2025 Summertime wardrobe heroes
5 essential wardrobe pieces for your seasonal colour palette
The May Edit has just landed at Kettlewell, and our minds are turning to barbecues, beach trips and balmy days (with maybe the odd chilly evening thrown in – we are based in the UK, after all!).
And all of that means it’s the perfect time for a wardrobe reset, adding a few key pieces to update your wardrobe for the season of (we hope!) sunshine. But what are those pieces; the ones that will feel contemporary, work with your existing wardrobe, and give you versatile styling options all summer long?
In the UK, we know summers can be unpredictable – from 30 degrees to 15 degrees and rainy – so cool, versatile pieces that work in multiple scenarios are the absolute backbone of your summer wardrobe, and we’ve picked our 2025 summer heroes for you.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Kettlewell if we didn’t show you how your heroes can look for all four seasonal colour palettes, because we know that adding a select few pieces in a palette that harmonises with your existing wardrobe is the secret to capsule wardrobe success.
Your 2025 summer wardrobe heroes
1. The updated basic tee
Super simple but effective – this is an update on the classic tee, cut for 2025. Whether you opt for an update on your version of the classic white tee (we love Winter’s Ice Pink and Spring and Autumn’s Soft White for this) or a bolder, brighter version, this tee is going to be your 2025 hero piece.
The key to getting the tee right is the cut – loose fit, with structure but in lightweight, breathable cotton, with a neat crew neck made for layering under your favourite summer sweaters, the lightweight boxy tee adds an instant lift to your wardrobe.
Pair it with everything from your favourite denim to a swishy summer skirt, and layer over lightweight summer dresses and even over your holiday swimwear for easy outfit variety.
Top Row - Spring & Summer
Spring palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Mid Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Apple Mint | Darla Denim Jacket in Mid Denim | Classic Metallic Belt in Gold
Summer palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Light Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Heron Blue | Darla Denim Jacket in Light Denim | Classic Metallic Belt in Pink Clover
Bottom Row - Autumn & Winter
Autumn palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Cream | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Soft White | Darla Denim Jacket in Mid Denim | Classic Metallic Belt in Copper
Winter palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Dark Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Pink Ice | Darla Denim Jacket in Dark Denim | Classic Metallic Belt in Bright Amethyst
2. The go-anywhere skirt
An elevated, go anywhere skirt is the simplest way to summer outfit success, without an ounce of effort.
The Selena skirt pairs airy lightness with a satiny soft feel on the skin for the ultimate blend of comfort and style, while the midi to maxi length is perfect for easy breezy summertime dressing.
The carefully chosen colours of this skirt mean an instant wardrobe uplift, without being so bold that you can’t pair it with almost everything you already own. Wear it with the lightweight boxy tee and trainers for a day-to-day summer vibe, or elevate it with a dressier top and blazer for evenings out. We guarantee this piece is going to be the prettiest workhorse in your wardrobe this summer!
Top Row - Spring & Summer palettes
Spring palette - Darla Denim Jacket in Mid Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Apple Mint | Selena Skirtin Periwinkle
Summer palette - Darla Denim Jacket in Light Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Heron Blue | Selena Skirt in Royal Purple
Bottom Row - Autumn & Winter palettes
Autumn palette - Darla Denim Jacket in Mid Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Soft White | Selena Skirtin Ivy Green
Winter palette - Darla Denim Jacket in Dark Denim | Lightweight Cotton Teein Pink Ice |Selena Skirt in Bordeaux
3. The holiday dress
Having a throw-on, breezy, fresh holiday dress is an absolutely essential summertime update. With pretty tiers and a relaxed scoop neckline, the Hollie dress taps into this season’s boho trend, but it’s such a timeless style that you’ll be pulling it out of your wardrobe year after year. We even styled last year’s version, the higher necked Ivy dress, with cowboy boots and denim jackets well into autumn!
For right now though, this is the essential holiday dress for easy beach to bar dressing, or pairing with a wrap cardigan and metallic sandals for an effortless evening dinner date look.
Top Row - Spring & Summer palettes
Spring palette - Hollie Dress in Aquarius | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Periwinkle
Summer palette - Hollie Dress in Berry Pink | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Purple Foxglove
Bottom Row - Autumn & Winter palettes
Autumn palette - Hollie Dress in Cedar | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Cappuccino
Winter palette - Hollie Dress in Monaco Blue | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Periwinkle
4. The British summer-ready cardigan
For our international friends, this might not feel like such an essential, but in the UK where summer weather can vary from 12 degrees C all the way into the 30s, we need to be prepared for any eventuality!
A chunky cardigan is the perfect cosy layer for beach barbecues or golden evenings in the garden. As an added bonus, it’s also going to be your best friend come September when the weather starts to take a downwards turn!
The chunky, slightly boxy, slightly cropped cardigan feels modern, but doesn’t sacrifice cosiness and versatility for it.
Spring palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Mid Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Apple Mint | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Kelly Green
Summer palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Light Denim | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Heron Blue | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Periwinkle
Bottom Row - Autumn & Winter Palettes
Autumn palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Cream | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Coral | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Cappuccino
Winter palette - Darla Cropped Jeans in Dark Denim | Lightweight Cotton Teein Pink Ice | Emma Chunky Knit Cardigan in Pink Ice
5. The relaxed tailored suit
OK, we cheated a tiny bit, as our final essential is technically two pieces. A relaxed tailoring suit is a must have at any time of year, and we love a lightweight linen blend for summer days.
A relaxed suit adds a chic but easy edge to your wardrobe. Choosing a 'backdrop’ colour, even if it’s not a traditional neutral, means you can add bold colour pops with t-shirts or camisoles, wearing the suit in countless different ways. The blazer pairs beautifully with the satin skirt, and the boxy tee with the trousers – demonstrating how all these essentials mix and match with each other as well as your existing wardrobe.
Spring palette - Iona Linen Blazer in Safari | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Apple Mint | Iona Linen Trousers in Safari | Pria Plaited Suede Belt in Latte
Summer palette - Iona Linen Blazer in Powder Blue | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Heron Blue | Iona Linen Trousers in Powder Blue | Pria Plaited Suede Belt in Ink
Bottom Row - Autumn & Winter Palettes
Autumn palette - Iona Linen Blazer in Olive | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Soft White | Iona Linen Trousers in Olive | Pria Plaited Suede Belt in Toffee
Winter palette - Iona Linen Blazer in Black | Lightweight Cotton Tee in Pink Ice | Iona Linen Trousers in Black | Pria Plaited Suede Belt in Ink
About Kettlewell
Kettlewell is a British fashion brand, dedicated to empowering individuals to effortlessly wear their most flattering colours. As the UK's leading online colour retailer, we offer an extensive range of everyday wardrobe essentials in over 300 carefully curated shades, catering to women worldwide. Our focus is on harnessing the power of confidence-boosting colour and timeless fashion to help create wardrobes that inspire joy and personal style.
