From cobalt blue to woven bags and coordinated sets, Shopbop’s senior fashion director breaks down what is actually worth adding to your wardrobe.
Every season arrives with a wave of trend forecasts, most of which quietly disappear by August. This summer is different in a specific way. The trends that are gaining traction right now are built around wearability, which means they work across occasions rather than just one. Caroline Maguire, senior fashion director at Shopbop, has been tracking what is landing for the season ahead, and her read points toward a summer defined by color confidence, tactile accessories, and dressing that does not require much effort to look considered.
Here is what is worth paying attention to.
1. Cobalt blue is the color of the season
If you are attending any outdoor weddings this summer, cobalt blue is the shade to reach for. Zimmermann and Veronica Beard have both put strong cobalt pieces into their current collections, and the color is showing up beyond clothing too. Bags and footwear in cobalt and teal are trending as standalone accessories, meaning you can introduce the color without committing to a full look. It reads as bold without being difficult to style, which is part of why it has picked up so much momentum for the wedding circuit specifically.
2. Woven accessories anchor the whole summer aesthetic
Woven bags and sandals have been building for a couple of seasons, and this summer they arrive fully formed. The appeal is in the texture: open weaves and artisanal finishes carry a warmth that polished leather simply does not. For beach days and casual lunches, a structured woven bag from Tory Burch or Frame threads the line between relaxed and put-together without any extra work on your part. This is the kind of accessory that pulls a loose outfit into focus without announcing itself.
3. Matching sets remove the guesswork
The case for matching sets has always been convenience, but this summer the options have gotten genuinely interesting. Coordinated tops and bottoms in lightweight fabrics are showing up across price points, and the silhouettes have moved beyond the obvious linen two-piece. The best versions work as a set and as separates, which extends their life considerably past a single trip. For anyone who finds summer dressing exhausting, a well-chosen set removes the daily negotiation between pieces entirely.
4. Oversized prints for vacation dressing
Farm Rio and Agua Bendita have been among the loudest voices in the oversized print conversation this season, and the direction they are pushing is maximalist in a way that travels well. Large-scale florals and tropical motifs photograph well, pack with personality, and function as their own statement without needing much support from accessories. The styling trick here is restraint elsewhere: let the print carry the look and keep everything else simple.
5. Sun dresses with clean lines and real versatility
The sun dress is not a new idea, but this summer’s iteration is worth noting for its restraint. Clean lines, minimal detailing, and lengths that shift between midi and maxi give these pieces a flexibility that more ornate dresses rarely have. They work alone in the heat and layer naturally into evening with a slide sandal and something minimal at the neck. The minimalism is the point: these are dresses designed to be reached for repeatedly rather than saved for the right occasion.
