WHAT TO WEAR THIS SUMMER FROM THE BEACH TO THE CITY TO LATE-NIGHT DINNER
There’s a certain kind of summer style that doesn’t rely on trends, logos, or last-minute packing decisions. It’s quieter, more focused, a considered balance between sharp simplicity and soft fluidity. At its core, it’s about crafting a wardrobe that can hold its own from sun to sea to a spontaneous 9 pm reservation.
Summer has always offered the rare freedom to experiment. It’s the one season where personal style feels less restrained, where bold choices, bright colours, and unusual proportions step forward without explanation. With workwear tucked away and business codes on hold, it becomes possible to dress purely for mood, place, and rhythm. Still, many find summer dressing deceptively challenging. Even the most screenshot-worthy outfit from an influencer’s feed can feel impossible to translate into real life. Where to start? How to source those pieces? How to style them so they feel right on you?
The truth is: summer style doesn’t need to be complicated. It thrives on contrast, mood, and play. It's a season where colour becomes less intimidating, silhouettes become looser, and the context, whether a sleepy fishing town or a sharply designed island hotel, becomes a styling accessory in itself. It’s also the time when you’re most exposed to unexpected influences: the way someone drapes a shirt at a seaside café in Marseille, the pairing of bold earrings with nothing but damp hair and linen along the Amalfi Coast, or the crisp cotton palette at a rooftop restaurant in Saint-Tropez. What people wear while moving through these spaces, their restaurants, their markets, their beaches, offers a steady rhythm of inspiration.
Ventinove Black Swimsuit by Lido, exclusively available at Balcone in Singapore and across Asia
Monogram Embroidered Silk Shorts by Toteme
Uno Black Swimsuit with Silver Chain by Lido, exclusively available at Balcone in Singapore and across Asia
Summer style doesn’t begin with a trend report. It begins with sensation, with the brush of linen against sun-warmed skin, the lift of silk in a breeze, the glow of light at 6pm that changes everything.
That energy starts with swimwear, not as an afterthought but as a foundation. Lido, the Venice-based brand, captures this sensibility. Each piece is refined and sculptural, like the Uno black swimsuit: sleek, matte, and free from loud branding. It’s made to be worn as swimwear, but also beyond the beach, with jeans or under a sheer shirt. Lido’s silver-chain swimsuit is a true statement piece, delicate yet powerful and unlike anything else spotted on the shore. It’s the kind of luxury that doesn’t show off but speaks through quality and design. Whether worn poolside or peeking out under a blazer at a rooftop gathering, it shifts easily between water and city, with all the ease and attitude of a standout summer look. Style it with a long pareo, oversized sunglasses, and a textured shoulder bag for a finish that’s sharp and completely effortless.
Sometimes it’s not the cut, but the way the fabric floats behind you. Toteme’s silk lounge shorts and 100% silk trousers are the uniform for elevated ease. They glide between poolside and city, from lounging on a yacht to settling into a quiet dinner. Paired with a ribbed tank, a silk wrap top, or a loosely buttoned shirt, they capture the kind of casual glamour that defines a summer evening. Softly tailored, easy, and endlessly wearable. Style the shorts with a matching silk shirt or an oversized cotton shirt, or a fitted ribbed tank and your favourite accessories, finished with simple flats. To lean into a Sex and the City mood, try the silk pants with a strapless top or a scarf tied into a halter, anchored by a long rope necklace that catches the sun just enough.
Black Martial Maxi Dress by Loulou de Saison
Pouch in Peony by Ana Nevi, exclusively available at Balcone in Singapore and across Asia
Sirena Dress by Kettel Atelier, exclusively available at Balcone in Singapore and across Asia
Kettel Atelier, the Spain-based brand by a Danish designer, might be your best summer companion. It invites you to experiment, have fun, and lean into a more instinctive sense of style. Their dresses bring the elegance of tailoring to lighter silhouettes. Airy, full-volume cuts in unexpected fabrics adapt to nearly any setting, whether you're attending a coastal wedding wearing green semi-sheer Sirena dress, exploring a cliffside town in southern Italy, spending a breezy afternoon by the water, or discovering a hidden village in the south of France. Paired with sleek flats, sculptural mules, or even understated sneakers, they stay easy and versatile without losing their edge. For more styling freedom, layer the semi-sheer or one-of-a-kind lace dress styles with biker shorts, wide-leg denim, or a barely-there bralette. The direction is yours to define.
The black maxi dress by Loulou de Saison answers the call for eveningwear that feels both quiet and strong. With its razor-sharp lines and subtle cut-outs, it moves between sensuality and restraint, without ever trying too hard. It’s the kind of piece that doesn’t demand attention but naturally holds space. You can keep it minimal with a refined leather bag or a vintage clutch, or take it further with sculptural earrings, a silk scarf knotted at the waist, or a set of stacked bangles. It’s a silhouette that adapts to the rhythm of the night, just polished enough for a formal dinner, just relaxed enough for an outdoor gathering. Worn barefoot on holiday or styled with strappy heels in the city, it gives you the freedom to choose your version of elegance. All ease, no compromise.
London-based Ana Nevi’s textural pouches come in bold, saturated colours and mini proportions that make them ideal for travel. Whether packed in your beach bag or carried inside a larger clutch, they’re lightweight but spacious enough to hold essentials like your sunstick, phone, keys, and lipstick. Functional but never forgettable, they add a playful, colourful touch to any beach setup. Even off the sand, they work as bright little companions for city strolls, summer dinners, or weekend errands.
Some summer days call for nothing more than a bikini, a pair of flip-flops, and an oversized tee. Harem London’s unisex graphic style t-shirts slip on with ease. Thrown over a bikini with flip-flops and a bucket hat, they feel relaxed, easy, and cool without trying. Perfect for slow beach mornings or walking along the sand with an ice cream in hand. For a more elevated vibe, layer one over a mini skirt or fitted linen trousers, and finish with a gold or silver chain belt. These pieces are a reminder that comfort and style can coexist, even in the most unexpected combinations.
The best kind of summer style doesn’t require context or explanation. It doesn’t have to adhere to any specific rules. Instead, it expresses itself through movement and seamlessly fits into various settings without being defined by them. From Italian swimwear to French eveningwear, you can curate your summer wardrobe not based on logos or trends, but on fun, experimentation, and your personal style.
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