Cute Summer Outfits Perfect for a Backyard BBQ & Beyond

Sweet summertime, please come faster! Here in Milwaukee, I’ve been enduring drizzly, chilly weather for weeks and I’m very ready for the sun to come out and stay out for good. I’m just dreaming about breaking out some cute summer outfits and leaving the chilly spring days behind.

While I wait for the sun to shine in Wisconsin, I’m putting together some summer outfit inspo so that I’ll be ready as soon as the summer weather hits. And if you’re in a warmer part of the country, lucky you! You can start wearing these cute summer outfits right away! Check out some of the summer styles I’ve put together below – perfect for a Backyard BBQ and beyond.

Lightweight Chambray

Unlike denim, chambray is quite thin which makes it the perfect airy summer fabric. Skip the thick denim shorts on hot summer days and wear these adorable high waisted chambray shorts instead. Wear them with a simple bright colored top for cheery summer vibes.

Tropical Prints

Nothing screams summer more than a good tropical print. No need to jet off to Hawaii – bring the tropics to you with these perfect tropical print shorts. Sometimes it can be confusing figuring out how to match busy prints. An easy trick to looking put-together is picking out one specific color in the print and matching with a solid piece of the same color. In this case, the coral blouse matches the coral colored flowers in the palm print perfectly.

Vibrant Tie Dye

The tie-dye trend is here to stay–groovy! Tie-dye patterns bring awesome colorful summer vibes to your outfit, but tie dye patterns can get too busy real quick. To avoid looking overly psychedelic, avoid adding additional patterns to the mix. Wear with your favorite denim shorts and simple accessories.

Bright Stripes

Somebody get me some sunglasses to look at these stripes! I love wearing colorful stripes in summer, especially with classic silhouettes like this button-up tank. Bonus: vertical stripes visually elongate your frame. Wear with light wash denim and tuck the top in for a more polished look or leave the top untucked for a more casual ensemble.

Breezy Dress

Button down midi dresses are all the rage right now and I absolutely love the summery blue stripes on this one. The tie waist adds some extra shape to the dress’ silhouette for a flirty style. A coral clutch and bright yellow drop earrings are the perfect way to add playful pops of color.