Summer Layering

Summer dressing in the UK can be a tricky thing to perfect. Waking up to glorious sunshine doesn't immediately give the green light to shorts, vest tops and sandals. We are plagued by thoughts of 'will it still be sunny an hour from now?' and 'is there rain in the forecast?' so on and so forth. This is where clever layering becomes a must. Done with a little thought it is easy to create a chic, comfortable look that will see you smoothly from sun up to sun down and everything inbetween.

First of all, create a good base layer with a vest top, shirt or tee-shirt and trousers, shorts or a skirt. Essential items that are light enough for the heat, but simple enough to build on.

If wearing a casual vest or tee, smarten it up with a light blazer - this is also a good opportunity to experiment with colour blocking, for example wearing a red vest top with a blue blazer to create contrast and interest. For a more casual look pair a vest or tee with a light summer cardigan.

Shown are; Joules Mimi Vest in Melon; Dunmere Jacket and Hepburn Trousers in Navy. 

If you prefer not to wear a jacket and are looking for a more casual look, try layering with a shirt over your vest top or tee-shirt. This might work especially well for men, with a shirt layered over a tee and loosely buttoned, but could work well for ladies who would like to casually layer a shirt over a vest - if you're feeling especially bohemian, you can try tying the bottom of the shirt rather than buttoning. This is a good alternative to wearing a cardigan over a base layer.

Try mixing shades of blue this year. Shown is Jack Murphy's Mark Shirt and Barbour's Cross Flags Tee. 

Mix up patterns for a bold look. Such as Joules Skipperton Tee and Wilson Shirt.

Wear a light summer vest with a shirt for a relaxed look and alternative to cardigans.

Shown are Joules Maywell Shirt, Mimi Vest and Elspeth Shorts. 

Joules Chrissy Skirt is paired with the Mimi Vest and Lovell Shirt (which is whiter than it appears here)

Light knitwear is perfect for summer, especially on cooler summer evenings. A thin knit sweater is a perfect piece to wear over a shirt or vest to keep out the evening chill. Style conscious chaps can experiment with contrasting top and lower halves by wearing a knit sweater with shorts. Combining a button up shirt with a light sweater and shorts creates a contrast which works surprisingly well. Team with deck shoes for a complete summer chic look.

Barbour Alber Shirt and Hawick Crew Neck Pullover

Joules Fenlow Shorts with Musto Nautic Bay Shoe