There have been a lot of summer trends over the years: “hot girl summer,” “brat summer,” and more recently, “sardine girl summer.” And while each of those has had a place in my summer mood board (the sardine bag from STAUD is calling my name), I have to say, this year I align most with a “Slow-Girl Summer” mentality. I came across the term in a recent interview with Kelsea Ballerini in Nylon, who shared that she’s having a “Slow-Girl Summer” after concluding her 30-city arena tour in March.
Ballerini’s pumping the brakes, catching her breath, and resetting a little bit after a busy winter and spring. My first thought was… this sounds amazing. A summer to slow down and simply enjoy the warm weather and longer days sounds so idyllic; it feels almost out of reach. For many of us, summer is busy. Between travel, weddings, and a packed calendar filled with social events, it can leave little room to just breathe. I’ve felt the pressure to be constantly making the most of every moment because soon it will be gone, but maybe along the way we’ve lost sight of what summer should be about: slowing down and enjoying the simple pleasures these months bring.
What is “Slow-Girl Summer?”
In essence, Slow-Girl Summer is exactly as it sounds. A chance to slow down, catch your breath, and enjoy the day-to-day, as opposed to being booked and busy. When I think back to my summers past, they’ve been filled with trips to Europe, back-to-back weddings, and so many days of dinner parties, rooftop sunsets, and early morning workouts to beat the heat, all while maintaining my work schedule. Those summers have been unforgettable, but if I’m being honest, sometimes they felt so busy that I never really stopped to slow down and enjoy the simpler parts of summer that are reminiscent of my childhood.
As a ‘90s kid, my summer highlights were biking around the neighborhood with my friends past sunset, going to the waterpark to cool off, reading in my backyard while eating popsicles, and never worrying about doing my hair or make-up. Frizzy or not, I wore it in braids, and my natural tan was all I needed. It was a simpler time, and Slow-Girl Summer is about embracing those simple pleasures. FOMO is so real in the summer—don’t let the stream of influencers and friends posting about their Italian summer make you feel like yours isn’t just as valuable. Slow-Girl Summer is a mindset, one that can be just as rewarding as any other version if you make the most of it.
Why You Should Have A Slow-Girl Summer
For many of us, this year has been a lot. It’s been emotionally and physically draining in many ways, and it’s important to take the time to check in with yourself and what your body needs from you. When was the last time you took a PTO day to focus on your mental health? Or the last time you tried a new hobby, cooked a meal, went for a routine check-up at the doctors, or took a break from social media? I am a type A, always-on-the-go girl, so entering this summer with little to no plans, while I watched all my friends jet set off to Europe and abroad, had me feeling a little sad and, frankly, worried that I’d be bored.
But I soon realized how much joy there is in having a slow summer, especially after months of being so busy. No big summer plans allow for spontaneity, and it helped me to reconnect with the little girl version of myself that would have loved to walk to get ice cream multiple nights in a row because I can, or start a Substack because I have the free time, or book a local trip last minute to explore a new town. We could all use a reminder to slow down and take time for ourselves. Slow-Girl Summer is the perfect excuse to do it.
How to Have A Slow-Girl Summer
Disconnect from social media
You are not missing out on your own life, even though social media tries to tell you otherwise. Slow-Girl Summer is about waking up every day and being intentional about how you spend your time, not about what anyone on the internet is doing or makes you feel like you should be doing. Whether it’s for 24 hours, a weekend, a whole week, or more, disconnect from the apps that make you feel like you are missing out on something this summer. If deleting the apps sounds impossible, mute or unfollow accounts that make you stressed; maybe even replace them with ones centered around a Slow-Girl Summer mindset, like recipe accounts, hobbies you want to try, or local events in your community. A Slow-Girl Summer starts with creating an environment that reflects your desires and the way you want to spend your time.
Dedicate one day a week to a new hobby
Thanks to Taylor Swift and the resurrection of friendship bracelets, hobbies and crafting are all the rage again and the perfect way to spend a Slow-Girl Summer. For me, painting has always been a therapeutic hobby and an excellent source of creative inspiration, but every year I fall away from it until I remember how much value painting adds to my life. Every Sunday evening this summer, I’ve dedicated a couple of hours to painting, and it’s been the perfect way to end my week. So whether it’s crafting, gardening, playing pickleball, starting a blog, or something else, take stock of what activities bring you joy, or what you loved doing as a child, and dedicate time to it this summer.
Attend local events in your community
I am very grateful to live in New York, where there is a never-ending list of events to attend. However, in the past, I’ve found myself too busy to enjoy everything my city has to offer. This summer, I was traveling less, so I decided to take advantage of everything happening in my own backyard and played tourist. I went to many book launches by constantly checking my local bookstore’s events calendar. I used ResortPass to book a day at a rooftop pool, went to a Broadway show, and even went speed dating once. You don’t have to live in a major city to make the most of staying local this summer. If you love tennis, see if there’s a local league you can join. If you love cooking, try taking a cooking class. Check to see if there’s a concert or festival coming up. Sometimes, we forget how much our own city has to offer, and a slow summer is about remembering to enjoy what’s right in front of us.
Embrace natural beauty
Braids, air-drying your hair, and tinted sunscreen are all essentials to a Slow-Girl Summer. I love a blowout and full get-ready-with-me as much as the next girl, but this summer I’m leaving my foundation in the drawer and opting for a simple tinted sunscreen and mascara combo that’s perfect for day to night. Leave the heated hair products in the drawer as well. A Slow-Girl Summer is all about embracing your natural beauty, which means letting your hair have a bit of frizz or trying every braid tutorial you see on TikTok. Another must-have: a scent for Slow-Girl Summer. I am currently obsessed with Phlur; it’s clean and gives off the perfect natural beachy ocean smell.
Be spontaneous!
The benefit of not having a lot of plans this summer is that it allows for spontaneity. I had no plans for the Fourth of July this year, and a couple of days before, I ended up booking a last-minute weekend trip to a town a train ride away with a friend. So far, it’s one of my favorite summer trips to date. Having summer plans is great, but not having any opens the door to so many more possibilities. You can take yourself out on a solo-date, spend a day exploring a new neighborhood, book a last-minute trip, or even stay at home reading and binge-watching Love Island, as I did many days this summer. Just like summers in childhood, when you woke up each day and decided what you were going to do, a Slow-Girl Summer allows for the same spontaneous adventures.
Calissa Kirilenko, Breathwork Facilitator & Contributing Wellness Writer
Calissa is a Wellness Writer for The Everygirl who specializes in covering subjects surrounding mental health, meditation, and self-care. She is also a Certified Breathwork Facilitator and works with clients to heal through the power of their breath.
