I think Summer dressing is so difficult for me because layering anything is near impossible. It seems ridiculous but I couldn't even bear layering a slip dress over a tank like you have on Saturday and closed shoes of any kind are a huge no no for me in the heat so all sneakers are retired for the season. To say I feel the heat is an understatement! I prefer to cover my legs so I wear wide legged linen/cotton trousers with a cotton blouse or tank and I have really come to rely on loose lightweight maxi dresses. One of my all time favourite hot weather outfit is my pamut apparel denim jumpsuit, it always makes me feel good while staying cool.
It’s just not as much fun without the possibility of layering is it!?! I need to find more linen/cotton items - I think this makes them much less prone to wrinkling? Love a one and done jumpsuit (wearing one as I write this comment 😀) - is it a lightweight denim?
Yes, it is more of a chambray. It is straps on top and flowy legs so good in the heat. Can't wear to work though because I have to be more covered up top. Great as hot weather weekend outfit
I’ve been enjoying black for the last 2 summers because it’s practical and also it feels sharp and crisp when I feel anything but. My hot weather staples are:
1) A cropped boxy tank in cotton or linen (like the Notperfectlinen Bay cropped top). Lots of airflow.
2) A super wide palazzo-style high-waisted linen pant. I want loads of volume and very little weight (I love notperfectlinen for this)
3) A pair of shorts that doesn’t feel basic — eg a high-waisted pair, or maybe something knee length, super wide and a-line. Vintage men’s army surplus is nice for this.
4) A pair of lightweight jeans — something that’s isn’t dense; the best example I can think are the Uniqlo C ones by Clare Wright Keller last year, not sure if they were done this year.
5) A large men’s t-shirt that doesn’t hug my armpits (ie big armholes). My fave is the Uniqlo U one in 100% cotton (not the Airism one, that’s terrible) — it’s crisp and boxy as opposed to drape-y, which always makes me feel limp and damp. And the key is the big armholes, cos you want airflow!
Thank you for sharing your hot weather staples, Lin! I have yet to order anything from notperfectlinen but hear such great things from people who have!
My summer staples seem at the moment to be colourful linen bottoms (rust and leopard) paired with beige or white linen button ups - either sleeveless or long sleeved when I want to cover up a bit more.
I love the heavier denim shirt over the shorts, it looks great! And the silver sneakers - but cool footwear is always your specialty! My five summer staples are wide linen trousers, straight cotton ones, long linen shirtdresses, linen shirts, linen sleeveless tops, and I have them all in different (mainly dark) colours so I don’t get bored. I agree that another long dress would probably work well for you.
Those silver Adidas are so cool and probably so versatile. I started thinking about what my 5 summer staples might be but honestly the pieces are kind of year round staples for me—I live in a really temperate climate.
They’ve been a really great addition and a nice way to add a little something extra to more basic outfits. My daughter also loves them so they get lots of wear. I love that you get so many opportunities to wear your favorites all year round!
I think Hey Mrs. Solomon wrote this week about the “black is not a summer color” myth (apologies if it was someone else)! I don’t mind it at all. I got two pairs of linen blend pants from Uniqlo this week. I’ll be wearing them on repeat with the bra tops I bought there last month. I have two dresses from Pact from last year that are cool and easy to wear. I had two pairs of thrifted pants cut into shorts recently so they are on my list too. It gets stupid hot here so I’m just hanging on until October.
I love hearing that more and more people are just embracing black and foregoing color in summer! These all sound like perfect summer staples - how are the bra tops from Uniqlo?
I love them. Very comfortable and the bra stays put. It hasn’t gotten incredibly hot yet. They’re 97% cotton. I’m hoping the 3% spandex doesn’t make them sticky.
I wish I could list my top five hot weather items for you, Gillian, but I don’t have such a thing! It’s not that warm here (we might get temperatures up to 30o/low 90s, but it’s really rare), so I don’t have to worry too much about it.
I get the boredom from wearing the same things over and over- could you add silk scarves as a top, under the chambray shirt, sleeves for the dress, or in your hair for a bit of colour?
I’m so jealous, Sheila! I grew up in northern Newfoundland and I’ll never enjoy the hotter temps that we get where we live now. I’ve been looking for scarves but haven’t found anything that I like but I love these ideas!
You did?? So cool! Yeah, Victoria is currently 14o and raining, lol. I so want to wear hot weather things (I have a gorgeous black linen BR dress but it’s far too chilly right now)!
Yep, moved away after college but the older that I get the more that I miss it! I really hope you get to wear it soon - it sounds like summer perfection!
Ooo yes, I love that idea - and I need some black/red outfit inspiration 🖤❤️ We’re taking the kids back next summer and our best college friends who live in Ontario now will be going back at the same time (they’re from Ontario and NWT originally but did grad school in NL), but I don’t know that we’ll ever move back.
I think Summer dressing is so difficult for me because layering anything is near impossible. It seems ridiculous but I couldn't even bear layering a slip dress over a tank like you have on Saturday and closed shoes of any kind are a huge no no for me in the heat so all sneakers are retired for the season. To say I feel the heat is an understatement! I prefer to cover my legs so I wear wide legged linen/cotton trousers with a cotton blouse or tank and I have really come to rely on loose lightweight maxi dresses. One of my all time favourite hot weather outfit is my pamut apparel denim jumpsuit, it always makes me feel good while staying cool.
It’s just not as much fun without the possibility of layering is it!?! I need to find more linen/cotton items - I think this makes them much less prone to wrinkling? Love a one and done jumpsuit (wearing one as I write this comment 😀) - is it a lightweight denim?
Yes, it is more of a chambray. It is straps on top and flowy legs so good in the heat. Can't wear to work though because I have to be more covered up top. Great as hot weather weekend outfit
I’ve been enjoying black for the last 2 summers because it’s practical and also it feels sharp and crisp when I feel anything but. My hot weather staples are:
1) A cropped boxy tank in cotton or linen (like the Notperfectlinen Bay cropped top). Lots of airflow.
2) A super wide palazzo-style high-waisted linen pant. I want loads of volume and very little weight (I love notperfectlinen for this)
3) A pair of shorts that doesn’t feel basic — eg a high-waisted pair, or maybe something knee length, super wide and a-line. Vintage men’s army surplus is nice for this.
4) A pair of lightweight jeans — something that’s isn’t dense; the best example I can think are the Uniqlo C ones by Clare Wright Keller last year, not sure if they were done this year.
5) A large men’s t-shirt that doesn’t hug my armpits (ie big armholes). My fave is the Uniqlo U one in 100% cotton (not the Airism one, that’s terrible) — it’s crisp and boxy as opposed to drape-y, which always makes me feel limp and damp. And the key is the big armholes, cos you want airflow!
Thank you for sharing your hot weather staples, Lin! I have yet to order anything from notperfectlinen but hear such great things from people who have!
My summer staples seem at the moment to be colourful linen bottoms (rust and leopard) paired with beige or white linen button ups - either sleeveless or long sleeved when I want to cover up a bit more.
Sounds like warm weather perfection! The leopard linen bottoms sound extra interesting!!
I love the heavier denim shirt over the shorts, it looks great! And the silver sneakers - but cool footwear is always your specialty! My five summer staples are wide linen trousers, straight cotton ones, long linen shirtdresses, linen shirts, linen sleeveless tops, and I have them all in different (mainly dark) colours so I don’t get bored. I agree that another long dress would probably work well for you.
Those silver Adidas are so cool and probably so versatile. I started thinking about what my 5 summer staples might be but honestly the pieces are kind of year round staples for me—I live in a really temperate climate.
They’ve been a really great addition and a nice way to add a little something extra to more basic outfits. My daughter also loves them so they get lots of wear. I love that you get so many opportunities to wear your favorites all year round!
I think Hey Mrs. Solomon wrote this week about the “black is not a summer color” myth (apologies if it was someone else)! I don’t mind it at all. I got two pairs of linen blend pants from Uniqlo this week. I’ll be wearing them on repeat with the bra tops I bought there last month. I have two dresses from Pact from last year that are cool and easy to wear. I had two pairs of thrifted pants cut into shorts recently so they are on my list too. It gets stupid hot here so I’m just hanging on until October.
I love hearing that more and more people are just embracing black and foregoing color in summer! These all sound like perfect summer staples - how are the bra tops from Uniqlo?
I love them. Very comfortable and the bra stays put. It hasn’t gotten incredibly hot yet. They’re 97% cotton. I’m hoping the 3% spandex doesn’t make them sticky.
This is great to know! I didn’t realize the cotton content was so high.
I was just thinking that I don’t wear a cotton bra under regular tops so the bra tops will be fine.
I wish I could list my top five hot weather items for you, Gillian, but I don’t have such a thing! It’s not that warm here (we might get temperatures up to 30o/low 90s, but it’s really rare), so I don’t have to worry too much about it.
I get the boredom from wearing the same things over and over- could you add silk scarves as a top, under the chambray shirt, sleeves for the dress, or in your hair for a bit of colour?
I’m so jealous, Sheila! I grew up in northern Newfoundland and I’ll never enjoy the hotter temps that we get where we live now. I’ve been looking for scarves but haven’t found anything that I like but I love these ideas!
You did?? So cool! Yeah, Victoria is currently 14o and raining, lol. I so want to wear hot weather things (I have a gorgeous black linen BR dress but it’s far too chilly right now)!
Yep, moved away after college but the older that I get the more that I miss it! I really hope you get to wear it soon - it sounds like summer perfection!
I keep looking at it! I want to wear my sheer red jacket with it! Do you think you might go back to the Rock one day?
Ooo yes, I love that idea - and I need some black/red outfit inspiration 🖤❤️ We’re taking the kids back next summer and our best college friends who live in Ontario now will be going back at the same time (they’re from Ontario and NWT originally but did grad school in NL), but I don’t know that we’ll ever move back.