There are certain summer items you can count on the fashion world returning to year after year. Things like raffia textures, crochet, and linen pieces are guaranteed to bubble up every season, making them foolproof closet investments. They've transcended from the trend category and moved into staple status—you simply can't picture a summer wardrobe without them. Well stripes are another one of those items that are so quintessentially summer they're considered a seasonal essential.

I personally love striped pieces because I know they withstand the rapid trend cycle and provide an air of timelessness to my summer wardrobe. And while the classic blue-and-white combo will always be in style, designers have continued to offer unique takes on summer stripes. From unexpected color pairings to modern twists on the print, there are so many chic striped options out there right now. So if you're looking to add items to your summer wardrobe you'll return to for years, below I'm highlighting the best striped clothing of the '24 season.

On the bright side, this reality makes us savour the good weather, though it does complicate our summer wardrobe plans. There's nothing like a sudden downpour to ruin a chic look, so it's important to always check the forecast. If there's any chance of rain, make some adjustments to your outfit. These don't have to be major—an umbrella stashed in your bag, or a waterproof hat that's as cute as it is practical.

When it comes to building a foundational outfit, there are some considerations to keep in mind to avoid getting caught in an uncomfortable sartorial situation. Denim is a big no if the forecast is wet, as it becomes heavy, stiff and irritable when soaked. Similarly, open-toed footwear and suede accessories are probably best avoided (the latter for their own good), and in general, you want to stick to lightweight, quick-drying fabrics like cotton and linen.

Why tell when we can show? Below, find six summer rainy-day outfits to have at the ready as you navigate Britain's ever-fickle weather.

6 Summer Rainy Day Outfits You Can Rely On

1. Bucket Hat + Tank Top + Linen Trousers

Style Notes: While a bucket hat won't protect you from rapid rainfall, it will keep your hair dry as you run for shelter. To boost your odds against the elements, drape a jumper over your shoulders for extra cover. I would, however, recommend pivoting from white trousers to something more opaque, like beige or brown.

Shop the look:

2. Trench Coat + Long Dress + Ballet Flats

Style Notes: A trench coat is a handy layer for all seasons, but a light and rain-resistant iteration will serve you well through the summer months. Choose one a similar length as your favourite sundress and finish the look with closed-toe flats.

Shop the look:

3. Baseball Cap + Sweatshirt + Trainers

Style Notes: Again, a hat is an easy addition to your outfit that will make getting caught in a shower slightly less annoying, while cotton or linen shorts can be quickly changed out of and won't hold buckets of moisture in the meantime.

Shop the look:

4. All Black + Raincoat

Style Notes: Besides looking incredibly elegant, an all-black ensemble will hide any wet patches left by the rain. Not that you'll need to worry about that with a sleek parka tossed over your outfit.

Shop the look:

5. Cotton Maxi Dress + Tote Bag + Sneakers

Style Notes: Rainy days can be muggy and warm, so a breezy cotton dress is a smart choice to keep you cool. Add a roomy tote bag to carry your umbrella and extra layers in case the temperature dips.

Shop the look:

6. Minidress + T-shirt + Cowboy Boots

Style Notes: Boots intuitively feel like the most practical footwear option for rainy weather, but aren't necessarily summer-appropriate. Enter the cowboy boot, a year-round style that looks so cool with a mini silhouette and a bare leg.

Shop the look:

I don't know about you, but there are certain wardrobe categories I have a harder time shopping for than others. I find myself consistently gravitating toward items like dresses and shoes while basically ignoring others entirely. I've recently realized that one such ignored category is summer tops. My closet is seriously lacking top options, which has become glaringly apparent as I try to put together outfits with shorts and skirts during this heat wave.

Finding the right top to pair specifically with shorts and skirts can be tricky, as not all silhouettes feel balanced with these particular bottoms. The material has to be lightweight and in a seasonal color, and of course, the length has to hit at the right spot on the waist. I also don't want anything too fussy in the summer—my goal is to have a selection of easy tops that are equal parts pretty and wearable. Just a simple ask, right? So I took it upon myself to find the best options the internet has to offer, for both my closet and yours, and as always, the internet came through. From vintage-inspired halters to delicate eyelet details, below are the best summer tops to pair with skirts and shorts.

Elegance has been the fashion word of the year thus far, with designers across the board leaning into sophisticated design details like A-line skirts, drop waists, and hourglass shapes. Now that we've officially entered the summer season, I've noticed designers have put a particularly romantic spin on their summer dresses. From delicate embroidery to tiered silhouettes to sophisticated draping and classic necklines, this summer's dresses are full of whimsical details.

As I've been browsing my favourite brands and retailers in search of summer dresses to add to my own closet, I've been overwhelmed with too many gorgeous options that I just had to share here. Each one is the perfect mix of sophistication and wearability. After all, it is summer, and I want to look put-together while feeling comfortable in the heat. Whether you're headed on a summer holiday or simply refreshing your wardrobe for the season, I think the options below are well worth considering. Here are the 34 best romantic dresses for summer, in my opinion.

Shop the Best Romantic Summer Dresses:

I scoured the feeds of over 20 French women to see which pieces make the cut when it comes to assembling their holiday capsule wardrobes. It took me about three hours, but I'm confident that, below, I've curated a French-inspired holiday packing list that's incredibly versatile, stylish and won't require you to pay for extra luggage allowance, for there are only eight items you need concern yourself with.

With the ability to be worn interchangeably, all you'll need to think about adding is a few basic tops and some lingerie. Otherwise, below, you'll find a perfectly-formed French-girl holiday capsule wardrobe to use as your packing blueprint. Happy travels!

THE ULTIMATE 8-PIECE FRENCH-GIRL HOLIDAY CAPSULE WARDROBE

1. RELAXED SHIRT

Style Notes: When it comes to versatility, nothing quite measures up to a relaxed-fit shirt, Wear it as a beachy cover up or pair it with wide-leg trousers and kitten heels for an evening look. I like linen fabrications best for their breathability.

SHOP THE LOOK:

2. ROMANTIC DRESS

Style Notes: There are white dresses, there are black dresses, and then there are romantic dresses. The more I scrolled, the more French women I saw wearing ultra-pretty dresses in floral prints in shades of pink and red. If you can't dress up on holiday, when can you?

SHOP THE LOOK:

3. BLACK BIKINI

Style Notes: Of all the swimwear I saw on the feeds of French women, the style that cropped up the most was, without a doubt, the classic black bikini. Look for simple, no-fuss styles that will never date.

SHOP THE LOOK:

4. SATIN TROUSERS

Style Notes: Whilst linen trousers are a holiday mainstay, another style French women reach for this that of the satin trouser. Wear with a vest for a low-key after dark look or pair with a strapless top and heeled sandals for something fancier.

SHOP THE LOOK:

5. BASKET TOTE

Style Notes: Just as handy for the plane as it is for carrying all of your beach essentials, French women always travel with a roomy basket tote. Raffia goes with everything, so consider this the only day bag you need for your entire trip.

SHOP THE LOOK:

6. SKIRT CO-ORD

Style Notes: A skirt co-ord is a great, no-brainer outfit solution but another reason why French women always seem to pack one is the fact that the items can be split up with ease. Wear the top with the satin trousers above, or switch in the relaxed shirt to give the skirt a different feel. If you opt for a white hue, it'll go with everything else you pack.

SHOP THE LOOK:

7. SIMPLE SANDALS

Style Notes: If you're short on space in your suitcase, follow the French lead by packing the simplest sandals you can find—that way they'll go with everything. This summer is all about the elevated leather flip flop, which fits the bill perfectly.

SHOP THE LOOK:

8. PULL-ON SHORTS

Style Notes: Comfort is paramount when you're on holiday, and of all the short styles out there, it's elasticated or drawstring boxer-style shorts that get my vote every time. After hours of research, it's the style I kept seeing on French women, too.

SHOP THE LOOK:

I know it's hardly specific to New York, but boy, this summer is a scorcher. I'm pretty sure the city feels even hotter at the moment because my Instagram feed is full of people who are either swimming in Sardinia or swimming in the Hamptons, and I (sadly) am currently doing neither of those things.

In a city like NY, there's just no avoiding the elements, so everyday outfits need to factor in the temperatures. All the temperatures: The actual outdoor temperature. The office air conditioning temperature. The Union Square NQRW subway platform temperature (hotter than the surface of the sun, in case you're not familiar). Some days there's really just no chance of looking even remotely presentable, but I've figured out that the below summer fashion items are my very best hope.

Tailored Strapless Tops

When it's pushing 100ºF, I need there to be absolutely nothing touching my shoulders. Tailored strapless tops are a win for keeping cool but still having some structure—also, a quick moment for the crochet detail of the SIR. style I'm wearing above.

Sheer Anything

The thing about the city is that however hot it gets, sometimes you really just need a barrier between you and the elements (or the seat of the subway). Sheer pieces are your friend.

"Good" Flat Sandals

I find I'm wearing heels less and less often, and please believe me when I say that I have zero inclination to entertain the idea of even the smallest heel during these temperatures. Flat sandals that can pass as dressy are the only way.

Breezy Skirts

I can't explain the physics of it, but longer skirts are 100% cooler (temperature-wise) than wearing minis or shorts, and that's just science.

Barely There Crop Tanks

As a person who is schlepping out in the heat multiples times a day due to having a sweet doggo (and just so many errands?), I've discovered that a cropped tank worn under an open button-down shirt is the ultimate breezy situation.

Button-Down Shirts

I know a white or striped button-down is usually the go-to, but I impulse-purchased a black shirt at the beginning of this season, and I have absolutely thrashed it.

Summer Totes

My requirement for a summer tote is that it needs to fit all my usual crap, plus my giant drink bottle and whatever light layer I've been forced to bring in case there's aggressive AC.

Linen Pants

Linen pants are truly the overachiever of my summer wardrobe. My only advice is that if they come as part of a matching set, just do it. You will wear it.

Statement Eyewear

When you feel disgusting, and everything is disgusting, and you can't believe you wore mascara because now it's definitely smeared both above and below your eyes, the only thing that will save you is a good pair of sunglasses.

Look, I'm not here to pretend that I'm a carry-on-only traveller year-round. As far as I'm concerned, fall layers and winter footwear require a checked bag, and I'm fairly sure anyone who claims otherwise is lying. But! When it comes to summer travel, I really have it down. Do I travel this way all the time? Absolutely not—but even when I don't, these 20 core summer items are inevitably what I end up wearing on repeat.

This capsule is a not-too-dramatic evolution of summers past, with a few happy little additions that feel fresh for this season. It's obviously grounded in loads of neutrals for maximum mixing and matching, but insert punchier options should you have a bit more of a devil-may-care attitude to colors and prints. For the record, I have the Away Bigger Carry-On suitcase, and I love her dearly. All of this (just subtract my airplane outfit) fits happily inside, plus a book I probably won't read and a week's worth of undies, socks, and swimwear. If I can do it, I promise you can too.

Relaxed Pants

If I could only take one outfit with me on a trip this summer, it would 100% involve a pair of wide-leg linen or poplin pants. If you have room, both a solid neutral plus a bright stripe option is definitely the way to go.

Go-To Tank

You know it's your go-to when you buy multiple in the same color and deem one of them your "good tank." My personal rule is that a go-to tank should be under $50, but this Toteme ribbed style is so good I broke my own rule.

Minimalist Heels

If you're into a heel, then one low, strappy pair really is all you need. Black or another neutral is easy, but taking one colorful style and pairing it with everything—even when it's a little bit wrong—is big vacation energy.

Flip-Flops

Full transparency: I actually skipped the heels on my trip to Spain last month and just went for two pairs of flip-flops (leather and rubber). Zero regrets.

Black Dress

Find yourself a lightweight black dress that speaks to your style, and wear it with leather flip-flops every single time you're forced to go straight from your daytime activities to dinner.

Light Knit

Whether it's a crewneck cardigan or a V-neck sweater, you want a light little knit that will fit in your tote just in case the AC is out of your control.

Easy Shirting

Re-up on a classic white button-down, or feel free to lean into variations like summery eyelet details and boxy, silky styles.

Tailored Trousers

A little more put-together than those aforementioned pants, these are ready to be either paired with sneakers by day or belted for some extra polish when you're heading to dinner.

Breezy Top

I'm talking about summery tops that feel super effortless yet pack a little drama—think tie-fronts, billowy sleeves, relaxed ruffles, and lots of eyelet details.

Long Vest

If you haven't yet paired a long black vest with a white skirt, have you even gotten dressed this summer?

Sneakers

In place of the all-white sneakers that dominated past seasons, I'm currently a fan of low, vintage-inspired sneakers that feel just a little bit wrong (but oh so right).

Oversize Tee

I've written before about how oversize graphic tees were very notably everywhere in Spain, worn long over linen trousers and poplin skirts alike. It takes every fiber of my millennial being to avoid the half-tuck, but I promise it's key.

Happy Jewelry

Simple gold chains and classic silver earrings are all well and good, but the vibe is more about fun pieces that can punch up your basic capsule wardrobe. Colorful jewels, cord necklaces, and beach-inspired pendants are where it's at. Totally fine to get a little weird.

Polished Belt

My top picks are slightly sculptural, with hardware that feels like a little piece of art.

Classic Cap

I only ever want my caps to feel like they've been borrowed from someone's parent's friends during a visit to their beach house over a holiday weekend.

Woven Tote

Summer's raffia bags are never not a thing, but a woven rope tote is where I've landed this summer. They're market-bag adjacent, just with a little more structure.

Zip Pouch

A tidy little zip pouch will double as a way to stop your things from jiggling around in your rope tote and an evening bag to take to dinner. Loewe's Puzzle Fold clutch is firmly on my mind as a great leather option complete with a handy wristlet, but sometimes canvas and raffia styles are more the speed.

Long Shorts

Slightly controversial, but I love a long short. Just lean into the knowledge that they're not meant to be flattering. They're just meant to be belted and worn out for a wine when pants feel like too much to ask.

Ankle-Grazing Skirt

Poplin, satin, silk, or linen. Pick your poison, pair it with a longish top and flats, and you'll be on your way.

Strapless Top

My pick is a longer style of strapless top with a little structure or shape, rather than a standard, tight boob tube. So good to elevate those long shorts or wide-leg pants and strike that balance between chill and polished.

It's that time of year when I open social media and discover that everyone and their mother is "out East." The Hamptons are New Yorkers' favorite summer escape, so of course, Who What Wear had to join in on the fun. We hosted a pool party that brought together our favorite content creators, brands, and colleagues to kick off the summer in style. Unsurprisingly, everyone stepped up and stepped out, showcasing a range of on-trend looks I had to copy immediately. One of my favorites of the day was from Amanda Korina, who had on the cutest olive-green bubble dress and these expensive-looking sandals she scored from Zappos. I've never googled and screenshotted a product faster, and I found dozens of other sandals I needed too. Zappos has an extensive collection of editor-favorite brands including Steve Madden and Tory Burch, so good luck narrowing down your favorites from the following 15 options.

The good news is shorts are easy to wear. You can slot them into your wardrobe with little effort, whether you lean towards ’90s minimalism, this season's ‘old money’ aesthetic or playful Scandi maximalism. If your style is fluid and you're simply seeking some fresh inspiration, you've come to the right place. We've curated eight tops that pair perfectly with shorts, as proven by Instagram's best dressed.

From basics you already own to the trend making its way into everyone's outfits, these are the best tops to wear with shorts this summer.

1. Relaxed Shirt

Style Notes: A cotton or linen shirt in a loose fit looks particularly chic tucked into denim shorts, but this easy staple also works with linen or tailored styles.

Shop the look:

2. Waistcoat

Style Notes: As shorts have peaked this year, so has another trend: waistcoats. Put the two together for a very 2024 look.

Shop the look:

3. Boxy Tee

Style Notes: Never underestimate the power of a basic tee. Together with cotton shorts, this is a fuss-free option for a casual summer's day.

Shop the look:

4. Crop Top

Style Notes: If you favour high-rise shorts, a cropped silhouette will create a sleeker look than a tucked-in top that keeps bunching below the waistband.

Shop the look:

5. Matching Denim

Style Notes: The latest take on the Canadian tuxedo? Denim shorts and a coordinating shirt. Try it out on cooler summer days when a tank top feels too risky.

Shop the look:

6. Breton Top

Style Notes: When in doubt, emulate your favourite Parisian influencers with a boxy Breton top (long- or short-sleeved, depending on the forecast).

Shop the look:

7. Cardigan

Style Notes: I love the juxtaposition between a demure cardigan and sporty shorts, but you could also recreate this formula with a slouchy cardigan and denim cut-offs.

Shop the look:

8. Camisole

Style Notes: When it doubt, take it back to basics and team a spaghetti strap cami with whatever shorts you already own.

Shop the look: