Here’s a list of foundational items that will kick-start a casual warm weather wardrobe capsule, especially if you are starting a casual Summer wardrobe from scratch. Once the foundations are in place you’ll find it easier to build complete wardrobe capsules around a colour palette, and put together head-to-toe outfits. 

Start by getting ONE of each of the below items and build your capsules from there. Over time, purchase an assortment of building blocks for extra outfit variation, and to prevent laundry bottle necks. Note that these items can move across various wardrobe capsules. That’s why I am calling them the building blocks.  

• Denim jacket: Keep it cropped and cheeky to wear over dresses, with skirts, and non-denim bottoms. Think blue or white denim. Even if your Summers are scorchers, temperatures are cooler in the morning, at night, or in air-conditioning. That’s when you’ll need a denim jacket. 
• Jeans: If regular jeans are too hot for your Summer climate, substitute them with breezier cropped jeans and boyfriend jeans. If pants are not your thing, substitute jeans with a denim skirt. Think blue denim washes, white and coloured denim.
• Denim shorts: Choose your length. From clamdiggers and tapered Bermuda shorts, to regular length shorts and short shorts.
• Non-denim bottoms: You have options aplenty. Knitted skirts, woven skirts, cotton-rich trousers, harem pants and slouchy trousers. Choose a print or a solid. 
• Sandals: A “nude for you”, metallic or neutral snake skin pair is versatile. Or choose a colour that bookends the colour of your hair. Wedge sandals keep the heel vibe casual, as do espadrilles and cork heels.
• Non Sandal Shoes: Think loafers, slipper flats, ballet flats, fashion sneakers, flat oxfords, sandal booties, peep-toe booties, slingbacks or Summer boots. 
• Warm weather handbag: Choose a bright colour or a very light colour. Or a style in canvas, wicker, or a metallic. Unstructured or semi structured styles in distressed leather look more casual. 
• Summer scarf: This item may come as a surprise but hear me out. Lightweight, gauzy, linen/cotton/silk rich scarves keep you cool, and they can add just the right amount of pizazz to a basic tank top or layering tee. Choose a solid or a pattern. 
• Sunglasses: These days sunglasses are a practical necessity, even in a grey Seattle. Choose a fabulous pair, pop in prescription lenses if necessary, and try not to lose them. 

Once these foundations are laid, add “the glue” to create the head-to-toe outfits that complete a wardrobe capsule. Items like blouses, shirts, knitted tops, layering t-shirts, tank tops and dresses will add flair to the capsule. If your Summers are mild, or you’re victim to arctic air-conditioning, adding lightweight knitwear and jackets is a great idea. Think about adding accessories like a belt, watch, arm candy, or sunhat. 

Don’t worry if you can’t cover all the bases in one season. This template is something to work towards and will help you to identify wardrobe gaps. Wondering why you’re sick of denim bottoms? That’s because you need NON-denim options. How can you make a pair of cropped jeans and tee worn with sandals look more interesting? Add a printed gauzy scarf, bangles and white handbag. Wondering why that dressy dress is orphaned? Layer over a denim jacket and match it with cork heeled sandals to relax its vibe. Use this checklist as a way of expanding your casual outfit options in an efficient, cost-effective, and controlled way.

I was initially disappointed with my form fitting polka dot midi skirt. I wore it with three inch heels to a wedding in Chicago earlier this Spring, but as much as I liked my outfit, I did not enjoy hobbling around in the skirt. Below the knee, super tight, and sans stretch, I remember thinking that this skirt was destined for sitting occasions only. Fortunately, I was wrong. 

About a month after the wedding I wore the skirt again, but this time with ballet flats. I was amazed at the difference it made. Wow. It was the high heels that made the skirt feel so limiting the first time round. I’m thrilled to report that I can now wear this skirt with flats on a bustling shopping day with one of my clients.

I wanted a pair of slipper flats as soon as I saw the trend surface last year. It took a while to find the right pair, but I did, and Vince Camuto’s Liliana3 animal print  flats have been my go to shoes all Summer long. I can’t be more thrilled with them. They are comfortable, dressy, sparkly, fun, and extremely versatile if you are prepared to mix your patterns. I particularly like wearing my slipper flats with patterned clothing because it feels on trend.

I do have a love-hate relationship with this white blouse. I adore its crisp fabric, retro sailor integrity, volume, and raised shawl collar. The slight stretch in the fabric and the trapeze shape make it comfortable and fun to wear. But after half an hour of wearing the blouse, it begins to show pull lines on the shoulders of the sleeves and those creases drive me batty. The blouse does not feel too tight at all, and looks perfect when you first pop it on. Yet there is something about the cut of the sleeve that isn’t quite right, causing it to misbehave after a short period of time.

Oh well. If I ignore the sleeve creases, I love the blouse for its ladylike and romantic vibe. That’s quite a change to the tomboy button down shirts that are my style staple.

Although a shade of red lipstick would have looked more appropriately retro and complemented the blouse, I generally prefer to wear light lipstick with white tops. That’s my way of adding a modern element to the outfit. 

I finished off the look with a new cognac and neon clutch that was a birthday present from a dear friend. I do not wear earthy cognac colours, but when it’s paired with neon yellow, it feels right for my style. I have worn this clutch a lot over the last three weeks, both during the day and at night, and have  found it quite versatile. I absolutely love my gift. Could neon be the new neutral?

I chose my black retro specs to match the retro vibe of the blouse, and gold watch and wedding ring to match the hardware of the clutch. No other jewelry or accessories required because there’s enough going on with pattern mixing and neon colour blocking. This is my minimal take on a maximal outfit.

These pants don’t look compelling on the model, but don’t let that put you off. They are machine washable, lightweight, drapey, comfortable, modern and the pattern is divine. Nice side entry pockets too. They will not look this short unless you are very tall. In fact, these pants are regular length on my regular height clients. 

They are a great breezy alternative to jeans and very much on trend. If you have warm Autumns, wear them with peep toe booties, ankle booties or cage heels. Throw on a high-low knit top, blouse or sweater, scrunch the sleeves and you are done. A slouchy t-shirt and a blazer will also look fab. 

Every year our readers express their style challenges for Summer. Everything from not wanting to wear sleeveless items and tops that require a camisole, to feeling too hot to wear accessories or structured clothing, and feeling too hot to wear their hair down. 

My personal Summer dressing challenges are two-fold: 

• First, I run very cold, and it’s rarely warm enough in Seattle to wear sleeveless clothing without a top layer when you’re outside. But I love to wear sleeveless tops and dresses. 
• Second, I find cold air-conditioning an absolute nightmare for any type of real Summer dressing. I have lived in the tropics and understand what it takes to stay cool when temperatures are sweltering outside. But you can’t win when the A/C indoors is set to “freezing cold”.

How do you dress for a 30 to 40 degree Fahrenheit difference when you run as cold as I do? I can’t wear sandals or anything uncovered and lightweight in A/C because I freeze and am instantly unhappy. I need closed shoes, covered legs, a camisole, top and jacket for inside air conditioned situations, no matter how hot it is outside. 

As far as solutions go, I’ve learned to not buy any more sleeveless tops and dresses while we live in Seattle. I’ll wear the sleeveless items that I have on the occasional hot day and leave it at that. To constantly be layering over sleeveless clothing defeats the purpose for me. 

To combat cold air-conditioning I am forced to choose my summer outfits carefully. I try to layer in the best possible way so that I can leave off my topper when outside, but I don’t always find the right balance for the extreme temperature shift. At this stage, I would rather feel a little too warm outdoors so that I can feel comfortable indoors than the other way round. I am much more miserable when I feel too cold than when I feel too warm. 

I’d love to hear about your Summer dressing challenges and the solutions you’ve found. If you haven’t found solutions, feel free to post them in the comments section and let’s get you sorted.