What to Wear for an Afternoon Al Fresco Lunch

While products featured are independently selected, certain items within the “Styled By” series were provided by Gap. Cut editors chose the rest.

There’s something about outdoor dining that always feels chic. And when enjoying a sidewalk café meal, you need an ensemble that is head-turning. This look only features pants, a shirt, heeled sandals, and a bag. It’s simple, classic, and versatile.

These linen straight-leg pants look like dress-up pants but feature a drawstring detail and a cargo style, giving the pants a more chill and down-to-earth vibe. But instead of styling them with a simple white tee or a basic tank, we’ve paired the pants with a more complex shirt by Dries Van Noten. The trendy turtleneck-style shirt resembles a backward button-down with its high-collar design and features a light purple-and-gray checked pattern, adding a certain je ne sais quoi to an otherwise tonal look.

To further elevate the look, we added a pair of Neous T-strap kitten-heel sandals for a literal lift — a very mindful, very minimal shoe that adds subtle detail.

Dries Van Noten Turtleneck Shirt

Neous Jumel Sandal

$725 at NEOUS

$538 at Farfetch

The Look

GAP Mid Rise Linen-Cotton Pull-On Cargo Pants

Linen pants are always ideal for warmer temperatures — they’re light and breezy, and they don’t stick to the skin. But these aren’t your traditional tapered linen pant. This cargo-style Gap design is more low-profile and great for casual wear. But the best thing about the easy drawstring pants is that they don’t scream cargo. The slim pockets are more of a soft textual detail on a sleek straight-leg style. But don’t let the linen fool you. These pants can be worn several different ways. Throw on a structured blazer and some pointed flats for the office, or slip on a button-down shirt and some kitten heels.

$80 at Gap

Polish It Off

This outfit is all about playing with textures. We have linen pants, a cotton shirt, a silk scarf, and a leather tote. Here, we’ve styled the silk scarf around this Mansur Gavriel hobo bag, adding some drama and color differentiation to the look. Scarves are always a fun accessory, especially when you’re going for European summertime allure. They’re also extremely interchangeable. Tie a scarf around your bag or in your hair, wear it around your neck à la Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, or style as a bandana like summer-boat Beyoncé. In addition to textures, this look also plays with the juxtaposition of a soft color palette and patterns, which is fun for those who want to get creative about pairing colors in a way that is low-key but still interesting.

Nanushka Miani Printed Scarf

$225 at Nanushka

Mansur Gavriel Soft M Hobo in Seaweed

$895 at Shopbop

$895 at Mansur Gavriel