How Not To Hate Dressing For Summer

Maybe we should stop buying clothing that we don't like?!

Just me going to town on a lotus biscoff ice cream that was every bit as good as it sounds. Adding links because I know you’re going to ask - top*, trousers*, shoes* & bag*.

I promise I’m not trying to rub your nose in it, as I hear that the weather is not so great in the U.K. right now. I’m also aware that I’m supposed to be ‘on a break with social media’ as I’m on holiday, but the lure of Substack has drawn me in (plus Mark is in the shower anyway, which means I have a spare… hour - the guy loves to bathe!). But this morning, as I wandered down the gravel path to my massage (SORRY!), I thought about how my attitude to summer dressing took a dramatic shift last year. Previous to that, it was my least favourite season to dress for, and whilst I enjoyed the jolt of vitamin D, my overactive sweat glands and general stickiness, combined with a three-month stint of dressing where I didn’t like anything that I wore, soured it a little. So I thought I’d quickly drop in with the major lesson that I learnt in 2023, in the hope that maybe I can prepare you for when the warmer weather does finally hit. Here’s the secret…

STOP BUYING CLOTHES THAT YOU HATE!!!

There you go. That’s it! End of post. I’ll sign off now. But here’s what I mean. There’s something about the peak in weather or a trip abroad to a warmer climate that can make us lose touch with what we actually like. Have you ever bought something for a holiday, only to wear it when you were away, not even like it that much, and then never wear it again on your return? SAME!! It’s taken me 34 years spinning around on this hot rock to realise that there is a way to marry your personal taste and preferences to whatever season you’re in; it just might not look like how everyone else interprets it.

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Here’s a list of items that feel like summer classics—and therefore, in the past, have felt like a missing piece of the puzzle that I needed—but actually don’t speak to me in terms of my personal style or my day-to-day life.

• Floral prints

• Anything printed in general (big loud prints always seem fun to me in the moment but are always something that end up on my Vinted pile)

• Anything frilly, or flouncy, or sheer

• Maxi dresses (there are a few exceptions to this rule - like this very lovely slip dress - I’m just more of a mini dress gal)

• Skirts (I have a short black skirt and then a longer silky cream midi skirt and that’s me done - I barely wear those as it is! - you’ll see in the examples below that I’d rather boil in a trouser, but that’s just me!)

• Anything backless or too strappy (I don’t have the occasion to wear it)

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In the past, I’ve tried to shoe-horn in these more classically summer pieces, and they don’t work for me. I hate floral prints - so why did I keep buying them? I like to cook myself in trousers (my psoriasis is a big player in that). I like to wear a lot of black. I like to find ways to wear knitted pieces in August. So last year I accepted these truths, stopped buying items of clothing that deep down I didn’t like, and you know what? I had my best summer yet, style-wise.

I’ve done a very quick scroll through the ol’ camera roll to find outfits from last summer that I’d happily recreate again, and I've dissected what I found to be ‘my’ summer essentials. Yours might look completely different, and that’s great!! The whole point is to identify the pieces that sing to you and filter out the rest…

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A KNITTED VEST & TANK

Outfit linked here*

Outfit linked here*

When I say ‘wearing knitwear in August, ’ this is what I mean. It obviously goes without saying that I live in the U.K., which is known to be a fickle beast weather-wise, so cashmere in high summer is sometimes a practical option. But swapping my A/W crew-neck cashmere jumpers for knitted vests and tanks was a game-changer for me last summer.

CREAM JEANS

Outfit linked here*

As I mentioned earlier, psoriasis covers a large area of my legs, so I generally keep them covered up. Swapping my usual jeans for a cream wash helped to make outfits read more ‘summer’ than my usual washed black or mid-blue versions. A slightly cropped leg and wide-leg fit are my preferences in the warmer months.

A PAIR OF NON-TIGHT SHORTS

Outfit linked here*

Where I’d previously gone wrong with denim shorts is that I was picking styles that were too short and skimmed my ass (good for you, not for me!). And also ones that were a pale wash and quite distressed, which doesn’t really speak to any of my three words. I’ve had the greatest success with this style because they feel like the short version of the jeans that I wear all year long - straight-leg shorts.

LINEN TROUSERS

Outfit linked here*

Captain obvious here—but linen trousers. Last summer, I really enjoyed this style, which felt more like a proper pair of trousers. The belt loops gave me options, and I felt I could dress it up or down depending on what I wore it with on top. Plus, I loved mixing the linen on the bottom half with contrasting fabrics on top, like knits or silks - it’s just a fun way to get more texture in.

‘MY’ VERSION OF SETS

Outfit linked here*

Outfit linked here*

A co-ord feels like a very summery thing, but I prefer mine to be plain and not really a co-ord at all. More just wearing one colour head-to-toe - sometimes in the same fabric and sometimes not. A black cropped linen top with black linen trousers - such a good base to work from (and if I were wearing this again, I’d wear it with some chunkier gold jewellery). Cream jeans and a white shirt with a massive straw bag - I’d wear this again tomorrow (just with coloured toenail polish because that pedi is giving chicken cutlet vibes).

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…and here’s the outfit I was wearing this morning that sparked this whole idea. Just me in a warmer climate - ain’t no colour to see here!

If you like what you see here, then please consider subscribing. I post ALL THE BLOOMIN’ TIME about personal style and hopefully give you some food for thought along the way. 2024 is going to the year that enjoy getting dressed for summer, right? That’s all for now, from your sweaty style bestie…

Anna x