To cover up in summer

[Ribrabrob]

I'm fat with an unfortunate figure - big bum and thighs, chunky flabby arms, not toned at all, short dumpy legs, non-existent boobs... you get the picture. It bothers me a bit and I feel self conscious about it (although clearly not enough to actually do anything about it )

In the warmer weather I tend to cover up whilst attempting to look 'summery' at the same time. Think chinos with a blouse and thin cardigan plus sandals - just no skin on show! Even on the beach (I don't swim).

Aibu to do this? I always get comments about being hot etc, but I'd rather cover up then feel shy in a dress, skin exposed etc. If you saw someone on the beach in chinos etc would you think they look silly? Even when I used to be very slim with a nice figure I was still exactly the same.

Thing is I actually like the summer, I just don't like the expectation that we should wear as little as possible! I mean, great for people that do, I just don't feel comfy Ike that.,

some people have very rigid ideas about what one should wear depending on the season. They should be ignored as the narrow-minded bores they are whilst you are comfortable and happy!

I use my brolly as a parasol in summer. I care not a jot for other people's views well, I care a bit. And DD finds it slightly embarrassing so I make sure it's down by the time I get to school.

Maxi dress or kaftan is nice on the beach. I've got hideous long baggy shorts, I love them.

Wear what you want and show whatever skin you want.

If you're hot, you can still cover in looser clothes. Floaty maxi dresses in muted colours are flattering for a larger figure. Even midi dresses are fine and dont show that much skin. Those baggy harem trousers everyone is wearing, not the most elegant but fine for the beach.

In hot countries people tend to cover up with loose cool cotton clothing. It makes more sense to me than exposing lots of flesh to the sun. I like to dress like this in the sun. I find it cooler than having the sun on my skin.

Do what makes you feel comfortable but don’t do it for anyone else’s benefit.

As a pp has pointed out, it's fairly obvious that if someone is covering up on the sun it's because that's how they feel comfortable. Coming out with all the "ooh, aren't you hot in that? Why don't you go and get some shorts on?" is just cruelly drawing attention to it.

I can relate, I have varicose veins on both calves and on one ankle (I've mentioned that my legs look like a pair of giant Nik Naks - not exaggerating) so I can't even wear cropped trousers or an on-the-knee dress. Every summer since I was 12 has been the same "you must be boiling in those trousers" - yes I am fucking boiling, but I have to wear these coz I've got fugly legs for crying out loud

So actually I'm a bit jealous of you OP, because your legs might be bigger than you'd like, but I bet they're at least the right shape.

Wear as much or as little as you want and balls to everyone else.

I'm bigger, and wear flowing and loose clothing in the summer. I definitely wouldn't wear a cardigan but maybe a non wool jacket. Certainly don't strip off at the sign of sun but it would trigger a change from tights to comfort shorts and wouldn't wear for example jeans with a tucked in shirt because that would be v sweaty around the belt area.

Wearing light, cotton clothes to cover up in the summer is perfectly sensible. There are lots of reasons why people choose to do this and you shouldn’t give it head room if others comment. Your body your choice. When you see the leather-like skin of sun worshippers when they reach their 50s and 60s, covering up seems the smart choice.

I’ve gone through phases of being a sun worshipper and covering up depending on what my hormones and self esteem are up to. I love the feeling of the sun on my bare skin and the short term healthy glow it gives my skin but during my fat years in my 30s I I covered up to hide the flab, in my 40s I thought sod it and stripped off again. In my 50s, the menopause played havoc with my skin and the least bit of sun set off horrendous itching (alchohol too unfortunately). Since the other side of the menopause I’ve had a few sun worshipper years but last summer the horrendous itching came back so I’m covering up again this year. Compared to friends who have sunbathed all their lives, my skin is relatively smooth and wrinkle free - a few extra pounds helps here too.
Joan Collins, as far as I know has never let the sun near her skin and in her mid 80s has amazing skin and could pass for someone in her 50s.

YANBU - I tend not to show too much skin in the summer. I have pale skin that freckles and burns easily. I also find sunbathing really bloody boring!

I don't do skirts so I tend to wear really light loose trousers, with a loose t-shirt or a very light shirt with the sleeves rolled up. This kind of thing is perfect - I have several pairs (that came from Asda and Sainsburys). They wash well, elastic waist so really comfy, pockets, and they are really fine light cotton so they are great in the heat.

My favourite phrase when I'm getting dressed is "fuck flattering". It's such an outdated idea that clothes need to accentuate or flatter the figure. They don't.
I dress comfortably, mostly in t-shirts and leggings. In the summer it's t-shirts and shorts. If you're comfortable in what you're wearing, then keep it up and ignore the people making negative comments. If you're hot, then fuck flattering and wear whatever the hell you want 😊

Op dress how you please, no one cares really. And no one is going to look at you and think you've a bad figure if you do show some skin.

The only comment I'd make is are you not overly hot in a cardigan and blouse if it's really hot ? If not then crack on, if so then there are other alternates, a chiffon blouse for example, open over a vest top, still covers you but would be cooler.

I too look better the more I am covered up. I can only be prised out of my jeans when the temperature is in the high 20s. It has to approach 30 for me to wear a dress.
I like jersey joggers/ harems though. The problem is what to wear on top without looking like i've come out in my pyjamas. They're definitely cooler and comfier than jeans or chinos.

I’m average size but I still cover up and slap on factor 50. I don’t like the sun, it ages your skin. And I don’t like the discomfort of being burned either. Especially because it’s pointless since I just burn then go back to my original colour. I’ve noticed that people who like the sun are usually those who are capable of getting a lovely tan.

I always cover up with light clothes in the summer. I don't want sun burn and I hate the way sun cream feels. I think covering up looks far more sophisticated anyways.

In years to come, you'll be the one not suffering from some awful version of chemical poisoning/cancer/skin problems due to using copious amounts of sunscreen throughout their teens/20s/30s/40s etc..
Be grateful!

Sod anyone who voices their opinion. Nothing to do with them. To be honest most people take a glance and don’t even think about what u look like. I’m now 43 and have learnt to never care about what anyone other than my husband thinks about what I look.

I love loose linen clothes in hot weather. I find I'm much more comfortable and I don't care about looking creased (I pretend that it adds to my charming air of eccentricity!).

Some people just can't cope with the idea that not everyone is like them. It's a useful indicator that they are to be avoided generally.

I have a similar figure. I'm also always covered up in summer - not because I give a shit about people potentially criticising my body (I don't and will happily wear shorts with tights, narrow jeans and anything up to and including fancy dress if the occasion requires it I have a flimsy excuse), but it's just not me. I wear mostly black all year round and don't like flashing the flesh - however, I also look a hell of lot younger than everybody else I went to school with, because I don't do hot weather and sunshine.

I'd rather have morons pointing out 'oh look, there's a Goth!' (which there isn't, I'm a redhaired, pasty freckled ageing punk with Scots heritage) than ever endure the pain from sunburn I had from my shoulders when caught out once in South West London without sunblock for two hours (blisters, sleepless nights, migraines and the skin never went back to the same colour as my back; pure white) - or have yet another dizzy and fainting fit from heatstroke from something as strenuous as walking for five minutes to the bus stop in heat around the 73 Fahrenheit mark.

Just wear what you want and fuck the rest of them. You aren't the one that is going to look like a sundried lizard or need treatment for melanoma.

Italians don't shed all their clothes at the first sign of sun. I like nice linen or floaty stuff rather than tank tops and arse-skimming shorts. Particularly with white or burned English skin.

Exactly. I always get asked if I'm hit in jeans when it's like 24 degrees. 24 isn't hot, with a cami and sandals it's s very comfortable temperature. People in this country strip to shirts and boobtube at soon as it hits 17 degrees! 😂

Shorts* and boobtube

At 24 degrees people would still be wearing coats in a lot of countries!

Wear whatever you like!
And if you’d like to try some other things but are shy, try them out in your garden first.

It’s not even been warm - 17C and sunny here but I’ve seen people in shorts, tank tops and flip flops wandering around! Today I was in a nice light work dress with 40 denier tights and my mac folded over my arm!

I always cover up in summer too because I had skin cancer in my 20s. I wear long floaty tops or light cardigans over little vests and cotton trousers or maxi dresses. I feel protected and feminine. Do what makes you feel best OP.

If you are comfortable and not too hot then then do what makes you happy, if I saw you I might wonder if you were hot as I overheat very easily, but I certainly wouldn’t think you looked silly or anything!
I like to cover up to an extent too, I’m a size 22/24 with smallish saggy boobs but ok legs so I tend to wear cropped leggings under a loose-ish, round or bardot necklinie dress but with a tied or elasticated waist to give an illusion of a waist that I do not have. It’s how I feel most happy and that’s all u care about!