Natural Selection
PART I: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
How to style summer neutrals and natural fibres
While my day-to-day style is anything but bohemian, a little bit of me still hankers for those halcyon, art student days when channeling an eclectic, rebellious and ever-so-slightly boho vibe was everything!
Nothing brings back these feelings more than the beginning of summer. That moment when the mercury rises to the high teens and stores are filled with the first promise of long, hot summer days.
Replacing winter woollies with the silks, linens and lightweight cottons of high summer evokes that beachy-bohemian lifestyle that we don’t live here in Scotland, but can happily enjoy through fashion (and if we’re lucky, for 2 or 3 weeks in the sun)!
As an avid colour lover, I often gravitate towards bright colours in summer. They simply zing so joyfully in the sunlight! But this year, I’ve been captivated by the deliciously natural selection - in terms of both colour and fabric - that I’m seeing everywhere.
So with that in mind, I bring you: The Ultimate Summer Dress!
It’s perfectly packable - twisting and scrunching up is the preferred way to pack, wash and dry this piece to retain the 'creased-effect’. The warm, pinky-beige is flattering on all skin tones, and it’s voluminous cut makes it comfortable and cool.
Wear as a bikini cover up on the beach or to a poolside party. With a pair of barely-there flat sandals it will take you on the evening passagiata in style or to a smart lunch in the old town. Adding strings and strings of shells, stones and natural-coloured beads of varying lengths adds texture and interest to the self-colour and intensifies that boho-chic beautifully.
Pair with a wide-brimmed straw hat and an Aperol Spritz for maximum cool factor.
~ Shop the Look ~
Dress: Zara £29.99 | Long double strand necklace: Zara £19.99 | Short shell necklace: Zara £15.99 | Glasses (in hand): Sojos Vision £9.99 | Long shell necklace (worn as belt): Zara £12.99 - sold out but similar here
Shoes: Gucci | Studded wooden bangle: Vintage, both stylist’s own
Some of these pieces went into sale before publishing… So it’s possible you’ll get them cheaper, but also possible they’ll have sold out! Fingers crossed you find the ones you love, but I’ve included some alternatives just in case.
This look is all about the accessories. Acting as a plain backdrop, the dress is the perfect blank canvas for adding heaps of boho beads and shells (uber on-trend right now)! Do you like the boho vibe, or do you struggle to style this louche, but lovely look?
Tell me your thoughts below or contact me for a personal styling consultation!
Don’t miss Part II: White Heat, coming soon! For a sneak peek, click here for the full feature, written for Insight Magazine, summer issue.
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