Blooming marvellous: the best printed blouses for summer

Simply styled with jeans, shorts, maxi or miniskirts, as a beach cover-up, thrown over a bathing suit or bikini, blouses are easy to wear and work in multiple scenarios. Choose from ditsy florals: Tabitha Webb’s western style retro floral looks great with white jeans (below), or have fun with Leon and Harper’s pineapple print (1, below) teamed with colourful shorts. Urban Outfitters’s printed boxy Gracie shirt (£32) has a playful sun-faded motif. If you’re feeling bold, stand out with an abstract print like the one from Never Fully Dressed (2, above, available to rent from byrotation.com) or Casablanca’s tropical print from my wardrobehq.com (£12 per day). Renting a statement piece for a holiday is a planet-friendly way to refresh your wardrobe.

Mellow yellow: Susie Lau’s lily print — Summer breeze: Susie Lau’s lily print. Photograph: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images

You can also opt for a classic summer look of a repeat statement floral print: see Susie Lau’s lily print (left), worn with shorts and gladiator sandals. Shop for an oversized style for a relaxed fit. Maeve’s classic surf shirt (£80) from Anthropologie looks great tucked into a cut-off denim skirt or worn open over a bikini. Mango’s geometric print Committed Collection using sustainably sourced cotton (£25.99) comes in a long length, instantly transforming it to a poolside cover-up, or hit your local vintage and charity stores for a one-of-a-kind print treasure. When it comes to holiday packing, crepe fabrics roll easily in your suitcase and keep mainly crease free. Silk styles can be revived by hanging them in a steamy bathroom and then blasting them with the hairdryer. And don’t forget you can dress the look up with tailored trousers, a blazer and heels for a smart event at any time of year.