The Easiest Summer Outfit Formula I’m Wearing on Repeat

Anyone who lives in the UK and Europe will know we’ve had a much hotter summer than normal. While I’m happy to see the sun every day, these frequent heatwaves are pretty scary — and we’ve recently seen just how scary they can get with the wildfires across France and Spain.

But I’m not here to talk about climate change (I’ll leave that to the experts, but maybe we should collectively cool it with the ChatGPT usage?). I’m here to talk about clothes.

I tend to not add many summery pieces to my wardrobe. UK summers usually don’t require them, so buying lots of very seasonal items seems wasteful when they only get a look in for a handful of weeks a year. But in 2026, they’re putting in a shift. My summer dresses are now on weekly rotation, flip-flops are the only type of shoe touching my feet, and my big straw hat is almost a permanent fixture at this point.

But if there’s one outfit combination (or “formula”, if you prefer) I find myself wearing most day-to-day, it’s a shirt and a pair of shorts. It’s loose, comfortable, easy, and depending on the pieces and the styling, I find I can wear them to most places and occasions.

It’s the formula that works for beach cover-ups, popping out to run errands, going out for dinner, or spending a day in the office (depending on your office’s dress code, of course). And I know I’m not the only one reaching for shorts-and-shirts on the regular; Fanny Adams wrote about how it’s become her unofficial summer uniform here.

Black Bermuda shorts and a flowing, patchwork shirt: a smart but comfortable look I’ve taken out to dinner and to my co-working space. The extra length in the shorts feels that bit smarter than short shorts would, and the shirt feels fancier than your regular button-up. Plus, it’s still airy enough to deal with these rising temps.

I ended up wearing this outfit a few times during my recent road trip around France. The shorts are my favourite boxer style from WNU — great cut, fit and fabric — and the oversized linen shirt is a wardrobe staple for me. It’s a casual look, but the quality of the pieces makes it feel considered.

I wrote about this shirt in my last post. It’s very good: organic cotton, a good length, buttons actually placed with women’s bodies in mind. I’ve been wearing it when I want that classic crisp shirt look, and I love how the longer length leaves just a hint of the shorts poking through underneath. The deep red tote adds a touch of colour, and the flip-flops… well, as I said, they’re almost all my trotters can currently cope with.

There’s nothing easier than a matching set, and on days when I want more chest coverage without being too hot, I’ve found myself instinctively getting this out of my wardrobe.

This is a linen duo from Calm Amongst the Chaos, released a couple of summers ago. The same shorts are available in navy, but it’s a small team, they make everything to order, and they do custom pieces, so it’s worth pinging them an email if the off-white is more your thing.

I wore this during a trip to Zurich a couple of summers ago, and it’s still a look I wear now. Sometimes shorts and a T-shirt feel too casual, so when I want that same comfort with a little more polish, I’ll go for this: a loose, short-sleeved shirt with shorts that feel a touch smarter than the more casual pieces lingering in my wardrobe.

One thing I love about an outfit “formula” is you can add or subtract at your leisure. Think of the formula (in this case, shirt + shorts) as your base, then you can bring a little more flair to it. That flair can be jewellery, an interesting pair of shoes, a colourful bag, or in this case, a light, long jacket. It adds extra length, a bit of a cover-up if your morning commute is a little nippy, and is a good option if you simply feel more “put together” when you have an extra layer.

Ok — very simple, no styling, no jewellery, no accessories, just a plain old shirt-and-shorts combination. This has been a beach cover-up of choice for me this summer, thanks to the light cotton poplin of the shorts (a quick-drying fabric that isn’t precious), and the seersucker of the shirt (light, comfy, doesn’t crease). Because sometimes, you don’t need to mess with the core components of a formula.

Any items marked with * have been gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.

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