Friday, May 12, 2023

Amazon Has The Most Stylish & Comfortable Travel Outfits

Welcome to Travel Week, a seven-day stretch where we celebrate our wanderlust with the best buys on everything from stylish packing cubes to keep you organized to once-in-a-lifetime vacations. Whether you’re planning a local staycation or traveling across the world, adventure awaits. Away we go!

Whether we’re traveling via plane, train, or automobile, our end goal is pretty straightforward: Get from point A to B safely (and on time), ideally in a somewhat comfortable manner. While the first part of our wish is not entirely in our control, the second half is — through picking the right clothing to travel in.

The perfect travel outfit has to tick multiple boxes. First, it has to be loose-fitting without being overly cumbersome to move around in (or have compression to help you feel nice and secure). The material needs to be breathable yet durable — especially if you’re getting on a plane, where the cabin temperature flip-flops. Think travel pants, compression socks, and the like.

Finally, perhaps most importantly, it has to make you look put-together and confident. So if you are in the market for some stylish and affordable gear for your next vacation, you’ve arrived at your destination. We’ve sourced the best travel outfits from Amazon that are equal parts chic and cost effective. Also, don’t forget to grab a pair of travel-friendly shoes from Amazon. Read ahead to create the perfect travel outfit, including the most highly rated products, to help you arrive in style.

Best Travel Pants & Leggings

There is a lot of moving around when you’re in transit, so make sure to put on something that can accommodate walking, running, or even squatting. Go for a tapered jogger silhouette with a cuffed hem, as they are just the right amount of form-fitting without constricting movement and look reasonably polished. If you are traveling on a plane, compression leggings are also a good idea to keep your blood flow steady and avoid cramping.

Another key feature to look for? Lots of pockets, ideally with zippers or flap closure, so you can stash valuables without having to worry about their safety. The cargo pants highlighted above win top marks for us, thanks to the quick-drying water-repellent fabric that also protects you from UV rays. The sale price sweetens the deal.

Best Travel Shorts

If you want to wear shorts rather than pants for your summer travels, pick styles that are sans harsh waistbands or fussy button closures. Instead, opt for shorts with elastic waistbands that won’t prod into your stomach while sitting for long hours. A classic, comfy pair of cotton shorts will do the trick. But cargo shorts and biker shorts with longer inseams to prevent the fabric riding up, and lots of pockets to store your ticket, headphones, and gum are even better. A skort with hidden pockets, like the style above, will also have you looking and feeling super put-together as you travel in style.

Best Travel Jackets

For longer trips, downsizing the amount of clothing you pack is the smart thing to do. That’s why we highly recommend bringing a “shacket” — a hybrid between a button-down and a jacket — for your travels. The loosely fitted garment can either be styled as a top or worn as outerwear. The latter option is especially handy when you are running out of space in your suitcase. It’s also lightweight enough to be tied around your waist or draped across your shoulders if you want to add an extra oomph to your ensemble.

Best Matching Sweatsuits For Travel

If we could, we would totally wear PJs when we travel. A matching sweatsuit is like the more sophisticated big sister of your favorite sleepwear, and it can be easily styled into a chic on-the-go look. This relaxed matching set can be worn together or separately, and it will form a very versatile component to your travel capsule wardrobe. And for warmer weather, consider going for a short sweatsuit like the ones below.

Best Sweatshirts For Travel

You can’t match the versatility and stylish ease of sweatshirts. They can be pared down with leggings or bike shorts for a chic athleisure look or slightly dressed up with jeans and crisp white sneakers. Already a great layering piece, sweatshirts with a half-zip design are even better for the road — you can quickly do up the zipper for chilly nights or flights.

Best Compression Socks For Travel

Long journeys can be extremely tough on your legs and feet, especially if you’re traveling on a plane. A trusty way to prevent muscle cramps is to wear compression socks during your flight. This will apply steady pressure on your muscles and keep swelling to a minimum. Hundreds of Amazon shoppers have given a 5-star endorsement on these three-pack compression socks, citing their relative ease to put on and the additional built-in elastic around the ankles that promote better circulation.

Shop more compression socks:

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.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

The Best Shoes For Traveling, According To Experts

These MZ Wallace Bags Are Our New Travel Companion

Vacation-Ready Looks Inspired By The White Lotus

Thursday, May 11, 2023

9 Major Swimwear Trends According To Experts

Every season, a new selection of soon-to-be bestsellers hits our favorite fashion retailers. With so many swimsuit trends and products to keep up with, it’s hard to know what to “add to cart.” In our New Arrivals series, we consult the buyers, editors, and fashion insiders at our go-to shopping destinations to find out their best bets for the season’s wardrobe essentials.

We spend all winter waiting for it, wrapped up in our oversized knit sweaters and counting down the minutes until warmer  days ahead. Summer, the season for all things lightweight and mini, is just around the corner, and we’re dropping layers along the way. But as temperatures begin to rise, our hopefully decluttered closets must adjust accordingly, leaving us poolside-loving people to wonder which swimsuit style will best complete our hot-weather wardrobes this year. 

“Most swim brands just want their wearers to feel good. That is evergreen, and will always be in style,” says Hayley Segar, founder and chief executive officer of onewith Swim. “If someone comes across a swimsuit that they know they can look forward to wearing instead of dreading the next time the need arises, they’ll jump on the opportunity to buy it.”

The easy-to–wear approach doesn’t mean the biggest bathing suit trends will be boring. From Barbiecore pink to mesh detailing, the looks and aesthetics that are popular in clothing right now are making their way into swim apparel too. “We shouldn’t have to sacrifice comfort and support for style,” says Kristina Guilmain, design director at Swimsuits For All.

Ahead, take your beach-going, poolside ‘fits up a notch with 9 swimwear trends that, according to experts, will have you feeling as good as you look. 

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.

Texture


“I love the texture trend, especially crinkle stretch swim, because it adds an interesting visual element that often feels very beautiful when on,” says Sabra Krock, co-owner and creative director of Everything But Water. “Crinkle stretch/knit, mesh, crochet, and other textures have been building in popularity for a while, with more and more brands offering styles that are one-size-fits-most and are very comfortable. Textured swimsuits are becoming more available and are getting more unique design twists with color blocking and other details.”
— PAID CONTENT —

Another take on the textured swimwear trend is ruching, which has been catapulted back into popularity thanks to the ongoing Y2K revival. The delicate gathered details on this bandeau bikini top add just a touch of texture, while the string-tie closure allows you to style it multiple ways.

Calzedonia Drawstring Bandeau Swimsuit Top Islamorada, $, available at Calzedonia


Good American Ruched Cropped Swim Tee, $, available at Good American

Mesh


“We’re seeing a lot of buzz surrounding our classic silhouettes that are now available in new fresh colors and prints, as well as new designs featuring mesh, drape, and feminine details,” says Guilmain. “We’re seeing styles that have strategically placed mesh panels in a range of colors that look good on every skin tone as well as tankinis with mesh-wrap tops and straps that detach for lounging.”


Swimsuits For All Cut Out Mesh Underwire One Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Swimsuits For All


Bleu Rod Beattie Mesh High Neck One Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Everything But Water


Solid and Striped The Iris Mesh Top, $, available at Solid and Striped


Miraclesuit Illusionists Azura Underwire One-Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Nordstrom

Sleeves


“Fashion-forward full coverage has been popping up more and more,” says Segar. “Brands wanting to embrace the inclusion of women looking for more modest options. Sleeved styles are also cropping up as natural segues from other trends. For instance, long-sleeved, surfing rash guard-esque swim plays on the athletic swim trend, and flouncy swim sleeves take a cue from some of the more hyper-feminine, romantic trends of late.

"Full-length or even three-quarter-length sleeves have the functionality and security of long sleeves (plus a little more sun protection, but it’s still not a substitute for sunscreen!). If you want to go for a more playful sleeved swim look, we’ve been seeing experimental styles like blouson-sleeved swim, ruched short sleeved swim, or a more classic (but still fresh!) take, like ruffle cap-sleeve styles. It’s really blurring the lines of streetwear and swim, which is something I love.”  


Andie The Torquay One Piece, $, available at Andie


Madewell Tie-Back Rashguard Top in Free Floral, $, available at Madewell


SZ Blockprints x J. Crew Long-sleeve Rash Guard Top in Nila Print, $, available at J. Crew


ONEONE Martina Strappy Long Sleeve Bikini Top, $, available at Urban Outfitters

Barbiecore


“Barbie mania will be so, so real. I mean, the first Barbie ever was launched with the doll wearing a swimsuit! I think we’ll see all variations of iconic Barbie swim moments from both the Mattel cannon and whatever dynamite looks we’re bound to see Margot Robbie wearing from the movie,” Segar predicts. And if hot pink is a touch too bright, Krock suggests bubblegum pink as a milder alternative that’s still on theme.


PacSun Pink Taylor Cropped Bikini Top, $, available at PacSun


Toast Signature Apex Bikini Top, $, available at Free People


Becca ETC Plus Size Color Code Double-Strap One-Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Macy's


Love and Bikinis Monaco Cutout Asymmetrical One Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Everything But Water

Twist-and-Tie Fronts


“Twisting creates soft shirring, which leans into the drape and goddess trends,” says Guilmain, who adds that longer-length necklines with twist or tie fronts can beautifully frame the decolletage while cropped pieces can play double duty and be styled with jeans on a night out.


Farm Rio Wonderful Toucans Bikini Top, $, available at Farm Rio


Shade and Shore Puff Sleeve Twist-Front Bralette Bikini Top, $, available at Target


Cupshe Spring Macaron Twist Shape Bralette and V Front Hipster Set, $, available at cupshe


OneWith Westerly Tie-Front Bikini Top, $, available at OneWith

Sporty Styles



“Cuts like racerbacks, racer fronts, square necklines, bandeaus, longline silhouettes, and halters tacitly feel more athletic most of the time,” says Segar. “We love seeing sporty styles in abundance, and I don’t think this trend necessarily signifies an uptick in people looking to marry an active lifestyle with beach-going… it just shows the importance people are placing on functionality.”


Lululemon Waterside Pull-On Swim Top, $, available at Lululemon


OneWith Guthrie Sports Bra Bikini Top, $, available at OneWith


Speedo Vibe Women's The One Back Solid One Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Swim Outlet

Retro Florals


“Groovy-slash-retro florals have gained popularity lately, even among consumers who have previously sworn off floral patterns … There is now so much variety within floral colorways we are able to find patterns with differing scales and layouts that are best suited for our preferences," says Segar. “These nouveau-retro inspired prints we’re seeing now are so fresh and fun, yet familiar enough with their vintage undertones to feel safe to swim wearers who perhaps wouldn’t have previously opted for a floral swimsuit.”


Onia Pauline One Piece, $, available at Onia


Everlane The High-Rise Hipster Bottom, $, available at Everlane


Cala De La Cruz Alison One-Piece Swimsuit, $, available at Anthropologie


OneWith Harkness Strapless Bandeau Bikini Top, $, available at OneWith

Plunging Necklines


“Va-voom necklines,” Guilmain predicts, will trend at the beach and pool because of what she’s been seeing across fashion more broadly. “Just look at the latest red carpet looks. So many celebs are rocking the plunge…. If you have a larger chest and would like to rock this trend, look for adjustable straps and neck ties to allow for customizable support.” Metallics are another red-carpet trend that Guilmain says translates well in swimwear, especially when combined with a deep v — a pairing that she says is perfect for “shining in the sun.”


H&M High-leg Halterneck Swimsuit, $, available at H&M


Swimsuits For All Plunge Tankini Top, $, available at Swimsuits For All


Zara Cut Out Halter Swimsuit, $, available at Zara

Little Black One-Pieces


“One swimsuit trend I believe will never go out of style is a beautifully fitting little black swimsuit. There are a lot of fun details in both one pieces and bikinis, including chains and other hardware, deep v-necks which are always very flattering, suits with peekaboo details, which are also great ways to provide sexiness without sacrificing some modesty. In bikinis, skimpy, multi-wrap, and convertible are all trending. We love a classic sleek maillot though, always,” says Krock.


Chloé Eres Cutout Embellished Swimsuit, $, available at Net-A-Porter


J. Crew Ruffle V-Neck Ruched One-Piece Swimsuit, $, available at J. Crew


In The Style Plus Ruched Side Scoop Back Swimsuit in Black, $, available at ASOS


Johanna Ortiz Malick Plunge-Neck Swimsuit, $, available at MatchesFashion

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

25 Chic & Versatile Black Bikinis For Summer

30 Plus-Size Swimsuits You’ll Feel Confident In

We've Been Sleeping On Lululemon Swim (Until Now)

Western Fashion Is A Classic, According To Dolly Parton’s Stylist

Western styles are becoming the protagonists of 2023 fashion. From the emergence of the “Coastal Cowgirl” trend on TikTok to the many cowboy references found in the spring and fall 2023 runway collections, it’s clear that fashion is ready to giddy up. But, while it may seem like it’s suddenly everywhere, it’s never really gone out of style. 

And one of the main trendsetters is Dolly Parton. 

In her 60-year career, the Tennessee-born singer-songwriter, actress, and author has put Western styles at the forefront of pop culture. “[Western style is] her at the core,” says her longtime stylist and creative director Steve Summers, who has worked with the country icon for the past 20 years on everything from stage costumes to album covers to red carpets. “No matter what she becomes, no matter how many people in the world know her and her head, she’s still an eight-year-old girl standing on the front porch singing into a tobacco stick with a tin can.” Summers is currently working with Parton on a series of costumes for her hosting gig at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards on May 10.

At 77, Parton has helped bring country fashion to the mainstream, along with other pop culture icons like the late Tejano singer Selena and Canadian star Shania Twain, providing a blueprint for artists bringing their country heritage to the global stage. And, in 2023, when the cowboy aesthetic is having a resurgence, their influence is present. From Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour announcement, which came with a photo of the Houston-born singer wearing a disco-inspired cowboy hat, to the breakthrough of regional Mexican music in the United States, which has come with cowboy-inspired outfits from acts like Becky G and Grupo Frontera. 

Although she’s a celebrated country artist, Parton’s body of work dips into other genres, including Southern gospel, reggae, pop, holiday carols, and rock. “Life is performance to people like Dolly,” says Summers. With each project, he adds, Parton’s style undergoes a transformation of its own. “The evolution of Dolly’s fashion over the years doesn’t have as much to do with style at all as it has to do with projects that she’s working on,” Summers says. “Dolly is one of those performers who’s incredibly consumed by whatever she’s doing right now.” Yet, Summers says that, no matter the aesthetic journey each project may take them on, his mission is always to capture Parton’s essence. “The goal is that she is representing something and as an artist that something is her,” he says. 

While Parton’s archive of boundary-breaking outfits are hard to categorize, her incomparable style is easily recognizable. There are glittering details, cinched waist silhouettes, lots of cleavage, and Western fashion influences that border on gaudy. In fact, she joked about her style in her 1995 memoir Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business, saying, “It takes a lot of time and money to look this cheap.” Summers has been responsible for some of the most memorable, including the bright pink trench and leopard print bodysuit Parton sported on the cover of her 2008 album Backwoods Barbie and the leather suit with gold detailing that Parton wore she was inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. 

“Western can apply to a lot of different genres,” says Summers. “It’s like Dolly, and it can go from throwing on a Western shirt to a glamorous, Nudie suit — it’s everything in between.”

Still, it comes with its own set of challenges. “First of all, dressing her is the easiest thing you’ll ever do and the hardest thing you’ll ever do — all at the same time,” Summers admits, adding that because the singer is only five-feet-tall, it’s a constant balancing act between the singer’s glamorous and bigger-than-life aura and her height. “My goal is constantly to put things in proportion to make sure that it matches her, to make sure that it has just enough to accentuate her and not too much to overwhelm her.”

Summers is also focused on keeping Parton’s Southern roots intact. “A Western shirt is going to be our staple forever, and I experiment with that all the time,” he says. Even when a project doesn’t involve straightforward Western themes, Summers tries to inject it via Western motifs, like trimming or flowers. One example is the promotional outfits for the 2022 novel Run, Rose, Run, which she co-wrote with James Patterson, that include red dresses with Western-style flowers on the collars. 

After three decades working with Parton, Summers has seen Western fashion evolve, taking heritage details beyond geographical roots. Today’s Western appeal is just an example of the style’s endurance in fashion history. “It’s obviously a fashion staple right now, and with all fashion, everything is cyclical, so it will come and go and come and go, he says. “But the thing about Western wear is it has come and stayed.”

It’s working beyond 9 to 5. 

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Dolly Parton Launches Her First Fragrance

14 Cowboy Hats To Wear All Festival Season

How To Style Cowboy Boots For Winter