How to Look Expensive (in the summer)

[diamondsandrose]

Please can we resurrect my favourite EVER thread, but with a summer twist?

I think I'm pretty stylish in cooler weather but struggle in the heat.

I know the usual drill ..natural fabrics, linen cotton silk in neutral colours. Light tan courtesy of gradual tanner. Tan real leather sandals. Straw or heavy cotton beach bag. No gaudy colours or prints. No bra strap showing under vests.

But I still feel I don't look as good as I could if I tried a bit harder! I get freckly and I think that stops me looking expensive!

Please tell me your tips and stories of fab expensive looking stylish people you've seen on holiday

It's lovely - I wish I had the arms for it

I've just bought a lovely dress from The White Company. It was expensive but it's a great cut.

www.thewhitecompany.com/uk/Slash-Neck-Ponte-Dress-/p/SNCPD?swatch=Navy

This one ^ the sizes are big! I'm a 10 but bought an 8.

That's a great dress @OutofSyncGirl. Great neckline. And pockets!

I've been wearing this dress all summer.

I'm trying to buy better quality clothes than my usual supermarket/Primark staples and the quality of this really paid off.

It drapes beautifully and the jersey is heavy so does the elusive 'skim' rather than cling.

It's last season (sale) so out of stock on the joules site but available on eBay etc

I'll be keeping an eye out for a Joules sale for more jersey dresses.

That's lovely! I'm finding that I really like Joules stuff. It's flattering. Yes I like the next line on the WC dress as well.

This thread is really helpful because I'm autistic and so stuck in my ways with clothes.

I have made a capsule shopping list and am ebaying stuff that never gets worn in keeping with the "looking expensive but not necessarily spending ££££"

(I am in love with that bucket bag though, and keep thinking that my old mum would say "darling, buy one expensive thing, instead of 10 pieces of tat" to justify my spending!)

Palazzo-wide leg trousers- navy (I loved the Boden ones recommended upthread but there's no navy! Wtf? Two shades of grey, but no navy! Humph) Love the Me + Em ones but am worried about length.

More white/navy supima Ts from Marks. Not nearly as impressed with the Uniqlo ones. They are more of a "male" cut iyswim. I am wearing them around the house, but that's it.

Levi 501s. I am almost 53 ffs, I don't need or indeed want, to be trendy. I think that's part of looking expensive isn't it? Knowing what we look good in, whether it's high fash or not. A south American colleague wore white t-shirts and "boyfriend" jeans all last summer, slightly rolled up or ankle skimmers, white superga style shoes, and she looked amazing.

Some gradual tanny stuff for when I do get legs out.

A maxi skirt. @knownunknown could you tell us how long the Me+ Em one actually is please?

A couple of coloured t shirts. I love the over-dyed Mint Velvet ones but have never had anything from there and am a bit about paying £30 for what is essentially a plain t shirt. Can anyone comment on the quality? Are they worth it?

Possibly a couple of White Company Jersey shirts for work.

One boho style top. Still looking for the perfect one.

Wedge sandals, probably Menorcan because I need to hide toe. I want these www.ria.es/product/product_nubuck-choco_2146604/ I saw them in Menorca at the end of last summer but foolishly didn't get them because it was the end of summer.

Yesterday I wore bootcut jeans (see what I mean about what suits, I am 5ft 10 and they just do) a Seasalt Breton with a greenish stripe and a big (fake) abalone shell ring. And I felt good. And you know what, it was the ring because it set off everything else. I now realise I need to sort out accessories.

I spent hours in Oxford st yesterday and came away with one dress. Ridiculous.

I think it's important to stay within your comfort zone - if you spend 2/3 of the year in winter stuff, it always looks slightly incongruous if you go all Riviera.
I really loved Meghan Markle's Invictus games white shirt and jeans look. She looked comfortable and classy and you could wear that all year round with a few tweaks.

I agree with DameDoom you need to use your personal style (what you feel comfortable in). I really like the boho trend, but find I need to dilute it down. So today was an a-line denim skirt with more fitted navy t-shirt but accessorised with silver, slightly ethnic bangles, pale blue tassel earrings, navy oversized sunglasses. I've swapped the denim skirt for indigo bootcuts and added a linen cardi as it's chillier now.

ThenCame your ring sounds gorgeous. I think we can mistake expensive/classic for dull and actually, it's wearing things that really suit us that makes us look stylish.

I have an update live from northern europe. So its boiling here. All locals look effortlessly chic (regardless of size). Theres a lot of women in what looks like just long shirts and a-line dresses that go up to knee/ just above. And long jersey material dresses. And then flat shoes/ sandals/ flipflops. Ponytails and buns. Noone looks sweaty and harrassed. H&m selling a lot of the clothimg. Ill look at their uk website and link

m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/productpage.0554811016.html
m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/productpage.0648995002.html
m2.hm.com/m/sv_se/productpage.0617919020.html
I know they dont look great in the links but in real life, wow

Sorry but to me those look like more of the shapeless tent dresses that just hang from my bust making me look enormous. If you are gamine thin then it's obvious you're not just chubby and trying to hide it in a voluminous frock. If you're a size 12 with a reasonable waist and a reasonable bosom I would just look like I was wearing a tent. No shape at the waist. I'd look like Hattie Jaques

Wizzy ive got the khaki one! It's great , thanks for the reminder

What else are the chic people wearing

wizzy I love Scandi style. I think that when we picture summer dressing, we sometimes think of typical french/spanish/italian/Mediterranean looks which suit those who are small, petite, olive-skinned but maybe not so much those who are taller and paler. Whereas, Scandi style may be easier for some of us to pull off. Obviously, those are big generalisations .

"BitOutOfPractice* I think that's where you need to "translate" different styles to what suits you. I'm quite tall and straight up and down, so shapeless, loose dresses look better on me, but someone more curvy might be better with something more fitted or belted.

Uniqlo blazer arriving tomorrow 🎉
I tried soft jersey blazer in oasis (poss warehouse) but too loose a cut for my taste and came to almost the bottom of my bottom. I like shorter jackets
(I have no bust, inverted triangle)
I'm not good with heels but bought these Tony Pons espadrilles in black and grey - cover my toes and padded inside. They stay on foot as straps elasticated

@quirkychick quite. That's exactly what I was saying. Except right now everything seems to be cut straight / boxy and it's nigh on impossible to find anything to suit someone with bust and / or waist. It's been going on for a couple of years now.

BitOutOfPractice I agree it's really hard when you know what you want and it's just not on trend enough to be around. That's where I wish more of our shops did a range of good quality basics rather than flimsy, throw away fashion... Interesting to hear others on this thread talk about better selection in shops abroad.

This picture of Cindy Crawford in grecian dress and sandals.

That's not really fair though quirky because CF is expensive (not just trying to look it) and would look fabulous in a bun bag which that dress is doing a good impression of

*bin

See, I love those kind of grecian dresses and had a viscose one that shrunk horribly . Anything a bit ruchy or drapey is good as it gives me a bit of shape. But of course, Cindy Crawford would look good in anything . There seems to be lots of floaty, floral things around, but I would rather something plainer in a natural fabric.

wizzywig

I have an update live from northern europe. So its boiling here. All locals look effortlessly chic (regardless of size). Haha, not me (am in Sweden) but I agree, there's a lot of people here who just effortlessly swan through summer as if it wasn't a problem what jacket to bring.

Theres a lot of women in what looks like just long shirts and a-line dresses that go up to knee/ just above. And long jersey material dresses. And then flat shoes/ sandals/ flipflops. Ponytails and buns. Noone looks sweaty and harrassed. H&m selling a lot of the clothing. This is true - they just pull on whatever H&M are selling and look grand. I don't know how. Don't know how they do it, IMO opinion the shops have NOTHING. All ruffles, polyester and fluff. :/ And all dresses end mid-thigh, don't know how they sit down at all.

It does help that we're quite informal and don't care much about workwear, we just get dressed.

In an effort to look effortlessly chic I have an old hush breton dress on in white and black stripes (midi, quite boxy in heavy cotton jersey) with navy birkies, dark green bandana, leather cuff. Trying to keep it simple this summer. What's everyone else wearing?

I am wearing this navy polka dot dress with birkies.

Blue Ralph Lauren bag.