I feel like I have my fall/winter style down pretty pat. Plaid trousers, corduroy pants, and turtlenecks layered under oversized knits are everyday staples for me, and I've got quite a distinct LookTM in the colder months.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the warmer months. I often joke that I am fall/winter academia and spring/summer cottagecore, but to be completely honest, that's not 100% accurate. Despite the fact that I for sure have *more* summer clothes by gross number of pieces, the truth is that my summer style is not nearly as developed as my winter style. It's been a struggle to figure out both A) simply how I want to dress, and B) how I can achieve that IRL in a way that I'm happy with and feels truly expressive of me. If I had to guess the reason for this discrepancy, I'd give two reasons:
As I've realized my own dissatisfaction, I've become determined to very consciously develop my summer style. Today, I'll be going through my inspiration and how I'm translating that inspiration into actionable steps (what items to buy, styling, etc.). Welcome to academia-retro-adventure-princess-storybook-cottgage-Hobbitcore, baby. The Process of Finding Your Style
The systematic process I'm taking with each of the following aesthetics is actually the same exact process I took when beginning my personal style journey from scratch back in 2019/2020. And it's the same process regardless of your personal style/desired end aesthetic.
First, take in a whole bunch of inspiration to get a sense of what you like. Second, collate that inspiration together via a Pinterest board, Instagram saved posts list, etc. Third, actively go through your compilation of inspiration media to pick out the definitive commonalities: specific colors and tones, silhouettes/proportions and styling, fabrics, exact items, etc. Then think about which specific commonalities you'd actually want to incorporate into your own style -- and for the ones that you do want, figure out what you already have that can be used to achieve the same look. Lastly, fill any gaps in your wardrobe by making carefully thought out purchases. Having taken that stepwise format, for each of these aesthetics/group of aesthetics, I've divided them into the following subsections:
Then at the very end of the post, I'll be going through the specific pieces I plan on purchasing in the very near future, along with styling points that don't require buying anything new. Adventure Style
Camp collar shirt and pleated twill shorts in the 1987 Banana Republic catalog. Photo courtesy of Abandoned Republic.
Rachel Maksy cosplaying as Evelyn from The Mummy (1999). Photo courtesy of @rachel.maksy Instagram.
Drawing inspiration from the likes of the Indiana Jones franchise, the Jurassic Park franchise, and 1999's The Mummy, first up in my ideal summer style is adventure style.
Unlike the other aesthetics I'll be talking about here, adventure style doesn't have nearly the same online cult following. In fact, the only people I've ever seen name this aesthetic as such are The Closet Historian and mgetsdressed (and their followers). I would like to clarify that when I talk about "adventure style," I don't want modern-day gorpcore-granola-PNW boulderer. What I do want is this (slightly fictionalized) vintage/historic explorer/archaeologist, YA-fantasy-novel-traveler look. In terms of actual historical roots, early 20th-century Western safari/travel wear (the 1920s-1940s in particular) greatly influences adventure style. Other than safari wear, there's also the influence of vintage pilots (/military personnel), outdoor workwear, and zookeepers/park rangers/campers/hikers. Later in the 20th century, the style had a resurgence in popularity in the 80s and 90s (e.g. the first Jurassic Park movie was in 1993). In the 80s, Banana Republic was well known for its safari-style wear; when it was founded in 1978, the company actually started as "Banana Republic Travel & Safari Clothing Company." It kept that concept until 1988 when parent company GAP decided to rebrand. And speaking of Banana Republic and safaris -- beyond maintaining a vintagey look and wanting to avoid looking outright modern, I also *don't* want to look like I'm actually on a historic safari or US military operation to plunder and colonize the Global South. In fact, Banana Republic's namesake comes from the actual political/economic term "banana republic," referring to countries with unstable economies -- usually because of neocolonial exploitation such as the US corporation United Fruit Company's involvement in Latin America. As such, going *too* historically accurate into adventure style runs the risk of being "colonialist cosplay," as described in this article by several Egyptologists (warning: the comments, as unfortunately to be expected, are overall very dismissive of the issue). Vintage fashion creator/sewist The Closet Historian also touched on this in her 2019 YouTube video explaining adventure style and a 2017 blog post reflecting on the topic. Specific Pieces & Characteristics Adventure style most essentially/most commonly features:
What I Already Have and What I Want I already have some adventure style pieces, including:
When putting together outfits, these are the things that I most often wish I had to really complete the look:
Further Reading/Viewing on Adventure Style
Cottagecore, Hobbitcore, Storybook, and Princesscore
True vintage 1970s Gunne Sax dress, a style that helped define a decade. Photo courtesy of bubble8vintage on Etsy.
Simplicity 7842 sewing pattern from the 1970s, featuring a square dance-style skirt with a full sweep and a peasant blouse. Photo courtesy of the Vintage Patterns wiki.
I'm lumping all of these styles into one giant 1) whimsical, 2) feminine, and 3) romantic category. While my interpretation of adventure style does have a bit of a fantastical interpretation, it is still fairly rooted in actual historic utility. These aesthetics, on the other hand, are MUCH more fantasy-based and gently throw historical accuracy out the window -- albeit a very artful and beautiful and delicate and lithe toss.
These styles are (mis)translated from a mishmash of real-life eras with modern fantastical reimagining rather than transposed directly from history. There's vaguely medieval, Renaissance, and Pre-Raphaelite inspiration (seen most in storybook, princesscore). In the 30s, 40s, and 70s, prairie looks were very popular (cottagecore). There's also the Victorian and Edwardian revival of the 70s (storybook, cottagecore, and princesscore to varying extents). Many of these aesthetics also bear resemblance to the traditional folkwear of a variety of cultures, e.g. the German dirndl and Norwegian bunad (storybook, cottagecore, Hobbitcore). And of course, fictional media has had a HUGE influence on every single one of these aesthetics: LOTR for Hobbitcore (duh), Disney princesses and other fairytales, The Princess Bride and other such fantasy movies, etc. In my head, Hobbitcore feels almost like an intermediary between adventure style and storybook/princesscore; Hobbitcore still has that fantasy/historybounding vibe that storybook and princesscore possess, sharing many similar silhouettes. However, the earth tone palette and harder-wearing textures of Hobbitcore align more with the colors/fabrics of adventure style, more so than the softer tones and textures of storybook/princesscore. All in all, if it looks like you could be frolicking around collecting magical wildflowers, heading to a Ren Faire, slayfully slaying dragons, and/or being doted upon by a thousand suitors who all wish for your hand in marriage due to your influence in the kingdom, then I want it!! Specific Pieces & Characteristics Fantastical and (usually) very, very feminine is the overall vibe. In terms of specifics, these styles tend to contain the following:
What I Already Have and What I Want I already have some clothing in these styles, including:
My main struggle is that I want to elevate my style in these aesthetics from "oh cutesy modern cottagecore / basic summer outfits" -- like just a basic mini sundress and sneakers -- to full-on princessy, stepped-right-out-of-a-fantasy-movie, is-she-going-to-a-Ren-Fairecore. In order to achieve that, some specific things I want to obtain or do in terms of styling include:
Further Viewing on Cottagecore, Storybook, Hobbitcore, and Princesscore
Summer-Appropriate Academia
Summer academia lookbook. Original source lost to the southern wind (Pinterest).
Academia fashion in general -- dark academia especially -- is a *huge* source of inspiration for me. It was actually the very first aesthetic that really got me into vintage style and helped ~actualize my personal style~ back in 2020. With the layering allotted by the colder months, the cozy, warm-toned color palette, plus the connotations of heading back to school in the fall, people usually relegate it to the fall/winter. However, I want to continue that academia personal style throughline throughout the summer, too.
For the unacquainted, academia is what you'd imagine a university student at [insert historic prestigious university here], or perhaps a mysterious yet alluring professor, to wear. Think plaids, button-up shirts, sweater vests, trousers, etc. There's lots of real, historical inspiration from womenswear from the 1940s through 1960s, along with menswear ("ivy" style especially) from the ~1910s through the 1960s. Dark vs. light academia literally refers to wearing darker vs. lighter colors, plus sometimes also the hand of the fabrics. Dark academia uses darker tones (and maybe also heavier and more structured fabrics + an overall more masculine, menswear-heavy inspiration); light academia uses lighter tones (and maybe also lighter, drapier fabrics + more delicate, feminine or girlish details). Light academia automatically feels like a more summer-appropriate color palette and texture, but I feel so connected to the darker tones of dark academia enough that I'm fine with wearing those seasonally "inappropriate" colors and textures during this time of year, too. Specific Pieces and Characteristics of Summer-Appropriate Academia As you can imagine, summer-appropriate academia contains pretty much the same exact elements as academia in the colder months -- just with fewer and thinner layers, shorter sleeves, and shorter hemlines. The most common characteristics you'll see in the aesthetic are:
What I Already Have and What I Want Being a year-round academia enjoyer, I already have a good number of academia items, including:
However, while there are many items that I can carry through from the fall/winter (especially the days I'm working because it's always cold as heck inside the pharmacy), there are still things that I feel I am missing:
Further Viewing on Summer-Appropriate Academia
40s-70s Summer Retro and Hippie
1945 rompers. Photo courtesy of VintageDancer.com.
An array of 1940s summer outfits. Photo courtesy of ChronicallyVintage.com.
Sears 1956 spring/summer catalog. Note the tailored shorts and capris and collared shirts/bodices. Scan courtesy of christmas.musetechnical.com.
Sears 1975 spring/summer catalog. Scan courtesy of christmas.musetechnical.com.
And last but not least, we have our "time traveler from [insert decade here]" looks. Of course, these pull straight from the actual decades themselves.
Beyond the clothing pieces and accessories, I find that oftentimes the most important piece to make a vintage fit look "authentic," and not costumey, is the head styling -- AKA hair and makeup. Unfortunately, both can be very difficult for me in their own special ways. Hairstyling especially is the hardest, often inaccessible, point for me. I can't keep my hair in certain hairstyles all day because 1) I can run very hot or cold depending on the outdoor blazing hot sun vs. the indoor arctic air conditioning, 2) my aforementioned slippery Asian hair simply does not stay in place with most styling and setting, 3) I get a headache if my hair is in certain styles -- even just a simple ponytail -- for more than a few hours, and -- most importantly -- 4) I'm just really bad at doing hair. Then for makeup: while I'm not *horrible* at makeup like I am with hair, the most quintessential part of a vintage makeup look is usually the bold lipstick -- and I just don't like wearing lip products all day. Despite my ever-primal urge to buy more lip products, I've never been a big lipstick-wearing girlie because my lips get really dry, and it's just not practical when I'm constantly talking, drinking water, etc. However, I do want to make more of an active effort to wear more lip products (assuming historical propriety), both as a way to actually use the plethora of lipsticks I own + help pull my retro looks together. Specific Pieces and Characteristics of Summer Retro The styles differ from decade to decade and within each decade. However, generally speaking, it's fair to say that 40s + 50s retro styles tend to be more similar, and 60s + 70s hippie styles tend to be more similar. Within these 4 decades overall, there often are these rough throughlines:
What I Already Have and What I Want In terms of what I already have, I have:
In terms of what's missing in my wardrobe that I'd like to have, there's:
Further Viewing on 40s-70s Summer Retro
Putting It All Together
Now that we've gone through the inspo, it's time to actually translate it all into actionable steps.
Obviously, I couldn't/shouldn't just buy every single item in the "what I don't have" lists. Now to get on my soapbox for just a moment: personal style is a slow marathon that's never fully "complete," so I always recommend purchasing slowly. If you're intentional about your style (and thus your style purchases), then anything you buy should ideally serve you for at least a couple years, so usually there's no rush to *have* to buy it all immediately for this season. So while it can be really tempting to just buy a whole new wardrobe all at once, it's an easy mistake that usually results in a huge waste of money and space in your closet. Plus, my low buy limits me to 4 clothing purchases per month anyway. As such, I may lust after many, many items, but many I probably won't buy for years and years, summers and summers to come (if I ever end up buying them at all). There are only a few items that are on my more immediate to-purchase list -- the things I feel the most drawn to; most of these you'll have seen were repeated multiple times throughout multiple aesthetics. BROWN LEATHER CROSSBODY PURSE
The Small Tess Bag from luxury brand Chloé. 99.99% I will never ever buy it because it's $2150 new, but I think it's such a gorgeous bag regardless. Also, ideally I would like a purse that's a darker brown. Photo courtesy of Chloé.
A dark brown leather crossbody purse is something I've been wanting for literally years now. Not only can it work for every single one of the summer aesthetics I've talked about today, but a brown leather purse also works for all of my fall/winter styles, too. I have a black faux leather purse that I carry all the time and is my go-to in the fall/winter, but as many of my looks are brown-based rather than black-based, I've really felt the need for a brown version.
It's just been super hard to find one that I like: the right size that's practical yet small enough to carry every day, the right shade of warm dark brown, the right boxy, structured shape, the right grain of leather, the right color hardware, etc. I only have a handful of purses, so it's even more imperative to buy one that suits my needs as closely as possible. Historical Stays/Corset/Bodice
Corduroy Shorts
Yet another summer academia outfit featuring a breezy short-sleeve button-up + wide leg cuffed corduroy shorts. Original source is a now-deleted Instagram account. RIP to all those Polyvore-esque moodboard accounts.
Out of the 3 types of shorts I feel are missing in my wardrobe, the first pair I want is a pair of dark brown, wide wale corduroy shorts in a wider, more relaxed fit. Corduroy shorts are the one thing that SO many of the summer academia outfits I like have in common, which is the main reason I want a pair. As I wear wide leg corduroy pants so often in the fall/winter, it only feels natural to wear their shorter cousin in the summer!
Beyond academia, depending on the top and shoes I pair them with, I can also use cords for 70s retro, or maybe even a toned-down version of adventure style or Hobbitcore. Tailored, Structured Shorts
Second, I want a pair of tailored, trouser-like, wide leg (maybe pleated) shorts. They'd be best for academia and adventure style looks, though they could potentially also work for retro looks, too, depending on the specific silhouette and color and how I style them.
I actually bought a pair of pleated shorts in a warm caramel brown at the end of June. However, they are in a drapey viscose with a dimpled texture, not the structured cotton twill I had been envisioning for myself. I will give them a trial run, and if I find them to be academia/adventure/retro enough for my liking, then I'll be all set! However, if I find they don't sufficiently ~fit the aesthetic~, I'll find a more structured pair in a solid or plaid dark chocolate brown. Big Bud Press (shown above) or true vintage are the 2 routes I'm mainly entertaining. Shortie Shorts
Late 1950s shorts -- notice how short and fitted they are. Photo courtesy of VintageDancer.com.
To get into that midcentury vintage look, shortie shorts, hot pants, pinup shorts, whatever you want to call them -- essentially flat front (non-pleated) shorts that hug the hips and thighs with a super short inseam -- are the way to go. While I do have a fair amount of retro (or true vintage) swing dresses that I can wear, as I said earlier, it gets super depressing wearing one-pieces all the time because it makes you feel like you're just wearing the same exact outfit over and over again.
Just like with the pleated shorts, I'd most likely get these in some sort of warm tone (as someone who is famously a warm tone-loving bitch). However, I'm also considering a denim pair with suspenders which would be fun; the retro silhouette + suspenders add unexpected personality to an otherwise basic "staple." Ivory Leather Sandals
From the Montgomery Wards 1950 spring/summer catalog. Notice the low wedge and cutouts/perforations. Scan courtesy of The Closet Historian.
A frequent commonality among many of my desired aesthetics is the need for ivory-colored leather sandals. I can wear them with adventure style, cottagecore/princesscore/storybook, light academia, and retro outfits. I already have a pair of dark brown woven leather sandals that I absolutely love and adore and wear all the time, but I often find myself wanting a lighter counterpart -- a niche that these would perfectly fill!
The main pair I'm considering is the Sidse wedges in cream from Memery, a vintage reproduction footwear brand. They're explicitly based on late 40s/early 50s sandals (they look nearly identical to pair G in the 1950 catalog shown above), so obviously they work well with vintage looks. However, they're timeless enough that they also work with all of those other styles, too. AND they're on sale until the end of the month!! Brown Leather Flat Mary Janes
Brown Leather Lace-Up Boots
Banana Republic women's leather Victorian boots from a 1980s catalog. Absolutely chef's kiss. Scan courtesy of SecretFanbase.com.
The final item I want to purchase is a pair of historically-inspired, dark brown leather lace-up boots with a low heel. They've actually been on my clothing wishlist for at least a year at this point. I know they'd really ~make~ my adventure style and cottagecore/storybook/Hobbitcore looks, bringing them from "cutesy modern" to full-on historybounding. However, beyond my summer aesthetics, I know that I'd be able to wear them through the fall/winter, too, especially for dark academia.
I'd primarily been debating the American Duchess Paris boots and the Memery Britta boots literally for over half a year now, though leaning towards the former. The main thing holding me back is cost; at full price, they're $285 and $263 respectively. Back in November, I even bought 2 pairs of dark brown faux lace-up boots from DSW during their Black Friday sale for <$100 each, with the intention of keeping the one I liked better and would be more willing to wear as an everyday shoe for the years to come. I ended up returning both pairs; neither of them fit very comfortably in the actual boot itself, and the heels were too high for my feet to bear every day. As such, I've come back full circle to debating between the American Duchess and Memery pairs lol. Non-Purchases
Last but not least, I want to talk about other major things I want to implement into my summer style that *don't* necessitate buying something new. While I've mentioned multiple styling things throughout this blog post, here are a few small action points that I consciously want to implement:
Easy Hair Braids
As aforementioned, I'm absolutely horrible at doing hair; I leave my hair unstyled 99% of the time. However, I've realized in the past couple of months that the *singular* thing I can do decently well is twintails, AKA 2 French side braids. It's relatively quick and easy for me to do, doesn't hurt my head through the day, and works well for a variety of styles (storybook/cottagecore/Hobbitcore/princesscore, some retro looks, adventure style). I also want to try wearing milkmaid braids, similarly for the storybook/cottagecore/Hobbitcore/princesscore vibes. They should be easy enough to put together by doing twintails and then bobby pinning the braids across my head. I just have a feeling they won't stay in my hair very well haha. Hair Kerchiefs And last but not least, for all the whimsical looks (especially cottagecore), using hair scarves is a simple way to really elevate the whole aesthetic of the outfit. But as I said before, I've super struggled getting hair kerchiefs to stay because my hair is so slippery. I'd definitely appreciate any tips!
If you've made it this far, I would like to give a warm congratulations for making it through this INCREDIBLY long post. I hope you feel inspired -- not only by the styles that I personally like and want to emulate, but more importantly by how you can translate your own unique, personal tastes into specific items to buy and means of styling.
Just remember that Rome wasn't built in a day, and that applies to your personal style, too; people can sometimes feel like their personal style is a one-time task they can check off as complete once they buy that one specific blouse or that one specific pair of pants, and they're disappointed when that doesn't happen. But that prolonged, years-long journey of personal style is part of the beauty of it all! Just take it slow, and enjoy the ride. HAGS! :D Instagram: @glowymino
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about @glowyminoI have dry skin and very dry and textured lips. I also have a medium-light skintone (somewhere in the realm of NC25-30) with strong warm yellow/olive undertones. I have a tendency to prefer a glowy, lightweight base and color cosmetics in shades of a warm undertone. Read more about me in the about page! Archives
May 2024
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