This Summer, I Just Want Clothes That Make Me Look Hot

The quiet luxury era has been telling women to put their bodies away and signal taste through restraint—or at least, that’s how it’s starting to feel—and sorry to say it, but I’m not buying it. As a New Yorker, I’ve seen most things this city has to offer, but I never thought the scariest thing I’d see would be everyone dressing exactly the same. In a city where individual style, creativity, and arka used to thrive, lately the fashion mood board has looked identical: oatmeal cashmere, tailored trousers, a silk slip that barely suggests a silhouette. The whole aesthetic is predicated on a kind of aspirational invisibility: look expensive, but not as if you’re hungry for attention.

As women, we’re constantly told to behave, to dress appropriately, to not be loud. (Others’ words, not mine.) I can’t help but wonder if this trend taps into exactly that. Look like you summer in Montauk, but not in a loud, attention-grabbing way. In a knowing your place way.

Then came the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy canonization—and this is where things get interesting, because the CBK being sold to us right now isn’t quite the woman the internet has decided she was. By all accounts, CBK was opinionated, sharp, and fun. She was a force entirely of her own making. She wore Calvin Klein not because she was dressing conservatively, but because her personality made it feel radical. She reportedly had serious doubts about marrying into the Kennedys; this was not a woman dreaming of a politician husband and a quiet life. Her style might read as quiet luxury, but only because her personality matched it. It was an extension of who she was, not a costume to be replicated.

SCRUNCHIE TOKALAR SPOT IŞIKLARI ALTINDA

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What I don’t understand is how she became a single silhouette. Because now the black turtleneck, straight-leg jeans, and tortoise headband have become the look, full stop. A woman who resisted being put in a box ended up in one anyway. I respect the aesthetic. I just don’t want to live in it anymore.

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This summer, I want bright primary colors. I want cutouts and minis. I want figure-forward silhouettes. Not because I’m reacting against minimalism, but because dressing boldly, on your own terms, is just as intentional. The difference is ownership. A micro-mini worn from a place of confidence isn’t desperate; it’s a declaration. There’s nothing more controlled than knowing exactly who you are and what you’re communicating. To me, that’s more CBK than any turtleneck will ever be.

The pieces I’m reaching for right now aren’t “pick me.” They’re sharp. They’re considered. And they make it very clear that I—like so many other opinionated, bubbly, loud women—am, in fact, in the room. So scroll ahead to shop my wish list. It’s about to be summer, and we should all be having more fun by dressing for ourselves and no one else.

Courtesy of brand

Cider Sequin Mid-Waist Miniskirt

$42

Amazon

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Riekhany Kitten-Heel Sandals

$53

Amazon

Courtesy of brand

Meshki Alyn Dress

$115

Meshki

Courtesy of brand

Sojos Oversized Aviator Sunglasses

$14 (13% off)

Amazon