I love summer clothes because I used to be a child who made fun of my mother’s generation’s love of Eileen Fisher. I called it “kooky art teacher chic” with reckless and misguided scorn. I am now an adult who has entered the search term “Eileen Fisher Lantern Pant Dupe” more times than I care to admit.
Wildest Dream Jumper (my label lol) by Ace and Jig!
What I’m saying is that I love a sack dress. I love a shapeless garment. I love blousy drawstring shorts. I love a caftan. I love all things wrinkly linen! When the evenings cool, I love topping all of my deliciously loose clothes with a voluminous hoodie or cotton sweater (want).
So tell me! What airy, balloon-adjacent clothes are you living in? Drop some links! Bonus points for ROMPERS.
I have fully embraced my mom wardrobe this summer. Old navy has the hookup on linen and I have every color of their shorts and even a pair of flowy linen pants from there. I’ve also rediscovered my love for overalls. I have zero shame in basically wanting to live in them. ALL THE POCKETS.
I’ve got two pairs of the Duluth long overalls and two summer pairs of shorts. I love them so much. Two of mine have gnome patterns and they are just so good and everyone I meet wearing them loves them too. Overalls for life!
Just bought two pairs of the short coveralls (gnomes and daisies) and the hemp duster shirt in the oatmeal color. So excited and hopeful.
I bought two pairs of Duluth overalls (can’t remember the exact style) a little over a year ago, and I love them. So comfortable but also make me feel cute.
I am so here for all of this. I was recently on a wonderful girls beach getaway with a group that I’ve been friends with since middle school. We are all 35 now and I was one of the few embracing the flow and the ease of clothing. I feel like I’m still in this interesting age where there is a lot of focus on trend, but I don’t always feel like that works for me. I remember reading an interview with Casey Lewis of the Afterschool stack and she said something along the lines of moms aren’t meant to dress like teenagers, think of how strange it would have been to be a teenager and have a mom who dresses like you and your friends. That one landed hard with me and immediately called back Amy Poehler’s original Mean Girls character 🥹📹😬
I have an oversized cotton striped dress from Tar-jay that I truly could wear every single day of my life (pretty sure it’s meant to be a swim cover up but c’est la vie). I am here for the flow and the ease and the breathability from now until the end!
They are pricy, so I try to find on Poshmark mostly, but LOVE Natalie Martin dresses. The patterns, the light fabrics, the different sleeve length and skirt lengths. They are my go-to for almost any spring/summer/fall occasion.
Love the colors in that jumper! My summer uniform is the same as last summer: Old Navy linen blend pants (I have THREE in white so I never run out of white pants) and a loose tee. Eileen Fisher pants/other linen pieces are "nicer," but the blend also ensures these wash/dry (or more often, hang dry because I prefer a crisper look) with fewer wrinkles. I'm 5'10" and I also find that EF pants run a little short for me, which is fine if want a cropped look, but sometimes I want a longer, flowy thing happening. I'm in FL and 90% of the time in the summer there is linen on my person, for sure.
CP Shades makes delicious lightweight balloon-adjacent linens that last for years. They do have sales but I also keep an eye out for secondhand pieces. The cut is a tad more youthful than EF but generally works well for the mature bod. https://cpshades.com/collections/iridescent-linen-dresses-1
A clothing store client of mine carries CP along with their own line and I've started to add some of their pieces to my closet. They gifted me a pair of their linen overalls when I was pregnant and I'm living in them this summer! https://readytowearclothing.com
Torrid challis and super-soft rompers, and the rayon slub one. I have several colors of each. And their challis trapeze dress (midi and maxi), I have about 8? They're so body-change friendly, I have 3 sizes and they all fit, just differently when I'm at the high or low ends of my range. They started putting pockets in them recently. That's pretty much it! Cotton stretch joggers and black tees for cooking and kids. B/c stains.
I went fully preppy once we moved to CT and I had a baby (12 now). You know what's great about preppy clothing? It's generally washable, classic, not fussy, covers my bits so I can move/bend and dressy enough to do school runs. I stalk Lilly Pulitzer on sale and supplement with vuori, gap, tuckernuck, and Dudley Stephen's (again - get it on sale, preppy silhouettes don't change much!).
Is it way too expensive, yes. Is it amazingly comfortable and I wear it to work at least twice a week? also yes. It can be with bike shorts, leggings, jeans, cargo pants or swim suit. Machine wash and not at all fussy. Do they last for a decade? Also, yes. The front pocket is to die for, and Elizabeth pays people living wages to sew clothes, so I have two of these. https://elizabethsuzann.com/collections/tops/products/harper-tunic-in-midweight-linen?variant=43793408917673
Likewise, I still wear the ES pieces I bought almost a decade ago (Marlena tank and dress). Now I sew my own but those silhouettes are still so inspiring.
It's the potato sack cult, right? I have pieces from ten years ago as well, but have no patience for sewing. If I could make clothing with iron on strips, maybe.
I just bought 2 of these short rompers and they are all I'm wearing in my basement office to beat the heat. They have an inbuilt bra which is surprisingly comfy! I can stick a cardi over it when I'm cold or jumping on Zoom.
I've been living in these Marine Layer pants. They're lightweight, cute enough to wear out of the house, comfy enough to lounge in. And I'm 5'-2" and don't even have to hem them which feels like the ultimate win.
There is a great Australian clothing company called Variety Hour Studio that does boxy linen dresses in amazing floral prints. They are an investment but I have been getting about one a year for several years and wear them constantly and always have people comment on them. The Satu style is my favorite- I buy one size up so that there’s room for shrinkage and then I can machine wash/dry.
Right now they only have one in that style but they rotate prints seasonally! (Remember the AUD-USD conversion value makes the final $ cheaper than it looks!)
I learned of these dresses from a TikTok influencer and they really are so light and airy and nice (and have pockets!). I am a true 2X usually, and the XL fits great: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BabitaTex
I mostly wear the swing dress, tank tops and loose t-shirts in a variety of colors, I have been wearing so many pieces from Old navy for 4 years that have still held up.
I also like the lands end quick dry shorts when we are going anywhere with water!
not specifically summery really but i'll take any chance to shout out morning witch - i've ordered two midi skirts and two shirts and i'm so obsessed with the patterns, they've also got shorts and joggersfg: https://shop.morningwitch.com/
i definitely need more caftans and linen in my life so appreciating the comments! i just ordered two pairs of shorts on thredup after realizing i was down to one pair of basketball shorts and then only leggings, a lot of thredup things are final sale but it's more easily searchable than going to goodwill with comparable prices.
As soon as I saw “summer uniform” I knew I had to share the linen blend romper from Old Navy I have been wearing twice a week this whole summer. (One of the days is always Tuesday)
Sorry about the Amazon dot com of it all but I've been living in this spaghetti strap jumper thing - I wear it over my swimsuit to the pool or over a t-shirt or tank top. It's so comfortable and I get compliments on it all the time! https://a.co/d/0e3OCAMU
I have fully embraced my mom wardrobe this summer. Old navy has the hookup on linen and I have every color of their shorts and even a pair of flowy linen pants from there. I’ve also rediscovered my love for overalls. I have zero shame in basically wanting to live in them. ALL THE POCKETS.
pockets FOR THE WIN
Duluth Trading Company has some excellent gardening overalls with like, 14 pockets! And you can just brush dirt/kid crumbs right off. AND since they’re made for being outdoors, they’re super lightweight. They make an amazing short romper version too: https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-heirloom-gardening-7-short-coveralls-60779.html?color=NDI, and here are the overalls: https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-heirloom-gardening-bib-overalls-16760.html?color=FTM
I CO-SIGN THESE OVERALLS!! 💯💯
I’ve got two pairs of the Duluth long overalls and two summer pairs of shorts. I love them so much. Two of mine have gnome patterns and they are just so good and everyone I meet wearing them loves them too. Overalls for life!
Thanks for sharing this find! Can’t wait to check them out.
Just bought two pairs of the short coveralls (gnomes and daisies) and the hemp duster shirt in the oatmeal color. So excited and hopeful.
I bought two pairs of Duluth overalls (can’t remember the exact style) a little over a year ago, and I love them. So comfortable but also make me feel cute.
omg these are too cute!!!
Sounds like a comfy and stylish summer wardrobe! Love the versatility of linen and overalls. Enjoy rocking your mom wardrobe!
I am so here for all of this. I was recently on a wonderful girls beach getaway with a group that I’ve been friends with since middle school. We are all 35 now and I was one of the few embracing the flow and the ease of clothing. I feel like I’m still in this interesting age where there is a lot of focus on trend, but I don’t always feel like that works for me. I remember reading an interview with Casey Lewis of the Afterschool stack and she said something along the lines of moms aren’t meant to dress like teenagers, think of how strange it would have been to be a teenager and have a mom who dresses like you and your friends. That one landed hard with me and immediately called back Amy Poehler’s original Mean Girls character 🥹📹😬
I have an oversized cotton striped dress from Tar-jay that I truly could wear every single day of my life (pretty sure it’s meant to be a swim cover up but c’est la vie). I am here for the flow and the ease and the breathability from now until the end!
lol LEGIT - flow 4 life.
Love this! I totally agree, embracing the flow and ease of clothing is the way to go. Sounds like your beach getaway was amazing! 💕🌊
They are pricy, so I try to find on Poshmark mostly, but LOVE Natalie Martin dresses. The patterns, the light fabrics, the different sleeve length and skirt lengths. They are my go-to for almost any spring/summer/fall occasion.
I was not familiar with this brand but now I am OBSESSED. going to Poshmark immediately...
um SAME
Love the colors in that jumper! My summer uniform is the same as last summer: Old Navy linen blend pants (I have THREE in white so I never run out of white pants) and a loose tee. Eileen Fisher pants/other linen pieces are "nicer," but the blend also ensures these wash/dry (or more often, hang dry because I prefer a crisper look) with fewer wrinkles. I'm 5'10" and I also find that EF pants run a little short for me, which is fine if want a cropped look, but sometimes I want a longer, flowy thing happening. I'm in FL and 90% of the time in the summer there is linen on my person, for sure.
I got some old navy linen pants this summer and am having such a hard time pairing them with a shirt! Do you have any specific shirt recommendations?
I wear them with these t shirts from Target: https://www.target.com/p/women-s-shrunken-short-sleeve-t-shirt-universal-thread/-/A-90021837?preselect=87658404#lnk=sametab. I go up one size so it's not so "shrunken".
Thank youuuuuu
Those linen pants sound perfect for the summer heat! Love the flowy look.
CP Shades makes delicious lightweight balloon-adjacent linens that last for years. They do have sales but I also keep an eye out for secondhand pieces. The cut is a tad more youthful than EF but generally works well for the mature bod. https://cpshades.com/collections/iridescent-linen-dresses-1
A clothing store client of mine carries CP along with their own line and I've started to add some of their pieces to my closet. They gifted me a pair of their linen overalls when I was pregnant and I'm living in them this summer! https://readytowearclothing.com
Ooh she carries Byrn Walker - I forgot about that brand. Also great!
Torrid challis and super-soft rompers, and the rayon slub one. I have several colors of each. And their challis trapeze dress (midi and maxi), I have about 8? They're so body-change friendly, I have 3 sizes and they all fit, just differently when I'm at the high or low ends of my range. They started putting pockets in them recently. That's pretty much it! Cotton stretch joggers and black tees for cooking and kids. B/c stains.
Love the variety of options you have! Sounds like you found some great versatile pieces for your wardrobe.
Linen trousers for the office from Comptoir des Cottoniers (chic and comfortable but I do have to iron them).
And simple cropped tops that I sew in white Liberty Tana lawn or linen, inspired by Elizabeth Suzann, who’s been mentioned in this thread already.
ahhhhhh inspired!
Recently reveling in the comfort and look of linen. A 40s rite of passage, perhaps? And this anti chafe stick is the best I’ve ever used, a true summer essential for me with dresses/skirts on hot days: https://www.target.com/p/megababe-thigh-rescue-lotion-anti-chafe-stick-2-12oz/-/A-75454223
ALL THE Natural Life jumpsuits.
https://www.naturallife.com/search?type=product&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=jumpsuit
OOOOOH!
where have these been all my life?!?!?!?!?
Ohhh I have been getting all the ads for these lately!
They are as great as they look! Just be sure to hand wash the ones that are 100% cotton 🙃🫠
I’ll admit this leans toward the loungewear side, but it is the softest, lightest thing. I have it in 2 colors and wear on repeat when the temp hits 90+ https://beyondyoga.com/products/featherweight-hang-loose-jumpsuit-darkest-night-lwsd6169
omg I have the featherweight joggers and I LOVE them
I went fully preppy once we moved to CT and I had a baby (12 now). You know what's great about preppy clothing? It's generally washable, classic, not fussy, covers my bits so I can move/bend and dressy enough to do school runs. I stalk Lilly Pulitzer on sale and supplement with vuori, gap, tuckernuck, and Dudley Stephen's (again - get it on sale, preppy silhouettes don't change much!).
Is it way too expensive, yes. Is it amazingly comfortable and I wear it to work at least twice a week? also yes. It can be with bike shorts, leggings, jeans, cargo pants or swim suit. Machine wash and not at all fussy. Do they last for a decade? Also, yes. The front pocket is to die for, and Elizabeth pays people living wages to sew clothes, so I have two of these. https://elizabethsuzann.com/collections/tops/products/harper-tunic-in-midweight-linen?variant=43793408917673
I bought her sewing patttern for the Clyde pants and I’ve made two pairs that I love- also amazing pockets!
Love the Clydes!
Likewise, I still wear the ES pieces I bought almost a decade ago (Marlena tank and dress). Now I sew my own but those silhouettes are still so inspiring.
It's the potato sack cult, right? I have pieces from ten years ago as well, but have no patience for sewing. If I could make clothing with iron on strips, maybe.
I just bought 2 of these short rompers and they are all I'm wearing in my basement office to beat the heat. They have an inbuilt bra which is surprisingly comfy! I can stick a cardi over it when I'm cold or jumping on Zoom.
https://www.32degrees.com/collections/womens-new-arrivals/products/womens-lightweight-knit-bra-romper
I've been living in these Marine Layer pants. They're lightweight, cute enough to wear out of the house, comfy enough to lounge in. And I'm 5'-2" and don't even have to hem them which feels like the ultimate win.
https://www.marinelayer.com/collections/gals-pants-1/products/elle-pull-on-pant?variant=40628970324042
World Market has some great 100% cotton caftans, and they all have pockets!
As a resident of Iceland I am deeply envious of you who don all things wrinkly linen in the summertime 😄🥹
I love these pants, I wear them all the time, including right now. They're lightweight and swishy and elastic waisted and wide in a good way. They have pockets so deep my WRISTS go in. Get these pants. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1056266670/summer-elastic-waist-cotton-pants-soft
LOVE
There is a great Australian clothing company called Variety Hour Studio that does boxy linen dresses in amazing floral prints. They are an investment but I have been getting about one a year for several years and wear them constantly and always have people comment on them. The Satu style is my favorite- I buy one size up so that there’s room for shrinkage and then I can machine wash/dry.
Right now they only have one in that style but they rotate prints seasonally! (Remember the AUD-USD conversion value makes the final $ cheaper than it looks!)
https://varietyhourstudio.com/products/satu-dress-flower-market?_pos=1&_sid=20db5c026&_ss=r
I learned of these dresses from a TikTok influencer and they really are so light and airy and nice (and have pockets!). I am a true 2X usually, and the XL fits great: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BabitaTex
oh wow i love these so much
The Somerset pull-on linen pants from anthro! Got them in my Nuuly rental in one color and kept them, while continuing to get them in other colors each month! I’m over polyester… https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/the-somerset-pull-on-pants-linen-edition2?
oooh FUN patterns!
This dress in basically every color. It has pockets! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Q7NMPZ7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I keep looking at those Eileen fisher lantern pants. I’m living in Anthropologie Pilcro barrel pants and t shirts
https://www.target.com/p/women-39-s-scoop-back-maxi-shift-dress-universal-thread-8482-coral-red-s/-/A-90040435 I love this maxi dress, I did find the arm holes to be bigger on me, normally wear XL in dresses and I ended up with a M.
https://www.target.com/p/women-39-s-woven-mid-rise-run-shorts-3-34-all-in-motion-8482-black-xxl/-/A-89296792 I also love these shorts and they come in a ton of colors! Very airy in 90 degree weather.
I mostly wear the swing dress, tank tops and loose t-shirts in a variety of colors, I have been wearing so many pieces from Old navy for 4 years that have still held up.
I also like the lands end quick dry shorts when we are going anywhere with water!
not specifically summery really but i'll take any chance to shout out morning witch - i've ordered two midi skirts and two shirts and i'm so obsessed with the patterns, they've also got shorts and joggersfg: https://shop.morningwitch.com/
i definitely need more caftans and linen in my life so appreciating the comments! i just ordered two pairs of shorts on thredup after realizing i was down to one pair of basketball shorts and then only leggings, a lot of thredup things are final sale but it's more easily searchable than going to goodwill with comparable prices.
As soon as I saw “summer uniform” I knew I had to share the linen blend romper from Old Navy I have been wearing twice a week this whole summer. (One of the days is always Tuesday)
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=863559012&vid=1&autosuggest=true&searchText=Linen+ju&position=0&results=6#pdp-page-content
LOVE
Sorry about the Amazon dot com of it all but I've been living in this spaghetti strap jumper thing - I wear it over my swimsuit to the pool or over a t-shirt or tank top. It's so comfortable and I get compliments on it all the time! https://a.co/d/0e3OCAMU
I must say I was served that very same Amazon dot come situation recently as I searched for a blousy lil' romper.
Wow, I really love that! Adding to cart...
Been living in these old navy t’s:
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=537388032&vid=1#pdp-page-content
and the dress version:
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=863530042&vid=1&searchText=Crew+neck+dress#pdp-page-content
looks like such a soft wash!