Red Playsuit, Brick Shorts, Blue Polo: How to Shop the Summer Pair Look
A red printed playsuit with bell sleeves, a heathered blue polo, faded brick chino shorts, black canvas sneakers and flat tan sandals. None of it is expensive or hard to find, and that is why the pair works. One colour gets split between two people, and the blue polo picks up the blue shopfront behind them.
The proportions are simple. She wears the volume on top, in those wide sleeves, and leaves the legs bare so the flat sandal carries the line. He wears a regular polo over shorts that stop just above the knee, so the eye goes from collar to shoes with nothing in the way. Both outfits are loose and light. Neither one is fussy. That’s what you want on a hot day with a shopping bag in your hand.
The Printed Playsuit
This is the piece that sets the tone. Look for a small repeat print in red and white, a V-neck with contrast trim, a drawstring or elasticated waist and long bell sleeves. The fabric matters more than the print. Viscose, cotton voile or crepe will drape and move. Stiff polyester will stand away from the body and look like a costume.
- Accessible: Mango, H&M, Zara
- Mid: Free People, & Other Stories, Sézane
- Investment: Isabel Marant Étoile, Ulla Johnson
- Secondhand: Vinted, Vestiaire Collective, Depop
The fit test: sit down in the fitting room and lift both arms. If the neckline gapes or the leg hems ride up, put it back.
The Heather Blue Polo
A marled or heathered jersey polo looks softer than a plain one and hides a day of wear. Pick a muted blue, one shade away from grey, so it sits calmly next to a strong red. The collar should lie flat with the top button open, and the sleeve should end mid-bicep.
- Accessible: Uniqlo, H&M, Gap
- Mid: Gant, Norse Projects, Sunspel
- Investment: Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli
- Secondhand: Vinted, eBay, vintage Lacoste
The fit test: the hem should cover the waistband when you raise your arms, and the shoulder seam should sit on the bone. Too long and it reads as a pyjama top.
The Faded Brick Shorts
The colour here does the work, so look for garment-dyed cotton that has already softened. A brick or terracotta red is easier to wear than a bright one and pairs with navy, grey and white without a fight. Aim for a 7 to 9 inch inseam, cut straight, sitting just above the knee.
- Accessible: Uniqlo, Gap, Zara
- Mid: J.Crew, Gant, Bonobos
- Investment: Orslow, Drake’s
- Secondhand: Vinted, eBay, army-surplus and vintage chino shorts
The fit test: walk up a flight of stairs in them. If they pull across the thigh or ride up, go one size up or a looser cut.
The Black Canvas Sneakers
Low-top black canvas with a white rubber sole and white laces is about the easiest shoe there is. It anchors a bright outfit and never competes. Wear them with a low sock, or with a coloured one like the teal here for a small, deliberate detail.
- Accessible: Vans Authentic, Converse Chuck Taylor
- Mid: Superga, Novesta, Veja
- Investment: Common Projects (in leather, same silhouette)
- Secondhand: Vinted, Depop, thrift stores
The fit test: check the heel. Canvas stretches, so it should feel snug in the store and settle in after a week.
The Flat Sandals, Bag and Watch
Her sandals are a nude T-strap flat, which lengthens the leg and goes with any print. Her bag is a small tan leather crossbody, worn at the hip and out of the way of the sleeves. His watch is a simple analog dial on a striped strap, with a woven bracelet next to it.
- Accessible: Mango, Aldo, Timex Weekender
- Mid: Ancient Greek Sandals, Fossil, Seiko 5 on a NATO strap
- Investment: Hereu, Polène, Nomos Tangente
- Secondhand: Vestiaire Collective, Vinted, watch fairs
The buying test: the crossbody strap should let the bag sit at hip height. Higher and it fights the sleeve, lower and it swings.
What to Change to Make It Yours
Keep the red and swap what surrounds it. In place of the playsuit, try a red printed midi dress or a short-sleeve shirt dress. Swap the brick shorts for sand or navy if red feels like too much, and the blue polo will still work. Trade the canvas sneakers for white leather ones, or the sandals for leather slides. Change the bag for a straw one in July and a suede one in September.
If you only copy one thing, copy the split. Pick a single colour, give one half of it to each person, and keep everything else quiet.