How the European summer aesthetic has infiltrated Australian fashion

This story is part of the October 22 Europe edition of Sunday Life.See all 17 stories.

According to Madonna’s ’80s earworm hit song, “just one day out of life” was more than enough for a Holiday. Someone had better call Cardi B because it’s time for a revised cover version.

Since the middle of the year, people have been dressing like their out-of-office email reply is activated indefinitely, wearing wide-legged pants that catch the breeze, billowing blouses and shorts with high hems that work hard to earn their name. Bralettes have peeked out from beneath long crochet dresses, backs have been open to imagined warm breezes and head scarves have vied with baseball caps for prime position above loose ponytails.

This outbreak of Italian exuberance on Australia’s east coast can be traced to the seemingly endless European summer that this year attracted leading designers, models and influencers like moths to a cashmere T-shirt.

For months, social media became an extended screening of The White Lotus, drifting into the #tomatogirlsummer aesthetic of bold reds, cabana prints and swimwear-inspired bodysuits against a Sicilian backdrop.

The Australian exodus was so extreme that department store David Jones abandoned its traditional spring runway show because most designers and a lot of their customers were artfully crushing linen shirts and dresses on holiday.

Zimmermann “Alight” scarf-tie one piece, $330. Sea Level Australia “Spinnaker” U-Bar bandeau one-piece, $140; Zimmermann “Alight” shorts, $395; Lucy Folk “Salinas” sunglasses, $450. Zimmermann “Alight” picnic dress, $795. Lucy Folk “Atlantis” sunglasses, $450. Lucy Folk “Ra” multiple towels, $220 each.Credit: JEDD COONEY

As temperatures finally drop to cardigan levels in the northern hemisphere, designers have slowly returned home, bringing updates to the European summer aesthetic with them.

Designer Lesleigh Jermanus tested excess baggage requirements with pieces from her latest collection for Alémais and some suitable souvenirs. Don’t expect to find an “Italians Do It Better” or “I’m With Stupid” T-shirt in her extensive luggage. “I love wearing and treasuring pieces I’ve bought while travelling,” Jermanus says. “I was recently in Ostuni [Puglia, Italy] and found a vintage cotton poplin dress with delicate embroidery, most likely made by hand, and wore it every day.

“This summer my wardrobe is all about mixing these sentimental treasures with pieces of Alémais. A favourite is a tie-front terry dress from one of our previous collections, worn with a hand-painted straw hat I found in Mallorca.”

Venroy dress, $200. Sea Level Australia “Spinnaker” bandeau, $100, and bikini pants, $60. Basil Bangs umbrellas, $199 each, and deck chairs, $389 each. Oliver James inflatable ring, $1200.Credit: JEDD COONEY

Travelling to Otsuni is not essential, with many labels embracing the artisanal feel this summer (although hand-painted Spanish hats are harder to find).

Accessorising with a holiday attitude is also important to Jermanus. “There’s that holiday feeling of getting a little more dressed up than I usually would for a long lunch or lazy stroll. That’s something to hold on to back home.”

While living your life like an extended holiday might seem like an inspired idea, that knotted cotton headscarf from Puglia or tomato print blouse from Palermo can look different under Australia’s blinding sun.

It’s important to remove rose-tinted Alexander McQueen sunglasses before indulging in a holiday-inspired clothing spree. “Behaviours and choices when shopping on holidays can be linked to the excitement and pleasure of travel, leading to impulsive buying,” says Lydia Manieson, PhD candidate and sessional academic at Queensland University of Technology, who specialises in the psychology of fast fashion. “This excitement can cause individuals to not reflect on their intended purchases and end up with items that do not suit their taste.”

Translation: crisp white dresses that catch the Mediterranean light don’t always look as fresh on grimy city streets. So pause for thought before engaging in the full-scale cultural appropriation of a Sardinian sunbather’s ensemble.

Zimmermann “Matchmaker” blouse, $750 and dance shorts, $395. Lee Mathews “Holly” dress $899. Alémais “Everly” mini dress, $495Credit: JEDD COONEY

Manieson notes, “Many of these purchases may end up as souvenirs due to their connection to place.”

Sophie Holt, the creative director of Oroton, kept stylish souvenirs to a minimum on her European escape, preferring to bring an Australian approach to continental dressing.

“A fantastic swim piece is the key to building a great holiday outfit,” Holt says. “For a recent trip to Ponzo [Italy], I brought a new Oroton one-shoulder tulip maillot that I styled with a pale blue picnic robe, a holiday staple.

“I’d switch this out with a chocolate broderie tunic dress to wear to lunch or dinner. It’s the perfect holiday outfit.”

Sea Level “Spinnaker” bandeau, $100 and bikini pant, $60; Sandro shirt, $740; Zimmermann “Lexi” bikini, $195; Lee Matthews “Kitty” shirt dress, $799; Zimmermann “Arcadian” tunic top, $450 and shorts, $395; Umbrellas by Basil Bangs, $199; Deck chair by Basil Bangs, $389; Lucy Folk towels, $160; Lucy Folk bag, $1750; Lucy Folk pouch, $150; Senso shoes, $199.Credit: JEDD COONEY

Queensland designer Chelsea De Luca also prefers working from a simple base before adding local touches. “My go-to for an Italian summer was my silk Talitha tunic, which brought some of fashion muse Talitha Getty’s boho energy to long days,” she says. “Depending on the occasion, you just add a headscarf or jewellery. Flats or mules. Just check for cobblestones in Europe and uneven paving at home.

“Italians aren’t scared of jewellery. I’ll be wearing the same outfits back in Australia but perhaps with a bit less jewellery. Perhaps not.”

If you’re struggling to get into the holiday spirit, try storing key spring pieces in a suitcase rather than your wardrobe. As well as helping you edit your choices, you can relax knowing that your luggage won’t get lost by an airline.

It beats the normal pile of clothes in the corner of the room. “No one likes to unpack anyway,” De Luca says. “Let the holiday continue.”

Fashion editor, Penny McCarthy; Hair, Darren Summors using Oribe; Make-up, Heidi Scarlett King using Mecca Cosmetica; Fashion assistant, Jaya Prisco; Models, Felicia, Franci and Kate at Priscillas.

Stockists: Alémais; Basil Bangs; Lee Mathews; Lucy Folk;Oliver James Lilos; Sandro; Sea Level Australia; Venroy; Zimmermann.

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