July 22, 2022
Well, this is timely! I was just out on Michigan Avenue, the temperature is around 90 degree Fahrenheit, and the most comfortable women I saw were wearing loose dresses…
And so was I!
Image – Wallpaper Access
The most important thing to remember on days like this is to stay hydrated! And of course, protection from the sun is critical…
hat – Beechfield; earrings – Eliou; garden charms bracelet – Sterling Forever; green print dress – Treasure & Bond; espadrille sandals – Caslon
It’s possible to wear black, if you’ve got your route planned so that you can stay on the shady side of the street! If you’re not sure about how sunny it may be where you’re going, you may want to choose something in a lighter color.
Panama hat – J.Crew; onyx & pearl bracelet – Hermina Athens; onyx earrings – Ross-Simons; black linen-blend dress – Nordstrom; black espadrilles – Børn
This is how it feels…
Image- CDC
Even if you’re somewhere surrounded by buildings and pavement, you can wear pretty flowers!
Faded spice cotton dress – J.Crew; hat – J.Crew; pearl bracelet – Sandy Pearl; earrings – Oscar de la Renta; espadrilles – Børn
You might find that closed-toe shoes are more comfortable when it’s blisteringly hot…
Deep blue linen jersey dress – J.Crew; hat – Eric Javits; earrings – Anthropologie; bracelet – SoftDream by Laura Galasso; espadrilles – Cole Haan
It’s MUCH more comfortable to be outdoors after sunset – especially if there are fireflies out!
But be sure that you’re sprayed for mosquitoes – they will be looking for a buffet dinner…
Image – Tom Eells
The nice thing about dresses is that they don’t need to match anything else in your wardrobe! But if you want to find earrings and a bracelet in a nice shade of pink, that would not be wrong…
Pink floral dress – Boden; hat – Treasure & Bond; pink tourmaline earrings – Mounir London; bracelet – Latelita; espadrille sandals – J.Crew
A set of neutral accessories can be worn with pretty much any summer dress (or outfit) in your wardrobe:
Linen blend dress – L.L.Bean; ivory hat – Lele Sadoughi; bone earrings – Nest Jewelry; bracelet – Sylvia Toledano; espadrilles – Soludos
Wouldn’t it be nice to be headed to bed in this little cabin? I don’t know if it’s cool or not, but it’s certainly going to be quiet!
Summer Night at John Oliver’s Cabin by Keith Lisk
My dress is a black and white print, worn with flat black sandals and a LOT of silver and pearl jewelry!
love,
Janice
p.s. Seven years ago, Alfons Mucha inspired a wardrobe in purple, brown, ivory and blush… Not a color palette you see every day!
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As nice as these dresses are, when we hit record temperatures here in the UK on Monday and Tuesday, I was in vest top and shorts. On the Tues I left the house for a total of 20m – the walk to the bottom of my garden and back.
As no one was going anywhere unless they had to, how we looked took a back seat to how we felt. That being said, it also goes to show that if you have curated your wardrobe – which all of us well read this have done to some degree – then it is next to impossible to look bad whatever you are wearing.
At least the weather had cooked off again with the rain.
Yes, Large Heat is a good description of the record-breaking scorching temperatures we had in the UK on Monday and Tuesday. It was 15 degrees higher than normal – 40.3 (104.5F) just too much. 🥵🥵
I wore a loose cotton dress and closed the curtains. I can’t wear neck jewellery when it’s hot – it makes my neck itchy. The most I’d wear is a bracelet.
We’ve had a few showers since but they dry as soon as they hit the ground. Thunderstorms forecast for my area at lunchtime. I’m hoping that such ferocious heat doesn’t return.
Next week is my son’s Masters graduation. It’s in a town by the sea and the venue is on an exposed hill. When he had his delayed undergraduate graduation in April, it was so cold that I was wearing a winter coat, boots and a fur hat and gloves! I’ve still not decided what to wear but i will take a jacket.
I love loose dresses in the summer. The little pink flowered hat is too cute. We are to have some above normal highs next week – nothing like what the UK has had recently, or like the “dome” of heat we had last summer. So far I have not noticed it being that bad this year. But then, our house does stay very cool and it’s been manageable even without AC. Have a nice weekend everyone!
These are lovely dresses. I haven’t worn a dress in years, not really sure why. What I really want, and will hunt for, is a mid calf cotton skirt. As for the terrible heat, I grew up in Florida without air conditioning. Long ago. Last century. I have no idea how we did it. I certainly couldn’t do it now. Now I take my walk early, do any errands I have as early as possible, and stay indoors until it cools off in early evening.
Ahhhh!!!! Heat-cheating summer dresses! We usually have a few hot summer days but not enough to justify buying outfits specifically for that. I usually wear a lightweight skirt and a cotton top.
I remember my mother telling me that the best fabric for hot days is seersucker because it doesn’t cling to the body. I had a set of seersucker baby doll pjs (does anyone remember wearing baby dolls to bed?) for hot summer nights and the fabric really helped keep me cool.
Yes, I remember baby dolls. LOL. I’ve gone to bamboo sleepwear – really helps with those pesky hot flashes at night! 😂
I remember baby dolls – nylon with nylon sheets! Sparks flew! And velvet mules with furry poms.
Wow – sparks! 😂
Lovely ideas for ghastly, beastly heat. I definitely love the look back inspiration. Noticed that you had thought of using it again as you didn’t find the green then…would you consider using it for a 4 friends post series currently? I really love getting to see how you put capsules together. It’s very helpful when you explain the process as you build them.
Although the vast majority of what I own is LL Bean, I have really been enjoying some Madewell items, including some long sleeveless dresses in gauzy cotton that are among the coolest and cutest things that I own. I guess they are targeting mostly people in their teens and 20’s, but I am in my 50’s and a few things that they make do work well for me.
Thanks as always for your nice posts!
In addition to cotton and linen, I appreciate rayon dresses; they are smooth and lightweight enough to catch cooling breezes.
Years ago my father had a seersucker suit for summer and we did have babydoll pjs too.
Beautiful! Love seeing the dresses!!! I live in Florida and the summer heat and humidity is nearly unbearable! The dresses look cool and so helpful! Love seeing them will all the accessories! Thank you! Looking forward to fall and winter again for some coolness!
I’m pretty sure I live where Sheila lives. 🙂 ::waves from the Upper Left::
I can only imagine how terrible that heat is for the UK. I live in the least air conditioned part of the States, but even so most all of our retailers, offices, and hotels have AC.
I could lift that blue set straight into my wardrobe it’s so beautiful. Shame I am now on a self imposed low/no spend for the rest of the year. I lost weight when I was ill last Christmas and went down a dress size. Most of the contents of my wardrobe has now been replaced which has cost me a fortune but I have loved every minute.
I loved all the outfits (even though I don’t spend this much money on accessories). All very pretty and stylish.
I feel for the people in Britain — a story I read said that those who could took off for the shore. In St. Louis, the shore is too far away! My mother grew up without air conditioning here and families used to sleep in parks during heat waves. Meanwhile, after a couple of weeks of 90, 100 plus days, I feel more acclimated to the heat when I do walk the dogs.
I have 3 rayon crinkle dresses, that I reserve for the worst heat and for tropical cruises when the humidity combined with heat makes it difficult to wear flat fabrics. They’re a modern take on seersucker which was fun to look back on in Wendy’s post above. I think I will wear one today. (Lazy Sunday- haven’t got up yet!) It’s going to 35C today. Around 95F.
I live all summer in sleeveless maxi-dresses with sandals or ballet flats. I always have a sweater handy for freezing air-conditioning. The maxis are cool but still cover my “old lady” legs!