Non-Monotonous Summer Dressing
[ 16 June 2007 ]
“This is inspired by your post on winter dressing… and your post on T-shirts seems to have anticipated my question, so hopefully you will feel up to tackling my problem, or at least giving me a few links in the right direction. Unlike you lucky people who are moving into winter (my favorite season – seriously!) I am living in Tokyo and things are getting hot and humid very fast. Apart from simply wearing less, do you have any suggestions for dressing for summer? Somehow I am hoping that I can layer things, even though it will probably just make me unbearably hot. I just feel that having a top – say a t-shirt – and a bottom – say a pair of cotton trousers – gets monotonous. Advice? Yoroshiku ne!”
Hello mademoiselle!
Layers are a nice idea but usually pretty impractical in summer, except for in the evenings (if it somehow, miraculously, cools down). As much as I wanted desperately to sling something on over the top of my outfits this summer, it was just too goddamn hot.
Melbourne really heats up in summer, & I was unaccustomed to weather which makes your elbows sweat (seriously!), so this summer was a bit of learning experience for me too. I practically lived in my oversized white bedshirt with shorts, cowboy boots & a headscarf. If not that, then one of these two silk dresses by Kate Sylvester, or vintage slips. Really, anything lightweight is your best friend — big t-shirts, loose dresses, wide-cut pants. Try looking on Ebay for vintage babydoll nighties in bright colours, cool vintage t-shirts & long, sleek skirts.
I think the real key to looking good when you’re not wearing much is to accessorise like mad. Since you don’t have a lot to work with (say a dress versus a shirt, pants & sweater), everything you pick to go with it needs to be a perfect match. It has to add something to the outfit, rather than just chucking it on because “it goes” or you don’t know what else to do.
Take a scarf, for example. (Silk or cotton, not wool!) You can wear it on your head (in about a million ways), around your neck, tied around your upper arm (this works best for gym bunnies), around the handle of your handbag, or around your waist as a makeshift belt. That is just one item which can be worn a multitude of ways. Admittedly, a square of fabric is very versatile, but if you endeavour to think this way about all of your accessories, you’ll really stand out.
Hair accessories are always good (& sometimes you can adapt them slightly & clip them onto your clothes like a brooch), as are lightweight stockings (if you can bear it), fun shawls & crazy shoes. Buy a summer bag in a colour you wear often (or combination of colours), dye your hair blue, stock up on eye-catching jewellery. I know that parasols are big in Japan during summer, why not buy one & dye it yourself?
Of course, you need to play with colour too. White is a fabulous colour for summer since it reflects light (as opposed to black which attracts it). White is beautiful & classic & suits almost everybody. Say you were wearing a plain white cotton sundress. Try playing up the purity of the colour with a huge hot pink flower in your hair, hot pink shoes & a whole lot of jangly bracelets in the same colour. This will really make your outfit pop, as opposed to just being a girl in a dress.
Good luck to you, my darling!
P.S. I also recommend keeping an eye on Tokyomade for Japanese treats & trends!
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
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You can also layer tanktops or wear a cute tank top or sheer t-shirt with a bikini top.
I have a couple different swim suits, not all that i wear, so that I can have fun with them with different outfits.
Another way to wear a scarf is as a makeshift halter top!
I always like a ton of diff summer hats. funky and shadeful… My fav is a trashy cowgirl hat. so kool.
What a great tip about accessories – I am so totally trying it . . . next summer. At the moment I’m able to accessorise my winter clothes with more clothes, and who doesn’t love that?
The hardest thing I find with hot weather is trying to look professional in a non-air-conditioned environment (I used to be a teacher). The second hardest thing is shoes, because jandals are not always the answer, although I wish they were! What to wear when it’s hot but also raining and one is out and about? Wedges? (I can’t decide if they’re a good look for me.) It’s all so awfully tricky.
I’m with Damsel – summer hats are fun and useful. I also like lots of color in my jewelry like the necklace my husband recently bought me made of rather large, orangey-red carnelian stones.
We’re coming into summer too but Irish summers are boring (i.e. warmer than winter but only the odd really hot day, and our really-hot doesn’t come near your really-hot). I’ve resolved, however, to make the effort to come out of my jeans and long skirts with tights and wear more things that bare my legs, despite their pasty, white Celtic quality and my aversion to fake tan. It’s nice to feel like it’s really summer.
what a great post! I live in southern ontario, and, unfortunately, we dont GET spring… we go from very very cold to very very hot. as one who really does not do well with heat, I always find it a struggle to find things to wear (and look good in) in the summer. I usually just end up borrowing things from my sister (thankfully the same size as me!)and then never giving them back.. heehee.
Thank you as always sweet Gala!
Sent you a lil something today…watch out for it!
Can we just say the hand held fan is a highly underused accessory in most countries of the world. In true geisha style as soon as the weather even thinks about warming up here, Tokyoites whip out those fans and the city is fluttering with fabulously colorful paper sensu (fan). Using one can make you feel oh so glam and they really do work! Compact, convenient and ultra chic.
We plan to gives zillions away this summer as little surprises in TOKYOMADE boxes – there are just so many designs to choose from.
Happy dressing up!
Agreed!! In summer, the “cool” look is better—i.e., just a dash of accessories as opposed to laden with ‘em, white & pastels, floaty light fabrics, etc.
One thing I like is wearing knee-length & light airy-fairy dress with slacks. It’s so comfy and purdy!