Summer has its uniforms, and Lourdes Montes just confirmed one of them: a linen blouse and shorts. A combination that looks like she didn't think much about it, but is actually precisely balanced - exactly what good summer style should be.

The blouse is one hundred percent linen, in a soft blue, with a loose cut, gathered sleeves and pearl buttons. Underneath - white denim shorts. The secret isn't in the price, but in the proportions: the loose blouse is balanced by the more structured shorts, and if you tuck it in partway, the waist gets defined and the legs look longer.

Linen is a fabric many people avoid because it crumples - and that's precisely its advantage. Linen stays elegant even when crumpled, and at the same time breathes in high heat like few other fabrics. The blue, meanwhile, goes with almost everything in the wardrobe, which means less thinking in the morning.

The details round off the look: a coral-red necklace for contrast, a braid instead of a styled hairdo, and minimal other jewellery. Montes's philosophy is simple - natural fabrics, flattering cuts, colours that mix easily and accessories with character.

The point for a reader who doesn't splurge on designer brands is encouraging: this is a formula, not a product. A linen blouse and shorts are within every budget, and the effect depends on how you wear them, not how much you paid for them. Sometimes the most expensive look is exactly the one that looks like you didn't try at all.