Summer is my least favorite season to dress for. It’s the lack of layering options for sure. Summer is hot! And generally uncomfortable. I don’t like to be warm and I hate being out in the sun…as evidenced by my lack of a tan lol. And since I don’t enjoy summer dressing, I find that I experiment less with my style and I rewear a lot of the same outfits. So, why not dedicate a post to the simple outfits that I’ve been falling back on??
I hate it a little less than I used to, basically ever since I began focusing on natural fabrics in my wardrobe and stopped wearing synthetic fabrics. I have been extremely fortunate to purchase most of my natural fabric clothing secondhand. I focus mostly on cotton pieces because I love the sturdiness of the material, followed by silk, linen and wool.
Surprisingly, I have been wearing more pants and fewer dresses this summer. I think it’s because I prefer dresses with boots instead of sandals. It’s been a nice break and I’ve been enjoying pants more than I thought I could. But no worries if you’re a dress fan…they’ll be making a comeback really soon.
Repeat Outfit #1
One dress that I have been making an exception for is this long black maxi dress. It’s Eileen Fisher and I found it secondhand at a local consignment shop back in the late spring/early summer. It’s extremely versatile…it can be worn alone or layered with other items depending on the weather.
This is one of my favorite ways that I’ve worn it this summer. I layered a vintage silk shirt, buttoned all the way to the top, underneath the dress and added my chunky grey sneakers, which I actually stole from my son when he outgrew them!
I love that this outfit could be dressed up simply by changing the shoes. I could also wear the skirt over the dress and knot it at the front for another styling option.
Repeat Outfit #2
This bodysuit is a wardrobe staple summer after summer. Heck, I even wear it during the winter under certain sweaters/blazers. It’s the perfect layering piece. It’s old and from a brand that I no longer buy from and don’t feel comfortable promoting. But I love it and I will wear it until it dies…AKA has too many holes to repair.
I love how the form fitting bodysuit looks with the slightly baggy jeans. These are the Levis Made & Crafted Barrel crop jeans. I purchased them in Chicago when we took a weekend trip back in June.
I added some simple leather slides that I purchased secondhand at a local consignment shop, my secondhand leather tote (I purchased it from a friend a few years ago after coveting it for a long time) and a light grey silk necktie that I bought from Ozma of California about 3 years ago.
I’ve definitely used this outfit formula a lot this summer. It’s so easy and I feel really chic when I wear it.
Repeat Outfit #3
I am, quite literally, obsessed with this combination. I’m not sure if it’s the color or the comfort. Maybe we should just chalk it up to being a combination of the 2.
I even took this outfit on my recent vacation to Breckenridge. I mean how could I not?!? I did bring along my most favorite shirt (a navy men’s flannel) to layer over top when it was chilly.
I made this Lola Tank from Staystitch Pattern Co a few months ago and it has definitely become one of my favorite wardrobe items. And this jumpsuit, which is the perfect compliment to the tank, is one that I bought a few years ago during an Ali Golden sale. Here, I’ve chosen to pair the items with my old Birkenstock sandals and an old backpack.
I will forever be wearing this outfit on repeat.
Repeat Outfit #4
Is it possible to go wrong with a black/white combo? No? I thought so. How about adding in a little brown via the shoes? Still no, huh?
This entire outfit it secondhand. The t-shirt is vintage Guess, the pants are Teva and the fisherman sandals are Sonoma Jeans Co. I found all of these items at local consignment shops over the course of the summer, except for the sandals which I found last fall.
I don’t promote any brands on here aside from telling you what the brand of something that I’m wearing is. It’s my hope that if you see something of mine that you like, that you’ll search for it secondhand, either locally or online. I believe that there is already so much clothing out there and we already have a huge consumption problem that we need to find some way to control, so I don’t want to add to it by promoting new clothing, even if it is made sustainably.
If you even need help finding something, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help find it as best as I can.
Repeat Outfit #5
Disclaimer: this outfit make me feel like a million bucks. I feel my chicest in this combo of a simple black bodysuit (see, I told you I wear it all summer), a pair of wide legged grey trousers and some simple sandals.
I’ve definitely been leaning more towards darker colors and simple silhouettes thus summer. Just like my divergence away from dresses, my divergence away from color is the antithesis to what one expect of summer dressing. But just like the dresses, I’m sure that color will reemerge at some point as well. Probably during the cold and gloomy winter that will feel never-ending!
Expect to see this combo repeated come cooler weather but imagine it with a vest in the early fall and then a blazer and boots as it cools down.
I hope you enjoyed seeing and reading about the outfits that I’ve been wearing on repeat. I believe that the answer to overconsumption is rewearing the items that we already own and making/buying secondhand when the need (or desire for something “new”) arises.
If you feel like this mission is something that you want to be a part of, and you enjoy the content I create, please like and comment on my posts. Share my articles on your social media platforms. Follow me on Instagram and engage with my content there.
Together, we can reach more people and encourage people to think about clothing more consciously. One person doing a little thing doesn’t make a huge difference, but a lot of us doing a little thing can really move the needle of positive change.
Until next time,