Chic In The Heat

I love the summer months but, like many women of a certain age, it can be a bit of a challenge to not end up feeling like a hot sweaty mess! Here are some tips on what to wear to remain cool and stylish.

Fabrics

Hot weather calls for lightweight, natural, breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen that will stop you getting too sweaty. Whilst silk is also a natural fabric it is best avoided as it degrades with heat and perspiration which can result in sweat mark stains. Some semi-synthetic fabrics such as Lyocell and Viscose are made from cellulose derived from wood and also have have good breathable properties.

Choose lighter shades from within your colour palette as these will reflect rather than absorb the heat. Just remember to check that they’re not too transparent, particularly in sunlight! Nude coloured underwear will minimize the risk of it showing through.

Styles

Loose-fitting styles are your best friends in hot weather.

Dresses are the obvious choice as they are fuss-free single layer. There are plenty of A line and trapeze styles that will allow air to circulate to keep you cool. If you’re not keen on your legs, a midaxi or maxi length is perfect for summer so long as it’s in a floaty lightweight fabric.

If you’re petite, voluminous styles can be tricky to carry off, so you might want to go for a style that skims your silhouette, such as a tee shirt dress or simple shift.

There are plenty of styles with some sort of sleeve this season. The wider the sleeve, the cooler it will keep you. Cut-outs feature in quite a few dresses and tops this summer and these will also keep you cool.

It can be useful to have some sort of lightweight wrap to wear over sleeveless dresses and tops for when there’s a chill in the air or you’re at risk of burning, or if you’re just not keen on exposing your arms. The Kettlewell short cascade and short tie wrap are good choices and fold up small enough to carry in a decent sized handbag.

Skinny jeans are likely to be far too hot in the summer.  Cropped and wider leg versions will be more comfortable in the heat but a lightweight cotton or linen is better still. If you like your legs, shorts are an obvious choice. Remember, the shorter your shorts, the longer your legs will look!

Footwear

Open toe leather or canvas sandals/espadrilles are your best options. Avoid plastics which will make your feet sweaty. If you favour trainers, look for some with breathable mesh panels. Personally, I really like wearing flip flops in the summer. There are some very pretty styles to choose from and they make your legs look longer than trainers.

Accessories

Keep jewellery to a minimum as heavy metals can really heat up and make you uncomfortable. Opt for more delicate jewellery or perhaps just a statement pair of earrings.

Whilst most of the year, I like to substitute wider leather belts for the tie belts that come with some dresses, in summer I revert to the original fabric belt, loosely-tied, as this is cooler.

When it comes to bags, dark leather can look too heavy worn with summer clothes;  a lighter neutral colour or a straw bag looks more summery.

A stylish hat is a surefire way to up the glam factor whilst also shielding you from harmful UV rays. Be sure to choose a style that flatters your face shape with a brim that covers your neck and ears, as well as your face. A breathable material like straw will ensure your head doesn’t get too hot!

Squinting is never a good look so invest in a good quality pair of sunglasses that flatter your face shape. Remember; opposites are attractive when it comes to face shapes so if you have a rounder face more angular styles will work best, whereas those of you with long or square face shapes are better suited to frames with softer edges.

Make-up

Summer is definitely not the time for heavy make-up. Most of us look fresher and more vibrant wearing a little though so you may not want to forgo it altogether.

Try switching from your usual foundation to a tinted moisturizer or do away with a base altogether. A crème blush and/or a swirl of bronzer can add a healthy glow. If your mascara has a tendency to smudge when you get hot and bothered, a waterproof one could be a good option for you.  Dark, matte lipsticks look out of place in the summer sunshine so think about switching to alighter/brighter lipstick or even a lipgloss

I think we all know by now that the sun is the single biggest skin ager so tanning your face is not advisable. There are some great facial tanners on the market though. I particularly like Ambre Solaire which you simply spray on and Tan Luxe tan drops which I mix into my CMB anti-ageing day cream. For my legs, I prefer a moisturizer with a bit of self tan such as Dove or Ambre Solaire to a pure tanning product as that way I can build up the tan very gradually and avoid streaks and tan lines.

A final thought

I know that summer dressing can be challenging, particularly if you don’t like revealing various parts of your body that are normally concealed under winter layers.  Let’s get real; as mature women, we can’t expect to have the sleek limbs and flawless skin of a teenager – If you do, please let me know your secret! –  so we need to show ourselves some self-kindness and acceptance. With a little know-how, we can look stylish and summery, whatever our age.

Take a look at my Chic In The Heat catalogue for some suggestions for what to wear from what’s currently available online and instore.