It’s hitting 32 degrees outside - I am not built for this hot weather.
I am very pale-skinned, I burn in approximately three and a half minutes, and there are also certain areas of my body that I personally do not particularly want on public display once temperatures start climbing above about twenty-two degrees.
So summer dressing is not something I approach casually.
The minute the weather turns warm, I start thinking quite seriously about what I am actually going to wear that won’t make me feel overheated, overexposed, uncomfortable or faintly irritated with myself by lunchtime.
And over the years, both through making my own clothes and teaching other people to make theirs, I’ve realised that a few things make all the difference:
Natural fibres.
Breathability.
Ease.
Movement.
Air circulation.
Loose NOT shapeless. That’s the important distinction.
Because I think there’s a misconception that dressing for hot weather means either squeezing yourself into tiny strappy things that potentially leave you feeling exposed… or surrendering completely and wandering about looking like a slightly disgruntled linen gazebo.
There is, thankfully, another option. In fact, Charlie and I were discussing this exact subject yesterday evening because we somehow ended up talking about the practicality of caftans for men.
Now from a purely functional point of view, they make complete sense.
Maximum airflow.
Nothing clinging.
Excellent circulation.
No restrictive waistbands.
Essentially a portable breeze.
We both agreed that, technically speaking, a loose linen caftan is probably one of the most sensible garments a human could wear in extreme heat.
The only slight sticking point seems to be whether society is emotionally prepared for Charlie to rock up to a meeting dressed like an extremely relaxed Mediterranean Gandalf.
Personally, I think he could carry it off. He’s less convinced.
Although I do suspect there’s a reason garments with volume, movement and airflow appear across so many hot-weather cultures around the world. People figured this out a very long time ago.
The Fabric Makes the Biggest Difference
If I could only give one piece of advice for dressing in hot weather, it would be this:
Start with the fibre.
You can make the most beautifully designed garment in the world, but if the fabric doesn’t breathe, you’ll still feel uncomfortable wearing it.
Natural fibres really come into their own in warm weather because they allow air to circulate around the body rather than trapping heat against the skin.
Linen is probably the obvious one, but honestly there’s a reason humans have worn it for thousands of years.
It breathes beautifully.
It absorbs moisture without feeling clammy.
And it has enough structure to sit slightly away from the body rather than collapsing onto it.
Good linen almost creates its own little micro-climate around you.
Cotton lawn, cotton voile, double gauze, lightweight chambray, hemp blends and soft washed cottons can all work beautifully too. Silk noil and fine viscose blends can also feel lovely, although with viscose I always think quality matters enormously. Some are breathable and fluid. Others become sticky the minute temperatures rise.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that many people choose fabrics because they look summery rather than because they actually behave well in heat.
There’s a huge difference. A floaty polyester dress may look lovely on a hanger, but the minute you step into direct sunlight you suddenly discover you’re essentially wrapped in decorative insulation.
Whereas natural fibres tend to absorb moisture, allow airflow and regulate temperature far more comfortably.
And this is where understanding fabric behaviour becomes so useful as a dressmaker. Once you begin noticing how fabrics move, breathe and react on the body, shopping - and sewing - becomes much easier.
Ease Is Not the Same as Oversized
I think this is where a lot of people get stuck.
They know they don’t want tight clothes in hot weather, so they automatically size up or reach for very oversized garments.
But more fabric isn’t always cooler. Sometimes it’s actually hotter. The trick is understanding ease.
Ease is the amount of extra room built into a garment beyond your body measurements. It’s what allows you to move, sit, breathe and live in your clothes comfortably. A garment can have ease and still have shape. That’s the sweet spot.
You want clothes that skim rather than cling. That move around the body rather than restrict it. That allow air to circulate without making you feel swamped.
A softly shaped shirt dress is a perfect example of this. So are relaxed trousers with a gentle taper. Or tops that fall from the shoulder rather than pulling across the bust.
When garments are too fitted in hot weather, every point of contact suddenly feels amplified. Waistbands dig in. Sleeves restrict movement. Synthetic linings become unbearable.
But when garments are too oversized, you can sometimes lose proportion altogether and feel oddly disconnected from yourself.
The garments that tend to work best are the ones that create space around the body intentionally - not accidentally.
Pay Attention to Where Fabric Sits Away From the Body
One of the easiest ways to tell whether a garment will feel comfortable in heat is to notice where the fabric touches the body - and where it doesn’t.
If air can move, you’ll usually feel cooler. Garments that sit slightly away from the skin allow airflow.
That might mean:
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dropped shoulders
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wider armholes
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softer waist shaping
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fuller skirts
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cropped wide-leg trousers
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side splits
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gathers released from a yoke
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pleats that create movement
These details aren’t just decorative. They completely change how a garment feels to wear. I also think this is why shirt dresses work so well in summer.
You can wear them loose.
You can belt them if you want more definition.
You can roll sleeves up or leave them open over another layer.
You can unbutton necklines when it’s particularly hot.
They’re adaptable. And adaptability is often what makes clothes genuinely wearable.
The Pull-On Factor Matters More Than We Admit
Hot weather is rarely the time for complicated dressing.
When it’s warm, most people instinctively reach for the clothes that are easiest to put on, easiest to move in and easiest to live in. That’s useful information. If you continually avoid certain garments in summer, there’s usually a reason.
Maybe the fabric creases badly in uncomfortable places.
Maybe the waistband becomes irritating after lunch.
Maybe it needs constant adjusting.
Maybe it clings the minute humidity rises.
The clothes we genuinely wear on hot days are usually the ones that ask the least from us physically.
Soft elastic waists.
Pull-on dresses.
Loose shirts.
Simple layers.
Natural fibres.
Things that don’t need “managing.”
Because comfort and style are not opposites. So there’s something really useful about paying attention to that rather than fighting it.
Floaty Doesn’t Mean Frumpy
I think many women have been taught to fear loose clothing because they worry it will make them look bigger, older or less polished.
But often the opposite is true. When fabric moves beautifully and sits well on the body, it creates elegance rather than bulk. The difference usually comes down to proportion and fabric choice.
A floaty fabric with some drape behaves very differently to a stiff oversized garment. A garment with shaping through the shoulder or neckline feels very different to something completely undefined. Even simple things like sleeve length can change the whole balance of a summer outfit.
And this is where making your own clothes becomes such a gift, because you can begin adjusting garments to suit your own body and your own comfort levels rather than trying to force yourself into whatever happens to be in the shops that season.
You can decide:
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how much ease feels good to you
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where you like shape
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how fabrics feel against your skin
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what sleeve lengths you actually wear
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what necklines feel comfortable in heat
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how much movement you want in a garment
And it also struck me recently that these conversations about hot weather dressing probably aren’t going away any time soon. Summers are getting hotter, whether we like it or not, and perhaps learning how to dress comfortably, practically and thoughtfully for heat is becoming less of a holiday concern and more of an everyday reality.
Which makes understanding fabric, fit, breathability and ease feel less frivolous somehow. These things genuinely affect how we move through our days and how comfortable we feel in our own skin.
Hot Weather Dressing Should Feel Like Relief
I think the best summer clothes feel almost like relief when you put them on.
You stop noticing them.
You can move properly.
Sit comfortably.
Walk easily.
Breathe.
Eat lunch.
Work in the garden.
Pop to the shops.
Sit outside with a coffee.
Not feel like you’re enduring your outfit until September arrives. Because perhaps that’s the real test of good clothing in hot weather.
Not whether it looks impressive on a hanger. But whether it allows you to carry on living your life comfortably while still feeling like yourself.
Jules x