the 6 style trends we can expect to see this summer

Sky-high heels are the shoe of choice

While the rest of the nation has been reluctantly stuffing their feet back into real shoes since the lifting of lockdown restrictions, with heels a far-off notion, the footwear timeline on Love Island is significantly sped up. 

Sharon sported metallic wedges which are a forever-favourite on the show, but Liberty and Kaz’s strappy six-inch platforms are proving just as popular this season – by day and night. 

The rest of us might like to start off small. If you’ve been wedded to your Birkenstocks, block heeled mules or espadrille wedges will ease you in. 

Sarongs have made a comeback

In an unexpected twist, cover-ups made an unexpected appearance in the first episode with three of the five new contestants sporting them. Cover-ups they may be, but the actual coverage is in rather short supply – the 2021 Love Island sarong is sheer, short, slinky and tied artfully around the waist, coordinating with the bikini perfectly. 

Traditionally, sarongs are more practical and modest, so their return is great news for beachwear in general. John Lewis has a handful of sarongs in stock at the moment, and has already noted a 75% increase in beachwear sales since the return of Love Island was announced. Perhaps this is one Island-created trend that we might all want to try in real life?

Less is sometimes more

A little hard to believe when we’ve just been discussing the introduction of a bikini top which champions the underboob – but it does seem as though chicer styles are catching our contestants’ eyes for their nighttime attire. Now, we don’t know if it’s the fact that temperatures slightly cool off as the day draws to a close – or if the girls are simply preferring sartorial choices over showing more skin.

The first few episodes of the reality TV show have seen Faye Winter turn heads in a few midi length, long sleeve dresses – still bodycon style so as to show off the lettings agent’s fabulous figure. Meanwhile, Sharon Gaffka opted for a high neck, red dress when going to meet new boy Chuggs – making a striking entrance as she joined him for their date.

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