A common styling question that I get lately is “How do I layer my summer outfits?”. At the beginning of the season, I wore a crushed velvet spaghetti strap tank over a plain white t-shirt; and I received so many compliments on it!!! Later, the same people came to me saying, ” I tried that layering look, but it didn’t look right! How do you decide what to pair together?”.
| Cue fashion blog inspiration |
Sooooo, today, I will give you guys the spill on layering summer looks! Some people, like me, are always freezing, some want to cover certain areas, or some just want to spice up their look a little; and during the summer, especially in the south, the words “layering” and “summer” are tough to put together without breaking a sweat! With that said, I hope these ideas add a little spark to your threads while still beating the summer heat! Enjoy!
Here are a few general rules that apply to all layering looks:
- If you’re mixing colors and prints, always stay in the same color family. For instance, pastels with pastels, bolds with bolds, etc.
- Always have balance, i.e. if you’re going to do a super busy print for one piece, balance it by using a solid for the other piece. Now, there is a way to mix prints; but I will do a separate post on that in the future 🙂
- If you want to color block, always color block using two contrasting solid colors. Mixing prints AND color blocking can get very clashy very quickly if it’s not done right! Again, we will mix prints on another day.
| STYLE #1 – The T-Shirt |
| Total 90’s vibes |
| Style #2 – The Off-Shoulder Shirt |
This look is very fun and creative because it gives the illusion of a cold-shoulder look; but it allows you to, basically, create your own top and change it up! I prefer to use an off-shoulder bodysuit for the under shirt; and if you read my 6 Summer Casual Essentials post, you know why ;). But you can totally use a regular off shoulder top if you prefer, as it is just a personal preference. Just make sure it’s not too boxy or overwhelming for the romper or dress that you put over it, as it will take away from your shape! Fun fact: I used to own an online boutique, which is where my romper is from. I love that I’m still getting use out of it, especially with new looks and trends!
| Style #3 – The High-Neck Top |
I saved the best for last!!! This is my absolute fav style in the summer layering trend because I love high neck shirts! You can see, here, how I chose to wear a pink undershirt because it compliments the pink stripes in the busy off-shoulder shirt. It’s a great example of staying in the same color family but still using different colors instead of white; and you can see how the blue skirt compliments the blue in the top. When in doubt, white will almost always work. Also, this style is a really fun one to create with color blocking using two contrasting solid colors.
And this is totally a personal preference, but being that these outfits are statement pieces alone, I don’t go overboard with accessories because, for me, less is more. Solid, non-distracting hats are great! And simple dainty jewelry! Also, if you go with prints, keep the shoe simple – remember that balance. BUT if you go with all solids or even color blocking, feel free to jazz it up with a statement shoe if you’re feeling fancy!
On any of the pics, which my outfit is available, you can click the pic to shop; but this is a great blog to use as inspiration to pair pieces from your own closet, as I used some of last season’s pieces to create these looks! I know we all have a white t-shirt; so start there and see what you can come up with! Please feel free to tag me on your Instagram pics once you create your outfit, as I would love to see what you all put together and even share it on my story!
Now, go create some fun trends and rock them with confidence!
XOXO,
Michelle
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