Cool For The Summer
AKA How to Look Hot When It's Too Hot
It’s hot. I would even venture to say too damn hot.
As a born-and-raised Texan, you’d think I’d be able to cope with high temperatures, especially those accompanied by high humidity like they are in Houston, where I lived and walked to work. But, you’d be wrong. Extreme summer heat is in fact 72% of the reason I left the South for Chicago, and 50% of why I left Chicago for Los Angeles, (the other 50% was extreme winter cold). So, you can imagine my recent trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where temperatures were in the 90s (35+ Celsius) even at night was, let’s say, rough.
Now, we all know how to keep cool in the heat: breathable fabrics, loose layers to protect from the sun and promote airflow, light colors to reflect the light of the sun away from the body, yeah, yeah, that’s all easy. But, how do you look cool even while actively melting like the Wicked Witch of the West?
Details
Good outfits start with good pieces.
A wise stylist once said (in 31 Style Reflections), “Yes, it’s important that all your clothes are versatile, but don’t be so obsessed with making everything matchy and “wearable” that you make everything boring.” That can be interpreted a couple of ways:
First, don’t shy away from interesting details even on your “classic” pieces. Most of you already have enough plain t-shirts and unadorned denim: maybe your next purchase will be a version with a little something extra, like a colorful detail, a cut-out, or even just a more unique fabric choice like a silk t-shirt over the more conventional cotton. I consider these little upgrades that don’t necessarily impact how well your pieces “match” and therefore don’t require much more thinking to incorporate into your wardrobe or build an outfit from.
The second way to ensure that even your simplest warm-weather outfits are still cool and impactful is reframing your ideas of “simple.” I touched on this concept when I talked about Jean Replacements: “The jean replacement, like the perfect denim, goes with anything. You can dress it up or down, and it takes the same (if not less) effort to pair with any top in your closet.” This idea can be applied to any “go-to”: pants become skirts, shorts become skirts, skirts become different skirts. I gave a few examples of basic alternatives/upgrades in 30 by 30.
This mindset shift doesn’t really require you to buy anything new, just to think of what you have a little differently, particularly those items you avoid wearing casually because you’re “saving” them, like that huge flowy skirt that could easily be styled with a simple tank top, or all those dresses you wore on vacation last year and never again. If it’s lightweight and breathable, it can be casual summer attire!
Combinations
The best outfits aren’t just about the pieces, but about how they’re put together.
Yes, I know what I just said, but, you should know by now that there’s never just one way to do anything.
When it’s hot enough to cook an egg on your head, the most ideal outfits are straightforward: no excess, no tucking and tying or advanced-level styling, just clothes that let the breeze hit your skin and sweat evaporate. That’s why everyone “can’t wait for fall so they can really start dressing”: because, a lot of times, dressing “better” is about putting more things on, like layers or outerwear, but in hotter weather, that’s not really an option. So, what is an aspiring Style Star to do? Make the most out of those pieces, of course.
In this example, we’re playing with color. Now, I know a lot of people struggle with figuring out which colors “match” and what to pair, and my suggestion is: just try stuff on. There are pairs of complementary colors—red and green, blue and orange, and purple and yellow—but pretty much any two colors (and I do mean any!) can look beautiful together with the right intention.
But unexpected combinations aren’t just limited to colors: they can also come from mixing “vibes.”
Juxtaposition is one of those outfit shortcuts that makes any outfit immediately more impactful: pairing boyish pieces with super feminine ones, sporty pieces with more formal ones, edgy with glam. In a way, this builds on the reframing I talked about above: it’s taking those pieces you simply would’ve never thought of in one way, and wearing them that way.
Accessories
You know accessories are a necessity for any outfit, I don’t have to tell you that. But, even when it’s too hot for piles of necklaces and bracelets (no such thing for me, but, perhaps you’ve experienced it), there’s a whole host of other ways to add just a little flair to the same shorts you’ve been wearing since the Bush administration (that’s 2000-2008 for my non-American audience): belts, cool purses, cooler shoes, sometimes with fun shoelaces, scarves worn in the hair or around the neck, a single sparkly glove, hair clips, socks, sunglasses, hats, a vial of your partner’s blood, even visible bras or the California-uniform of a swimsuit peeking out from underneath every outfit starting June 1st.
The best thing about accessories is they don’t really require much planning, so to speak. In fact, contrary to what (noted Nazi) Coco Chanel once said, it’s best if you add a couple things just before you leave the house.