Photo courtesy of Anna Dabrowska/The Licensing Project

What’s Your Summer Style Archetype?

Shopping for summer things while it’s actually summer can be a lot like navigating a fancy grocery store on an empty stomach: Without some direction, you’re likely to end up overwhelmed, spend money on things you don’t need (looking at you, vegan açai mousse), and wonder, when all is said and done, how you still can’t assemble a full meal—er, outfit. The solution? A solid sense of who you are—and what you truly need—so that you can resist temptation, pick up only what you’ll use, and sail through checkout.

THE TOASTMISTRESS

Your Vibe: Life of the party in a pretty dress.
The Palette: Prints and puff sleeves.
Style Mantra: Go big or go home.

You’re fun. You’re eclectic. You can usually be found entertaining in your backyard. Your idea of a casual get-together? Flowing rosé, five-piece place settings, and not one, not two, but three galettes you whipped up with stone fruit from the farmers’ market. Now that party season is in full swing, you feel like yourself again, free to wear all the florals and feminine frocks you please. As for swimwear, well, you’d rather be water-adjacent than wet—but you certainly know how to make a splash.

THE PREPSTER

Your Vibe: Upper East Sider who summers in Southampton.
The Palette: Polished basics and a pair of Clubmasters.
Style Mantra: Clean lines, classic shapes, can’t lose.

The title of your memoir? Collar by Her Name. Life philosophy? Stripe right. No dress code could possibly define you; you are, in a word, timeless. And while technically a city-dweller, come Friday, you can be found sipping spicy margs at the Surf Lodge or slurping down half a dozen at Duryea’s. Stylewise, you appreciate the ease of head-to-toe summer whites, and navy is your favorite neutral—but if the coral bikini in your cart is any indication, you aren’t afraid to dabble in color, either.

THE RETROPHILE

Your Vibe: Free-spirited water sign who wishes Woodstock were an annual event.
The Palette: Anything flared, fun, or flowy.
Style Mantra: Live in the moment; borrow from the past.

You’re in tune with your dosha, you have your crystal guy on speed dial, and you grow all your leafy greens in hydroponic pods (the rest of your produce comes from a weekly CSA delivery). Joni Mitchell is your jam, and your most-pinned style icons—Ali MacGraw, Jane Birkin, Stevie Nicks—all hail from the same era, meaning you gravitate toward billowy sets, sleek maillots, and diaphanous kaftans perfect for pool, beach, getting out of town—wherever your intuition takes you. With a mix of modern and vintage pieces, you set the bar for style wherever you go.

THE MINIMALIST

Your Vibe: Simple, approachable, and understatedly chic.
The Palette: Elevated essentials in (mostly) neutral tones.
Style Mantra: WWCBD? (What would Carolyn Bessette do?)

Streamlining is your strong suit. You believe that doing less is a way of life. You were decluttering long before “Kondoing” became a verb, and it shows: Your wardrobe is a tight edit of cool-girl basics you mix, match, and swap out with the seasons (save for the poppy sundress you keep for summer weddings). Come to think of it, you don’t overdo it in any category—be it beauty or home—opting for low-maintenance routines and wooden accessories to warm up your face and space, respectively. Because as you love to remind everyone: Simplicity is key.

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