Cool Fashion: Winning Clothing Combinations to Stay Cool While Beating the Heat!
Summer time is upon us once again, and so is the sunshine (and its attendant heat and burns)! The general good advice to stay hydrated, put on sunscreen, and take frequent breaks indoors is wise to heed, though we felt it would be good to highlight some top-notch fashion combinations that will keep you looking and feeling cool all summer long. So, without further ado, here are some options to consider when you’re ready to make the most of your summer!
KEEPING COOL: CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIALS!
The most important feature of your clothes is the fabric it is made out of, so let’s start our planning here. While your personal style may prevent some of these recommendations from being implemented in your personal wardrobe, adhering to as many of these as possible will help you embody coolness!
1) Heavy vs light fabrics
What makes a fabric heavy or light? Simple: it’s the density of the weave, and higher density woven fabrics tend to trap heat and prevent the flow of air through your clothing. This is a problem since our bodies remove heat by concentrating it into sweat, which is then whisked away from our body by flowing air. Light fabrics make this process a literal breeze, so they are a crowd favorite for all the cool folks out there!
2) Selecting light cotton fabrics
The nice thing about light fabrics is there are so many of them to choose from! Cotton is a timeless classic, especially since there are so many different weaves which tend to be open and breathable. Some examples include:
Madras: This weave is very open, handmade, and textured to bring it to life. Often checkered or striped, this vegetable-dyed fabric frequently features muted colors perfect for bright days.
Chambray: This plain-weave fabric made with alternating dyed warp and white filling yarns might seem heavy at first, but it is still extremely comfy in the heat, not to mention it comes in an assortment of styles.
Seersucker: This is a great option for summerwear, as its thin, rippled texture ensures the fabric will dry quickly and won’t stick to your skin, allowing air to flow freely as needed.
Jersey: As anyone with jersey sheets knows, this cotton fabric is hard to beat in terms of keeping out the heat. While you can sleep on it, you shouldn’t sleep on its ability to be incorporated into a great ensemble!
3) Other great light fabrics
A few other excellent non-cotton options include:
Linen: This fabric’s miraculous cooling properties paired with its great-looking weave make it a solid choice for making the summer scene.
Bamboo: While there aren’t nearly as many options available for bamboo clothing, it is scientifically the best material to defeat overheating. As this material grows in popularity and the manufacturing methods for it improve, expect to see it featured more often across your favorite brands!
Wool: A woolen sweater is probably the last thing any sane person would reach for in their closet on a hot day, though many lightweight wool fabrics remain excellent choices for wicking away sweat
4) A few not-so-great ideas for those looking to remain cool
While we love all fabrics and adornments here at the Studio, we have to admit that some of them don’t do so well in the heat. A few good principles to follow are:
Avoid polyester, nylon, rayon, and silk: All of these look great In general, though “breathable” is not an adjective that applies in their cases. They tend to trap heat and moisture too, which is bad news for the wearer.
Avoid flimsy fabrics: while light fabrics are good, EXTREMELY thin fabrics can be flimsy and stick to sweaty skin. How do you avoid this? Make sure that your fabrics have some kind of structure to them, such as thick stitching, seams, or other embroidery to minimize the cling factor.
Avoid heavy embellishments: beads and metal features make for great accents on your favorite pieces, but they also weigh down your clothes at a time when sweat will cause them to adhere to your skin. Patterns and textured fabrics are great, but save the embellished pieces for cooler weather.
Avoid lined pieces: the thicker your outfit, the more heat it traps, and liners can often double a particular piece’s thickness. These liners are often made of the previously mentioned “hot fabrics” as well, which can leave you feeling particularly scorched.
KEEPING COOL: CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLORS!
This part is easy: just like it pays to pick light fabrics, the same is true for light colors! Classic white and gray work, as do pastel colors, and will reflect more sun than they absorb. The opposite is true for dark colors which will absorb the light (which becomes heat).
Only two quick notes on color selection here:
While white is as light as you can get, lightweight white fabrics can become see-through when wet, so make sure to layer appropriately.
Avoid light blue in really hot weather when possible, as it shows sweat more than any other fabric.
KEEPING COOL: SELECT YOUR STYLE, APPROACH, AND CLOTHING
General rules of thumb
Some guiding principles to help you get your outfit on the right track include:
Seek loose styles and cuts: Tight clothing will constrain your movement, trap heat, and prevent sweat from being properly wicked. It’s well-known that fitted clothes just look better in general, though the hard truth is that NOTHING looks good if you sweat through it. Avoid slim fits and tapered designs! Making the most of clothing with more drape, tailoring your clothes to let them out, or even getting a size up can all go a long way toward your outfit coming together nicely.
Avoid layering your clothing: layering will take you far in building great winter ensembles, but in summer all it will do is dehydrate you and ruin multiple articles of clothing with sweat stains simultaneously. If you are concerned about modesty and want to layer at least a bit, go for open-weave knits to ensure you get the most airflow possible.
Textured fabrics make life a breeze: Any textured fabric will help keep as little of itself in contact with the skin as possible, keeping airflow moving and you un-sticky. Linen, madras, seersucker, and chambray are all great ways to accomplish this.
Avoid tucking: tucking in your clothes decreases airflow, so avoid doing this when possible.
Tops and Dresses
Dresses: Look for A-line cut dresses with as loose a fit as possible, preferably with cropped sleeves and other shortened features. Maxi dresses are great for this, as they still cover a great deal while remaining cool and appropriate for most types of events regardless of formality. Mini or midi dresses are even better, if the occasion is less formal.
Shirts/Other Tops: Sleeveless shirts are preferable, and short sleeves or tank tops also work. If your work setting precludes these and requires long sleeves, falling back on the breathable light fabrics mentioned before can minimize discomfort.
Bras: Like liners, padding adds a great deal of thickness and heat to your outfit. If the situation permits it, switching your padded bra out for an unlined bralette is a good call.
Bottoms
Skirts/Shorts: Both skirts and shorts are excellent choices, especially when made with breathable fabrics. Getting shorts with longer inseams amplifies the cooling factor as well, so go for that instead of short shorts (which can cause your legs to rub together, not a great feeling in the summer).
Pants: Avoid wearing heavyweight jeans, or any jeans if possible. If the occasion requires pants, stick with loose cuts in comfy fabrics, particularly tropical weight trousers, chinos, or linen-blend pants.
Headwear and Accessories
Hats: Wide-brim hats can make all the difference in your outfit if possible, simultaneously looking great, adding pizzazz to any outfit, and keeping the sun off of you as much as possible. Sun hats are perfect for this, though baseball hats or trilbies work in a pinch as well, and twill or straw are definitely the go-to fabrics for this purpose.
Handkerchief: A basic handkerchief is a must-have in scenarios when wiping away sweat could help you to preserve your look for longer, since no one likes melted makeup!
Carriers: Just like we’re keeping our clothes light, keep the load light too and leave those heavy backpacks and duffel bags at home. Stick to the essentials only and err on the side of small, like a crossbody or handbag.
Jewelry: Sure the sunlight sparkles beautifully on all of your lovely jewelry, though it also heats it up! Avoid bulky and/or metal jewelry, and stick to earrings only since they don’t come into contact with any part of your body aside from the ear itself.
Sunglasses: UV rays and glare are no fun at all, and sunglasses will help you keep your vision intact after a very bright day out in the sunshine. Plus, who doesn’t look that much cooler in a nice pair of shades?
Footwear
Slides/Sandals: Open-toe footwear is the gold standard for summer, since sandals, flip-flops, and slides all avoid the sweat risks of closed-toe options and minimize the impact of the footwear’s actual material.
Shoes/Socks: Lightweight canvas sneakers are excellent thanks to their breathability and stylishness. If you have to wear shoes, you should absolutely make sure to put on socks as well to avoid chaffing of your skin. No-show socks are perfect for this purpose, as they still pair well with shorts and still serve all the functions of standard long socks.
KEEPING COOL: FINAL THOUGHTS
While these may seem like a lot of rules to consider, dressing for summer is a really a matter of “degrees” (pardon the pun): so long as you’re following a few of these in any given outfit, it should keep you a lot more comfortable in general. That said, if you really want to be the coolest cat at the party, plan your ensemble carefully and your fellow party-goers might later say that you dressed to impress. As they say, never let them see you sweat!
