Midsommar in the City, Part 2
An actually good sequel.
Welcome to This Is Cute. We’re Jenna, Jayna, and Verena. We text all day about cute stuff so you don’t have to. If you're interested in seeing the previous and equally unhinged editions, they’re here. When we started chatting (or, ahem, complaining … Jayna) about our favorite summer stuff, we realized there were just TOO MANY CUTES. So many, in fact, that we had to make this one a two-parter. Without further ado: more of our Midsommar frontrunners—arranged, cutely, superlative-style.
Double-Duty Outfit
JM: Ok, I have NO idea if this is controversial or demented or just like cute and normal and who cares, but I think a Bermuda Short is a really good dress-it-up dress-it-down summer staple. Is that fine?? It’s honestly probably because I only hang up one pair of shorts (the rest are neatly stuffed into a dark secret lower shelf in my closet because I hate them) and they are also the only pair I think I’ve ever worn in a professional setting? They’re from Girls of Dust and I got them from a No.6 sale last summer and I feel like they’re basically a more fun version of a midi skirt, which I love but I know can also be sort of frumptown. I wear them with a button up and sandals or clogs and maybe throw a cute little sweater or sweatshirt over my shoulders and I feel like it’s perfect for work-to-after-work (not that I would know because I don’t have a job PLEASE SOMEONE HIRE ME).
JG: I’ve sprinkled them throughout almost all of my recs, but I really believe that a fun camp-style shirt does it all: day, night, work, rooftop Nickel Creek concerts, Fort Greene Park Moozika concerts.
VvP: I feel like Jayna and Jenna are both much better than I am at looking appropriate in a professional and/or dressier evening setting, especially in summer, when I am the most poorly trained of one-trick ponies. I bought this off-white denim dress from Rachel Comey a little over a year ago and have worn it into the ground since: to work conferences, my mother’s birthday lunch, nights out, stoned afternoon walks, Greek vacations, the F1 Race in Miami, and Cape Cod. This denim wrap dress also from RC could do a similar job, though I do personally wish it was available in cream, because summer. Jayna and Jenna also have me seriously considering this denim shirt dress from Frank & Eileen, but that might just be my fomo talking.
Summer Layers
JG: I’m one of those Always Colds, and that just gets extra amplified in arctic summer offices/restaurants/apts. So, I consider summer layers a specialty. Lately, I’ve been into wearing button-downs shacket-style, over a fitted tank. This adds enough coverage for indoor AC rudeness, but stays airy enough for walks to and from the subway. Plus a b-down looks cute tied around the waist when not in use. A vintage sweatshirt (or other not-too bulky cut) is great to throw over tees and polos. My new thing is tying my sweatshirts cross-body, which feels a little fancy, and also like a hug! ALSO (the always cold thing, ya know?), I bought a cotton blazer recently (from Rachel Comey, le duh). It’s half of a suit, but I’m shocked by the number of times I’ve already taken it outside that box.
JM: Percival! They make the cutest, weirdest embroidered Champion sweatshirts. This one has someone in a fox mask saying boo! This one has a little frog playing guitar under a little mushroom! They’re great and cute and people always ask me about mine when I wear it. I also think I want one of the Alex Mill rollneck sweaters because the shape is so close to the original J.Crew ones (even more than the actual reissued J.Crew ones) and I feel like it’s not too bulky so I can tie it crosswise like how JG suggested and not look like I’m hauling my gear up Mt. Everest and I can pair it with wide leg chinos and white sneakers and be a little preppy boy from 1995.
VvP: The only time I want to be thinking about and/or wearing a layer in summer is on the beach (or a boat) after 5PM, and then it’s going to be an oversized woven cotton sweater. But a few years ago, Gap accidentally sent me a denim shacket instead of the chambray button down that I ordered, and it’s one of the best mistakes they’ve ever made. If I were buying one now, I’d probably do this ecru one by Sezane. Honestly, I still might do it. (And for extreme heat, I’m seconding what Jenna said, which is a loosey-goosey button down as “ultra-light shacket.”) It also just occurred to me something that I thought went without saying maybe is still worth saying: the key for summer layers is cotton, cotton, cotton (or linen for an easy breezy option.) You want something organic, easily washable, and super breathable. If you like something, check the materials and composition! If you see polyester, prepare to sweat.
What’s In Our Beach Bag(s)
JM: First of all, please don’t make me go to the beach. I do NOT care if you know a secret spot, sorry sorry sorry. If you absolutely insist on dragging me to Jacob Riis or wherever, be prepared for me to wear pajamas. Not in protest, but because PJs are actually superb beachwear! I love a lightweight PJ pant, or a cute short set, or a nightgown or nightshirt (so cute over shorts) or a fun robe! That way I can get all covered up and not have to worry as much about sunscreen because I definitely didn’t bring any. What I did bring, however, is the world’s biggest water bottle because I love drinking water and am terrified of being thirsty for even three seconds. Yes, it holds 68 oz and, yes, that’s too much water to carry around and, yes, I drink one of these every single day, thank you very much. Even though I hate going to the beach, I love swimming more than anything in the world, so I always bring a towel in case I take a dip. Lena Corwin’s peace towels are veryyyyy Northern California chic and also so well made and actually dry you off instead of just, like, moving water around. I love the Bathing Culture towels, too, because they’re made of deadstock fabric and so vintage-y looking. You could also go actual vintage, which I hesitate to even recommend because now I’m going to spend the next 15 hours looking at old beach towels.
VvP: I love the beach!!! I love packing for the beach!!! I love both of those things so much that as soon as mid-May rolls around, I keep an EMERGENCY BEACH BAG packed and ready to go at all times. (I’m dead serious.) I am also a Beach Minimalist™️. No chairs or umbrellas or coolers for me, thank you very much. I’m a one-tote-only kind of girl. In my tote: a turkish towel (nothing fancy—I’m all about function here. This one’s cute but that same company makes a billion others!); a water bottle (F. Miller Nalgene is in my current rotation), comb and oil by Crown Affair (I love beach hair but its at it’s best when I can give it a quick post-dunk comb and oil, plus I love going straight from the beach to a bar or restaurant, a little sticky, sandy, and sun-kissed); edibles (1906’s Bliss drops are good because they’re sunproof, but Rose will always be my #1); one current and at least two back issues of New York mag, plus a pen for crosswords; my Kindle (currently reading The Latecomer); sunglasses (bought two pairs of this style before Greece and love them); a hat; Sun Bum sunscreen; a throw-it-on-and-go dress so I can ditch the wet swimmy and continue on my day/evening; and, always, lipstick (I like a compact for the beach because they’re better in heat—currently use Westman Atelier but it’s taking everything in my power not to buy Fara Homidi’s Red #1 after seeing that i-D cover.) The end!
JG: Do I SERIOUSLY have to go after Verena “Mermaid” Von Pfetten?? Ugh fine. But I’ll take a slightly different spin because I have a 1 year old, and bringing a toddler to the beach means hauling a whole different cluster of shit—SOME of which is actually cute! Like this portable playmat (also great for picnicking) and this beach umbrella, which I do not own but is a million times chicer than the one I bought from the dollar store. Also, I’d fill this retro Playmate Igloo cooler (an adorable JM discovery) with drinks and snacks aplenty. I guess while I’m here, I’ll throw in my cover-up of choice—a men’s camp shirt (IK, Abercrombie! Can you believe?), and—say it with me—long shorts (as I mentioned in Part 1, I recommend sizing wayyy up!). Also, I’ve been thinking hard about Jellies, and this feels like the right scenario to dabble. Though of course I’d slip my Havaianas (more on them below) into my Boat and Tote as backup bc those Jellies sorta look like sand trappers.
Secret Summer Thing You’re Always Happy To Have
JG: Havaianas! I know, I know—flip flops in NYC city are SO polarizing. So, maybe I’m disgusting? But they’re just great in a pinch (pedicure, quick dog walk, sub-in for my Adidas slides when my outfit is just too incongruous, okay and ew, no, I draw the line at wearing them on the subway so DO NOT WORRY. Also, vintage tees. My collection always seems to get more play during the summer when I just want to wear something loose and unfussy and basically impervious to sweat stains (because vintage tees are already gross!). Someone buy these ones before Jayna does.
JM: Okay, this is going to make me sound like THE MOST insufferable dickhead. When we were in Paris a few years ago for Christmas (barf), I was vintage shopping (of course you were) and went to Thanx God I’m a VIP (lol). The owners have a little line of mostly dresses that are basically somewhere between a night shirt and a button up and a housedress. They’re oversized and come in a bunch of sort of men’s tailoring-y patterns. I got one and thought I’d never figure out how to wear it and then the following summer I wore it EVERY OTHER DAY. It’s flowy enough that it never gets super sweaty and it hits at the right spot below my knee and it looks cute with adidas slides and I’m so so glad I have it and was just eyeing it this morning and getting excited about being able to wear it to a dinner party in July when the A/C sucks. If we ever make it back to Paris I am definitely getting a second one.
VvP: I’ve already mentioned a pre-packed beach bag. My other summer secret? A pre-packed weekend bag. This is where I keep my favorite out-of-the-city summer layer(s), an old pair of Converse, travel toiletry pouch, a dress for swanning, one of my eleven billion pairs of Adidas or Birkenstocks, an extra pair of jean shorts, a tank, a button down, an oversized tee, and some clean underwear. (Please don’t make me link all of those things!) But basically, just keep all the lesser worn dupes of your summer go-tos in one weekend bag so that you can be the person who always says yes to last minute trips. Everyone will love you and you’ll never regret it.
Summer Styling Hack
JG: Read TIC :)
VvP: A tan, sorry!
JM: Don’t go outside, ever.
P.S.
Please enjoy this bonus pic of Jayna being so, so, so brave and also illustrating how 2+2 sometimes equals FIVE by combining the skirt + crop top combo with long-on-long for the hottest, most perfect summer-in-the-city evening ensemble ever.
P.P.S.
Our first ever This Is Cute shoutout (and Greece packing recap) in TZR, courtesy of cutie Alison Syrett.
The Cute Catalogue™️
All the stuff we mentioned in one cute place.
Shorts
Girls of Dust Bermuda Shorts
AGOLDE Parker Long Shorts
Shoes
No.6 Abuela Clogs
Dries van Noten Platform Slides
Strange Paradise x Gossamer Leather Slides
Melissa Possession Sandals
Havaianas Brazil Flip Flops
Shirts
Madewell Button-Up Camp Shirt
Perte d’Ego Le Citron Cutwork Shirt
Bode Men’s Garden State Linen Camp Shirt
Uniqlo Linen Blend Open Collar Short-Sleeve Shirt
Onia Camp Collar Eyelet Shirt
Rachel Comey Risa Shirt
The Frankie Shop Lui Organic Cotton Shirt
Abercrombie & Fitch Men’s Camp Collar Embroidered Shirt
Vintage Clark’s Video Tee
Vintage Team USA Tee
Vintage Nike Tee
Sweaters/Sweatshirts
Percival Boo Sweatshirt and Shroom Frog Hoodie
Alex Mill Alex Sweater
La Ligne Marina Sweater
J.Crew Men’s Heritage Cotton Sweater
Jackets
Rachel Comey Donne Blazer
Sezane Will Jacket
Bags
L.L. Bean Boat and Tote
Dresses
Rachel Comey Salvo Dress and Lavoro Dress
Frank & Eileen Rory Shirtdress
J.Crew Relaxed Tank Dress
Maison Chateigner Albert Dress
PJs
Gap Airy Wide-Leg Pants
Sleepy Jones Corita Set
Printfresh Strawberry Fields Nightgown
Petite Plume Luxe Pima Foulard Nightshirt
Bathen Cabana Stripe Robe
Beach accessories
Frank Green 68oz Ceramic Water Bottle
F. Miller 32oz Nalgene
Igloo Retro Little Playmate Cooler
Business & Pleasure Amalfi Umbrella
Little Unicorn Indoor/Outdoor Blanket
Lena Corwin Peace Towel
Bathing Culture Cosmic Rainbow Towel
1980s Vintage Popsicle Beach Towel
Sand Cloud Star Wars Towel, Twinkle Towel and Nemo Towel
Mister Parmesan Pie Trucker Hat
1906 Bliss Edibles
Rose Delights Edibles
Beauty
Crown Affair Comb and Hair Oil
Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen
Westman Atelier Lip Suede
Fara Homidi Essential Lip Compact