Which summer girl cliché are you?

Lifestyle | Fashion

Which summer girl cliché are you?

From the Provence minimalist to the Bodrum maximalist, here’s what your holiday wardrobe says about you

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Jessica Burrell
2 minutes ago
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High summer is officially the time to round up this year’s summer tribes, as informed by what they’re wearing and where they’re going on holiday.

Obviously, generalisations rarely paint a full picture of our ever-shifting wardrobes and identities — you could be a Euro summer girl one day and return to sleek minimalism the next.

But isn’t it fun to play a little eye spy all the same? Here are the five style moods dominating the season…

The Euro summer girl

pucci
Net a Porter

Guess who sagely clung to that old Pucci sarong from years ago? The Euro summer girl, of course, and she’ll be only too happy to tell you about how pieces from the Italian fashion house have shot up in value in the past year. While she’s at it, she’ll be scouring Vinted with hawk-like attention for the distinctive zigzag of Missoni kaftans and cover-ups.

Other hallmarks of this particular tribe include sheer sequin skirts paired with Ganni tees and an ever-growing collection of shell-focused accessories. The poster girl is, of course, Dua Lipa, and the Euro summer girls will likely be following the newlywed’s trail around the Amalfi coast and other Italian seaside destinations this year.

On the check-in wishlist are any and every property in the Belmond or Pellicano hotels groups, but an Airbnb with a scenic terrace for Insta shots will suffice.

Get the look

Pucci Tulle top: £295, net-a-porter.com

Lulu Guinness fan, £65, luluguinness.com

The devoted minimalist

Matteau

You’ll spot her slinking through the airport, wheeling along an aluminium suitcase — potentially Rimowa — topped with a Dragon Diffusion bag, bottle of Piz Buin and large Evian spilling out artfully. The devoted minimalist is going somewhere in France, possibly Capelongue in Provence, which she’ll tell you is “less sceney” than Les Roches Rouges on the Côte d’Azur (though she’d gladly head there next).

What’s in the suitcase? A collection of Asceno basics collected over the years forms the basis of a neutral- toned holiday capsule wardrobe, with a few more recent gems from Australian labels Matteau and SIR. To tie it all together, there is a pair of toe-ring sandals (likely from Amanu) and the odd statement accessory. They’re from Cos years ago but are, like everything the devoted minimalist owns, in pristine condition.

Get the look

Matteau Drop-waist midi-dress: £490, Matteau-store.com

Cos Straw shoulder bag: £65, Cos.com

The brat revivalist

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 23: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Charli XCX attends the Saint Laurent Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 23, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurore Marechal/Getty Images)
Getty

It may be 2026, but this summer can still be Brat (just don’t say it is). The Brat revivalists have just got back from Primavera and next up they’re heading to a festival you haven’t heard of yet, or maybe Sitges or Marseille, or maybe just sweating it out on the Central line in a heatwave — they’ll see how they feel.

They’re still wearing tank tops and clutching lighters, but adding black capri denim and a shirt that may or may not show their bra. This camp has an advantage in that their spiritual leader Charli xcx is out and about on a press tour serving up a stream of hot looks, most recently at Saint Laurent’s spring/ summer 2027 menswear show. A red lace and leather lingerie dress in the heat? But of course.

Get the look

Le Specs Sunglasses: £56, Lespecs.co.uk

Debute Satin dress: £325, Debute.co.uk

The whimsical wanderer

Lana Del Rey on a swing, like a Florida Fragonard painting
Lana Del Rey on a swing, like a Florida Fragonard painting
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for ABA

You might well sense the whimsical wanderer before you see her — she’ll be humming Lana Del Rey under her breath and possibly wafting along in a cloud of Vyrao’s Witchy Woo scent. Then there’s the wardrobe, which revolves around dreamy Dôen dresses, obviously, with a smattering of If Only If and vintage Dior nightgowns thrown in for good measure.

She might do something unexpected, inspired by Sienna Miller’s mid-heatwave Conner Ives fur-trimmed coat moment at the Serpentine Summer Party. At the back of her mind, the whimsical wanderer is happy that after summer comes bonnet season. She might need one for this year’s summer trips to the Highlands, south Devon, or anywhere with an above average chance of unseasonable mist and haute farm stays.

Get the look

Cotton poplin dress: £318, shopdoen.com

Vyrao Witchy Woo hand cream: £49, Cultbeauty.co.uk

The unashamed maximalist

Alémais

It’s summer, and the unashamed maximalist knows that the options are not go hard or go home — the only option is: go on holiday. She’s wearing standout pieces from Alémais, maybe a little Farm Rio, and lusting after some Dioriviera accessories while wearing heeled flip-flops from M&S (zero shame — they’re seriously comfortable).

As for swimwear, this sartorial school of thought favours Heidi Klein and Melissa Odabash, though recently they’ve had their heads turned by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s latest drop for ViX Paula Hermanny. This summer, they’re going Greek island hopping or to one of Bodrum’s glitziest new openings (OKU, Scorpios, The Edition), ready to shotgun a seafront lounger with their trusty Loewe basket bag.

Get the look

Alémais Silk dress: £840, Alemais.com

Heidi Klein Bikini: £245, Heidiklein.com

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