Building a summer wardrobe that works well for you starts with understanding what the weather is like where you live. I grew up in Michigan with all four seasons which included long, cold winters. As an young adult, I lived in southern California where the weather is pleasantly mild all year long. Now, we live in Nashville and have mild winters, short spring and fall seasons, and long, hot/humid summers.

The temperature range where you live impacts how much and the types of clothing you need. For example, I wear shorts six months out of the year here so they’re worth investing in. I don’t wear heavy winter coats since Nashville rarely has freezing temperatures, so they’re not worthwhile investment for me.

My biggest wardrobe shifts are summer to fall and winter to spring, regardless of where I’ve lived. This may not be true where you live so you’ll have to adjust your process accordingly.

Romper (tts, medium) | Sunglasses | Earrings | Bag (tote backpack in “coldbrew”) | Shoes (I sized down 1/2 size)

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A couple of years ago, I shared seven in-depth posts about my process of how I build my seasonal wardrobes layer by layer. If you’ve built your fall wardrobe then winter is an easier process which I shared in this post. It’s just an additional layer that you add-on to your fall wardrobe.

A few months ago I updated my post on how to build your spring wardrobe layer by layer. Then, I shared my spring wardrobe essentials for 2022 and my go-to spring outfit combos. Now that the season is changing again, I’m sharing how to build your summer wardrobe. Since the bigger wardrobe shift happened in the spring, building your summer wardrobe is a smaller, add-on process rather than starting from the scratch.

How to Build Your Summer Wardrobe

1.) Put Away Cooler Weather Clothing

The first step is putting away clothing that no longer works in the warmer weather. I mentioned that it’s really hot here so my summer wardrobe feels really important— just to survive the heat! Shorts and flowy dresses are a must, while jeans, sweaters, boots and jackets are out. Just like when you built your spring wardrobe, how you organize your clothing is dependent on: what the weather is like where you live, your closet size, and your clothing storage preferences.

I put my sweaters in a bin in our basement for the summer months. I move my long sleeve shirts and jackets to a less accessible part of our closet. Then they’re out of my view and don’t cause visual clutter when I’m picking out my outfit each morning. However, they are still close by if I end up needing them. My jeans stick around in the closet because we have enough space for them.

2.) Bring Out Warm Weather Clothing

If you have any tank tops, shorts, sun dresses, or other warm weather clothing that you weren’t wearing yet this spring, now is the time to pull them out. You should make sure that they all still fit, you still like them, and they work for your current lifestyle. If they check all the boxes, add them to your seasonal wardrobe. If you need to fill in your wardrobe more but you’re not sure what to get, stay tuned for my next blog post where I’ll be sharing my summer essential items for 2022!

Black Tank Top | Tan Tank Top | Blue Denim Shorts | White Denim Shorts (similar) | Black Denim Shorts (similar, similar) | Gray Tank Top | Romper | White Dress | Brown Shorts | Black Shorts | Tan Shorts (sold out from AF – similar, similar)

3.) Bring Out Warm Weather Shoes & Accessories

Shoes and accessories make a huge impact on summer outfits. Especially now that layering is not an option if it’s really hot where you live, adding interest to warm weather outfits is highly dependent on shoes and accessories. Sandals, straw hats, and straw bags really make an outfit feel like summer. I also like to add belts and dainty jewelry to my looks during the warm months. Belts sort of take over for the interest that a top layer was adding in the colder months (they become the third piece). Dainty jewelry is all I can handle in the heat— plus it’s what I prefer style-wise. Hair accessories like headbands, clips and bandanas are another way to add interest to summer outfits while keeping cool.

Straw Sun Hat (old from Madewell – similar) | Small Gold Hoops | Small Silver Hoops | Black Sandals (whole sizes only so I sized up 1/2) | Straw Bag (old from Madewell – similar) | Tan Sandals (whole sizes only so I sized up 1/2) | Brown Sunglasses | Black Sunglasses | Huaraches (I sized down 1/2 size) | Bandana | Lifeguard Straw Hat | Tan Belt | Black Belt | Cognac Belt | Crossbody Bag | White Sandals | Gold Hoops

4.) Separate & Evaluate Your Summer Wardrobe

Now that you have put away colder weather clothing and brought out the rest of your warmer weather clothing, shoes, and accessories— how does your wardrobe look?

This is a super important step! Separate your basics/classic clothing, shoes and accessories from your statement clothing, shoes and accessories. (If you are unsure what the difference is, check out this post for photos and more in-depth descriptions/guidance) Filling in your basics/classics first is what I have found to be absolutely foundational in building a wardrobe that is versatile and multiplies the amount of outfits you can make. This takes away that “I have nothing to wear” feeling you can get if you have a full closet but you haven’t built it intentionally— it may lack necessary items and/or have too many duplicates as we can tend to fall into re-buying variations of our favorites and lack wardrobe diversity if we do not plan or buy thoughtfully.

Are there things you’re missing or things you need to replace? Does everything fit you perfectly and match your lifestyle? Does it work with the weather where you live? After you have evaluated what you have that works, store what you are unsure about, and sell or donate what no longer works.

5.) Seek Inspiration & Fill Your Summer Wardrobe

Now it’s time to seek inspiration and determine what you need and want to fill in your summer wardrobe. Are there new styles or items you are seeing this year that you would like to try? Are there items you need to replace or things you are missing?

For ideas and inspiration, check out Pinterest, your favorite fashion blogs, the newest collections from your favorite brands, fashion magazines, or people around you where you live. You can search for specific items or outfit combinations that you would like to try. From there you can make a shopping list and fill in your summer wardrobe, covering basics/classics first and statement/fun pieces second.

I hope this process is a helpful way for you to achieve a seasonal wardrobe that meets your needs, makes getting dressed an easy process, and makes you feel confident in what you’re wearing. Next week, I will be sharing my 2022 summer wardrobe essentials with you! These are my must-have, core items that I build my summer outfits with. Be sure to come back to check it out!

Now I would love to hear from you! What is the weather like where you live? Do you have any other tips for dressing for summer weather? Share away in the comments below and feel free to drop any questions below as well. In my next post, I’ll be sharing my summer wardrobe essentials for 2022. Thanks for reading along, friends!

***This post was originally written on June 1, 2021 and was updated on June 2, 2022.***