Patriotic & Polished

Nothing says Americana quite like the pairing of red, white, and blue in the summertime. The combination is so quintessentially patriotic because of its nod to the colors of the American flag. With 4th of July approaching so quickly, I find myself rushing to solidify plans for the holiday weekend. And of course that begs the question, “What will I wear?”

A red, white and blue outfit can turn “tacky” so easily. The patriotic look is a bit challenging to style because the first instinct is to incorporate each of the 3 traditional colors into the ensemble. However, that’s completely unnecessary. Simply pairing a chambray top with a denim shorts reads VERY Americana, so by layering on every red and white bracelet, sneaker, & hair accessory usually just appears overdone rather than trendy.

I love the way one my favorite fashion bloggers, Brooklyn Blonde, has styled the holiday color palette below. She has re-purposed staple wardrobe pieces, like a basic white top, a linen blue skirt, and classic red heels, to create her “unintentionally patriotic” look. Styled coincidentally, this is a prime example of how patriotic can stay classic & easy.

This year like last, I’m hoping to attend the Philadelphia concert on the parkway. It’s a free event that draws a large crowd. This will obviously influence my clothing choices for the evening as it will be hot, packed, and spent mostly standing to watch each performer throughout the night. That said, I still aim for a polished look, especially on a festive weekend like this. The combination below of a peplum top, navy scalloped shorts, and rose gold accessories create a simple but stylized option – perfect for an outdoor concert with friends and family.

And to complete the look, I love this nail design from Pinterest. The gold feature nail adds that perfect touch of sparkle and the navy stripes are of course a classic nautical-inspired pattern for summer.

Explore Pinterest and other style blogs for additional inspiration to reinvent the typical red, white & blue color scheme for an innovative 4th of July holiday ensemble!

xoxo,

KMK