My Summer Essentials, With Otegha Uwagba
Having joined NET-A-PORTER’s Aegean Escape on the stunning island of Kéa in Greece, London-based author OTEGHA UWAGBA shares her packing formula (spoiler: it involves her expert editing skills), the key pieces she took on the trip, and how she plans to style them in multiple ways year-round…
Embrace your summer style alter ego
“Generally, when I’m in London, I wear a lot of darker colors – navy, black, brown, khaki – even during the summer. But when I go on vacation, I like to be a little more adventurous (for me) – that means wearing a lot more color and pattern. I feel like dressing differently to how I would at home helps me get into the holiday spirit, so I’m more willing to experiment with my vacation wardrobe.”
YSSOFlower Bud large gold-plated earrings
GIANVITO ROSSIJuno Thong knotted leather sandals£635.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size35 - out of stock36 - low stock36.537 - low stock37.538 - low stock38.53939.54040.5 - low stock41 - low stock41.542 - low stock
Use vacations as an opportunity to try new looks
“I pushed myself a bit out of my comfort zone with the Rabanne crop top, especially as I ended up wearing it with low-rise jeans – but I think pairing a crop top with low-waist pants is fun in quite a ’90s way. I can see it looking really great under a structured blazer, too.”
RABANNECropped fringed embellished cotton-jersey T-shirt£200.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size34 - out of stock36 - low stock3840 - low stock424446 - out of stock
RABANNESparkle leather-trimmed pailette-embellished faille tote
AMINA MUADDILily crystal-embellished canvas mules£475.00View 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 stock
SLVRLAKE+ NET SUSTAIN Mica low-rise wide-leg organic jeans£128.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size23 - out of stock24 - out of stock25 - out of stock26 - out of stock27 - out of stock28 - out of stock29 - out of stock303132 - low stock
Dress from the feet up
“I love these gold Aquazzura sandals – I’d been looking for the perfect pair of gold ‘naked sandals’ for a while. For me, that means super-delicate, almost-invisible straps. I wore them with jeans on the trip, and I think that’s how I’ll also style them back in London, with jeans or pants that just graze the tops of the shoes, so you can see a bit of the gold peeking out.”
ZIMMERMANN+ NET SUSTAIN Lexi floral-print linen midi dress
YVONNE LÉONMini Chevalière + Alliance set of two 9-karat gold diamond signet rings
Seek out seasonless accessories
“I’ve long been a fan of the iconic Rabanne chainmail bags, so bringing one of those with me was a no-brainer. They’re pleasingly weighty and tactile, and just really fun to wear… It’s also a year-round staple.”
RABANNE1969 Skyline Nano chainmail shoulder bag
LOEWE+ Paula's Ibiza Puzzle Fold medium leather-trimmed raffia tote
CELINE EYEWEARTriomphe rectangular-frame tortoiseshell acetate sunglasses
Pack your beauty essentials for glowing summer skin
“I always bring lip balm – Le Labo’s is lovely; a Pat McGrath Labs mascara, and good moisturizers. I don’t wear lots of makeup when I’m on vacation – I prefer bare skin, especially if I’m somewhere hot. Layering on lots of mascara and making sure my skin is well moisturized tends to be my main beauty go-to when traveling.”
Find your packing formula
“I famously hate packing, so I tend to leave it to the absolute last minute. I’m fairly disciplined, though – I don’t pack ‘just in case’ items, as I know which pieces I realistically won’t wear when I’m on vacation. For this trip, I started by picking the key pieces that I knew I definitely wanted to wear, such as the yellow Christopher Esber shirt and the white beaded Rabanne top, and then planned around them. I also didn’t want to bring a giant suitcase, so I thought about which accompanying pieces – such as the Slvrlake jeans – were versatile enough to work with a few different items.”
CHRISTOPHER ESBERFloating ruffled silk-georgette shirt£214.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size46 - out of stock8 - out of stock10 - low stock1214 - out of stock- CELINE EYEWEARTriomphe rectangular-frame tortoiseshell acetate sunglasses
SLVRLAKEMica frayed paneled low-rise wide-leg jeans£215.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size24 - out of stock25 - out of stock26 - out of stock2728 - out of stock29 - out of stock30 - out of stock3132 - out of stock
MANOLO BLAHNIKLeva 105 metallic leather sandals£715.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size343535.5 - out of stock36 - low stock36.5 - low stock3737.5 - low stock38 - low stock38.539 - low stock39.540 - low stock40.541 - low stock41.5 - out of stock4242.543 - out of stock
Choose pieces that make you feel your most confident and beautiful
“I love a silky, chiffony fabric during the summer – something that feels nice against your skin, especially when the temperatures rise. Above all, I have to be comfortable. Anything that shows off my back or shoulders is also a big plus for me – I’ve never really been into showing off my cleavage; I find it far chicer to show off other areas.”
YSSODionysus set of two gold-plated cuffs
AMANUThe Kibera embellished croc-effect leather sandals
Experiment with print and color in the warmer months
“During the summer, I tend to incorporate a lot of yellows and oranges into my wardrobe – I think warmer colors look great against my skin tone, so I lean towards those.”
ESCVDOStriped crocheted cotton midi dress£475.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex smallsmall - out of stockmedium - out of stocklarge - out of stock
CELINE EYEWEARTriomphe aviator-style gold-tone and acetate sunglasses
