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It can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to dissect every single morsel coming out of the Villa on season seven of Love Island USA, airing on Peacock right now. (I personally dedicate more than I’d like to admit to this.) There’s also not much that the growing (and growingly divided) audience universally agrees on — except the fact that Ariana Madix looks amazing, whether it’s in a molten bronze maxi with a Rapunzel-worthy braid, in a hot pink LaQuan Smith cut-out dress, or in a red latex mini as her newly-discovered brunette alter ego.
The reality TV star and Love Island superfan has leveled up her fashion for her sophomore season as host. Her secret weapon? Content creator and stylist Emily Men, whom Madix has been working with since season 10 of Vanderpump Rules. (Fun fact: They connected through fellow Bravo star Lindsay Hubbard.) Having already collaborated on Love Island looks last summer, they didn’t feel the pressure to one-up themselves fashion-wise, even with all the attention the show’s gotten since season six. “That being said,” Madix says, “I definitely feel like we’ve still somehow managed to [bring] it.”
LOVE ISLAND USA — Episode 706 — Pictured: Ariana Madix — (Photo by: Kim Nunneley/Peacock)Men describes herself as “very go-with-the-flow,” and she wasn’t particularly concerned with people’s expectations. “Working from last season to this season, I didn’t change anything because my philosophy is: Whether it’s Love Island, a press thing, whatever, just pull what’s best out there,” she says. “Whenever I’m looking and sourcing, it’s always what looks the best. I’m not super strategic with it.”
The main difference between seasons six and seven, Men adds, is that she and Madix started sending each other ideas during the off-season, compiling a folder of inspiration that served as a starting point for the wardrobe. “We want to have an element of surprise, which I think we do execute, but it’s still Love Island,” she notes. “It’s still tropical, so the obvious things come to mind.”
“I was saving a lot of crochet, a lot of very mermaid looks,” Madix says, “some muted dusty pinks and blues.”
As a Love Island connoisseur, Madix is quite familiar with the sartorial language of the show, which influences how she dresses as the host. “It doesn’t have to always be bright colors, but it’s got to be something,” she says. “It can’t just be a nice dress. It always has an element — if it’s a pink dress, it’s a pink dress with my whole stomach cut out and my whole back out; if it’s going to be a darker color, it’s going to look like I just came from outer space…. Everything is a look.”
If she were to sum up her Love Island wardrobe, it would come down to: “Strong looks, bright colors, and sexy. Always sexy. I come to Fiji with pounds of boob inserts.”
While the two are very in tune on the types of looks they want, the show’s production schedule presents logistical challenges. For one, the clothes need to be in Fiji for the duration of filming, from the beginning of June through mid-July. “It can be a bit of a struggle to narrow down what’s available [for that long] and what [we can] get our hands on,” Madix says. “You think, ‘Oh yeah, host of Love Island, all these cool outfits, everyone’s just giving things’ — it’s not as easy. So many of those fashion houses are like, ‘Oh, it’s a reality show? No.’”
“I come to Fiji with pounds of boob inserts.”
Two months is a long time to cede a sample, but this is a production that has continuously broken viewership records, with Peacock reporting that 39% of those tuning in are new to the show — especially after season six, which was so successful and beloved, its cast members are getting a spin-off. You can’t log onto any social media platform “every day but hump day” without seeing posts about what the current Islanders are up to (and the audience’s assessment of the drama unfolding onscreen).
Madix’s wardrobe ends up being a mix of pieces Men borrows from showrooms, is gifted, thrifts, or finds online. “The colorful rainbow disc one — that one was from a small business that I found on Etsy,” she says.
They’ll have a fitting about a week or two before Madix heads out to Fiji. Men will then tailor everything to Madix’s measurements and do a second fitting to make sure everything’s good. “Once we decide that these are the looks, I’ll start to accessorize — shoes, jewelry,” Men continues. “Then I send off a PDF of all the looks. Some things change, because sometimes I’m not able to try on rings and that kind of stuff, but I [map it out] as best as I can. It’ll even show ‘right hand, left hand, helix piercing, whatever side faces the camera more.’” She’s not in Fiji with Madix, so those in-real-time adjustments are at the hands of Emily Abbey and Karissa Loveday, the on-set wardrobe team that gets her ready for filming; though they’re all on a WhatsApp group together, where they’ll send pictures, chime in on changes, and communicate what’s happening in real time.
For her part, Madix will keep all her options on a rack, so she can remain flexible and make game-time decisions. “Let’s say there are 10 more times I’m going to be going in — ‘Okay, well, we don’t want two gold [looks] next to each other.’ We try to stagger everything,” she says. “Sometimes we think, ‘This might be good for [Love Island:] Aftersun. Oh, but we wanted to have a moment. Is this now going to be a game [look]? Is it a daytime thing?’ We’re changing in real time sometimes.”
She also thinks about why she’s going inside the Villa. “Night one, we go sparkly — something that feels sexy but also fun and celebratory,” Madix explains. “When I came in this season for America’s Vote, when Charlie got dumped, I was very much leaning into, ‘I know someone’s going home tonight, I’m coming in delivering America’s Vote, and it’s going to be intense.’ Then Casa Amor Recoupling, it was sexy, but also I wanted to feel kind of dangerous, because it’s one of those nights that can go many different directions, but usually is pretty intense. When I came in to introduce Casa Amor, it’s like, ‘This is a daytime look. I want it to be bright. I want it to be fun. I’m having fun with them. No one’s going home.’”
Another very real consideration for Madix: “Sometimes I’m in my luteal phase, so I don’t want to wear a certain outfit — I’m here long enough to be on two periods. That type of stuff affects [outfit decisions] as well.”
“To casually wear a ball gag as a necklace — chef’s kiss.”
Ariana MadixThis season, Madix and Men have been able to call upon friends, like L.A.-based designer and seamstress Taylor Cox, who made her custom beaded crystal mesh gown for night one. They’ve also had a lot of fun experimenting with new looks, like Madix’s “Leather and Lace” party ensemble. “I had two options for that night, one of which was a black lace bodysuit with a black leather corset, harnesses, and bunny ears. But then we tried on the red dress and the coat, and Emily found some amazing accessories online,” Madix says. “I thought, ‘Wow, to casually wear a ball gag as a necklace — chef’s kiss.’”
“I was just ordering random stuff,” Men admits. “It was funny because a lot of people didn’t catch it, but then a lot of people did. It was just something subtle.”
The duo also gives props to the hair and makeup team, Carl Cambridge and Krystal Dawn, the former being responsible for Madix’s brunette locks for the “Leather and Lace” party. “You need all the components,” Men says. “You need all the elements for it all to go together. So it’s amazing that we’re able to form this great team.”
Madix and Men still have a few tricks up their sleeves for what remains of the season. “There are a couple of things that are pretty epic that I hope we have a moment for,” Madix teases, adding that there’s a hard-shell top moment she’s excited to wear.
“Love Island is fun because there are so many looks in one show,” Men notes. “[There are] so many different moods and so many different types of styles. We love to mix and match. Some people take fashion too seriously, but, at the end of the day, it’s fun, and you should be able to wear all the things you want to wear.”
“Now,” Madix says, “we got to think about, ‘Well, where do we go from here?’”
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Over the holiday weekend, Fourth of July fashion sales fired up — like all the barbecues and fireworks we enjoyed. But unlike a fleeting firecracker, these stellar markdowns are sticking around (some through August 3!).
We’ve searched for the best Fourth of July clothing, shoe, bag, and jewelry deals the internet has to offer — and found a host of stylish goods from reader-favorite retailers like Aritzia, Lululemon, DSW, Anthropologie, and more.
Whether you’re looking for summer staples like lightweight dresses, trendy swimsuits, matching sets, or comfortable sandals, there are plenty of labels treating us to amazing markdowns — with some offering discounts as high as 70% off.
Ahead, peruse 45 Fourth of July sales worth shopping while the summer deals are hot (and before Prime Day takes over this week).
Through July 7, take up to 50% off select styles, plus an extra 20% off clearance during the Best of Summer Sale.
Aerie 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take 70% off all clearance.
Alex Mill 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take between 40% and 60% off select styles.
Ann Taylor 4th of July SaleThrough July 10, take 30% off full-price purchases.
Anthropologie 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 30% off summer clothing, accessories, and beauty.
Aritzia 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take between 20% and 50% off sitewide during the Summer Sale.
Banana Republic 4th of July SaleThrough July 20, take up to 60% off sale styles, plus an extra 20% applied at checkout.
Cider 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take 20% off sitewide, plus 25% off $139+ orders.
Coach 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 40% off select styles during the Summer Sale.
Coach Outlet 4th of July SaleThrough July 8, shop deals, including under-$200 styles, during the Peak Summer Deals event.
Cole Haan 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take an extra 30% off sitewide, with some exclusions, with code JULY30.
Cos 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 60% off select styles.
Cozy Earth 4th of July SaleThrough July 11, take 35% off sitewide with Refinery29-exclusive code REFINERY29.
Damson Madder 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 40% off select lines during the Summer Sale.
DSW 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 50% off deals, plus 25% off select Adidas, Reebok, and Reef styles.
Etam 4th of July SaleThrough July 14, take up to 60% off select styles, plus shop $55 bikinis during the Summer Sale.
Everlane 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take up to 70% off during the Summer Clearout Sale.
Favorite Daughter 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take 25% off one item, with some exclusions, with code ONEFAVE.
Gap 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take 50% off your purchase, including markdowns, during the Summer Sale.
Good American 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take 30% off almost everything, with code GET30.
J.Crew 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take an extra 70% off sale styles with code EXTRA during the End of Season Sale.
Kohl’s 4th of July SaleThrough July 10, shop Summer Cyber Deals, including daily deals, plus enjoy free shipping.
Larroudé 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, pre-order the fall collection for 30% off.
Lands’ End 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take 50% off sitewide, plus 60% off two-piece swim and clearance.
Levi’s 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take up to 50% off select styles during the End of Season Sale.
Lululemon 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, shop deals during the Summer Scores event.
Lulus 4th of July SaleThrough July 9, take 20% off sitewide with code JULY2025 during the Semi-Annual Sale.
Madewell 4th of July SaleThrough July 10, take up to 70% off sale items with code SUMMERTIME during the End Of Season Event.
Mango 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 50% off sale styles.
Margaux 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take up to 65% off limited-edition styles and colors during the Archive Sale.
MZ Wallace 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take up to 70% off select styles during the Warehouse Sale.
Nordstrom Rack 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 70% off new markdowns.
Old Navy 4th of July SaleThrough July 9, take 50% off everything, with some exclusions.
Rei 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take up to 50% off select products.
Rellery 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take 10% off sitewide with code RW10, 15% off $250+ orders with code RW15, and 20% off $450+ orders with code RW20.
Saks Fifth Avenue 4th of July SaleThrough July 8, take up to 60% off select styles during the Designer Sale.
Saks Off Fifth 4th of July SaleThrough August 3, take an extra 30% off select styles during the Summer Sale.
Saucony 4th of July SaleThrough July 14, take up to 40% off select styles during the Summer Sale.
Skims 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take 30% off Fits Everybody styles.
Sterling Forever 4th of July SaleThrough July 11, take 20% off two items or 30% off three items.
Steve Madden 4th of July SaleThrough July 7, take up to 50% off select styles with code SPARKLE.
Stuart Weitzman 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take 40% off new sale styles.
Urban Outfitters 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take an extra 40% off all sale styles during The Big Sale.
Victoria’s Secret 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, take up to 60% off select styles during the Semi-Annual Sale.
Zara 4th of July SaleFor a limited time, shop deals during the Summer Sale.
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We have our linen dresses, our milkmaid dresses, and our playful sardine-girl summer-ready takes to pair with sneakers, sandals, and thong kitten heels. But one of the key summer dress trends this season? The halterneck dress — retro in the best way, with a distinctly feminine feel that’s suddenly everywhere again.
From vacation-ready open backs to sleek tie-necks and sculptural twists, this summer’s halters are fresher than ever. They frame the neckline beautifully, show off the shoulders, and add just the right amount of throwback charm (without veering costume-y). Whether you go for a crisp cotton mini or a breezy crochet maxi, the silhouette feels distinctive — a subtle switch-up we love alongside our go-to spaghetti straps, puff sleeves, and scooped tanks.
From voluminous bubble hems to slinky slips, butter yellow to pistachio green, and petite to plus-size options, these halter styles check every summer-dressing box. They’re made for vacation, summer weddings, and every city, weekend, and getaway moment in between.
Shop the edit ahead from reader-favorite brands and retailers like Hill House Home, Anthropologie, Free People, Zara, Nordstrom, and more.
Great for petites and fans of a leg moment alike, halter minis keep things light and playful. From fitted bodices to tiered hems, these sweet styles are ideal for dinner dates, brunch plans, and every steamy sidewalk stroll in between.
Midi Halterneck DressesA midi halter strikes that just-right balance: slightly elevated, but still easy enough for everyday wear. Look for fluid skirts, subtle cut-outs, and sculpted necklines that move seamlessly from day to night with just a switch-up of accessories.
Maxi Halterneck DressesA halter maxi brings the drama while keeping things ultra-summery and airy. With open backs and floaty fabrics, these full-length styles are made for beachfront weddings, European getaways, and spur-of-the-moment drinks that linger past golden hour.
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