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8 Simple Styling Tips To Instantly Update Your Wardrobe For Summer

Hello, heatwave

By Harriet Stewart
Veronika Heilbrunnerpinterest
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Summer is finally here, and with it the arrival of a whole host of sartorial dilemmas. But before you hit the sales, consider reworking some of the pieces you already own to give old favourites a new lease of life.

Roll down your boilersuit

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This is the easiest way to transform a denim boilersuit into a summer-friendly outfit. Simply fold down the arms and knot around your waist. Roll-up the hems and team with a pair of ankle-tie sandals for added points.

Try a crop top, the grown-up way

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Crop tops aren't just for teenagers, but there are rules: your top should be fittted, not tight, end no higher than 3cm above your belly button, and always paired with something high-waisted to accentuate the smallest part of your waist. Try knotting a white linen shirt just above the waist of a pair of vintage 501 Levi jeans.

Show some shoulder

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This is the easiest, and most demure, way to show some skin this summer. Take your pick from the realms of off-the-shoulder tops and dresses flooding the highstreet right now.

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Offset head-to-toe white with khaki

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Love head-to-toe white but wandering how to make it work in the city? Well, here's the solution. Offset an all-white combo with a khaki jacket or utility shirt to make your outfit less Saint-Tropez, a little more London.

Play with proportion

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A pair of high-waisted wide leg trousers are a summer essential. Loose and breezy, they will keep you cool without baring too much skin, making them a great office option. Contrast the volume with a tucked-in Nineties-style strap top.

Layer a sundress over jeans

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You know all those white cotton sundresses lurking at the back of the wardrobe that you only ever wear on holiday? Try layering one over a pair of ankle-skimming jeans to extend their wear from twice -a-year to Monday-Friday in the city.

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Be brave with prints

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Nothing screams summer like bold, bright prints. So, dig out your jazziest prints and pile them on all together. The sun is shining, it's no time for normcore.

Lace slip + denim = failsafe summer outfit

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If you've been reading ELLE then you'll know that the Nineties lace slip is one of spring/summer 16's key pieces. On trend it may be, easy to wear it is not. We suggest layering one underneath a denim jacket, or over the top of a white tee.

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