Summer Party Dressing, Done Differently

“There are times to be casual and times to be correct,” couturier Elsa Schiaparelli is alleged to have once said. “It’s alright to wear a sweater and slacks on a picnic, but they don’t belong in the theatre or the drawing room.” What Mme Schiaparelli didn’t comment on, however, was the etiquette of bringing the theatre or drawing room to the picnic. Because whether she would have liked it or not, there are few things more pleasurable than dressing up to the nines to only to lounge around in a park on a summer’s afternoon doing absolutely nothing but sipping on lukewarm fizzy wine from flimsy plastic tumblers. Here, photographer Sam Khoury and stylist Molly Shillingford present an edit of summer clothing tailor-made for doing just that.

1. Casual corsetry (above)

This Vivienne Westwood draped lace dress with a built-in corset is the best of comfort and constriction wrapped up in one garment.  

2. Velvet and velour

Lounge-wear meets sumptuous fabrications in Chopova Lowena’s velvet pinafore dress and Maxine Beiny’s velour leggings. 

3. Balloon sleeves

Ballooning sleeves, as seen in Chopova Lowena’s lace shirt, allude to the frou-frou codes of regency dress. But are, in fact, supremely easy to wear. 

4. Camp out in crystals

Dsquared2’s crystal earrings inject a dose of glitz into Kitty Garratt’s sleeping bag-style bomber jacket. 

5. Slip-on Chanel

These PVC and denim mules by Chanel are perfect for nonchalantly kicking on and off, but inherently elegant all the same. 

6. Wall hanging-inspired outerwear

Simone Rocha’s floral tapestry coat would look equally as good displayed on a wall as it would slung over your shoulders on a chilly evening. 

7. Picnic-blanket shirting 

Similarly, Ottolinger’s red gingham shirt is an elevated take on the alfresco tablecloth. 

8. Winter-proof jewellery

This sculptural, brass flower bracelet by Dior captures the spirit of summer forever. 

Hair: Blake Henderson. Make-up: Min Sandhu at Carole Hayes Management using MAC. Model: Kira at IMG London and Roza at Select Models. Set design: Sophie Durham. Photographic assistant: Vasilis Kalegias.