Thanks to those high-street heroes we know and love, like Mango, Cos, and J.Crew, crafting a thoughtfully polished look doesn’t have to break the bank. Even contemporary brands—think Staud, By Malene Birger, and Loulou Studio—offer up fabulous fashion finds for under $300. With summer in full swing, relying on a strong (and affordable!) foundation of elevated essentials is one fail-proof way to beat peak heat in serious style.
Vogue’s Under $300 Wardrobe Wish List:
- The Best in Dresses: Faithfull the Brand Baia cotton-poplin maxi dress, $240
- The Wear-With-Everything Top: Dôen Jiana striped cotton-blend blouse, $160
- The Easy, Breezy White Poplin Skirt: Posse Lucas skirt, $269
- The Minimalist Sandal: A.Emery Elliot leather wrap sandals, $190
- The Sleek Short: Vince pleated wide-leg shorts, $225
- The Basket Bag: Mango natural fiber shopper bag, $80
- The Sculptured Suit Vest: Staud Una grain de poudre tank, $245
- The Great White Jean: Banana Republic ultra high-rise wide-leg crop jeans, $120
- The Multi-Use Button-Up: Alex Mill Jo shirt, $165
- The Timeless Swimsuit: Anine Bing Kyler recycled swimsuit, $190
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This summer, our capsule wardrobe strikes the delicate balance between the trending now and the tried-and-true basic. When it comes to the latter, what is more classic in a closet fit for warm weather than an easy, breezy dress? Whether you choose Wayf’s drop-waist two-toned dress or Dôen’s gingham mini, either make for effortless yet elegant dressing. Like these best in dresses, go-with-everything tops are similarly essential in any mid-summer rotation. Opt for billowy blouses from Rails and Rixo or Madewell’s sleeveless style for maximum versatility.
When it comes to trousers, might we suggest a plain, but perfect white jean or lightweight linen pant? There are also sleek pairs of shorts, from pleated Bermudas to long-line denim delights. Styling-wise, we’re sporting all of the above with structured suit vests, like those from Posse and Staud, timeless tank tops, and multi-use button-up shirts. For any your upcoming seaside scenario, the latter comes especially in handy, pulling double-duty as a chic cover-up over a little black bikini or flattering one-piece. All of which can be found below, of course.
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For those keen to channel their inner bohemian spirit, slip into a shin-grazing, white poplin midiskirt from & Other Stories or Zara. Accessory-wise, no warm-weather lineup is complete without a piece of fabulous footwear. Our eyes, hearts, and shopping carts are mostly set on minimalist styles, like St. Agni’s barely-there thong sandals or A.Emery’s strappy version. And finally, to finish off any look with a festive touch, carry a raffia-adorned handbag; Bembien and Mango have wonderful options.
All for under $300, these capsule wardrobe essentials are as high-quality and elegant as they get—shop the full edit, below.
The Best in Dresses
During the warm weather months, nothing streamlines your style quite like a dress. All you need is a fabulous piece of footwear, a chic handbag and voilà! Wayf’s drop-waist dress is trending now, while Massimo Dutti’s LWD or Faithfull the Brand’s sleek black dress are as timeless as it gets. Mango’s crochet-trimmed frock and Dôen’s gingham mini embody that festive summer feeling, while The Frankie Shop’s striped shirt dress goes from commute-to-cocktail with minimal styling tweaks.
Dôen
Rizzo gingham mini dress
Faithfull the Brand
Baia cotton-poplin maxi dress
Mango
embroidered dress
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Wayf
Kierstin strapless drop-waist midi-dress
The Frankie Shop
Avery oversized striped maxi shirt dress
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Massimo Dutti
asymmetric patchwork dress
Minimalist Sandals
Strike a subtle statement with a simple, strappy sandal from the likes of Amanu Studio, Massimo Dutti, and Loeffler Randall. Slightly more classic options from Reformation and K Jacques are just as cool, while St. Agni’s thong sandals hark back to the minimalist era of the ’90s.
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St. Agni
flip-flops
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A.Emery
Elliot leather wrap sandals
Reformation
Lake flat sandals
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K Jacques
Epicure leather thong sandals
Loeffler Randall
Lara embellished leather sandals
Massimo Dutti
padded flat sandals
Floaty White Skirts
Easy summer dressing begins and ends with a floaty white skirt; just turn to the runways and the street style scene for proof. Whether you choose a romantic, prairie style from Mango, J.Crew, and & Other Stories or sleeker, clean-lined silhouette from Cos or Zara, sartorial success is ensured. Style yours now with a billowy blouse and structured loafer; with a bikini top and barely-there sandal for peak heat on vacay.
Posse
Lucas skirt
& Other Stories
embroidered linen midiskirt
Zara
box pleat midiskirt
Mango
broderie anglaise cotton skirt
Cos
drawstring midiskirt
J.Crew
crinkled drawstring midiskirt
Billowy Blouses
Call it the prairie girl-effect, but the billowy, boho-inspired blouse is a must-have in any cool-girl’s closet this summer season. Some of our go-tos in this category are by LoveShackFancy, Rails, and Madewell for sweet, lace-adorned takes, while Helsa and Rixo always deliver charming puff-sleeve picks. Turn to Dôen’s striped blouse to end on a nautical note.
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Rails
Blythe cotton lace crop top
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Helsa
voile peasant blouse
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Dôen
Jiana striped cotton-blend blouse
Madewell
embroidered V-neck bubble top
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Rixo
Elna top
LoveShackFancy
Rosaway lace-trimmed striped organic cotton-voile shirt
Sculptured Suit Vests
Classic, with a twist! Sculptured suit vests, like the below from Whistles, Posse, and Aritzia, marry a ladylike sensibility with menswear twist. Add a subtle pop of color to any summer outfit formula with Staud’s cherry red pick or & Other Stories’s green-and-white striped gilet. Whether you pair these with linen trousers or a clean-lined maxiskirt, you can’t go wrong.
Staud
Una grain de poudre tank
Helsa
linen button tunic
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& Other Stories
tailored strappy vest
Whistles
Mila linen blend waistcoat
Aritzia
regal vest
Posse
Nancy gilet
Cute Shorts
Whether denim or preppy poplin, cut-to-perfection shorts are another nine-to-nine staple you can rely on this summer. For work-friendly styles, look to pleated picks from Vince and Favorite Daughter. Ganni’s relaxed, striped style or a pair of boxer-like shorts from Solid & Striped transition from the city streets to the seaside seamlessly; the same goes for Levi’s classic pair of jean cut-offs. Finally, Posse’s polka-dot pick is in a league of its own.
Ganni
striped cotton-poplin shorts
Vince
washed cotton pleated wide-leg shorts
Posse
Perri polka dot high-rise linen shorts
Levi’s
high-waisted Mom shorts
Solid & Striped
Loretto shorts
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Favorite Daughter
The Agnes Bermuda Shorts
Great Jeans
While you may not need to hear us wax poetic about great pairs of jeans, the below under-$300 finds are a nonnegotiable if you’re looking to embrace summer-friendly denim. Opt for elegant, straight-leg styles from Agolde, Sportmax, Banana Republic, and Triarchy or viral pairs of drawstring jeans from Frame and Citizens of Humanity.
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Agolde
Low Slung Baggy organic boyfriend jeans
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Citizens of Humanity
Brynn wide-leg jeans
Sportmax
Conio denim mid-waist wide jeans
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Frame
super drape high-rise wide-leg jeans
Banana Republic
ultra high-rise wide-leg crop jeans
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Triarchy
Triarchy high-rise straight-leg jeans
Light-as-Air Tank Tops
For peak heat, a strong starting lineup of light-as-air tank tops is more important than ever. Wear them solo with a flowy skirt and jean short or layered underneath an oversized button-up. White tanks from Wardrobe.NYC and Banana Republic are an instant “yes,” while colorful tops from Alex Mill and La Ligne offer up a different, yet totally welcome vibe. Other go-tos include Róhe’s classic black or Loulou Studio’s soft gray style.
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Loulou Studio
Limba ribbed mercerized cotton-jersey tank
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Banana Republic
ribbed scoop-neck tank
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La Ligne
Mateo cashmere-blend tank
Alex Mill
heritage tank
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Wardrobe.NYC
cropped ribbed stretch-cotton tank
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Róhe
ribbed-knit tank
Double-Duty Button-Ups
Worn buttoned-up with a bright white jean or undone layered atop a plain white tee, a button-up shirt is the ultimate summer style staple. Each capsule wardrobe, regardless of the season, requires a simple white one—and the below from By Malene Birger is timeless for a reason. Blue versions from Dôen, Banana Republic, and Alex Mill add a hint of color, while Massimo Dutti’s red hot shirt steals the show.
Alex Mill
Jo shirt
Solid & Striped
x Sofia Richie Grainge The Jancy Cotton Shirt
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By Malene Birger
Maye oversized organic cotton shirt
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Dôen
Hava striped cotton-voile shirt
Banana Republic
The Perfect Linen Shirt
Massimo Dutti
100% cotton poplin shirt
Easy Breezy Trousers
While we typically gravitate towards a less-is-more approach to summer dressing, a lightweight tailored trouser is the exception. Linen luxuries from Theory, Source Unknown, and Faithfull the Brand are polished picks to consider, while The Frankie Shop’s wide-leg pleated pant is not only fit for summer, but fall, too. Pajama-like pants from Donni and Helsa are casual yet totally cool.
Source Unknown
Paolore linen trousers
Theory
pleated linen wide pants
Helsa
pinstripe poplin house pants
Faithfull the Brand
Duomo linen straight-leg pants
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The Frankie Shop
Piper pleated crepe wide-leg pants
Donni.
Pop pants
Timeless Swimsuits
Like your trusty LBD, no summer capsule wardrobe could be complete without a little black bikini or classic black one-piece. Those from Anine Bing and Faithfull the Brand are high on our list this summer (and every one for that matter). Go for a subtle color pop in Haight’s chocolate brown baconette style or Anemos’ striped bandeau. For that Baywatch moment, slip into Hunza G’s statement red one-piece.
Anine Bing
Kyler swimsuit
Anemos
bandeau bikini top and bottoms
Haight
Gaia ribbed underwired bikini
Solid & Striped
The Taylor Eyelet One-Piece
Faithfull the Brand
Elsa bikini top and Reyes bikini bottoms
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Hunza G
Petra seersucker swimsuit
Basket Bags
For summer, we’re trading in our minimal handbags in favor of something a bit more festive. Enter: the Jane Birkin-approved basket bag. Roomy totes from Sensi Studio and Mango are ideal for everyday; ditto those French-girl famous finds from DeMellier and Bembien. Woven bags from St. Agni and Little Liffner polish off any summer-in-the-city outfit to perfection.
Bembien
Sola raffia effect tote bag
Mango
natural fiber shopper bag
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St. Agni
Petite bag
Little Liffner
mini basket leather top handle bag
DeMellier
Santorini leather-trim basket bag
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Sensi Studio
Canasta straw tote
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