(Feature photo by Selma Komisky and fashion photos courtesy of Pinterest)

Women’s Revamp
Summer Fashion Guide 2020

By Maxine O’Loane

Although so much has happened since we all said our goodbyes to 2019 in what seems like ages ago we’ve officially made it halfway through the year, quarantine and all. So, as the summer is finally approaching, we may be limited to how often and where we can spend our summer days I thought it would be a good idea to come up with some style concepts for the summer days coming our way. Rather than hunting for sales at my favorite shops or resorting to even more unnecessary online shopping I took to Pinterest to help put a new spin on  my own closet. This doesn’t just apply to me, so open those closet doors and empty out those drawers because i’m not going into this alone. Here we go!

Color Coordinate…Because Now You Have the Time to Do It 

There are two ways to approach this, both may take some time so postpone your daily nap just a bit and you won’t regret it. I promise! Color coordinating isn’t as scary as you think, you just need to take a good look at the colors in your wardrobe and block them according to whatever you find more aesthetically pleasing. You can completely disregard the style and fit of the clothes and have all your lighter colors on one side and let them transition to the darker items you own on the other. In my opinion, have the pieces and colors you wear most often at the side of the closest that is easily accessible. The other method is to organize by style and then coordinate based on color within each style. For example, transition from sleeveless to off the shoulder and then finish off with sweaters and dresses. Then, take each of those sections and organize them by colors for every subsection. This method makes those Monday morning rushes a little easier to get through while looking more put together than usual.

Keep It Simple With Monochrome

Not only are monochromatic looks simple, but they look good on everyone and can be easily dressed up or down. You basically pick a color scheme (I usually stick with two tones but it’s your call) and then find a few pieces that mesh perfectly together with a statement item like a dark blouse or shoes. This becomes so much easier if you took the time to organize your clothes beforehand. My go-to for cooler days has been a simple cotton tee, leggings, sneakers and my favorite lightweight trench. I basically live in black, white and grey so those are usually the tones that I work with the most.

Tye Dye is A Thing Again

So apparently since this whole quarantine started, my Pinterest homepage and Tiktok feed have been flooded with tie-dye DIY’s and outfit inspirations so of course I had to mention it here. I love a good pattern, usually the crazier the better in my opinion, but tie-dye has never been in my top picks if i’m being honest here. However, after scrolling through more than my share of outfit inspiration posts, it started to grow on me. So I took one of my favorite black long sleeves that had a bleach stain on it and decided to give the DIY a try. It came out better than expected and frankly, I love styling it with different looks now. Even though my shirt is black and that bleach rust color (looks better than it sounds, promise) the style concepts work for the multicolored dye jobs as well, depending on what you dyed. If you have a dyed crop sweater, try to use it with a denim jacket, leggings and sneakers. Oversized tees look great with high waisted jeans and Birkenstocks or tied up with some flip flops and a ponytail. For those of you who prefer tie-dye dresses, try a t-shirt dress with some boots or basic slip ons and your favorite baseball cap.

Use Your Plaid to Your Advantage

We all have a few plaid shirts, usually slightly oversized, lying around our room which is why this little hack is the key to giving your plaids new life. Most ideas for styling my plaids came from my Tiktok feed, and I was surprised at how much I liked them. They’re pretty simple so i’ll keep it short. Take the short, grab a pair of scissors and cut the shoulders out for an easy and edgy “cold shoulder” look to style with distressed jeans and some boots. Use that oversized shirt and unbutton the top buttons, then pull each side of the collar down to your shoulders and tuck the front half into your jeans. Then, voila! Throw on a pair of strappy heels and you’re ready to go. The last one is perfect for all you lace lovers out there, cut out the back silhouette of your most “fitted” plaid shirt and the front pocket as well and sew your lace of choice in their place. This is a bit more time consuming, but it will leave you with the perfect mix of a comfy flannel with a feminine touch.