Summer Pieces That Help Me Pretend I'm on Vacation

I've been loving the waistcoat and trouser look this spring, and have no plans to quit wearing it this summer. A linen version, like this Mango Pinstripe Linen Waistcoat ($60), brings a carefree appeal, but is still put-together enough to announce that you have things to do and places to be, like city sightseeing or dinner and drinks.

I might not be headed to a luau any time soon, but I can definitely dress like it with this abstract tropical floral print R.G. Kane Romy Mini Dress ($275). I'd style it with a slicked back bun, chunky statement earrings, and minimal black sandals.

These towering raffia Sam Edelman Kori Ankle-Strap Platform Dress Sandals ($160) are summer's must-have dressy shoes and give you the designer look for (much) less. I'm imagining them with everything from wide-leg trousers to slinky midi dresses to voluminous maxi dresses.

These Edikted Crochet Long Pants With Elastic Waistband ($58) may be the ultimate vacation pants over a swimsuit or with the matching top, but I'm determined to make them work for non-vacation life, too, with a longer oversized button-down shirt.

A true two-in-one dress, this Jade Swim Kira Halter Dress ($280) may be designed as a swim cover-up, but it would also work beautifully as a wedding guest dress, especially for a destination wedding (I'm sure we all have a bunch of those on the calendar this season). Just add heels and a clutch.

This Cotton On Staple 90s Slip Maxi Dress ($40) is exactly the type of fuss-free, lightweight piece I like to live in during the summer when the heat feels unbearable. It skims the body in a way that isn't constricting, but still slinky enough to look flattering. Plus, it's easy to dress up (with heeled sandals and a blazer) or down (with sneakers and a baseball cap).

A scarf top is like the everyday version of a bikini top — slightly more appropriate for my stuck-in-the-city summer, but in a scantily-clad cool way. This Dissh Pippa Stone Satin Scarf Top ($70) gives major Mediterranean vibes. I may not be in the sud de France, but I can look like I am!

As a trouser-loving girl, I live in longer linen shorts like these Free People Say So Linen Trouser Shorts ($98) during the summer. They're the perfect balance between tailored and slouchy, and look as effortlessly cool with polished loafers as they do with flip flops.

I'm loving all things crochet and sheer this season, and this Bananhot Alma Crochet Maxi Skirt ($155) hits on both trends at once. I'm a big proponent of wearing them away from the pool with high-waisted briefs instead of bikini bottoms, and this particular skirt is slinky and sultry enough to lend itself more easily to a nighttime look, rather than a poolside look.

The Grecian-inspired Fara Boutique Zoe Dress ($195) is the sort of comfy trapeze style dress that defines easy, breezy summer dressing. It maximizes air flow and is roomy enough so I can indulge to my heart's content at meal time, but is also somehow entirely flattering thanks to the artful draping.