Summer Essentials with a Twist From Nordstrom

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When most people talk about summer wardrobe essentials, they show you the same old list of plain white tees and chino pants. But to me, a real summer essential is anything that keeps you cool, doesn’t require an iron, and makes you feel alive when it’s ninety degrees outside.

By reader request, I’ve stepped out of my usual neutral comfort zone to share some colorful pieces and patterns that hit all those marks. They have the practical logic you need for the heat, but with a little extra fun built-in.

This Faherty Lucia dress practically jumped into my hand. A throw-on-and-go dress is the ultimate summer essential. The styling is simple, the red is vibrant, and the fabric feels cool to the touch. It’s made from 100% organic cotton with adjustable straps and a smocked bodice for a nice, fitted look. The medium fit me, but I prefer this small, which fits more snugly up under my arms.

I know many ladies like to have some arm coverage, so I tried some options. On the left, I’m wearing this linen blend, Nic + Zoe Bolero cardigan in true red… I have several of their short linen cardigans and find them to be absolute essentials in the summer.

The color match is extraordinary, and they looked like they belonged together. This shape also comes in a silver wisp neutral that would go with everything.

On the right, I styled it with this Halogen Eyelet Embroidery Shirt. I’m seeing a lot of both eyelet and embroidery this season, and was happy to find this one that isn’t over-the-top girly. The structured, boxy shape makes it a perfect piece to pop over things as a third layer, or you could button it closed over a tank top.

This Halogen Pintuck Skirt is a cotton-linen blend with a touch of spandex for comfort. It’s a medium chambray color that looks crisp for summer. The gently flared A-line shape gets some structure from the pintucks, which draw the eye up and down to elongate the look. It comes in regular length, but I was thrilled to find it comes in petite.

I topped it with this pretty Halogen Striped Front-Tie Sleeveless sweater. This is a sweater tank with a “semi-cardigan” permanently styled over the shoulders. I say semi because in the back, you see just the smooth bottom of a cardigan with the sleeves perfectly placed. I love styling a cardigan over my shoulders, but they can get bunchy, and this solves the problem. This also comes in two other color combos.

This Vince Camuto Placed Floral Midi dress is as light and airy as can be! It skims the body with bra-friendly straps and would be as perfect with flip-flops as it would be dressed up for a casual dinner out. The rayon is a breathable fabric that feels cool to the touch, so you know it’s comfy to wear. The brand says it runs large, but I didn’t find that to be the case on me in this petite medium.

Patterned wide leg pants are having a huge moment this summer, and Nordstroms has many pretty options. These Halogen Easy Wide Leg pants spoke to me because they’re a linen/rayon blend with a hidden side zipper, side pockets, and machine-wash, tumble-dry. Who wants to mess with hang-dry and ironing when it’s hot out? Not me. To me, any pants that are machine-washable and dryable are a summer essential.

This Halogen Ruffle Neck Flutter sleeve top is eye-popping in pink peacock. It’s made from airy and cool 100% cotton. The hip length means you can tuck or not, depending on what you’re pairing it with.

Here’s another patterned pant, this time an all-over geometric. These Halogen Relaxed Drawstring Satin pants are a navy print with an elastic waistband and drawstring. Multi-tasking pieces like this are perfect travel essentials, and I think these would also make a great cover-up for the pool.

I tucked in this Caslon Swing Sleeveless top. It has a wider bottom and a slight A-line shape, but I tucked it in to show the waistband. Plus, because the pants are full, I wanted something closer to my body on top. This is a great layering piece made from a cotton blend that comes in eight colors. I tossed this simple Caslon cardigan over my shoulders for some added styling, and you can see how much better it looks when the cardigan is styled into the top like the sleeveless sweater above.

A lightweight third layer is often a welcome summer essential for coverage when the air conditioning feels like a freezer. This Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Gauze Jacket has been on my radar for a few weeks, and if they’d had a petite small in the store, it probably would have come home with me. It’s just structured enough with welt pockets in front and white buttons. I know many people don’t care about the color of the buttons, but these blend in rather than drawing attention.

I paired it with this Caslon Straight Fit Stripe Knit Midi skirt in navy and white. It’s 100% cotton with a decided nautical vibe and a corded drawstring. It has a modest slit in the back for ease of movement and is super comfy to wear. This also comes in tan and white, but I’m partial to the navy.