In case any of you want to feel more put together in the summer but need a little guidance or inspiration or in case any of you just love talking summer style tips, today’s blog post is for you! I want to share three things that have helped me feel put together in the summer, no matter how hot it is or how low-key my outfit is. Really, these things help me feel put together year round, so they’re totally worth doing!
SIZING: I’m 5’6″ and usually S/M or 6 in clothes and 8.5 to 9 in shoes.
1. Having 3 casual summer bottoms you feel good in.
You probably know by now that I focus a lot on bottoms—whether it’s when you’re building a wardrobe, planning your outfits for the week, wanting to remix your wardrobe more effectively, or, like today’s topic, wanting to feel better in your clothes this summer. There are so many reasons for this, which I won’t get into today, but please just trust me that starting here is a key to feeling more comfortable and more confident in your clothes.
Focus on having at least 3 summer bottoms that feel good. I recommend a pair of denim shorts, a pair of shorts in another neutral color—whether denim or a soft material like linen, and a pair of soft lightweight pants.
Bottoms, ESPECIALLY shorts, are usually the hardest things to find for most women. So, once you do the (VERY) hard work of finding at least 3 pairs of bottoms you love, it’ll be a lot easier to find tops that go with them. With three good options for bottoms and a variety of tops that you can pair with them, you’ll be able to create outfits more easily.
It might be a bit of a process for you to find even just 3 bottoms that you really like. And, if it does feel like a process, that’s okay! Nothing is wrong with you or your body. It’s normal if it takes trying on many pairs of bottoms to find just three that you like. But, it’s totally worth the hunt for them!
I put some of my current favorites in the widget at the bottom of this post, and above I’m sharing my three favorite pants and three favorite shorts.
The shorts are all available, though maybe not in the same colors, but the pants are nearly sold out or are from last year and not available at all. Sorry about that! (Once I do the hard work of finding good bottoms, they stay in my closet for a while and are no longer available!)
2. Doing your makeup—even just something minimal.
When I have makeup on, I feel like a brand new person. Even though I’m not necessarily looking at my own face in a mirror all day 😆, I just feel way more confident when I’m wearing makeup. So, I wear it everyday, which sounds high maintenance, but I’ve gotten my everyday (full-face!!) makeup routine down to like 6 minutes.
But, if you’re not in the practice of doing your makeup daily, there are some things you can do in just 2-3 minutes that can make a world of difference in how confident you feel.
Think for a moment. What are the 2-3 most important things you could apply that will have the biggest impact? It’ll be different for every person depending on your features, but here are some of my suggestions:
a) Fill in your eyebrows! They frame your face, so giving them some definition, if you don’t naturally have defined eyebrows, can make a huge difference. If you are blessed with naturally defined eyebrows, then lucky you – you get to skip this step!
b) Use tinted moisturizer. Ceci gave me THIS tinted moisturizer, and it helps moisturize my skin, gives me a little color, and really, really smooths out my skin, all in one! If you don’t want to apply foundation every day or go through multiple steps, this is super easy and quick to apply while making a huge impact. Find it from Nordstrom HERE and Amazon HERE.
c) Wear blush. It takes less than 10 seconds to apply blush, but it gives you a nice glow and adds color to your face!
Alternative: Skip the blush and choose a different 3rd option, like mascara or lip gloss—whichever one will have the biggest impact in polishing up your look.
Again, this will be different for each person based on your features. But the point is that you don’t have to do a full face every day and doing just 2-3 of the most impactful things can really make a difference in how put together and confident you feel!
Shop the Outfit:
Dress: c/o Amazon (exact – wearing size S)
Sandals: Kohl’s (similar)
3. Wearing accessories! Even small ones go a long way.
You know I will always recommend adding an accessory because it can take your outfit from plain to polished in an instant. Check out some before and afters in my post: Plain to Polished: Using Accessories to Pull Outfits Together.
And, if you are a PMT Style Club member, there is an additional lesson with even more tips to help you accessorize even more effectively: Accessories 102 – Four Questions to Ask Yourself + Go-To Accessories for Different Lifestyles. Log into the club hub and catch it!
(If you are not yet a PMT Style Club member, join HERE when it opens again to get access to exclusive content, style coaching, and a community of women to do style with!)
My current favorite accessories are:
a) Nickel & Suede Earrings. Soooo lightweight and easy to wear but they make such a statement! BTW, you can get $5 off your order right now when you shop through my affiliate link and use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5! Shop Nickel & Suede earrings HERE.
b) Hoops. I shared these recently in THIS post if you want to see a closeup. A PMT teammate owns them and says she has worn them almost every day since January, and they haven’t tarnished or irritated her skin—and she showers with them on! They are available in gold, silver, and rose gold, and in several sizes. I have the 30mms and have been wearing them nonstop. They are the perfect touch to basically any outfit!
c) Initial Necklace. This has been a go-to for the last two years. I like that I can wear it with the hoops above! The exact one I’m wearing is HERE. It’s pricey (I got it for less during an #NSale), but there is a dupe for way less HERE. The main difference I can see is that the chain on the dupe is thicker.
These accessories go with a lot and add enough polish to outfits to pull them together without feeling super glam. I love that I can wear any of them with really casual outfits, like denim shorts and a tee, and with nicer outfits, too.
Shop the Outfit:
T-Shirt: Madewell c/o Nordstrom Rack (exact–wearing size M; exact from another store)
Jeans: c/o Nordstrom Rack (exact–wearing size 6)
Sandals: c/o Nordstrom Rack (exact–wearing size 9)
Bag: Nordstrom Rack (similar)
Earrings: Amazon (exact–wearing 30mm)
Necklace: Nordstrom (exact; nearly identical – but way more affordable!)
4. BONUS! – Being part of the PMT Style Club.
Okay, okay, shameless plug. 😆 But, really, it is so motivating to be part of a community doing style together! Several of the club members have been inspired to get out of the rut and actually get dressed this summer because though they have nothing to get dressed for, they know it makes them feel better, more productive, and more confident throughout the day if they get dressed. And, when you have a style community to share your outfit with, you do have something to get dressed for! 😉
We have challenges every month to help you stay motivated and make progress in your style journey, too! So, if you could use some extra encouragement, a place to get your questions answered, a place to figure out your style, a community to belong to and have fun talking with about style – PLUS access to my best courses and resources on style(!!!) then join us when the PMT Style Club opens again! Get on the waitlist HERE.
That’s it for my three (but really, four!) keys to feeling good this summer! If you’ve wanted to get out of a summer style rut but haven’t known where to start, I hope these three things feel doable and give you things to focus on. They will make a huge impact on how you feel!
Shop Items to Help You Feel Put Together in the Summer
In the widget below you’ll find some of my favorite summer bottoms, the accessories I’ve been wearing, and some of the beauty products that I recommend to help you feel put together in the summer!
Join a helpful, down-to-earth style community – Opens Sept 5th!
If you’re ready to invest in your style, join us in September!
The PMT Style Club is a style membership that combines wardrobe strategy and done-for-you resources with style lessons, personalized tips, and the power of community. You’ll find motivation, practical style help, and the support you need to feel your best everyday.
You’ll get access to style Q&As with me, wardrobe guides, outfit prompts for an entire season, style courses, and masterclasses with professional stylists, and get to connect with other women who won’t think you’re weird for loving a good outfit, plus you’ll have a place to ask all of your style questions.
CLICK HERE to join the waiting list to be the first to know when it opens and get all the info.
