These 15 Must-Buy Items Have Defined Summer 2019

These days, Instagram is as much a platform for showcasing new trends as any runway. You’d think it would be harder for a single style — especially those from under-the-radar labels — to cut through the vast array of content in order to make a noticeable impact on the social media app. But somehow, every few months a new set of fashion items goes viral on the ‘gram. A quick scroll through your favorite influencers’ feeds and you’re certain to notice particular It items appearing over and over again. With the summer season at its peak, Summer 2019's cult fashion trends on Instagram currently are all about looking chic while beating the heat.

Sandals, for example, are the obvious footwear choice once warm weather hits, but the ones that are appearing over and over again are all similarly ‘90s-inspired. Low heels, square toes, and minimalist, strappy designs appear to be key elements of this summer’s hottest shoes, as evidenced by the ubiquitous Chanel PVC logo slides, By Far kitten-heel Libra mules, and The Row barely-there leather sandals — three styles every influencer out there seems to own right now. In terms of ready-to-wear, the look du jour is characterized by a breezy, romantic aesthetic — think smocked floral dresses, crinkled satin separates, slinky slips, and voluminous blouses. If your midsummer wardrobe is in need of a little pick-me-up, this list of cult favorites is the perfect place to start. Continue on to shop the items that are dominating Instagram's fashion scene and defining Summer 2019.

Chanel PVC Slides

Chanel's PVC logo sandals combine the best elements from some of the season's overarching trends, like clear PVC accents, low-heel slides, and prominently displayed designer logos. It's no stretch to say they are the ultimate summer sandal, and they are everywhere right now. Available in a splashy range of colors from aqua blue to peachy coral, they make a poolside look feel 100 times more luxe — but you'll probably end up wearing them with everything else in your closet too.

Rejina Pyo Mila Crinkle Shirt

This electric staple from Rejina Pyo is available in both green and orange, but the lime colorway is the more popular of the two. The crinkle texture and bright hues transform the simple cut of this boxy button-down into a fun, eye-catching top for summer.

Jacquemus Le Chiquito Bag

They say good things comes in small packages, and this is Exhibit A in support of that expression. Jacquemus may have made headlines for its teeny-tiny micro bags, but the more practical, mini-sized Le Chiquito is the version every fashion girl is toting around this summer.

Faithfull The Brand Smocked Floral Dress

A floral midi dress for summer? Not exactly groundbreaking. Unless it's done in a just-the-right-amount-of-girly blue blossom print, with the daintiest little puff sleeves and of-the-moment smocked bodice. Then it's a total game-changer. Faithfull the Brand cracked the code on floral sundresses with the Castilo midi dress, specifically in the jasmine floral print. It's practically perfect in every way.

By Far Libra Mules

It's impossible to talk about Instagram obsessions without mentioning by Far. The accessories brand built its following on the social media platform from the start and has since become ubiquitous across the app's sartorially-inclined accounts. Good luck finding an influencer who doesn't own at least one pair of By Far's popular '90s-inspired kitten-heel sandals. If not the Libra style shown here, then most likely the Virgo, the Tanya, or perhaps the Mini bag or the Rachel.

Solid & Striped The Ginger Bikini

Solid & Striped is one of those universally loved swimwear brands that you've seen hundreds of times on Instagram over the course of a single summer. And this is the case every year — a new collection drops and almost instantly your feed becomes a sea of Solid & Striped-clad bikini selfies. This season, the Ginger Bikini, with its retro silhouette and sunny yellow floral print has taken the lead.

Bottega Veneta Strappy Sandals

Bottega Veneta is having such a moment of late, it's almost a toss-up to say which of the label's newest accessories is generating the most online buzz. The square-toe mules have been gaining steam on the 'gram in recent weeks, but there's also the oversized Pouch bag, not to mention the alluringly "ugly" mesh anklet pumps that became an instant influencer obsession early on this summer. Lately though, it's the strappy, thong-heeled sandals that are suddenly showing up everywhere you look, seemingly overnight.

Refine The Rachel Dress

There are few things more appealing on a hot summer day than a sinuous slip dress. Last summer was the era of Réalisation Par, with the leopard Naomi slip skirt taking the fashion community by storm. This season is poised to be all about Refine. The London label only just recently launched and already its signature Rachel Dress is a favorite among the style set. This '90s-inspired design is made from a luxe, heavy silk satin (as are all the pieces in Refine's core collection) so it skims ever so nicely along the body for a superlative fit.

Reformation Ruffled Top

A simple white top is the summer essential that can be dressed up or down. Reformation offers some of the best out there, enhanced with flirty details like dainty ruffled trim and ruched seams or smocking. These must-have tops are becoming nearly as prevalent as the plain white tee for style-savvy women in Summer 2019.

Paco Rabanne Chainmail Bag

Minimalism might be the prevailing mood of late, but there's something undeniably appealing about a striking statement accessory that eschews all sense of subtlety in the best possible way. Enter: Paco Rabanne's iconic chainmail bag. The shiny metal showstopper, which relaunched for the brand's 50th anniversary, blends vintage glamour with modern edginess, rendering it surprisingly versatile for any occasion or personal aesthetic. Even the most simplistic dresser could use a little glitz now and then, after all.

The Line By K Grace Skirt

It would seem crinkled satin is somewhat of a thing at the moment. The textured fabric makes its second appearance on this list in the form of The Line By K's Grace Skirt. Not exactly a traditional slip skirt, this style features a seamed construction and slightly fluted hem that give it a bit more structure, but still looks graceful and silky. And in this on-trend lime green hue, it's no wonder this piece was an instant hit.

The Row Bare Sandals

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen have built their entire brand around an aesthetic of understated elegance and luxe minimalism, so it's only logical that they'd embrace this season's barely-there sandal trend with such exemplary results. The Row's Bare Sandals are everything you could want in this style: delicate straps, clean lines, blessedly low heels, and sleek color options to suit the minimalist and the statement-maker alike.

Loewe Paula Sunglasses

So often the accessories that gain the most momentum are shoes or bags, it's exciting when something like a humble pair of sunglasses emerges as a trend frontrunner. Not that there's anything humble or modest about these particular shades. Loewe's colorful, retro-futuristic, concave-frame Paula Sunglasses are the sort of eye-catching, status symbol that works as total Insta-bait.

Orseund Iris Princess Top

You probably know Orseund Iris for its underwire-detail knit tanks that dominated the trendscape last year. This time around, it's all about the feminine, puffy-sleeved top, aptly called the princess top. Voluminous, romantic blouses are huge right now, and this rendition takes the motif to its full potential.

Little Liffner Baguette

Shoes aren't the only accessory category reviving the 1990s in 2019, bags are throwing it back, too. The iconic baguette bag was pretty much the only purse style that mattered in the late '90s and early '00s (just ask Carrie Bradshaw or Rachel Green). And now, two decades later, Little Liffner's contemporary take on the classic short-strap shoulder bag is putting the baguette bag back on the must-have list.