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Let's Get Dressed

25 May 2026 · 30m · 16 chapters

Episode artwork

Your Summer Style Questions, Answered: Sandals, Shorts & What to Buy

In short

Summer dressing Q&A focused on building a chic vacation capsule without panic-buying trends; emphasizes using existing wardrobe pieces and upgrading via accessories, plus office-cold solutions and summer color.

Host/guest

Solo episode hosted by Liv Perez (no guests mentioned).

Guest backgrounds

None.

Key claims

Summer dressing is harder for her because she prefers more covered pieces and layering, and summer often pushes skimpier items. She recommends a “five-item” vacation capsule: sandals, linen pants, swimwear, a beach bag, and accessories. She dislikes jelly flats (blistering; plastic breaks) and most fisherman sandals (cuts into feet). For hot offices, she recommends a light, form-fitting cardigan or thin V-neck to keep warm.

Notable examples

Dear Frances wrap thong sandals (baby heel ~1/4 inch; thick leather strap); by FAR thick-strap padded sandals; LeMond Barrow micro wedge; black-and-white Havaianas. Linen pant picks: Enzacosta Everywhere twill pant; Aritzia drawstring linen pants. Swimwear: Monday Swimwear (Bahama adjustable bottoms). Beach bags: Amazon raffia; ALC raffia bags that fold down. Shorts upgrade: longer Bermuda shorts with belt and micro heel; avoid short jean shorts; use darker denim wash. Office layers: Joe’s Jeans Danny cardigan; J.Crew “Perfect Cardigan”; NADAM knitwear; Koss thin V-neck; Wrangly Morgan Stewart deep V-neck. Summer colors: aquamarine/mermaid blues and butter yellow; primary button-downs.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes.

Chapters

0:45

Understanding Summer Dressing Challenges

Exploration of the difficulties people face while dressing for summer.

“I think everybody needs a good linen pant when you're going on vacation.”
3:07

Preparing for Summer with Essentials

Discussion on the essentials needed for summer wardrobes and styling.

“So I feel like this is like, to me, this is the official start of summer.”
3:51

Finding the Perfect Summer Sandal

Insights on choosing the ideal sandals for summer comfort and style.

“Okay, I'm very passionate about this first, my first response to this question.”
4:36

Linen Pants and Versatile Clothing

Recommendations for versatile clothing items like linen pants for summer.

“They are a flat, but have like a fourth of an inch of a heel.”
6:36

Summer Swimwear and Beach Essentials

Advice on selecting swimwear and beach bags for summer vacation.

“And yes, YouTubers, I heard the complaints about no photos.”
8:06

Accessorizing for Summer Outfits

Tips on incorporating accessories into summer wardrobes.

“The ones that I have don't even have like the Javiana logo on them or like on the side.”
9:24

Building a Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Advice on creating a capsule wardrobe for summer vacations.

“I will say if you really, really hate the wrinkles, go for a black pair instead.”
11:16

Favorite Brands for Summer Styles

Review of brands that excel in offering summer fashion choices.

“When you, if you listen to these solo episodes, you guys probably think I'm so like OCD about clothes, but I really am.”
14:03

Summer Wardrobe Essentials

Discover the best brands for summer clothing that combine style and quality.

“What are some of your go-to brands for summer?”
15:29

Shoe Trends of the Summer

Explore the current shoe trends and the host's personal preferences for summer footwear.

“It's so interesting because I do feel like this summer, I'm not seeing as many quote unquote big trends than like what we've seen in the past, right?”
Show all 16 chapters
16:21

The Debate Over Jean Shorts

Join a discussion on the practicality and style of jean shorts in summer fashion.

“One, I will literally always get a blister when I wear a jelly flat.”
19:16

Elevating Summer Outfits

Learn tips to elevate your summer outfits with stylish shorts and layering options.

“I feel like incorporating that color is always great.”
22:37

Office Attire for Summer

Get advice on how to dress for the office during hot summer days with freezing AC.

“This is such a hot question every year and I totally get it because I'm someone who's always cold.”
26:26

Summer Colors and Trends

Explore the trending colors for summer and how to incorporate them into your wardrobe.

“I feel like this has been the year of blues and for so many reasons.”
28:01

Inspiration from a Stylish Influencer

Learn how to incorporate bold colors into your summer wardrobe.

“And I feel like she is such a good example of dressing for color.”
28:36

Summer Dressing and Audience Engagement

Discover tips for summer dressing and ways to connect with the host.

“Again, summer dressing is a work in progress for me.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:00We are back with another Ask Me Anything episode. I swear I've never gotten more messages than I did about this one specific subject and that is summer dressing. I don't ever think that when a new season rolls around we all need to like panic buy things. That's not what today's episode is about. It's about finding things in our wardrobe that we already have and can style just a bit better for a season where truly it sounds like we're all going through it stylistically. Consider this your summer dressing workshop. It's so interesting because I do feel like this summer, I'm not seeing as many quote unquote big trends like what we've seen in the past.

0:37For me, summer dressing really comes down to accessories. A lot of you have asked me about jelly flats. I personally don't love them. My dream packing wardrobe for vacation is like five items that I get multi-use out of. I think everybody needs a good linen pant when you're going on vacation. I love the Enzacosta Everywhere twill pant. I actually get a lot of my beach bags from Amazon. Doan, I feel like, literally is the mascot of summer dressing. Are we still wearing jean shorts? Welcome back to Let's Get Dressed. Before we dive into today's episode, make sure that you're following the show, both on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so that you don't miss a new episode.

1:16In case you want to watch today's episode, you can head over to YouTube. The full episode is available there too. And when you're done, leave us a review. I always love to hear what you guys think about the episodes, and it really helps the show go. Now, let's go get dressed. Hi, guys. Welcome back to another episode of Let's Get Dressed. It's your host, Liv Perez. We are back with another Ask Me Anything episode, and this one, I swear, I've never gotten more messages than I did about this one specific subject, and that is summer dressing. It's interesting because summer dressing, in theory, should be the easiest, right?

1:54It's like less things. Like it should be, it shouldn't be like the mental Olympics that we think it is. But summer dressing is actually the hardest season for me to get dressed in. I think there's a few things at play. One, I would say that I'm usually someone that likes to be a bit more covered up. Like I don't, you know, if you ask me what my favorite little black dress is, like it's probably a suit or like a midi dress with like sequins or something like that. I'm not someone who wears a lot of minis. I don't have a lot of mini skirts. I'm hardly ever in shorts. So I think already the like smaller or like quote unquote skimpier pieces are hard for me to style.

2:36But I'm also someone who like thrives in layers. Like I love layering jackets and blazers and a sweater over my shoulders. So when I don't have those styling tools, I feel a little bit lost. So today's episode, we're going to work through this together. Consider this your summer dressing workshop because again, I got so many questions and so many things that I'm working through myself. So I'm going to give you guys my tips and tricks and the things that I am practicing myself in my everyday summer style. It's officially Memorial Day weekend. So I feel like this is like, to me, this is the official start of summer.

3:12So I feel like there's no time like the present then for us to dive in. I hope that this episode is helpful. And I also want to say, I don't ever think that when a new season rolls around, we all need to like panic buy things. And I find that that happens, especially around summer, right? Like we all like feel like we need to buy like the jelly flats and the short shorts and the crop tops. And that's not what today's episode is about. It's about finding things in our wardrobe that we already have and can style just a bit better for a season where truly it sounds like we're all going through it stylistically.

3:42I really want to help you guys build a summer wardrobe that feels chic, elevated, but most importantly, like yourself. Okay, let's kick it off. The first one, what do you consider to be your tried and true vacation staples? Okay, I'm very passionate about this first, my first response to this question. Obviously, we're going to talk about the perfect summer sandal. My Roman Empire is a pair of shoes that Dear Francis made, Dear Francis' shoe brand. They made these wrap sandals a few years ago. It's got to be, I think I bought them in like 2020, and they are the perfect sandal, and I have no idea why they discontinued them.

4:23It is the biggest fashion tragedy. I'm so glad I bought them in two colors, but I post them a lot and you guys will always ask me, like, can you link the sandals? It has become my mission to find the most similar ones for you guys because truly they are the perfect sandal. Let me explain them to you. They are a flat, but have like a fourth of an inch of a heel. So you get like the tiniest little lift, which I always love. I don't really love being in flats that are flat to the ground. I feel like one, it kills my back, but two, I feel like they just get a lot of wear and tear when they're like perfectly flat.

4:57So I love something with like a baby heel, fourth of an inch and they're leather. And then they're a thong sandal and the thong is like a thicker leather. So they're extremely comfortable and durable. One thing I have a hard time with, with sandals is like, if they're too flimsy, I'm fine. They're going to break or they're going to give me the worst blisters of all time. So I will always tell you guys to look for thong sandals that have a thicker leather strap So that you can wear them for a really long time. I have worn these shoes Everywhere i've worn them around walking around new york city Don't come for me by the way about the open toes in new york.

5:33Sometimes you just you do it you get home you shower That's life. I feel like a lot of people are screaming right now But like sometimes I like a sandal in new york. You got to do what you got to do I feel like i'm I now need to ask for your guys's forgiveness because I know that a lot of people find that extremely controversial, but I don't know. I like my sandals in the summer. So I have been on the hunt for something similar that feels and look the same. I did get a pair the other day from by far and they're so great. They do have a heel on them though. So they're not going to be like your traditional flat, but they make them in a flat version.

6:05I just haven't tried the flat version. I've tried the heel version, but if they're the same, like I think they are, I think they're going to be great. What I love about them is the base of the sandal is like padded. So it feels kind of like walking on pillows, which I love. Thick strap, little heel. Those are really nice. Also, I should mention everything that I talk about in this episode is going to be linked on my Shop My. So if you are wondering which ones I'm talking about right now, if you're watching on YouTube, they're going to pop up on the screen. But if you are listening, you can go to my Shop My.

6:34Everything is there perfectly listed for you guys. And yes, YouTubers, I heard the complaints about no photos. We fixed it. Pictures. Great. So I would look at those by far ones. I think they're great. I know the heels are about$3.50 and I think they're on sale right now. So I would get those while you can. I also saw Reformation has a similar thick strap sandal. I will say that they're flat to the ground. So if you do like that, those are available for you. Another shoe that I really, really like is the LeMond Barrow micro wedge. They're like, again, that like fourth of an inch heel, a tiny wedge.

7:07I wore them all last summer and I think that they're really, really nice. I have the croc brown ones and I really want to get the like simple leather ones. I will say the croc leather like can blister a little bit here and there. They're always going to blister. But so I would go for any of the like non-croc styles because they're a bit of a softer leather. And then of course, if you're going on vacation, bring your Javianas because no one needs to be on the beach in like a nice leather sandal, bring a Javiana. I always bring my black and white ones. And a lot of the times I end up wearing them out at night and loving them.

7:39I think that they're classic. I know that they came back in like full force in the last two summers, but I just think if you're going on a beach vacation, there's no better shoe than a Javiana. I also will say I have loved seeing them styled on like everyday outfits. Like I feel like I've seen them styled with like jeans and kind of an oversized tee and it's really cute. I wouldn't be afraid to try that this summer because I do feel like it's on trend and a bit more socially acceptable than it ever has been. So wear your Javianas, especially like the black clean ones. The ones that I have don't even have like the Javiana logo on them or like on the side.

8:13They're just like a clean pair of black ones and I wear those all the time. I also do know that this is a West Coast syndrome. I know that not everyone in New York is leaning into a Javiana and that's fine. We're still talking about vacation staples. Okay, my next one is a linen pant. I think everybody needs a good linen pant when you're going on vacation. I love the Enzacosta Everywhere twill pant. It's a bit of a splurge. They're around like$320,$350, but I will say they're very high quality, really well made, and I've worn them on the beach, on the plane. You'll get more use out of them than just wearing them to the beach.

8:47But I also have a pair of drawstring linen pants from Aritzia that are so great. Linen for me is tough because obviously it's like the quintessential like vacation fabric, but it wrinkles really easily. So I would be really careful as you're packing them, how you're packing them. Make sure you're not just throwing them in your suitcase. Sometimes I'll wrap them with like tissue. I'll pack them with like tissue paper to try to alleviate a little bit of those wrinkles and like pleats. But I will say it's just kind of name of the game. You can't really avoid it. I've brought steamers. I've seen them.

9:20And then you like go out and sit down and all of a sudden you're wrinkly again. So I feel like you just kind of have to lean into it. It's part of the style. It's part of the aesthetic. I will say if you really, really hate the wrinkles, go for a black pair instead. You'll see them a little bit less. That's also why I prefer the Twill and Zacosta ones because they look like linen, but they don't wrinkle like linen. Pro tip. So everyone needs a good pair of linen pants because you can like wear them up or down. You know what I mean? Like I wear mine with my swimsuit on the beach, but then at nighttime I can wear them out with like a really cute top and a little like micro heel and you'll get so much versatility out of it.

9:54My dream packing wardrobe for vacation is like five items that I get multi-use out of, right? It's like, I want the like cute skirt that I can wear as a cover-up, but then at night with like a tank top and heels when I go out. I want the linen pants that like work with a bathing suit, but then also with a cute top. So try to find those pieces that you get a lot of use out of. So we've done a black sandal, linen pants. Next up, obviously great swimwear. I can give you my recommendations for what I like, but I think swimwear is really all about fit and it's really personal to your body type. I love Monday swimwear.

10:26They literally have something for every body type. The girls have absolutely killed that. And I love, love, love that that's part of their mission. They've actually been on the podcast before. So if you want to hear more about their story, that episode was like, I think it was January, 2025. So go find it in the feed, but I love their swimwear. There's one that I love that has like an adjustable strap on the pants, on the bottoms. I think it's the Bahama. I'm not sure, but they make it in black and white. And I, that's like really my tried and true. I wear those all the time. And I love just like that.

11:00I like that like adjustable strap situation. I'm not someone who likes a bathing suit that like has a lot of strings. It's just like, I'm not fussy like that. Like I don't like having to like manage the strings and tie them. And I just like, it doesn't look clean to me. So I prefer something that just has like a simple band across the waist and like looks really clean. When you, if you listen to these solo episodes, you guys probably think I'm so like OCD about clothes, but I really am. Like I'm, I pay attention to like how things lay and like all the accoutrements to an outfit. And just for me, strings drive me nuts.

11:32Okay. After swimwear, a great beach bag, of course, believe it or not, I actually get a lot of my beach bags from Amazon because they get dirty, they get sandy. And I just find that like anytime I've invested in a really good beach bag, it's gotten messed up. So I get a lot of my like classic raffia ones from Amazon because I know that they're gonna get a lot of use and wear and tear. I will say if you're looking for one that you can wear like from the beach to maybe a dinner, ALC makes such great raffia bags. They have a smaller version if you're someone who like doesn't wanna bring a lot of stuff, But then they also have like a shoulder origami tote that is so amazing.

12:11I just got it in black and I actually can't wait to wear it all summer. And I think like the most important thing that you should look for in a beach bag is that it folds down. Like I hate bringing these like, you know, oversized beach bags that like take up so much room and they're really hard to fit. You really want something that like you can like fit at the bottom of your suitcase and it just doesn't take up any space. Also, a lot of the times pro tip, wear your beach bag on the plane. Have it be like the bag that you're taking with you on like as a carry-on because you'll just save so much space.

12:39And then I think after that, for me, summer dressing really comes down to accessories. I feel like it's really the only time of the year that I really lean into my accessories. If you guys know me and follow me for a while, you know that I don't really wear a ton of jewelry. I have the same things on every day. I have like a little diamond stud. I've got like my watch on, my engagement ring, but I'm not someone who usually has a lot of jewelry on. It's just, again, I think it goes back to like the fussiness. I don't like having to fix things or, you know, take off a bunch of necklaces if I'm getting the shower or something like that.

13:10I just feel like for me, it's just doesn't really resonate with me, but I feel like in the summer, that's the time where I want a little bit more of that like fun ethos to what I'm wearing. So like, I do want to wear like a fun necklace with like, you know, maybe some shells or some gemstones. I want to wear more of a dangly earring and I want to wear a fun like sunglass. So I think finding your accessories that really like make it feel like summer for you, whether that's an inklet or a great necklace or a different lighter pair of sunglasses, like I think those are the things that become crucial to like your vacation wardrobe.

13:51Okay, so those are my things. Great sandal, great swimwear, a beach bag, linen pants, accessories. I think literally if you have those five things and like a couple of great tanks, tees, tops, you have like the quintessential capsule vacation wardrobe. Okay, moving on. What are some of your go-to brands for summer? This is a great question because I actually do think that there are certain brands that thrive in the summer that I'm not looking at the rest of the year. So Doan, I feel like everybody loves Doan. Doan, I feel like literally is the mascot of summer dressing. I will say it's a little bit on the pricier side.

14:26So I do have some other options that aren't as, but anytime I've gotten something from Doan, I will say, I feel like the quality has been really good and it's lasted me multiple summers. Massimo Dutti. To me, Massimo Dutti is like a better, more stylized version of like Zara H &M, that category. I really love Massimo Dutti. I feel like they have such great things. And in the summer, they make such great summer dresses, summer skirts. Like I usually am like doing a big buy from them and wearing it all summer because they just make such great pieces. St. Agni, I feel like is great for summer. I actually saw a great like drape dress there the other day that I think I'm going to get.

15:01They have such beautiful pieces. Stodd, Cedrez, With Jean, Ciao Lucia, and Lioness. I feel like those are all great brands, different price points that you guys should be looking at for amazing summer attire, great for vacations, a little bit of everything. I feel like if you wanted like a good printed dress or a summer, like your like perfect little black dress for summer, those brands are really going to have it. Okay. What's the shoe of the summer? It's so interesting because I do feel like this summer, I'm not seeing as many quote unquote big trends than like what we've seen in the past, right?

15:41Like I feel like Javionas were huge last summer. I feel like jelly sandals were huge last summer. I feel like the Mew Mew cowboy hat was huge one summer. There's always kind of these like trending items that I see pop up in the summer. And right now I'm not seeing that. Maybe we'll start to see it a little bit more. But also I will say that I think we've had a little really long winter and people haven't been able to dive into their summer spring clothes even yet. So maybe we'll start to see more. And usually there is a dominant shoe. And I will say, I feel like there's not one right now. So I'm just going to tell you guys what I'm really gravitating towards and what I think we're going to see more of.

16:20A lot of you have asked me about jelly flats. Let's talk about jelly flats. I personally don't love them. I don't love them for a few reasons. One, I will literally always get a blister when I wear a jelly flat. Like, am I doing it wrong? Do I just like, maybe I'm really blister prone, but they're just not for me. The other thing with a jelly flat that I personally can't get behind is that you are literally paying for plastic shoes. Like even the row ones were breaking on people that summer when they came out. The woven red ones were snapping because at the end of the day, plastic is plastic. Whether you're spending$1 ,000 on them or$10 on them, it's going to break.

16:57So I'm just not a big proponent of investing or putting your money towards plastic shoes like that. So I'm not really a fan of jelly flats. And I kind of feel the same way about a lot of the fisherman sandals that I'm seeing out in the world right now. For me personally, they just cut into my foot. I also feel like they're very antithetical to where I'm seeing a lot of fashion right now. They're the like, they remind me of like the chunky Prada shoe era where we were all wearing like big dad sandals with a lot of straps and like chunkier leathers. And for me, that's just not where my closet is at right now.

17:30I want all of my shoes to be very minimal, very supportive, very comfortable, and kind of just like facilitate what else is going on in the rest of the outfit. So those two, I'm not the biggest fan of, but you guys know, I always say, if you love it, wear it. Doesn't matter what I think about it. Those are just my takes on them for my personal wardrobe. What I am seeing a lot of, which I actually think is really fun, is I'm seeing a lot of embellished sandals this summer. And I know that's probably a little antithetical to what I just said in terms of like simpler, more paired back shoes, but they're embellished in a way that is simple and very chic and like refined.

18:07They're not like loud and big and feathers and like dangling things everywhere. Like I'm loving seeing sandals, like a thong heeled sandal, for example, that has like embellishments on the wraps or, you know, the other day I saw a beautiful pair of like crock or like, I think it was like snake skin wrap, like a snake skin wrap sandal. And they're not, they're loud in theory, but they're not. They kind of blend into the outfit because they feel neutral. So the other day I was on Instagram and I saw these like really cute kind of kitten heels that had like pink sequins on them. And I was like, you know what?

18:40That would be really fun in the summer with like a pair of blue jeans and a white tee. So I feel like we're going to see a lot more of those kind of like effortlessly fun statement shoes. Not ones again that are like crazy loud that like, you know, have like a tons of bells and whistles, but things that just kind of feel like you'd wear them to the beach, but you're going to wear them in real life. I can see myself getting some like embellished heels and for a vacation I have coming up and having that be really fun. But I also think in the summer, I love a red heel, like a red little like kitten heel, even with like black trousers and a white tee, I think is a really easy way to make a normal outfit feel a bit more summery.

19:20I feel like incorporating that color is always great. I love it with like a little black dress. I love it with a white dress. I think a little red heel is just the perfect way to make something feel a bit lighter and a bit more fun for a new season. The hottest debate topic that I get hit with every summer is if we're still wearing jean shorts or not. I just feel like I stopped wearing them. Like I was never reaching for them. One, I feel like they just don't really look elevated on a day-to-day basis. But also, is it just me or are jean shorts really uncomfortable? By the time I get home and I'm taking them off, I'm like thrilled to be taking them off.

19:50But they are kind of synonymous with summer. Let's be real. Wearing shorts in the summer is totally unavoidable, but there's just tiny little upgrades that you can do to make it look a little bit more elevated and effortless. One, I would always look for like a little bit of a longer pair of shorts. And I also, I really love a Bermuda short. They're fun to style. You can wear them a lot of different ways. I'm 5 '4", and I feel like Bermuda shorts, like let's be real, if you're tall, you look the best in them. But there are a few things that you can do to really kind of keep them long and make the proportions sit right, I will always wear a belt with mine because I feel like it gives great shape.

20:24And then I'll also always wear like a tiny micro heel because I feel like it kind of still gives you that like illusion of length. If you are someone who wants a shorter short, I would stay away from denim. Hot take. I would. I would stay away from short jean shorts. I personally would go for maybe like a cotton black or beige pair, even something with a pleat in the front that looks a little bit more tailored and a little bit more elevated. I have a pair from Aritzia that I really love and I love to pull them out in the springtime. I'll wear it with a belt, a white tank and a trench coat and feel so put together but still feel like I'm in shorts.

20:58One of my favorite ways to elevate anything even in the summer is to throw a sweater over my shoulders. I just feel like anytime you can add in a layer it adds so much depth and dimension and interest to your outfit. Also if you are going for denim shorts I would always go for a darker wash. I feel like a darker wash instantly elevates everything. Those richer tones just kind of make everything look nicer. If you're looking for great jeans, I like to say like look for ones that have been lived in literally. Like it's why we all love vintage jeans. The fit, the feeling, like you can't really beat a secondhand pair of jeans.

21:31There is a reason why the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants jeans worked so well. Like it's because they were passed around and they were lived in pants. I get a lot of my jeans and shorts from Depop because honestly, I find the best deals on there. The other day, I found a pair of like$37 redones and you're just not really going to beat that when it comes to denim. I also love that like I can message the seller and be like, hey, how does this fit here? Can you send me more pictures? So it is a really personal experience. And I also feel like it's just been a great way to like meet other fashion lovers along the way.

22:01If you haven't tried Depop yet, highly recommend it. Whether it's for buying or selling, if there are things in your wardrobe that you are no longer loving, you can literally list it on Depop in minutes. They have this AI feature that does everything for you. We're talking item descriptions, smart pricing, the whole nine yards. And I also just really love the idea of like knowing that like if I don't love something anymore, it's gonna find a good home. Also, there are no seller fees on Depop, which is huge, which means you get more money directly in your pocket. We love that. So I highly recommend downloading Depop.

22:30You guys are gonna love it. It's so easy, fast to use, and a great way to keep your closet full of things that you love. Okay, moving on. This is such a hot question every year and I totally get it because I'm someone who's always cold. So I'm here to help. What should I wear to the office for when it's really hot out but freezing inside? Is this not the universal summer question? I feel like everybody has this issue, especially in New York City where it's like literally an oven outside and then you walk into the office and it's frigid. Like why? I need to understand why offices put it to like 65 in the summer.

23:04I feel like it just wants us all to get sick. Like, I hate it. We need to abolish this. What temperature should an office be? Like 70? Should an office be 70? I don't know. Let me know what you guys think. Sound off in the comments on this one. But I don't need the office to be 69 when it's a thousand degrees outside. I just feel like that's not healthy. Like, it's not good for us. Anyways, okay. My soul for this is the perfect little cardigan. Every year I say this, You just need to get the perfect office cardigan. And you can leave one at the office so that you never have to think about this.

23:36Or you can bring it with you every day. But I love a cardigan that's so light and thin that you can, one, throw it in your work tote or even, like, tie it around your waist or tie it around your work tote. And it's just a thing that you bring with you all the time. Now, I'm really picky about a cardigan because I feel like, one, I actually don't have that many because of this. I don't love like an oversized cardigan that just swallows you whole and like gives you no body or shape. I really, really like ones that are a bit more form-fitting. I even like the ones that are like ribbed around the waist.

24:10I like when they're a bit more of a higher neck. Like I don't really love a scoop neck. I love when there's like a little bit of a cinch at the waist. So I'm very particular about the right cardigan because, again, like you can show up to the office in a really cute outfit, but if you put on this like boxy cardigan that does nothing for your outfit, one, it ruins your office outfit, but two, it's probably going to not look that great when you're going into meetings or meeting with other people and you still want to look professional. So I have a few that I really like. I love the Joe's Jeans Danny cardigan.

24:42It's not oversized. It is a little bit more of a boxy fit. So if you don't want something super form-fitting, that should be your go-to. I have it in gray and black and wear it all the time. It's just kind of the perfect cardigan. But I also really like the perfect cardigan from J.Crew. It's literally called the perfect cardigan for that reason. I think it comes in a lot of really amazing colors. Like there's one that's like cerulean blue right now. And I feel like that is such a great layering piece for just, you know, simple office outfit, throw on a color. And also NADAM, N-A-D-A-A-M, makes great knitwear.

25:13And I think they make a cardigan that is like so perfect form-fitting and with like really pretty buttons. That's another thing to really pay attention to. Make sure that the buttons look elevated. I've found ones that like look plasticky and they look like they're about to fall off. And I think that can really ruin a whole outfit. So you really want to find ones that, you know, maybe the buttons are tortoise or maybe they have a little bit of shine to them. I think that can really keep an office outfit still looking interesting and elevated. And then if you don't want a cardigan, I also really like a like long sleeve thin V-neck.

25:45I love the ones from Koss. You guys know I love Koss. I feel like I'm always recommending Koss. But then Wrangly, Morgan Stewart's brand, also makes a really beautiful like deep v-neck, super thin, almost like a t-shirt, but not a t-shirt. And that I feel like is so easy to throw on over anything you're wearing at work. I highly recommend getting one and just leaving it at the office so you're not schlepping it, keeping it on your chair so that you can just anytime the air is at 60, whatever it is that they put it at, you can stay warm. I'm personally someone who like throws it in my bag because like, you know, the second I get anywhere, it's not just the office that's cold.

26:17Like it's the Starbucks that's cold. It's the restaurants that are cold. So like in the summer, I always have a little sweater with me just in case. Okay, last but not least, what is the color of the summer? I feel like this has been the year of blues and for so many reasons. I mean, one, I think the Devil Wears Prada really brought back the like cerulean blue monologue into the picture. We've seen it everywhere. J.Crew did their own custom cerulean blue. I think of what Hailey Bieber wore to the Met Gala. That beautiful Saint Laurent blue was like incredible. And then I also feel like we've seen blue a lot in beauty.

26:48Like Charlie XCX was on the cover of British Vogue, I think, and had this like crazy blue eyeshadow. Zendaya on the cover of Brazilian Vogue also had blue eyeshadow. So I feel like we're seeing a lot of like mermaid blue right now. I'm loving like an aquamarine, like turquoise blue. I feel like that is so pretty for summer and something I could just see myself in like a beautiful dress, a beautiful skirt. I will say I felt the same way about this color last summer. Like I felt like that blue was really coming back into the fold again. So I just think summer is the time for blues. Like bring out all the blues for sure.

27:22I also will say for me, like my official summer color that makes me feel like it's like a warmer season outside is butter yellow. Like kind of what I'm wearing now, except it looks a little green on camera, but it's not. It's actually like a light yellow. I have like a butter yellow sweater that I've been wearing nonstop. To me, it's like the official summer color. The second I put it on with like white jeans or like my blue jeans or a little skirt, like I feel like we're officially in warmer weather. Another thing I've been seeing a lot of when it comes to yellow are like primary color button downs.

27:54So I've seen a lot of like bright red, bright blues, bright yellows. Ami Song is one of my favorite people in the world. She has incredible style too. And I feel like she is such a good example of dressing for color. Go on her profile. She just has so many great color combinations and she wears color really well. So if you're looking for ways to incorporate color into your summer style, I highly recommend checking her page out. She's been wearing like beautiful yellow button downs and like great color combos. And I've just been getting a lot of inspiration from her for summer. So yeah, I think it's a lot of like bold colors, reds, blues, those yellows, a lot of primaries that I'm seeing much more of.

28:32Again, this summer, I feel like we've been a little slow on the summer trends. Okay, this was so much fun. I hope it was helpful. Again, summer dressing is a work in progress for me. And I actually, if you guys don't follow me on Instagram, I highly recommend heading over there. A friend of mine who's a stylist and I actually did a little series on this. We tried on a few summer outfits in my closet and put some looks together that we felt were really great for summer that just didn't feel like jeans and a tee. So if you want more inspiration after this episode, I highly recommend heading over there to check it out.

29:04Always love doing these episodes with you guys. Thank you to everybody who submitted questions. I feel like it's such a great way for me to connect with you guys and get to be as helpful as I possibly can. So if you loved today's episode, make sure you head to Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave me a review. And if your question didn't get answered, I will see you next month for another Q &A. Bye, guys.

From the publisher

Summer dressing should be the easiest season, fewer layers, less to think about, but somehow it's the one that trips us up the most. I get more questions about summer style than any other time of year so consider this your Summer style toolkit. 


I'm answering the questions you've been sending in nonstop: the perfect sandal, how to elevate jean shorts, what to wear when it's a million degrees outside but freezing in your office, and the colors and shoes defining this summer.


Shop everything mentioned in this episode: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/5256053


Download the Depop app and list your first item in just a few taps. It’s so easy, and a great way to make money easily with no selling fees. Thank you Depop for making this branded segment possible. Happy shopping!


In this episode, we get into:

  • My five tried-and-true vacation staples (and why I don't include a summer dress)
  • The hunt for the perfect sandal — and why I'm so picky about thong straps and micro heels
  • My controversial take on open-toed shoes in New York City
  • The linen pant debate: how to deal with wrinkles and which pairs are actually worth it
  • Why I get my beach bags from Amazon (and the one ALC bag worth investing in)
  • The summer accessories that completely shift my style for the season
  • My go-to summer brands across every price point — Doen, Massimo Dutti, St. Agnes, Staud, and more
  • The shoe of the summer (spoiler: there isn't one this year, but here's what I'm gravitating toward)
  • My honest take on jelly flats and fisherman sandals
  • Why I'm loving embellished sandals and a red kitten heel right now
  • Are we still wearing jean shorts? My full answer — plus the alternatives I reach for instead
  • How to wear longer shorts and Bermudas when you're not super tall
  • Why I'm buying most of my denim secondhand on Depop right now
  • The perfect office cardigan for surviving freezing summer A/C
  • The color of the summer — and the one shade that officially signals warm weather for me


Let’s Get Dressed

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@livvperez

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Liv Perez 

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