The 8 Style Staples Every Cebuana Needs in Her Closet

Dressing for Cebu weather has always been synonymous to summer dressing; sundresses and strappy sandals, cotton shirts, linen shorts and espadrilles, camis, trousers and thong sandals. And while we get to enjoy the wet season from June to August, and the colder months of October to December, there are still days in between that feel like it’s summer all over again. 

Having said that, here are 8 outfit must-haves to up your style game when dressing for Cebu weather.

SUNDRESS

For easy warm-weather style, sundresses in lightweight fabrics and cute prints are definitely must-haves. Pair it with a pretty pair of thong sandals, woven bag, and straw hat for weekend brunch with friends, or dress it up with ballet flats and denim jacket for a casual day at the office. Dressed up or dressed down, sundresses are your best bets for looking like a champ in Cebu’s oppressive heat!

WHITE COTTON SHIRT

A quintessential summer item, a white cotton shirt can take you from the boardroom to the bar (or even the beach!) with just a few accessory changes! For a day at the office, wear it under a tailored blazer, cigarette pants, and stilettos and you’re ready to strut your stuff like the girl boss that you are. Come happy hour, ditch the blazer, untuck one side of your shirt, put on a pair of gold hoops, tie your hair up in a bun and swipe on a gorgeous red lippie, and you’re all set.

SHIRT DRESS 

Cebu City is relatively hot on most days and another way to deal with the year-round summer weather is to stock up on shirt dresses. With its loose silhouette, a shirt dress is comfortable, versatile, and very easy to move around in! It is also perfect for days with last-minute plans to drive up the mountains in the morning for some fresh air and hit the beach in the afternoon for sangrias and sunset. Did I mention that shirt dresses are perfect as a beach cover-ups too? Be it a maxi, midi or mini, a shirt dress is definitely a wardrobe must-have in this city.

BOYFRIEND JEANS

Ever since the advent of boyfriend jeans, my wardrobe is never without one anymore. Loose, chic and quite easy to pull off, boyfriend jeans are my favorite thing to wear when driving around the city for errands, grocery shopping, and malling. Especially when malling because I tend to get really cold easily! These relaxed pants give off that laidback city girl look, perfect for Cebu’s very laidback lifestyle!

DENIM JACKET

While outerwear is not always necessary here in Cebu, I still find it rather important to have a good fitting denim jacket that you can wear over your sundresses or shirt dresses when the occasion or weather calls for it. Before heading out, I usually check PAGASA weather forecast to give me an idea of what I will be walking into thus knowing if I should bring one along with me.

DENIM SKIRT

Ahhh, yes, another quintessential summer item. Dress it down with a white t-shirt and sneakers for a casual weekend look or pair it with a classic button down white shirt and pointy flats for a more smart-casual ensemble. An item that you can practically pair with almost anything, a denim skirt is a wardrobe must-have when living in a tropical city like Cebu City.

SLIDES

I basically live in slides these days. While strappy sandals, thongs, and flip flops are also good options, slides are a much more sophisticated option when choosing footwear for daily city life. Wear it with your sundresses, maxi or midi skirts, boyfriend jeans or denim skirts, slides are as versatile as your favorite flat shoes — not to mention more comfortable too!

WHITE SNEAKERS

Another versatile item that is perfect for city life, sneakers can be worn during your busy workweek or lazy weekends out with family and friends. Wear it to the office with tailored trousers and button down shirt for a casual yet cool look, or pair it with your midi dress for maximum comfort when malling, or go all laidback with denim cutoffs and loose cotton shirt for weekend food binge at food markets. However you want to style it, always remember to air them out in between wear to keep odor-causing bacteria from accumulating, and wearing appropriate socks prevent it from doing so, too!