These summer capsule wardrobe items are all I’m bothered about wearing

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Real talk: warm-weather dressing isn’t always as effortless as throwing on a summer dress and sandals, but a summer capsule wardrobe can help you stylishly navigate the very hot and humid spaces — and the most refrigerated ones — with ease.

The trick to building out the ideal summer capsule wardrobe is focusing on fabrics and silhouettes. Just as in spring you gravitate towards wardrobe essentials that lend themselves well to layering, for peak temperatures you want breathable, lightweight materials, like linen, cotton, and silk, that move easily and feel good on skin — and don’t trap heat. When it comes to fit, anything loose and flowy usually works. (It’s little surprise that one of the most popular summer fashion trends is relaxed suiting). And don’t sweat the length: Midi and maxi styles tend to be just as — if not more — comfortable than minis, while tailored shorts (and jorts) read more appropriate than cutoffs in semi-formal settings.

Our top picks:

The best part about dressing for the season, though, is all the colourful accessories that come out to play. A great beach bagfunky belts, and stackable jewellery — these are small staples that pack a punch with a simple look—and tend to get a ton of wear.

To make the next few months as fuss-free as possible (at least when it to comes dressing for the heat), we rounded up all the warm-weather essentials you need for a stylish summer — check them out below.

The Tank Top

White tank tops are a dime a dozen but a great one always stands out — and GLAMOUR editors agree that Free People and SKIMS have some of the best around.

COURTESY OF BRAND

We The Free Kate Tank

£34 AT FREE PEOPLE

COURTESY OF BRAND

Cotton Rib Tank

£38 AT SKIMS

The White T-Shirt

Ditto for white T-shirts. Our editors can get very particular about the small details that set a good white tee apart from an excellent one. Here are a few at various price points we like to stock up on.

Amazon Essentials Women’s Slim-Fit Short-Sleeve Crewneck T-Shirt (Pack of 2)

£17.10 AT AMAZON

Clean Cut T-Shirt

£30 AT COS

The Summer Sneakers

Whether you’re at home or vacation, summer fashion trainers are a must for 10,000-plus-step days — and these kicks are current hits at the moment for a reason.

Samba OG Trainers

£90 AT ADIDAS

Gola Elan Suede Trainers

£90 AT ANTHROPOLOGIE

The Strapless Bra

Along with sticky bras, the best strapless bras can help you pull off a tricky summer ’fit. We’ve tried dozens to find ones that stay up and hidden for small breasts and large busts alike — Wacoal and SKIMS never disappoint.

Wacoal Halo Floral Lace Wired Strapless Bra

£40 AT MARKS & SPENCER

COURTESY OF BRAND

Fits Everybody Bandeau

£28 £20 AT SKIMS

The Tube Top

Somewhere between a longline bandeau and strapless top — this late-’90s, early-’00s staple has made a quiet comeback, managing to look both timeless and modern when paired with relaxed trousers or high-waist jeans.

Ribbed Tube Top

£3.99 AT H&M

Gally Linen Strapless Top

£89 AT ALIGNE

The One-Piece Swimsuit

Long sleeves, with tummy controlcrinkle — we love a one-piece swimsuit around these parts. And not just because it takes the guesswork out of shopping for swimwear; it can also double as a bodysuit with denim shorts or a cute sarong.

Hunza G Celine Cut-Out Seersucker Swimsuit

£185 AT HARVEY NICHOLS

Cream Textured Whipstitch Swimsuit

£38 AT RIVER ISLAND

The High-Waist Two-Piece Swimsuit

Those in the market for a two-piece will appreciate the variety the best swimwear brands have to offer. Gone are the days of finding only triangle bikinis and low-cut briefs; this new generation of bikinis has everything from interesting cutouts and strap placements to high-waist bottoms with cheeky coverage — all in a bevy of fun prints and colours.

ASOS DESIGN Maya Mix & Match Bikini Set

£32 AT ASOS

Hunza G Jamie Twist-Front Metallic Seersucker Bikini

£175 AT NET-A-PORTER

The Statement Shades

Sunglasses are always a good idea — especially ones that can get coated with sand and seawater without you being too precious about them.

Prada PR 06YS 53 Sunglasses

£376 AT SUNGLASS HUT

COURTESY OF BRAND

Outta Love Sunglasses

£51.04 AT LE SPECS

The Linen Button-Down

Naturally lightweight and breathable, linen is a quintessential summer fabric—and the best linen shirts look a little (or lot) lived-in.

Pure Linen Relaxed Shirt

£35 AT MARKS & SPENCER

COURTESY OF BRAND

The Linen Relaxed Shirt

£84 £63 AT EVERLANE

The Day Dress

Sleeveless, puff-sleeved, smocked or strapless — the perfect summer day dress instantly ups your level of excitement for getting dressed in the morning. It’s also a holiday must-have.

Brogo de Nor Helena Tie-Front Printed Cotton Mini Shirt Dress

£595 AT NET-A-PORTER

The Drop Women’s Dia Mixed Fabric Midi Tank Dress

£54.90 AT AMAZON

The Denim Shorts

Like an on-off relationship, feelings towards jorts have been hot and cold for the past few summers, but it seems the internet’s finally reached a consensus: they can stay. Blame it on Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid, who make them look so good with Sambas — but you’ll want to embrace these longer hems, ASAP.

COURTESY OF BRAND

Citizens of Humanity Marlow High-Rise Recycled-Denim Shorts

£220 AT SELFRIDGES

COURTESY OF BRAND

501 Mid-Thigh Shorts

£60 AT LEVI’S

The Everyday Sandals

If you don’t already own a comfortable pair of walking sandals, now’s the time to get one. Birkenstock’s Arizona silhouette are the classic go-to pair, but consider something a bit quirkier – like Teva’s – if you fancy a change.

Birkenstock Suede Arizona Sandals

£115 AT SCHUH

Teva Midform Universal Adorn Chunky Sandals

£60 AT ASOS

The Beach Tote

A sturdy basket bag is a nonnegotiable for carrying towelssunscreenbooks, and snacks with style.

Dragon Diffusion Nantucket Interwoven Leather Tote Bag

£503 AT FARFETCH

Mega Jute Tote Bag

£88 AT FREE PEOPLE

The Extra Sun Protection

The window for wearing a straw boater is a short one, so make the most of summer hat season while you can.

Crochet Straw Hat

£27 AT & OTHER STORIES

9FORTY New York Yankees Womens MLB Linen Adjustable Cap

£27 AT NEW ERA

The Beach Coverup

The best beach coverup is an outfit unto itself. We love the way an oversized shirt looks over a cozzie, or a printed sarong with a matching bikini.

Oversized Beach Kaftan

£18.99 AT H&M

Black Multifunctional Lightweight Sarong

£9.99 £8.99 AT NEW LOOK

The Summer Skirt

Slip skirts will always have a place in our wardrobe, but there’s something about structured midis— in linen and denim — that we’re really into right now.

Linen Blend High-Waist Skort

£29.99 AT ZARA

Brie Maxi Skirt

£62 AT LUCY & YAK

The Linen Trousers

Linen trousers may be a bit of a cliche for summer, but if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Right? Our favourites at the moment are from M&S and Massimo Dutti.

Linen Blend Wide Leg Trousers

£25 AT MARKS & SPENCER

Linen Palazzo Joggers

£89.95 AT MASSIMO DUTTI

The Waistcoat

Equal parts cool and sophisticated, a waistcoat is what you wear when the vibe is put-together but not super fussy. Skip layering and wear it sleeveless.

Suit Waistcoat

£32.99 AT H&M

Tie-Front Waistcoat

£85 AT COS

The Tie Front Top

You may be living in T-shirts and tanks most of the time, but a cute summer top – like a tie-front blouse – is great to have for dressing up casual bottoms.

Ruffled Top with Bows

£29.99 AT MANGO

Embroidered Top with Ties

£29.99 AT ZARA

The Linen Blazer

Blazers get the linen treatment for summer too. Black always works, but it’s hard to go wrong with an off-white version slung carefree over a T-shirt.

COURTESY OF BRAND

The Linen Oversized Blazer

£171 £68 AT EVERLANE

COURTESY OF BRAND

Relaxed Double-Breasted Linen Blazer

£145 AT & OTHER STORIES

The Summer Knit

Perfect for windy beaches and A/C-filled offices, a lightweight knit you can toss in a big tote bag goes a long way.

Short Sleeve Crochet Cardigan

£80 £60 AT BODEN

La Ligne Mini Marina Striped Cotton Cardigan

£230 AT NET-A-PORTER

The Event Dress

A special-occasion dress should make an impact — and have life beyond a single wear. You can find the best summer wedding guest dresses across all budgets and styles, though RIXO and Kitri have some our favourite printed ones.

Benedict Midi Dress

£235 AT RIXO

Gretchen Pastel Floral Jacquard Mini Dress

£160 AT KITRI

The Heeled Sandals

Perfect for after-work events, weddings, or date nights, a mule or kitten-heel sandal is a versatile addition that’ll get plenty of wear.

Heeled Non-Structured Sandals

£35.99 AT MANGO

ST. AGNI Pina Suede Slingback Sandals

£275 AT NET-A-PORTER

The Hair Accessory

Cute claw clips and scrunchies to the rescue in the unrelenting heat and humidity.

DesignB London Double Layer Gingham Scrunchie

£10 AT ASOS

Maui Super Bloom Hair Claw Clip

£15 AT ANTHROPOLOGIE

The Summer Jewellery Stack

Pile on the campy pieces — we love Pandora and Edge of Ember’s playful pearly creations — or mix metals for a colourful, layered look; celeb-loved brands like Missoma and Mejuri have great pieces for every day.

Treated Freshwater Cultured Pearl & Organically Shaped Double Band Ring

£115 AT PANDORA

Edge of Ember Ocean Shell Freshwater Pearl Drop Earrings

£85 £68 AT JOHN LEWIS

The Belt

All eyes are on belts right now. Invest in a luxe leather one you’ll own for years to come, or have fun with a chain style that’ll pair nicely with slip dresses and denim skirts.

Xena Studded Hip Belt

£88 AT FREE PEOPLE

Isolde Gold-Plated Belt

£180 AT RIXO


This article originally appeared on Glamour US.

For more from Glamour US Senior Commerce Writer Talia Abbas, follow her @_taliaabbas on Instagram. For more from GLAMOUR UK Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.

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