I’m a Melbourne gal so I only get too hot for a about one week out of the entire year but Melbourne being Melbourne will occasionally toss me a shocker of a day where I go from wearing thick wooly tights with boots to little summer dresses in the space of about half an hour. I teach special needs kids two days a week so I generally wear comfy clothes that I can get dirty on those days. On my freelance days I like to wear something a little smarter. Even though I spend most of my freelance days in a cafe near my apartment, I need to be ready to duck out for a meeting or go to an event. Plus I’m always so much more productive if I dress up a little.
Dress from Marimekko * Shoes from Whittner * Sunglasses from Oroton * Jewellery from India, Vietnam and Thailand
How To Look Semi-Polished When It’s 30 Degrees Outside
Keep The Hemline Low-ish
No one wants to sweat under a giant synthetic maxi-dress in summer. You can totally go with a shorter hemline but just be sensible about it. This is about as short as I go ever, especially if I’m not wearing tights. The trick to going to short in summer and still looking work appropriate is to keep the skirt or dress tailored and not skin tight. Fitting your clothes easily is a must for summer comfort chic.
Be A Bit Modest in Chestical Area
I always like to keep my chest as covered as possible but especially in summer. I just don’t want people to think I’m headed to the beach after a lunch time meeting.
Wear a Low, Bold Heel or Wedge
Sky high strappy sandals with thin heels have a bizarre ability to make work attire more casual, like parties and cocktails kind of casual. A sturdy, heavy soled heel or wedge will give you a decent amout of lift, add a touch of polish to your ensemble and for bonus points you’ll be able to walk around in them all day. Bonza.
What do you wear to work on really, really hot days? Do you have a heat stroke uniform? Or do you just grab the nearest thing that you won’t pass out in?
14 Comments
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My rules for when it’s hot are natural fabrics so I don’t turn into a sweat monster, hair up and off my face and neck (ditto) a bright, matte lip and an open toed shoe.
Unfortunately, my figure doesn’t allow for me to wear loose fitting clothes without looking like the side of a house, because otherwise I’d definitely go for that!-
Author
I’m a sucker for natural fabrics. Every thing else just makes me sweaty and gluggy.
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My best tip for looking polished when the temperature starts to climb is to go easy on the makeup. I have quite oily skin and I used to pack on the powder to combat summer grease. After a few hours of sweating, it would look cakey and horrible. This year, I’ve switched to a tinted moisturizer and embraced my natural glow, and I’ve gotten so many compliments on my skin.
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Oh totally! My face just MELTS in the heat especially if I’ve been for a run. I just don’t stop sweating for like four hours.
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I’m struggling to work out what to pack to Melbs next weekend. I’m down from Sunday-Wednesday and the top temp is supposed to be 27 degrees..
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Pack everything. Boots, tights, jeans, jackets, little summer dresses, gumboots, an umbrella and a raincoat. And carry all of them with you every day.
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Looking at this makes me want to put on a pair of thermals under my flannel pyjama pants. We got about 6 inches of snow today and right now it’s -18°C (feels like -23°C!). I’d still take that over 30°C any day, though haha
I have some wedged sandals by Dolce Vita that are almost identical to that, maybe a tiny bit higher heel. So out of the ordinary for me, I’m usually anti-open toed shoes on myself.-
To be fair we’ve only one day that’s even been remotely little dress worthy in the last week. I’m back in tights and boots today.
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I recognise that pendent 🙂 I’ll be honest I find it hard to resist flip flops in summer, but those shoes are hot!
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Oh you know how weird I am about flip flops! xxx
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I live in cotton sundresses all year round because Brisbane is hot and sticky – it was 36C today! I especially like anything that’s covered up at the front but has an open back – nothing looks worse than when the back of what you’re wearing has sweat patches…I’m also loving cheongsam dresses that I brought back from my trip to HK – they are fitted but not TOO fitted, and fall nicely above the knee meaning they are nice and cool.
I also stick to minimal makeup, BB cream (which you got me hooked on btw!) and lipstick.
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Oh yay! I love that you’re on to BB cream! It’s my most favourite. It’s totally changed my life.
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Really hot days? Like over 30? I go for the uber-flattering home made cotton madras shorts and a vaguely colour matched tank. Plus my ever faithful birkies. Yep, total fashion plate. Thank heavens I mostly work from home where the a/c is effective. On actual go-into-the-office days, where the a/c is guaranteed not to work and there’s no airflow from the vent by my desk anyways….um, something like a large loose frock. I don’t care what I look like when it’s that hot and have been known to take my shirt off in the toilets and soak it before putting it back on… It’s that or pass out. Before you ask, no I don’t have face to face interaction with clients, and thankfully ours is an office of geeks.
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Working from home makes SUCH a huge difference. My outfits are totally different on meeting days than days when I’m just in my home office.
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