Summer is here with the raging heat and extra bright sunshine. Hot weather calls for sandals, and your friends at My Melrose and Melrose Family Fashions have picked different fashionistas, their subculture tastes, and their summer activities. We have eight selections below for more details and styling recommendations, from flats to block heels.
Summer is for Maximalism
With sunshine and warmth comes the call for colorful looks for the season. One of the best fashion subcultures to grab inspiration from for this is maximalism. Maximalist fashion is all about bright colors, bold patterns, oversized accessories, and attention-directing designs. Color balancing in maximalism is a loose idea; on the one hand, you can style a look with a pop of color, or you'll have a mix and match of prints with more than one set of complementary or contrasting colors. Successful examples of maximalist fashion are twins Ami and Aya Suzuki, known as Amiaya and Sara Camposarcone, stylist, designer, and maximalist content creator on Tik Tok showcases her over-the-top looks while educating followers on how to remain maximalist while keeping sustainability in mind. Pro-tip for sustainability with maximalist fashion; use what you already have.
To incorporate maximalist fashion into your wardrobe, learning how to wear it casually, to work, and to a formal event are good ways to start organizing your ideas. Maximalism is about personality; for example, a casual maximalist look can be as simple as having a primary color and combining colors that go with it. Check out this pin for a presentation of an excellent maximalist casual look by @taliakaljian. Look at the first slide of @anerijamhp's video for work and Dona Matoshi for a formal maximalist look.
Take our lavender "Weeboo" Two Buckle Pearl Embellished Sawtooth Sole Slide Sandals, for example; complimentary colors to this are pastel blue, navy, purple, olive green, black, turquoise, white, pink, and more. With some of these colors in mind, you can find wild prints with big silhouettes like oversized sleeves, wide-leg pants, and a mix of textures to create your maximalist look. Your local Melrose store has a wide variety of colorful clothing; explore double-split complementary colors like #E829F0, #F0C535, #62F005, and #112CF0.
Keep Cool with Minimalist Flat Sandals
The simple and sustainable minimalist is the opposite of the extravagant and bold maximalist. Minimalism collects a smaller selection of colors, a neutral palette, if you will. However, you don't have to eliminate color outside the neutral palette; you must create a monochromatic and tonal outfit, like pairing a bolder color with a muted version. Essential pieces of durable and higher quality like t-shirts, button-down blouses, wide-leg denim jeans, trousers, and solid neutral-colored shoes are perfect to start a capsule wardrobe.
When looking for a minimalist look at Melrose, start with our "Top Guy" Satin Bow Slide Sandals or our "Legend" 4" Faux Fur Stiletto Mule Heels and combine pieces like our "Cotton" 13" Tank Deep Cut Racerback High Neck Wide Hem top with straight leg denim jeans or wide leg khaki colored trousers. This author prefers to pair these sandals with an all-black outfit that features a short sleeve basic tee and wide-leg trousers with a small handbag.
Frolic Outdoors in Cottagecore
Combine romanticism, nature, nostalgia, and vintage/retro elements creating cottagecore. Cottagecore shows the perspective of fantasy come to life; think somewhat like Aurora (referred to as Rose in her peasant dress) from Disney's Sleeping Beauty, the original version. When browsing for cottagecore aesthetics, think of floral prints, earth tones, and soft pastels. Pieces to collect for this wardrobe are typically long, ruffled dresses, lace camis, flowing skirts, and either flat loafers, Mary-Jane heels, or Victorian-inspired boots.
The shoes we chose for a cottagecore closet this summer are our white "Top Moda" 3 ½" Wood Platform Block Heel Faux Leather Straps. These chunky heels aren't necessarily a typical choice for cottagecore; however, the color scheme and wood soles are a fine addition to this budding aesthetic collection. Pay attention to the shade of brown the soles are; with the color being on the darker side, it would be a better choice to work with slightly muted tones of white for a lace cami combined with a monochromatic flowing skirt, a straw hat, and a light cardigan if you so choose.
Start with an Aesthetic Staple; Mule Sandals for Baddies
Remember our snippet of the baddie aesthetic from our blog post about style profiles using accessories? We piggyback off that and further develop the Melrose version of the baddie aesthetic. A few footwear choices stuck out as a pattern when searching for inspiration. Therefore we define them as staples to the wardrobe. The option that stood out as a versatile staple is the mule-heeled sandals. Baddies effortlessly integrate mule heels with oversized shirts and leather pants, fitted tops, wide-leg jeans, and long bodycon dresses.
Be the baddest baddie this summer by adding a little luxe and outshining everyone else (literally) with the "Forever" 3" Clear Acrylic Heel Rhinestone Mule Sandals. For the feminine baddies that love form fitting pieces and body hugging silhouettes, we have our "Legend" 4" Faux Fur Stiletto Mule Heels. Grab one of our selections of the "Ambiance" 38" Sleeveless Crew Neck Keyhole Midi Ruched Dress, or create a simple tube top and straight-leg denim jeans combination that best suits the color palette of our mule heels.
Take it Back to Y2K
The final aesthetic choice for summer goes back in time to the late '90s and early-to-mid 2000s. That's right; we're talking Y2K, where low-rise jeans and chunky platforms were a staple in a girl's closet, and Juicy Couture's Velour Track Sets could be seen on celebrities like JLo and Paris Hilton. Y2K fashion represents not only the beginning of a new millennium but also a movement in fashion inspired by various cultural groups that supported everyone, no matter skin color or body type.
A considerable pop culture influence was the Bratz dolls; however, the social-cultural group that is often swept under the rug is Black culture. Think of artists like Janet Jackson, Destiny's Child, and Blaque. Athletic wear was first introduced to pop culture by the hip-hop music scene, which began the tracksuit craze that most people remember as Juicy Couture's brand, overshadowing Kimora Lee Simmons's clothing brand Baby Phat.
Popular everyday outfit choices included baby tees with either wide-leg jeans, cargo pants, or a double denim look. Some experimented with velour and faux fur textures, creating an ultra-feminine aesthetic. Going-out clothes may have consisted of bright translucent clothing.
Incorporate Y2K fashion for your summer wardrobe, starting with three pairs of shoes: the "Soda" 3 ½" Platform Wedge Heel Faux Leather Sandals, "Soda" 3 ½" Chunky Heel X Strap Sandals, and the "Legend" 4" Block Heel Snake Up Ankle Strap Rhinestone Faux Fur Dress Sandals. Our platform sandals are perfect for the baby tee and comprehensive leg pant combination. For the posh girly girls, our faux fur heeled dress sandals are cute for looks that involve faux fur in the clothing, like a mini silk dress and a sheer cardigan lined with fur to match your shoes.
