Summer Destination Dressing
How to look chic without melting in the heat.
Summer is finally here and we’re expecting a heat wave in NYC for the next week. At least we have proper air conditioning, unlike many places people are traveling to this summer. I’ve put together six outfits for six different destinations to help you pack for warm weather so you will still look chic in the heat.
Sicily
Sicily is still riding a high thanks to season two of The White Lotus. If you plan to visit, I suggest you watch the original film The Leopard and the The Leopard series remake on Netflix. You should also read Jacques Garcia’s book A Sicilian Dream: Villa Elena where they filmed some of The White Lotus. You can rent Villa Elena but it’s listed as “price upon request” on the Jacque Garcia Noto website. There are three other villas also available to rent which are listed with photos and detailed information though. The prices seem high but if you share them with a group of friends or family, they seem rather reasonable.
An orange sleeveless bubble-hem dress is the perfect color for the hot days in Italy. I’d pair it with neutral flat sandals that will allow your feet to expand when they swell up from the heat. The leather-trimmed raffia tote bag adds a pop of pattern. Summer is the best time to wear bangle bracelets like this resin bracelet since you don’t have to worry about getting a jacket on over them. Don’t forget to pack sunglasses to protect your eyes from the blinding rays and throw The Weekender Edit from UBeauty into your bag to ensure you have great skin on your trip.
Rome
I’m going to be honest, I did not love Rome when I first visited so I think I need to try again at some point. What I did absolutely love and the place I recommend everyone visit in Rome is the amazing Doria Pamphilj Gallery which is a large private art collection housed in the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. The other half of the palazzo is still a private residence and if you want to get the inside scoop, there is an amazing Vanity Fair article article from 2014 that is definitely worth reading.
If you are looking for a place to stay, the Casa Monti Hotel opened last year. It’s part of the Leitmotiv hotel group which describes their properties as casual luxury with playfulness which usually means lots of color and pattern. Get inspired for your trip with the classic film, The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Prepare for the extreme heat with this buttoned linen mini dress. Pair it with chic rope sandals and rope macramé bag. The red bangle picks up the red stripe on the bag. The aviator sunglasses are currently on sale.
Pack an interesting scent like Aura Fragrance from DedCool and their Mini Dedtergent Trio so you can wash your clothes on the go.
Wimbledon
I’ve been helping a few Instagram followers with their outfits for Wimbledon and I always recommend one outfit for a sunny and warm day and another one in case it’s cold and rainy. You can read all about what it’s like to attend and what to wear in my post, Wimbledon Style, from last summer.
I also recommend reading String Theory and watching the film Wimbledon from 2004 to get ready for the chicest fortnight in tennis.
The dress I would suggest for a warm day at Wimbledon is this pale blue bias cut linen midi dress as a jumping off point. I’d pair it with yellow leather sandals and striped mesh mini tote bag.
For accessories, I’d also add a gold and silver-tone bracelet, straw boater, and cat eye sunglasses.
Don’t forget to pack Supergoop! Glowscreen Soft-Radiance Drops Mineral SPF 40 so you don’t get a sunburn.
New York City
I don’t know why anyone would want to visit NYC in the summer but since people do, I always recommend avoiding July when it’s the most hot and humid. August can be surprisingly nice as the sun gets lower and you can feel that fall is not far behind.
As for where to stay, all my French and foreign friends have been staying at Nine Orchard and one of them even saw Jacob Elordi staying there too.
In the summer of 1948, E.B. White sat in a New York City hotel room and, sweltering in the heat, wrote a remarkable pristine essay, Here is New York. Perceptive, funny, and nostalgic, the author’s stroll around Manhattan—with the reader arm-in-arm—remains the quintessential love letter to the city, written by one of America’s foremost literary figures. Here is New York has been chosen by The New York Times as one of the ten best books ever written about the city. The New Yorker calls it “the wittiest essay, and one of the most perceptive, ever done on the city.” Perfect summer in the city reading.
There are hundreds of films you can watch to get in the mood for NYC but You’ve Got Mail remains one of the most charming.
As for what to wear, make sure it’s something that won’t show sweat like this brown linen vest and matching longline shorts. Some people have an issues with sandals in the city but we all wear them. I would suggest pairing this outfit with brown suede sandals that look more expensive than they are and a chic striped Loewe shoulder bag.
For other accessories, I love this green jade intaglio bracelet and sunglasses that match the green stripe on the bag.
In order to survive late nights and early mornings, I suggest bringing the new Westman Atelier Eye Activator Serum.
Paris
I personally don’t like to visit Paris in the summer because it’s hard to escape the heat due to the lack of air conditioning. I know a lot of people have to visit over their children’s school break so if you need any help planning your trip, my Paris Guide is always updated and available.
You can never go wrong reading Hemingway and his book, A Moveable Feast, is a classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s. The Hotel Balzac, from the same group behind the Saint James and Relais Christine hotels, is the latest hot spot in the city with the fashion flock. You could always go old school and watch an Eric Rohmer film but Midnight in Paris is always a fun film to watch before a trip to Paris.
You also never go wrong wearing black in Paris. This black poplin maxi tank dress that I would hem to midi length. The Isabel Marant sandals are like jewelry for your feet (more sizes here) and the black raffia bag won’t break the bank.
Wear a gold snake bracelet to show the French you aren’t scared of them and don’t forget black sunglasses since it stays light until almost 10pm.
Make sure your skin glows with Oak Essentials Dew Body Oil.
British Countryside
You can’t go to the English countryside without first reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I hope you too fall in love with a man with lovely grounds too.
My absolutely favorite UK based film is Gosford Park which takes place over a shooting party weekend at an English country estate in the 1930s.
If you want to plan your own English country weekend, I highly recommend booking Estelle Manor which is a very chic hotel in the Cotswolds.
If you’re invited to an English country house this summer, you’ll need a lovely midi dress like this pale pink linen midi dress. The Brits love anything flowered so these floral embellished satin mules will fit in well. The mint woven leather tote will help you carry all your treats home from Daylesford Farm.
The pink woven leather bracelet complement the dress while the embellished raffia boater hat and pink sunglasses perfectly finish off the outfit.
Keep your lips soft and sunburn free with the Clé de Peau Protective Lip Treatment.
Bon voyage !
XOXO,
HC
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Awesome post and so well timed. Second your Rome recommendations. It was 90 degrees there every day when I was there a few weeks ago but it’s a different drier heat vs NYC. I wore my “Rome Uniform” in the hells front porch of NYC weather yesterday and nearly keeled over from humidity. Not sure if you’d agree but I always keep a light cashmere cardigan in my bag because at any second you walk into a meat locker of a/c. So good to be prepared.
I’ve been thinking about those Prada rope sandals and regret not picking them up in Florence!!!! 🫠