The Dressing Bell: Summer outfit formulas and places to wear them
Humidity hair is the best accessory
Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of The Bell!
You all really liked the post about spring outfit formulas a few months back, so I thought I’d do it again for summer.
As always, this is what I wear in real life and I take these photos on the way out the door. I walk everywhere in Boston, so my shoes are very comfortable and usually flat. We had a ton of rain in Boston and some genuinely chilly days all the way up to July, so my outfits reflect that. If I’m wearing a sweater, I typically have a white t-shirt or tank on underneath to transition them throughout the day if I’m on the go. But now in the heat with 80% humidity, what I wear will definitely go in the direction of whatever’s loosest and lightest.
And as you can see by the fact that I mostly sourced similar items to what I’m wearing, I haven’t bought a lot of new clothes this season. But I found nearly identical pieces to most, if something strikes your fancy and you feel like doing some shopping.
To a weeknight picnic with friends
To mail letters and postcards on a rainy day
To a doctor’s appointment downtown
To go shopping for my husband
To work from an air-conditioned coffee shop
To ‘dinner in the field’ at a local farm
To a double date for oysters in the neighborhood
P.S. My iPhone case is from Jamie Beck. She turns her photographs of flowers into phone cases, and she’s adding new ones all the time. It feels like carrying a little piece of art in my handbag and I love it so much.
This week’s recs
Watching: WIMBLEDON!
It was so exciting to watch the men’s singles finals where Carlos Alcaraz dethroned Novak Djokovic for the first time since 2013! I’ll probably go on YouTube and watch some other matches that I missed live; I definitely want to see the women’s singles finals too.
Listening: Yacht rock
Hall & Oates, Elton John, and Lionel Richie are the soundtrack of the waterski boat on the lake where my husband and I are vacationing this week. Boat or no boat though, it’s the perfect music for being outdoors in the summer—when I was home visiting my parents, my mom and I listened to plenty of yacht rock while driving around town on a sunny day.
Reading: Life in the Garden by Penelope Lively
A chill book that reflects on gardens real and imagined, from the author’s experience and in art and literature. No plot, really, just thoughts about gardens and what they mean to people. A perfect vacation read.
Buying: A new swimsuit
I have been a fan of London-based Hunza G swimwear for a few years now, so I invested in this striped bikini to go with my sporty-preppy-Frenchy summer vibe. If you’re more of a one-piece gal, the stripes come in their classic square-neck style too (I have this one in solid white).
Doing: Living my best life on vacation in Maine
More specifically, swimming in the lake, waterskiing (this WILL be the summer I learn to ski slalom), playing tennis, going to cookouts, canoeing, boating, sitting down for three meals a day with my husband, breathing in the clean, pine-scented air, and generally spending all day outdoors. Maine is my personal heaven and I feel so lucky to be here.
Making: Watermelon feta salad
Okay… I’m not actually making anything this week, but I’ve consumed daily-ish watermelon salads on vacation and I’ll be making them at home for the rest of the summer. I’m intrigued by this classic version, this savory version with edamame and avocado, and this gourmet, spicy version.
I hope you’re having a great week and wearing lots of sunscreen!
xx Jane
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You look beautiful in every photo / wish I lived in a State where we could do more daily walking!😎
I loved reading this weeks article - I am buying the sneakers tomorrow - I love your look in every photo! I am looking for a all white or navy one piece swim suit skirted😍😂🤣😆if you have any ideas let me know - have so much fun in Maine - vacationed on Eastern Sea Board many years ago and a fun driving trip - oh thanks so much for the Music, Yacht Rock - perfect summer music😎