These items have been winners for some of my clients, and work extremely well for me too. It’s fantastic to see natural fibres and machine washable options at cheaper price points these days. Be sure to browse the colour and size options. 

1. Zara Navy Contrast Embroidery Shirt and Pants

If you enjoy wearing summery navy and white combinations, and like the visual effect of embroidery, check out this Zara co-ord. The shirt has a pair of pants to match, and they look splendid worn as a set. 100% cotton, machine washable, polished, easy, breezy, and very comfortable. Although the shirt is boxy and the pants are wide, the fit is on the narrower side, so size up if you prefer a wider fit, especially on the shoulders. It’s awfully pretty, although not well styled in the stock photo. For me, the set was love at first sight. I tried it on in the dressing room, and bought it a second later.

2. Desigual Kent Faux Leather Moto Jacket

This is an awesome jacket. I have the red and some of my clients bought in black. It’s short, boxy, and beautifully shaped with a welt that adds a good bit of structure. It has a delicious ‘70s look to it, and works with most outfits because the silhouette is that versatile. The red jacket became an instant favourite and wardrobe workhorse for me because it amps up most outfits. The stretch panels on the sleeves add comfort. The collar was a little skew and stood up on one side when I received it. So I lay it flat on a table, placed a few heavy books on the collar overnight, and Bob’s your uncle. Sorted. I LOVE this jacket, and have worn it almost daily for three weeks. It layers well under my tan trench coat too.

3. Madewell Greta Ballet Flat

This dainty darling incorporates two trends in one. Ballet flats and Mary Janes, and the red pair is mine. Best on lower volume feet. Pass if you need a wide toe box or a heel for arch support. Super soft leather, and very comfortable. The soles are hard and robust on the outside so you don’t feel close to the ground despite the flatness of the shoe. I’m modeling them for the forum in this post. I popped in cushioning insoles for an even better fit.

4. Liverpool Galaxy Floral Pants and Tops

These pants, with fun side seam stripe, have two tops to match and look wonderful worn together as an on trend co-ord. The set works particularly well for petites. Breezy, playful, super light, soft, drapey, and excellent in high heat. There is a woven blouse with a front tie, which works well on a larger bust, and a collared camp shirt with the contrast pattern on the sleeves. Of course, you can wear the co-ords as separates if that’s more to your taste.

5. Boden Sienna Cotton Shirts

This is an EXTREMELY well made and beautiful quality 100% cotton shirt for a fab price. Great value, and comes in patterns and solids. They are frequently discounted too. The inside French seams and topstitching are a work of art. Crisp fabric that feels lovely on the skin. The fit is very fluid (roomier than it is on the models) which is just how it should be for a breezy Summer shirt. I wear mine oversized and semi-tucked or fully tucked with the sleeves scrunched and collar popped. I have the first two shirts in the collection. Blue polkadots and green gingham, FTW. Available in petites.

Those who bat for Team Swoosh know exactly what I mean. It’s that gorgeous, happy, and addictive movement of voluminous fabric as you stride. In particular when you wear dresses and skirts. I bat for Team Swoosh, and thoroughly enjoy wearing big skirts, and dresses with big skirts. 

Onto some outfit ideas for Team Swoosh.

1. Draped Top and Draped Skirt

A black utility skirt with intricate drape and side cargo pocket detailing swooshes right along with a very drapey and oversized blouse. The blouse is half tucked in front to create a waistline, which in turn gives the outfit some structure thereby tempering its volume. Chunky black sandals and jewellery that match the palette and model’s hair finish off the look.

2. Swoosh Squared

A long and voluminous polka dot skirt is combined with an equally voluminous and mismatched polka dot blouse. It’s worn out and does not hint at a waist, thereby creating double swoosh and volume. The polka dot patterns work together because they are the same type of two-toned pattern despite their varying palettes. Pewter pumps and earrings complete the look.

2. Lots of Dress

Here’s a majorly voluminous midaxi dress in a large scale graphic pattern with puffed sleeves and pockets. It’s big and swooshes big! Heeled dressy cream booties match the palette and add a tailored touch. Spectacular!

4. Architectural Drape

Last, an olive skirt with asymmetrical architectural drape is combined with a fluid light grey sweater. It’s fully tucked to showcase the waist, which adds a lot of structure to the outfit. This is the least voluminous look of the four, yet there’s plenty of skirt swoosh. Dressy cream slingbacks and bag that match the model’s hair are the finishing touch. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired.

Wear nude-for-you hosiery to achieve the appearance of bare legs, but with coverage and insulation. Opaque hosiery is thick and robust. Sheer hosiery is soft, delicate and pretty. Make a statement with patterned, lace, or non-neutral hosiery. 

Sizing up in hosiery reduces the stretch, preventing pattern distortion and distributing the colour more evenly. A larger size can also be easier to pull on and off, and feels comfortable on the midsection. But not too large, or it will sag at the ankles.

If hosiery is not for you, wear leggings or long johns for warmth with skirts and dresses. Hosiery, leggings and long johns can all be worn discreetly by covering up with longer hemlines and taller boots. Or forego them entirely and stick to pants and jeans.

Sometimes when pants are a little short, you can can let down their hems for an extra inch to inch and a half in length. Of course, there has to be a generous hem to let down, or it’s a non-starter. 

Also, lengthening pants this way when they are new, rather than old and frequently laundered, will prevent permanent distressed fold lines across the bottom of the pants. The creases caused by the fold of the shorter hems should press out quite easily too. If they don’t, the faint line isn’t much of an eyesore. At least, not to me. And definitely not as much of an eyesore as pants that are too short.

I had a pair of very summery, big and baggy, lightweight white cotton pants on my shopping list this year. Everlane’s Pleated Wide-Leg Chinos ticked all the boxes. They are off-white, instead of optical white, which works well too. I like the way they feel, drape, fit, move, and crease in that carefree Summer way. But I didn’t fancy the length, which is what you see on the models in the product photos.

To my eye, these pants were begging to be lengthened by an inch and a quarter, which would take them to skimming the surface of the ground. They have a generous 2 inch hem, so I could do just that. I let down the hems, washed the pants to make sure they were preshrunk, and had them hemmed to a longer length. Now they’re perfect and waiting to be worn on a hot Summer’s day when I don’t feel like wearing a pretty dress.