It took long enough, didn’t it?
Summer seemed to come out of the blue this year, and not a minute too soon.The word on the street is that it’s going to be a good one. So far, we agree. Many of our clients say they held off finishing their summer wardrobes because they just weren’t in the mood. We get it. When it’s gloomy and rainy, the last thing we think of is beating the heat with style. And while it seemed to take forever, we made it. The trees are green, the birds are chirping and the summer looks are out in full force all over the place. Finally.
Summer Trends from Paris and Milan
We’re all about bringing the best of Europe to Toronto. And when we chose our 2019 summer collection from all the major (and some minor) houses in the two fashion capitals of the world, what separated what we saw there with a lot of what we see on the streets here is confidence. Here, we tend to use our threads to make some sort of summer statement about ourselves. But not there. They’re already cool. They know they’re already cool. So they dress for comfort.
Day-to-day Wear
Light cotton capris or a relaxed summer dress, simple sandals and maybe a sun hat. When you’re walking Avenue Montaigne or Via Montenapoleone, you don’t need much else. And that goes double for anyone heavily made up. In Europe, summer calls for minimal make-up. It gets in the way of the sun.
As for palate, the hot season’s all about neutral. No need to compete with the richness of the summer in the city. Navy, white, red and black dominated in Europe, with some earthy tan and light blue, which appear to be the accent colours of the season.
And try to resist animal prints if you can — from what we can see, they’ll be trending heavily in the fall. Stick to stripes, gingham and geometrics for now.
Special Occasions
Yup, summer’s full of them. And depending on your social circle, you might have one every weekend from now until Labour Day. And wouldn’t it be easier if each of them had a signature look? That’s why we envy bridesmaids. “Here’s a dress. Put it on. Done.” But if you’re not in a wedding party, you have to plan. Again, we look to the Europeans for inspiration.
Going to a wedding?
Obviously, you don’t want to upstage the bride or the bridesmaids. So we recommend this drape cut dress with a matching sheer silk jacket that doesn’t reveal too much.
Going to a wedding?
Obviously, you don’t want to upstage the bride or the bridesmaids. So we recommend this drape cut dress with a matching sheer silk jacket that doesn’t reveal too much.
Dressing for summer hours at work?
Cotton slacks, a white shirt and a low heel for comfort, as you’ll probably want to take advantage of the sunshine and go for a walk at lunch. We do that a lot, but when you’re in the heart of the world’s greatest city, that’s what you do.
En route by plane or train
The on-board A/C is oppressive, but easy to plan for. Denim or jersey pants work. A loose sweater is a must (preferably one that’s easy to take on and off in a seat) and ballet flats or cool trainers.
Final thoughts on dressing for summer
Enjoy it. Take it in. Love the freedom to show your skin. And wear sunscreen.
Bonus:
Stop by the Petra Karthaus store and have a chat with our Fashion Consultants for more creative fashion ideas for this summer. Enjoy our summer sale prices and mention to us this blog to receive an additional 10% off on already reduced "Summer Sale 2019" fashions.
