Your guide to the ‘cool girl’ Summer wardrobe
- Fashion Featured
Yashita Damani- 7 minutes read
Packing for a summer holiday is beginning to feel a lot like casting a reality show. The obvious, overexposed contestants show up first, like those linen co-ords that have appeared in every packing guide since the dawn of Instagram, the crochet dress currently living on half your feed, the neon sequinned skirt, or the trusty triangle bikini top that seems to vacation more often than most people.
And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the familiar fashion crowd, sometimes a holiday wardrobe calls for pieces with a little more intrigue. The kind that prompt a “Where did you get that?” and make your answer sound more hidden boutique in Mallorca than luxury department store. This summer, the best-dressed travellers are moving away from predictable resortwear and toward easy, architectural silhouettes that feel effortlessly chic rather than overtly trend-driven.
Consider this your cue to start packing for a sundowner yacht in Capri, a gallery lunch in Mallorca, or that unnecessarily glamorous breakfast spot you booked solely for the view. Read on.
AFEW Rahul Mishra Printed Navy Dress
The AFEW x Rahul Mishra dress brings together the designer’s signature nature-inspired storytelling with the ease of contemporary resortwear. Crafted in a fluid silhouette, the dress is adorned with intricate botanical motifs which draws from India’s biodiversity and artisanal traditions. The deep navy base lends versatility, while the vibrant print adds a sense of movement and whimsy, making it equally suited for sun-drenched holidays and elegant summer evenings.
Buy here.
Shivan & Narresh Flamme Embellished Mesh Dress
This dress reminds you of the sunset that is captured in motion with shiny mesh fabric that changes from black to a bright orange colour like the sunset. The ombre has some resin details that add texture to it, and the printed fabric underneath adds so much depth to the dress. It’s something you wear when you want to make an evening special; a dinner on a cruise, at the top of a tower or a show.
Retrofete Anaelle Dress
This Metallic aqua blue dress catches light from every angle, creating that liquid shimmer mermaid-core effect. The body-skimming silhouette leans into drama without needing excessive embellishment because the texture already does most of the storytelling. There’s movement in the way the fabric falls, giving it a slightly molten, almost poured-on quality that photographs beautifully at night.
Khaite Kent Dress
The power of this dress sits in its non compelling, non subdued, hip accentuating dynamically draped structure. A dress in luminous satin framed by a halter neckline is all balanced by an exposed back, and concealed with a zipper closure at side. The cut relies on sculptural draping and precision, and the fabric appears weighty enough to hold shape beautifully, creating movement that feels far from flimsy.
Jackhill Mini Dress
Ivory and white always arrives with crisp intentions, is sculptural, and impossible to overlook. The Jackhill Mini Dress feels shaped like a white rose rather than simply sewn, borrowing from Acler’s signature language of architectural folds that turns minimalism into something far more magnetic. The fabric is softened by just enough androgynous ease to feel modern like a Japanese woman living twice as much and ahead of you.
STAUD Brio printed cotton Minidress
The printed cotton keeps things playful and breathable, giving the dress an ease that feels immediately wearable. The mini length adds lightness and energy, making it ideal for humid weather and long afternoons that where taking a nap is the plan. Pattern, practicality, and charm all stitched together here for one breezy day. Pair with a straw hat and your favourite beige sandals to match with.
You may also read: The most unusual dining experiences around the Globe
