Your Essential Summer Wish List

There are days when we want to be playful and experimental with our outfits, and there are others when we want to simply throw on something easy but?chic. The latter will become a lot easier if you build your summer wardrobe around these four’mix-and-match pieces.

A sleeveless coat

Layering is the key to navigating the unpredictable Irish weather. Sleeveless coats help with this, but more importantly, they create a body-skimming and lengthening silhouette. On warmer days, wear with a simple white T-shirt. On chillier mornings, pair with a thin knit instead. For autumn, a sleeveless jacket looks great worn over a neat leather jacket or a chunky knit, so if you invest now, you can wear right through the year.

Longline sleeveless jacket, €89 at Topshop?

A pinafore dress

A little bit utilitarian, but feminine with it, a pinafore can be dressed up with a lace blouse (think Princess Diana in the 1980s) but it’s the epitome of laid-back chic?when worn with a cotton T-shirt. Ankle-grazing?is the length fashion lovers adore right now, but I love this mini pinafore from Zara.

Faux leather pinafore, €29.95 at Zara

A great T-shirt

T-shirts are your summer style saviour.?They’ll add a bit of dressed-down chic to smart trousers and can be layered easily under dresses for a more urban look. Finery London is my go-to for T-shirts. They have a great selection of plain and print. This smart T-shirt-style top from Finery is one of my favourites right now.

Ludlow shell top, €65 at finerylondon.com

Denim culottes

A pair of denims is most women’s sartorial fallback, but skinnies can be irritating?when the weather hots up. Denim culottes are the perfect compromise. Utilitarian and easy to dress up or down, but breathable and comfortable?to wear.

Dark denim culottes, €18 (reduced from €50) at River Island

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