We're already dreaming of lazing on the beach, warm sand between our toes, but sadly the summer holidays are still a long way off. There is, however, one way to get ahead... We're planning to liven up our look with summery pieces that remind us of days by the sea. In a variety of warm, sunny colours, it's easy to elevate your day-to-day style with rope, straw, raffia and other raw materials for an instant summery twist.
To brave the summer heat, we're swapping city clothes for light, sunny pieces. High-waisted denim shorts, a white blouse, a slip dress - it's time to dust off those summer staples and enhance them with some seasonal must-haves.
Chic at the beach: Spring/Summer's most desirable trend
Sandy or golden shades bring a sweet summer scent to your style. Teamed with materials like rope, raffia, linen and wood, we can already see ourselves lazing under palm trees by the sea. Clothing-wise, it's all about loose, laid-back outfits that can withstand the heat and work just as well in the city as on the beach. The key to a striking summer look? Mix and match materials by drawing shades from the same colour palette. Fancy some tips for a fail-safe summer look? Try a long flowing cream-coloured dress paired with tan leather flat sandals (the Goudi model at Ancient Greek Sandals, for example), a long wooden necklace, a pair of black sunglasses and a raffia shoulder bag. Serve flawless summer looks with big, bold pieces. A large hat, a necklace with chunky links, an ivory cuff and fabulous wedge sandals on the feet.
The ultimate summer accessories
At the top of our wishlist, we've got our eye on the most bankable accessories of the season... The straw Panama hat, rope sandals, wicker baskets, raffia messenger bags... basically, all of the gypsy-inspired accessories taking over our Instagram feeds. Our favourite of the season? Marni's Tropicalia Small, a small leather and raffia bag that instantly evokes the French Riviera, oozing with laid-back chic. It's a refreshing and uplifting wardrobe, and one that's easy to get to grips with, to celebrate the arrival of the summer sun in style.