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!)

Another problem I find, is that I have to wear lots of sun cream from Spring onwards. Anything white, or cream, gets stained so now i don't bother

I live in Florida. The best thing for dressing well in warm weather is air conditioning.

Seneca

Indeed

We don't have a clothes culture in Britain and that's neither bad nor good. It's just part of being British. Along with the dodgy climate.

I find it quite endearing that Britons expose their flesh at the first ray of weak sunshine. It says something about our spirit of optimism

The Italians have La Bella Figura, but it's hidebound. Though they generally look good, the women look either bland or trashy and the men are wedded to pastel cashmere jumpers tied around their shoulders and watches so big they should be hanging on the wall not the wrist. And they judge like hell.

I was once mistaken for an Italian, despite my Celtic colouring. It was intended as a compliment. I took it as a sign that my outfit was safe and boring and gave it to my mum.

I'm being judgy there. But it's a judgy thread and you outed yourself as an Italophile OP. I like Italy and Italians but I don't particularly rate their style of dress over ours.

I wouldn't presume to comment on yours apart from to say that if it makes you happy...

Cain - the last school run dress thread - not been done for a while, so definately scope for 'summer dressing' thread - and the old School run dress people can repost their finds!

Limited, how on earth are Italians boring? They look classy. Better a boring Italian than a trashy neon British "fashion" outfit

I love wearing summer clothes.

It's been too hot for trousers for weeks on end now (South)

Don't mind other people's dress sense, or lack thereof. I almost like seeing other people dress scruffily as I feel elegantin comparison (in my 5 year old White Comp dress and unimaginativeballet flats)

Limited, how on earth are Italians boring? They look classy. Better a boring Italian than a trashy neon British "fashion" outfit

LashesandLipstick* I thought I made it clear that in the OP's spirit, I was generalising and judging. I find the Italian style of dress either safe and boring or startlingly fantastico.

But each to their own.

Limited fair enough I didn't realise you were parodying the OP

That's perfectly all right Lashes.

TBH I'm not entirely sure what I was doing but I do love to bung in a picture of Nancy Dell'Olio whenever someone brings up the sartorial superiority of Italian womanhood over the downtrodden Brit

Limited I do agree she's very...flamboyant but I guess I could retort with Katie Price!

That's Dolce & Gabbana btw.

I had a pair of those trousers in black. Just the trousers. Not the full monstrosity of the whole outfit. Including that bodice with the flesh-coloured net inset.

It was a horrible crime against fashion but I would like the court to take into consideration that I committed it only once and am deeply repentant.

I still have them. Sometimes I get them out and marvel about where my head was.

The Italians love a bit of bling and a smattering of leopard print. They try to suppress it but it always bubbles up at some point.

The French look on, in navy and beige, tutting disapprovingly.

I dislike hot weather, as it means I have to wear something other than my standard non-work wear of jeans, strappy top, cardi and trainers. It's the only thing I really feel comfortable in. If I do dress up or wear a summar dress, I can't wait to get home and strip it off again.

WEll, you can wear cut-off jeans, strappy top, a lighter cardi and trainers Job done, that'll be £10 please!

We all have different cultural standards.

I took a picture of a poster for an upmarket Italian swimwear brand in the window of a shop in Rome that I go to a lot because it shocked me.

It was posed by models but was ostensibly a mother and daughter shot on a beach.

They were both blonde, very attractive and eastern European looking. The 'mother' was mid-twenties and her 'daughter' was about 11.

The picture of the older model would have been fine on its own. The combination of her with her pre-pubescent bikini-clad lookalike daughter was as dodgy as fuck.

And I don't necessarily object to little girls wearing bikinis. I wore one at nine and was as pleased as punch and my parents were happy to let me do that.

It was the provocative pose that got me.

I posted it saying 'WTF?'

Facebook and Photobucket must have agreed because they deleted it. Otherwise I'd post it here for the MN verdict. I really wish I'd kept it somewhere just to show people what mainstream borderline porn looks like.

I love Italy but that creepy image would not be shown by a mainstream retailer either in poster form or shop window.

Sorry for the diversion but I find it interesting that some people bang on so much about the superior sartorial attitudes of some countries as opposed to the UK.

And for the avoidance of doubt, I am not accusing the Italians of being paedophiles. I find it interesting what different cultures find acceptable or not.

I love Italy but that creepy image would not be shown by a mainstream retailer either in poster form or a shop window in the UK is what I meant to say.

The thing is at 28degC the Italians are barely warm enough to remove their navy quilted jackets and knee high boots! They don't have to dress to stay cool till it hits 40deg and then most have left work for a long summer holiday in the mountains / at the coast.
Same applies to the French really.

I don't do the strappy tops anymore. My shoulders really attract the sun and suncream just wrecks the shoulder straps.

exLtEve - I've got bad keloid scars on my left leg after a series of operations to reconstruct it. Plus discolouration on the ankle bone due to bleeding into the joint - another side effect. And on a bad day the heads of the surgical pins stick out quite visibly through the skin.

For the first couple of years I was very self conscious. Like you, I can't wear heels either - I fall over often enough in flats!

Now I'm used to the scars, I don't bother about them showing. And I buy flat or low heeled shoes in bright colours - I find Sketchers GoWalks are great for people with ankle/leg difficulties. Oh, and FitFlops. I'm sure they are hated by many as being deeply unfashionable, by they are so comfy and support your feet properly.

I've got fat thights too, so I wear longer length shorts to avoid the chafing issue

SoldierBear. It sounds like we have similar injuries. For me it's partly the 'general' look of them, but also that they get quite 'angry looking' in the sun. Strangely on holidays I don't really care, I suppose because I'll never see those people again. But back home it's another matter.

I've got very flat very wide feet now, so have to look for EEE fittings and it's hard to get 'attractive' pairs that aren't £££.

DH thinks my issues are simply because I don't look like I used to and I'm not good at being 'different'. I expect he's right. I don't see the point in trying to look nice any more.

Again, people talk about The French and I can only assume they're talking about Parisiennes. I've been visiting the IL in the Charente region for 20-odd years and there's no sartorial flair there, let me tell you.

Ooh EveDallas I have square feet. I have to settle for beaded flip flops which are a bit more forgiving so my toes can spill over the sides

yarp I'm wearing my Fatface bargain of the summer, nice floaty sort of Monet's Garden type print. Was £24.99, got it half price on their website, goodness knows why it was reduced in price so early in the season! Fatface can be rip-off prices.

It does indeed sound similar - it is nearly 21 years since I had my accident and the scars are still quite pink. Like you say, they can flare up and go red in the heat/cold. My feet have always been wide, but now have incipient bunions to add to their attractiveness, along with hammer toes and very high arches.

How long has it been since your accident? I did go through a phase of body dysmorphia and could not bear to look at my leg. I didn't touch my foot or ankle for more than a year and just felt so repulsed I wished the doctors hadn't been able to save my foot. The first time I felt the heads of the screws I was nearly sick

FOr wide fitting shoes that don't require a second mortgage, have a look at the Simply Be website. They have Sole Diva shoes in size EEE at very reasonable prices.

PS - You are worth it, Lt Eve. You're still the same person, you've just been through the wars.

Wear what you want, what makes you feel good, feel comfy, feel happy. If that hides your scars or not - it is up to you and how you feel about it.

When you have an accident that radically reshapes your life, then sometimes you can cope with the major effects but not with the minor ones like scars.

Hoping you can heal. You sound pretty down. I mentioned in a previous post about how I wear bright coloured shoes - that's my way of dealing with the fact I can't wear heels any more. Whatever it takes for you - there is no right or wrong. Best wishes.