Summer, hot, humid style

It is hot. If you are in the U.P., it's effin' hot up here. 80's, 90's and humid. The humidity can kill, especially my husband. Now fashion in the heat can be difficult for me. I always feel this urge to layer, layer, layer to feel fashionable. Dress, tank over it, belted, add a cardigan = cute outfit. Obvious problem here, that is way too hot for this weather, although I do recommend carrying a cardigan for trips to restaurants and stores for the super cold air-conditioning (it is not fun shivering and trying to drink a delicious beer).

Just throwing a tank and shorts on does not feel like a finished outfit for me. I was looking at the Sartorialist's blog this morning and came across this picture of a woman dressed beautifully for the summer:

Photo by Scott Schuman

and he made a comment about how people think it's hard to dress in summer when its too hot to even wear clothes. First, I realized that I wasn't the only one that felt this way and second, this girl obviously doesn't have that problem. She is in a bright summery color. Bright colors are always summery. My favorite color right now is yellow and I have never really cared for yellow, but it feels so much like summer I can't help but dig it. Right now I am sporting a marigold yellow nail polish that would go perfectly with a swimsuit and the beach. 

A loose, flowy skirt that probably doesn't cling uncomfortably in the heat, good idea. Cute sandals, even better. Flip flops, only if you are going to the beach or hanging out in your yard. I don't particularly care for that foam footwear. A more structured sandal like what the girl is wearing, or a gladiator or t-strap, or basically anything flat and nice-looking will certainly add a detail to an outfit that will pull it all together better. 

Armful of accessories which wouldn't be too hard to wear in the heat and add a bit of glamour to any outfit. Accessories easily personal that simple summer look especially if you are sporting something like a tank and skirt or shorts. In fact, I did this just yesterday. I added some bright colors to my pale pink tank and jean shorts look with a turquoise watch and a purple bracelet (does it matter if it matches? I don't think so).

And the hair. I may not necessarily like her hairstyle, but I always forget about hair, mostly because I can only do the bare minimum with hair. My skills fail in that area. If you can do something cute with your hair it certainly does add to an outfit. I always notice if a girl's hair is cute. For summer, hair can always be worn up, in braids, buns, kept short like a cute bob (I love bobs!). Don't forget about hair! 

Doing something a little different with your summer outfit, can add that little bit of fashion, too. Tying a ribbon around your waist for a belt, or, and this I think is a cute idea, but haven't tried yet, tie ribbons that match your sandals around your ankles. This would look particularly well with a cork wedge heel.

Hair accessories, there are some exceptional headbands out there now, that are a wow factor just hanging on the shelf. I know Target has some cute ones right now. Find ones that are comfy on your head and won't give you a headache (I frequently have this problem). Elastic, again if they aren't too tight, can be pretty comfortable. Or if you have a cute scarf, that can be folded and worn as a headband.

Now that I think about it, there are some cool things to do with fashion in the summer. If you have any other ideas feel free to let me know!