Summer closet surprise - where are the dresses?

Runcarla

I’m starting to think my idea of owning and wearing easy, breezy, throw-on summer dresses is a fantasy lifestyle thing!

Curating a really good functional summer capsule has been the biggest sartorial challenge while working on my style. This year I’ve been happy with a mix of new and old (see Finds below for the core of the capsule) that is composed of light weight performance fabrics and linen pieces. It’s all tops and shorts or pants bottoms, even though the plan was to source some shirt-dress style dresses!

I wouldn’t be adverse to adding a summer dress, but I’m not actively searching for one, anymore. In fact I’m pretty sure I’m ‘done’ shopping for summer items.

What’s your summer formula? Are you team dresses and skirts, or tops and shorts/pants?

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9 months ago

General

37 replies

Latest reply was from LJP

Star

Veteran

Team both, but I too realised recently I feel more like myself in shorts. I must keep this in mind going forward.

9 months ago

LJP

Veteran

I’ve learned I like and need a mixture of everything for summer. Dressing is so weather dependent , and despite having a hot June , July has been very moderate . I’m even wearing jeans many days . I like to have a couple of dresses for going out to lunch or to a hair appt , shopping etc , but the core of my summer wardrobe is still performance / gear shorts, skorts , tanks , sports bras , denim shorts and linen tops .

9 months ago

slim cat

Veteran

Skirts and tops most of the time, shorts and tank tops with long sleeved shirts. I have couple dresses but somehow don't wear them much - both dresses are old and maybe not feeling like me anymore. Our summer is very hot so jeans could be worn only in the beginning or at the very end of the season.

9 months ago

Pat_P

Active Member

I’ve been on the hunt for a simple navy cotton shirtdress for 2 years without success. What I find either doesn’t fit my broad shoulders or is out of budget. In the meantime, wearing skirts or loose cotton pants during the week and skorts and a tee on weekends.

9 months ago

Joy

Veteran

I used to be Team Dresses but find skirts easier to pack and wear with tops I have. I have added several knee length skirts for summer instead of shorts...they are cooler and I can use toppers if I need more warmth. I have several older sun dresses that are pull on with no zippers. I am not tired of them yet and will keep them for now. Last year I added a couple green and an orange sun dress plus a white and a brown dress for hot autumn days. I got an EF blue cotton shirt dress last year on consignment. It has log sleeves so is more for fall or spring or cooler summer days.

9 months ago

nuancedream

Veteran

Team Summer Dresses and Skirts for me. Most of very small capsule of shorts is on the dressier side. I do wear some floaty summer pants, but I'll throw on a t- shirt dress and some sandals in a heartbeat on a warm day.

9 months ago

LaPed

Veteran

Totally benched! I don't really wear skirts and dresses outside of the warmer months, so I lean into them hard this time of year. But I do love the look of shorts as well, and breezy pants. I think the reason I like summer the best is the sheer variety! When it's really cold, I get stuck wearing the same formula on repeat (tops that fit under a parka, pants that fit under boots).

I will say I find midi skirt + top to be a bit more versatile and easier to fit than a dress. I currently have three summer midi skirts that I can pair with a seemingly infinite array of tops (graphic tees, fitted tanks, loose long sleeve shirts, crop tops, cotton sweaters...). I have a similar number of summer dresses but I think the skirts rack up more wears.

9 months ago

Jules

Veteran

Team pants and tops with a few dresses if I’m lucky. Our summers are so short that if a want or idea hasn’t panned out by end of June I usually let it go (July is also cottage time and a welcome shopping break).

9 months ago

Echo

Veteran

I wear almost exclusively dresses and/or skirts in the summer. They're cooler and easier for me. I did purchase some shorts because Dh likes them, but they're not very comfortable. I also like those "vacation" pants - the light cotton genie-type pants with bright prints and elastic at the waist and ankle. They're often "one size" so they can be really big, but they have airflow like skirts, so are cool and comfortable in the summer.

9 months ago

Julie

Active Member

I would be team shirt-dress, if I didn't have to wear long pants and covered shoes to work every day. But I feel like I finally figured out a good work formula/uniform last summer, and am sticking with it this year too: linen wide-leg pants, fitted tank or tee, a lightweight jacket, sneakers, and a hat for outside. I wear shirtdresses or gear (shorts and tees) for non-work days. Here are representatives of my summer collection.

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9 months ago

cat2

Veteran

I mostly wear skirts and dresses. I think I have twice as many skirts as dresses. And only a couple of pairs of shorts. I am long waisted, so separates are easier to find.

9 months ago

LJP

Veteran

Your collection of pieces is really nice , Julie . And to Jules’ point about not pursuing new pieces/idea after June , I’m on the same page . There is nothing new in stores at this point and if I haven’t found whatever it is by now , I’m leaving it until next year .

9 months ago

Vildy

Veteran

I'm glad you posted about this. I wore my dresses last year but this years haven't moved them out of a small closet in the sewing room.
So I moved them now. If not now, when?

9 months ago

Echo

Veteran

I very much agree about not pursuing new pieces after June. Our summer season is so short that it isn't worth it.

Most of my wummer wear I cannot/will not wear to school, so it gets limited usage. We just came back from a whirlwind vacation, and these are the things that got the most wear. These are not the exact pieces, but close. The first dress I have in a blue and white print; the off-the-shoulder dress I have is longer, cotton and has a full circle skirt; the pants I have are orange and black and blue and black; the tennis skirt is something Dh likes (go figure), and I generally only wear it when I am out and about with him.

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9 months ago

Dee

Veteran

I’m pretty much in tops and shorts/cropped pants all summer long. I do have several lovely summer dresses but they just feel too dressy for my everyday wear. I also have a few skirts too but I never reach for them either. I definitely wont be adding any more summer dresses. I updated my wardrobe with a few new tops and cargo capris back in early June, so I’m done shopping for summer wardrobe.

9 months ago

Roberta

Veteran

Tops and shorts 90% of the time, but I have a handful of short-sleeved or sleeveless dresses that I rotate through for nicer occasions. I just bought another Title Nine dress for this purpose.

Custom Find

by Roberta

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9 months ago

SarahD8

Veteran

I looove my summer dresses! I'll wear a casual midi dress for most any activity, including beachcombing and light hiking.

I *would* like skirts/tops too but as is well documented here on the forum I have had a really hard time building a stable of summer tops that I'm happy with.

Pants/shorts are ok but I don't really have a lot of them in my summer wardrobe at the moment.

I actually just ordered a bunch of summer clothes last week. I seem to have a hard time feeling very confident about or wrapping my mind around potential purchases until the season is well underway. But on the other hand my preferences change slowly so I expect that items I buy now will still be in favor next summer. I hope!

9 months ago

Kate

Veteran

I finally assembled a decent capsule of summer clothes six years ago. Skirts & skorts I had, but breezy summer dresses were lacking. This summer I added two, both from COS. One I bought at the COS in Helsinki in May, and got so much use from it, I bought it in orange in the COS summer sale. I won’t say I’m a fan of our summers now, but I will say that being appropriately and sensibly dressed makes the summer a lot more bearable to navigate!

9 months ago

Sal

Veteran

I have a few formula that work.

Work - simple dress or cropped pants and blouses. My main struggle is shoes as I can’t always wear sandals- covered shoes are too hot unless worn with socks. And socks don’t always look professional.

Home- loose dresses mostly. My jumpsuit has been a winner too.

Vacation - dresses or shorts and blouses. I don’t love shorts but they work at the beach.

9 months ago

Irina

Veteran

I wish I had a casual skirt to wear, my one and only skirt is not versatile enough for my wardrobe. But I don’t see it. Dresses on another hand, I see plenty and I’m not looking for one. Last week I went to return some cashmere to Aritzia and tried a green linen shirt dress out of curiosity. Really liked the color and the sale price but not the cut on me.
My summer most common outfits are light weight pair of pants and a top/button down shirt or a dress.

9 months ago

Kathie

Veteran

Dresses, with a few skirts are my mainstays for summer. Since my summer clothes get washed more often and wear out, I find that I always need to be on the lookout for summer dresses and add 1-2/year. Generally, I wear dresses to work and casual skirts with knit tops on weekends, but I have a couple nicer skirts for workwear. I wear shorts for exercise and gardening, so I haven’t bought anything other than gear shorts in years.

9 months ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Long shorts, thin cotton blouses, comfortable flats and cross body bag are my default.

9 months ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Team both! And nodding along with the comments about shopping after June. I mostly don't buy summer things past then unless I have to fill an immediate hole (like a pair of vital sandals breaks or something like that) OR I see an end of season sale on a style I love so much I definitely want to duplicate for the year to come. (Again, for me, this usually happens with footwear -- sandals and sneakers.)

I wear skirts and dresses when out and about and mostly shorts (or linen pants) at home.

9 months ago

Bijou

Veteran

I'm a summer dress wearer. I often belt my summer dresses to add a point of difference. My summer dresses are worn from about mid November through to April/May depending upon when our season changes. This year we had a very warm May and went into a cold June with minimal transitional weather.

These are my dresses that I wore last summer and I have added 3 new summer dresses from the North American summer sales (the bottom 3 Finds). My dresses are mainly cotton or silk and not fitted to the body so they are light and easy to wear.

Wearing a dress every day is a bit of a boring formula, but I feel cool and comfortable in it and reasonably dressed up, which is where shorts never feel quite right for me. Finding different colours, patterns for the dresses and wearing accessories is how I add fun. In summer I often wear pearls as they feel cool on my skin.

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9 months ago

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Bijou,your dress collection is gorgeous!
like you Runcarla my summer dressing is mainly cropped trousers and tops but l hanker after that one dress that l will wear all summer!l have never found it and ldont think l will but that doesn’t stop me looking.My lifestyle is Uber casual and l am obviously a trouser girl but dresses in the summer are so pretty ..

9 months ago

MrsK

Active Member

I also want to wear dresses more, but many of my dresses feel a little too much for my every day activities -- they feel good for brunch or a dinner out, but not so much for how I mostly spend my time. I have started wearing some of them around the house, and then my daughter asks where I'm going! lol

Bijou - gorgeous dresses! What brands are they?

9 months ago

ChristelJ

Veteran

Shorts and sleeveless tops are what I actually wear most. I wear linen pants some too. After being off skirts for many years, now I'm craving them, but not finding any that are comfortable in the waist in the heat. I have a couple summer dresses and tend to save them for occasions. Would love more dresses but have so many requirements for them it's not likely to happen. They can't be constricting anywhere, must be sleeveless, bra friendly, the right length, not too wrinkly, breathable, lightweight, not see-thru, and casual but pretty. It seems that's too much to ask!

9 months ago

Anonymous

I only added one dress this year so far, due to the rising hemlines. Have 3 total summer dresses (not counting my wedding dress).

Most days I wear skirts (maxi, wrap, or tube) and sleeveless tops, but I added 2 pairs of thin cropped pants that are ok when it's below 90F. Around the house or paddleboarding, I wear skorts. I don't wear shorts at all except for sleeping and cycling.

9 months ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I love the concept of an easy breezy summer dress, although I do not wear them regularly. I purchased a maxi dress from Athleta 3-4 years ago that seems to serve that purpose. I reserve it for travel because it is lightweight, wrinkle free and it magically can look dressy or casual depending on how I accessorize. Dresses and skirts are not practical enough for my current professional setting. I have shifted to Bermuda shorts, silk joggers, cropped jeans and chinos paired with sleeveless tops, knit tops and light cardigan layers when needed for a/c. Sneakers and sandals are my go to for footwear.

9 months ago

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