Summer Style In La Vie En Rose - with Carte Blanche Boutique

Wondering what to wear to your next luxe summer event? Look no further!

Summertime socials are taking the city by storm. The fashion-forward are flocking to garden parties and equestrian events, unable to resist the pomp and splendour reminiscent of more sophisticated times. No other affair is so charismatic as the Polo Match. Here, true horse lovers come together with fashion aficionados for a spectacular and whimsical occasion. Of course, there's etiquette when it comes to replicating old-world charm, appropriately.

Read more about the magic of dress-up here.

In advance of the much anticipated Pacific Polo Cup, we look to Carte Blanche Boutique to guide us through upscale summer style. Veerle and Vanessa, the mother-daughter duo behind the boutique, pride themselves on a hand-curated selection of unique apparel, accessories and millinery. And lucky us - they've selected four ensembles below, to walk us through some fashion 'Do's and Don'ts' when you're living la vie en rose.

Classic. Wrist-length gloves are perfect for a daytime event.

This classic look is all about setting lovely details
against a backdrop of clean lines.

Do: Pair an elaborate hat and gloves with a simple dress to complement to the simplicity of the dress.

Don't: Go longer than wrist-length gloves for a daytime event.

A black dress pairs beautifully with a bold hat.

Take it to the next level with accessories that match your millinery.

Let's talk about black.

Do: Steer away from wearing black, UNLESS it's paired with a bold and bright coloured hat.

Co-ordinate hats with shoes and accessories, BUT,

Don't: Over do it. In order to keep the look daytime, opt for either a bold hat or shoes to match your millinery; not both. Similarly, choose either a bracelet or a necklace.

Just a few of the lovely fascinators and hats at Carte Blanche Boutique.

On hats.

Do: Wear hats with embellishments placed to the front and side. A good rule of thumb is to keep the tag in the back.

Don't: Let the brim obstruct your vision so much that you need to tilt your chin up to see. Awkward!

On fascinators.

Do: Insert the barrette from the back to the front of your head, with the open side of the clip facing forward.

Bring an evening dress back to a daytime look with a simple fascinator.

When the dress takes the lead.
Do: Pair a bolder dress with fascinator, instead of an elaborate hat. This lets the dress speak. An evening dress is brought back to a daytime look.

Looks from last year's Pacific Polo Cup, here.

Elevate the look of a casual summer dress by adding a fascinator.

Alternatively, a summer hat keeps it simple.

If you're feeling the whimsy, but not the splendour.

Do: Wear a more casual summer dress and pair it with a smaller fascinator or a simpler hat and neutral shoes. This will shift the ensemble into a garden party look.

Don't: Forget about the footwear!

About footwear.

Keep in mind that a heeled shoe will always raise your look to the next level, but a flat, sandal is also appropriate. A wedged heel is ideal for lawn events. If you do go for a traditional heel,

Do: invest in a set of Heelio Dealio's to protect your heels and the lawn.