I love summer without a doubt; the long days, the sunny evenings in the garden and generally the fact that we spend so much of our time outdoors this time of year. However, it is also my least favourite season to dress for (unpopular opinion alert), and in the past I’ve struggled quite a bit figuring out what to wear this time of year; especially since my go-to uniform tends to be either a sweater, jeans and boots or a blazer/jeans combination – something that naturally is too warm this time of year.

So in this post I wanted to share some effortless styling tips to look chic and put-together during the summer season, things that have helped me massively when trying to translate my favourite autumn outfits into breezy summer looks instead. So here you have my top 6 effortless styling tips to look chic in the summer.

1) Looser silhouettes

I’m not much of a dress-person personally through most of the year, but during summer I usually pull out a few from my storage. And they’re great for summer; they’re easy to throw on, they’re breezy and they don’t require all that much styling. Most of them tend to be in oversized, looser silhouettes like an oversized shirt dress to nod to my casual style identity, but you’ll also find a few that are slightly more romantic in style – which I’ll typically level down with casual items like sneakers, a cool pair of boots, a denim jacket or a textured bag. So if you generally aren’t much of a dress-person like myself, adding contrast and tension to those slightly more romantic dresses is definitely one way of still being able to benefit from the breeziness of a dress. I’d also avoid those overly frilly and flowery dresses if you tend to prefer a more casual way of dressing, unless of course those romantic styles are your jam (love that for you if that’s the case!!).

If you are not into dresses whatsoever opt for looser silhouettes instead: a pair of wide leg linen or thin cotton trousers, or bermuda shorts and a breezy shirt worn open over a tank top is another way to look polished, but stay cool. Do remember to balance off the proportions of your outfits when wearing oversized silhouettes: for instance, enhancing your waistline with a tuck, knot or a belt or balance out by styling e.g. looser pants with a more slim fitting top.

2) Breathable fabrics and texture

So the silhouette is one thing to consider to keep cool in the heat, but of course the fabric matters a lot too. I just mentioned cotton and linen as two of my own go-to fabrics of choice during summer, but I do also really like Tencel as another breathable alternative. This fabric tends to have a natural sort of shine to it similar to silk, which can add a rather luxe feeling to your outfits, which is always worth considering especially when wearing really laid back and casual outfits – it will appear as though you’ve made more of an effort. And then generally again think about the texture of fabrics: raffia, linen, mesh or weaved bags, washed out denim and even espadrilles is an easy way to add a summer vibe to any basic look of yours.

3) Go for lighter colours

Wearing less dark colours and opting for pastels, light neutrals or even slightly brighter colours if you’re into those, is a great way to not only dress “in sync” with the bright and beautiful summer days, but also to reflect the sunlight and make sure the heat isn’t absorbed by the fabric, which naturally will only make you feel even more hot (although I should say I’ve heard people argue against wearing black actually being scientifically proven to be more warm to wear compared to light colours, I do however naturally feel rather breezy when I wear the lighter colours during summer).

4) Summer accessories

Texture and generally being mindful about fabric choices also for accessories is another great way to make your outfits feel more summery. For example, a brown or neutral coloured bag will instantly feel more light, fresh and appropriate for the summer time compared to the classic black bag. This doesn’t mean I never wear my black handbag during this season, or my black shoes for that matter, but it’s worth thinking about anyway. You could also try opting for slightly more textured accessories and bags like a canvas tote bag, a weaved leather bag or a mesh bag instead, which gives any outfit the ultimate summer vibe. And then don’t forget about sunglasses! This is probably one of the easiest ways to add a cool and effortless vibe to any summer outfit.

5) Defining your summer staples

So as mentioned I find summer styling the hardest because I love layering; my favourite seasons to dress for tend to be spring and autumn when the weather is mild. So what I’ll wear on repeat there is typically some kind of jeans, tee and blazer combination or it will involve a sweater, wool coat or a cool pair of boots. I truly feel at home when wearing those kinds of pieces. So the trick here is very much to take those pieces you love wearing and then “translate” those into summer staples. So instead of denim jeans, I could go for a denim skirt or denim shorts for that same textured, casual feeling. Or instead of the blazer I could opt for other more classic cut items like a light weight classic shirt, which again can be left open over an tank top as a summer friendly substitute for a blazer. And instead of wearing your warm sweater, you can throw it casually over your shoulders when the weather allows it – or opt for a slightly more light weight cotton sweater instead of your usual, chunky wool.

6) 3-colour-rule

Whether you enjoy wearing neutral or colourful outfits, I feel like this is one of the easiest, most effective ways to ensure your outfits look streamlined and polished – also during summer. So the idea is that you limit yourself to a total of 3 colours in your looks, and this will both create harmony and a perfect amount of dynamic in your outfits at the same time. I also find it works really well when you kind of sandwich the colours here: so if you’re wearing white somewhere on the top of your outfit, it looks great when reflecting that on the bottom. There are of course exceptions to this rule. For example if you wear two different shades of beige you could argue it functions as one colour, because they’re so similar. Some people also don’t count black, white or even blue denim as part of the 3 colours. So play around with it until you’re satisfied! Again remember, the end goal is simply to create more coherence in what you’re wearing, and this little styling trick is especially helpful if you either feel like your outfit is missing something or even if it feels a little all over the place.