"Over the past year or so, my philosophy on clothes and what gets to call my closet home has changed quite a bit. When you follow trends (or literally any fashion influencer on Instagram), it’s easy to focus on quantity of clothes; like you need to add a dozen new pieces to your closet every season to prove that you know what you’re doing. But since then, I had a revelation: when you have high-quality pieces that you really, really love, and that are versatile and flattering, it feels like you have more in your closet than when it’s riddled with fast-fashion pieces that fall apart after two wears.
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Since then, growing my collection of clothes doesn’t mean buying piece after piece that I’m tired of after one season; it means finding pieces that I know I’ll love and wear for years to come and investing in those instead. And above anywhere else, the best place I’ve found to do that is Everlane.
I’m not a descendent of a Rockefeller or the heir to a foreign throne (that I know of yet), so spending hundreds of dollars on a single pair of jeans or half of my paycheck on a pair of shoes isn’t exactly in the cards—and that’s where Everlane comes in. Their pieces are made ethically and sustainably, and they’re completely transparent about the cost to make each one of their items. Where traditional high-end retailers would mark up their costs 5-6x what they cost to make, Everlane does by 2-3x. It’s still the highest-quality clothing, but at a quite literally a fraction of the cost you’d pay elsewhere.
But don’t get me wrong: their clothes aren’t limited to plain sweaters and tees—every season they release on-trend pieces that are built to last, and this summer is no exception. From the hottest hues to the summer dress of your dreams, their summer shop is full of the warm-weather capsule you deserve—and these are the pieces we’re absolutely obsessed with:
The Summer Jean Coverall
This jumpsuit is officially my favorite piece of the summer (and maybe of the year, period). I have never put something on my body that I immediately felt so confident in. I was nervous it was going to be unflattering or uncomfortable, but it’s made in such a super-soft denim material that you could live the rest of your summer out in it without feeling even a smidgen of discomfort. And when it cools off? Imagine how cute it would be with booties and a jacket. This is the definition of an investment piece for me: it’s different and eye-catching, but I can wear it a million different ways, over and over again. 10/10, A+, gold star.
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The Glove Mule in Seafoam
I’ve had my eye on these babies for quite some time—they remind me of the grown-up, updated version of the black Steve Madden mules I had as a child of the ’90s (you know the ones). But what finally made me bite the bullet? Their release of this seafoam version; it’s the perfect shade to make a statement, while still being able to pair them with anything. It’s the perfect shade for summer—and after finally testing them out, they’re the perfect shoe for summer too.
I am not a heel girl. If a shoe has even the slightest form of a heel, it’s too much for me, and I don’t wear them—even if I promise myself I will. But these have changed that for me. The breathable fabric holds your foot in the shoe so that it literally feels like a glove, and you aren’t slipping and sliding and tripping out of them all day. The square toe makes them feel modern, and the two-inch heel makes them the definition of an elevated basic.
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The Tie-Dye Box-Cut Tee and Perform Legging
I wrote about my infatuation with Everlane’s Perform Legging months ago. Since then, I have literally thrown away or donated all of my other black leggings, and bought two more pairs of these to make sure I always have a clean pair ready to go. These are the only leggings I wear, and after months of having them, they haven’t stretched or worn thin—they’re exactly the same as the first day I got them (pictured here—look how opaque and flattering and perfect!). Here, I paired them with their new tie-dye tee, which is the absolute perfect summer 2020 staple (and is much easier than trying and failing at tie-dying yourself for the 100th time)—and for $18, it’s impossible to not want it in all four colors. It’s so soft and flattering and will give your old, worn-out white tees a fun break for a while.
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The Perform Bike Short
I’m going to be honest: I never really thought I’d be a bike short girl. When the first came onto the scene I didn’t really know what to do with them or how to style them, but these have changed that for me, call me a convert.
These are the perfect bike short: they’re a thin, breathable material that doesn’t make you feel constricted, but still help to shape and flatter you (made in the same material as my tried-and-true leggings). They’re perfect to wear for a run or your latest Chloe Ting video because they don’t slip or slide off of you, but they’re also cute enough to style up and wear out (while social distancing, of course). I love them with this perfect white, ribbed tee and my denim jacket for a casual night with friends or to run errands and feel a little more put-together.
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The Tiered Cotton Dress
OK, so here’s the thing: flowing, linen midi dresses are incredible in concept, but all too often, I find myself never actually wearing them because I feel like I wandered off the set of Little Women or should be singing that I want much more than this provincial life when I walk down the street. But this? This is the answer to all my problems; the dress of my dreams.
If you invest in one dress for summer, make it this one. It is the most flattering dress that I have found to date, and with the subtle puffy sleeves and tiers, it is The Perfect Dress. It’s lightweight, so it doesn’t feel like you have pounds of bulky fabric hanging off of you, but is also lined so you don’t need to fear the entirety of your body being shown the masses when you wear it. You could wear this on a Sunday to a Farmer’s Market or on a date or to any other event that could possibly be graced with your presence in the coming months. It can be paired with any jacket or shoes or accessories and makes for the perfect, easy bones to a great outfit.
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The Espadrille
Espadrilles are always a summer essential (and are particularly in this year), but the problem? They’re usually pretty damn uncomfortable. I’ve had pairs that quite literally go from being stiff and hellish to walk in to falling apart within a matter of weeks; and I’m not in the market to be buying a new pair every single summer—but that changes now. Everlane’s new espadrille is made of ultra-soft leather and jute that are meant to be worn over and over again. The square toe gives them a modern look (instead of reminding me of the pair my Grandpa Lucio wore every day of his 70s), and with five different colors to choose from, you’re sure to find a pair you’ll live in this summer.
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The Ribbed Top and Cheeky Long Short
When bermudas were revealed as a summer 2020 trend, the world (or our office Slack, mostly) went wild. But ladies and gents, these prove that they are here for a reason.
To be fair, I wouldn’t quite refer to these as bermudas, but rather a versatile, longer short that could be left long or rolled depending on your mood. Paired with this white, ribbed tee and mules, you can see how much they elevate an outfit compared to shorter options. They feel as flattering as a denim short could possibly be, and I’m already fantasizing about pairing them with a graphic tee and oversized blazer when the temps get a little cooler as fall approaches. I love how they make my body look and feel, and really, does it get better than that?
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This post was in partnership with Everlane, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.