Before I go any further, there’s something I have to say (that I’ve said many times before). There are no style ‘must-haves’. There is no article of clothing or accessories that every woman needs.
But after 13+ years as a full-time personal wardrobe stylist (has it really been that long?), I can confidently say that there are things that almost every female client has found super useful in her summer wardrobe. These things are definitely not must-haves - because I don’t believe in must-haves (especially when they’re shared on social media with a link). But I do believe in certain categories of items that have helped my clients create more functional, versatile & enjoyable summer wardrobes.
So, that’s why I put ‘need’ in quotes in the title of this article. Because I want to share these categories - but without any pressure. And with no intention of creating style FOMO. And even with these ‘needs’ - one or two of them may not be for you (because not everyone loves dresses in the summer). But I can say that they have worked for 95% of my clients, including clients that I’ve helped create summer wardrobes this year.
Also - this entire article isn’t about what you may ‘need’. Because there are also things that other people may say you need in the summer - but which I think you can easily skip. So, I’ve included some of them too, along with a few style ‘rules’ that you can break this (and every) summer.
Summer trends come & summer trends go. But you know what’s always around? Timeless styles that fill a clear need in the summertime. Here are a handful of things that work for my clients every single summer.
5 things my clients need every summer
You can probably tell that I don’t like the ‘summer must-have’ lists that come out every year. Because if you follow them all, your list gets pretty long. So, check out a few things that you don’t actually need (& what you can do instead).
3 things you don't need this summer
Rules were made to be broken, right? Especially style rules. Because style is personal. And you don’t have to do (or wear) what everyone else is doing (or wearing). Here are four style rules that you can break & still feel great all season.
4 style rules to break in summer
I work with clients who love clothes (and just need help filling the gaps & creating outfits). I work with clients who like clothes (but they’re not sure how to develop a style that feels right for them). And I work with clients who aren’t really into clothes at all (but they realize they could dress better). ‘Kelly’ was one of the last ones.
For Kelly, clothes were utilitarian. She is self-admittedly not creative & had no idea what worked together or what worked for her body. But she did know that she wasn’t feeling good in her outfits. And that she rarely felt intentional, appropriate & pulled together.
Kelly was actually fine with what she wore to her workplace, so we didn’t focus on that. She wanted to focus on casual social occasions - like meeting friends for walks, coffee or lunch. Or going out to dinner with her family. She wanted to feel dressed up, but not too dressed up. And above all else, she wanted to feel comfortable. Here’s a quote from her pre-work: “I love being comfortable. My lifestyle is very casual, so my outfits should probably be the same - but I really want comfortable & casual to also equal SUPER CUTE.”
And she was at a point in her life (recent empty-nester) that she had the time & resources to finally tackle her style. So, we did.
Kelly sent me a quick email after she wore some of her outfits. It said, “I’ve worn my new outfits three times now & I feel so much more confident & get so many compliments. Thank you!!” And I absolutely love hearing this. Because as I tell my clients (and say a lot on social media) - it’s about the clothes, but it’s not about the clothes. It’s about how the clothes make you feel.
Where are you on the spectrum of how you feel about clothes? Do you love clothes? Do you like them (but they’re a little challenging)? Or are they more utilitarian (or even a ‘necessary evil’) for you? I’m super curious - so leave a comment to let me know.
If you want to see more of the outfits I create for my clients, now is a great time to become a Style Mail VIP. Especially if you’re feeling a little blah about your summer style - you’ll start receiving a client look book every month with 30+ outfits PLUS immediate access to all the look books in the archive. And as a paid subscriber, you also get links to my stylist-approved picks, a monthly challenge to expand your style & more (click here to read all about the benefits of being a paid subscriber).
Tap the button to upgrade to Style Mail VIP. You’ll get next level style motivation & inspiration for less than the price of 2 lattes/month or 2 moderately priced tops/year (that you probably didn’t need, anyway).
I’m going to keep it short & sweet (since Substack is saying my article is too long, as usual). It’s close to the end of LGBTQ+ Pride month. And regardless of what anyone says regarding, “why do we need Pride month?” - we need it more than we have for years.
The trans community is being used as a scapegoat & attacked for no reason. Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is on the rise, with more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills signed into law this year (more than doubling last year’s number, which was previously the worst year on record). The HRC (Human Rights Coalition) has declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the very first time.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I’m asking for our allies to get active. And to get loud all year round. The above post from Democracyonthego on Instagram shows what you can do on a daily basis. And check out HRC for how you can get more involved.
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