Ah, Summertime! Don’t you love that time of the year? warm weather, the beach, the sun and the ability to wear different clothes would be impossible in cold weather.

If you look through your wardrobe and are lost at sea at what to wear this summer, I have the right tips for you to put together the perfect summer wardrobe and look fabulous this season. With no further ado, let us dive in.

Understand the weather

Know your style.

Understand your lifestyle.

Consider your body shape.

Take your budget into account.

Find out suitable fabrics for summertime.

Know the basic summer essentials you need.

Understand the weather.

The weather is the first thing you need to consider before spending money on any clothing item.

I say this because the temperature in different summer locations varies from mildly warm to hot and humid.

The summer clothes a person would need to wear in a warm place like London would be completely different from a person who lives in New York where temperatures can be as high as 40 degrees.

For example, a person living in a place where summer temperatures are mildly warm with low humidity levels l can wear a pair of jeans trousers but the latter that live in a hot and humid environment will fare better wearing a pair of shorts.

Know your style.

The second thing you need to consider is your style. Here is another crucial element that needs to be considered when you are putting together a summer wardrobe.

In other words, you need to ask these questions:

Do you like bold colours, patterns and silhouettes or prefer neutral colours with classic lines?

Do you like flowy silhouettes and are inspired by Western and prairie styles?

Are you drawn to styles worn by 40s, 50s and 60s movie stars like Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Dita von Teese?

Are you a fan of chunky jewellery or do you prefer simple but statement jewellery?

Do you like to look Glam, Laidback, Chic or Boho?

Answer all these questions and more before you go shopping. That way, you can build a summer wardrobe that consists of clothes you love wearing at all times.

Know your lifestyle.

Thirdly, take a look at your lifestyle before putting together your summer wardrobe..

Ask yourself these questions?

What kind of activities do you like?

What places do I visit?

Do I have an active social life?

After all, there is no point spending money on that sexy swimsuit you see n the mall when you don’t go out in the pool or go to the beach.

It also doesn’t make sense for you to buy that blazer dress when you don’t go clubbing. Do you get the idea? Think about that so that you won’t waste money buying inappropriate clothes.

Know your physique.

There is nothing as atrocious as wearing summer outfits that don’t compliment your body shape. There are certain questions you need to ask yourself when you are creating your summer wardrobe.

Are you pear, rectangular, inverted triangle, apple or hourglass-shaped? After you have answered these questions, identify what type of clothes compliment your figure. There is no point wearing a crop top when you have a large belly or a tank top when you have flabby arms.

Here is a quick tip to choosing summer clothes that compliment your body shape:

Pear shape.

Women with this body shape have heavy hips, thighs and narrow shoulders.

Best clothes for pear-shaped women ladies are:

Dark coloured flowing trousers, skirts and shorts.

Bright coloured tops with details on the chest and shoulder area.

Strapless maxi dress.

Mid to high rise shorts sewn with soft fabrics.

For swimwear, pear-shaped ladies should wear strapless or bandeau style bikini tops. Also wear bikini tops with ruffles to add volume to the bust area.

When picking bikini bottoms, high waisted bottoms or sarongs compliment pear-shaped ladies.

Apple Shape.

This shape has a thick torso. Ladies with this figure should wear clothes that elongate the body. Clothes that flatter ladies with apple-shaped figures should wear:

High waisted shorts.

Rompers.

Maxi dresses are cut under the bust.

For swimwear, choose swimwear with a Deep V-neckline to accentuate the bust and lengthen the body.

Also, wear high waisted bikini bottoms with control/side panels to cinch in the waist and stomach.

Rectangle Shape.

Ladies with the body shape are straight from top to bottom without a defined waist.

Best summer clothes that fit rectangle-shaped ladies are:

Bermuda shorts,

Flowy trousers and skirts.

Mini skirts and dresses.

For swimwear, one-piece swimsuits, tank tops, halter neck tops and tie-side bikini bottoms flatter women with this shape.

The inverted triangle

Ladies with this body shape have broad shoulders, a defined waist and narrow hips.

The best summer outfits that flatter the inverted triangle are;

Tops with deep v- neck, tank tops

Tank tops

Flared dresses

Mini flared skirts.

Bright coloured shorts

Flared trousers.

Boyfriend shorts

Mid-rise shorts.

For swimwear, women with the inverted triangle should choose the ones that make their shoulders look narrower and create volume in the bottom.

Choose bikinis tied at the sides and swim shorts with ruffled skirts to make the hips look wider.

The Hourglass

Hourglass-shaped women have the best of all worlds because they have balanced bodies with a defined waist.

They need to choose summer outfits that show off their feminine shape.

Best summer outfits for hourglass shaped women are:

Mid to high rise shorts.

Maxi dresses

Midi wrap dresses.

Shirt dress with a belt.

From swimwear,

any style of bikini would be good.

Know your budget.

We know that shopping can be hard especially if you don’t love it or have limited resources.

If you have enough money to buy clothes for a summer wardrobe, follow the tips above.

However, if you are on a budget, follow the tips below for your summer wardrobe.

Know where to shop.

Check out consignment, thrift stores and even flea markets for summer clothes.

They are good places where you can find good quality and unique pieces for half the price. Look out for sales and discounts in these stores to save money.

Check out fashion stores like Zara and Boohoo for great summer clothing but pay attention to details of the clothes like the seams and zips.

Invest in accessories

Buy accessories like belts, jewellery, scarves etc. Use them to brighten up a basic outfit.

Know your summer essentials.

Finally here is the most important part. What are the essentials for your summer wardrobe?

It consists of clothes and accessories you can wear over time without buying new clothes every season. Let’s dive in.

Button-down linen shirt

Cotton t-shirt

White cotton dress

Tank tops

Flat sandals

Wedges

Shirtdress

Straw hat

Flowing maxi dresses

Flowing trousers

Shorts

Sunglasses

Blazer dress

Bright outfits

Flowing mini dresses

Rompers

Swimsuits

Linen and chiffon dresses

Flowing skirts

Crop tops

So there it is. Feel free to choose any of these essentials and build a summer wardrobe that you can rock for a long time.

In the mean time check out this article on classy dresses.

Have a fun-filled summer!