Summer dressing means clothes for all seasons. It means swimwear and rainwear, sandals and shoes, coats and cardigans, it means buying for more than one summer, the more utilitarian the better. So the priorities are basics with dash. Florals always say spring, but their appeal will quickly wither, and though leather no longer is the preserve of bikers, just think about care costs. Denim is always high summer and is now high fashion, chambray, dyed, stonewashed or even quilted. But nautical stripes signal seaside more than any other motif and everyone from Louis Vuitton to Céline and Marni have their own spin on its zany effects. Shades are essential.
Freshen up a summer wardrobe by adding grey to white, mixing stripes with polka dots in monochrome, or stick to earthy tones. Margaret Howell is the high priestess here, a designer who knows how to make a breezy silhouette cool, streamlined and modern without succumbing to passing trends. Accessories can lift a dark silhouette – twist a colourful scarf into a bandanna for a lighthearted look – and for those open-toed sandals, the final imperative is good pedicure.
Here are a few suggestions.
1. Alice & Olivia dress, €290, from Brown Thomas
This dress has a simple shape, but a bold sweep to the design. From a practical point of view the colours allow accessories such as shoes, bags or cardigans to highlight whatever shade you choose be to complement it, be it black, red, blue or yellow.
2. Denim shorts, €49.95, from Zara
These are high-waisted in dark denim with patch pockets and are not close fitting, nor do they hug the thighs which, unless your pins are perfect, is not a good look. To make a leg look slimmer, there needs to be a decent gap between the hem of the shorts and the leg and these do the trick. Also, because they are dark, they can be worn with opaques or with a Peter Pan collared jacket in the same fabric, also from Zara. Avoid Bermudas or shorts with tulip fronts.
3. Yellow Barbour Trevose jacket ,€259, from McElhinneys
(next day delivery, free delivery on orders over €49)
This jacket is waterproof and breathable and will brighten up even the wettest, darkest days of summer. It has a detachable hood lined with a Breton stripe print.
4. Canvas and leather sandals, bench made in Italy, €450, Margaret Howell
These will never date, nor will a cheaper alternative by Solillas, the traditional handstitched Menorcan sandal called an avarca whose soles were made from used car tyres "and guaranteed for 60k", originally used by shepherds . The uppers now come in every shade under the sun, stripes, leopard print and other zany motifs. Find them in Office, €60 or online at solillas.com
5. Scarf, blue and cream handprinted silk Art Nouveau style by Bella Balou, €99, from Arnotts
In silk crepe de Chine with rolled edges and made in China. Size is 140 x 140cm.
6. Bikini, €22 each piece, from Asos
High-waisted bikinis flatter the less than perfect waistline and this one gets further help from its adroitly placed stripes. The top has a good halterneck shape too.
7. Breton stripes, €9.95, from Zara
Stripes add a dash of summer and this top from Zara is a new take on the classic sailor stripes, with an off-the-shoulder cut. The classic cotton Breton with red and white stripes is from Scout, €65, and is made in Quimper, Brittany by Armor Lux. (There is also a navy and white)
8. Neckpiece, €210, by Melissa Curry
Add a final dash of colour with Melissa Curry's Mademoiselle neckpiece made from red acrylic florals. From melissacurry.com or Kalu, Naas, Co Kildare.
arnotts.ie; zara.com; solillas.com; mcelhinneys.com; melissacurry.com;
asos.com; brownthomas.com; office.com; scoutdublin.com; margarethowell.co.uk and 99B Rathgar Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6.
