 |
| Summer style from Eileen Fisher. |
This heatwave is affecting my behaviour. I've swapped my lunchtime sandwich for a bowl of cool gazpacho, am finally managing to consume the recommended daily water requirement (plus copious amounts of cold beer) and have discovered that I don't like iced coffee. And I am NOT complaining. After months, make that years, of shit weather, it's a joy to see the sun, all day, everyday. London's lovely parks have become the people's playground. I love that our neighbours are having post-work picnics in the park opposite. That everyone's in their holiday gear. At the weekend there were men in vests, lots of them - young hipsters in cut-away colourful styles, as well as much older types, in what looked liked traditional white underwear. And that's fine. Do what you have to, to stay cool, just don't expect to make this year's Style Begins At Forty Awards (The sBaftas). As temperatures plateau around the 30 degrees mark, it's all about staying cool in the city, so here are my tips on how to stay chic and avoid looking like you're having a permanent hot flush:
1. Cover up in light, loose clothing: think jersey maxi dresses, shorter tunics, wide-leg trousers and oversized shirts. All of which look good with flat leather sandals.
2. Stay cool in natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen. Right now, man-made fibres are about as appealing as a trip to Dr Leah's Skin Clinic (NIKS).
3. Keep it sleek. Hair is best tied back. I've tried mine down and it feels like I'm wearing a woolly hat - and before I've even reached the front door I've started to look like Phil Spector.
3. Invest in the latest must-have accessory: buy a fan. This paper one from Muji comes in lots of lovely colours.
Do you have any tips on staying chic in the heat?
I run my wrists under cold water whenever I get a chance - it lowers your body temperature and gives you a short time of feeling cool. I emphasise short…
ReplyDeleteI find myself living in my cut-off jean shorts & loose t-shirt, or a polo shirt dress from Uniqlo which seems a little too short in the winter but in this heatwave I think I can (just about) get away with it. And I've grown to love my Birkenstocks again.
I know its unpleasant in the trains, tubes and buses, but I much prefer this weather to the drab rain and sleet we had but few weeks ago!
Trust Muji to have a solution to the heat. I'm just waiting for parasols to be fashionable again. As a fair-skinned Brit who feels sick after a few minutes in such hot sunlight, I'd love to have some protection and not look barking mad.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at Judy's comment on parasols. They are the best...but my hubs won't walk near me when I use one! Hats are too hot in beastly weather. Cotton shifts, lavender water in a spritzer. The fan would help.
ReplyDeleteLove this post - so may people get it so wrong the minute the sun shows its face. The idea of the SBAFTAs is intriguing! Agree with your tips - cannot bear my hair down at the moment and also Helena's cold water wrist tip. Have been doing that since age 22 whenever we've had the odd heatwave. A fan from Muji sounds like heaven right about now.
ReplyDeleteStay cool in the city. A x
Great style for the summer sizzle. I'm seeing more and more women under rain umbrellas on sun-blazing days in NYC (101 F yesterday!). But I think the parasol is a much, much nicer idea. Lots of straw hats, too.
ReplyDeleteI agree about loose covering up. I don't like to see beachwear in town, or excess flesh. I'm not normally a hat person but i really feel i should be wearing one - any suggestions? When I lived in Asia reflective umbrellas were essential if you really had to walk out in the sun.
ReplyDeleteLots of sandals...when my feet are cool, I am cooler!!
ReplyDeleteA gazillion years ago, when I was in the Marines, we would have war games in the desert where the temperatures averaged 113F. In combat gear this was a trifle warm. One way we kept cool was to wear damp bandanas tied around our necks. As the water evaporated it cooled the head. Cool heads help!
ReplyDeleteHere, here about the heat, we have had so many months of cold grey-ness it has been an absolute pleasure to dump the woolens nad get some sun on our skin.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I wore a man made fibre for exactly 10 minutes the other night - yikes! Swapped out immediately for linen!
ReplyDeleteAgree about covering up in loose, natural fabrics. I also wear a wide-brimmed straw hat and a bright lipstick. Somebody commented how elegant I looked the other day! Only somebody in Tesco's but still..... it was a real cheery-uppy moment, having had my 70th in April.
ReplyDeleteGood tips. My hair is too short to be tied back. In warm weather, I clip just the top part lightly back. It keeps any hair from falling toward my face, which helps a lot. It also gives a more casual look, which I like for summer.
ReplyDeleteAs I have short hair, I prefer a short layered style (off my neck) to keep cool in summer. I live in Spain, where no self-respecting señora or señorita would leave the house without a fan during the summer months! I have two different coloured fans, so I choose one to go with my outfit of the day. I wear minimal make-up in the heat: a BB cream and lipstick during the day with maybe a bit of eye make-up added for going out. Nothing that can run!
ReplyDeleteI live in Oklahoma City, OK and the temperature has been over 100 degrees most days this past week. The only way I can deal with it is to just stay inside. I know that's kind of a copout, but it's just like an oven outside.
ReplyDeleteLisaF