Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and The Velvet Edit July 2026: The Art of Coastal Living.
If June feels like the beginning of summer, July feels like settling into it. Days feel longer, meals become simpler, suitcases stay half packed, sand lingers in the car, morning coffee drifts outdoors and evenings arrive slowly.
July has a different rhythm, which is less about anticipation, and more about presence.
And while holiday inspiration often turns toward the Mediterranean at this time of year, I find myself drawn to coastal escapes of all kinds — from windswept beaches and harbour towns to sun-soaked islands, so this month’s theme is simply: The Art of Coastal Living
The Art of Coastal Living
Not summer at its busiest or most polished — but a slower, softer approach shaped by unhurried days, quieter destinations, and the simple pleasures that make summer feel beautifully lived.
For me, coastal living has never been about luxury. It is about atmosphere and presence — time to breathe, space to wander, and just enough stillness to notice more: to dress simply, live gently, and appreciate the smaller rituals of the season.
And perhaps nowhere captures that feeling more beautifully than France’s Atlantic Coast — from elegant seaside towns and long dune-backed beaches to under-the-radar destinations where summer still feels relaxed and quietly understated.
Because sometimes the best kind of travel simply allows us to live differently for a few days.
The Velvet Edit July 2026 : Coming this month
1. The Travel Edit: Where the French Really Go on Holiday
Summer travel does not always need to mean crowded hotspots and full itineraries. Sometimes the most memorable places are the ones that invite us to stay a little longer.
This month we’ll be travelling beyond the French Riviera favourites to explore Where the French Really Go on Holiday — a quieter side of France shaped by atmosphere, local traditions, and quieter summer escapes.
Along the way, we’ll spend time exploring the relaxed rhythm of France’s Atlantic coast — from the elegance of Arcachon Bay to the easy energy of Biarritz — places that capture the spirit of coastal living particularly well in summer, with:
- lingering morning coffees,
- long, meandering walks,
- market mornings,
- late, leisurely lunches, and
- evenings that stretch naturally into sunset.
Places shaped less by sightseeing and more by atmosphere and rituals.
2. The Style Edit: Effortless French Summer Style
Summer dressing feels different by the coast. It’s more relaxed, less structured and yet perhaps even more elegant for it.
This month’s style features explore the outfit formulas French women return to year after year: easy linen layers, relaxed separates, simple summer dresses, comfortable sandals, woven textures, and those effortless combinations that never seem overdone.
Because the most stylish summer wardrobes are rarely built around more clothes — they’re built around knowing what works.
3. The Velvet Beauty Edit July 2026: Minimal Summer Skincare That Actually Works
Summer has a way of simplifying things, and beauty is no exception.
As temperatures rise, routines often become lighter and less complicated. Rather than layering products, summer invites us to focus on the essentials and formulas that support the skin rather than overwhelm it.
This month’s beauty feature explores a more minimal approach to skincare, built around gentle cleansing, lightweight hydration, daily sun protection, and small habits that help skin feel healthy and comfortable throughout the season.
Because often the best summer beauty rituals are the ones we can actually maintain with ease.
4. The Lifestyle Edit: Summer Wellness, the French Way
Summer also invites a softer approach to wellbeing. It’s not about strict routines and reinvention, but simply returning to habits that feel lighter and more seasonal.
This month’s lifestyle features explore French-inspired rituals for a gentle summer reset: slower mornings, simple seasonal meals, more time outdoors, small moments of pause, and creating routines that support energy rather than drain it.
Because wellness often feels most sustainable when it stops feeling like a project and becomes part of everyday life.
And perhaps that is what I hope this month’s edit captures most of all: a slower, softer approach to summer.
5. Summer Through Food and Place
Some of my strongest summer memories are shaped around food: leisurely breakfasts, shopping at local markets, fresh ingredients and simple meals, shared plates, and conversations that linger well into the evening.
This month we’ll also be travelling through flavour with the latest French Food Letter — exploring French foods beginning with the letter I and the stories, traditions, and places behind them.
From island desserts and Atlantic flavours to regional specialities shaped by coastlines, and local identity, this month’s selection reminds us that French food is rarely about uniformity — and almost always about place.
Because sometimes understanding a destination begins at the table.
If you’re interested in discovering more about French food culture you might also enjoy our guide to French food and way of life.
6. The July Edit
This month’s edit brings together relaxed coastal dressing, slower summer travel in France, seasonal rituals, and pieces chosen for ease and longevity.
Think striped knits for cooler evenings, linen separates, comfortable sandals, woven textures, oversized shirts, timeless swimwear, and small details inspired by coastal living.
Nothing overstyled. Just thoughtful pieces and seasonal inspiration designed to help summer feel slower, lighter, and beautifully lived.
Final Thoughts on
The Velvet Edit July 2026: The Art of Coastal Living
July feels quieter than June. It’s less about arriving, and more about settling in. It’s about
- slow travel,
- effortless style,
- simple routines,
- enjoying long summer days without filling every hour, and
- rediscovering the beauty that often appears when life softens its pace.
You can also explore previous editions of The Velvet Edit here, where I share seasonal inspiration for style, beauty, travel, wellness, and slower living throughout the year.
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