The ongoing pandemic might have put a stop to our holiday plans, but it doesn’t mean we need to let our summer wardrobes suffer.
London-based elegance coach Anna Bey, 34, has revealed the ultimate seven items every classy lady should invest in this season – including a little white dress and colourful blazers.
But the vlogger – who prides herself on teaching people how to date billionaires – insisted women should never wear stilettos in the day, and ditch bikinis for a sophisticated one-piece.
The Swedish founder of the School of Affluence also suggested fashion enthusiasts pair their summer outfits with a wicker beach bag in her latest YouTube clip.
A light blazer for the summer evenings
Anna says her number one must-have is a light blazer to pair with ensembles in the summer evenings.
‘The reason for that is because it gets chilly and we want to have a piece to cover up with that looks elegant and sophisticated and keeps us warm as well,’ she adds, before explaining why a jumper isn’t the done thing.
‘A sweater would be something I wouldn’t advise you to wear because a sweater would dress you down and you will not look very elegant,’ she explains.
‘You will look more casual. So, no to the sweater. But yes to the blazer. Because a blazer will keep you warm yet it looks dressed up and in the evenings and you will not dress down your outfit.
‘I do recommend getting blazers in different colours… but do focus on lighter colours in summer and skip the black blazer. Definitely get a white blazer, maybe a beige or a light pink.’
Another summer necessity for Anna is a white billowing dress. She argues: ‘I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of ladies on Instagram wearing these really cute summer dresses, very romantic.
‘And indeed these types of dresses are actually very feminine, so if your goal is to look more feminine then definitely have these types of romantic dresses.
‘They’re perfect for summer as they are often very light and kind of girly, yet you feel dressed up. So you can easily use it as an all round dress, night and day.’
She adds that it’s ‘totally doable on a budget’, reassuring: ‘You don’t have to spend £600/£700 on this dress to feel that you’re wearing something of high quality.
No daytime stilettos – choose wedges instead
‘Elegant ladies never wear stilettos in the daytime,’ says the elegance coach. ‘You can wear them at night if they go with your outfit but they’re definitely something that should be avoided in the daytime.
‘If we’re going to talk heel sizes, I usually tell women to wear maximum 11 centimetres. Stilettos are usually 12 [and above] which makes it look a little bit too much… a little bit inappropriate.
‘Let’s say you are invited to a luncheon and it’s a dress up event and I would say that maybe arriving in high heels would be a little awkward for that time of the day.
‘That’s why you need to invest in shoes that are not too high in the heel; maybe it’s a wedge. These work well in the daytime but should be avoided at night.
‘Or get shoes that are lower in heel size, something around 7 centimetres as at that height you feel more appropriate and you won’t feel like you’re over-the-top or trying too hard.
‘You will feel more comfortable with yourself and as a result you will feel more confident.’
White linen shirt as a beach cover-up
While Anna doesn’t usually suggest wearing fabrics which crease easily, linen shirts are an exception to the rule.
She says: ‘I saw many ladies on Instagram going for this relaxed look and I thought it was really chic.
‘Invest in a linen shirt. Linen is one of those fabrics that doesn’t come across as cheap looking because it’s a natural fibre.
‘And the beauty with wearing a linen shirt in summer as well is that it’s a cooling material. Yes, it’s a bit little wrinkly, but I think that’s the charm of a linen shirt.’
A beach bag is a must-have accessory
No summer is complete without a beach bag by your side, according to the elegance coach.
‘You need to have a few to alternate between,’ she says, suggesting that wicker-type bags are the best ones to invest in.
‘It’s so comfortable to use and so perfect to just dump all your things inside and you don’t have to really bother if you spill something on the bag.
‘Definitely invest in wicker bags, there are lots of cute ones. Spend less but get more so you can alternate a little bit.’
Invest in a pair of white designer shorts
The elegance coach insists that investing in a pair of designer white shorts is a must this summer, stating: ‘This is definitely going to elevate your appearance.
‘You’re going to look smarter when you wear these types of shorts, and with these ones I would actually really advise you to – if your budget allows you to – get a pair that is of the more high-end designer.
‘If you end up investing in shorts, because it’s a separate item, you can really wear it a lot. People won’t really notice if you wear them four or five times a week during a holiday.
‘Nobody’s going to pay that much attention as long as you alternate your tops. Look at the white shorts as an investment piece. Spend a little bit more so you really get that good tailoring, that good material and that good shape.’
Invest in a pair of white designer shorts
The elegance coach insists that investing in a pair of designer white shorts is a must this summer, stating: ‘This is definitely going to elevate your appearance.
‘You’re going to look smarter when you wear these types of shorts, and with these ones I would actually really advise you to – if your budget allows you to – get a pair that is of the more high-end designer.
‘If you end up investing in shorts, because it’s a separate item, you can really wear it a lot. People won’t really notice if you wear them four or five times a week during a holiday.
‘Nobody’s going to pay that much attention as long as you alternate your tops. Look at the white shorts as an investment piece. Spend a little bit more so you really get that good tailoring, that good material and that good shape.’
Ditch the bikinis and get a swimsuit
‘I definitely think that all elegant ladies should have at least one one-piece bathing suit,’ Anna says.
‘Because sometimes we feel a little bit naked in our bikini. Sometimes we want to cover up a little bit around the pool or on the beach.
‘Let’s say we are on holiday with the in-laws and maybe we don’t want to sit there with our bikini on when your father in-law is kind of looking at you; I don’t know, but sometimes you just want to cover up.
‘And I also think, let’s say you spend a full day at the beach club, and you have a big lunch and you feel a little bit bloated.
‘Then a bathing suit is perfect to cover up that little bloat and tuck things in and make you more streamline. You will definitely look more elegant on the beach.’
Source: dailymail.co.uk
