What To Wear When It's Stinkin' Hot
Tina, here.
Hi humidity. Looks like you've already met my frizzy hair and melting makeup. And my sticky leather car seats. Thanks a ton.
Sweating much? I mean, perspiring? Glistening?
Soooo, what to wear when it’s stinkin' hot outside? Keep reading.
First, Warm Weather Shapewear - does it exist?
Yes. Yay.
There is such a thing as summer weight shapewear. Our clients tend to prefer the biker short style in the summer because they, and pardon me for getting personal, contain the sweat and keep it from running down your legs.
You want your summer shapewear to be thin enough not to suffocate you but supportive enough to do its job. I found the perfect summer shapewear and you can shop it inside the July Vault, Style Notes section. Members logged in can click here to shop.
Next, what to wear to the office on a hot day.
In this heat, you don’t want anything touching you. No extra layers except maybe the thin shapewear. So what if you need to be in a suit for an important day at work, or a funeral, or an interview or a board meeting?
No dark colors.
Dark colors, especially black, are going to absorb all the heat and cause you to melt. Wear lighter colors in the summertime. And save your black suits, pants, etc for fall.
Instead of putting on a suit jacket, wear it over your shoulders. This gesture shows your respect for the meeting or event, but sensibility toward the heat. Plus, when you get inside, it’s bound to be freezing, so you’re prepared.
Suits in a light color will be cooler than darker suits. Wear a nice shell underneath so when you take off the jacket you’re still appropriately dressed for the office.
Put the jacket on when you need to deliver a power statement. And, a nude shoe. Always. My fave summer suit is in the July Vault, Style Notes section. Join now to shop the all-new July Style Vault, plus looks from the blog updated weekly.
You can still use animal print accessories in the summer. I like mine to be on a light background, like this zebra print clutch.
Wear dresses instead of pant suits or skirt suits.
A cool, light color dress becomes your LBD replacement in the summer. It's your LWD (Little White Dress). I found 2 amazing ones for you, one is short-sleeve, the other is 3/4-sleeve. Members, shop both here in the Style Notes section of the July Vault.
What to wear on a normal weekday when it's stinkin' hot.
For the casual set, blue jeans just won’t do in high heat, and sometimes white jeans can be too hot, too. They fit waaay to close to the skin. Opt for linen, cotton, modal, viscose or polyester. Polyester, by the way, has improved vastly since the days of yore when it was looked down upon by people like us. Polyester is cool, machine-washable and never has to be ironed.
For the natural fiber lovers, linen is great if you are not OCD about wrinkles. Add a tank top or t-shirt that is more fitted through the sides so as not to overwhelm your figure with volume. Vault insiders, you can check out my favorite linen pants in the 4th set of the July Vault, and they are on sale!
How about a dress instead of pants or shorts? No muu-muu’s please, a la Mrs. Roper. A shorter dress is cooler anyway. So much cooler. Reduces leg sweating. I know, right?! Cotton, linen, anything that will breathe is what you want. Belt your sundresses to add a bit of sophistication. And shape. Also, check the hem – if it’s too short to wear anywhere other than the beach, there may be enough hem to let out and wear around town.
I took my dressy crochet shift and downgraded it a notch by accessorizing with a leather belt and espadrilles. But it still looks pulled together.
If your belt is too big to wear around your waist, just tuck the extra like I did here. This gives it a more casual look.
You can also take your nice cotton white dress, and add leather flip flops. Voila! It’s a casual shorts and tee alternative without being overtly dressy.
Your Warm Weather Beauty Routine
Now, for your beauty routine. Skip foundation. Just add bronzer. Even on your eyelids so you can skip eyeshadow.
Typically on blog shooting day, I'm coming from meetings and don't really take time to primp, so my bronzer comes in real handy to help me look fresh as a daisy. I wish! But it's such a great beauty tip - bronzer fixes everything.
Skip blow-drying your hair to keep your body temp low- just dry the front and sides, and then sweep all your hair up into a pony-tail. Your hair will have more body if you don’t dry it all the way.
Then get it off your neck and out of your face so you don’t have to deal with it. A messy updo is the the modern updo. Ponytails help me relive my childhood, too. So there's that.
I feel cooler already. Thanks for reading and if you want to shop all the cool looks inside the July Style Vault, get in there! Items are selling fast because there are so many good deals.
Can I tell you how much I love the Style Vault? It is just awesome and I love pouring through the monthly news…and learning what’s hot and what’s not! I refer to them over and over and have found them to be a great reference tool! Thank you for bringing inspiration to my wardrobe!…I like that you offer high and low price ranges as well as petite and curvy options! You guys rock!!
And if you're in the area, our Nashville and Williamson County wardrobe consultants will review your wardrobe, shop with you in person and then style all your looks with what you already own, too. We'd be happy to serve you.
Stay cool all you lovely ladies!
Best,
Tina
