to think that most people do not know how to dress well for warm weather

[KiteKit]

It is a beautiful sunny warm day here and I am working (boo!) but took my lunch at a place where I was able to indulge in a spot of people watching and it struck me as I was sitting there that the vast majority of the people walking past me looked awful. I know that is a harsh thing to say, but on the whole they were wearing badly fitting, unflattering summer clothes with acres of red sunburned flesh on show.

I saw every combination of vest top and shorts on both men and women etc. I started looking for anyone who looked good to my taste and in the space of 40 mins only about 2 walked by out of the many who passed my table and they both looked Italian as it happens!

It does sound very judgemental and I certainly do not hold myself up as a champion of summer dressing whatsoever, it is because I struggle to find nice, heat appropriate clothes for a very pale skinned 45 year old that I am especially tuned it it I think.

I really wish we could go back to olden days when clothes were elegant - I love the style of the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's - after that elegance sort of went out the window imo!

For what it is worth a vest top with spaghetti straps, bra straps showing underneath, fleshy upper body (it was also surprising how many overweight people there were) spilling out of it, cargo shorts and ecco style walking sandals may feel comfortable but my god they look bad on 99.9% of those I saw today!

It is a struggle isn't it? Or is it just me? I want to find beautiful summer clothes that make me feel great and I don't seem to be able (I am wearing a cream cotton shirt with cream embroidery, dark skinny jeans with the bottoms turned up - my nod to the warm weather today and snake skin flat sandals -hardly setting the fashion world on fire!)

I think socalled has summed up what I am trying to say very well! I am in the same boat.

No, I am neither insecure or unhappy with my looks. It was an merely observation that a lot of the people I saw today were badly dressed for their size and shape.

I'm sorry I think I mixed you up with someone else as I thought you were recently unhappy with your weight.

I see what you're saying but you forgot to say, they were badly dressed for their size and shape in your opinion.

Which of course will mean nothing to them as they get on with their lives.

I think asking for advice about what to wear in warm weather is ok. Slagging off every one else as fat slobs not so much.

YABU.

Yes, I know that my opinion of what constitutes dressing well for a particular body type will mean nothing to them as they will continue with their lives. I wasn't exactly holding up score cards as people walked by or shouting helpful suggestions to them but it just struck me visually at the time and then it made me think about how hard it is to dress well for warmer weather when it is not a certainty (as in not living in a hot climate) and without spending a fortune. But how the 'fall back' for lots was not great

usual I never once called anyone a fat slob.

We had a lovely summer day last week (it's back to freezing again) and I went out in a summer dress, kind of 50s style, with a bodice and gathered skirt. I'm a larger size lady and found it cool and comfortable and got tons of compliments. It was so easy to wear and very flattering, so I'm going to wear dresses whenever it's hot.

Oh God, I'm turning into my mother. Or maybe even my grandmother.

Black skinny jeans sound just about the worst thing you could wear on a hot day though! Really unsummery and you must have been sweltering.

But what is 'Well dressed'? I mean who decides?

I mostly cringe at some of the Boden dresses I see on here, as personally I think a lot of them are awful (obviously I would never say unless specifically asked).

I also hate white linen 'Mummy trousers' with a passion but lots of women think they're stylish.

So imo one person's 'well dressed' is another person's yuk.

It's all down to individual taste.

Well, I agree with you, OP. I always notice this and dread warm weather as I'm of "a certain age" and find it difficult to look elegant in the heat. My pet hates are saggy trousers ending half way down the leg, spaghetti straps with bra straps showing, and those trekker sandals displaying neglected feet.

I have a feeling this thread isn't going to end well....

Worra I agree there's personal taste to take into account but you can tell when someone's thought about it and cared what they wore even if you personally prefer another style vs someone who's just blindly followed "fashion" without thinking what suits them

To be fair, nowadays more people are overweight than underweight these days. And they are not healthy either - very flabby. Why do they think it's cool to show off flabby tyres and underarms?!. I. think people should dress in well fitted clothes and show some modesty. But on the other hand, I do applaud people who don't give a fuck.

I agree, I think some people do look awful, showing too much flesh, particularly greying bra straps rather than a strapless bra with spaghetti straps. I suppose it depends if they are working and what the dress code is.

To be fair, strapless bras are uncomfortable and hard to find in bigger cup sizes!

I also applaud people who don't give a fuck on a hot Summer's day.

And if they're overweight, they're probably even more likely to struggle with the heat. So it would make sense to wear a Summer dress to keep them cool.

Covering up doesn't make overweight people look slimmer anyway.

See, I think we have different ideas about what 'dressing well' for warm weather is. I think it's about wearing clothes which are practical and don't make you too hot, so I wouldn't include skinny jeans, however stylish (also, if all these people had rolls of fat, skinny jeans on them would probably disgust you too..). I'd include things like natural fabrics in loose fitting styles, with an option to cover up when it got hot, so perhaps I would also think sunburned people in vests were not properly dressed but crucially it would be for a different reason - because it can't be comfortable, not because it was offending my idea of beauty.

true Lash

It is very warm here today.

I am wearing cropped jeans, a vest top and trekker type sandals.

Not one single fuck will be given about how 'elegant' I look. It's muggy and I'm fucking comfortable. My bra isn't greying, though, it's new (and hot pink).

absol, thread isn't going to end well you may well be right but it's interesting to see others's thoughts, i personally hate poorly done tatts they look gross, however some tattoos look really good, but smothering up arms and the like, bit of putting, esp when accompanied by the too tight string top, [3 sizes to small, badly bleached hair, fag hanging out of corner of mouth, and bellowing 'tiffnee get here nooow !' what a great bunch, and that's describing the blokes,

I definitely break a few of these rules, but I find covering up usually means over heating / sweat marks. I'm also having to facilitate breast feeding so the spaghetti straps stay for now.

Each to their own. There is a collision of weather where I am today, warm, sunny, rainy, threatening thunder. I'm wearing a long sleeve tee (arms currently rolled up) and over bump mat jeans. I'm bloody boiling. I do have a stinking cold as well though, so what little clothing sense I usually have has left me. Up until half an hour ago (where upon I was evily forced to leave my poor bed), I was in a penguin nighty that stopped fitting about two months ago. Really wish I hadn't changed out of it.....

I take the view that sunshine is so valuable on our shores that I wear comfy holiday-like stuff whenever it's warm enough, even if my shorts or leggings and Converse without socks are someone else's scruff. I always feel resentful when I have to dress for business in hot weather.

We don't have much summer in this country do most people's summer clothes are for holidays, chilling by the beach, camping etc.
I know mine are.
With maybe one nice "garden party" or "wedding guest" summer dress.

I don't hold with whole the look good feel good thing.

If my feet hurt I don't feel good, I feel miserable, no matter how stylish I look.

So, all my outfits start with comfy shoes. Easy with boots in winter but generally walking sandals, converse or trainers in summer, then I have to find clothes that go with them

I realise I don't always look great but I'm too busy actually enjoying my life to care (much)

On the whole though, I do think too much flesh is on show as soon as the sun comes out in the city. It's that, not the clothes themselves that make me raise an eyebrow.

It's chucking it down here BTW

I don't dress to impress strangers, I do it to please myself. It is shallow to judge others for their looks.

YABU. If they're happy and comfortable with their clothes, who cares what other people like the look of?

Just because it zips doesn't mean it fits.