It’s no secret that the summer months bring warm weather with them, which can be incredibly difficult to dress for. If you have no idea what to wear this summer, you’re in the right place. While many people use it as an opportunity to wear as little clothing as possible, that doesn’t mean it has to be your approach too. Believe it or not, you can create beautiful summer ensembles by wearing various garments simultaneously. Stick around if you want to hear about some layered summer outfit ideas you will love.

Open Shirt Over a Matching Set

This is a super cool outfit idea for a casual day out by the pool. If you have a solid-colored matching tank and shorts set, you can wear a short-sleeve button-up shirt over it to create a low-key, casual look. Whether you wear it with sandals or sneakers, you’ll look calm and cool in the summer heat. Also, if you opt for a neutral-colored matching set, you can wear it again with other open shirts in your closet to create fresh looks using the same items.

Pro Tip

This outfit will look great if you top it with a trucker hat!

Button Up Shirt With Biker Shorts

Biker shorts are a must for the summer, as you can show some skin but keep everything in place at the same time. That said, you can wear a cropped tee or tank and a button-up shirt with them to create a casual but cute ensemble. Whether you’re going out to brunch with your friends, grocery shopping, or hanging out at home, this outfit is a great option for cool summer mornings.

Add your favorite gold or silver jewelry to make yourself stand out even more! If you’re unsure what shoes to wear, white sneakers always look best for biker shorts. If you want to try something different, basic sandals are a great shoe option for this outfit.

Matching Set With a Tank Underneath

Matching sets are the ultimate summer apparel. That said, you can step up your game even more! If you have a long-sleeve button-up and shorts set, you can make it a stylish outfit by wearing a contrasting color underneath. Consider wearing a tee or tank underneath the button-up and leaving it open or partially done. If you want to add flair to this ensemble, you can add statement jewelry and heels or platform sandals.

Denim Shorts With a Tank and Light Flannel

Denim shorts are one of the most common wardrobe essentials for the summer months, but there are only so many ways to style them, right? Wrong; you can pair them with your favorite neutral-colored tank and a light flannel for a fabulous outfit. While you could stop with the tank top, adding a light flannel and leaving it open creates incredible dimension and flair. Whether you choose to wear it with sandals or sneakers, this casual but cute ensemble will become one of your summer favorites.

Shorts With a Bodysuit and Kimono

Shorts are a typical garment for summer, but you don’t have to pair them with a common T-shirt or tank top. Instead, you can wear them with your favorite bodysuit and a kimono over the top. While this outfit isn’t for everyone, it’s a stylish, comfortable option. Whether you’re going out for date night or meeting the girls, this is a super cool and cute summer outfit.

Sweater Over a Sundress

You probably already know that sundresses are a must in your summer wardrobe, but that doesn’t account for the cold days. There might be days throughout the summer when it’s much too cold to wear a strapless or spaghetti-strap dress. That said, you can choose one of your trendy women’s sweaters to wear over the top of it. That way, you have the skirt of the dress and the sleeves of the sweater. This outfit looks perfect with simple jewelry and pumps!

Mini Skirt With a Bralette and Open Shirt

Mini skirts are a must this summer! For those that want to show only a little skin, you can still dress in layers. Consider pairing your favorite mini skirt with a stylish bralette and open button-up shirt. Whether the button-up is long- or short-sleeved is up to you, as any option will look great with this ensemble. If you want to make it super casual, top it with a ball cap and sneakers. On the other hand, you can dress it up a little bit with a cute hairstyle and platform sandals.

Light Jeans With a Casual Shirt and Blazer

Who says you can’t wear jeans in the summer? You can—especially if you choose light-colored denim. Consider pairing your favorite jeans with a neutral scoop-neck shirt and a blazer for a polished yet relaxed look. Whether you decide on sandals or heels is up to you, as either option will look rockin’ with this super cool business casual outfit. If you need a relatively relaxed but professional outfit for a work meeting, a career luncheon, or another purpose, this is an excellent go-to ensemble to keep on standby.

Learning more about these layered summer outfit ideas you will love will help you build some fresh, beautiful ensembles for the summer months. You probably want to dress differently than last year, but that doesn’t mean you need an entirely new wardrobe. Instead, try using some of the same pieces and a few new ones to build layered outfits.

While layering in the summer heat might sound like a bad idea, knowing how to do it is the key to success. Even though you can wear heavy layers on cooler summer nights, you should try to stick to light layers and breathable materials during the day. Summer is the perfect opportunity to keep it simple; therefore, you don’t need more than one additional layer to create dimension and uniqueness in your outfits.

8 Layered Summer Outfit Ideas You Will Love
June 21, 2023 — Monica Spruiell