Think about your favorite pretty summer dress. As much as you love it, how often do you wear it? Perhaps just a few months of the year.
It’s frustrating that we have so many items in our wardrobe that hang unused for so long. However, with a slightly different mindset and a few little tweaks to the way we shop, we can look stylish in our summer wear all year round. We just need to invest in a few key pieces that are lightweight and cool enough for the hottest months, kurtis are one of them which can still look sublime when layered up with warmer pieces for spring, autumn, and even winter.
Find out more about how to shop for and style your summer wardrobe for 12 months-of-the-year wear here.
Why Focus on a Versatile Wardrobe?
Streamlining your closet doesn’t only make picking out an outfit quicker and more convenient. There are three distinct advantages that benefit both you and the world around you.
1. Feel good every day
Imagine minimizing your closet to leave only the clothes that make you feel comfortable, stylish and happy. No stress, no decision fatigue, just more time to yourself every day. Spending less on quantity also means being able to invest more in quality. The capsule wardrobe is how you can manage to achieve effortless style.
2. Shop with the good of the planet in mind
The fashion industry is, unfortunately, a major contributor to environmental damage being inflicted on our planet. This is, in part, due to the enormous appetite the human population has for clothing. “Fast fashion,” where items are bought cheaply and then left unused or discarded after a few wears, is increasing water pollution, carbon emissions and landfill use.
Each item of clothing we purchase has left an environmental “footprint.” We can all help by buying less clothing so that less needs to be manufactured. When we pick out a garment, we need to be mindful of both its fabric and its workmanship (“Will it last a long time?”) and whether or not it is a timeless piece you’ll love to wear for many years to come.
Natural and organic fabrics, including cotton, wool and silk, and handcrafted pieces are a sign of “slow fashion.” Garments made with materials like these will likely have been made more mindfully, with both attention to detail and attention to the good of the planet.
3. Boost your mood
Summer wear is fun and stylish and can add doses of color and texture to outfits in the colder and darker months. When you focus on adding summer pieces to your wardrobe that are created by artisans with beautiful texture and detail, these are pieces that you will want to be wearing all year round.
The lightweight fabrics used in summer clothing can lift an outfit that might otherwise look heavy and drab. The structure of natural fabric keeps us cool in summer but also provides insulation in cooler temperatures. With clever layering, there is no need to worry about feeling cold.
The 3 Most Versatile Pieces
In response to calls for more sustainable, versatile clothing ranges, designers are creating stylish summer collections that can play a part in your day to day wardrobe all year round. For example, the Scarlett Poppies Sunstone Collection contains pieces you can wear every weekend of the year, for casual evenings out, and perhaps even to the office, as well as being the staples of your holiday wardrobe.
Here are five summer wardrobe essentials that you can wear all year round if you choose well.
1. The maxi dress
The maxi dress is perfect on vacation for keeping cool while seeing the sights, perusing the markets, strolling along the waterfront, and for long, leisurely lunches. Wear them with sandals and tousled hair in the summer for a boho beach vibe.
Maxi dresses can look stylish all year round, however. Transform them in the cooler months with slouchy knitwear and chunky boots for a low key weekend look. If you need to, you can layer up even more with cozy tights underneath and a long lined woolen coat over.
Alternatively, maxi dresses work well with short, cropped jackets, particularly denim or leather and ankle boots. For an evening out, you could try adding a belt to the dress for a little more definition.
2. Kaftans and kimonos
These two garments have become staple beach cover-ups because they are both loose, cool and easy to wear. The T-Shaped kimono in silk has Japanese roots and is usually tied at the front. The kaftan is Middle Eastern in origin and is pulled over the head.
Look out for kaftans and kimonos with delicate detailing such as embroidery or mother of pearl. There are some exquisite designs that will look stylish on holiday and then can be the most beautiful, luxurious and comfortable loungewear for the rest of the year.
If you prefer to show off your embroidered kaftan or silk kimono rather than save it for home, then they will probably look perfect with skinny jeans or sharply tailored trousers. As for maxi dresses, layer them up with denim, leather and wool. Depending on the style of the kaftan or kimono, it may be possible to wear a warm layer underneath, too.
3. Wide-legged trousers
Many wide-legged trousers come in timeless and comfortable linen. Linen is an ideal fabric for all year round wear. It is so cool in summer that many people are surprised to hear how warm it is for the winter as well.
When wide-legged linen trousers are cut well, they can look smart enough for the office with a jacket, a preppy sweater, tailored shirt and ballet flats. Wearing them with sneakers is a classic relaxed weekend look, too. Alternatively, wear them with a looser top, like your kaftan, for an especially comfortable, stay-at-home weekend. These three garments are ideal investments for an all-year-round capsule wardrobe. Getting more into the mindset for shopping for pieces like this will make you a more sustainably orientated shopper while still looking stylish every day of the year, even when you stay at home.
