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Bright Silk-satin Shirts

If there is a piece of clothing that I have turned a blind eye to and shied away from if I ever spot them in the store is the silk skirt. Especially if they are bright coloured. I’ve always been afraid of wearing loud colours on the top. Strangely enough I don’t have that fear for bottoms, whether they come in the form of pants, skirts or even shoes. But with COVID-19 hole-ing me in at home with no fun clothes to wear because I don’t go out, I want to have something bright and fun to look forward to when places start opening up. I want to get dressed for these used-to-go-to places just because. And I can’t think of anything better than to finally embrace this once-feared piece of clothing (for me at least) in a world of “new normals”. To start off my journey on bright silk shirts, I’m going for colours I’m familiar with, that is, colours and hues that I already have in my wardrobe, so it’s easier for me to do outfit planning.

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Silk-satin Skirts

As for silk skirts, I have already jumped into the bandwagon since last fall, and I’m loving my experience so far. I have only one piece of faux silk-satin skirt, and it’s from Seed Heritage, in a greyish black colour. It’s made of polyester, but the material is a beautiful blend of matte and satin. It’s so weird, I’ve been trying to figure out how a piece of cloth could be two different things at once to the eyes. It’s like looking at satin from one angle and looking at something matte from the other. But when you look straight at it, it gives an incredibly beautiful luxe look. Just gorgeous. Still my favourite skirt to this day. Also, just a few days ago, I had gotten my second silk-satin skirt, and this one is from Zara with tiny floral prints. Just too cute not to get. Just like the silk-satin shirt, I’m excited to wear this new skirt out.

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Breezy, High-waisted Trousers

High-waisted trousers have always been my go-to bottoms all thanks to my short height. Not only that, I also love this silhouette because I feel more put-together; low-rise or mid-rise trousers give me a casual feel, and I look to dress more formal than casual. The only type of high-waisted trousers/pants I don’t have a thing for are palazzo trousers… Strangely, this pants type feels more casual to me than “formal”. It must be because of its lightweight material that I don’t click with entirely. But, if I see a pair of palazzo trousers that happen to have heavier, more weighted-down material, I would not give it a second thought and would grab it off the rack. For this reason, the trousers and pants I have recommended here are of weightier material, or at least have some kind of consistent structure.

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Airy, Puffy Dresses

Though I have not yet owned a dress that’s puffy of sleeve or floaty of skirt, I have fair experience with blouses of the same characteristics. And I absolutely love that these clothes are made of structured material, most notably poplin. Poplin has got that crisp look, and the massive folds just add texture and character to the clothing.

I feel dramatic when I don my white puffy-sleeved blouse, especially when I pair it with a pair of straight-leg or tapered silk-satin trousers or my one and only faux silk-satin skirt. The look comes together when I put on a pair of strappy heels and gold jewellery. It has got that light, summery yet luxe feel going on. This is particularly important because I live in a tropical country where the weather is consistently sun and rain. It feels like light summer all year round with the exception of days of heavy rainfall. It kind of feels like a holiday every time I dress like this and go out on a sunny day. Like all other reasons to dress up, aren’t we playing dress up purely for the experience? Correct me if I’m wrong.

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Wrap Tops

Like the high-waisted pants, I like tops with smaller hips, especially if I can wear it without having to tuck it in. I’m not saying I don’t like tops with a straight torso, because I do as they work well with high-waisted bottoms. I guess, to me, the wrap top doesn’t just give me a defined waist when I wear it, but the tugging and folding of the material when they gather towards the knot gives the top a little bit of character.

We’re used to seeing tops that fall from top to bottom, like a normal t-shirt, a normal blouse, a normal shirt whether they are button-downs or not. The point is, the wrap top directs the eyes in a different direction, gives the eyes something different to look at. Look! That little knot detail on the side! It’s right there, and it has a character of its own. I may not know what that little knot means to do, but it definitely is doing something to my eyes. Perhaps, that’s why, in summer, people knot their plain white tees to the side. Doesn’t that inject the plain white outfit with a little more fun? It’s inviting as heck, I’m sure.

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Plaids & Gingham

Plaids and gingham, while in autumn feels like an autumn sort of pattern, in summer, it feels like a summer sort of pattern. These two are like experiential polymorphs, if that even makes sense. What I mean to say is, people think of plaids and gingham as autumn patterns because of its strict, straight lines. This pattern gives structure that’s much loved by the autumn season (and hence my love for the autumn season). But to wear plaids and gingham in summer is to switch out that neutral colour for a vibrant colour.

But what if you already have a pair of plaid pants you bought for the autumn season and don’t want to get another just because it “can’t” fit into the summer look? My friend, all you need to do is to brighten up your look when you wear that pair of plaid pants out. Wear it with a white top like a white muscle tee and a pair of white slingback heels with a boxy toe. That look spells summer to me already. Or, if you don’t feel like wearing heels, roll up those pant legs and put on some white high-cut Converse sneakers with its all-recognisable red lining. Do up your hair in a fun style. Accessorise! There is no end to this game of switching seasons, just remember fun.

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Ribbed Knit Skirts

From a person who values styles that lean towards more formal looks, you wouldn’t expect me to recommend ribbed knit skirts. Because it’s definitely casual. But it also has structure and gives the body clean lines from hip to ankle, that is, if you’re wearing a maxi skirt. But even if it’s not a maxi skirt, the clean, straight lines of a ribbed knit skirt do give that structure I love. And amid all that “more formal” talk, something a little casual for other days would be good too, so you don’t feel caged in and limited to one style.

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Vibrant Prints

For me, summer and the heat is the time of the year where experimental colours are encouraged to be tried. What more than getting vibrant prints on your clothing to experiment with it? The only downside to getting such pieces of clothing would be that you’d only have a certain time of the year to wear it out (read: summer), or at least feel like that. I would suggest getting something not too crazy (but if you want to, by all means, go ahead, totally encouraged!) and something with elements of your current colour palette in that piece of vibrantly coloured clothing.

You could also have that piece of clothing act as an accessory of sorts, perhaps like a plaid blazer in pink and yellow, so that you don’t feel like it’s a “necessary” piece of clothing while you’re wearing it, not like a pair of pants that you wear out of your house as the pants is “necessary” for you to remain socially responsible and mindful. This colourful blazer acts like an accessory on top of a plain white tee that can be taken off and put on anytime you feel like it (like an accessory).

On that note, it would do you well to have a few wardrobe basics like plain white tees or white linen trousers, or just pieces of “necessary” clothing in solid, neutral colours. You’d want these basics to form the base on which the louder prints would go on. Like all things, loud prints without a good base or foundation colour will be lost in the sea of fashion. And that’s how you get disastrous outfits. And that’s also why I have shied away from crazy prints and colours until I got this styling formula figured out.

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Strappy Heels & Sandals

In the heat it only makes sense to wear something that’s barely there. Meet your summer footwear friend, the Barely There heels and sandals with their stringy straps. I personally love this footwear style because of how elegant it looks. It helps elevate even a t-shirt + jeans look into something more put together because of its thin rope-y laces. In my mind, I see these shoes as the footwear version of the low-back, satin, halter-neck dress. Sensual, but for the foot.

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Espadrilles

Another style of footwear that spells summer is the espadrilles. Reminiscent of woven baskets, these shoes bring to mind picnics. And picnics bring to mind flowy dresses, wide-brim straw sun hats, shady trees, and the far-off lapping waves of the ocean. If you live near the ocean or the sea, or even in an island country like Singapore, you have an added imagery: palm trees. Espadrilles bring to mind palm trees, and their flirty friend, the wind. And you, my friend, are just basking in their world of Sun, Sand and Sea.