There’s still plenty of warm weather left to really get into summer styling. Although these months may not be too pleasant with the humid and sticky days, summer is an exciting time for fashion. Yes, we’re talking lively summer hues, playful prints and light, comfortable fabrics. So if you’re looking for a few summer fashion tips to make the most of the remaining summery day, these 8 tips are for you…
How to dress elegantly in warm weather
- Wear light colours
There are two reasons you should wear light colours in summer, one for fashion and the other for function. The functional reason light colours fare better during the summer months is that they are poor heat absorbers. While dark-coloured clothes absorb and retain heat, making you feel even hotter, light-coloured clothes reflect it and keep our bodies cool. From a fashion perspective, light colours go well with the fun, easy-breezy summer feeling, so floral prints and bright colours always match this vibe.
- Pick breathable fabrics
Fabrics like cotton and linen are ideal for the hot summer weather due to their breathability. The loosely stitched fibres allow air to flow through the fabric, keeping you cooler and drying sweat more rapidly. Synthetic fabrics like polyester tend to cling to the body and not allow air to move freely through the fibres, making you feel warmer and causing you to sweat more. And like light-coloured clothes, they are more reflective of heat, conducting it away from your skin.
- Stay away from tight fits
As with light-coloured clothes and breathable fabrics, looser clothes will help in allowing air to pass freely through to your body. This helps keep you relatively cooler even in the hottest temperatures and evaporates sweat much faster. This will keep you more comfortable as you go through your day.
- Choose comfort
One of the best tips on how to dress in summer you can follow is choosing comfortable clothing. Although body-hugging silhouettes and synthetic fabrics may seem tempting because they may look more stylish, you should opt for more comfortable designs and fits. After all, feeling comfortable in what you wear is a big part of how good you look and how confident you feel!
- Wear light footwear
Like the rest of your body, your feet tend to sweat too during summer and wearing light footwear like sandals, sliders, or flip flops will help keep your feet sweat-free for the most part. Not only will that prevent unwanted foot odour, but it will also prevent any infections caused by bacteria. And who doesn’t like a pair of sandals while styling summer outfits?
- Use water-based makeup
One of the effects of the summer heat is your skin drying out more than usual – mostly caused by dehydration. And dry skin can look dull and tired, especially over the course of the day as it is exposed to dust, dirt and other pollutants. Wearing makeup can exacerbate this problem by blocking the pores and not allowing your skin to breathe. While the best solution to this problem is not wearing makeup, it may not always be an option. So when you do wear makeup, one of the best summer fashion tips you can follow is opting for water-based makeup. Water-based makeup is more hydrating and nourishing for your skin and will rejuvenate your skin in the heat.
- Always remember sun protection
Regardless of what fashion or beauty rules you follow during the year, one thing to remember is always to use sun protection. UV rays emitted from the sun are very harmful to the skin. It can cause sunburn and inflammation in the short run and, over time, cause pigmentation, loss of skin elasticity, accelerating ageing, and other more serious problems like skin cancer. Before heading out, using a high SPF sunscreen can help reduce these effects and protect your skin.
- Embrace prints and colours
And lastly, summer fashion can be so exciting! It’s a time to show off a lot of colour, prints and patterns and have a more playful approach to your style. If you’re a little shy of attention, you can start small with one colourful piece in your outfit and build yourself up to more daring summer fashion ideas!
