Summer Playlist Dressing

DJ, play my song

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I can’t believe we’re already at the unofficial start of the summer—this year is FLYING by. Today I’m keeping things footloose and fancy free, in honor of the laid back season that lies ahead of us. And while we still have a solid month to go before summer solstice, MDW let’s us kick things off in earnest, bc it’s never too early to start cracking lobster tails, building sandcastles and turning on those summer tunes.

Which brings me to the vibe today: fashion + music! Music is a big deal in our house; it’s always playing on one of our speakers or TV, in the car, on my phone, etc. My husband and I are both big music fans—his Bermuda upbringing means that he’s especially into the most summery music of all: reggae! His favorites are artists like Steel Pulse, Stick Figure (this song is always on repeat in our house), Buju Banton, and Beres Hammond, to name a few.

Me, on the other hand—I’m a SoCal girl through and through, so my summer playlists tend to consist of No Doubt, Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, HAIM and of course, The Beach Boys.

But generally, we don’t discriminate when it comes to music. If the beat is right, we’ll dance all night. (Well, until 9pm at least…) So to honor the onset of summer, I’m sharing some of my favorite summer playlists with you all today, along with the outfits you might wear while rockin’ out to them. Consider it our very own little Saturday Summer Substack Soirée!

SUMMMMMMMERRRRR IS HERRRREEEEEEE!

DJ…play my song!

YACHT ROCK

ROSANNA, ROSANNA! JACKET // SWIMSUIT // OPEN-KNIT SWEATER // HEADBAND // PARACORD BRACELET // ROPE BAG // JELLY FLIPPIES

She’s a classicist at heart. Summer means clambakes, tanning oil*, Gazebo Mudslides, and the vintage St. Francis Yacht Club windbreaker she borrowed from her dad c. 2007 and never returned. Everyone in her orbit has a nickname like Bitsy or Tripp, there are enough roman numerals floating around the family tree to make introductions mildly confusing, and somewhere in Falmouth, a hotly contested trust from her late great-aunt Mildred is still being litigated.

POOLSIDE DISCO

MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR. SKULL CAP // HEART SUNNIES // BIKINI TOP AND BOTTOM // RING // SEQUIN SKIRT (ALSO SO INTO THESE PANTS*) // METALLIC TOTE BAG // SANDALS

“Pool heels” is a bonafide category in her closet, and she’s not afraid of a little body shimmer—especially if her favorite DJ is playing alongside chilled magnums at Nikki Beach. You can generally catch her on the lounger, reading the latest issue of Cabana in between answering texts from her hairdresser/best friend, who’s flying back from Cannes today. Her social calendar revolves entirely around art fairs, hotel openings, and men named Alessandro.

BOSSA NOVA

Catch her with an orchid tucked behind her ear at all times, a sarong tied around her hips, neck, or back no matter the weather, and a glass of Vinho Verde permanently enclasped in her ring-adorned hand. She romanticizes grilled fish, slub linen tablecloths, and post-dinner ciggies, refuses any reservation before 10pm, and treats La Huella less like a restaurant and more like a spiritual institution. At least one of her exes owns a small boutique hotel in Trancoso, which is exactly why they’re still on excellent terms.

MAS QUE NADA. HAT // SUNNIES // ONE-PIECE // WOOD CUFF // PANTS // PALM RAFFIA BAG // GREEN SANDALS

IBIZA LOUNGE

WHEN THE SUN COMES DOWN. SWIMSUIT // EARRINGS // HAIR BARRETTE // PAREO // CROCHET BAG // SANDALS

Insouciant is her middle name, despite currently being on Interpol’s radar as a “person of interest.” She’s been coasting through life on a vaguely French-Canadian-Swiss-Germanic accent ever since running away from boarding school at 17, and cycles through her five passports the way most people cycle through their summer tote bags*. Nobody’s entirely sure where she actually lives, only that she arrived by boat and will probably leave the same way.

SURF ROCK

I’M PICKING UP GOOD VIBRATIONS. HAT KIT* // TEE // BEADED NECKLACE // BIKINI BOTTOMS // CROCHET TOTE // SHELL ANKLET // RAINBOWS

She’s been wearing the same pair of Rainbows since she was 16—she doesn’t care if Gen Z is trying to co-opt them as ‘new’. Half her wardrobe smells faintly of sunscreen* and saltwater, and she’s spent a small fortune on Junior Lifeguards for the kids this summer—though it does free up time for Lagree classes, drop-ins at A’maree’s, and the occasional swim in the ocean. If only Andy Cohen would stop calling her…

ISLAND VIBES REGGAE

EVERY LITTLE THING GONNA BE ALRIGHT. CROCHET DRESS // ORCHID HAIR PIN // BIKINI TOP // BIKINI BOTTOM // EARRINGS // CROCHET BAG W/TASSELS (ALSO DYING FOR THIS*) // RAFFIA SANDALS

She’s an island girl born-and-bred, even if she spends her days in the big city now. Her ideal day includes a Corona Light (bottle only, please), pink sand, and enough tropical fruit to sustain a small army. While these days she spends more time in heels than she does in flip flops, she still firmly believes the best nights involve a beach bar, good music, and at least one dangerously strong Dark & Stormy.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Here’s wishing you a summer full of excellent music, unforgettable outfits, late dinners, strong drinks, sunkissed skin, and stories that probably shouldn’t be shared in writing.

Thank you for reading—until next week! xx

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AFN discount codes for brands linked above: AtPresent (SOGOLE20) // Ariel Gordon (SOGOLE10)

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*Occasionally brands send me gifts or incentivize sharing links for a nominal fee. I will always note these with an asterisk, but I would also never feature anything I don’t love and wear on the regular.