Dressing for a Summer Party

On Friday one of my university friends is celebrating her 21st birthday at the most beautiful venue in Oxford. The party will take place on the banks of the river Thames in a gorgeous airy marquee complete will be fairy lights and flowers to create a magical ambience. Excited as I am I still need to figure out what I'm going to wear! As its a summer party I don't want to wear anything too dark, too heavy or too skimpy. Although summer fashion can be fantastic, dressing for a summer event can be quite a challenge. Here are my thoughts on how to dress for a formal summer event.

Colour is EVERYTHING

Living in the UK we spent most of the year wearing coats and lots of layers often leading to the majority of our wardrobes being mostly black, navy or grey. The British summer time is however like no other. We are blessed with the most beautiful flowers and magical landscape so why not make the most of this by dressing for this time of year?! Throw out the black and bring in the pastel pinks, leafy greens and tropical yellows.

My first outfit suggestion would be to wear this mesmerising H&M swimsuit as a bodysuit, pairing it with Zara faux pearl jeans to keep the class however give your look a bit of edge. The white jeans compliment the swimsuit very well without taking too much attention away from it. White jeans are perfect for the summer as there is little opportunity to wear them during any other season. To complete the look slip on a pair of Zara nude vinyl pumps, practical block heels for potentially uneven terrain. Perspex heels are every where this summer and are wonderful for the good weather.

My second outfit incorporating colours would be a bow tie cold shoulder dress from Asos. This dress is very pretty and party ready. The lilac, purple and green colour combination is very complimentary. Pair this with some cute gold accessories and you're good to go!

Keep it Cool and Light

Despite the British summer often proving unreliable, we do get our fair share of sun (occasionally..). Keep your outfits flowing and light, not only will this keep you cool but it'll keep you comfortable when you're eating and drinking, especially ideal when you're hitting the dance floor after a few ice cold mojitos.

The first lightweight outfit is this beautiful satin olive dress. The dress is silky and the tie waist provides gorgeous body contours. The one shoulder is slightly daring and again keeps you cool! The earrings compliment the dress perfectly. Again, nude perspex shoes are so trendy and very versatile.

My second light outfit would be this silk dress from 'Are You Am I'. The dress' cut in elegant and again the silky material is really comfortable giving off a chic impression. Pair this with a nude corset to accentuate your waist line and leave a Kardashianesqué impression. Lace up heels look so elegant however the platforms give these heels a much needed edge whilst the dusky colour keeps them subtle.

Experiment with a Mix of Unusual Combinations or an Eye-catching Garment

Summer provides so much more freedom when it comes to fashion. During the winter it is not practical to leave the house without a coat, and cosy clothing makes it harder to experiment with something new. Summer parties are your opportunity to dress up in something slightly out of your comfort zone.

Admittedly I am reusing accessories and garments here but this outfit is too perfect to not! I'm using swimwear as party wear pairing this incredibly summery tropical leafy green bikini top with gold details with white tapered trousers. Again, the white and more prominent pattern compliment each other beautifully. I've reused these earring because I am obsessed with them. I think they're a great style, not too curtain tassel like, and the gold and green look so gorgeous together. The earrings match the green bikini top exquisitely.

My final outfit for this blog post is this glorious jumpsuit. Although its is darker than my previous outfit choices, it's extreme sleeve and grid pattern are irresistible. I've decided to pair this with bright accessories to make the outfit more exciting and summery. This outfit is stylish, chic, with an unusual yet complimentary colour combination.