Fashion

Hey Cardinals! Summer is approaching, albeit slower than we'd all like. But even while studying for finals and AP exams, you can still look stylish. I will be profiling some of my favorite brands this season, talking about colors, patterns, and silhouettes you'll likely see everywhere this summer. Rest assured, I have you covered for all your summer occasions. So let's dive into this stylish summer fashion guide!

Forget the brands of past summers! Cult Gaia and Lululemon are no longer the go-to retailers for Gen-Z. This summer, you can expect to see For Love & Lemons' iconic bustiers (and FL&L inspired pieces from fast-fashion brands, thanks to the trickle-down fashion effect) on all your favorite IG influencers' feeds. Plus, I can't overlook the undeniable popularity of Agolde denim. Whether you're a fan of the 'Parker' cut-off denim shorts or you prefer the 90's inspired pinch waist straight jeans, it's clear that this 'Cali-cool' brand initially aimed at fashion-forward millennials has found a new audience with the Gen-Z crowd in recent months. In fact, I personally love the quintessential 'Parker' cut-offs, available on Revolve for $128 in multiple shades.

Moreover, if you've browsed Revolve's website, you've likely noticed Amanda Uprichard's preppy, contemporary designs. The brand's 13-year legacy and New York City-inspired designs (described as a 'celebration of sexy, feminine fun') have undoubtedly propelled Uprichard's designs to mainstream popularity. Like Agolde, Uprichard's label was initially aimed at the millennial demographic but is now attracting younger consumers with their own income (or access to their dad's black Amex). While many of Uprichard's brightly-colored, structured garments retail for upwards of $200, the brand prides itself on its commitment to sustainable practices.

This brings me to one of the up-and-coming trends this summer: the rise of sustainability in the fashion industry. Uprichard's website asserts that the brand doesn't 'sell off our fabrics or discard our old.' Instead, they 'reuse and reinterpret.' Additionally, Uprichard maintains 'humane working conditions in our overseas factories and never uses child labor.' If you're following any of the current issues within the fashion industry, you'll understand the significance of a popular brand upholding sustainable values - and how rare this is. Thankfully, more and more retailers appear to be stepping back from previous tactics of cheap labor and unsafe working conditions, coupled with excessive waste and unnecessary consumption, to create a better tomorrow.

Another one of my favorite brands, Love Shack Fancy, is following in Uprichard's footsteps with their ethically produced and sustainable garments. Love Shack Fancy, founded by former senior fashion and beauty editor at Cosmopolitan magazine Rebecca Hessel-Cohen, prides itself on the thoughtful approach presented towards all steps of production. In particular, the process of design inception, the partners and retailers utilized, and the materials used to create the garments demonstrate Love Shack Fancy's consideration for sustainability.

As evident in the price tags of items sold by Uprichard and Cohen, sustainability and ethically-sourced products don't come without their faults: a positive environmental impact does cost more. However, it seems like a shift is happening concerning the consumer perspective. In recent years, Gen-Z fashion trends have been rooted in environmental and social issues, with many of this demographic shopping sustainably from retailers and joining second-hand marketplaces, such as Depop, to purchase used clothing from other users. Second-hand shopping lessens the amount of unnecessary consumption in the industry. In a survey conducted by Forbes in 2020, 54 percent of Gen-Z shoppers stated that they would be willing to spend an incremental increase of 10 percent or more on clothing from sustainable brands.

Perhaps that’s why clothing from brands such as Love Shack Fancy and Amanda Uprichard have become so popular—the brands’ environmental and social impacts are second to none, with colorful, unique designs to boot. Trust me; you’ll be seeing these brands everywhere this season, which makes them some of my top sources for on-trend summer clothing.

To all my budget-conscious shoppers, I promise I haven’t forgotten about you! One of my all-time favorite brands of choice is Superdown, a super youthful and modern Revolve sister brand. According to The Cool Hour, a stylish online fashion retailer—similar to the likes of Intermix, Revolve and SSENSE—Superdown has "Laid-back Cali vibes meets downtown glam" and sells everything from "Show-stopping dresses to casual tops for brunch." Indeed, Revolve’s lower-priced counterpart maintains the trendy yet fashionable vibe we strive for when shopping on the retailer’s website but foregoes the exorbitant price tag typically accompanying these garments—a win in my book!

When it comes to the 'it' colors of the season, the first thing that comes to mind is none other than eye-catching, brightly colored garments. StyleCaster predicts that shades such as lime green, saturated yellow, kelly green and sunset orange will rise to popularity after the prevalence of these shades on the Spring/Summer '22 runways. Eye-catching colors such as neon green, pink, yellow and orange have been likened to conveying the messages of strength and victory—something that we all could use when heading to summer festivities post-pandemic. This summer, sunglasses aren’t only necessary for blocking the sun’s rays but also shielding your eyes from the array of blinding, fluorescent textiles that are sure to follow you everywhere—even to your tropical destination of choice.

This summer, fashion is expected to be better than ever, with trends of bright colors, eye-catching, bold patterns, and even the rise of sustainability in the industry. There’s truly a trend or popular brand for everyone. Whether you’re a vibrant pattern fan, a preppy Love Shack Fancy customer, or a sustainable Depop shopper, this summer is your time to shine!

Hey Cardinals! Summer is approaching, albeit slower than we'd all like. But even while studying for finals and AP exams, you can still look stylish. I will be profiling some of my favorite brands this season, talking about colors, patterns, and silhouettes you'll likely see everywhere this summer. Rest assured, I have you covered for all your summer occasions. So let's dive into this stylish summer fashion guide!

Forget the brands of past summers! Cult Gaia and Lululemon are no longer the go-to retailers for Gen-Z. This summer, you can expect to see For Love & Lemons' iconic bustiers (and FL&L inspired pieces from fast-fashion brands, thanks to the trickle-down fashion effect) on all your favorite IG influencers' feeds. Plus, I can't overlook the undeniable popularity of Agolde denim. Whether you're a fan of the 'Parker' cut-off denim shorts or you prefer the 90's inspired pinch waist straight jeans, it's clear that this 'Cali-cool' brand initially aimed at fashion-forward millennials has found a new audience with the Gen-Z crowd in recent months. In fact, I personally love the quintessential 'Parker' cut-offs, available on Revolve for $128 in multiple shades.

Moreover, if you've browsed Revolve's website, you've likely noticed Amanda Uprichard's preppy, contemporary designs. The brand's 13-year legacy and New York City-inspired designs (described as a 'celebration of sexy, feminine fun') have undoubtedly propelled Uprichard's designs to mainstream popularity. Like Agolde, Uprichard's label was initially aimed at the millennial demographic but is now attracting younger consumers with their own income (or access to their dad's black Amex). While many of Uprichard's brightly-colored, structured garments retail for upwards of $200, the brand prides itself on its commitment to sustainable practices.

This brings me to one of the up-and-coming trends this summer: the rise of sustainability in the fashion industry. Uprichard's website asserts that the brand doesn't 'sell off our fabrics or discard our old.' Instead, they 'reuse and reinterpret.' Additionally, Uprichard maintains 'humane working conditions in our overseas factories and never uses child labor.' If you're following any of the current issues within the fashion industry, you'll understand the significance of a popular brand upholding sustainable values - and how rare this is. Thankfully, more and more retailers appear to be stepping back from previous tactics of cheap labor and unsafe working conditions, coupled with excessive waste and unnecessary consumption, to create a better tomorrow.

Another one of my favorite brands, Love Shack Fancy, is following in Uprichard's footsteps with their ethically produced and sustainable garments. Love Shack Fancy, founded by former senior fashion and beauty editor at Cosmopolitan magazine Rebecca Hessel-Cohen, prides itself on the thoughtful approach presented towards all steps of production. In particular, the process of design inception, the partners and retailers utilized, and the materials used to create the garments demonstrate Love Shack Fancy's consideration for sustainability.

As evident in the price tags of items sold by Uprichard and Cohen, sustainability and ethically-sourced products don't come without their faults: a positive environmental impact does cost more. However, it seems like a shift is happening concerning the consumer perspective. In recent years, Gen-Z fashion trends have been rooted in environmental and social issues, with many of this demographic shopping sustainably from retailers and joining second-hand marketplaces, such as Depop, to purchase used clothing from other users. Second-hand shopping lessens the amount of unnecessary consumption in the industry. In a survey conducted by Forbes in 2020, 54 percent of Gen-Z shoppers stated that they would be willing to spend an incremental increase of 10 percent or more on clothing from sustainable brands.

Perhaps that’s why clothing from brands such as Love Shack Fancy and Amanda Uprichard have become so popular—the brands’ environmental and social impacts are second to none, with colorful, unique designs to boot. Trust me; you’ll be seeing these brands everywhere this season, which makes them some of my top sources for on-trend summer clothing.

To all my budget-conscious shoppers, I promise I haven’t forgotten about you! One of my all-time favorite brands of choice is Superdown, a super youthful and modern Revolve sister brand. According to The Cool Hour, a stylish online fashion retailer—similar to the likes of Intermix, Revolve and SSENSE—Superdown has "Laid-back Cali vibes meets downtown glam" and sells everything from "Show-stopping dresses to casual tops for brunch." Indeed, Revolve’s lower-priced counterpart maintains the trendy yet fashionable vibe we strive for when shopping on the retailer’s website but foregoes the exorbitant price tag typically accompanying these garments—a win in my book!

When it comes to the 'it' colors of the season, the first thing that comes to mind is none other than eye-catching, brightly colored garments. StyleCaster predicts that shades such as lime green, saturated yellow, kelly green and sunset orange will rise to popularity after the prevalence of these shades on the Spring/Summer '22 runways. Eye-catching colors such as neon green, pink, yellow and orange have been likened to conveying the messages of strength and victory—something that we all could use when heading to summer festivities post-pandemic. This summer, sunglasses aren’t only necessary for blocking the sun’s rays but also shielding your eyes from the array of blinding, fluorescent textiles that are sure to follow you everywhere—even to your tropical destination of choice.

This summer, fashion is expected to be better than ever, with trends of bright colors, eye-catching, bold patterns, and even the rise of sustainability in the industry. There’s truly a trend or popular brand for everyone. Whether you’re a vibrant pattern fan, a preppy Love Shack Fancy customer, or a sustainable Depop shopper, this summer is your time to shine!