8 Summer Looks for 10 Days in France
Plus, how I'll tweak them for autumn
I’ve just got back from a 10-day road trip through the Loire Valley and Île de Ré in France (apols for the #HolidaySpam on Instagram), a wonderful holiday mostly consisting of wine and too many baguettes. The weather was a bit mixed, so I had to pack a versatile suitcase that would work for days that were super hot, days that were breezy and overcast, and days that had a smattering of rain here and there.
I’m not ready to pack away these looks for a while, so along with sharing my holiday looks, I’ve added some notes on how I’ll update these pieces for autumn too. Grab a cuppa and get comfortable - this post is a bit of a long one…
Cashmere Knit and Shorts
I wore this outfit when we were in Île de Ré, an island off the west coast of France so relaxed and charming, that I subsequently fell in love with it (we stayed at Hotel Le Sénéchal, which I highly recommend). Being an island, the weather can change throughout the day, and mornings often saw me popping a jacket or jumper on top of shorts while it warmed up a bit.
You’ve probably seen me wear this Rise & Fall knit before (I’ve waxed lyrical about it already in this post) and that’s because it’s incredibly good quality and for me, it’s a wardrobe staple - I sized up one for a slightly looser fit. I paired it with blue pinstriped shorts from the Collagerie x With Nothing Underneath collab (I wear my usual size) as a nice complement to the navy, then added a pop of colour with my green adidas x Wales Bonner trainers (true to size). There’s something I love about green and navy as a colour combination - it feels fresh yet still quite ‘classic’ if you’re not usually one to wear bright tones (like me).
How I’ll update this for autumn: A pretty obvious switch, but I’ll swap the shorts for a pair of off-white trousers (I share a similar look below). I’m a big believer that white/cream/ecru can be worn all year round, and opting for a fresher shade of trouser will help me ease into autumn without my outfit feeling too dark.
Linen Set
I love outfits like this for a summer holiday. Essentially a pair of glorified pyjamas, it’s relaxed and incredibly comfortable (hello, drawstring waist) but it still looks put together - I got stopped and complimented a few times in the streets of Chinon. At least I think they were compliments… my knowledge of French is limited to level one on Duolingo, and words I’ve picked up from the subtitles on Netflix’s The Agency.
Another great thing about this set is its versatility. I wore the trousers with the jumper and trainers from the outfit above and the top/robe/jacket over the jersey Raey dress I feature below. This is an old colour way unfortunately but Matches has the same one in beige (I wear size S/M).
How I’ll update this for autumn: The looseness of the jacket in this set means I can easily slot a long-sleeved tee or slimline jumper underneath, like the one I’m wearing above. I’ll swap the Birkenstocks for a pair of bright trainers.
Long Linen Skirt and Cotton Top
I wore this outfit when we were staying in the Loire Valley, just outside Amboise. We stayed at Château de la Haute Borde, an incredibly stylish, renovated chateau that acts as an artists’ residence meets guest house. If you like visiting wineries, creative interior design and want to stay in a less busy part of the Loire, I highly recommend this spot.
The area itself was pretty casual, with wine bars and restaurants right next to the river, so my clothing choices were too. Here, I paired a long linen skirt with a dark brown boxy top; the oversized shape adds a contrasting silhouette to the straight skirt. To keep the look from being too ‘dressy’, I added a pair of slim leather flip-flops.
How I’ll update this for autumn: I’m planning on wearing the skirt with oversized jumpers, rather than a breezy cotton top. I’ll swap the flip-flops for a pair of chunkier sandals or ballet flats, once it gets too cold.
Long-Sleeved Linen Dress
I bought this dress in Cape Town last December and it’s become one of my favourite pieces to wear in summer - especially in the evening when it’s a bit cooler. It’s 100% linen so it’s really light to wear and it’s one of those dresses that’s so strikingly simple on its own that you don’t need to add much to it to create a full look. I love wearing this dress with dark brown sandals as I’ve done here - the colour complements the natural linen shade and is less harsh than black.
How I’ll update this for autumn: I’m a big fan of oversized coats, so I’ll pop one over the top of the dress and swap the sandals for ankle boots (like this Dr. Martens pair) and chunky socks.
Linen Shirt and Shorts
I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been wearing this oversized linen shirt a lot this summer - and it’s still a go-to piece. It’s really loose and cooling which makes it perfect for hot days and the long sleeves mean you can cover up when you’ve had a bit too much sun. I wore this on a particularly humid day with the Collagerie x With Nothing Underneath shorts from the first look. The proportions of both balance each other out and it’s a casual day-to-day look you could chuck on over your bikini or wear to the local morning market.
How I’ll update this for autumn: I’ll ditch the shorts for trousers but keep on wearing this shirt for a good couple of months. It’s a relatively long length so it works as a nice layer underneath my shorter jackets (I’ve shared one such look here).
Jersey Square-Neck Dress
You might not be able to tell from this image but this dress is a dark navy, a great alternative to black, especially in summer - it feels softer somehow. I always pack a long jersey dress whenever I go on warm-weather holidays. They’re so easy to chuck on, don’t crease in your suitcase and thanks to the fabric, are cooling and breathable.
This one from Raey is one of my favourite recent purchases. The square neck and spaghetti straps make it classic and it skims straight down the body without clinging like anything body-con would. It has an extra supportive layer around the boob area so for me, there’s no need for a bra or nipple covers (which may be TMI but these are the things we need to know, amirite?). I did have to shorten the straps slightly but otherwise, my usual size fits my 5’4 frame perfectly. Because it’s such a simple fit, equally simple accessories do the trick here - a couple of silver rings and sandals, and you’re done.
How I’ll update this for autumn: The straight shape of this dress makes it a versatile piece for wearing with other layers. I’ll pop an oversized jumper or a chore jacket on top, and either wear trainers or a pair of flat ankle boots.
Organic Cotton Maxi Dress
I always pack a ‘special occasion’ dress or outfit when I go on holiday, that I’ll put on if we go for a fancy dinner or drinks. I wore this for a meal at Au Local in Chinon, a restaurant that creates experimental dishes using local ingredients. It’s in a stunning spot, nestled between the Royal Fortress and vineyards and is quite a relaxed (and inexpensive) take on fine dining. It’s quite small, so book ahead if you’re in the area. To keep this outfit from looking overly dressy, I wore flat sandals and kept my jewellery quite minimal.
How I’ll update this for autumn: This dress has long sleeves, so it’s the perfect piece to keep wearing in autumn too. I’ll swap the sandals for ballet flats and wear the sleeves down, rather than pushed up like I’ve done here.
Cashmere Knit and Linen Trousers
We got the ferry over to France, so that meant a stopover in Brittany which tends to be cooler temperature-wise. My cashmere jumper came in very handy, paired with these natural linen barrel-leg trousers from Beyond Nine that are incredibly comfortable (thanks to an elasticated waistband) and easy to wear with almost every top in my wardrobe. To add a pop of colour (and warmth), I wore this with my green trainers.
How I’ll update this for autumn: I’ll probably wear this as is, but add a chore jacket on top when it gets a bit colder. I’ll either go for a navy jacket, to match the jumper or green, to complement the trainers.
The Clothing Tools
And finally, the two clothing tools that always go in my suitcase when travelling (if you can call a fabric freshener a tool). I’ve had this Steamery steamer for a good few years now and use it on an almost daily basis - it’s even replaced my iron at home. It’s a gentler way to remove wrinkles from fabric and helps lift any odours from your clothes, cutting down on washing and helping your pieces last longer.
Speaking of cutting down on washing, Another Day from byMATTER is a bio-active fabric freshener that contains probiotics that neutralise odour-causing bacteria (rather than merely masking them like other fabric fresheners). I use it at home on pieces that aren’t dirty but could do with a freshen-up, and when travelling to revive clothing that’s been worn a few times - or spent too long at the bottom of my suitcase.
N.B. Any items marked with * have been kindly gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
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That Raey dress is calling me. :)
Love every look!! Au Local looks divine! Would love to know if you purchased any clothes/shoes/accessories whilst on holidays :)