How to Add Edge to a Summer Dress

Summer dresses are a must-have seasonal staple. They are light, breezy and oh so comfy on a hot summer day but they are also innately “sweet”.

Something about a summer dress brings forth images of beachy rom-coms, picnics and gives off “I’m headed to the Hampton’s” vibes. Sometimes that fit’s my mood perfectly but other times I want a little more edge in my look.

I’ll admit that I’ve never exactly felt that my style could be pinned down to just ONE style personality. All it takes is one look at my Instagram feed to see how frequently I flip-flop between aesthetics. Trust me, some days I wish I could be one of those people whose outfits consistently subscribe to one style archetype but I am a woman of many moods.

Despite all my style moods, there’s ONE common thread with how I get dressed: Everything has to be balanced. Nothing too sweet, nothing too edgy. There has to be a Yin and Yang to my look.

Balance is what gives a look interest, what set’s it apart, what makes it stylish!

In the spirit of this theory of “balance” I’m sharing three easy ways I edge up a sugary-sweet summer dress to give it a bit more style.

How to Add Edge to a Summer Dress

ONE: Add a rocker belt. Summer dresses usually come with a ribbon-like self-tie belt. Switch it out for something tougher with more style. Think leather and metal accents. A big buckle or western details, maybe something with vintage flair.
TWO: Add a patterned heel. Typically a go-to with a summer dress is sandals, wedges or sneakers. Switch things up by rocking an edgy heel. Remember, my theory for style is to ALWAYS wear the wrong shoes- the unexpected ones.
THREE: Pair with a distressed denim jacket. Push a little grunge on that prep by adding a distressed or bleach dyed denim jacket- give it a little street-style cred.

Trust me, these tiny little tweets will instantly take your outfit to the next level.