8 Neutral Outfit Ideas To Keep You Cool This Summer
As the sun shines and the weather heats up, we're inching closer to a breakout summer like no other. With most of us excited to be outdoors with our loved ones, it's time to get into the looks we've been mentally preparing for the past year and a half sitting at home. While I've gotten accustomed to the basic black and heather grey combinations from the loungewear overload we experienced, those dark days are finally over and I'm ready to brighten up my summer wardrobe.
Experimenting with color in your day to day outfits is never a bad idea. Although I love the thought of wearing both bold and soft pastels this season, I live for a chic neutral aesthetic. What inspires me most about this season's color trends is mixing and matching a variety of pigments and neutral tones together to create a refreshing balance to an everyday look. Whether a head to toe nude outfit or pairing pops of bold color with muted tones, even the slightest details can take you very far this season in a variety of stylish ways.
They say what you wear is an expression of how you feel, and these looks are giving excitement and hope in a world full of possibilities. Check out my noteworthy neutral summer looks with a twist.
1. Yellow is the New Neutral
As Seen on Raven Smith
All neutrals are not created equally. Implementing a soft pastel yellow this summer paired with nude accents takes blending in while standing out to a new level. The perfect way to ease back into a color this season, this comfy two-piece short set makes a subtle yet casual statement that's nothing short of effortlessly cool.
2. Cool Tones
As Seen on Courtney Simpson
A hint of mint is a refreshingly cool mix to classic neutral tones. Paired with a chic white boot and light washed denim, layering a white blazer magically highlights this tonal combination. Neutrals don't always equal nude. Experimenting with neutrals such as white and cool pastels brings life to a classic denim look.
3. So Complementary
As Seen on Dime Jones
For your upcoming RSVPs this summer, accentuating the little black dress with a contrasting nude is a sophisticated work of art. Black is the perfect neutral to create an effortless timeless look, balanced with a subtle soft nude brightens up this gorgeous silhouette. Add a red lip for an extra pop of elegance.
4. The Coolest Hue
As Seen on Sharaye Thomas
Layer one of summer's coolest hues with chic neutral accessories for an on-the-go athleisure look. Blue is trending as one of the most in-demand colors of the season, so adding a nude contrast is a major compliment to this super cute eye-catching look. The blazer is a perfect addition to this active set as it works perfectly together in creating a beautiful balance of color.
5. Natural Habitat
As Seen on Brittany
Vacation-ready is an understatement. Even in the tropics, this neutral coverup is a naturesque take on luxury swimwear. Bring your poolside look to life by adding a bold sunny with chunky jewelry, making it a look that can easily transition on and off the beach.
6. In the Abstract
As Seen on Ellie
Adding neutrals to a bold palette with a soft nude blazer layered over a brightly colored ensemble for a casual everyday approach. The compliments of tangerine orange mixed with a multicolored tie dye swirl is the definition of comfy chic attire. While wearing neutral, there's more fun to play around with random pops of color. I'm loving that colorful shades are having a moment making a great addition to this stunning mix of creative style.
7. Gal on the Go
As Seen on Wura Ogunsanya
Paired with a classic Nike sneaker, these sand colored textured pants are an elegant twist to a casual cute everyday look. Accessorized with pops of deep colorful green and orange tones, I'm hunting down every item to add on my summer wishlist. Love this classic white asymmetrical crop top underneath a matching white blazer for a crisp and clean addition to this must-have look.
8. In Luxury
As Seen on Nana Agyemang
This summer is giving designer luxe one Jacquemus dress at a time. A stunning go-to spring/summer look, this sand-colored bodycon silhouette takes chic to a new level. Its all in the details as the cut adds a touch of sex appeal with the perfectly placed pops of skin.
To get your fashion fix and to stay up to date with the latest trends, check out the xoNecole Style section here.
Featured image by Sharaye Thomas/Instagram
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images