Summer’s here!!! so WTF do I wear?😥

[TheLegendOfBeans]

Year in and year out I am caught out around this time of year by it going from scarves and gloves to vests and floaty dresses like THAT.

I am a pretty average size, still carrying tummy chub from baby. 5’7”, very fair and size 12.

What do you wear in summer for

a) work - pref corporate
b) leisure - including handling of unkempt toddlers

Anything...any help you can give gratefully received. I just literally have the “dress for summer” chip missing...

[RickOShay]

What do you usually wear?
You could just roll up your jeans and put a t shirt on. Perhaps think about something like a shirt dress.

[LouLouLove]

i love the pjama or hareem style trousers, really lose and cool but with a tighter hem, wear them with nice tshirt and sandals.

[TheLegendOfBeans]

if my jeans had any give in them to roll I would.

Harem pants etc were my go to when pg, agree they are great but some can make me look like a butterball.

I suppose I’m looking for dress and footwear tops too, I just sweat like a pig in summer and need to avoid that again

[RickOShay]

Go for cotton beans. Denim skirt and a cotton top?
Or what about rolled up chinos?
or just cigarette trousers?
I find batwing tops very flattering.
You need a massive trying on session, boring but necessary

[Tanfastic]

I work in a corporate environment and in summer I wear cigarette trousers and short sleeved smart tops and blouses. Sometimes a dress without tights if I'm feeling brave.

[goose1964]

I tend to live in yoga pants, especially when my grandson is here (13 months and into everything. You can really smarten them up with decent tops and shoes.

Can I just say you are the same height as me and at size 12 I would be slim. I,m sure you don;t look like a butter ball in anything

[Peanutbuttercups21]

Denim skirt and tee

Can be worn with any kind of shoe

Smarter: jersey dress from Lands End, machine washable and flattering and you can wear anything with it (denim jacket, cardi)

This is my summer uniform

[Mishmishmish]

There was a mum at my baby group this morning who looked amazing. Beautiful blue patterned loose trousers (a bit tapered at the ankle), a simple navy v neck tshirt, a bangle and well cared for feet with painted nails and hair in a messy bun. I'm channeling her and will look online for loose cotton patterned trousers this afternoon!

[stitchintimesaves27]

Similar build here and work in an office. For work, I swap my long black trousers for slightly cropped, and boots for loafers. For casual stuff, I currently really like patterned trousers with plain tops, or plain harem type trousers with patterned vests. Today I'm in knee length denim shorts.

[MrsPear]

I have quite a few cotton dresses. Some more vintage style than others - knee length is good as you run and bend without worrying about flashing. Today I’m in a cotton stripy maxi from jules.

[Ellapaella]

Mishimishmish you need to have a gander at this website https://www.swimwear365.co.uk/holiday-fashion/trousers//N-1z141xbZ1z141n6?cssev=MenuHolidayFashionion--Trousers-_-none

[Mishmishmish]

Thanks Ellapaella, they look so comfy. Problem is I'd look like I was wearing my pjs!

[Highhorse1981]

What’s your budget OP?

Try to avoid the denim skirt and shirt combo. Impossibly dull.

Floaty trousers tapered at ankle is a lovely look

J crew has some brilliant stuff for summer corporate environment

This time of year.... small independent shops have some lovely dresses from less well known brands like American vintage

[dameofdilemma]

I work in a corporate environment and in summer I wear cigarette trousers and short sleeved smart tops and blouses

This is what I'm aiming for but really struggling to find short sleeve, office appropriate, pref cotton tops (and not oversized/balloon sleeves/ruffled sleeves/ off the shoulder etc).

[Ellisisland]

I go to Uniqlo for office summer wear. They do a lot of tapered trousers and nice summer blouses and short sleeved shirts.

www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/women/tops/blouses

[TheLegendOfBeans]

Thank you everyone for the feedback, it looks like the patterned trousers and sleeveless top combo is the winner for casual but re corporate here are my questions:

I have a pudgy tum. Can I wear cigarette pants as let’s be honest they are quite high waist?

I like the shout for crop trousers and loafers but crop trousers make my legs look “stout” and I’m aiming for a woven sandal instead of a brogue. I am so sweaty. But that’s given me a lead point to work with.

It’s just my sticky out tum that is the issue. Beer last night meant I was offered a seat on the tube this morning. I’m not even joking 😐

[Highhorse1981]

You could wear them certainly, with a loose flowing t shirt

Although you’ll likely feel very uncomfortable

[Lilymossflower]

In the winter I wear hareems with a long skirt over the top and then a top with 3 coats over the top

In th summer I wear either just the hareems or just the skirt
And then the top, but just without the 3 layers of coat

I just take off a layer each time it gets warmer until no more layers

[Mercurial123]

I have some silk/cotton wide leg trousers from Muji they look like a skirt when not walking with a stripey or plain T-shirt. I was so bored of skinny jeans.

[WhyteKnyght]

I was caught out every year by summer, so last year I decided to sort it. I bought:

• some decent sunglasses
  
• several pairs of sandals, ranging from practical and sturdy to high gold wedges, so that I have pairs for walking miles in, pretty but slightly flimsy flat ones for wearing round the house, and more dressy/delicate pairs when I don't need to walk as far. I bought most of mine either from independent shoe shops selling European brands built to last, or from LK Bennett for the pretty but impractical ones.
  
• some knee-length loose cotton A-line skirts, mostly from Fat Face though I also have one or two from New Look and White Stuff, that sit flatteringly on the hips so that I still have a waist.
  
• some semi-fitted short- or cap-sleeved shirts and blouses in 100% cotton or linen (I am too blessed in the breast department to look good in T-shirts as I need buttons to break them up visually and stop them looking like a shelf, but they'd also work with T-shirts for someone smaller-chested). Also a couple of loose long-sleeved shirts in soft grey/blue from Mint Velvet that I wear with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow.
  
• some summer trousers. For me this was Boden Richmond cropped trousers in navy, Boden Rachel chinos in camel/beige that can be worn full-length or rolled up to mid-calf, and a pair of straight-leg M&S jeans to be worn rolled up to mid-calf since my normal Topshop skinnies are far too tight to roll up.
  
• a couple of light cotton knee-length dresses from Hobbs in navy or navy print that I wear with tights in winter and bare legs in summer - very versatile
  
• some lightweight summer cardigans in navy, camel, cream and white to throw over the top on cooler days or in the evenings
  
• I already had a couple of jersey FCUK dresses in prints that look quite summery, but I'm not comfortable with above-the-knee dresses except in tights, so I also bought some navy leggings and wear those with the dresses and sandals on in-between days, which we get quite a lot of in the UK
  
• I also bought a linen jacket in a charity shop and two light trench coats in navy and camel for cooler days or evenings
  

I avoid panic-buying anything that just does not suit me: e.g. I am a size 10 but short and very curvy and look awful in shorts, vests or sleeveless tops of any description, so I don't bother: I still want to look good even if it's hot so stick to cropped trousers or skirts and dresses and cap sleeves. Another thing that really helped was to find a colour combination that a) suits me and b) looks suitably summery since I realised that so much of my wardrobe was co-ordinated around black so that I looked ridiculous as soon as the sun came out. In my case this new colour combination was navy and white. This means that most of my summer clothes go with each other because most of them in variations of navy, navy prints, white, cream, ivory, or beige/nude, but with loads of small variations so that I don't think it's obvious. Navy also has the advantage of being a year-round colour so I can keep wearing a lot of my dresses and skirts with navy or black tights and brogues or boots as summer moves into autumn.

Good luck! I'm still not 100% happy with my summer wardrobe, but the emergence of the sun doesn't cause me total panic any more like it did year after year.

[RooKangaroo]

Lovely post, @WhyteKnyght

[goose1964]

i've just bought a dawn dress from lindybop, very flattering and similar to a bode none

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

YY to Uniqlo
Bit hit and miss with the colours sometimes but some gorgeous and smart button up blouses . I bought a cerise pink one a couple of years ago (on a whim, going out of my colour comfort zone) really love it.

[Itscurtainsforyou]

I've just bought a light weight stretchy jacket for work from New Look. I'm hoping it will smarten up my preferred wide-leg trousers and loose-fitting top.

[JaceLancs]

Knee length tube skirts
Cigarette pants
Linen dresses
Plain sleeveless tops