It’s hot! And it’s going to get hotter next week; after a holiday in 37-38ā, I share my tips on how to stay stylishly cool in this heat.
If you are a huge sun worshiper then I am not sure this is going to be the post for you! I love summer time, but I not a chick that hangs out in direct sunshine for long – If like me, you like to stay stylishly cool when the sun is blasting, read on to get my tips.
SPF coverage
I dislike having to reapply cream, especially if I am already mighty hot – so I opt for wearing the highest factor like SPF 30 or SPF 50 and give myself good coverage before dressing in the morning.
It’s important to apply SPF to areas of the body that will be covered by your clothes, unless you know the fabric blocks out the sun; your skin can still burn especially if it’s a thin fabric or a crochet or knitted item – they have holes… the sun gets through them.
I always wear SPF 50 on my face – everyday, all-year-round.
Pick your fabrics wisely
Polyester, nylon and acrylic are the fabrics you really need to avoid in the heat; these synthetic fabrics prevent your skin from breathing which in turn will make you hotter.
Opt for cotton, linen or silk. Chambray is a plain weave fabric and can make for a lighter option to denim, which in intense heat I personally would avoid. On my holiday to Italy, I packed zero denim… not even white jeans or any shorts, I just knew it would be too hot.
Rayon has a feeling of silk, super light – but it’s another man-made synthetic, as you begin to ‘glow’ this fabric will cling to you! Not very stylish at all.
Summer dresses & skirts – adding that extra base layer
Style is not about being ‘fashionable’, it’s about maintaining an image you wish to present to the world; and for some stylish, elegant and put-together women, it may require an extra base layer.
Fashion brands; budget or premium are getting a tad lazy with their linings on summer dresses (it’s a cost-saving, not a design feature) – It’s the lining of a dress or skirt that minimises VPL or flatters your bum cheeks when you wear a thong – nothing worse than seeing clinging fabric getting damp after sitting or walking around in the sun.
Now I know what you are thinking, ‘I will get even hotter with another layer’ – again I come back to my last tip, if you pick the right fabric then no you won’t.
For years (and I mean years) – I have been wearing M&S ‘Cool Comfort’ full or waist slips. In the summer I tend to wear waist slips due to the vest style tops of my summer dresses – and if you are only ever going to buy one to try, I would opt for:
- Your true size
- Nude in colour
- Shortest length you feel you can get away with
My recent purchase was just this at 16 inches in length – you do not want this skirt to be loose, you need it to fit just right, so that it will work with all your dresses, regardless of length, style or colour.
Top Tip: If you suddenly find the waist skirt is too long for a certain dress, I would wear it higher than the waistline and have been known to slightly tuck it under the wire of my bra. No one needs to know what’s going on underneath š
I wore mine every evening I had a dress on in Italy and I didn’t get any hotter and my dress didn’t stick to my thighs as I was walking.
Your over 40, yes you can wear shorts!
Shorts are not just for the men or for kids – retailers have designed so many different kinds of shorts.
With so much choice in style, fabrics and colours, there is one for everyone! Here’s a couple of tips to consider if you are wearing them further than the garden and the supermarket.
- Shorts need to be on the looser side, unless you have amazingly toned legs, you need a loose fit around your bum and thighs
- Balance out the oversize with modern and on-trend chunky sandals
- A little fake tan or developing tan I use daily – it’s amazing how much better legs look with a bit of colour – which has reminded me of of an old blogpost – My secret to flawless bare legs
- I don’t tend to wear a belt with mine, but if you are hourglass or pear-shape you need to define the waist so I do tend to tuck my tops in
- If you are not feeling confident, but you need to wear shorts, like I felt the day we were touring the city of Lecce; the city-centre looked super glam when we arrived but it was the hottest of heats on the trip. Consider wearing a kimono as an open shirt; I felt more put-together and it came in very handy when visiting the churches of Italy as part of our city tour – women are to cover their shoulders and nothing above the knee, some were relaxed about this, some were not.
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To Tuck, but don’t really tuck the tee!
This tip is a new one from me this summer, I discovered it after watching oodles of TikTok videos and I thought I would give it a go!
This only works if your shorts or trousers are high-waisted AND your tee is quite lengthy or you’ll end up with a crop top and if that’s your desired look; you may as well just buy one!
Tucking in a tee can be at times, too bulky, too uncomfortable to sit right or quite frankly annoying to keep the half-tuck, french tuck or full tuck in place!
I’ve tested this a few times and I’ll be sticking with this trick…
Put the tee on, then fold the bottom of the tee back towards your bra and gently tuck it under the underwire of your bra (I’ve not tested it on a non-wired bra, but give it a go!).
It’s your choice if you do it all the way round or just the front. I personally prefer all the way round because I think it looks neater and you can feel a breeze on your back.
If you have selected a t-shirt of the right length, it looks like your tee is tucked into your top – I love this trick!
THE FINAL TIP
The best way to stay stylishly cool in this heat is to avoid being directly in it – find air conditioning wherever you go, which can mean dining indoors at lunchtime and save the alfresco dining for the evening.
Stay in the shade wherever you walk or sit and finally have a hat with you whether you choose to wear it all the time or not, plus sunglasses and carry water with you.
If you use a Chilly bottle the water stays cool all day, I own two different sizes of the black style and I love them.
Next Up! IāM LOVING THESE SUMMER TROUSERS FOR 2022 (BUT SHH! THEY ARE REALLY PJS)
