Categories: Outfits

Ad | Two Fabulously Loose Outfits for Stylish Summer Dressing

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… Is there anything better than summer dressing?!

Not just warm weather dressing, but (especially for the type of icky, sweaty days we had so many of last month) I really mean comfy dressing, i.e. loose outfits. The thought of wearing skinny jeans and a restrictive top in the heat of summer leaves me feeling a bit panic-stricken.

I love the simplicity of getting dressed in the summer: throw on your main piece(s), add shoes and you’re ready to go. But me being me, I like to add one or two accessories to elevate it tenfold.

Want to see what I mean with an embroidered tunic top plus wide-leg trousers, and a maxi dress?

[Reading time: 3 mins]

This is a paid partnership with Afibel. Full disclosure

I’ve partnered with French brand Afibel to bring you two outfits styled from three main pieces that’ll meet all my loose summer dressing needs. I LOVE me a great print and I LOVE me some comfy dressing. I don’t want to feel restricted in the summer – who enjoys heavy denim wrapped around their thighs at this time of year?!

First up is this boho-inspired embroidered tunic top and patterned wide-leg trousers. On the very first day I wore them out, I was stopped in the supermarket and complimented on the trousers. She desperately wanted to know where they were from as she loved the multi-coloured pattern and the wide cut. She also discretely asked if the waistband was elasticated… it was a resounding Yes, thank goodness! from me.

This was a woman after my own loose-outfits-in-the-summer heart.

I went along with the easy/relaxed style of these two pieces by adding a straw trilby hat, ombre aviators, gold jewellery, a slouchy suede bag (so many colours in the trousers mean your accessories can really be any colour) and chunky buckled sandals.

I’ve always had a hankering for these 70s-style seersucker tops: they scream summer to me. In fact I don’t think the two pieces have even been hung in my wardrobe yet as they’ve been worn on repeat as soon as they’ve been washed and laundered, I love them that much!

Two simple separates + a few accessories = a loose, stylish summer outfit.

As a new-to-me brand I’m super impressed with the quality of the pieces I have, which brings me to the second outfit…

The safari print maxi dress. Ohhhhh, this print is ALSO The Bomb.

Maxi dress: a safari print of dreams

As if the pattern of the trousers wasn’t enough, of course I had to have MORE pattern. A maxi dress (or any summer dress) is the easiest thing to throw on in warm weather. If you’re in a hurry, you can literally add nothing more than shoes and you are ready to go.

I, however, always like to add a little more.

To be honest, with this fabulous print in every [warm – my favourite] colour, I didn’t want anything to “fight” too much with the print. Whether you’re wearing this on holiday or in a cooler British summer(!), a loose coverup is wise for the evenings as I’ve done here with a (very old) neutral-coloured floppy knit.

I did originally add a big chunky chain necklace but it didn’t need it – this indeed did fight with the neckline and the print. Sometimes simpler IS better, even for me.

The cut is just right: not too low on the bust and the cleverest gathered/wrap-over design under the bust. My bag echoes those gathers and has a little bling, and the sandals are black to bookend the matt black cat eye sunglasses. And I’m always happier with a longer-length dress: I’m 5’7″ and it skims my ankles just in the right place.

Afibel the brand

One other VERY important factor to mention about Afibel is their inclusivity: clothes come in sizes [UK] 6-34 and always have done since their launch in 1954. Many of the clothes are shown on models in sizes 18-20 for example, not just the smaller sizes, so there’s no wondering “Yes but what will this look like on me?” – top marks to them for that.