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?

[Teaistheanswer]

Really feel for you OP. I dread the summer for the same reason as an earlier post, evil varicose veins! Had two operations last year so they are much better but now have huge patches of thread veins as a side effect of op! I am very tall and fairly slim which means all I hear all summer is comments about why I haven't got my legs out! Occasionally I give people a peek so they can make the face of pity that usually follows! My yearly mission is to find long, floaty skirts which actually reach my ankles. Good luck with your summer wardrobe and I hope you enjoy your holiday.

[MandyFl0ss]

OP are you me???!!! This is my predicament ever single year. I also just want to look good on holiday but it seems an impossible task.

[Dulcimena]

Op it sounds like you have a clear sense of style, I 100% agree with a pp about looking for your winter wardrobe in summer weight fabrics. You say that when you go for casual you look a mess (your words!) so don't bother. You have a clear style that you like and works for you, why mess with a winning formula?

[AgathaF]

Definitely get your hair under control with a brazillian keratin blowdry - £25 for a DIY one from Amazon. It makes so much difference to frizzy hair that reacts to damp.

Have you tried those lacy looking beach cover-ups? They tend to come mid-thigh on me (but I'm tall), and they are boxy, but because they are lacy and sort of see=through, they are much more flattering than a complete cover-up.

I second the suggestions up thread of fitflops - really comfortable and with some heel height so flattering too.

[bingohandjob]

Monki do some great summer gear...I bought (several) full length thin, cool comfortable cotton full length summer dresses and some hip length ones which I wore over leggings as I actually found that cooler and more comfortable to wear if walking. Keep an eye out for their summer stuff later in year or look on eBay. Uniqo do some good UV protection stuff too - I try to stay covered in sun as very pale so got some of their thin hoodies.

[MandyFl0ss]

Did anyone watch Girls last night? It got me thinking that I am fairly similar to Lena Dunham, white and wobbly. With the right clothes I hide it pretty well but when the weather is hot...

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

I guess I should give the shops a chance to bring their summer stock in. I'm just panicking and want it all sorted. As I'm definitely (I hope) going to try and lose some weight so hopefully I'll be able to wear things I wouldn't consider now.

Mandy yes I watched Girls yesterday and I thought gosh I am not quite as large as Lena and yet I've got way more hangups about my body. Yesterday's episode really made me laugh though.

Chipmunk yes that strategy works fine in the UK town where I live where temperatures are no more than 20, 24 Celsius, but not on holiday where the might reach 30.

[Getsomesleep]

Get a saress for by the pool -they are sooooo flattering and actually look better in real life than the pics. I have loads and they are a godsend!

[storynanny]

Oh this is definitely me too, except this summer I am now ancient (60)
I'm ok with dresses showing my white legs and my bingo wings aren't that bad but feet! I struggle every summer as I have hideous bunions.
Can't wear flip flops as the horrid bunions hang out, can't wear anything strappy as they cut into the horrid bunions and can't wear anything higher than couple of centimetres as I have arthritic knees.
I am thinking this summer that I will give up on sandals completely and search for lightweight shoes instead which will look ok with dresses.
I can wear trainers with cropped trousers but as I am only 5'2" they look ridiculous with a dress.
It's really sad that I look forward to the Autumn when I can break into my collection of lovely boots!
Any suggestions for horrid size 5 feet with bunions gratefully received.
Ps not brave enough to have the surgery.

[CountFosco]

I go on holiday in Scotland, last year my 'ready for our holiday' purchases included a Joules raincoat and a pair of wellies . I'm only half joking, we went to Scandinavia for our honeymoon because I didn't want to go somewhere hot because I find it so difficult in hot climates, I just worry about burning the whole time. Last time we went to Spain we went in the autumn to avoid the excessive heat.

I think it can be difficult to buy clothes in the UK because there's a limited petite range (I'm a similar size and weight to you) and things aren't really in a light enough material for hot temperatures, e.g. trousers. Actually I'd be tempted to wait and get some floaty trousers when you arrive in your holiday destination, they are much cooler to wear than shorts.

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

CountFosco that's my kind of holiday too ; that is a good point actually, local shops will have more appropriate clothes. I don't know if I've mentioned it but I'm going to Majorca. Spanish ladies are a bit shorter than English ladies right, so hopefully their sizes will fit better. I just can't count on being able to go shopping with my family in tow and don't know what shops will be around the area. Sometimes holiday destinations just have the two extremes: large stores that sell rows of really nasty polyester clothing made in China or little boutiques with super cool floaty extremely expensive white beachwear to be worn with leather and silver jewellery (which I do love) .

[CountFosco]

Spanish ladies are a bit shorter than English ladies right, so hopefully their sizes will fit better

They do but I find the colours are all wrong for me with my pale skin, reddish hair and blue eyes. You could probably do some googling to see what the shops are like before you get there, I think things like tops and shoes are easy enough to buy here (and even dresses if you can find nice petite dresses) but you can always add something Spanish to your holiday wardrobe.

[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

[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.

[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

[Notreallyhappy]

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

[Mandyfl0ss]

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

[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?

[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!

[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]

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.

[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.

[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!

[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.