3 Adaptable Summer Aesthetics

Summer styling creates a tendency to dress exclusively for comfort, grabbing a selection of your most easy-wearing clothing and compiling it into what closely resembles a look. Fundamentally, success rates are reliant on the amount of comfortable clothing you have, your ability to use them in meaningful ways and naturally, how much washing you’ve done.

The quickest route to elevating your hot-weather style is by establishing a selection of moods. These are made up of groups interchangeable clothes, accessories and shoes that not only allow you to to shape and adapt looks to suit how you’re feeling in the morning, but also suit different occasions and situations. By removing or replacing certain pieces gives you seemingly-endless possibility to experiment with your favourite looks, while making it look like you’re well on the way to fashion mastery. To kickstart your creativity, we’ve quite literally laid out three examples to help you shape your summer aesthetics.

Earth-tone aesthetic 

Perhaps the most versatile of the three, this look is all about embracing some on-trend military tones like olive green and khaki, while also incorporating textures like brown leather. Just as suitable for a morning hike as it is for a day of inner-city adventuring, adaptability is the cornerstone of this style.

An important ground rule to stick to is keeping the camouflage to a minimum: one item like the shorts, cargo pants or even a backpack. With balance in mind, an all-green look can totally work, though it’s best complemented with some khaki canvas sneakers or leather sandals for a subtle dose of contrast. A military green utility shirt is a practical, season-round option that is worth keeping on hand in case the weather turns, while sandals should be a go-to footwear solution for those days where you just need to concede defeat to the summer sun.

Monochrome aesthetic

If you’re planning on spending a majority of your free time this season enjoying music events, restauranting about town or hopping from bar to bar, this could be the aesthetic for you. Grey, black and white is your safe space here, which are ideal tones for streetwear looks, even if they aren’t ideal in the heat of summer.

Speaking of, an all-black outfit might appear sleek, but it’s just going to attract comments like “aren’t you hot in that?”. Even if a mans not hot, you might start looking too much like a lost techno DJ. Balance it out by experimenting with logo prints or stripes, and you could always break the monotony with a contrasting cap or sneakers that catch the eye more than anything else. Speaking of sneakers, while sticking to the colour scheme is important, it’s worth noting that sportier silhouettes work best for this established style. Keep in mind that trusty short-sleeve button-up shirt is worth its weight in gold in summer, as you can wear it over a tee to both add some intrigue to your look as well as allowing for transitional dressing depending on the occasion and weather.

Colourpop aesthetic 

When you’re heading to the beach, public pool or an outdoor festival, you can really have fun with colours. Compile a few items of your favourite and most colourful clothing, and source a few muted pieces that complement them to establish your true summer aesthetic.

An eye-catchingly bright pair of swim shorts is fundamental for the season, and they’re not just limited to swimming – you can replace your everyday shorts if you’re in need of a bit of colour. Stick with white or neutral-coloured tees to break up all the colour, especially if you’re opting to add a striking cap. Blue-and-white stripes add that nautical vibe that makes you feel like you’re perpetually on holiday, and in the form of a button-up shirt, it brings with it all the benefits of the button-ups mentioned above. While it’s easy to be tempted by the prospect of brightly-coloured footwear, a pair of black or white slides are as versatile as you need them to be, and ensure that you don’t overdo it on the striking tones.