Boutique gold wire hoops

I spent last Saturday soaking up the late summer sun at the Burgers & Beer event in Golden Hill Park. As I ate my weight in burgers, my eyes were drawn to some summer fashions featuring one-of-a-kind details.

Standing in line behind Alana, a 29-year-old study abroad advisor at UCSD, I admired her bright yellow apron-style dress with crisscross straps and buttons down the back (Madewell Inc., $128 plus shipping). “I got it online, because I do a lot of online shopping when I’m bored at work... close your ears,” she joked.

Alana's summer style includes an apron dress with a twist

Her sunglasses (Trunk Club, $16) and gold wire hoop earrings ($20) added a sleek, delicate touch. “These are from a boutique in Napa. I like very simple jewelry. So these were just hoops — but not chunky hoops. Very light.” Alana pulled out an all-burlap cap (Target, $12.99), explaining, “I love baseball hats, and this one, I can wear with dresses!”

Rather than go for the obvious sandals or flats, she chose a pair of classic white Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers (also from Trunk Club) for a more fun way to complete her summer look. “I’ve wanted some for a really long time, and I never thought I could pull them off!”

Her jumpsuit was a steal, but Danielle doesn't cheap on designer accessories.

Later, I caught sight of a jumpsuit whose cut-out detail made it appear to be a two-piece ensemble from the back. I stopped to meet 26-year-old Danielle, who works at Heller Inc., an advertising company she owns with her husband. She told me her light-pink-and-white-striped, wide-leg jumpsuit cost only around $20. “Surprisingly, this is from Amazon! Amazon is like a secret store for me. If you dig, you can find really cute stuff.”

She topped off her outfit with a white, wide-brimmed hat she bought for around $30 from Wild Dove Boutique, one of her favorite places to shop downtown. Danielle was also decked head-to-toe in designer accessories — Burberry purse, Versace watch, and Michael Kors sunglasses and sandals.

“One of the things I try to do is really accessorize, and I go for the nicer accessories. I’ve gotten tons of high-end designer clothing, and you can always find something that looks very similar for a fraction of the cost,” she posited, “But you just can’t go cheap on accessories. A good purse goes a long way!”