My Black + White Summer
A visual inspiration tour of how I want to dress this season.
Et voilà! This is my summer everything post, meaning it is an amalgam of all the major inspiration that I look to when putting my summer wardrobe together. It is something I will personally reference when I feel stuck or bored with my clothes.
As a simple, mostly minimalist dresser, finding warm weather clothes that I looked forward to wearing used to be hard. Now, I get excited to pull out my summer pieces. Personally, I will not be adding much newness, because I already have the majority of elements shown below. I am sharing shopping ideas throughout in case you need a refresh. I also like the idea that summer clothes are much easier on the wallet.
My core fave summer look is this from The Row, below. I have an old Frances de Lourdes oversize black tank (no longer made) and these James Perse drawstring pants (in salt and black) that make it easy to replicate. I did find a The Row tank called the Jacquline that is a similar and less expensive version than one on runway, but it must be last season. It’s very roomy, I took an XS; I know Pamela Robbins has one in navy, but if you search hard maybe you can find it elsewhere in black. These pants from Toteme are a slightly more refined version and this top is another way to go. I did splurge on The Row jellies in red, but for a good slide I love these from A. Emery which I bought last year in black and brown. (The look below is actually this dress and these pants in case you want the OG.) I will be wearing this with my new solid gold Knife Edge Bangle and substantial J Memento Pendant Necklace.
I like all black in summer. How to recreate Emmanuelle’s look below: This Maria McManus shirt; these Matteau pants; these Emme Parsons shoes; this Khaite belt; my XL Mariner Link bracelet. Swap out the black for a white button-down and you have the Margiela for Hermès from the 90s below, below.
You can reference this post for white pants for options similar to below and this Maria McManus’ white cargo shirt.
This Khaite dress gives me 90s Calvin Klein vibes (below).
Chantal Hughes, whom I’ve gotten to know (and who has excellent taste and a new Substack geared towards stylish young moms), in all white last summer. Her IG caption “Refusing to give up on all white cult leader looks and scrunchies on the wrist” made me laugh.
This 90s Calvin Klein dress, below, is very similar to this from Toteme. I am not sure I can pull it off anymore (maybe the black is more forgiving) but very into this for summer dinners out.
Tilda Swinton’s outfits in the movie, A Bigger Splash—a fun summer thriller to watch set in Pantelleria, are spot on (and constantly referenced). This Suzie Kondi top and skirt, also comes in cotton poplin, would replicate her look below.
A head scarf and a straw bag to pull it all together….(more on these in another post.)
TyLynn Nguyen proving basics can be everything (of course she also looks good in a potato sack). She’s also wearing The Row flip flops I found on eBay and can’t wait to wear. I always like a red accessory.
Find a simple black linen dress—unbutton it, belt it, and….
Some sheer windbreaker action from the sportif 90s, below. As I mentioned before, I bought this from Nackiye (on sale but now sold out at Goop) and if you want something less expensive, this from COS, and the Uniqlo UV protection parka is a good stand in (as are their parachute shorts).
And finally, the dream is to one day have an event and this dress to wear to it, because it is absolutely perfect.
x Jennifer
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Thank you, black and white is the perfect summer combination. I don’t understand people’s hesitation about black in the summer. This may be an oxymoron, but black seems fresh, at least to me, in the summertime. For those of us on a stricter budget J Crew has a linen dress which can be worn with or without a belt. I bought two this year-black and navy. I have an older version from many years ago which I wear on repeat.
Loved this!! So many options that are classic and chic... that look (even when they aren't!) effortlessly put together.