You're Invited to a Picnic
Dress Code: Picnic-core!
Welcome! I’m so glad you could join us for today’s fashion picnic. I do hope you didn’t have too much trouble finding the spot? Thank you so much for this lovely bottle of rosé, I’ll just pop it in the cooler. Now come on over, grab a comfy spot on the giant picnic blanket with all our friends, and help yourself to a heaping plateful of summer dressing inspiration!
Even though summer officially started about two weeks ago, I never feel like it’s fully arrived until we hit the 4th of July. The summer spirit seems to really hit its stride right about now, largely thanks to a few extra days off work, ceiling fans in full force, sticky popsicles melting down tiny hands, the smell of chlorine or traces of sand littering about the house, and the plethora of summer cookouts, BBQs, picnics, and clambakes every which way you turn. Yep, we’ve officially entered “high summer.”
And with that comes the thrill — or the absolute relief, depending on how you view it — of barely getting dressed. Bc summer fashion is ultimately about yielding the highest impact (visually and functionally) with the absolute least effort. And while we may desire to look and feel effortless every day of the year — come high summer, ‘effortlessness’ is no longer a style word or goal…it’s a survival skill.
But you still have to get dressed for the various casual parties, gatherings and get-togethers that present themselves during this social season. And there are plenty — from the impromptu poolside BBQ with neighbors to the family cookout at your cousin’s house to the long-awaited beachside clambake hosted by your best friend—these are summer’s salty, sweaty, deliciously fun tentpoles! They carry us from weekend to weekend, stuffing us with burgers (wagyu?) & dogs (organic?), Corona Lights & Diet Cokes, and sorbet & s’mores to sustain us until the next—where we arrive, hostess gift in hand and minor sunburns on our shoulders, ready to do it all over again.
While many of us have our summer dressing strategy in place by now—some in part thanks to
’s brilliant advice on not hating summer dressing, ’s stylish secrets to simplifying it all and ’s inspired ideas on building a summer wardrobe from scratch—it’s these seemingly harmless, casual events that pop up which can send us into the biggest wardrobe tailspins. Give me a summer wedding or charity gala any day — I know just what to wear to these grand affairs! But a BBQ? A pool party? A picnic? Cue the fashion paralysis. And not bc these events are “hard” to dress for — heck, when in doubt: denim shorts, a white tee and a great sandal will always do the trick. But rather, bc these events offer the perfect backdrop against which to present your best “summer self”—a self-imposed level of pressure to nail the look, all while remaining event and weather appropriate in an effortless manner bc again—#summer.
Recently I stumbled upon this photo of Sofia Richie Grainge on IG wearing a black & white gingham shirtdress and matching kerchief…with a caption touting the look as the perfect example of “picnic core” as summer’s hottest new trend. Before you roll your eyes (bc I sure did…!), let me explain why I think this little micro-trend is actually to our benefit: it’s our summer dress code! Take for instance the ease of getting dressed for a summer wedding. You typically rely on the bride’s dress code to imbue the vibe of the event: summer formal, bohemian black tie, garden party chic, etc. This dress code takes so much of the guesswork out, bc the directive is right there, guiding you toward a finite list of options. So, what if we let “picnic-core” do the same for us? An ‘easy button’ for casual summer event dressing sounds good to me?!?
So what are picnic-core’s dress codes? Well besides anything easy, peasy and breezy: gingham (and LOTS of it! If you need more on gingham, , and I have all tackled the topic in depth here, here and here!), seersucker, butter yellow and baguette brown, plaid/madras, linen, rattan/wicker, poplin(!!), food & fruit motifs (which
and nailed here and here this week), lace/broderie anglaise, ribbons & ties, and straw hats, to name a few. You can go as picnic-hardcore as you want, and embrace several of these elements in one go, or you can choose one and hone in on it. Either way — you’re bound to be the best-dressed guest at any event this summer!THE COOKOUT
The name of the game here is EASE and MOVEMENT. A skirt is a no-brainer; it flows with you and provides ventilation as you jump from picnic bench to grill to running after kiddos. Bonus points for a color or print that will generally hide transgressions like a ketchup stain or a brief roll in the grass with littles!
THE CLAMBAKE
Since most beachside clambakes (at least the two I’ve been to in my life) seem to start late afternoon/early evening and go into the night, layers are the way to go—as is the case for any day-to-night summer get-together. I know “New England style” can feel gimmicky to an extent, but I say lean into the preppy-ness and embrace the lobster/anchor/sailboat/nautical kitsch—it’s a clambake, after all!
THE POOL PARTY
Pool parties have a way of going well into the evening — and who can blame us?! Give me a refreshing pool, good music, and great friends on a hot day and I revert back to age 6, begging my mom for “5 more minutes!” before getting out to dry. To that end—an outfit with options that easily transition from day to night is always a good idea.
THE CRAWFISH BOIL
I’ve never been to a crawfish boil (please invite me!), but I imagine it’s just like a clambake, but rowdier? More fun? And of course overflowing with southern hospitality, laughter and tons of yummy seafood. Given the vibe in the South is just a touch more genteel, I vote for a floaty sundress here —preferably one in darker colors or fun prints to also mask the inevitable stains I imagine are truly a rite of passage at any crawfish boil.
THE PICNIC
There’s little else better in life than a proper summer picnic. Back when I lived in NYC, we would regularly flock to Sheep’s Meadow with hampers stocked full of overpriced treats from Dean & Deluca (RIP), wine from the nearby liquor store, and even a deck of cards to pass the time. I truly miss those days! Picnics call for practical clothes at their best—after all, you’re most likely hunkering down criss-cross applesauce on a blanket…so comfortable shorts are a must!
THE BASKET
Any self-respecting picnicker knows the importance of a well-stocked hamper! Here are some goodies to pack into yours next time you’re hitting the park.
THE RECIPES
The best part of any summer event is when friends bring over homemade dishes to share. (I love a good potluck!) So as my hostess gift to you all, please enjoy these delicious recipes from some of our favorite Substack buddies for your upcoming summer events! (You can even print and add to your recipe card collection!)
“Don't let the turkey or the cranberry bread fool you into believing that these are a fall dish, because the basil and the cream cheese of it all makes these a year-round go-to. I've brought these to every type of party, shower, potluck, professional and social event imaginable and I've never seen a single one left behind.”
“All of these items are from Trader Joe’s and I hate to say it, but they taste better than any substitutes! The best part of this dip is that it requires almost nothing from the bringer.”
“I can't take credit for this recipe! It's one I found on The Mediterranean Dish, but when it's positively sweltering and the idea of a full meal feels grim, this is exactly the type of dish you want to have on hand. It's that salty/sweet mash-up that will prompt everyone to ask you for the recipe. It's as easy as preparing the dressing, chopping all the ingredients, and then mixing them together. It will keep for a day or two in the fridge in an airtight container, but I like it best made fresh.”
“If you know me well, you know that ‘chef’ is not a word I'd ever use to describe myself. I'm more of a "throw things in a bowl and hope for the best" kinda gal. That said, there's a family recipe that's been passed down from my mother, from her mother, that will forever be a mainstay for me. Why? IT'S EASY. You literally cannot screw it up. Well, unless you don't toast the almonds. You must toast the almonds, okay? And it's delicious, especially on a summer day. Even my toddler, who notoriously eats a 90% cheese diet, likes it.”
“This is my Mamgu’s (grandmother in Welsh) Welsh cake recipe. Welsh cakes—for anyone who hasn’t had them—are sort of halfway between an English scone and a raisin cookie…but they’re cooked like pancakes! We always had them for picnics growing up.”
“When I started my career, I was an assistant merchant working on graphic message tees, and one of my first ones was, ‘I make great take out.’ Not much has changed in twenty years. I’m the mom who contributes the paper plates and juice boxes to the class picnic. For a grown-up picnic, my go-to contribution is just one small step above bringing the bottled water, but, believe me, it’s one giant leap for fun.”
And….Me!
Here’s my very own favorite picnic recipe! This corn dip DISAPPEARS within minutes whenever I make it. It’s both light but indulgent, and the corn adds a hint of sweet.
The Playlist
Finally, what’s a summer party without good tunes? Here’s one of my go-to playlists, full of classic summer-friendly hits.
Happy Picknicking, Clambaking, BBQ-ing, and more! Thank you for reading…until next week! xx
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Best post of the summer, hands down. You have the best picnic wardrobe, so much good gingham and stripes and poplin! I love your collages, and I so wish we could all meet in Sheep’s Meadow with this feast and these friends!
Please consider this my official RSVP.
Sogole! This was ridiculously good. I love the way you write about fashion and how your outfit formulas somehow always feel so refreshingly new. You’re a genius? And thank you so much for including me! In my dreams, this picnic party is real life — I’ll be seated in “The Clambake” but will need to make a quick outfit change into “The Pool Party” before dessert.