How to channel your Euro girl summer (even in the tropics)
The tropical monsoon seems to have taken a commercial break. Sunshine is finally peeking through the clouds, and the air is jarringly humid, if not a bit hazy post-rain. Lately, I’ve been living vicariously through my close friend’s IG stories living her best life in Ibiza. She’s not alone. With the recent heatwave sweeping across Europe, many seem to be taking advantage. Even Dua Lipa was spotted with her fiancé Callum Turner walking the streets of Palermo. Or turn on the news and see the Mallorca protests against overtourism. If you’re vibing with that Euro summer energy, but still stuck in Manila, here’s how to channel it on a local level—no passport needed.
Slick shades for sunny days
Linda Farrow has been a lodestar of luxury eyewear since the 1970s. For COS’ Spring/Summer 2025 collection, the brands have teamed up to reimagine archival frames with a contemporary twist. The collaboration also offers more accessible price points for their shades, ranging from rose-tinted large frames to unique aviator shapes and sophisticated cat-eye shades. Think Côte d’Azur in the ‘70s, emulating that Euro summer gaze: aloof, mysterious, and peeking over an Aperol spritz.
Floaty, flirty, and ready for frosé
Alice + Olivia, founded in NYC by Stacey Bendet in 2002, has been known for two decades now for their bold prints on feminine silhouettes, mixing up both whimsy with a sense of sophistication. They just opened a store at Greenbelt 5 in Makati, which is lush with designs that pop with bright florals and playful graphics, offering breezy clothes perfect for a brunch or a day out under the sun.
Cute shoes for coastal strolls
Walk like you’re in Positano, but bring a little bit of the Philippines with you. From Liliw, with love, Aishe is a local brand of shoes that supports the grassroots industry in the Philippines’ footwear capital. Crafted with materials like abaca, yakan cloth, canvas, and abaca fiber, their shoes range from embroidered classics to charming Mary Janes and crocheted mules. The bohemian kicks are appropriate for languid, tropical strolls in the city, daydreaming about a Euro summer by the beach.
Scents that smell like vacation
If you’re too busy to go on a Euro summer holiday, you can always spritz up. From Paris, Diptyque’s “Summer Fruit Garden Collection” brings to mind a sunlit garden bursting with citrusy smells from nearby orange trees or figs on a breakfast platter. Ilio is a popular scent of the brand, with a floral-fruity eau de toilette that features notes of barbary fig, bergamot, iris, and jasmine, channeling that vineyard summer in a perfume bottle.
Jewels that look good against a tan
Originally from Davao, Pristine Paradigm advocates for lab-grown diamonds as a sustainable method of producing the sought-after jewel. Their Aquamarine Gemstone collection highlights soothing blues, with hues like the sea, looking great against a tan. From earrings to rings, the jewels are meant to look serene and add a coastal, upscale accent just right for that Euro summer styling.
Arm candy with island energy
Straight from Siargao, Golden Monstera’s brass bangles are made sustainably, locally, and by hand. With designs in sleek, sculptural shapes, they use earth-derived brass, they offer affordable alternatives to gold. At the same time, the brand supports Filipino artisans. You can either stack the brass bangles or go with one bold statement, bringing those Euro summer vibes wherever you go.
So next time you step out into the heat, steam rising off the pavement, imagine you’re in a playful, printed dress that moves with the breeze. Your woven Mary Janes make the stroll comfortable. Oversized shades shield you from the glare bouncing off the surrounding buildings’ glass and concrete. Your sculptural brass bangle and aquamarine jewels look great against your tan. A sun-drenched scent lingers on you just long enough through brunch, while sipping a limoncello spritz. And despite everything you’re wearing, it’s the mindset that can let you channel that Euro girl summer that is sophisticated, sunkissed, and effortless. Even when the humidity is high, the air thick, and you’re nowhere near Ibiza’s beaches.
