Budget-conscious but style-savvy? Take inspiration from our curated summer edit of pieces that we'd genuinely invest in.

It used to be that $1000 could practically buy you a designer dress, now that same money barely covers a blouse. But the thrill isn’t in the price tag; it’s in discovering pieces that feel summer-ready, and made to be worn again and again. These are the last-minute wardrobe additions I'd genuinely invest in if it were my own money — smart, versatile pieces that punch above their price point, from some of Aotearoa and Australia's favourite designers.

Lightweight dresses, easy-to-wear tops, and sandals that elevate the simplest outfit: all the pieces that make summer feel put-together, without the pressure of splurging on the headline-making item.