Summer dresses for under $50 and other style tips

It’s hard to tell by the weather some days, but summer is officially here. And that means updating your summer wardrobe with this year’s trends. 

Typically summer fashions consists of floatier fabrics and lighter, brighter colours than winter. We also see more fast fashion trends, as it’s easier to update an outfit with a new, cheap t-shirt or pair of sandals, then cast them aside as the styles change at the end of the season. 

There are often also brilliant bargains to be had in summer – especially if you’re savvy enough to shop the sales or look out for coupons from leading clothing sites. For example, did you know you can draw 50% cash back using Old Navy coupons? 

With some clever shopping it won’t cost you the earth to put together a stunning and stylish summer collection this year. And to help you, we’ve got some shopping tips for you. 

Be bright

Summer is not the time to hide away. Put your dark winter colours into storage and unleash the rainbow! Summer is the perfect season to dig out your neon brights, and match them with bold patterns such as leopard print. 

And the five shades predicted to take summer 2021 by storm are soft yellow, bubblegum pink, bright magenta, bold tangerine and lime green. So if you love to follow the latest looks and haven’t already added any items in these shades to your wardrobe, you might want to look out for them. 

Of course, you don’t need to be a slave to trends. If lime green isn’t your colour, then choose a shade that does suit you and that you love. But the point here is that if you love colour, then summer can be YOUR season. Be bold, be bright and feel fantastic in your favourite shades – whether fashion stylists have named them as ‘in’ or not. 

Some brands that are going big on colour this year include Old Navy and Forever 21 so research til see if you can find any online coupons offering money off or cash back and get shopping!

Go wild with maxi dresses

The pandemic may have cut short any travel plans you were hoping to make for this summer, but that doesn’t mean to say you can’t unleash your wild side. Mix the trends of midi or maxi dresses with bold prints, such as floral, polka dots, stripes or even animal print. Online stores like Shein have some bargain dresses for less than $25.

Not a fan of maxi skirts or dresses? Brands like MOTF and Bohochic stock a range of body con dresses that will show off your shape perfectly. You can also look at linen dresses for women | MinimalisticLinen.

Go big on prints

We’ve already touched on summer prints. But you don’t need to stick to midi or maxi dresses to make the most of them this summer. You can pick up beautiful, bold prints on everythung from skirts to shirts from as little as $17 at Shein, Carter’s, Kohl’s and H&M. You can even channel a Caribbean vibe by teaming a beautiful floral shirt with a Panama hat!

Ripped jeans and crop tops

Obviously you need a particular type of figure to pull off crop tops, so it’s no surprise that this particular summer look is favoured most frequently by high school and college students!

So it’s good news for them that sites like Shein, Kohl’s, H&M have a special sale exclusively for students that gives them an extra 15% discount on summer clothing. When shopping for this look, you might want to try pairing baggy ripped jeans with a white crop top. 

Oversized jackets and tank tops

Prefer a summer look that offers a bit more cover? Why not team an oversized jacket with a tank top? The oversized jacket gives you warmth, comfort and more fabric to play with, while the tank top stops your silhouette become drowned and shapeless. You can shop this look with brands like H&M, MOTF and Shein for as little as $50.

Stylish swimwear

No summer style run down would be compete without name checking swimwear. After all, summer this THE season for hitting the beach or pool. And whether you plan to splash around with your friends, or simply catch some sun by the sea, you’ll need a stylish bikini or swimming costume to wear. 

Time your shopping trip soft swimwear right and you could pick up a stylish one or two piece from Carter’s or Victoria’s with as much as a 70% discount. 

Nautical stripes

Our passion for nautical stripes seems to live on, year after year. With you go for classic Breton blues, or venture into candy deck chair hues, we do love a summer stripe. So if you don’t get have any stripy tops or dresses in your summer wardrobe, now is the time to get shopping. 

Stripes go perfectly with jeans – whether you’re still a fan of the skinny or boyfriend jean, or have embraced this year’s trend for wide legged denim. And you can dress them down for warmer days or add a jacket and even a summer scarf for cooler weather. 

And the great thing about stripy tops is that you can often find a bargain at stores like Shein, or even use coupons to pick some at shops like American Eagle and Holister. 

Build a summer wardrobe you love

Whatever styles and colours may be ‘in’ this particular year, there is one look that never goes out of style and always looks amazing on you – and that’s a look you love. When you feel a million dollars in an outfit that flatters your shape and skin tone, you’ll look pretty fantastic too. You’ll walk with more confidence and are more likely to smile and feel more like you.

So while it can be fun and useful to check out each season’s fashion trends, and they can be a brilliant source of shopping inspiration, don’t feel the need to slavishly follow what the fashion press deem to be the styles fo the moment. Instead have the confidence to create your own look and be true to that.