What Stylish Girls Around the World Are Buying for Summer
Summer is easily my favorite time of year for shopping. With an influx of bright colors and pretty prints taking over the new-arrivals sections at all my favorite retailers, there's no surprise why we all look forward to summer shopping for most of the year. Aside from being particularly stylish, the options on the market right now are downright fun.
I'm particularly excited at the prospect of straight up wearing a bralette as a top (you know, with something high-waisted), and summer after summer, I shop for a cute new anklet to wear with all my sandals. These are the items I'm shopping for right now, but I'm curious to see what's topping the shopping lists of fashionable women from around the world since every country and region interprets summer style so differently.
From Paris to Tokyo and Mumbai to Melbourne, keep reading to find out what's trending worldwide.
WHO: Van Le, style blogger
WHERE: Tokyo, Japan
"Tokyo's humidity in the summer is no joke. Of course, some days will call for cute crop tops and short shorts, but I find that linen is really great for the summer weather in Tokyo. Most linen pieces are generally oversized or looser-fitting, so they're really airy and comfortable. Personally, I love linen skirts and dresses for that specific reason."
Shop Van's picks:
WHO: Evangelie Smyrniotaki, art director
WHERE: Athens, Greece
"I need a pair of low-heeled comfy sandals which match practically with everything so that they'll be the only shoes I pack in a carry-on for my short trips. I love the way the neutral color shows on my tanned skin in the summer, plus I believe that nude shoes practically match with everything."
Shop Evangelie's picks:
WHO: Shelley Mokoena, fashion entrepreneur and interior designer
WHERE: Johannesburg, South Africa
"To accessorize, I'm looking at handcrafted or woven handbags as well as organic statement earrings in neutral/muted or bright colors."
Shop Shelley's picks:
WHO: Sabina Socol, fashion journalist
WHERE: Paris, France
"There are a lot of things I want to add to my summer wardrobe. But if I had to narrow it to just one, I'd have to pick this Susan Alexandra bag. I actually already own it, and I've been wearing it nonstop ever since I purchased it. For how unique and colorful it is, it surprisingly goes with everything."
Shop Sabina's picks:
WHO: Nnenna Echem, fashion influencer
WHERE: Oslo, Norway
"My summer wardrobe contains long summer dresses, flats, sneakers, and bags, and everything preferably in colors. My favorite summer dresses are from the Norwegian brand ByTiMo as well as Danish Lovechild 1979. What you will most definitely see in Norwegian girls' summer wardrobes are floral dresses and white Converse sneakers. That's the Norwegian-girl summer uniform."
WHO: Zara Okpara, brand strategist and owner of Designers Consociate
WHERE: Lagos, Nigeria
"I've had my eye on this Cult Gaia bag all year. I think it's finally time to bring them home."
"This Nigerian designer is my go-to for swimwear. I love her contemporary take on African prints. This orange shade is the perfect pop for my skin tone."
"I love a good traditional and modern merge and these Ellery cowry earrings do just that."
WHO: Juhi Godambe, blogger and fashion entrepreneur
WHERE: Mumbai, India
"My style is very minimal when it comes to daytime, and I would define my overall style as minimalistic. This summer, I'm shopping for statement shoes to add a little drama to still keep my summer outfits fun—it's my way of making an outfit stand out. My dream summer outfit = classic bag + comfortable clothing + statement shoes."
WHO: Alyce Cowell, writer, stylist, and owner of Bossy Creative
WHERE: Melbourne, Australia
"I'm super into anything sporty at the moment—just looks so damn cool but is also super comfy, too. At the top of my list is bike shorts, even though I'm still kinda working on the courage to wear them. Bonus points if they're sparkly! I'm going to team mine with an oversized black vintage tee so the shorts are just peeking out the bottom. I'm also loving cropped shell bombers—the shorter and puffier the better—and sneakers that are bulkier than what I normally wear."
Now you have an idea of which summer trends are popular in cities around the world.
Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.