Summer Cravings

Conjuring garden tomatoes and barely-there clothes.

We are still muddling through jacket weather, but my mind is already fixated on summer dressing. While I continue to enjoy putting together zesty spring combinations—like wool sweaters with skirts—a few balmy days last week has gotten me hungry for berries by the handful, along with gossamer silk tops and loose linen shorts. I know that in a few short months I’ll be over the heat and praying for reprieve from it (I’m very much a my-favourite-season-is-the-next-one person). Right now, it’s all I’m craving.

My Spring Style Feast turned out to be a great reference point for me; it’s been a joy to road-test new ideas and see the vibes I’d cooked up translate to real-life looks. In that vein, I’ve decided to channel my appetite for summer into another sartorial banquet, curating a menu that highlights the finest seasonal ingredients in my closet. The result is a chopped salad of inspiration and closet play, recent and past outfits, drizzled with a desire for airy simplicity and visual impact.

The setting is this: a muggy day in July; the sun high in the sky; gardens overspilling with flora and foliage; wafts of barbecue in the air. I’m walking down the street, desperately seeking shade and a negroni. What am I wearing?

A little while ago, I posted a few pictures from an afternoon vintage try-on adventure that, unbeknownst to me at the time, would serve as the catalyst for the aesthetic direction I’d like to take this summer. While I’m reluctant to adopt the term “mermaid-core”, this look undeniably evokes a sultry, marine fantasy.

The foundation is a palette of ocean blues, kelp forest greens and yellows, with pops of coral red. Textures bring further depth to the mood: slippery silks, wavy linen, netted knits—while I did not buy the yellow-green tank pictured above, I’m planning to make a similar top using this chartreuse yarn.

If you’re really committing to the aesthetic, the last step is to punctuate with on-theme accessories and jewelry. I’ll be wearing my strand of yellow beads from last summer, a single pearl clip-on earring found at the park that works beautifully as a pendant, and a new carnelian necklace (influenced by Ritika’s sorcery with colourful jewelry). There are so many options for adding a touch of aquatic embellishment: antique articulated fish charms, mother-of-pearl brooches, multi-coloured glass beads that dazzle like the Rainbow Fish’s scales, chunky turquoise, flaky iridescent sequins, or this amazing fish leather bag.

Every summer, I tend to adopt a signature style formula—a go-to look for when the sticky heat renders my decision-making brain cells to mush. Here are a few contenders for 2026’s Outfit of the Summer (OOTS).

This silhouette is very much carried forward from my spring style agenda: a long, wide pair of shorts or culottes, now mated with a sleek tank top—preferably a boatneck style handknit by me. While this look doesn’t seem so dissimilar from what I’ve been rocking for the past few summers (an applause for consistency), this iteration feels more specific in terms of the proportions I’m trying to pull off.

These days, I’m gravitating towards shorts that hit below the knee and sit lower on my hips; the three pairs on the top row are my current obsessions. The black linen culottes give wonderful volume, but are a pain to wear to due to the material’s magnetism for cat hair. I haven’t worn these consistently since moving in with my now-husband…nine years ago, but l’ve brought them out from the vaults for this summer.

I also recently tried on a pair of A-line denim shorts from COS. This style, albeit very trendy, has been on my mind for months. Though I wasn’t quite sold on this pair, I love the idea of adding some dark, voluminous shorts in a material that can better handle grass stains and smeared chocolate than the options I have. Finally, as noted in my summer wardrobe plans, I’m hoping to sew a pair of pleated culottes from some yet-to-be-thrifted pillowcases—ideally with a pleasing striped pattern.

Another outfit that’s recycling what worked well last year. I’ve been really enjoying having skirts back as a viable option, especially an easy straight-down, mid-calf style in a fun colour or print. The cherry red skirt is a Brooke Callahan number that I tried on last year and will endeavour to dupe because I can’t fathom spending that kind of money on such simple construction (no shade to Callahan or her patrons though—I totally get it). I can see myself wearing my new vintage skirt a ton this summer and look forward to blocking the vivid teal with other colours in my closet, like this freshly-squeezed shade of orange.

You won’t typically catch me in full-length pants once the temperature pushes past 20°C (that’s 68° in American). However, there are days and occasions that call for more leg coverage—and that’s when I call up my trusty chambray trousers. The material is lovely and fit is slouchy, yet polished. I also have a pair of Shaina Mote trousers in an olive-toned khaki that I recently had tailored. They don’t have the same ease but would be a great option for more formal appointments.

I particularly like pairing summer trousers with—you guessed it—a close-fitting tank. In lieu of a bared ankle, I feel this look benefits from something eye-catching around the neck to add that flirty, siren-y vibe I’m all about lately. A longer necklace could also be interesting; I’m thinking about picking up some black silk cord from the craft store to pair with my pendants, which would allow me to play with elevations in a non-committal way.

This last outfit formula is a bit of a colour experiment. As evidenced by the preceding photos, I’m a big proponent of colour and tonal contrast. I like darks with lights and containing a vibrant hue to one portion of the outfit equation. It’s a big reason why I find one-pieces challenging to wear, and have never been tempted to cop a trendy matching set. Yet, analogous colours and monochromatic-ish ensembles have been on my mind lately. I like this approach as an alternative to the summer dress: putting together two distinct pieces that visually break—but also blend and harmonize if you squint.

Here are a few prospective top-and-skirt “sets” I may reach for; I think the middle outfit is the one that’s closest to nailing my vision—and brings together two items I hope to wear more. That dreamy green silk tank makes me want to sew a pair of Cawley-inspired silk dupion shorts in a complementary shade of green—what I imagine Cecilia Tallis would wear in 2026.

A few more summer wardrobe staples that deserve a shout-out at the table:

The punishing heat of summertime in the city is often broken up by cooler mornings and evenings—not to mention over-exuberant air conditioning. When my arms start to prickle in my beloved sleeveless tops and the nips are threatening to pierce through, I’m reaching for a buttoned shirt to throw overtop.

My collection of shirts, featuring a variety of sleeve lengths and weights, serve as my outerwear for the season. I have about ten of them hanging in my closet: a row of blues, greens, yellows, and cream. If I were to add another, I’d probably choose one in a bright, warm hue like carmine red or magenta.

You know I don’t only wear tank tops, right? Sometimes, I’ll go a little wild and choose a cap sleeve.

To cap off this feast, blouses and shell tops in this delectable style are the dark horses of my summer wardrobe. They go with every style of bottom: short shorts, long shorts, mid-length skirts, culottes, and full-length pants. I like the proportions afforded by the extra flicks at the shoulders; the shape is strong and commanding—yet delicate and subtle.

I dream of thrifting some antique embroidered napkins to fashion into a boxy, rudimentary blouse in this style. I’m also still awaiting my custom fish top from 100% Silk, which is designed to fall over the shoulders just so—a strong Top of the Summer candidate, marrying a tried-and-true silhouette with my mermaid summer dreams.

Thank you for accepting my invitation to dine! I hope you enjoyed devouring all seven courses of this style feast, summer edition. Please tell me about your seasonal style cravings, wherever you’re headed meteorologically!