You're not imagining it: Bucket hats are everywhere this summer. So many trends from the '90s and '00s are back in full swing, as anyone who's streamed a show on Netflix, turned the pages of a magazine, or walked down the street recently can tell you. It’s like we all stepped back into a time portal, and we’re cast members of our favorite turn-of-the-millennium cheesy sitcom. Outside the obvious nostalgia attached to dressing like the past, we actually love the casual and cool vibe that throwing on a bucket hat brings to an outfit. If you are like us on the shopping team and have been dying to get your hands on a cutie bucket hat, you’re in luck. We’ve gathered a handful of comfy toppers worthy of rocking all summer long.
Maybe you’re in need of a bucket hat for your upcoming beach vacation, to pair with an uber-cute bikini, or perhaps you need just a little something extra to make those casual summer dresses come to life. Click through this list of bucket hats made of interesting fabrics, funky patterns, and bright color-blocking, and maybe you’ll stumble upon the perfect bucket hat to carry you through all your future outfit changes.
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.
Lisa Says Gah Britt Bucket Hat, Counting Sheep Natural, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Jacquemus Off-White 'Le Bob Artichaut' Bucket Hat, $, available at SSENSE
Fiorucci Angels Vinyl Bucket Hat Black, $, available at Fiorucci
Anthropologie Crochet Bucket Hat, $, available at Anthropologie
Disney Disney x Diamond Supply Co. Mickey Bandana Print Cotton Twill Bucket Hat, $, available at Nordstrom
Ralph Lauren Color-Blocked Chino Bucket Hat, $, available at Ralph Lauren
Ganni GANNI Seasonal Recycled Tech Bucket Hat, $, available at Shopbop
Urban Outfitters Frayed Patchwork Bucket Hat, $, available at Urban Outffiters
PacSun Desert Dreamer Smiley Recycled Bucket Hat, $, available at PacSun
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R29 reader-favorite indie brand Lisa Says Gah is hosting the rarest of sales, and we're telling you now so you don't totally miss out on this once-in-a-blue-moon moment. Live your wildest West-Coast-cool-girl-meets-cottagecore dreams with these aesthetically pleasing pieces, now up to 75% off. This End of Season Warehouse Sale will only be available starting today through July 25. No promo codes are required, and you get free U.S. shipping for orders $85 or more. All sales are final, so we recommend sizing up just in case. We also suggest adding to cart as quickly as possible, as sizes are selling fast-fast.
Founded in 2015 by Lisa Bühler, a former buyer for Nasty Gal, this San Francisco-based brand is known for its bright, funky patterns and being ahead of the ever-evolving trend cycle. Focused on ethical manufacturing and sustainable materials, their website also carries various other designer brands that strongly believe in that message, like Hosbjerg, Toit Volant, Gimaguas, and more.
Whether it's the first time you've heard of Lisa Says Gah or you've been patiently waiting for that price point to drop down, now's your chance to have your very own LSG piece in the closet. Click ahead to shop our picks for this once-in-a-lifetime sale event. We know we will!
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. The product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Lisa Says Gah Stevie Midi Dress, Green, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lennie Gah Necklace, Multi, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Maddie Midi Long Sleeve, Thistle, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Hosbjerg Brielle Pants, Nude/Green, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Poppy Cardi, Ivory, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lennie Signs Point To to Yes Necklace - Multi, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Maddie Midi Dress Long Sleeve, Terracotta Gingham, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Hosbjerg Adele Pants - Purple Liquid, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Wendy Short Sleeve Top, Ink, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Diana Frock Mini Dress, Black/Ivory Cow, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Woven Mask - Painted Ladies Pink, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Eva Sweater Vest - Ivory, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Toit Volant Epsilon Ursae Dress, Beige, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Toni Top, Green, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Hosbjerg Cisalo Pants, Purple/Green Fade, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Gimaguas Antonia Crop Top, Lime, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Britt Bucket Hat, Counting Sheep Natural, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Hosbjerg Asta Olivia Pants, Green, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Blanca Top, Tuscany Gingham, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Denim Pouch - Black Daisy Check, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah Sabrina Top, Blue, $, available at Lisa Says Gah
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In November 2020, a specific pair of leggings sold by a French company Seasum for $25.99 went viral overnight, thanks to the popular hashtag #TikTokMademeBuyIt, which encourages users to try out items and hacks. The style, featuring a honeycomb-like texture and an indentation on the lower back that simulated a pulled-up thong, was lauded by users for its comfort. But what truly sets these leggings apart from the millions out there was its unique ability to transform anyone’s derriere. One of the first users to share them was Lauren Wolfe, a TikToker with over 500,000, who claimed that her “butt does not look like that” normally. The video now has over 250,000 likes.
Since then, the hashtag #TikTokLeggings has garnered over 630 million views on the app, 60k reviews on Amazon, and “booty-lifting” dupes from other brands. Even Lizzo is a fan. Picture a pair of leggings that mix the comfort of activewear with the appeal of shapewear, featuring an intentional wedgie that carefully separates your buttcheeks, giving anyone a derriere made for its own reality TV show.
For months now, the success of the TikTok leggings has puzzled shoppers who want to understand how regular butts become superbutts in them. The company claims that the key to its “butt lift” comes from a four-way stretch fabric that “conforms and contours with each pose and movement.” But is that actually what’s going on?
Textile expert and assistant professor of textile development and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology Preeti Arya doesn’t buy it. Arya says that the technique used in these leggings is “west knitting,” the most common type of yarn technology used today, mainly because it allows the garment to stretch even if the fabric doesn’t have elastane. On Seasum’s website, the leggings are described as having a “special mesh textured fabric,” which Arya says may be “just a modification” of regular west knitting that allows for a textured appearance, altering the shape of the legs to look more full.
Although the company highlights the “textured fabric” as one of the signature factors for the leggings’ “butt-lifting” capabilities, textile expert Preeti Gopinath says there’s no lifting happening at all. Instead, it’s about the design, which draws attention to the wearer’s butt crack. “It’s very rare that you find leggings that have that ruching at the [back] seam,” says Gopinath, who’s the director of the masters of textiles program at Parsons The New School for Design. As opposed to regular leggings, which Arya notes is typically sewn in a way that allows the seam to sit “right on top of the butt line,” these Seasum leggings gather fabric from within the butt-crack to define the two cheeks, giving the illusion of a derriere so big that it’s stretched out the legging’s fabric. The V-shape waistline in the back also exaggerates the scrunching at the seam. Arya calls the Seasum version “a genius design.”
While it seems the whole cyberspace has tried the leggings, not everyone is a fan of them, especially people who wear them to work out. Some user reviews describe the backside seams ripping open, or stretching out to create holes. At the end of the day, clever design can’t compete with an actually powerful butt and its movements.
The activewear boom is a key factor to understand why these leggings went viral. Before the pandemic, activewear had already been on the rise, with brands like Lululemon, Athleta, and Outdoor Voices leading the market, valued at $155.2 billion in 2018, according to ReportLinker. It’s expected to hit $547 billion by 2024. TikTok is also ripe for items like these to go viral, fostering communities where niche trends and products are becoming the new mainstream.
Neither Arya or Gopinath believe the leggings are particularly magical. Instead, they point to the triple-threat construction — textured knitting, scrunched back side seam, and dipping waistband — as giving the appearance of a lifted backside appearance, rather than actually lifting it. Arya says, the real body part these leggings affect isn’t your butt, but rather your brain: “It’s all an optical illusion.”
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Dua Lipa attends the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )
Who says you have to be any wear near a body of water to wear a bikini top?
On Friday, Dua Lipa shared her latest night-out look on Instagram, including a neon orange suit by David Koma London, paired with a black bikini top, featuring silver gemstone flowers.
The “Love Again” singer took a cue from one of summer’s biggest swimwear trends: the floss string bikini. As its name suggests, the top features thin ties that wrap around the midriff in a crisscross pattern. Judging by the trends shown during this year’s Miami Swim Week and worn by celebs like Lady Gaga and Kylie Jenner, flossy separates are a post-quarantine must-have.
Over the past year, the British-Albanian performer has championed many Y2K trends, including creative variations of the going-out top, donning halter, backless numbers and blinged out camisoles à la 2000s-era Paris Hilton.
But let’s not forget that summer is almost halfway through, and sharp tailoring is also upon us. As the American workforce returns to IRL offices, the fashion suit is primed to become one of the season’s must-haves. During Paris couture week, street style photographers captured a blazer-heavy vibe, with influencers and celebs pairing structured blazers with tulle skirts, combat boots, and ditching their undershirt for a naked-like look.
You can recreate the unusual swimwear and workwear combo for your next night out with some of the options below.
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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