If there’s one thing I’ve learned since moving to a place where summer happens and trying to locate myself in that, it’s that what makes me feel most like myself is layers. And that the onset of summer doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning that entirely. This is, after all, a land of air conditioning. I also have an insanely and thrillingly intense June ahead of me — two patterns due, two big trips to plan (and pack) for, lots of exciting stuff in the pipeline for Fringe Supply Co., an urgent need to compress a whole lot of work into the gaps of an unusual amount of travel, and thus even greater need than ever to not have to think about what to wear as I head into each action-packed workday while I’m home. So my early summer uniform is a necessarily simple formula: sleeveless layers.
Nearly all of the outfits below still work if you peel off the top layer when needed, so there you have my deep summer strategy! You may notice a discrepancy between the first “modeled” outfit up there and the garment lineup just below it. I had a moment with that floral top yesterday and an interesting discussion about it over on Instagram. But the bottom line is: that outfit needed a different top!
This round of Closet Rummy™ is far from exhaustive (and this is only using 24 of the 34 garments), but it’s demonstrative of how my [vest/smock + sleeveless/cami + pants] formula might play out in the coming weeks. For details on all of the garments pictured, see yesterday’s summer closet inventory.
And now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go see how many outfits I can make with those orange Everlane shoes I can’t stop thinking about …
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PREVIOUSLY in Summer ’18 Wardrobe: Closet inventory
After reading your blog on Tuesday morning and set out to purchase a pair of orange-red sandals (I was successful), which I’ve decided will just have to go with everything in my wardrobe. All the other sandals were boring me, and these make me happy. I recommend you follow through!
Ha, so late last night instead of a few rows of knitting, I spent a few minutes plugging those orange shoes into some outfit lineups! They’ll likely look terrible on my feet, but I do think I’m going to order them and find out.
Well, I thought about it last night either, even if I’m not considering red shoes for myself. I was asking myself if the urge of a pop of colour is worth to spend so much money for a pair of shoes you might dislike in a few month (replace “pop of colour” with “heels”, and I can tell you I’ve been there !). So if you are still hesitating, why not considering another way to ad colour, like a little bandana that you can use around your neck (air conditioning and so), in your hair, as a belt, as a bracelet, or wherever you like ?
Those are all good possibilities, but “the wrong shoe” has always been one of my favorite tricks for making an outfit interesting. And I just super love those shoes! Want to see how they look on me.
The orange-red sandals I bought look awful when they are lying on the floor, and beautiful when they are on my feet! I wish you luck with yours 🙂
A friend just gifted me a lovely pair of orange sandals that she had purchased (new) at a thrift store. They didn’t quite fit her, but she wanted them desperately…..then when they fit me perfectly, I became their new happy owner!
Karen, I was wondering what that flowery top was doing in your first photo. It wasn’t you.
Right? ;)
You need a gauzy scarf/shawl in the mix. Air conditioning is a blessing and a curse in the summer, even in NYC. The subway cars are always iceboxes. It feels good for about the first five seconds. I can’t get the chill off without covering my arms so I always carry a cotton or linen gauzy shawl in my bag.
I do keep a featherweight grey scarf in my bag at all times (doubles as a blanket on airplanes), but have been digging back into my more colorful/silk/print scarf collection lately, thinking it might be time to air some of them out! It’s been a minute.
First I love your blog and follow the links you give us. Thank you!
Today I found something … maybe its interesting for you and others: https://www.theassemblylineshop.com
I was looking at those exact same Everlane shoes in green for about a year. Living in Australia makes them impossible (postage) and I had stopped looking. I blame you for putting them back in my radar! I love looking at the breakdown of your wardrobe and it’s helping me to rethink mine. Thank you.
I have an orange cross-body bag that I use all the time. Go for the shoes!!