by Give a Brit a cold winter’s day and they’ll dress for it, pulling together a beautiful mix of chunky knitwear, cozy accessories and stylish boots. After heat wave season, however, we often melt into a crumpled, sunburned mess. Summer dressing shouldn’t be difficult – it even involves less clothes! – but we can lose our heads in the excitement of the ice creams and the sun.
It’s not necessary to look good and enjoy the sun, of course, but it’s about how you feel and look. Finding your perfect outfit will definitely make Mr. Whippy even sweeter.
Here are the seven style mistakes us Brits make all the time, and how to overcome them.
Men thinking it’s okay to go out without a T-shirt
The problem
Sorry to break it to you guys, but this one’s for you – unless you’re at the beach, it can feel pretty eye-watering to be faced with a sea of hair kitchens in the park/street on a day hot summer. Perhaps this complaint comes from a place of jealousy (it would, after all, take a very brave woman to beat the heat by going topless). This seems to be a particular penchant for British men, some of whom feel that the season has not really started until they have exposed their nipples to the world.
The solution
Simply put, keep your shirt on unless you are comfortable in your own garden or on the beach. A thin shirt or light colored T-shirt should keep you relatively cool.
Guildford shirt, £95, October issues, the rest of the outfit, from a selection by Editions Octobre; Cotton T-shirt, £18, John Lewisthe rest of the outfit, from a selection at John Lewis
Linen head to toe crumpled
The problem
It has a reputation as a cool and sunny summer fabric, but unless you have a steamy assistant following you around (which would defeat the whole “stay cool” idea), within five minutes of wearing a linen suit you can look. like a crumpled mess.
The solution
There’s a certain charm to a wrinkled shirt or a pair of wide-legged trousers, but put the two together and an outfit that was meant to convey effortless beauty quickly turns into a vision of unattractive, frazzled chaos. Instead, try pairing a linen one piece with something more structured like a denim skirt or shorts, or a cotton blouse for a flattering, polished effect.
Linen shirt, £57, Art
Linen shirt, £35 and boy’s shorts, £27.50 Both Marks and Spencer
Underestimating the temperature
The problem
When most of us see a “heat wave” or any number over 20 looming in the weather forecast, our minds turn to light fabrics and delicate layers, but it seems there are others and the flickers are on . Just this week I saw people who stay married in tights and wool coats, and others around them in sandals and sunnies. How are they not weakening from overheating?
The solution
Whether your ignorance of the warm weather is due to not digging out your summer clothes yet or you’re just a little too neat, there are ways to join in the fun without being a scantily clad Love Island contestant. A cross-seasonal ensemble would do the trick nicely – Kitri’s palazzo trousers and an optimistic green popon peplum top will suit all temperatures.
Top, £125 and trousers, £165both Kitri
Silk shirt £250 and trousers, £230both Asceno
Strap marks
The problem
Are you really British if you haven’t suffered the horror of a sunburn pattern that takes months to fade? This is a particular risk with the current possibility of dresses and tops that come with intricate patterns of straps and cutouts, which provide many opportunities for tanning errors.
The solution
If you want to try a look with some level of geometric complexity, maybe stick to an evening or day when you know you’ll be in the shade. Any other time, choose something where you won’t see any weird patterns on your body, like Asceno’s round maxi dress – the wafted proportions will keep you cool, and some coverage on the neck and shoulders means you’ll rock the summer. no embarrassing pattern visible on your skin.
Linen maxi dress, £495, Asceno
Mini dress, currently £36 down from £90, Boden
Old swimwear
The problem
When it’s only sunny a few days a year, is it really worth wearing new swimwear? Many Brits seem to believe that the answer to this question is an overwhelming judgment of the string tops I’ve seen at pools and beaches in Britain compared to the bikini/slim trunks wardrobe, which seems to be the majority the French and the Italians in their own custody. every year.
The solution
Treat yourself to one truly luxurious and well-made piece of swimwear that will leave you feeling pulled together and confident when you hit the water. Investing a little more initially will reward you with a guaranteed swim-chic look for years to come. For women, I consider Cossie + Co, Hunza G, Youswim and Evarae and men should consult Love Brand & Co, Orlebar Brown and Vilebrequin.
color block swimsuit, £150, Cossie + co; Swimming shorts, £150, Love Brand & Co.
Going too tight
The problem
Body exposure is a major concern with summer dressing and everyone will approach it differently. Is anyone right or wrong? Not exactly, but don’t assume you have to wear really tight T-shirts, dresses or trunks to look and feel good.
The solution
In contrast, it will be much more comfortable when it’s hot if you have a little more fabric and let it go around you softly rather than cinching and pinching every contour of your body – think of it as your own air conditioning system. Zara and Toast have a great selection of casual dresses, which will be much more comfortable than a bodycon.
Printed dress, £49.99, Zara
Short skirt
The problem
Shorts seem to present a particular challenge to Brits who tend to choose very short and/or tight designs. Fine, but not always the most flattering choice. Some people avoid shorts for this reason, not realizing that there is a sea of sophisticated versions out there.
The solution
My advice for finding the sweet spot for shorts is to go long but not too long and loose but not too loose. Think just above the knee and with an inch or so of give between your leg and the shorts. They’re tricky territories, but get them right and you’ll have a friend to see you through Britain’s many heatwave days.
Tick stripe biscuits, £69, Albaray; Linen shorts, £35, M&S
