t wear for six months and organise my wardrobe. Many of my clothes stay in my wardrobe all year round, as most of my linen dresses can be worn in any season but at the start of spring I packed away anything that I knew I wouldn’t wear again until autumn. When I’ve gone through my wardrobe, I can see where the gaps are. I then take my time searching for the exact garments that I ‘need’ (really, I don’t actually need these though) and don’t let myself get distracted by anything else. Since the beginning of lockdown I’ve only purchased three garments: a pair of shorts, a cotton jumper and a jumpsuit.
The way I dress in summer has completely changed since I embraced a slower style. One thing that I have noticed is that I don’t really have that many garments that are only for summer. I remember the piles of clothes I used to only wear once a year on holiday with a shudder. So many of the clothes I now own can be worn both at home on breezy spring days or when I’m travelling someplace hot. The key is light, natural fabrics and silhouettes that don’t cling to your body. Oversized linen dresses are just perfect for layering on chillier days or flouncing around in the sunshine. Loose-fitted jumpsuits can be worn on their own on hot days or layered over t-shirts when it’s not as warm. A light denim jacket or cotton jumper can be pulled on when the temperature’s drop on summer nights, or tucked under heavier coasts during the winter months.
To make it easier to pull an outfit together or to pack for a trip away, most of my wardrobe is now a season-less palette of muted, neutral colours. I’m on my way home from a four-day staycation (my first time away from home post-lockdown) with the bare minimum of garments in my bag. One dress, a pair of shorts and a couple of t-shirts that could be worn with both.
You don’t have to shy away from print or colour to embrace a slower style. Simple garments work best for me, most of the time but I do have print in my wardrobe, as demonstrated in these photos. The printed garments I own are still versatile - this pinafore dress can be worn on its own on warmer days.
Here are my top tips for slow, summer style:
FILL YOUR WARDROBE WITH GARMENTS THAT CAN BE WORN ALL YEAR ROUND, RATHER THAN ITEMS THAT YOU MAY ONLY WEAR ONCE OR TWICE
DRESS FOR COMFORT - YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO KEEP REACHING FOR A GARMENT THAT FEELS COMFORTABLE TO WEAR
BUILD UP A WARDROBE FULL OF CLOTHES THAT CAN BE MIXED AND MATCHED, MAKING IT EASIER TO PULL AN OUTFIT TOGETHER OR PACK LIGHTLY FOR A TRIP AWAY
CHOOSE NATURAL FABRICS THAT ALLOW YOUR BODY TO BREATHE
ONLY ALLOW YOURSELF TO BROWSE CLOTHING WEBSITES OR TO LOOK FOR NEW CLOTHES IF THERE’S A GAP THAT NEEDS FILLING IN YOUR WARDROBE
Wearing white Linen Fox ‘Anna’ dress