Such a large part of the “beauty of summer” is in its actual beauty — all the late night pink sunsets, the skinny dips, the ocean dives, the romance, concerts, boardwalks, rooftops, barbecues, ice-filled cups, the clothes that tell a carefree story and the attitudes that turn those stories into realities. The weather lends a hand to this, of course. Summer has to actually feel like summer. It’s warm, sticky air that makes the removal of garments and inhibitions an encouraged activity no matter the time or place. It’s the hot heat that makes ice cream an acceptable dinner for full-grown adults. And it’s the distinctly-fall chill that sends a different kind of shiver down our arm hairs. Somehow our bodies know to yearn for thick-knit sweaters rather than terry cloth towels. We embrace scarves, declare that we’ve really missed jeans and long sleeves and begin to shop for close-toed shoes. All of this is natural. It’s cyclical. Summer lovers would be miserable 10 months out of the year if we didn’t somehow learn to embrace other seasons.
And yet…there’s no reason to rush into autumn if you’re not ready. At the 2017 Afropunk Festival, attendees stopped to pose for photographer Simon Chetrit’s camera, their portraits held between his circular lens, their outfits proof that though increasingly illusive, there is a way to capture the feeling of a season just as much as there is still a magical effect when it comes to self-expression through fashion. As for how to hang on to summer for just a bit longer, click through the slideshow below. You will find yourself searching for a straw hat no matter the sun’s changing pattern. You will very much want to put a few flowers in your hair. You will find yourself finally convinced that a fanny pack is the right move, and you will, without a doubt, need thigh-high, season-less red boots.
If you attended and want to share your own outfit, the comments section is yours. For everyone else, let’s just bask in the warm glow of late August summer while clicking through a jolt of style to carry us toward fall.
Photos by Simon Chetrit; follow him on Instagram @simonzchetrit.
