A rock’n’roll saga of love triangles, cocaine and tour buses might not sound of immediate relevance to your real-life summer holiday. Or hey, maybe it does – no judgment! Either way, if you haven’t watched Daisy Jones & the Six, the Amazon Prime ten-parter, then I’m here to tell you that you really, really should.
Mainly you should watch it because it is just so much fun. Sexy, gripping, atmospheric, the sofa-viewing equivalent of a perfect sunlounger summer novel. (It is based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s perfect sunlounger read of the same name.) But specifically you should watch it for its wardrobe, because it is a blueprint for the most delicious summer-holiday style.
Daisy Jones & the Six is the story of a rock’n’roll band in 1970s California, by which I mean it is basically the story of Fleetwood Mac (the makers said they were partly inspired by the band). Guitar cases and whisky bottles and intimate love-hate duets sung up close and personal on stage in front of thousands. And the clothes – oh, the clothes! Breezy, floaty, semi-transparent blouses. Crochet vests and denim shorts. Faded T-shirts and cool fringed tapestry coats and skinny scarves. Finished with long tangled blond fringes and big dark glasses.
It is summer style bliss, and it translates surprisingly well to non-rock-star life. Floaty, semi-transparent Stevie Nicks-esque kimono-type garments with trailing sleeves look incredible backlit under stage lighting, but they are also genuinely practical to have on holiday. They take up no space in a suitcase, work as a beach cover up over a swimsuit and can be layered over a T-shirt and jeans at night to protect you from chills and bugs. Crochet is the ultimate breathable summer fabric, with built-in air-con. Cut-off denim shorts are a stone cold classic.
Riley Keough as singer Daisy Jones channels Nicks, with a side order of Joni Mitchell, in louche, ethereal layers and the kind of vintage-looking lace-edged button-through top that I comb every single market stall for every single time I go on holiday. Suki Waterhouse as keyboardist Karen (Christine McVie, with a bit of Patti Smith) makes a strong case for the fitted waistcoat as a summer vest. Camila Morrone as photographer Camila has an on-screen collection of loose maxi dresses that call to mind Ali MacGraw, alongside some Bianca Jagger-esque pale tailoring.
Theatrical? Well, yes, obviously, but I’m going to stick my neck out and say no more so than the Love Island look which has dominated recent summers. Those complicated swimsuits with crisscrossed straps that the girls wear in the villa – I wouldn’t fancy my chances getting changed into one of those huddled under a towel on the beach. Corset tops? Not what I’m going to reach for when I’m supposed to be having a relaxing time, thank you very much. Tight dresses when it’s hot, yuck. And as for belly button windows …
The Daisy Jones look, by contrast, is high-octane glam, but once you swap out the platform glitter boots for flat leather sandals, much of the female characters’ fashion is loose and comfortable and practical. After all, it was invented by women who travelled the world and lived out of suitcases. The Daisy Jones look was also all over last month’s Coachella festival: cowboy boots are hereby declared the new flower crowns, and fringed suede jackets have taken over from hoodies as the after-dark throw on.
Too often, summer fashion tries to divide women into two camps. Either you are a Bombshell in something tight and glittery that shows sideboob, or you are a sensible linen-wearing Mum in safe florals. But with a gauzy blouse, or a halterneck beach dress that grazes the sand, or a beaten-up denim jacket – you get a bit of romance, without looking too done. Guitar case optional. Jumping in the swimming pool? I’ll leave that up to you.
Model: Ana at Body London. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using Oui and Rhode. Crochet top: Monki. Jeans: Hush. Sandals: Ivylee. Sunglasses: Beyond Retro
