I don't look good in the summer

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

I am in my mid 40s (I look at least 6 or 7 years younger), and although I am short (5.2") and currently overweight (by no more than 1 stone), I scrub up pretty well in spring/autumn and winter clothes.

Now the summer is a different matter altogether. I have really white pasty skin and my legs don't look well in dresses without tights. My worst feature by far is my thighs, they are disproportionately big in comparison to the rest of my body, and of course they rub together. There's no swimming costume that can hide my thighs, those low leg ones just make my already short legs look even shorter.

Then there's my hair. It goes frizzy and wiry in humidity, looks awful, I can't give in to it and get it to be wavy, it just looks a frizzy mess.

I wear make up all the time but this looks obviously silly b the pool/beach, which is fine, but it's just that everything combined, I feel I look a mess and I feel ugly. The heat does something to my face, makes me look puffy.

I don't even know what I'm asking here. We are going on holiday somewhere hot in August and I am stressing about it. I can't seem to get the discipline to lose the weight, this would help so much. Those kaftan style cover ups look awful on me because the are boxy and show my legs. I don't like sarongs. A fitted maxi would be better but I can't find anything that is both cotton and petite.

That's another issue in itself, why a beach clothes made of polyester and viscose!?

What are our tips to look good in the heat?

[PossumInAPearTree]

Last year someone to,d me my legs didn't tan because they were dry. I got some l'ccitane in shower almond oil stuff and did my legs last year and they started tanning.

[Lucked]

You have my sympathies. I have different problems - terribly thick ankles and I am apple shaped. I also have the pasty skin though.

One fake tan tip I learned (possibly from mumsnet) is not to buy the gradual tanners for pale skin as they are more orange than the darker shades which are browner. I now buy the darker dove but I only need two days to get the perfect colour. I only use it for special occasions but it is good to have something I know works.

[storynanny]

Re the difficulty finding cotton summer dresses. 2 years ago I made myself 4 dresses, simple shift with cap sleeves and I wore and wore them as they fitted properly. I am very short waisted and struggle to get dresses to fit in shops.
If you don't sew, no problem , find a local seamstress and a pattern you like and ask her to fit the pattern to your shape. The cotton fabric with a small Lycra content is perfect as it doesn't crease when you sit down. I lined my dresses so that they hung properly, skimmed the body and didn't show bulges.
I made 4 dresses for about £40 including pattern, fabric, zips etc.
Still had a problem finding footwear to go with them though..

[yummycake123]

I hate dressing in the summer too, it really stresses me out. I feel like summer highlights all the bits I don't like about my body: chunky thighs and chubby arms! I used to have toned arms, now they look fat too FFS.
I'm 43, nearly as tall as you (5'3) and I'm also a stone overweight. I I don't like to show my legs. So the be honest I avoid dresses and shorts (anything over the knees basically). I prefer chinos or those "harem"-style trousers that are a bit baggy... and then wear nice floaty tops, and sandals.
I try to focus on other things like:

• highlight my hair
• nice sunglasses and accessories
• use St Tropez fake tan (I like the one you can use in the shower)
• do my nails/toenails with a bright colour, like corals and reds
• wear summery body lotions and perfumes so that I feel "summery" (iyswim)

Following this with interest!

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

I shop online mostly but I don't rate asos I'm afraid. I know they do a Petite range but the quality usually isn't there. Not a lot of cotton either. I don't want to wear flat sandals as I'm only 5.2". I am looking for a nice wedge flip flop. Any links to cotton dresses that will suit a short plump middle aged lady?

[BitOutOfPractice]

I don't think you're looking very hard then because I saw loads in the shops this week. Ones that would work really well with flat sandals.

I wear dresses about 90% of the time and this year really is a bonanza year for dresses. My bank balance proves this!

Also have you tried ASOS if you don't want to go actual shopping

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

Hi BitOutOfPractice I am sorry I didn't meant to ignore you. My style doesn't suit hot weather at all. In the summer in the UK I wear dresses that are quite structured and call for high heels (wedges in my case). My problem is when I try to cater for hotter weather, dresses like that look silly during the day as they're usually lined. I am not finding many 100% cotton dresses in the shops at all in any case, but I am also wanting to look good in an environment that is out of my comfort zone, i.e. by the pool in a holiday resort, the beach, the local town, etc. A cotton dress that has sleeves and knee length is not that easy to find.

[BitOutOfPractice]

I'm going to ask again why, if you have a style that serves you well through the whole year, you throw that out entirely in the summer? There are tons of lovely sites summer dresses that would suit you like the picture you posted. The shops are FULL of them this year

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

I have managed to find two maxi petite cotton dresses in the clearance section of next. I will report back.

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

Ah sunscreen that's a whole other thread. I have been very pleased with this total block: <a class="break-all" href="//www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00SM99KWU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">//www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00SM99KWU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[GingerMcGrey]

I have all of that plus truly awful acne from the suncream. Nightmare. The rest of my family tan beautifully and look wonderful, I end up hating them slightly.

[CakeThat]

I suffer in the summer too! My only tips are:

• put antiperspirant roll on on your inner thighs, it really stops them rubbing and getting sore.
  
• wear a sun cream with hint of colour on your face La Roche Posay do a really good one, its lighter than foundation but makes you feel as though you've still got something on your face!
  
• Fit flops are lovely, they usually are quite pricey in the peak of summer but you might be able to get some bargains on eBay/amazon about now.
  
• make peace with shorts. They may not look the most stylish but they're so comfortable and practical on holiday. Surely some just above the knee ones in black or navy or denim would cover your thighs ok?

[Laiste]

Yay! I was in there again today (getting grumpy about the skinny jean sizing), saw that long shirt and thought of you OP :)

They haven't got the blue so i haven't seen it, but i think i might get the white and belt it or wear it as a loose jacket thing for when (if?) the weather is warm again.

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

An update. I purchased the long shirts from M&S that Laiste suggested, I got the white and the blue. They're actually pretty good. The longer back than front feature is not a particularly flattering one on me but still; the blue is a gorgeous flattering colour. The while is lightweight and doesn't look like a lab coat once on, well, I don't think so anyway. So that's two items I have for the summer.

[Itscurtainsforyou]

Oh and shoes -I go for hush puppies as they're always comfy. I found some great sandals from heavenly feet in tk maxx last year - I never took them off!

[Itscurtainsforyou]

I'm in the same boat.

What I've tried to do is get some summer clothes in colours that suit me (Autumn colours) - not easy to find, but short sleeved tops in deep reds, greens, brown and navy for example.

I hate skirts and don't suit shorts (unless it's so hot that I don't care) so I will go for cotton or linen trousers or lightweight jeans (darker colours don't show the creases as much). I can't do cropped trousers as they make my legs look short, so go for full length.

Then some nice (& comfy) sandals, sun glasses and summer-coloured bag and I feel less of a mess. Also I either tie back my hair or use a head band of some kind to keep it out of my face. But I still breathe a sign of relief when it gets to September though.

[MerlinsScarf]

I'm sure you do, as do I, but 'fashion' or no 'fashion', the cuts and fabrics that lend themselves to summer and hot weather year after year are the problem I come up against.

[Notreallyhappy]

Merlin,,,, I'm fair with dark hair like I said not small. I don't pick whats in 'fashion' i pick what suits.
Mandy... if 20 minutes is good add 10 more on see if over a month it makes a difference to your shape.
Be kind to yourself

[MerlinsScarf]

Oh but Notreallyhappy, when the weather changes or I visit a hot climate, I do wake up and suddenly feel a complete mess.

Like the OP I've got my winter, autumn and spring looks all worked out but I turn to a sticky mess in summer, on top of which none of the typical summer styles or colours suit my shape and complexion. I'm fine with my pale skin but on a hot day I turn pasty, bright colours and stark whites make it worse.

I haven't found a solution yet bar moving to the north pole. Watching with interest for inspiration!

[BitOutOfPractice]

I agree with the PP who said you should go for a dress like the one you posted but in cotton, sleeveless. In s light jersey or cotton. If that look suits you why are you looking for s new look?

[Mandyfl0ss]

Notreallyhappy I went for a run today. 20 mins and I wasn't even out of breath. What's that all about?!

[Notreallyhappy]

Talk to your hairdresser and ask what's best for your hair in the summer.x

[Notreallyhappy]

Slap me if I'm out here but you've got some nice bits. No one gets up in the morning & say they look a complete mess. You need to redress how you think of yourself.
I'm 5.7, a stone over & 50. have a bigger belly than Id like but concentrate on my vava voom up top. A bit of make up &hair up and no one actually gives a shit about how i look by the pool. It's in your head.
If your holiday is August you have time if your able to follow a toning program to shape your legs up. Find a 30 day on Google, your legs will shape up believe in yourself.
Be kind to yourself

[Lalsy]

OP, I am ancient, unshapely and white too but last year I bought some Boden linen shorts - they come in three lengths, and are quite baggy (so better for the large of knee, I told myself). I thought people might keel over in horror but they were so comfy, cool and practical that I didn't care....actually no-one seemed to notice (and I questioned my family closely, who are not usually slow to tell me how embarrassing I am) even tho I looked a bit like I was off to conquer a small country in the 19C.....Anyway, unstylish though they were, I wore decent sandals and nice-ish tops and actually felt fine. Enjoyed the heat a lot more, walked loads, generally felt quite happy with them. They came to above the knee but hid my thighs but can be turned up or down a bit.And no rubbing.

[2017SoFarSoGood]

Can I just say I found short shorts last summer and looked and felt so much better than in the long length I'd been wearing for years. Amazing. Not cheek revealing short but short. Changed my summer wardrobe completely. Wore them with shorter floaty tops or even fitted t-shirts. Made my short fat aged legs look much longer.


would take a miracle to make them look less milk bottle white though