31 Outfit Ideas for Every Day in July
We can practically smell the grill firing up, taste the ice-cold rosé cider and hear the splash of that unicorn float hitting the pool. We’ve reached peak summer and we’re ready to look like it. We did the work for you and planned out 31 fabulous fresh outfits to try all July long.
Wear a T-Shirt Under a Party Dress
Protect your shoulders from that hot summer sun while simultaneously making your favorite cocktail dress more daytime-appropriate.
Get the look: TOBI sunglasses ($20); Old Navy T-shirt ($13); Rachel Comey dress ($550); Via Spiga heels ($275)
Mix Vertical and Horizontal Stripes
Heck, you can even throw in some diagonal lines, while you’re at it. Pairing like with like is perhaps the easiest way to mix prints without looking kooky.
Get the look: Equipment top ($265); Joie shorts ($168); Leith heels ($70)
Try a Hawaiian Shirt(dress)
We admire Sir Tommy Bahama, but we can’t help but feel a little too much like a Floridian retiree when wearing one of his lovely creations. The solution: Throw on a Hawaiian print shirtdress instead. Add a pair of sleek sock booties to give it an extra femme edge.
Get the look: LOFT dress ($90); ASOS boots ($48)
Mix Gingham of All Sizes and Shades
One easy way to ensure your gingham ensemble doesn’t go full-on Dorothy? Wear multiple versions all at once. Mix it up with different size prints, like Coterie member Alisha Taneja does here.
Get the look: LPA dress ($107); Loeffler Randall heels ($350)
RELATED: 8 New Ways to Wear Gingham So You Don’t Look Like a Walking Picnic
Keep Voluminous Pieces Neutral
An off-the-shoulder top with ruffled sleeves feels less intimidating or fiesta-ready when in a simple beige and paired with some tailored khakis instead of a bright or bold skirt.
Get the look: Sunday Somewhere sunglasses ($290); Endless Rose top ($27); COS pants ($88)
Beat the Heat in a Maxi Skirt
A flowy maxi and loose-fit tank is definitely one of the chicest ways to stay cool and covered.
Get the look: Navy Days top ($69); Eliza J skirt ($168); Francesca's bag ($44); Dr. Scholl's flats ($70)
Elongate Your Frame with Vertical Stripes
It doesn’t matter if you’re 5’2” or 6’2”; these slimming, lengthening stripes are guaranteed to help you channel your inner supermodel so you can strut your stuff down the sidewalk like Coterie member Liz Teich. Get it, girl.
Get the look: Maeve dress ($148); Madewell belt ($45); Mansur Gavriel bag ($395); Vince Camuto heels ($66)
Give a Throwback NOD TO '90S OVERALLS
If you’re still totally buggin’ over the awesome fashion on Clarissa Explains It All, then we have some good news for you. Overalls and oversize headbands are back in style. Boo-ya!
Get the look: Ann Taylor shirt ($70); Paige overalls ($279); Banana Republic scarf ($31); Keds sneakers ($65)
Try a Funky Pair of Sunnies
Which sounds more fun: a pair of classic wayfarers or oversize heart-shaped frames that are covered in glitter? Um, yeah, we thought so too.
Get the look: GIFIORE sunglasses ($10); Baublebar earrings ($42); Torrid top ($38)
RELATED: The Prettiest Lipsticks to Pair with This Season’s Coolest Shades
Wear a Denim Skirt Like an Adult
Turns out, it can be done. Choose a white or black wash, then pair it with a pair of black heels and a classic button-down shirt.
Get the look: Old Navy shirt ($25); Father's Daughter skirt ($102); Imagine by Vince Camuto heels ($140)
Rock a Bright Suit
You might be expected to wear a suit to work, but no one said what color it needs be. Channel the spirit of the season with vibrant oranges, bright yellows and cherry reds. Total power move.
Get the look: Kayu hat ($168); Gestuz blazer ($299) and pants ($237); Topshop blouse ($80); Donald J Pilner heels ($198)
Get Comfortable in a Caftan
Equal parts glamorous and easy, your go-to poolside caftan is more versatile than you think. Just add a pair of fabulous oversize earrings, a structured bag and luxe slides, like Coterie member Katie Sturino, and suddenly you’re red-carpet ready. Or at least ready for dinner and drinks with the girls.
Get the look: Dodo Bar Or caftan ($410); Brinker & Eliza earrings ($198); Dana Buchman bag ($40); TOMS sandals ($80)
Pair One of Summer’s Biggest Trends With One From Fall
Who knew a one-shoulder top would look so fresh when paired with bright red sock boots? Bring those babies back out for this cool-girl combo. Thanks for the inspo, Ijeoma Kola!
Get the look: Tictail earrings ($75); StyleKeepers top ($119); J.Crew jeans ($125); NA-KD boots ($51)
RELATED: 3 Trends That Are Officially Out for Summer 2018 (Plus What to Wear Instead)
Wear Head-to-Toe Color
Instead of wilting away in the heat, why not re-energize with a super-bold “look at me” ensemble? Pile on the most vibrant shades you can find to show that white-hot sun who’s boss.
Get the look: Stine Goya blouse ($328); Mara Hoffman pants ($325); Brahmin clutch ($95); Sarto by Franco Sarto heels ($109)
Embrace the Easy Wrap Dress
This breezy style is universally flattering, super comfortable and somehow always looks professional.
Get the look: Draper James dress ($125); Rebecca Minkoff bag ($195); M.Gemi heels ($225)
RELATED: 3 Tips for Wearing a Wrap Dress If You Have Big Boobs
Try a Loose-Fitting Jumpsuit
We love a good one-and-done jumpsuit, but the trick to making a shapeless one-piece look more flattering (and less like an infant’s onesie) is to pair it with a curve hugging T-shirt underneath and roll up the legs to reveal a bit of ankle.
Get the look: Gap T-shirt ($25); Old Navy jumpsuit ($37); Nike sneakers ($75)
Wear Unexpected Polka Dots
By which we mean spots that aren’t black, white, navy or red. Consider it an easy way to make a throwback print feel fresh and new.
Get the look: Forever 21 top ($16) and skirt ($23); Toino Abel bag ($139); Söfft sandals ($55)
Use a Sunhat to Add Some Drama
It’s time to take that straw hat out of your beach bag and into the real world. The wider the brim, the more glamorous you’ll feel. And on the flip side, a smaller brim will make you look like an explorer ready for her next safari.
Get the look: Kayu hat ($168); Mignonne Gavigan earrings ($95); Lauren Ralph Lauren top ($29); Vince pants ($256); Designinverso bag ($119); 1.State heels ($90)
Celebrate the 4th of July in Style
Turns out you can wear all the colors of the flag at once without looking like, well, the flag itself. And never wear both stars and stripes at the same time.
Get the look: Socialite shirt ($35); Lost + Wander skirt ($40); Nina clutch ($25); L.K.Bennett heels ($241)
RELATED: How to Dress for July 4th Without Looking Like a 6-Year-Old
Wear a Summer-Weight Knit
Fun fact: Cashmere is actually a great warm-weather fabric. It’s lightweight, breathable and easily transitions from keeping you cool outdoors to keeping you warm inside your over-air-conditioned office. Summer knits are also a favorite of Italy’s most fashionable women so, yeah, we’re sold.
Get the look: Acne Studios top ($340); Missoni pants ($584); Swedish Hasbeens shoes ($90)
Balance Out Rainbow Stripes
Our favorite trick: Make every other part of your outfit (from shoes to shirt to sunnies) just one solid hue, like orange.
Get the look: Ray-Ban sunglasses ($203); L.L.Bean shirt ($65); Puma top ($22); Compania Fantastica skirt ($65); Honeycomb at Home bag ($17); Halogen sandals ($42)
Don’t Assume Shorts Are Casual
Turns out shorts suits are major fashion chameleons, looking adorably cute for a casual Friday then super sexy for a night out on the town. Bottom line, you can wear one of these fabulous sets to basically every event on your calendar.
Get the look: J.Crew earrings ($65); Boohoo blazer ($53) and shorts ($32); Wilfred top ($80); Rebecca Minkoff clutch ($145); Etienne Aigner heels ($198)
Bridge the Gap Between Contrasting Hues
Pale yellow and ultra violet aren’t exactly a match made in heaven...but when you wear them on either side of a solid black skirt, suddenly they don’t feel quite so disjointed.
Get the look: Alice + Olivia top ($275); Nine West skirt ($79); Sarto by Franco Sarto heels ($129)
Unbutton the Hem of Your Dress
Not comfortable showing off your décolletage? Here’s a novel idea: unbutton from the bottom to show off those stems and still catch a breeze.
Get the look: Forever 21 dress ($25); Chelsea28 bag ($40); Reebok sneakers ($75)
Layer a Shirtdress Over Another Dress
Or, if you like the look of an unbuttoned hem but aren’t so into the extra exposure, layer it over a skirt or dress for a super-cool effect.
Get the look: Eloquii shirtdress ($140); RACHEL Rachel Roy dress ($109); ALDO bag ($33); SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker heels ($154)
Wear Your Athletic Gear Outside the Gym
Real talk: When it’s 97 degrees out with 100 percent humidity, you are going to get sweaty. So throw on a sweat-wicking tank with your girly midi skirt and call it a (fashionable) day.
Get the look: Nike top ($30); J.O.A. skirt ($53); Badgley Mischka sandals ($135)
Sport a Safari Jacket
Make a safari jacket and long shorts city-appropriate with a silk scarf headband and casual black flats. (Save the hiking boots for vacation.)
Get the look: Vince Camuto jacket ($93); J.Crew shorts ($45); Banana Republic scarf ($32); Street Level bag ($78); Steve Madden flats ($70)
Let Loose in a Tent Dress
They’re easy, they’re breezy and, when worn with heels and an open neckline, they’re surprisingly flattering, too.
Get the look: La DoubleJ dress ($765); Iris & Ink clutch ($80); Journee heels ($45)
RELATED: 30 Tent Dresses (from $30 to $300) to Wear All Summer Long
Try a Silk Slip Skirt
Slip dresses can be tricky to wear without veering into nightgown territory. Slip skirts? Much easier to pull off. Wear yours with a casual tank or button-down shirt and flat sandals or simple sneakers and you'll be all set to go.
Get the look: Madewell top ($45); Alice + Olivia skirt ($295); H&M sandals ($18)
Wear a Long Sleeve Dress
You heard us. Just look for airy, breathable fabrics like linen, georgette or silk and silhouettes that graze your natural figure instead of digging in at your waist or hips.
Get the look: Forever 21 dress ($25); ModCloth bag ($49); Charles and Keith heels ($49)
Pile on the Prints
Go big or go home and wear as many loud, oversize and punchy prints as your little heart desires. It’s summer, baby.
Get the look: Sandro scarf ($83); Ashanis Collection top ($40); Grass-Fields shorts ($42); Veja sneakers ($120)
RELATED: Margherita Missoni Is Here to Give Us a Master Class in Print Mixing