The Colorist Edit Week 008
This week at the colorist
Welcome to week 008 of The Colorist Edit.
The next few months feel like they’re going to have such high energy: summer vacations, the World Cup, warmer weather, more plans, more color, more reasons to get dressed. It feels like things are about to get electric.
I’ve also been quietly chipping away at something new.
For the last few months, I've been thinking a lot about what sits underneath style. The foundations that help you understand why something works, develop your own eye, and make style feel like yours again.
I’m calling it The Foundations of Style.
Think of it as The Colorist School of Taste.
We’ll go deeper into the foundations of style: how to find it, understand it, build it, and actually start seeing style for yourself. I’ll be introducing three frameworks to help you build your own eye, make stronger choices, and begin making style your own, no matter what season of life you’re in.
I’ll share more as it gets closer to launching, but think bi-monthly themes, deep dives into singular topics, and possibly some longer-form video so we can really get into it.
Before I build it, I’d love your input.
And I’d love to hear from you in the comments:
What’s the hardest part about getting dressed right now?
Is it finding your style? Shopping? Building outfits? Feeling like yourself again after a life change? Something else entirely?
I’ll be reading every response and using them to shape what I create.
And for now, think of this edit as a deeper recap of what we’ve been talking about on Instagram.
The reels are fast and made for the scroll, but there is always a lot more under the surface than I can fit into 60 seconds. I have to stop your scroll, hold your attention, and somehow make a complete point before everyone moves on. Whew.
So here is the slower, deeper version.
Let’s get into it.
Island Time
Started the week with a packed Summer Beach carousel: 44 outfit ideas for wearing some of summer’s biggest trends. Easy, savable, and ready to pull back up when you’re packing for your next beach trip.
We’re not traveling until the end of summer, which feels forever away, but I’m already mentally styling the suitcase. I also have a black raffia cowboy hat from last summer that is still one of my favorite pieces, so needless to say, raffia is still going strong for 2026.
You’re Hot Then You’re Cold
More color! I get so many questions about how to wear and understand color, so I make these reels to hopefully break it down in a way that feels simple, but still impactful.
I also get comments sometimes from people saying they don’t think certain color combinations are “bad,” and I totally get that. It’s not about right or wrong in a hard-line way. Style is personal, and sometimes the unexpected choice is what makes an outfit interesting.
But when we’re talking about true color theory, color matching, and how to combine multiple colors in a way that feels harmonious, there are a few rules that make everything clearer. I’m not trying to make getting dressed feel like more work, but to help your outfit really sing. To make it feel intentional instead of chaotic, or mismatched in a way that doesn’t quite land.
The second you start combining multiple colors, things can get busy quickly. A few simple base rules give you a place to start, and then you can decide when you want to follow them, bend them, or break them on purpose.
This week we talked about tone and temperature, and how to use them as a base for building outfits. Once you start seeing color through that lens, color matching becomes so much easier and honestly, way more enjoyable. It gives you a place to start, especially when you want to play with bolder combinations.
It is summer, after all, so go ahead and reach for the saturated, bright, lively colors. Hopefully this inspires you to play a little more.
Cargo is Back
Next, we got into 5 summer trends for the cool dads.
This is your summer refresh: bolder color, better shorts, easy layers, and yes cool dads, even a neck scarf as an accessory.
This one is definitely polarizing. People either love it or hate it, but I think it adds just the right amount of character and personal flair to an outfit. It takes something that could feel basic or default and makes it feel a little more intentional and a little more styled.
My husband tried it out for our date night this week and, for the record, I approved.
Blue Crush
I was really excited to make this reel on a trend I’ve seen quietly emerging, but I think will be everywhere this summer: the board short.
Think of it like the Adidas track short’s younger sister. Similar sporty energy, similar easy material, but maybe even brighter colors and a more laid-back, beachy vibe.
I personally think this one is so playful, and maybe partially because, as a teen, I badly wanted to be a surfer girl. Living in Arizona, but still kind of adjacent to the California surf scene, I thought I would be so cool if I could surf. Plus, I was obsessed with the movie Blue Crush. Anyone else?
I also got a lot of questions and concerns that the track short might not be “in” anymore, or that it feels hard to keep up with the trends. But think of the board short as an alternative option, or a little micro-trend you can add into your summer looks.
Don’t worry, the track short trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It will be on heavy rotation for me all summer long.
Read The Room
This week I also introduced a new mini series on date night.
I love the idea of getting dressed up and putting in a little more effort for date night beyond our default looks. There’s something really sweet about still romanticizing the time we get together, even when it’s casual, simple, or squeezed into a busy week.
I think small effort and intention, for yourself and for your partner, goes a long way. Plus, getting dressed with a little more thought can shift the whole energy of the night. It makes it feel less like you’re just going through the motions and more like you’re actually marking the moment.
In this series, we’ll be showing more behind the scenes of getting ready: how we’re putting our looks together, how we’re inspired by the places we’re going, the food we’re eating, or even the movies we’re seeing. It’s a creative way to get dressed together and build a little concept around the night.
Trust me, it makes even the simplest date feel more special.
Let It Go
And this one is our cool mom summer refresh.
Hear me out: I know those puff-sleeve mini and maxi dresses have been a thing for a while now, but I think it’s time to let them go. There are more elevated, updated dress styles for summer that still give you the same ease and comfort, but feel more modern and more flattering.
Think less volume up top, cleaner lines, better proportions, and silhouettes that work on more body types. Still easy. Still wearable. Just a little more current.
Also, sorry, but if you’re wearing a crossbody bag outside of the park or actual kid activities, it might be time to reconsider. I know I get a lot of flack for this one, and I get it. When you need to be hands-free, chasing kids around, carrying snacks, wiping faces, doing the full mom Olympics, yes, of course, wear the crossbody.
But when you’re going out for date night, girls’ night, brunch, errands, or just trying to make the outfit feel a little more intentional, the crossbody bag is usually not doing you any favors. Especially the ones that sit right across the chest. They can break up the outfit in a weird way and make the whole look feel more practical than styled.
I love changing my bags depending on the occasion. Not every bag has to be your everyday, goes-with-everything bag. Sometimes the outfit needs a little color, texture, shape, or something more playful to make it feel finished.
A beach bag, a date night bag, a brunch bag, an errands bag they all serve a different purpose and create a different feeling. It’s one of the easiest ways to shift an outfit from practical to intentional without changing the whole look.
Dress Weather
We wrapped up the week with two more carousels, starting with summer dress inspiration. This one was made to be easy to save and come back to when you need outfit ideas quickly. Summer dresses are one of those pieces that seem simple, but the styling can really change the whole feeling.
And the other was a little more of a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of my life and my outfits.
I wanted this one to still feel relatable to the cool mom archetype, but with more of my personal flair layered in. A way for you to get to know me and my style a bit more, while still connecting to the mom moments I’m sure we’re all living through in one way or another.
I like to think of myself as slightly introverted, but also witty and dry-humored, especially once you know me. So I’m slowly going to open the door a little more.
For now, this carousel was made up of weekly looks inspired by nature (oh and yes, I still do very much use Pinterest), the feeling of never being alone (hello, two toddlers), and two of my other favorite things: espresso and champagne (or sparkling wine, depending on how technically correct we’re being).
A Few Things I’ve Been Thinking About
These are the questions that have been sitting with me this week, and they’re the foundation of everything we’re building here:
1. Is personal style discovered, or built?
We talk so much about personal style, but what does it actually mean? Is it fixed? Fluid? Instinctual? Or something we build and discover through experience?
I like to think of personal style as a compilation of our thoughts, feelings, experiences, references, memories, and desires and the way we choose to express all of that visually in the world. It’s not just “what you wear.”
It’s how you see yourself, how you want to be seen, and the small choices you make every day to close the gap between the two. But how do you actually have it?
I think personal style comes from broadening your scope, collecting experiences, and then filtering them through your own point of view.
If you grew up around punk culture, the way you see and express things is probably very different from someone who barely listened to punk music. But then maybe you move, change, grow, enter a totally different world, and suddenly you’re holding two very different references at once. So what happens?
Does one fall away? Do they merge? Do they clash until something new forms?
I love thinking about this because every phase of life feels like it gives us something new to collect, something old to shed, and a few anchor pieces to carry forward.
The real work is staying open. Collecting, editing, filtering, trying, noticing. The more we practice that, the more we strengthen the muscle of making style personal.
What’s Been Catching My Eye (In No Particular Order)
Board short summer, I have yet to get a pair, but I’m loving these.
I also have been liking the technical hiking / board short cross over mini skirts. Feel sporty and chic option instead of a tennis skirt. Like this here, here or this here.
I have Dedcool Mochi Milk which I love, I also want to try Mineral Milk. I’m curious do you rotate perfumes/colognes or are you a signature scent kind of person?
I LOVE these Tory Burch sandals and think they’re soo fun. Probably not my most practical shoe choice, but definitely a wishlist item. I’ve seen a few other influencers wearing them (I’ve been influenced!) and they look so cute for summer.
If you missed any other shopping links, be sure to bookmark my shopmy or LTK.
Want to Be Part of The Colorist?
I would love to start seeing more of what you’re wearing, experimenting with, and trying in real life.
Tag me on Instagram if you’re testing out a color combo, trying a new silhouette, or just having a good outfit moment. I love seeing what you’re wearing and highlighting people in this community.
And if you want actual feedback, you can submit your outfits here. I’ll review select submissions on Instagram, and I’d love to see what you’re working with and help you train your eye a little more along the way.
As always, I’m so happy you’re here!