A Stylist Told Me All the Cool Pieces She Can't Wait to Wear This Summer

In our Ask a Stylist series, we're tapping a new expert each month to weigh in with all of their style insights. Return each week for a professional's perspective on what to know in fashion.

This month, our Ask a Stylist expert is Rachael Wang, an NYC-based stylist who already weighed in about the sustainable brands she always wears, and she has a lot more to share when it comes to all things fashion. Since we're headed into summer, I was curious to find out what is on her shopping list for the season ahead, so I asked her to spill the top picks she's eyeing right now.

Ahead, Wang is sharing the exact items that are sitting in her cart for summer and tips for how to style them. Her stylist-approved summer shopping list is sprinkled with a range of directional basics that are equal parts cool and functional. She also has an incredible eye for sustainable brands that have designed their collections with eco-conscious practices like upcycling, so you'll find plenty of labels here that you'll want to have on your radar. Here, see her top summer fashion picks.

Nylon Shorts

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(Image credit: @meccajw)

Shopping Item #1:

"Men's fair-trade, recycled nylon shorts that I plan to wear with an oversize button-down and flat sandals on hot summer shoot days." 

Shop Rachael's pick:

Shop more nylon shorts:

 Oversize Striped Button-Down Shirt

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(Image credit: @emilisindlev)

Shopping Item #2:

"Organic cotton striped button-downs—equally perfect on Zoom calls or as a beach cover-up."

Shop Rachael's pick:

Shop more striped button-downs:

Mix-and-Match Bikinis

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(Image credit: @himichelleli)

Shopping Item #3:

"Mix-and-match bikinis allow a bit of personality to come through at the beach."

Shop Rachael's pick:

Shop more mix-and-match bikinis:

Acetate Sunglasses

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(Image credit: @pernilleteisbaek)

Shopping Item #4:

"Bio-acetate sunglasses made from renewable sources instead of oil-based ones. Fun eyewear isn't a substitute for a smile but sure helps show a little personal expression while wearing a mask."

Shop Rachael's pick:

Shop more acetate sunglasses:

Bucket Hat

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(Image credit: @aemiliafay)

Shopping Item #5:

"Upcycled bucket hat because sun protection is nonnegotiable!"

Shop Rachael's pick:

Shop more bucket hats:

Sundress

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(Image credit: @ohsevendays)

Shopping Item #6:

"A fun and fashion-y OhSevenDays upcycled sundress found on one of my favorite new conscious-fashion multi-brand retailers, SlowCo." 

Shop Rachael's pick:

Shop more sundresses:

Next, shop 25 cool fashion finds I’m obsessing over right now.

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Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.