On the way back from a recent trip to Puglia, my other half and I stopped off in Zurich for a long weekend. It was the first time in Switzerland for us both and we went not really knowing what to expect, just that it had always been on our bucket lists.
I did have a few preconceptions:
It wouldn’t be super warm. Even though it was late August/early September, I couldn’t shake the image of snow-capped mountains out of my head. I was very wrong, it was around 30°C the whole time we were there. The jumper I packed went untouched.
It would be expensive. Tell someone you’re visiting Switzerland or look up travel guides on the internet and you’ll be told you’ll haemorrhage money while you’re there. We found that the price of a glass of wine/beer in a bar was similar to those you’d find in a city in the UK, as were supermarket prices. Restaurants seemed expensive to us but we stayed in an Airbnb so we could self-cater a couple of the nights we were there too. You could very easily spend a lot in Zurich without trying too hard but there are plenty of ways to have an economical trip.
The style I would see on the streets would be quite classic and formal, with a lot of luxury labels. It probably ties in with the ‘expensive’ image of the city but I wasn’t totally sure how my usual uniform of barrel-leg trousers, oversized pieces and trainers would go down. Turns out I was wrong. True, it was summer and it was hot, but the locals dressed a lot more casually than I was expecting and there seemed to be more emphasis on dressing as if you’re ready to go for a hike up Uetliberg or a swim in the lake at a moment’s notice, rather than looking super polished.
The nature would be something else. It’s true, it is. Lake Zurich is huge and the whole city is surrounded by mountains. Given the heat, we spent a lot of the time in the lake or next to the lake. My favourite spot was Zürichhorn, a green and leafy space on the edge of the water where you can plonk your towel down, take a picnic or fire up a small disposable BBQ and hang out until the sun goes down.
Beyond all that, here’s what I wore…
Look 1
The jacket absolutely wasn’t needed but point 1 above explains why I took it out with me for the day. Instead of letting it take up space in my bag, I thought I’d take a leaf out of Skall Studio’s book and tie it around the waist and I actually really liked the colour contrast against the dress and feeling like I had a ‘layer’, even in the heat.
I wore this look to explore the city a bit and then visit Pavillon Le Corbusier (thank you
for the recommendation!), a small museum dedicated to the architect Le Corbusier. We bought the Zürich Card when we arrived which gets you unlimited travel for 24 or 72 hours, as well as free or discounted entry into museums across the city, including Pavillon Le Corbusier. We used public transport a lot while we were there so if you’re planning a trip, I’d say it’s well worth looking into.Look 2
A loose, short-sleeved shirt and a good pair of shorts are a bit of a failsafe for me when it’s hot. It’s comfortable, it looks slightly more elevated than a regular shorts-and-t-shirt combination and when you go for a loose fit, it feels cool and comfortable to wear too.
I wanted to check out a few shops while we were there but didn’t realise that a lot of places are closed on Mondays in Switzerland (note to self) so this look was mostly worn to walk around the beautiful old centre and peer into shop windows. There were lots of interesting-looking shops along and around Spiegelgasse which, when I next visit the city, I’ll make a point to return to.
Look 3
I wore this outfit for dinner one night, which probably indicates how dressy the city is — at least at the places we went to (Alba in Wiedikon was a favourite). The trousers are my trusty Mabels from Beyond Nine, a linen barrel-leg pair that gets an airing at least once a week on warmer days.
I have the ecru version of this oversized linen shirt that I wear a lot (most recently seen on Substack here). It has a great shape, slightly heavyweight fabric, and sleeves that can easily be worn at full length, pushed up, or casually rolled like they are here. So when Something to Hold released the shirt in navy, I knew I’d get a lot of wear out of it too.
Look 4
This isn’t the best image in the world but I have to talk about this one piece from JETS Australia. I lived in Sydney for three years and was fortunate enough to have sample sales from the likes of Matteau on my doorstep a couple of times a year. It was the first time I’d ever bought swimwear on the higher end of the price scale (for me, anyway) but I very quickly realised just how worth it it is. Unlike a lot of the bikinis and swimsuits I’d normally buy on the high street, these pieces fit properly, didn’t cut into my bum cheeks, and didn’t start to sag or go see-through after just one summer.
I also realised that the Aussies just know their swimwear and this piece from JETS is the perfect example. Firstly, the shape: it’s got a high boatneck that’s mirrored at the back so it’s a real classic, with a gold clasp on one of the shoulders so you can get in and out of it easily. Secondly, the fit. It’s like a very well-tailored glove. No loose bits, no sagging, no worrying about whether it’s shifted during a swim and will expose something you’d rather not as you get out of the water. A worthwhile investment indeed.
Any items marked with * have been kindly gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
This post contains some affiliate links. If you buy something through those links, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This trick of taking a dress, using the jacket, and a sneaker -- so GOOD. XO