9 Basic Outfits Our Editors Wear Every Summer

We all have our go-to outfits for every season. For me, they’re usually quite similar but with seasonal updates, such as trading in my jeans for jean shorts and putting my black boots aside in favor of black sandals. For others, the switch from a go-to winter look to an everyday summer outfit is a bit more drastic, but nonetheless, the final product is the same: a combo you can fall back on every time you think you have nothing to wear.

The great thing about this is that while we might not all have the same ’fits to fall back on, we can share them and, in essence, expand on our options. That’s why I (selfishly) tapped my fellow editors to get the deets on the easy combinations they wear on repeat every summer, and as usual, they delivered. To see, read about, and shop all nine of our looks for the months (and years) ahead, just keep scrolling.

Nicole Eshaghpour, Senior Market Editor

T-shirts, denim, and black shoes are my go-tos year-round, and in summer, that combo usually manifests in the more specific combo of a white tee, denim shorts, and black sandals with a low heel. It works every time, and I have an arsenal of those basics to re-create it over and over again.

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Anna LaPlaca, Associate Editor

"My go-to outfit, especially in the summer, is a tank with trousers. Right now, I'm filling my closet with long, languid trousers and marrying them with a simple ribbed tank top (a wardrobe basic I think you can never have enough of). It's simple but still elevated and, most importantly, easy to pull off."

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Erin Fitzpatrick, Senior News Editor

"Breezy dresses and flat sandals are all I want to wear during the summer. It's the perfect throw-on-and-go outfit that's not constricting and is super comfortable. I especially love midi dresses because they're easier to sit down in than minis."

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Kristen Nichols, Managing Editor

"Strappy flats are the summer shoes I wear with just about everything, whether I'm pairing them with linen pants or a flowy dress."

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Allyson Payer, Senior Editor

"My everyday uniform during the summer has always been shorts, a cute top, and sneakers or sandals. But while I used to be all about the short denim cutoffs, I've traded those for longer shorts and pleated ones."

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Bobby Schuessler, Senior Market Editor

"I pretty much wear a tee and either shorts or trousers in the summer. The trick for me is opting for those next-level basics that have a little something extra, like this T-shirt featuring unique hardware or the pants with attached suspenders." 

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Kat Collings, Editor in Chief

"A top or tank (usually cropped) paired with a breezy midi skirt is a summer outfit that never fails me. I've been wearing the combo for years and don't plan on stopping since it's comfortable and will never go out of style."

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Judith Jones, Market Editor

I love wearing effortless and comfortable linen jumpsuits in summer—a chic and easy option to take me from morning till night with zero effort required. I usually style them with slides or espadrilles and a healthy dose of summery accessories.

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Lauren Eggertsen, Senior Fashion Editor

"I love wearing tube tops in the summertime. They are so fun to style and can be worn both casually with sweatshorts while at home and with more formal counterparts like tailored trousers or silk slip skirts when the time is right."

Next: I'm 5'2", and these are my favorite swimsuits right now.