Whether you’re sticking close to home or traveling to exotic, faraway places, it’s good to have several perfect casual summer outfits that can take you from the beach to brunch or shipboard to shopping. These are the casual summer outfits you can wear almost any time and are no-brainers. Buying and planning them in advance makes it easy to slip them on and be out the door in minutes. To help you out, I’ll offer up some great summer outfit ideas for you to wear.
The easiest formula for the perfect casual summer outfit is linen shirt + cute shorts + flat shoes. Easy to remember as the main pieces all start with the letter S. This is the perfect combination that will get you into most any door, will travel easily, and be the most versatile. Once you mastered and managed to put together several casual summer outfits based on the formula, you can add in accessories that can change both the vibe and the appearance of the 3 pieces.
Let’s start with the first piece that goes into a great casual summer outfits:
Buttons Long Sleeves Shirt Maxi Dress
Instead of wearing it as a long maxi dress, you can also style it as a long button up shirt dress or cover up over a basic top, your favorite pair of jeans and a pair of sandals, heels or ankle boots. long sleeved gowns for work or office; versatile full-length maxi’s for church choir; baby shower pregnancy or maternity maxi dresses for women; evening gowns; wedding guest party dresses. comfortable and elegant clothing design for curvy woman. Suitable for cocktail, wedding dress, evening party, prom, homecoming, formal, Wear to Work and daily wear.
I traditionally choose a button-front shirt, as it allows for some variation. I can wear it over a swimsuit with the bikini top peeking out, layer it with a tank, and even tie up the bottom hem in a knot for a different look. They can be used in more ways than one.
CASUAL SUMMER SHORTS
When looking for the right short, material is a key factor. Again, linen and cotton are good choices, and you can always opt for denim. There is also a whole array of sport fabrics that are good lightweight options. Stay away from anything distressed, frayed, or worn. Again light and neutral colors are best: white, beige, brown, khaki, chambray, navy or even olive green like the one’s I’m wearing. If you stick with neutrals, you can wear them more often. Neutral colors act as a base, then all you have to do is accessorize to bring some color..
Since the goal is to be cute and stylish, we’ll steer clear of booty shorts and stick with more traditional lengths:
Sweatpants Shorts
Wearing sweat shorts while working out is a no brainer. Most are made of breathable material like sweatshirt fleece or french terry making them perfect for hitting the gym. This flexible fabric allows you get low like Lil Jon and dominate leg day. It also helps wick away moisture keeping your body cool.
Cropped Yoga Shorts
If you’re feeling confident, go for a tight top and an over-sized jacket. Bomber or denim jackets will dress up your yoga pants for a day look. But if you’re not ready to be tight all over, pair your pants with a tank top. And don’t ruin your outfit by wearing the wrong shoes with your yoga pants.
Trousers Shorts
Shorts are a short length trousers or pants that reach only to the upper part of the legs or more, but do not cover the entire leg. They are worn by both men and women. Shorts are worn either as outer garment or as underwear.
Fringe Denim Short Pants
These casual shorts are made of durable polyester spandex and breathable material, high stretch and breathable soft material. Lightweight and soft to the touch. Women’s Cross Waist Yoga Leggings with Inner Pocket, Sports Gym Workout Running Pants Women Seamless Leggings Smile Contour High Waist Workout Gym Yoga Pants.
And then you have a casual pair of cute shoes to consider…
CASUAL SUMMER SHOES
You probably have the most variation in this category. Shoes, or sandals as the case may be, complete your casual summer outfit. You have three basic options, with hundreds of variations within each.
First is the sport shoe. This could be a traditional Ked sneaker, white tennis-style shoe, Nike’s, Converse, or Sperry Topsider boat loafer. You want something comfortable, breathable, and lightweight. Leather and canvas are usually your best options. White, navy and khaki are good neutral color options that pair well with most casual summer outfits.
Then we have flats. Ballet flats, Tom’s slip-ons, or a nice driving moccasin are all good examples. You’ll want to stick with the same leather or canvas options, but color-wise you can be more adventurous. Maybe a floral print or bright green to give you a pop of color.
Your third option is the quintessential summer shoe: the sandal. Your best option here is something with straps that keeps the sandal anchored to the foot, rather than a flip-flop. Slip on, gladiator, and strappy styles are always good options, as are a few embellishments. (As you can see I went with strappy, gladiator and embellishments!) Well-made leather sandals with a good footbed are your best bet, but some sandals are using sturdy cotton elastic that also let your foot breathe and stay comfortable.
So, there you have your 3 basics: shirt, shorts, and shoes. If you want to see a lot of summer outfit ideas make sure to check out my summer outfits page!
SUMMER ACCESSORIES
While accessories are not strictly necessary, typically it is good to have a few little accents to perk up an outfit, or need to be practical and carry a bag. Here are some accessory tips for your summer outfits.
Sunglasses
This is more of an essential, to shield your eyes from the sun. But they don’t have to be boring. Aviators and Wayfarers are classic and will never go out of style, but there is a multitude of shapes to choose from. Instead of black, try a tortoiseshell rim, or maybe a navy or khaki rim. Let your glasses fit your personality.
Summer Jewelry
This is where you will keep it simple and accessories to a minimum. A small pair of stud or hoop earrings is really all that is needed, but you can add a watch, lightweight bracelets or necklace for some added panache to your summer outfit.
Summer Handbags
My rule for summer bags is either small or overly large. Because of the heat, I don’t want to be weighted down by a heavy large leather bag. A small crossbody or shoulder bag in leather or a woven material works best. (Stay away from clutches to avoid sweaty hands.) The exception to this rule is if you need to multitask on your trip out. Need to take beach supplies? Packing a lunch or snack? Going shopping? If so, a large beach bag in a lightweight canvas, woven or straw material is a good option.
So now it’s time for you to pull together your perfect casual summer outfits!
