How To Dress For Hot Girl Summer (Without The Pressure Or The $$$)

When Megan Thee Stallion inspired the first Hot Girl Summer in 2019, few of us had any hesitations about living our best lives. And many of us did just that. One year later however, during the first few months of the pandemic, summer meant sofa cocktails and Zoom therapy sessions. Then when summer ’21 came around, what we thought was going to be our year ended up getting spoiled by an unpredictable traffic light system that put paid to our travel plans, and half-hearted festivals going off with several hitches.

That brings us to now. We’re anticipating the Hot Girl Summer to end all Hot Girl Summers. COVID restrictions are few and far between, weddings are back on the books and travel vouchers can finally be redeemed. With events majorly upping the ante and the overall excitement of this year’s possibility, there’s a mounting pressure to spend more, go out more, experience more this summer. And maybe, just maybe, the pressure might be too much.

One look at our social feeds and we’re bombarded with messages from brands and content creators encouraging us to shop. Event-specific shopping edits are hugely successful marketing strategies (e.g. Nasty Gal’s ‘The Journey Is The Destination’ festival edit and PrettyLittleThing’s Hot Girl Summer drop). Influencers are sharing massive shopping hauls and memes about overspending on clothes are a dime a dozen.

@boohoo Bills? We don’t know her👀🛍 #boohoo #shoppingaddiction #fashion ♬ I did it myself – Keltie

Sure, this is all part of the capitalism cycle but this year’s summer-ready messaging feels particularly magnified following the uncertainty of the last two years. This leads us to ask: what if we don’t have the money to be spending loads this summer? What if we’re still working on our relationship with our new, post-pandemic body? What if we just want to enjoy a bit more freedom this summer – without feeling the need to look the part, too?

Let us be the first to say: it’s okay to feel this way. It’s okay not to do it all this summer. Hot Girl Summer is just a mindset so here are three major tenets to remember when it comes to summer style that doesn’t break the bank (or harm the Earth).

Shop your own wardrobe first

Remember when we were captivated by capsule wardrobes and minimalism, only for them to be overshadowed by the impulse shopping and overconsumption of the pandemic? By meeting somewhere in the middle (because minimalism has its own set of issues) we can discover lots of gems from the most perfect, most sustainable place to shop: our own wardrobe.

Ahead of summer, before you tap ‘add to cart’ on several new dresses, cute tops and that suit you’ve been eyeing in the color of the season, remember that there are already tons of summer-ready clothes in your wardrobe. Whether you bought them mid-pandemic in anticipation of better summers to come or have realized they don’t fit like they used to, now’s the time to pull them out, give them some love (like a dry clean or alteration if needed) or re-home them for someone else’s Hot Girl Summer instead.  

There are even apps to help you do that, like Whering and Stylebook, both of which allow you to digitize your entire wardrobe and build outfits with the help of stylists. 

You can’t buy fun, no matter what a brand tells you

Capitalism has conditioned us to buy new outfits for one-off events, regardless of whether we plan to wear them again. Fast fashion makes this kind of overconsumption possible for the masses, with brands pumping out thousands of products a year or even per month. 

As we enter the second weekend of this year’s Coachella festival, we are reminded of how – somewhere between Woodstock and the inception of Instagram – music festivals became commercial opportunities and content factories rather than cultural experiences. 

Trend forecaster Mandy Lee (@oldloserinbrooklyn) touched on this in an analysis on TikTok earlier this week. “Coachella’s like, the perfect example of how capitalism sells us the promise of unforgettable experiences, community and music all under the guise of participating in capitalism,” she said.

@oldloserinbrooklyn My quick analysis on the shift of Coachella culture/fashion #coachella #analysis #fashion #revolve #coachella2022 ♬ You – Petit Biscuit

Lee isn’t the only one taking note. From influencers literally going to Coachella in sweats to the spike in wardrobe rentals for summer events like festivals and weddings, there are some promising moves away from this consumerist mindset.

Experience moments; don’t curate them

We’ve grown so accustomed to seeing our diaries through a social media lens that it’s rare for friends to go for dinner and not take a single photo. Holidays now aren’t just for us; we broadcast them to our friends and followers. Add the pressure of Hot Girl Summer ’22 into the mix and it’s no wonder you might be feeling pangs of anxiety.

That need to look picture-perfect at all times this season? Bin it. Hot Girl Summer, just like social media, can only ever be a highlights reel and after two unequivocally shit years, we don’t deserve that pressure on ourselves.

Wild thought: what if we used this summer as a chance to reconnect with friends and enjoy new experiences instead? What if, instead of spending way beyond our means on a weeklong, curated Caribbean adventure, we just ordered a couple of pizzas to a friend’s house and laughed our heads off into the wee hours of the night? We won’t remember the clothes we were wearing in 20 years’ time anyway.

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Is Lizzo’s Shapewear Line Worth The Hype? We Put It To The Test

It’s no secret that shapewear is having a moment. Thanks to brands like Kim Kardashian’s Skims, which launched in 2019 and is currently valued at over $1 billion, and Spanx, which secured a billion-dollar valuation in 2021 after decades in business, the market has boomed to an unprecedented level. This is all taking place against a backdrop of a perceived shift in body positivity that no longer venerates one ideal shape. That’s a ripe environment for the arrival of the newly-launched Yitty, singer Lizzo’s shapewear line.

Released in partnership with Fabletics, the line is described as “industry first” for its “no-shame, smile inducing shapewear” with sizes ranging from 6X to XS, according to the press release. “Instead of thinking about size in this linear way, we’re thinking about it on a spectrum where everyone is included,” said Lizzo via the release. “Everyone’s size is just their size. It’s not high, it’s not low. It’s not big, it’s not small. It’s just your size.” The first drop — released on April 12 — includes an array of bodysuits, sports bras, shaping shorts, leggings, and underwear in vibrant hues and a wide set of skin-colored tones. 

While shapewear brands have extended their sizing and have committed to body-inclusive campaign imagery in recent years, Yitty marks a new precedent by extending to a 6X, surpassing the likes of Skims, which only reaches a size 4X. This is one of the reasons why R29 associate writer Chichi Offor was thrilled about trying the new line. 

“I was intrigued by the brand and its potential for unique offerings that could fill a gap in the market,” she says. “I think because it was designed and created by Lizzo (a fellow larger woman) I had pretty high hopes for the execution.” 

R29 fashion director Irina Grechko also recognized the launch as “exciting” because of its messaging and promise to shift standards within the shapewear industry. “Shapewear has long had negative connotations attached to it, as it pertains to promoting toxic body standards and unrealistic body shapes,” she says. “The fact that Yitty, according to the press release, was ‘based on the principles of self-love, radical inner confidence, and effortless, everyday wear’ and came in sizes ranging from XS to 6X was exciting for me.”

To test how the new brand measured up to its hype, three Refinery29 editors tried it out IRL. Here are their reviews. 

Chichi Offor, Associate Writer

What did you try? The midi bra and shaping shorts. 

So, how was it? When you pull the pieces out of the box, they look so very small! However, I know that’s pretty common for shapewear. I put on the piece and it wasn’t super hard to get on. You do have to shimmy into it a little. Once everything was on, I definitely noticed how effective the Yitty pieces were at compressing the body. My boobs definitely felt pretty held in and the bra offered a pretty solid amount of support, but I don’t think I’d do any high-intensity activities in it. The shaping shorts were compressive too, and they also smoothed out my skin. 

I tend to avoid shapewear because I’ve been on a journey to normalize and get used to all the nooks and crannies on my body. However, if smoothing is the desired effect, I do think the Yitty pieces I tried on do just that. My main gripe is that it’d be nice if the fabric was a little thicker. Depending on the lighting, my pieces were a little more sheer than I’d like. It’s not too noticeable, but I think if you look closely a little more is visible than some people would be comfortable with.

I honestly don’t see myself wearing this set on its own. However, I might wear it under a more bodycon type of dress to go out. I’ll be wearing the bra pretty regularly, and I’d potentially wear it as a cropped top in the summer with shorts, jeans, and a skirt. I do think the set looks great styled with a blazer and boots.

Irina Grechko, Fashion Director

What did you try? The shaping thong bodysuit

So, how was it? While it was hard to put on and take off the first time, I liked how the bodysuit neither constricted me like a sausage casing nor felt too loose. It also smoothed my torso without any rolling and, if you’re smaller chested, could be worn without a bra. To me, this piece felt more like a top, rather than traditional shapewear, just because of the thicker straps which you could only wear under short or long sleeves.

I wore this piece twice. The first time I wore it as a layer underneath a sweatshirt to go to the hair salon, where I removed the sweatshirt once it got too hot. The second time I wore it as a top underneath a navy pantsuit, which gave the look a nice pop of color. Given the pretty and on-trend lavender color, I didn’t want to hide the top underneath layers, so, moving forward, I will be wearing this as a bodysuit rather than shapewear.

Mercedes Viera, Shopping Writer

What did you try? Smoothing sleeve thong bodysuit

So, how was it? It’s not for me. Everything from the long sleeves to the color, it’s simply not me. While the mesh is soft and nothing is too tight, the piece doesn’t know what it wants to be. It’s tight in the arms but not tight enough in the chest (I’m a 38H, so that shouldn’t be possible). I can understand why someone else would love this though, someone who is insecure about their arms, someone that can go around without a bra, who’s comfortable wearing a thong, and loves neon pink. If you’re any of those things, you’d love this. 

I tried it once when I got it, and I couldn’t think of any outfits that I would confidently and comfortably wear it out with. The closest I got was taking the easy route and pairing it with jeans or shorts. But it’s really not my style… like at all.

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The Waistcoat Is The Y2K Trend You’re Sleeping On

Whether you were jamming out to "Sk8er Boi" or "Girlfriend", the ubiquitous hits of Canadian singer Avril Lavigne probably left an unmistakable mark on your early 2000s — either thanks to aforementioned earworms or the former MTV fixture’s alternative-leaning stylistic sensibilities. I know I'm not alone in remembering how the singer would style traditional suiting separates like neckties, singlets, and cargo pants seamlessly on a regular basis.

And who could forget the form-fitting black waistcoat she wore on the cover of the now-defunct shopping bible Lucky back in 2007? In the photo, Lavigne sported a button-front vest worn over a crisp white camisole — a look that many have replicated over the years, and for good reason. The waistcoat is minimal, classic, clean, and has wonderful layering capabilities, especially during transitional seasons.

While I've even given the look a go a time or two, I've realized in my shopping endeavors that not all waistcoats are created equal. From breathable linen vests and cropped designs to satin and pinstriped lines, the internet is a prime hunting ground for plus-size and straight size-friendly options. Read on to shop all the vests and waistcoats cool enough for your inner Y2K superstar.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Pretty Little Thing Plus Cream Halterneck Waistcoat

Sizes Available: 12-26
PLT brings us this cream-colored waistcoat that is corset-like in its ability to cinch everything in, along with an open back for daring day-to-night wear. Buy the matching pair of tailored trousers for an effortlessly chic outfit combo.

Shop PrettyLittleThing

PrettyLittleThing Plus Cream Halterneck Waistcoat, $, available at PrettyLittleThing

Eloquii Long Tailored Vest

Sizes Available: 14-28
A longline, slightly oversized waistcoat is ideal for those that want less definition and are going for a more boxy look. This one is great for any back-to-work looks as well.


Shop Eloquii

Eloquii Long Tailored Vest, $, available at Eloquii

Cider Plus It's Just Business Babe Pinstripe Halter Top

Sizes Available: 1XL-4XL (Shop M-L)
On a round-up of the best button-up vests and waistcoats, how could we leave out the classic suiting detail of pinstripes? This one from Cider is a bit more cropped than others on this list, yet it still gives us all the menswear vibes we all came here for.


Shop Cider

cider Plus It's Just Business Babe Pinstripe Halter Top, $, available at Cider

Abercrombie & Fitch Cropped Satin Back Vest

Sizes Available: XS-XL
I own this A&F vest in mint green in an XXL. (It’s currently sold out.) This waistcoat is your standard simple-yet-chic rendition of this trend. It's a shame that Abercrombie only goes up to an XL in the black colorway because this has been one of my favorite pieces in my closet for many months now.


Shop Abercrombie & Ftich

Abercrombie and Fitch Cropped Satin Back Vest, $, available at Abercrombie and Fitch

Porridge Seamed Stripe Vest

Sizes Available: XS-3XL
This cotton and linen vest is all about the details. From the use of natural fibers, to the adjustable waist, and blue pinstripe back panel, there's so much more to this one than meets the eye. One reviewer loves to pair this with a "baby tee or cami.” (IYKYK that this is on-point early-aughts styling.)

Shop Anthropologie

Porridge Seamed Stripe Vest, $, available at Anthropologie

Free People Valleria Vest

Sizes Available: XS-XL
This lacy cotton vest is meant to be worn under the toasty heat of the sun. The breathable eyelet design practically screams springtime dressing.

Shop Free People

Free People Valleria Vest, $, available at Free People

UO Ali Menswear Vest

Sizes Available: XXS - XXXL (Some sizes sold out)
If you want a light, summery look like the Free People style but love the weight and feel of a more traditional waistcoat, then this muted beige silhouette offers the best of both worlds.

Shop Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters Ali Menswear Vest, $, available at Urban Outfitters

Eloquii Crop Vest

Sizes Available: 14-28
This plus-size-first retailer wants you to look like a luscious stick of butter in the best way possible. The cute collar and thick-lined oversized buttons are two standout deets we love to see.

Shop Eloquii

Eloquii Crop Vest, $, available at Eloquii

NastyGal Multi Check Cropped Button Down Vest

Sizes Available: 0-10
Plaid is a classic pattern when it comes to suiting garments. However, this green and orange check puts a fresh, modern spin on the good old days with its vibrant mix of colors.

Shop NastyGal

NastyGal Multi Check Cropped Button Down Vest, $, available at NastyGal

Wildfang The Essential Corduroy Vest

Sizes Available: S - XXL (Some sizes sold out)
Wild Fang's clothing has been making queer folks feel good in their bodies for some time now. Snag this rosy pink corduroy vest — that's equal parts dapper and cute — while it’s still in stock.

Shop Wildfang

Wildfang The Essential Corduroy Vest, $, available at Wildfang

H&M Suit Vest

Sizes Available: S-XL
Deep brown hues are having a moment in the fashion world right now. The mini lapels and body-hugging waistcoat are just what you need to look as sweet as Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

Shop H&M

H&M Suit Vest, $, available at H&M

eVogues Plus-Size Button Up Stretch Vest

Sizes Available: 1X-3X
This look has a bit more stretch in it than any of the others on the list. Stretch is great for hugging the more curvy parts of the body. This one is selling out pretty quickly, so snag it ASAP if you’re looking for a more fitted vest to pair with figure-skimming pieces.

Shop Amazon

eVogues Plus Size Button Up Sleeveless Stretch Vest, $, available at Amazon

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Glass Handbags Are Trending — Here’s What To Consider Before Buying One

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 03: Doja Cat attends the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

In March, singer Doja Cat walked the red carpet at the 2022 Grammy Awards, carrying a blue glass version of Coperni’s “Swipe” bag. Later, Kim Kardashian appeared at the 2022 Revolve Festival in California, wearing a silver metallic version, while her sister Kylie Jenner sported a clear one — making her Kylie Cosmetics products visible — to the premiere of the family’s new show The Kardashians. 

Since the new It-bag debuted in March during Coperni’s fall 2022 runway show on several models, including Gigi Hadid, celebrities have embraced the fragile and, frankly, confusing accessory. Handbags, after all, are theoretically meant to carry all our junk and essentials from a day at work to a night out. And while fashion has long maintained a history of impractical garments, this time, by simply experimenting with an unusual  material, Coperni is playing with our perception of what a bag can be. And it’s working. Since March, Google searches for “glass handbags” have risen to an all-time high.

The popular handbag is the result of a collaboration between Coperni and the glassware studio Heven, which also tapped Brooklyn-based glass artist Josh Raiffe for the partnership. Made from blown glass, artists Peter Dupont and Breanna Box used a thicker material than they typically do to make the bag durable and strong, which required them to utilize an air hose, instead of their mouths, to mold the glass. “We had to drill in and open it with scissors,” co-founder Breanna Box told i-D. “It was hard to make that shape.”

Throughout the process, the artists tried to translate the practicality of their usual glassware creations, which include horned vases and other homeware goods. “Our pieces always have a functionality, and that’s one of the philosophies behind what we do with Heven,” the studio’s co-founder Peter Dupont told i-D. “This bag is functional: You can put your phone in it, your wallet.”

But is that enough to earn glass handbags the label “functional”? Could we take the subway carrying them? Take them to a day of work? Bring them to a night out with friends? The thought of carrying a glass handbag with little room for essentials that could potentially make my hands sweat, prompting me to drop and break it, is enough to make me hesitant to swipe a credit card to get my own.

So, we asked professional glass artist Madeline Rile Smith, who also goes by @madhotglass on Instagram, to answer some pressing questions about this trend.

How Does Blown Glass Work? 

According to Rile Smith, this craft begins with molten glass from a furnace that’s kept at an average of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The artist gathers the material with a stainless steel pipe, and later, blows into it to shape it into the desired structure. Some blown glass structures, like the Coperni x Heven bag, are too thick for artists to blow using only their mouths, so they opt for an air hose instead. “It’s not often that we really use it,” says Rile Smith. “But in the case that we’re blowing something very thick, if a person were to try to blow it, they might get very dizzy.”

She adds that, while we may see some innovation in the designs created from blown glass, the craft itself has not changed much in the past centuries. “A lot of it is that we had a way of doing it and there’s not really a need to change it,” she says. “So, of course, people are innovating with glass all the time and making things like odd objects, sculptures, bags.”

Could A Glass Handbag Break?

Rile Smith is emphatic that, while blown glass used to make handbags is thicker than other applications of glass, it’s still a fragile material. But when it comes to glass handbags, the thick material does provide some protection for parading them around. “If you’re concerned about knocking it over or just durability, having something inside the purse rattling around, I think the thickness probably adds function to it,” she says.

Still, there are scenarios where these handbags could break, especially if you drop them on a hard surface. So, Rile Smith recommends using these handbags as more of special occasion pieces than an everyday bags. “It is definitely a statement piece, and it’s not something you just swing over your shoulder,” she says. “It’s maybe more suited for a cocktail party or just carrying it for a shorter period of time.”

Are Blown Glass Pieces Expensive?

The Coperni x Heven glass handbag will be retailing for a whopping $2,700, according to Paper Magazine. While dropping thousands on a glass handbag may seem excessive, Rile Smith says this price isn’t unusual for the blown glass market. “It’s all a very expensive art form,” she says, adding that the costs of electricity, materials, and technical craft contribute to this price. 

Other artists are also making glass handbags for cheaper prices — or at least items that could be used as glass handbags. Homeware brand Sage & Sill sells a bag-like vase with straps for $125, while craftspeople on Etsy are offering similar styles in acrylic (which looks somewhat like glass) for less than $100. 

What Should I Consider Before Buying A Glass Handbag?

Rile Smith recommends asking yourself, “When would I use the bag?” If there are events or special occasions in the horizon that merit such pieces, she says it’s worth buying, thinking about them less as purses and more as “portable art pieces.” The artist also says that it’s good to make a comparison with expensive shoes or jewelry: “Definitely wear them at places where you know your surroundings and you can take care of this item.” 

Ultimately, Rile Smith says, the allure of glass handbags lies in the fact that they’re so impractical. “The fact that it requires so much more care in just holding it and the way you interact with it — I feel like that’s why people are drawn to it,” she says.

Still, if the impractical nature of glass handbags (plus, the hefty pricetag!), there are still ways to channel the trend with the options below — even if it’s just for the ‘gram.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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