Missoni Top, Reformation Tank, Doen Shorts, Chanel Flats (old, similar here), Call Me By Your Name Bag, Jenna Blake & Emily P Wheeler Necklaces

Summer might not seem like the season for layering, but that is exactly why it is worth being intentional about the pieces you add to bring dimension to a look. A shirt worn open, a poncho slipped over pants, a kaftan you have been waiting all season to wear, or a sarong tied before a beach day can shift the entire mood of an outfit before anything else is added.

What I love most about layering during the summer is how naturally the most unexpected color and texture combinations begin to happen. This edit brings together pieces that add movement, color, and shape to something otherwise simple, with accessories that just fall into place. Jewelry with subtle sparkle, a woven bag or sun hat, a crochet headscarf, each adding its own small point of view.

This is where the fun comes in: a chevron print beside a fuchsia basket bag, a bright bead against a translucent green layer. Nothing has to match perfectly. It just takes a bit of imagination to make summer dressing feel joyful, considered, and sun-drenched.

There’s a moment when the weather shifts and my whole approach to getting dressed shifts with it. Closed-toe shoes get nudged to the back of the closet, sandals move front and center, and suddenly they’re the only thing I want to reach for. I like keeping a small lineup of distinct pairs in rotation, each one setting its own tone depending on where the day is headed. Here are the five styles I’ve been wearing most.

Statement Wedges

Shape leads. Carved bases, natural textures, satin finishes, even lace-up ties—each pair feels slightly different but all sit with presence. The height changes how everything falls, especially with longer hemlines or anything fluid through the leg.

Beaded Sandals

Surface takes focus. Beading scattered or tightly placed across the foot creates variation, almost like pattern built into the shoe. Some feel tonal and subtle, others introduce color in small, precise ways that draw the eye downward.

Gold Metallics

A layer of light. Straps curve and wrap in warm metallic tones, sometimes smooth, sometimes braided or embellished. They move with the foot and catch light differently depending on the angle, creating a kind of soft dimension.

Jelly Sandals

Material leads here in a more playful direction. Glossy finishes, sheer straps, and saturated tones create a slick, almost glass-like effect across the foot. It feels nostalgic but reworked in a way that’s more deliberate, especially when the color runs bold or the transparency is pushed further.

Colorful Sandals

Color takes center stage. Striped uppers, multi-tone straps, and vivid palettes create a striking, almost graphic effect across the foot. It feels spirited and expressive, introducing contrast and a sense of play through bold combinations and unexpected pairings.

Swimwear is the foundation of my warm-weather vacation wardrobe, especially on the kind of trip where the day starts with a swim before breakfast, drifts into a long lunch in town, and ends with one more dip before dinner. These are the pieces I feel best in, and the ones that make getting dressed feel as easy as vacation itself.

Juillet, Anemos, and Eres are my three foolproof brands. They’re the ones I reach for season after season, the pieces I always feel like myself in, and the labels I can count on no matter where I’m headed.

1. Juillet

Juillet is my favorite for a romantic resort mood. The colors feel sun-washed, the prints have a nostalgic vacation energy, and the silhouettes are softly feminine. I love their textured bikinis for adding dimension, especially with a pareo tied low on the hips and a stack of beaded jewelry. The one-pieces work just as easily under an oversized linen shirt, which is always the real vacation test. It’s the brand I’d pack for a long lunch near the water, a slow beach afternoon, or any day when swim needs to feel like part of the outfit.

2. Anemos

Anemos is the bikini I keep coming back to when I want to feel really good. There’s one style in particular I reach for again and again, and I’ve continued to buy it in new colors every season. Their shapes are flattering and the proportions feel right, but what matters most is that the cuts stay where they’re supposed to. That’s what I need on family vacation days, or anywhere I want to be in and out of the water without thinking about adjusting a strap.

3. Eres

Eres is my forever swim brand. The fabrics feel luxe in a way that’s hard to describe, and the colors are bright and saturated without being too loud. What I love most is that they offer the tops and bottoms separately — sometimes I’ll wear the matching set for a coordinated moment; other times I like to have fun mixing shades. Because the colors work so well together, I can pack fewer pieces and still come home feeling like I had a different look every day.