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All About Olive
Olive green is a classic neutral that lets you inject a little color into your look in an understated and sophisticated way. It used to be reserved for autumnal dressing, but it’s been gaining ground recently, becoming more of a seasonless shade. We’ve been seeing this earthy hue on the streets this summer and making an appearance in fall’s upcoming looks. Here are five pieces that you could sport now and ease you into cooling fall weather.
Shirtdress
An olive green linen button-up shirtdress is a perfect swimsuit cover up. In the fall, layer on other pieces like a pair of skinny jeans or leggings and tall leather boots to give it cool-weather edge.
Sleeveless Safari Jacket
Summer has been all about the sleeveless, olive twill safari jackets, giving a little oomph to little dresses. This chic little overcoat will stay fresh come fall, too, with a long sleeve T underneath and a pair of boyfriend denim.
Wide-Leg Trousers
The wide-leg trousers takeover that started this summer is sure to carry on through the fall. Try them in a lightweight olive cotton and pair them with cropped tanks now, and a long sleeve T or shrunken blazer to make them fall-right.
Cargo Skinnies
Olive green skinnies (in a light/medium weight cotton twill) are obvious in the fall with denim jackets, but you can sport them now with slinky tops and barley-there heels to give the menswear-inspired piece a more whimsical element.
Pleated Maxi Skirt
An olive chiffon pleated maxi is effortlessly chic in the summer. Throw it on with a plain white tank: instant fashion moment. The pleats let the airy piece work well into fall too, giving it enough visual texture to stand up to heavier pieces like chunky knitted sweaters.
Many Shades of Gray
Gray is black’s more casual brother, but with the same timeless, seasonless, and perennially chic appeal. This summer we’re seeing gray in everything from denim, to long dresses, to luxe sweaters. Here are some of Fashion Fabrics Club’s favorites:
Maxi Dress
A maxi dress in a charcoal grey jersey knit can go from day to night. With a crisp pair of sneaks, it’s perfect for a daytime stroll. To make it night-worthy, swap the trainers for a pair of heels and pile on the jewelry.
Knotted Jersey T
A knotted cotton T in heather gray brings the season’s flowing maxi skirts to a more laidback place, so you can wear them out and abound without looking like you’re trying too hard. Keep the shoes simple—a pair of flat sandals will do, opt for a metallic pair if you want to add a little element of glam to the look.
Denim Skinnies
Gray denim skinnies are a great alternative to summer’s white denim, but still maintaining the freshness of the lighter shade. They’re extremely versatile; bringing a relaxed vibe to crisp, structured whites and giving polish to leisurely extras.
Luxe Sweater
Gray sweater knits are no longer reserved for hoodies and sweatpants; this summer it’s going luxe. Try a slouchy, rolled sleeved sweater with a crochet or lace top for an incredibly comfortable piece that you can throw on with jeans for an instant-chic moment.
Pleated Chiffon Maxi Skirt
Try the season’s pleated maxis in a dark gray chiffon in replace of a popping shade. The more subdued color gives a sophisticated vibe to the skirt’s whimsy and allows it to easily transition into fall with a long sleeve T and a scarf.
Three ways to sport red-white-and-blue
The 4th of July weekend has arrived, and that means cookouts, get togethers, and pool parties. Showing your patriotic pride by wearing red, white, and blue is an understood requirement, but it can tend to look tacky if it’s not done right. Here are three ways to chicly sport the look:
Dressed Up
For more fancier 4th soirees, go with a skirt and blouse, it’s still airy enough to keep you cool if your outside in the heat, but still maintains a polished, put-together vibe. Make the skirt in a lightweight but sturdy silk dupioni, in large horizontal stripes of white and red. For the blouse, go with a navy chiffon, make it in a pattern if you’re feeling a bit daring. If your event is on the lawn, swap out the heels for a pair of wedges so you don’t have to battle sinking into the ground.
Casually Upscale
If you can’t tell what the dress code is going to be, tread the line between dress up and dress down. Wear a simple red and white striped cotton jersey dress and get your dash of blue with a fitted denim jacket. Toss on some sandals to keep it easy, or you can make it a little more dressy by opting for a pair of espadrille heels.
Dressed Down
If you’re planning on a casual get together or not sure where the weekend’s festivities will take you, a pair of rolled denim shorts and a cotton top is the way to go. Make the shirt red and white striped and throw on a pair of crisp white Converse (American brand: bonus!) sneakers to cap off the look—and show off your sunkissed skin.
Feeling the Blues
This summer is all about the cool blue palette. Jeans are an obvious way to play to the trend, but it’s more chic to give it a fun twist by wearing it in more unexpected ways. Here are some fun ways to embrace the shade:
Chambray Shirtdress
Chambray is denim’s lightweight cousin, it’s perfect for the heat of warming weather. For summer, try a light blue chambray for a button front shirtdress. It’s incredibly versatile; take it to BBQs with flip-flops or bridal showers with wedges.
Boyfriend Button Up
Boyfriend button ups have become summer’s new beach cover up. In a striped classic blue shirting fabric, it even complements the waters crashing blue waves. Pair it with crisp white twill shorts to go straight out after a day on the sand.
Shrunken Blazer
Bring deep royal blue into summer with a sleek shrunken blazer. It upgrades a simple T and cuffed trousers into a look. Roll the sleeves to show off layered bracelets and statement watches. Top it off with a set of printed flats and a pearl necklace to bring it up another notch.
Pencil Skirt
Pencil skirts are perennially chic. In a saturated blue twill, the staple gets brought even more into right now. Pair it with a printed blouse, cardigan, and minimalist heels to bring the look to the office.
Pleated Midi Skirt
Midis are this summer’s “it” skirt. To make the breezy piece even more summer-ready, try it in a cool blue linen. Pleats give added texture and volume without added weight, and allows for hidden pockets (always a win). A navy shade can also be paired with a cotton long sleeve and scarf to bring it into fall.
Linen Goes Pro
Linen is one of the most coveted fabrics for summer. It’s extremely lightweight and breathable, making it incredibly comfortable to wear even in the extreme heat. Previously considered more of a leisurewear fabric, linen has broken out of the off-duty realm and has made its way into the professional world. Here are some easy ways to bring the summer-ready fabric to the office:
Tailored Suit
Try a neutral colored linen like golden tan or brown clay in a tailored suit. A one-button blazer and streamlined ankle trousers keep the look feminine while maintaining the suit’s “in charge” attitude. Toss on a pair of barely-there heels for an added dose of chic.
Full skirt
A full, pleated linen skirt is perfect for summer dressing; it achieves the fun volume without added weight. For work, try a sophisticated color like navy blue and aim for a hemline that sits just below the knee for maximum leg exposure without venturing into risqué.
Blazer
A linen blazer in a playful color like blush pink dresses up denim in a powerfully feminine way. For more creative offices, you can try a matching pair of linen shorts for a fun, abbreviated summer suit look.
Jumpsuit
The season’s “it” piece, the jumpsuit, is perfect from day (with a blazer for work) to night (with a statement necklace and heels). In linen, the full one-piece is unburdened and airy. Stick with black to keep it elegant.
Culottes
Linen is a fresh way to bring spring’s slouchy culottes into summer. They look particularly polished with pleats and a mini pattern like houndstooth. Counter the pant’s nonchalance with a pair of menswear-inspired shoes like patent oxfords.
Chic Summer Workwear
For those who work in an office with rigid dress codes, it can be difficult to find work-appropriate apparel for the warm-weather months. Here are a few pieces that will keep you cool and looking chicly professional this summer:
Sleeveless Blazer
A sleeveless blazer in a cotton twill still gives the polished and structured look of a full-length blazer but without all the bulky material. If your workplace is strict about their sleeve policy, throw on a short sleeved T underneath to give enough coverage but still stay cool.
Culottes
Wide-leg culottes (in a lightweight suiting fabric) give the open airiness of a skirt but with the gamine, in-charge appeal of suiting trousers. Pair them with a crisp button up and heels to heightened the professional vibe for work, and give them a laidback edge with a cropped top or tucked-in T for off duty.
A-line skirt
Swapping out a streamlined pencil skirt for a floaty A-line is an easy way to increase breezy coolness without sacrificing dress-up appeal. For air conditioned offices, pair with a cashmere sweater, or a long sleeved cotton button up.
Wrap Dress
A wrap dress in a stretchy cotton jersey is perfect for chic summer workwear. Keep it in a solid, neutral color for a more polished, professional look or try a fun floral or geometric print to add in bit of flare.
Short Sleeved Sheath
The streamlined sheath dress is a powerful workwear piece all year long. For the summer months, try it in a printed cotton or lace with short or capped sleeves.
Full Midi
A high waisted, full volume midi with a pair of stylish heels and a plain top is a super easy, super chic way to dress for work in the warm weather. Try it in a textured fabric like a dress weight rayon jacquard for an understated-luxe appeal.
Summer Vacation Fabrics
Summer means travel season, and whether you’re going for a quick getaway weekend or heading to the vacation house for the summer, packing the right fabrics is essential for looking chic and staying cool. Here is Fashion Fabrics Club’s guide to vacation-ready fabrics.
Linen
Whether it be a tunic, wide-leg pants, shift or shirtdress, linen makes a fantastic travel partner. Its incredible light weight and natural properties makes it easy to pack and super cool to wear on even the hottest days. It is prone to wrinkling, which can be embraced as part of its appeal (think “crumpled-chic”), or you can hang it in the hotel bathroom while you shower—the steam will take the wrinkles right out. Throw a loose linen top on over a swimsuit for a beach day (if it gets wet, it will dry out almost instantly) or take a linen maxi skirt for a day of window-shopping.
Cotton
Gauze, eyelet, lawn, seersucker—the options of lightweight 100% cotton fabrics are nearly endless. Cotton is a fantastic fabric for vacationing because it can be dressed up or down and since it is a natural cellulose (i.e. made from plant fiber) it has incredible breathability. It’s easy, breezy, and perennially chic. Also prone to wrinkling like its bast-fiber sister, linen, simply hang your cottons up in the bathroom when you arrive to your destination and let the shower steam be your iron.
Polyester blend
A polyester blend is perfect to travel in, whether you’re stuck in a tiny airplane seat or strapped into a car, polyester’s resilience will keep you wrinkle-free upon arrival. Try a cotton-poly (T-shirt knit, lawn, eyelet), Lycra-poly (activewear, jersey knit), or rayon-poly (poplin, shirting) blend.
Cashmere
Light in weight and extremely thin, cashmere is a go-to for summer adventures; it takes up very little space in the suitcase yet offers incredible warmth for those chilly nights when the sun goes down. Try a button up cashmere cardigan, slouchy sweater, poncho, or a wide-paneled scarf.
Summer Black
Black is a girl’s best friend; it’s dependable, it’s forgiving, and it’s forever. Just because the sun is coming out and the weather is warming doesn’t mean you have to forgo the dark shade—black is perennially chic, and chic is always in style. Here are some ways to bring the seductive shade into your summer wardrobe.
Maxi Skirt
Dress it up or dress it down—a maxi skirt is an easy, breezy way to incorporate black into summer dressing. Use a lightweight rayon like black challis to keep the long hemline from weighing you down.
Shift Dress
A black sleeveless shift works everywhere. You can throw it on with your favorite sneakers for a cool, urban-chic vibe, or dress it up with a vibrant set of heels and standout jewelry for a night out. For summer, used a black jersey knit in cotton to keep cool in the heat.
Floaty Mini Skirt
A pair of strappy sandals and a tucked in chambray button up makes a sueded, black shantung skirt summer-right. A floaty, flirty silhouette, rather than a more streamlined style, works best for the warm weather season.
Rolled Denim Shorts
This summer, more polished, rolled denim shorts are being favored over last year’s frayed cut offs. This look is perfect for black denim, playing to the color’s more elevated nature, but they could also easily be dressed down with a slouchy T and a pair of flats.
Shrunken Blazer
Blazers are a year round work wear staple, and a black blazer works best in summer when it is in a tailored, shrunken style, removing a little fabric to get a more airy silhouette. Use a cotton stretch twill to keep it light and comfy. Toss it on over an cotton eyelet dress and bright pumps for a chic outfit to go from desk to drinks.
Lace Top
Lace is great for summer, its open weave pattern allows maximum breathability and looks great with peeks of sun kissed skin showing throw. To bring black lace into summer, pair a black lace top over a black camisole and tuck the two into a crisp A-line skirt in any color.
Wide-Leg Trousers
The season’s casual-luxe wide-leg trousers look incredibly chic in a crisp black poplin. The polyester fabric keeps the pleats and cuffed hems in place but still has a light and slinky feel that works so well for summer days.
Taking on Chiffon
Chiffon is an incredibly lightweight, airy, semi-sheer fabric that is often associated with formalwear: bridesmaid’s gowns, cocktail dresses, eveningwear. But chiffon’s easy, breezy properties make it the perfect material for more casual looks, especially as the temperature continues to rise. Here are some ways to bring the elegant fabric into the everyday wardrobe this season:
Pleated Maxi Skirt
Pleated chiffon maxi skirts are all the rage this spring; they are the perfect mix of full coverage and airy appeal. Try it in a dusty pink chiffon with a slouchy cashmere sweater and a pair of heels to play to the season’s casual-luxe moment.
Layered Ankle-length Skirt
A little more elevated than it’s pleated sister, the layered pink chiffon ankle-length skirt is uber feminine and elegant—but paired with a chunky cropped knit and barely-there heels, it goes from nighttime glamour to daytime chic.
Simple Shift
A simple chiffon shift in a bold color like burnt orange or royal blue can go from day to night with a simple shoe swap and accessory change.
Wed-leg Trousers
The season’s wed-leg trousers get a feminine edge when they’re turned out in elegant chiffon. Swap out your skirts for these super comfortable bottoms for a sophisticated gamine look.
Blouse
A black chiffon top goes with everything. It looks especially chic when worn more casually with jeans—it’s an unexpected paring that looks completely fresh.
Tank
For those hot and sticky summer days, the thought of putting on anything seems daunting. Those days are perfect for tossing on a loose and breezy chiffon tank.
Shirtdress
The casual, mens-inspired shirtdress gets a dressy, feminine appeal when it’s in a saturated chiffon. It gives the classic style a more formal vibe, while keeping it’s nonchalant appeal.
5 Skirts for the Summer Wardrobe
Floral Midi
The voluminous midi is the number one skirt style for this summer, especially in a bold, oversized floral print in a slinky fabric like polyester satin. Temper its formal femininity with a distressed denim jacket for more casual outings, or amp up the sex appeal with a tucked blouse and heels.
Floaty Tulle
A long tulle skirt combines prima ballerina elegance and nonchalant ingénue, making it work just about anywhere. Pair with a stripped long-sleeved shirt and metallic shoes for a little offbeat edge or play up the femme vibe with vivid heels and a white crop top.
Denim Mini
This summer brings a little mod vibe to the wardrobe arsenal and in the skirt arena it’s all about the denim mini. Pair with a long jacket and booties for a subtle nod to go-go style while still staying completely modern-chic.
Suede Button-down
Spring was all about the 70s, and it’s continuing on into the summer with suede pieces. The pivotal suede skirt that played center stage in the retro era is a hot commodity this summer, particularly in short to midi lengths and button front styles.
Striped Pencil
It’s easy to see why the stripped pencil skirt makes the top 5 list for summer skirts. The stretch jersey is uber comfortable while giving a flattering, curve-hugging look. It can get dressed up with tucked-in blouses (try floral print to play to the season’s print-on-print obsession) or go casual with a tucked cotton T (preferably with a cutesy logo).
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Summer Punch
A new season brings a whole new set of styles. This summer’s looks really pack a punch and are loaded with rich contrasts—and, of course, rich fabrics. Here are some of Fashion Fabrics Club’s favorite forecasted trends from the oncoming season with links to buy similar fabrics so you can make your own versions at home.
Floral Bomber Jacket
Winter’s shearling bomber gets a warm weather update this season—shedding its fuzzy faux furs in favor of more breathable, breezy fabrics, and in the boldest floral prints.
Denim Minidress
Midi lengths are definitely having a moment, but that doesn’t mean the mini is sitting in the sidelines. This season, button down minidresses are upping the ante of casual denim, offering the perfect amount of legroom to show off the season’s leg climbing gladiator sandals.
Wide-leg Crops
Easy, breezy-chic pieces are a warm weather essential. This summer, it’s all about the wide-leg crops. Whether in linen, cotton, or denim, these slouchy slacks give a polished spin to loungewear. Pair with chunky platform sandals or wow-worthy wedges to conjure 70s-chic.
Jumpsuit
The adult version of the onesie has made its way from bedroom to boardroom, thanks to a modern spin: perfect tailoring, sexy cutaways, and slinky fabrics. Such an easy-chic piece in the summer wardrobe arsenal—with a shrunken blazer and pumps it’s office-ready, while a pair of nudist heels and decadent jewelry make it night-out worthy.
Suede Midi Skirt
Whether it’s button-front, side-slit, or pleated, the suede midi skirt is a surefire staple this summer. It plays to the boho-luxe moment in the most effortless way, playing well with the rest of summer sartorial members—casual Ts, denim jackets, and leather slides.
Sleeveless Trench Coat
Left open over a frothy dress, it’s ready for work. Worn alone, belted, with strappy metallic heels, it’s ready for date night. Light, cotton twills in neutral tones work best for this versatile piece, allowing it to go well into fall when tossed on over long sleeves.