No Rules
With
Georgia Palmer
From beach-to-bar swimwear to after-dark dresses and cool-girl cover-ups, we all need a versatile vacation wardrobe to deliver for every eventuality, whatever the destination, says GILLIAN BRETT. Discover the key pieces to pack for your next summer escape – by Saint Laurent, Eres, Gucci and more – and the stylish ways to wear them, as showcased here by British model GEORGIA PALMER
“There are no rules on vacation,” says Marquessa Whyte, PORTER’s fashion editor, who styled our gorgeous shoot with British model Georgia Palmer. “Have fun with your clothes,” is Whyte’s mantra. “Summer is the perfect time to experiment, so don’t be afraid to play with pattern, color and interesting silhouettes.” For this particular shoot, Whyte wanted to subvert summer dress codes by styling light-as-air swimwear with hard-wearing carpenter jeans and leather jackets. The effect is both effortless and practical – why not use your favorite fall jacket as a cool beach cover-up? Here, we break down the key pieces you really need for your next summer escape and the coolest ways to wear them…
KHAITEFabbie belted leather biker jacket
HUNZA GBonnie metallic seersucker bikini
PROENZA SCHOULEREmbellished leather sandals$404.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size36 - out of stock37 - out of stock37.5 - out of stock38 - out of stock38.5 - out of stock39 - out of stock39.5 - out of stock40 - out of stock40.5 - out of stock41 - out of stock
“I like the IDEA of being able to live in a bathing suit and FORGET you’re WEARING one”
Daria Stankiewicz, founder of swimwear brand Lido
Wear-forever swimwear
When it comes to packing, always start with swimwear. This is (ideally) what you’ll live in on vacation, yet our beachwear so often becomes an afterthought and isn’t always seen as the star of the show. Flip this thinking and give it the same consideration you’d give to any event look, and you will radiate with carefree confidence on the beach.
Look to Lido for the kind of ultra-luxe beachwear you’ll want to wear to brunch, too. The Italian brand’s minimalist bikinis and one-pieces will slip seamlessly under pareos, shorts and sheer dresses. Better still, they are made from a lightweight material that dries super-fast, making them as convenient as they are chic. “If you have an active lifestyle on the beach, you don’t want to have to wait to be dry,” says founder Daria Stankiewicz. “I like the idea of being able to live in a bathing suit and forget you’re wearing one.” Stankiewicz is also scrupulous about cut and will personally wear the pieces as much as possible, meticulously adjusting each one before they go into production. When it came to designing her ‘Due’ style, she wanted to “elegantly elongate and frame the neckline” with a square silhouette. And for the ‘Cinquantasei’ bikini, she included an underwire to lift, support and enhance the décolletage.
OUR LEGACYTrade frayed denim shorts$359.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size32 - out of stock34 - out of stock36 - out of stock38 - out of stock40 - out of stock42 - out of stock
Rio-based Haight is another brand that is leading the charge for beachwear as ready-to-wear. Founder Marcella Franklin says the key qualities of a great swimsuit are “comfort, freedom of movement and design that flatters the body” – to take you from relaxing on a sun lounger to playing sport or sightseeing with ease. The brand’s ‘Bethania’ swimsuit comes with a chic, scooped back and pin-thin straps, which “reinforce the concept of taking the beach to the city” and make it the perfect piece to go out dancing in, too – simply layer it under wide-leg pants and add a kitten heel. Elevated silhouettes by Gucci and Missoni make equally seamless transitions from beach to bar. Pair Missoni’s scintillating metallic style with short-shorts or layer a swishy maxi skirt over Gucci’s sleek one-shouldered, chain-detailed style to dance beneath the stars.
“Vacations CALL for pieces that WILL take you from SUNRISE to sunset”
HAIGHTBethania open-back swimsuit$215.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex small - out of stocksmall - out of stockmedium - out of stocklarge - out of stock
ALIX OF BOHEMIAStevie embellished floral-print TENCEL™ Lyocell shirt$353.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex smallsmall - out of stockmedium - out of stocklarge - out of stock
LIÉ STUDIOThe Esther silver-plated hoop earrings
ACNE STUDIOSEmbellished crinkled-leather knee boots$1,435.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size35 - out of stock36 - out of stock37 - out of stock38 - out of stock39 - out of stock40 - out of stock41 - out of stock
Standout tops
Summer means color, print and breezy silhouettes, and Pucci’s turquoise top scores a sartorial hat-trick. Featuring a vibrant blown-up version of an archival print, it instantly calls stunning seascapes to mind. Here, it’s been loosely knotted to reveal the midriff and styled with Agolde’s ’90s jeans, which have been lightly distressed – “it’s the perfect summer pale with just enough wear,” says the LA-based brand’s creative director, Karen Phelps. Phelps has seen a resurgence in straight-leg jeans, so these are a style you’ll want to wear through fall and winter, too. She recommends styling them with “a classic tank – like our ‘Bailey’ rib – with the jean styled rolled-over at the waist and paired with a mesh flat”. To elevate, add a sharp blazer, leather belt and silver earrings.
Vacations call for pieces that will take you from sunrise to sunset, making Liberowe’s pretty, satin halterneck a no-brainer. With a dainty floral print inspired by Provençal archives and embroidesred Indian saris, it is infused with a sense of wanderlust. “Our ‘Dahlia’ top blends these two very different worlds, combining Eastern and Western influences that continually merge and meld at Liberowe,” says founder and creative director Talia Loubaton. Simply slip it on over a bikini for pool parties, or follow Loubaton’s lead and pair it with floaty pants and flip flops.
YSSOL'Onda silver earrings
AGOLDE90's distressed mid-rise straight-leg organic jeans$205.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size23 - out of stock24 - out of stock25 - out of stock26 - out of stock27 - out of stock28 - out of stock29 - out of stock30 - out of stock31 - out of stock32 - out of stock
LIBEROWEDhalia gathered printed satin halterneck peplum top$623.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex small - out of stocksmall - out of stockmedium - out of stocklargex large
LOEWE+ Paula's Ibiza embroidered raffia tote
Cool-girl cover-ups
“I wanted to team the swimwear with ’90s styling accents,” says Whyte. “So, I paired it with oversized denim, fitted tees, chunky boots and plenty of skin – to embody that feeling of summer escapism.” The knitted sweater vest is another ’90s throwback that has had a recent renaissance. Layering Fortela’s ‘Lizzy’ vest over Eres’s vibrant-orange bikini is an unexpected styling trick that lends a fashion-forward feel to your poolside look. “The color is inspired by the shades of sunsets,” says Fortela designer and global art director Alessia Giacobino, assuring its place on your packing list.
CELINE EYEWEARMonochroms cat-eye acetate sunglasses
THE ROWGinza leather and suede platform flip flops$1,333.33View Product DetailsSelect a Size3535.5 - out of stock3636.5 - out of stock3737.53838.53939.54040.54141.542
“Mother’s printed tee was INSPIRED by vacationing along the Italian coast in the ’70s, making it PERFECT for slipping on over your FAVORITE bikini”
As well as being directional, there is also something sensible about incorporating the pieces you love to wear in the city and throughout the year in your summer suitcase. Saint Laurent’s leather biker jacket, for example, is the ultimate forever piece. With its oversized silhouette and dropped shoulder design, it is a tougher take on summer’s ubiquitous denim jacket. Shrug it on over Mother’s printed T-shirt and a pair of Our Legacy’s longline denim shorts for a look that oozes laid-back insouciance. The tee was inspired by vacationing along the Italian coast in the ’70s, making it perfect for slipping on over your favorite bikini. “I would style it with a denim skirt and throw it on over my bathing suit after a dip in the sea,” says the brand’s co-founder Lela Becker. Here, it’s layered over one of cult French beachwear brand Eres’s primary-colored bikinis. Crafted from its signature peau douce fabric, the mix-and-match ‘Mouna’ and ‘Malou’ styles are sculpting and supportive yet soft and comfortable. When an evening chill sets in, reach for La Ligne’s slouchy carpenter jeans, and slip on Birkenstock’s cult ‘Arizona’ sandals to keep things suitably pared-back.
FORTELACable-knit cotton vest$240.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex small - out of stocksmall - out of stockmedium - low stocklarge - out of stock
ERESLes Essentiels Malou bikini briefs$150.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size3638 - out of stock40 - out of stock42 - out of stock44 - out of stock
PARIS TEXASRoxy embellished leather knee boots$665.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size35 - out of stock35.5 - out of stock36 - out of stock36.5 - out of stock37 - out of stock37.5 - out of stock38 - out of stock38.5 - out of stock39 - out of stock39.5 - out of stock40 - out of stock40.5 - out of stock41 - out of stock41.5 - out of stock42 - out of stock
Statement pants
Days spent exploring beyond the beach call for the kind of bohemian whimsy that Isabel Marant’s red ‘Irina’ jeans deliver. Designed for a high-rise, straight-leg fit, they are decorated with pretty broderie-anglaise cut-outs. Here, Whyte styled them with Le Kasha’s airy black linen-gauze top. “This top embraces the body… allowing the wearer to feel naked and free while covered at the same time,” says the brand’s creative director Mali Marciano, whose designs aspire for women to “feel comfortable and feminine without trying too hard”. It’s a philosophy that perfectly embodies how we want to look and feel on vacation. On summer evenings, style it with Victoria Beckham’s leather shorts, which are cut from a smooth leather to a boxy fit and will look divine with barely-there, kitten-heel sandals.
BODEMansfield crocheted cotton and linen-blend tank$642.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex small - out of stocksmall - out of stockmedium - out of stocklarge - out of stockx large - out of stock
LIÉ STUDIOThe Olga gold-plated bracelet
LOEWE+ Paula's Ibiza embellished triangle bikini top$305.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex small - out of stocksmall - out of stockmedium - out of stocklarge - out of stock
MISSONIMare striped crochet-knit flared pants$480.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size36 - out of stock38 - out of stock40 - out of stock42 - out of stock46 - out of stock
“Essentially, if you want to look and FEEL phenomenal, you turn to Christopher Esber… The Australian DESIGNER has become the go-to for second-skin eveningwear in DARING designs”
Dazzle after dark
Lastly, every suitcase needs a ‘wow’ dress – and few are as befitting of this honor as Christopher Esber’s gauzy green dress. The Australian designer has become the go-to for second-skin eveningwear in daring designs. Essentially, if you want to look and feel phenomenal, you turn to Christopher Esber. “The ‘Cowl Hip’ slip dress perfectly blends structure and sensuality, creating a sense of escapism and fantasy through the layering of silk georgette and a lightness of varying opacities in this seasonal, bright-green hue,” says Esber. “I love this idea of relaxed glamour – in the way our pieces are styled or worn, creating this sensation of something that is effortless and carefree.” Go as sheer as you dare with this dress, and add one standout piece of gold jewelry, such as a statement cuff or chunky gold earrings. “I hope our pieces make our customer feel confident and strong, but also that she can individualize her look to really encompass who she is.” Remember: she who dares…
CHLOÉSilver- and gold-tone earrings
AMANUThe Serengeti metallic leather sandals$272.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size4 - out of stock5 - out of stock6 - out of stock7 - out of stock8 - out of stock9 - out of stock10 - out of stock11 - out of stock12 - out of stock
