TEN keypieces for summer

Fashion maven SANCHITA AJJAMPUR shows us how to rock hot weather dressing with her MUST-BUY ITEMS for the season

But it is hard to choose from so much beauty in a season where so many different kinds of flowers bloom, from Marni’s floral wallpaper designs to Christopher Kane’s organza appliqués and Vuitton’s doily flowers. Lace and transparencies conceal and reveal textures, sensual cuts, folds, and pleats, and drapery create suggestive silhouettes all in a blend of ultrafeminine details. These include hats to protect your hair from the sun’s fierce rays—from straw boaters, visors, peaked caps, and wide-brimmed hats to retro headscarves and hair bandanas to be worn with big-framed or cat-eye shades.

So choosing only 10 key pieces from a long list of nominations was exceptionally tough. I must confess to cheating a little. My summer wardrobe Oscars start with the evening. I couldn’t decide between Calvin Klein’s innocent yet sensuous emphasis on form and femininity in shimmering black, Lanvin’s lustrous, mintgreen draped dress, and Etro’s part-flapper part-lbd slip dress. Though all three perfectly suit the season’s demands, in the end Etro wins for its fresh sense of modernity and lightness. This season’s focus on fabulous frocks also entitles me to zero-in on Bottega Veneta’s quirky passionate red and orange sheath dress, set off by the label’s oxidised-silver and enamel cuff bracelet. Deciding to add some contrast, Marni’s bright yellow abstract print sheath dress with its see-through nude pencil underskirt is the next must-have, despite wavering between that and the one with the floral variations.

Next, I went for ease and comfort with a pair of slinky Gatsby girl slouch pants by Ralph Lauren. And, because a girl needs costume variety in her wardrobe, add high-waisted skinny jeans from J Brand, a great complement to lush silk shirts and