Start Dressing Like Your Aperitivo
Color inspo from the best summer sips & snackie snacks
The concept of color itself has become a vital source of inspiration in fashion.
Valentino under Pierpaolo Piccoli gave us monotone saturated pigments that established a collection (strengthened further by Barbie’s marketing); PANTONE chooses a hue each year to ‘define’ it; Sabato de Sarno’s Gucci butter, citrine and burgundy; Charli XCX’s brat green ruined other artist’s chances of having quite the same impact + visual association.
It’s here on Substack too, either via style guides taking a trending color combo for a spin or creative direction-esque profiles that pair natural elements like produce, flowers, or rock formations with their favorite runway looks from the 90s. Shoutout to y’all (
!) or bringing something pleasing to the eye into my feed!
Naturally, I wanted to join in. Given that I have been developing a summer spritz campaign at work, amid an onslaught of early summer vacationers whose pinned IG stories seem to dot the Amalfi coast, it seems to be a no-brainer that I’ve centered my color study around the cherished aperitivo hour.
One could argue that isn’t taking inspiration from the natural world. But aperitivo is rooted in occasion, a ritual. That’s the human element of nature; how we communicate with it, in parallel or contrast.
It would have been perfectly easy to pull together looks from The World Wide Web (albeit my limited Canva skills would be put to work), extract them from their movement and setting. Using my own closet for the concept, however, has set some limited and realistic expectations. I don’t have an endless budget, there are likely a few gaps that are further exposed by a lack of the “right” accessories, and I neither wear gifted clothing nor have a link to make money off of. What I have is all I have.
Lucky for me, playful dressing has never paid mind to the boundaries set against it. Despite feeling vulnerable and exposed to the elements, so to speak, I know the strength of this newsletter is not in its (my) taste but in the challenges it can pose for readers. I can certainly make more of an attempt to detail the peaks and valleys more accurately, and hopefully my process and conclusions can be lifted and applied to your own story.
Starting off with an OG — bruschetta. When you include balsamic into the mix, it’s almost as if there are four colors that form four quadrants or opposing figures, rather than finding each other within the same category on the color wheel. Using the high contrast in almost equal parts further prove this point, giving it a yin-yang look rather than implementing color proportional to the bruschetta itself. That’s part of the food vs fashion difference: the ratios that make it taste good can be the same ones that make it look good, but that’s not entirely the case.
I might like an oversized button up in place of the RL fitted style in the photos, but I only have the one white button up. That’s life, baby!
Another thing I’ve enjoyed playing with lately is asymmetry; I learned from one of
‘s amazing vids that Japanese fashion in particular values this aesthetic. For the button up + red one shoulder look, I added wide leg black pants, but to take it another step further I could add a black scarf or skirt over top. The striped crossbody bag further defined the lines across my torso that the top was carving out.
I’m calling it cornichon summer! Mostly because I’m a recent convert, and have been known to enjoy popping a single pickle from the fridge while dinner is still cooking.
For this one, I wanted to start with any shades of green I had laying around and then build around it the “breads and cheeses”. To reference the board, there are plenty of additional colors to supplement, representing the grapes or cured meats, that would bridge the depth between brown and green/yellow.
I realized while putting these together that I haven’t tried putting this leather jacket with my cargos yet, which when paired with simple Havianas and a textured bag like this knotty Staud one (pictured), reminds me of my cargo-loving queen Jennifer Aniston. I wrote about her casual summer looks in my “Summer Camp” post last year, so rest assured for any readers that have been known to reference a Rachel haircut at least once in their life, I got you!
You never forget your first sip of tinto de verano. I had just touched down in Madrid to visit a hometown friend that had relocated there, eight months into my first year in the UK and on spring holiday from my postgraduate course. Our first stop on the tour consisted of pinchos in the plaza with tintos.
I was quite bullish on my preference for American-style lemonade — no carbonation, all sugar — but I couldn’t mask the immense delight of its European sibling when doused into a healthy pour of red wine. It’s simpleton sangria, a quick fix, the lager shandy of vino! The buzz from this sweet n’ dry hit is sensational. I love a cheeky one drink high.
I don’t have too much summer burgundy, but I wear the hell out of my oxblood loafers. I’ve had the below look pinned for a few months now as I look to recirculate winter trends into the new season, and think the mesh skirt adds a breathability that could play well with this concept.
Now we’re getting deep into wine country. Ever heard of tossing a couple slices of jalapeño into some rosé?
The proportions here actually fit the bill of the drink! It takes a lot for me to step out in virtually any shade of pink, but that’s between me & my journal alone. In a similar fashion, I’m not one to order a rosé… is it that it’s hard to find a good one, or an internalized judgment against people who exclusively drink pink moscato?
Adding that element of spice, something that’s as sharp and fresh as sliced jalapeño, may be the balance I prefer. I’m told by color theory that I would look best in hot pink, but I’m still working on my relationship to the ultra-feminine connotations that come with it — until then, doses of green can cut through anything loud.
As I was scrolling I came across some looks that could arguably be thrown into the rosé/jalapeño category. What strikes me about the first look (L, from
) is there are two versions of each complementary color. The red lipstick and pink belt seem to come together with the combination of jewel tone green and neutral olive, at least for me. The second look is all about texture, a play between lace and sequins, as well as a conversation of reflecting light off the sequins and satin. Oh, to be tan and wear whatever you want because it’s summer.
At minimum, most pubs and bars that don’t serve food in the UK will have a few flavors of crisp packets to gnosh on. Y’all are still so weird for shrimp scampi and prawn cocktail flavors, idc. While my snack attacks growing up weren’t typically geared towards potato chips, in my three years in the UK I wound up creating a Pavlovian attachment to salt & vinegar crisps every time I had a pint or glass of wine. And yes, ideally the ones in the blue Kettle bag that were balsamic of Modena.
There are diagrams out there detailing exactly what chips should be paired with which wine — for me, I think an Assyrtiko, Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño are all beautiful matches for my choice flavor. Take your pic between orange and white! For the context of this brief, orange created a more obvious color combination. A little birdie also told me orange is going to be hugeeeee this summer, so action that how you like.
This is the only look that I felt like I had to bite the bullet and add some denim into the mix. Given that these are all taken from the natural-ish world of food, there isn’t a whole lot of blue. It also posed a worthy challenge for my denim-obsessed wardrobe to get a bit more creative…. You could, however, claim that most aperitivos are best spent with a view of some deep, blue, salty waters. Then it’s fair game!
I love the cascading crossbody ties on this orange blouse from Rejina Pyo. Up close, it has a dimension that brings a sort of sunset fade throughout. I threw on a COS jacket I thrifted at a Traid shop a few years back and paired it with my dark denim maxi skirt, which in other conditions certainly skews Pennsylvania Dutch. Nothing a sheer shirt can’t level out.
It’s gearing up to be a sexy summer. I’m eager to share a couple little ditties in the pipeline, but until then do me a favor and turn ABBA all the way up and pour something sweet, dry and preferably bubbly. xoxo
thank you so much for the mention and such a fun read! 💕
the sangria fit!!! love love love