Tomato red has quietly become one of the biggest color trends of the summer. It’s bold without feeling too bright, warm without being neon, and surprisingly easy to style. It’s the perfect shade of red for me, so I’ve been loving all the options popping up. If you’ve been wanting to add more color to your wardrobe but don’t know where to start, tomato red is actually a very wearable option.
As someone who usually leans toward neutrals, I’ve found tomato red works best when paired with simple basics like white denim, linen, raffia accessories, and soft neutral shoes. In today’s post, I’m sharing four tomato-red outfit ideas for summer that feel polished, casual, and petite-friendly.
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Tomato Red Outfit Ideas for Summer (That Feel Easy to Wear)
My Sizing: I’m 4’10”, and my bust, waist, and hip measurements are 32″, 24″, and 36″. My inseam is 25″ (the measurement from the inside of my leg to my ankle bone). The clothes shown are unaltered and show how they fit me right from the store. I list my sizing beside each item to help you compare when shopping online. When referencing my true size, that is often the smallest option available at a brand or petite xxs/00/24. I wear a size 5 shoe.
Tomato Red Dress
It was instant love when I put this dress on. The color is the perfect deep shade of tomato red, and I absolutely love the fit. While it comes in standard sizing, it works really well on my 4’10” frame as a maxi dress.
The dress is made from 95% cotton and 5% spandex, with most of the stretch in the soft smocked top portion. The skirt is fully lined and features a pretty eyelet overlay and pockets — always a bonus. The top is soft, stretchy, and not see-through at all.
I found this dress to fit true to size and honestly consider it a 10/10. I styled it here with simple white earrings, but you could also make it feel festive for summer holidays with blue accessories or a statement necklace.
Dress XXS | Sandals tts | Earrings | Bag
Red Striped Dress
I made my first purchase from Marine Layer with this easy summer dress, and I’m really impressed with it. It’s lightweight, comfortable, and effortless to wear. The fabric is a blend of cotton and kapok, a lightweight sustainable fiber made from the seeds of the Ceiba tree.
On my 4’10” frame, this is definitely a floor-length maxi, but I love the relaxed look of it paired with flat sandals. I’m wearing the dress in XS, and it fits me well overall — no gaping at the arm openings, and the smocking is soft and stretchy without feeling restrictive.
The skirt is unlined but not sheer, which is always a plus for summer dresses. One thing worth noting is that the stripes appear white and red online, but in person they’re actually pink and red.
Dress XS | Sandals tts | Bag | Earrings
Tomato Red Top + Skort
I found this smocked peplum top at LOFT and immediately loved the color — it’s the perfect tomato red shade for summer. The fit is also really great for petites. I’m wearing it in my true size, and it fits well through the chest and arm openings without feeling tight or restrictive at the smocking.
The peplum shape pairs especially well with high-rise bottoms and gives the outfit a polished but easy summer feel. I styled it with an ecru denim skort from J.Crew, which is another great petite-friendly piece. I’m wearing the skort in size 00, and I found it to fit true to size.
Top Petite XXS | Skort 00 | Sandals tts | Bag | Earrings
Tomato Red Cardigan + White Denim Shorts
The Jackie Cardigan from J.Crew has one of the best overall fits for petites out of all the cardigans I’ve tried. The length works well without overwhelming a smaller frame, and the sleeves are proportioned really nicely too. For summer, J.Crew released a lighter-weight version in several colors, including this pretty pointelle style.
I do recommend sizing up for the best fit because this cardigan runs snug. It’s such a versatile piece for summer — I love it worn with white denim shorts, but it also looks great draped over the shoulders with a summer dress as a lightweight layer.
The denim shorts are the Bella Shorts from Quince, which are a great pair of white shorts that aren’t see-through. Like the Bella jeans, they have a high 10.5″ rise along with a 4 3/4″ inseam. One thing I especially love about these shorts is the extra room through the thighs, which makes them really comfortable to wear.
I tried them in both Atlantic Blue and Ghost White. The Atlantic Blue pair fits true to size, while the white pair runs a little snug, so if you’re between sizes, I’d suggest sizing up in the white wash.
Shorts 24 | Cardigan XS | Shoes tts | Bag
Whether you go bold with a dress or keep it simple with a cardigan or top, the color pairs so well with white denim, neutral accessories, and easy summer basics. I also love that it adds a fun pop of color without feeling too over the top. Hopefully these outfit ideas give you a little inspiration if you’ve been wanting to try the trend this season!
