In case you haven’t heard, New York (and almost all of Europe), to put it mildly, is extremely hot right now. The temperatures have been staying just below 100 degrees, and I’ve run out of heatwave-proof outfit ideas. So, I rely on my staple linen summer dresses to stay cool while looking stylish enough to go into the office.
Linen dresses are ideal because they’re so breathable and, if you pick one in a neutral color, very easy to style. Also, there are many silhouettes to choose from, including simple smocked styles that often don’t have zippers and flowing boho-inspired designs that follow summer’s top fashion trends.
So, keep reading to discover the best linen finds on the market, as well as a few lust-worthy, easy summer outfits that I personally plan to copy this season. Here’s to updating your summer capsule wardrobe in a pinch.
Classic All-Black
All-black outfits are so easy, even on the hottest summer days.
This might be the New Yorker in me, but I love wearing all black no matter the outfit. And considering Marie Claire's editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike just wrote about her favorite ways to wear all-black in the summer in a recent edition of her Self Checkout newsletter, I think I'm in good company.
Go Bold
Choosing a bright color makes for easy summer styling.
That being said, I do like to experiment with color sometimes. I love shades like cherry red or rose pink because they highlight my early-summer tan. But since I'm not keen on going all-out all the time, I style them with otherwise neutral accessories.
Classic With a Printed Pop
Flowy white dresses are basically designed with heatwaves in mind.
On days when I can steer clear of any messes, I choose a chic white summer dress. Floaty styles are perfect for summer wear, but a fun printed accessory keeps me looking stylish.
Western Chic
The cowboy aesthetic is still going strong this summer.
This ain't Texas...But, I'm still into wearing western boots this summer. They're so fun to style with cute mini dresses. Chic French girls just co-signed the movement, so I'm not alone.
Modern Boho
The easiest way to master boho summer fashion is with a white long dress and coordinating accessories.
I really want to be a boho fashion girl, so I'm trying out the look with flowy styles and coordinating brown silhouettes. Brown sneakers add a casual vibe while staying on trend this year.
Lemon Bright
Butter yellow is slowly being replaced by a lemon-tinted shade.
We've all heard of the butter yellow fashion trend, but I can't get enough of this lemon shade. Olivia Palermo paired her choice with metallic sandals for an unexpected twist that I'm really into right now.
Early Aughts-Inspired
Florals are made cool when they come in muted colorways.
Forgive me if this makes me sounds old, but I remember when early 2000s-inspired trends were cool the first time. That said, I'm not upset about their return in 2025. Platform flip-flops are back as every fashion girl's favorite summer shoe, and they pair perfectly with a dark floral linen dress. Who would have thought?
