Happy Wednesday, ladies! How’s your day going? In today’s post I’m talking about a subject I take very seriously: summer style, and staying cool. I have so many cute summer pieces that I love to wear, but I don’t sweat. Well, I kinda do. But let’s just say I’ve never had a sweat stain or had my makeup ruined by a running drop. Before you say, “Lucky you,” let me stop you to say that means I have basically no way to regulate my body temperature in the summer. I get hot, I get angry, occasionally, I pass out. FUN! SO, because staying cool is kinda vital for me, I found I often gave up style in favor of, well, existing. But over time, I’ve learned some tips and tricks for styling outfits that look super cute and help me stay cool and conscious during the hot summer days.

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VICTORIA’S SECRET TANK (SIMILAR) // SIMILAR SHORTS // TORY BURCH SANDALS // VICTORIA’S SECRET BAG (SIMILAR, LAST SEEN) // SIMILAR SUNGLASSES // EARRINGS VIA TJMAXX (SIMILAR) // DOGEARED NECKLACE (SIMILAR) // STEVE MADDEN CHOKER (SIMILAR) // SIMILAR BRACELET

HOW TO STAY COOL (& IN STYLE)

I’ve got a lot to cover in this post, so I’ll try my best to keep it short for you! In this section, I’ll bullet a few tricks to keep in mind that will keep you cool. In the next section, I’ll cover some fabric recommendations. And finally, one of the tricks in this list can mean keeping your look in place is a bit challenging, so I’m explaining a trick to keep it together!

THE BASICS:

• Wear loose fitting clothing. This is obvious, but I don’t just mean loose around your body or flowy. I mean:
  • Wear pieces that might just bit a little bit big on you. The shorts I’m wearing in this post tend to want to fall just a bit lower after walking around and existing. But I know when I eat, they still won’t be tight around my waist. When it comes to bottoms, see my hack below for keeping them in place.
• Wear as little fabric as possible. We can’t all run around in shorts and crop tops, but try to keep the layers to a minimum.
• Wear lighter colors. Dark colors absorb light and the sun, so stick to more pastel or light tones that reflect the light and warmth from it back.
• Wear shoes that don’t have too much going on. Just like you need to let the air reach your scalp, you need to let it reach your feet as well. We hold and lose eat most through our head, hands, and feet, so make sure your shoes allow the heat to escape instead of keeping it in.
• Forget the push up bra. Now is not the time, wear the thinnest bra you can that still gives you the support you need.

IF YOU NEED MORE:

• When it comes to jewelry, start by wearing less. Just skip it as much as possible, because as you get warm it feels constricting. And on that note, if you do wear jewelry, try to stick to delicate pieces that fit a little more loosely. The choker I wore in this post was fine early in the day, but it got a lot warmer in the afternoon, and I had to ditch it.
• Wear cream makeup products. They melt in and become one with your skin a little more, where powder keeps you matte, it also holds in the heat.
• Don’t over eat. Okay, this isn’t really a style tip, but more like a life tip. Your clothes will fit more snuggly if you do, which negates the above tips, but also a full stomach just doesn’t mix well with high temps.
  • And drink lots of water.
• Opt for a loose updo when it gets really warm. While it might seem like a good idea to do a french braid that press your hair against your head, don’t do it. Your head needs to stay cool, too, so try a loose ponytail or a loosely pinned bun. Something that allows the breeze to reach your scalp.
• Switch your bag to something with the thinnest strap you can stand. While this does cause the weight of your bag to be less dispersed and sometimes hurt your shoulder, it reduces the surface area of skin being covered.
  • Better yet, wear bags with hand-handles and shoulder straps so you can adjust easily.

FABRIC RECCOMDENTATIONS

When it comes to picking out what to wear, the fabric matters as much as (or more than) the loose fit. You need a fabric that is going to breath and not feel heavy against your skin. Two of my favorite summer fabrics are linen and cotton. Linen wrinkles quite easily, but it’s probably the best in terms of breathability. Not all cotton is created the same, and certainly some 100% cotton tees can be way too warm, but it offers significantly more breathability than polyester. Another fabric I love is modal, which is very stretchy and often pretty thin, and works best for tank tops.

You should also look anything that’s a thin material, no matter the composition, although natural fibers are better. These shorts are made of rayon, which is also used in yarns to make wintery sweaters, but they are paper thin and quite loose, so they’re still nice and cool!

LOOSE LAYERS STYLE HACK

So one of the tips I mentioned was wearing clothes that maybe are a bit big on you. These shorts definitely fall into that category. While they will fit high-waisted like they’re intended to, they do slip down over the course of the day. Which really messes with my front tuck (in addition to falling to a place where they fit tighter, and therefore, don’t let me stay cool).

SO, the trick is to take a safety pin and pin the top to the shorts. It pretty much turns it into a romper, but because the pieces are connected all the way around my waist, the breeze actually makes its way to my core a lot easier. All I did was use my safety pin to pin the part of my tank that is tucked into my shorts, from the inside so you don’t see it. Not only does this keep the tuck in place when the fabric moves, but it also helps keep my shorts from sliding to a part where they feel more constricting and hold in that heat.

Are there any more tricks that you use to stay cool in summer?

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