5 Summer Wardrobe Essentials for Women 50 and Over

VIDEO: Discover how to refresh your summer wardrobe for $200. AARP Studios Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Memorial Day is fast approaching — and with it, barbecues, beach days, pool parties, road trips and weekends with friends. As a 17-year fashion director at InStyle, with similar gigs at

Vogue and Glamour, I know what it takes to pull together easy outfits that look effortlessly chic.

Whatever your plans, you can count on these five items to enjoy your summer in style.

Linen Blend Tunic in Winter Garden. AARP (Lands’ End, Lilly Pulitzer, Macy’s) 1. The multipurpose tunic top

There are so many reasons to love tunics. They are light, airy and non-constricting. They hide your tummy and backside. They look great with jeans or capri pants. Many can double as a

swimsuit cover-up. Embellished or embroidered ones, such as the Lilly Pulitzer Gracee Tunic in Resort White ($198, lillypulitzer.com) or the J.Crew Factory Printed Beach Tunic in Brilliant

Azalea ($60, factory.jcrew.com), need little in the way of accessories. Solid tunics with open necklines, such as I.N.C. International Concepts Plus-Size Linen Blend Tunic in Winter Garden

($70, macys.com) and Lands’ End Women’s Cotton Voile Billowy Oversized Shirt in Deep Sea Navy ($63, landsend.com), can be dressed up with collar-length necklaces. They can go to a cocktail

party, a cookout, the pool or beach, the grocery store or a lunch date. Tunics know how to multitask.

Bahama Two Palms Easy Linen Pants in White; Old Navy Curvy High-Waisted OG Straight Ankle Jeans in White; Wit & Wisdom Bennet Ab’Solution High Waist Jeans in Optic White. AARP (Ann Taylor,

Bloomingdale’s, Old Navy, Nordstrom) 2. The perfect white jeans or pants

Nothing says summer like white jeans and pants! They are the ideal partner for tunic tops, striped or solid tees, shirts, blazers, and linen or cotton sweaters. This high-waisted pair, Wit &

Wisdom Bennett ‘Ab’Solution High Waist Jeans in Optic White ($88, nordstrom.com), has built-in power mesh panels for subtle shaping and is available in standard and petite sizing. The Old

Navy Curvy High-Waisted OG Straight Ankle Jeans ($22, oldnavy.com), designed for women with fuller hips, come in regular, plus-size, petite and tall sizes. If you prefer a looser style to

jeans, try Tommy Bahama Two Palms Easy Linen Pants in White ($118, bloomingdales.com), which have a comfortable elastic waist, or this wide-leg, cropped Ann Taylor Belted Cropped Palazzo

Pant in Poplin in White ($71, anntaylor.com) with a sash-like belt.

Natural Multi. AARP (Bloomingdale’s, Gap, Madewell) 3. The casual straw bag

It’s time to switch out your leather bag for a straw or raffia one. Whether you select a shoulder bag like the Gap Straw Shoulder Bag in Natural Tan ($55, gap.com), a tote such as the

Rebecca Minkoff Megan Mini Fan Tote ($178, nordstrom.com) or a pouch such as Madewell’s Camren Mini Bag in Natural Multi ($88, madewell.com), straw bags are lightweight, work with virtually

every color and add textural interest to outfits.