The Outfit Formula That’s Keeping Summer Alive in September
Crystal Anderson's effortless, cookout-ready looks—she grew up seeing on family grill masters—are now reimagined for today.
Okay, here’s the thing. I deeply love summer. Like, all of it. The heatwaves, the sandwiches at the beach, the stickiness of an NYC summer day, the humidity that lingers into the night like a goose-down blanket—pump it directly into my veins. So, knowing how much I love the season, you can only imagine my deep disdain for those among us who try to usher fall in and summer out a full month before its actual departure. What’s the rush? I need us all to pump the brakes. So, with that in mind, I’m still talking about and continuing my summer shenanigans until at least September 22nd or when the temp dips under 75 degrees for a week straight—whichever comes first. So here I am, with a pocketful of sunshine and sand, to make my case for why cookout style is the ultimate end-of-summer style icon.
"From South Carolina roots to Brooklyn rooftops: I’ve inherited the “Grill Daddy” title—and the fits to match."
Picture this: culottes, fisherman sandals (with socks!), a waist bag, a nearly knee-length checkered or patterned collared shirt, a wide-brimmed hat, and likely a wrist and fingers full of gold jewelry. If you didn’t have photo evidence, you’d think I was talking about anyone hanging out in Dime’s Square right now, but no, I’m talking about my Uncle Burnett, the coolest man I’ve ever met. "The Black Uncle" at the BBQ archetype. The above outfit was his quintessential BBQ look. True perfection wrapped in a cloud of smoke from whatever grill he was standing in front of in that summer moment.
"Culottes, fisherman sandals (with socks), a checkered shirt grazing the knees, gold on every finger. You’d swear it’s Dime Square—except it’s my Uncle Burnett, the original BBQ style icon."
As a deeply Southern Carolina girl, I have become the de facto “Grill Daddy” among my Brooklyn friend group. Naturally, I’ve looked to my uncle and every Black uncle who has ever graced a grill to model my grilling ‘fits. I'm happy and honored to report that it’s the same recipe with a few added ingredients: Keep the long shorts, but shorten them a few inches (or, if you’re feeling wild, swap them for a skirt!). Transform the shirt into a long scarf that doubles as a tube top. Keep the gold jewelry, but add some colorful Roxanne Assouline bracelets and a John Hardy Naga ring for a little razzle-dazzle. I know some people think that the BBQ outfit shouldn’t be too precious because it will probably get covered in sauce, smoke, and charcoal bits, but I’ve never seen my uncle (or any) at the grill who wasn’t cleaner than a fresh dinner plate, so who am I to break the trend?
"Summer isn’t over yet—whether you’re on grill duty or just bringing the ice, this look still works. My Uncle Burnette’s BBQ uniform might be impossible to top (those shoes!), but we can get close."
Whether you're manning the grill or are the angel that shows up with ice, I urge you to spend the rest of the summer (there's still plenty of time) easily pulling this look off. Will it match the perfection of my uncle? Probably not, since his shoes are just too cool to fill, but we can try and come close!
