(Warning: long)

Summer is the dominant season where I live. It tends to be warm to hot from around October to the end of April. We’ve already had some 30C+ days in September. Generally we have a good 7 months of warm to hot weather. And don’t get me started on the humidity.

For years I was dissatisfied with my warm weather wardrobe. I just muddled along. Mostly I relied on “work outfits” or “going out” outfits to give me my style kicks. But all the time I had an ongoing dissatisfaction with my casual/everyday wear (usually shorts + tee + sandals) and was essentially just hanging out for winter.

When I switched to full time WFH 5 years ago and lost the “work outfit” style outlet I realised I needed a better plan for casual Summer wear. Since then I’ve put a lot of thought into Summer. It may seem OTT but it has paid off. I love my Summer casual wardrobe now and it makes me enjoy the season much, much more.

Theme/narrative

I like to have some sort of theme for a season. This assists with purchasing decisions, editing decisions and outfit creation.

This year my theme is “desert rose”. This theme reflects the way I was already going last Summer, so it’s really an evolution of my style, rather than a new direction.

My overarching style descriptor is “modern moody bohemian”.

During Spring/Summer, I like to lighten up my palette. That makes the “moody” part a challenge. Dark colours are moodier than light colours.

Moody colour schemes are deep, muted, shadowy, dramatic, evocative. Not too fresh or crisp. Not too bright, clear or primary.

This Summer, I plan to draw on a palette of what I call “desert colours”: sand, gold, tan, mustard, terracotta, copper, dusty pink, ochre, rust, camel, dark red, brown, olive, stone, ivory. These colours work well for warm weather but are still moody. Like the sunset.

But it’s not just about colours. I’ve also been collecting pictures of Moroccan decor. I’m attracted to the textures, the patterns, the pattern mixing, the intricate detail juxtaposed against large solid colour blocks, the complexity, the use of brass, the pops of jewel colour, the nod to antiquity, the drama, the hint of exotic. And, bonus, it all looks perfectly attuned to hot weather.

Pics 1-13 are some of my inspiration pictures. It is abstract, and not meant to be taken too seriously. But thinking in these terms helps both to fire up my imagination and keep me on track.

Specifics

Skirts are the centrepiece of my warm weather wardrobe. I plan to continue to mostly wear long, loose skirts (unless I find the elusive dress). If the weather is cool enough I will wear baggy jeans or cargo pants. I occasionally wear shorts, particularly at home or the beach. All of the above bottoms I will pair with tees, tanks, knits in natural fibres and a cotton or linen jacket or jumper (when needed). Sandals, sneakers or combat boots. Crossbody bag, backpack, tote or slouchy hobo bag and hat (when outdoors) to complete.

Tops: Of these items, tops are the biggest category in my wardrobe. They have the highest turnover because of intense sun, perspiration and frequent washing. In Summer it is not unusual for me to wear 2 or 3 tops in one day because of high humidity and perspiration. (I honestly don’t know how people manage with dresses.)

I decided I wanted more elevated t-shirts. I rarely wear shirts and blouses. For everyday wear, I like the feel, simplicity and wash and wear ease of knitted cotton jersey. I like and wear tank tops, but they provide insufficient sun protection for my shoulders during outdoor activities. For better sun protection, I’ve been looking for capped or short sleeve tees in cotton. Tees that offer something more in terms of shape, neckline, shoulder or sleeve treatment.

The best top I found for my needs is a boxy cropped cotton tee from Zara. The cotton is substantial. The extended shoulder and cropped boxy shape is modern. It is more structured than a classic slouchy tee. The length works well with my skirts (no need to tuck). The shoulder coverage is good for outdoors. I am confident the style will be a workhorse for me.

Pic 14: The new Zara tees. All colours other than black and white are DIY desert colours.

These tops will replace my beloved cropped mock neck tees from Seed. I have several but have been gradually retiring them because they are looking tired after 3-5 years of heavy wear.

For texture, I decided I wanted more open knit tops (sweaters). Knit tops are an easy way to add texture to my outfits, and to create a subtle pattern mix with my patterned skirts. I plan to layer these over different colour tank or crop tops for different effects (just like I did in winter).

Pic 15: Some of my textured cotton knits (mix of old and new).

Skirts: I retired some skirts and purchased some new and second hand skirts. I also made a skirt, re-purposed an old dress as a skirt and re-dyed an older faded skirt to freshen it up again. I am building a mini capsule around each skirt using newer and older tops. I aim to have several tops for each skirt. This is both for variety and because tops need more frequent washing than skirts. All of my tops go with more than one skirt, so I have lots of mix and match options.

Still on my list but not essential:

the elusive summer dress
full length linen wide leg pants in a desert colour (preferably rust)
brass, bronze or copper double cuffs
interesting necklaces that incorporate textural elements, patina or ancient pattern (eg leather, filigree, chain mail, beading or quatrefoil)
dark copper and/or bronze flat sandals
camel shorts
textural tote bag

If you read this far, thanks for the interest

Your thoughts welcome.