The Indie Girl’s Guide To A Summer Wardrobe

The tie and dye shirt

No indie brand owns tie and dye like NorBlack NorWhite. Plus, the cut-outs mean more sunshine for your shoulders (which are only like the most important body part to be showing right now!). Two birds with one stone.

The bomber jacket

For cotton layering on breezy summer evenings, The Meraki Project has the perfect bomber-style short jacket with a touch of ikat. Part of their Be Silly Be Weird collection, it’ll add whimsy to any skirt or maxi. If you don’t need layers in the summer, wear it buttoned up as a top.

The brunch outfit

Summer is the season for lazy weekend brunches and we’re always looking out for outfits that are effortlessly stylish. This beige embroidered wrap-around skirt paired with the pink tic tac toe top from The Pot Plant is a fun look that’s equally comfortable. The tie ups on the shirt add a sexy touch. Not to mention the natural fabrics used by the sustainable brand will keep you cool through the booziest brunches.

The day-to-night dress

We adore everything by Péro, but we especially love this slinky, sexy white number from their Spring Summer collection. Everyone knows the importance of transitional pieces that will easily carry you from day to night. Wear it with a flower in your hair to go shopping at the local food market in the day, add a smear of red lipstick for night and feel like a wholesome Italian goddess.

Layered maxis

Update your long dresses by layering them. Create volume by pairing a shirt dress with a skirt like the look seen at Three. Or streamline a flowing one with feminine cut-outs by pairing it with trousers. We love the daring woven number from The Ikat Story.

The off shoulder dress

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last few months, you know shoulder baring clothes are all the rage right now. While we love the current updates on the trend, it also makes us nostalgic for the 90s, when Bollywood beauties like Juhi Chawla and Pooja Bhatt made us fall in love with their flirty, off-shoulder dresses and blouses. If you’re into the new versions of the trend, Shift by Nimish Shah has a lovely minimalist khaki dress (although we’d recommend wearing it without the hat). For the 90s kids wishing to live their Bollywood dreams, Mogra has a lovely red, cotton hand blocked version that’s much more girly.

The pleated skirt

For an Indian version of Gucci’s now-famous pleated skirt, Lola by Suman B has a lovely olive green one that also works great as a transitional piece. For a more prim, school-girl vibe, we love the crisp, white pleated one from Anomaly. It’s a versatile skirt that can be made formal or casual, to suit the occasion.

Sheer layers

A trend on the Indian runways that we’re excited to try this summer is layering with sheer separates. A great way to add drama or glamour to an outfit without inviting the wrath of the summer gods. Nishka Lulla’s sheer, embellished jacket is the perfect way to glamourise a simple day dress and make it party-worthy. For a more feminine touch, we love Frou Frou’s delicate organza wrap skirt, with scalloped edges.

The new shirt dress

Have you, like us, been wondering how to accommodate the luxe nightwear trend into your wardrobe without looking like you’re on your way to a pyjama party? This updated version of the shirt dress from The Summer House is your answer. The organic cotton is just as comfortable as your pyjamas and its structured shape with pleats and a belt give it the vibe of a luxe summer robe. Keep the look minimalistic for a zen day, or wear it with a tan leather satchel for a lunch meeting.

The summer wedding look

Everyone does glitz and glamour at weddings. Stand out from the rest in this cotton, hand block printed lehenga set from Mogra. It can be dressed up or down, but we suggest wearing it with flowers in your hair and a swipe of red lipstick for some bohemian charm.

The new denim

Denim on denim is back and we are loving it. Verandah has a chic pair of boot cut pants in raw indigo denim that pairs great with their off-shoulder peasant blouse in a lighter blue. The little details like the ruffled sleeves and frayed edges of the top make it a wardrobe essential.

The geometric kurta

For a fashionable update on kurtas, pair your geometric ones with similarly-patterned pants. Stripes are a big trend everywhere and this Eka look is a wonderful way to wear stripes on stripes. For a more formal look, wear Miuniku’s silk organza striped dress with a pair of crisp, long trousers.

The trouser

Instead of a standard pair of pants, this summer experiment with these flowing versions with distinctive shapes. The blue ones by Indigene are the perfect combination of baggy and form-fitting. The ochre trousers from Lola by Suman B have interesting details from the wrap to the long tie-up to the ruffles.

The sari blouse

Liven up any sari, even plain coloured ones by pairing it with a chic blouse. Of course, both of these can be worn as tops, but we love the idea of wearing them with saris. If you dare to bare, the bright, sexy number from Akuri by Puri is for you. For a more flirty approach, pair the one from Frou Frou by Archana Rao with a pastel coloured sari.