Fresh Summer Style

When I think of summer styling, I think of bold, bright, fun, neon colors! I also think of eyelet, fruity and abstract patterns! In Illinois, we spend so much of the time in colder temps causing us to wear darker shades. Therefore; I’m excited to start wearing all the bright and fun kitschy prints and patterns! What do you think of when you think about summer styling?

Fruity Prints

When I found out that this was going to be our theme for June, I knew that I had lots of bold and bright colors along with some fun summer prints/patterns. When looking for what was currently trending or available, I came across this cute fruity camisole! I love the bright colors, assortment of fruits, adjustable straps and peplum. I initially wore this look to work so I added my half tee underneath allowing me to wear my bra with straps and have more coverage on top plus I added my pink denim jacket. (To read a previous blog post on the Half Tee Layering Solution, click HERE). I thought it would be fun to pattern mix the fruit with the polka dots. Added my lemon earrings and necklace and voila, feel’in fruity and summer ready!

In hind sight, seeing these pictures causes me to think that I shouldn’t have paired the fruit print with the polka dots. I think it looked better in real life than it does here. The proportion of the polka dots to the fruit feels disproportionate. It would have looked better if the polka dots were smaller and the fruit pattern was larger….larger on the top and smaller on the bottom would have been more visually appealing! I wanted to still include these pictures so that I could share my learning with you and recommendations on how to create a more proportionate look in case you’re interested in mixing prints. What are you thoughts?

Early last week, I had a doctor’s appointment and errands to run. I decided to pair the same camisole with my Chico’s white tank, yellow shorts and white denim jacket. I wore my natural wedges and my round wicker purse. My lemon accessories rounded out the look.

I received many compliments when I was out and about on this particular day! However, one of them saddened me and I wanted to share with you why. A woman complimented me and said that I looked so cute and so young. I prompted her that I really wasn’t that young. She replied that I was much younger than her but with a mask on it can be hard to tell. She added that when she was younger she dressed much cuter. That has always been the premise behind Fashion Trends and Friends. No matter your age or your size you can always dress cute, be cute and trendy if that’s important to you. I could feel the sadness in her comments to me. My plan is to NEVER decide that I’m too old to dress cute! I hope you do the same! Call me if you need a pep talk!

Lemon Print

Last year, I did a whole blog post on the lemon print trend. I’ve noticed quit a bit of it again this year so pull out all your lemon print and style it up! To read the previous blog post, click HERE.

Pineapples and Bananas

Thought I would share a couple of other fruit inspired looks from years gone by that I would still pull out and wear again this summer! The pineapple cold shoulder dress/tunic is super comfy and very colorful! I’ve had it and the pineapple bag for several years. It’s easy to dress up or down or even as a swimsuit cover up.

This banana print top was purchased several years ago as well. I love that the banana leaf print is currently trending so this is a great fit for this summer! Is anyone having a Carmen Miranda moment?

If fruity prints are too much for you, you can easily consider adding an accessory such as jewelry, a fruity purse or even a hair accessory!

SHOP SUMMER PRINTS

Fresh Summer Styles of My Fellow Lifestyle and Fashion Blogging Friends from Around the World

Amy – Amy’s Creative Pursuits – Love fruit prints but you don’t want to look like a piece of  fruit?  Here’s  how to incorporate the fun fruit print trend into a neutral outfit.

Andy – Pearls and Pantsuits – I love the retro feel of this fruit print tiered shirt-dress. I was looking for a simple tiered dress on Amazon, when this one caught my eye. I couldn’t resist its charm! I styled it with my red gingham print sandals that have been on repeat this summer.The fruit print and gingham combo makes me happy!

Shelbee – Shelbee on the Edge – I bought this bright orange blazer a few months ago but had trouble styling it until I found this adorable fruity printed swimsuit. And I figured why not style a blazer over my swimsuit. It’s not like I follow fashion rules anyway! 

Lucy – Lucy Bertoldi.com   This month’s collaboration got me digging into my wardrobe for something fresh and delish to style up.  Found this fun lime maxi decorated with cherries- how sweet!  Lime green is already a favourite with me- especially for summer- and with the added fun red-cherry print, well that’s enough to get me smiling😊  Fresh, quench-thirsting look for this hot Montreal summer- I’m ready!

Nancy –  Nancy’s Fashion Style – “I am feeling like a basket of fruit or a box full of fruit sweets, lol, in this outfit! Oranges, strawberries and raspberries! Love that color combination! I have ombre nails at the moment with red and orange. You can take a look at last Tuesday’s post for that!”

Suzanne – Ask Suzanne Bell – “I love the vibrant pattern and color of this bold wrap skirt; it feels so optimistic, fresh, and cheerful. Bold prints can be a bit intimidating to style, so I say keep it simple, with neutral pieces; like this black ruffle top, raffia bag, and hat. From there, allow the print piece, to be the star of the show!”

Nicole – High Latitude Style – “In interior Alaska, summer temperatures remain pleasant in the drought season except when it rains. The record is 100F in Ft. Yukon, but we already think 85F is too hot. In the monsoon season, it feels unpleasant due to the high humidity and temperatures in the 50F or so. Thus, in early summer, it’s shorts and tank tops with flip flops, in late summer, it’s rain gear and layering. Since the Sun is in the sky 24/7, sun protective clothes are my go-to.”

Ada – Elegance and Mommyhood – “Fruity Floral Flounce!!! That’s what I am calling this outfit. Between the florals and paisley design of my ruffled skirt and those bright orange sandals I got the citrus fruity vibes and all the Summery florals going!”

Michele – On Instagram as Seechele_styles – “Feeling fruity in my Target dress with lemon and limes and oranges on it.”

Emma – The Style Splash – “I bought this Fabienne Chapot striped cherry print dress on eBay. I’m a big fan of the Dutch brand and their quirky prints. A shirt dress is summer staple for me as they’re cool and easy to wear.”

Nina – Sharing a Journey – “We are definitely out and about these days.  My bright colors mirror my optimism for the sunny summer days ahead.”

Let’s Chat

Hopefully you’ve gotten some inspiration for adding some fruity fun, bold summer colors to your wardrobe! Or simply add some fun fruity accessories! A friendly reminder to always have fun and wear all the things that you love, brings you joy and happiness! Did you have a favorite fresh summer look? Leave us a comment! We love to hear from you!

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This post contains affiliate links, meaning when you click on an item or purchase an item, I may receive a very small commission for the click or purchase. These picks are NOT sponsored, are selected solely by me, and opinions are entirely my own.

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