Breakfast and Baking styled stock photography by Shay Cochrane for the SC Stockshop.
Summer’s fast-approaching, which means that you’ll soon be unfurling yourself from your hibernating cocoon of coats, muffs, and mittens and spreading your wings under clearer, sunnier skies. You’ll be dusting off your summer wardrobe, and adding to it vociferously, in the run-up to sun-up, in that cathartic and warming experience that ushers in the warmer months. When it comes to summer fashion, though, take some time to consider the accessories that’ll make you sparkle from head to toe. Here’s a list of some of the must-have accessories for summer – whether you plan to spend it on a beach somewhere exotic, at festivals, or in your own oasis at home with your family.
Shades
Topping the list, as you’d expect, is the eye-wear you’ll be sporting come this year’s summer months. Step one is to configure your sunnies to the unique shape of your face, there are excellent guides to achieve this online, and then shopping with those styles in the forefront of your mind. When it comes to narrowing down your 2018 look, you’ll ultimately be choosing between a vintage safe-bet or a cutting-edge new look.
On the classic side of things, you’ll not go wrong with a set of designer aviators. These are a timeless accessory that suits faces of all shapes and sizes. The more vintage-looking, the better: riding that fashion wave will help achieve the ultimate chic under the sun. Elsewhere, in a not-so-frequent nod to the Summer of Love, the John Lennon-style teashade – compact, round-lensed, with wiry metal rims – is set for a renaissance this summer, so channel your inner hippy and pick yourself up a pair.
Bags
Heavy leather isn’t going to cut it when it gets stuck to your arm on sweltering days; you’re going to need a bag that conforms to the heat that’ll frame your style as someone soaking up the rays, not perishing under them. If you’re in the city, think petite, rough fabrics in light colors. Are you heading to a festival? Keep your eyes peeled for striking bags that’ll set you apart in the throngs: Aztec patterns, floral tassels, and natural fabrics fit the bill here.
If you’re planning on frequenting the beach, how about an understated blue-and-white stripe reminiscent of the age-old sailor theme, or light, practical string bags that reduce down to the size of a knuckle but will hold your towel and paperback with ease. The top tip for summer 2018 though is to invest in a multipurpose, easy to carry bag, like those found at Sojourner Bags, which will keep your essentials safe and free your hands, but more importantly it’ll look absolutely gorgeous in that throw-back yet current kind of way.
Jewelry
Will you go run-of-the-mill or with something a little on the wacky side when it comes to your adornments this summer? If you’re keen to explore the latter, there are myriad options out there that are making swathes into the summer accessory market. Low-cut tops and bikinis complement the soaring, multi-thread jewelry that carelessly comes to rest in the middle of your abdomen. Or, if it’s a bikini you plan to sport for the best part of the summer, go for a more intricate, sizzling and tantalizing body chain that wraps around your waist and dazzles in the sun.
Then there’s light but seductive chokers that are experiencing a happy resurgence as vacation-time looms, after a tumultuous but fascinating history in fashion. Or play it a little safer with the classic array of bracelets, anklets, and bangles with set sea shells or mother of pearl that will never go out of fashion and will always align you with free-spirited beach people. All this is not to mention the possibility of a new piercing or tattoo, which can be the perfect little secret treat for yourself before you begin to show a whole lot more skin.
Headwear
You may well have a go-to little number that you unearth from your wardrobe each summer to shade you from the sun’s glare, but admit it, it’s probably had its day. Your best bet is the floppy straw hat with a simple band on the crown: these beauties shade all the right areas while oozing sophistication and offering a ‘do not disturb’ element to your overall persona.
If you fancy pushing the proverbial out, then there’s the hinge straw boater hat that won out in 2017 and looks set to rule the roost this coming summer too. It’s a hat that’ll bless you with a touch of old English gentry, as will the even-more daring and rewarding Panama hats or wide-brimmed, disc-like headwear, also made from straw, that’ll draw an eye for all the right reasons whether you’re tanning or enjoying a jam-packed day in the city.
Extras
With the big guns out of the way, it’s time to consider little extra features you can build into your summer wardrobe. If you’re a short shorts kind of girl, then a pair of long thin socks can complete your look perfectly and effortlessly. However, if you’re all about sophistication, then you ought to immediately buy a crisp neckerchief to slink around your neck, while fashionistas who go with the flow should consider silken material for use as a belt or a modesty veil to wrap up in on the beach.
For your feet, a set of high-heeled Roman sandals will complement the outfit of those classier-leaning folk who dream of sun-drenched days in ancient Rome. While espadrille sandals are easier to slip into and super-durable and are best for those heading on longer jaunts, and they are also ideal for beachgoers that’ll want a slip-on-slip-off relationship with whatever footwear they come to use when the thermostats hit their peak.
You’ll have something of a summer wardrobe fully-formed in your head for the fast-approaching summer months, but when it comes to accessorizing your look, use these handy pointers to think a little outside the box.
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