Help! What the hell to wear on VERY HOT city breaK?

[ThreeForAPound]

Its going to be 40 degrees and humid. We are going to want to sight-see a bit.

What to wear? I don't 'do' shorts.

What sort of shoes?

I'm in a panic!

I always wear 3/4 leggings and thin tunics that come to above the knee.

No rubbing on thighs, smart enough to go in churches/museums.

I always wear fit flops or Gabor for walking. The Z strap fit flops provide some ankle support if you're walking a fair bit.

I've been to Barcelona and New York in sweltering heat - found crop trousers (jersey material v comfy) and loose Vest/T-Shirt/Top combo worked well.
I've worn Clarks flat sandals or Skechers Go Walk trainers.
I don't like hats but one might be useful and sunnies of course!
Best idea is to take sightseeing slowly and stop for lots of breaks/drinks.
If you have kids head for somewhere air conditioned for a bit - aquariums are good!

Everything linen or cotton.

Next currently have some gorgeous linen dresses, I got myself a couple for my holidays.

Strappy flats. As little coverage as possible to keep your feet cool. Birkenstocks are always a good idea.

Floppy hat
Floaty dress in cotton, linen or silk? Something like this: m.johnlewis.com/kin-by-john-lewis-frill-sleeve-dress-blue/p/3233432
Slightly too big sandals (because your feet will stretch.
Two or three changes a day at least.
Water to throw on your head as well as to drink.
I hear baby oil or talc can be good to stop your thighs rubbing together.

Good luck

Thanks all.

I think its going to be too hot for leggings of any description, but like the idea of loose 3/4 trousers in a light material. Any ideas where to find them?

Definitely need some sort of flat-ish comfy sandal. Flip flops won't cut it I don't think, and trainers way too hot.

Hats. I find them so uncomfortable. Gah. What sort of thing would you wear? Its not a touristy city, so I don't want to look like a Brit-on-safari .

No kids with us, so at least I dot have to faff about with getting stuff for them, too!

Next are doing some loose 3/4 culottes - think poss in black or navy.

I've seen 3/4 linen trousers in M & S and Debenhams.

I never bother with a hat but maybe tie your hair up if it's long?

I'm off on a hot, humid city break at the end of July.

So far I have got long shorts, cropped trousers (debenhams), cropped harem type trousers (Sainsburys) and a couple of cotton dresses from Boden plus anti chaff shorts. Already have lots of t shirts etc for the top half. I've got some cheap supportive sandals from a Hotter outlet which aren't too hideous. Other than that I was going to look out there as well.

The current hot, humid weather is good for practising my outfits!

I love Skechers for comfort.

I live in a city like this - I find skirts so much better than trousers, this year I've got a couple of ankle length, straight skirts with slits up to the knees on the side. Wearing them all the time with Birkenstock and cotton or linen tops.
Always carry a lightweight scarf - cover up when you need to but also Air Con can be a killer if you're dressed to be out in the heat then go indoors.
I hate hats they make my head itch and my hair frizz, get a good day cream with sun protection built in and sunglasses you should be fine. But carry water all the time and go slow, I knew I was becoming local when I started to cross the road to walk in the shade!

Walking on the shady side of the street is ultra-sensible. Thin loose linen/ramie/cotton/silk clothing is good, and go commando if you can brazen it out. (It's a survival mechanism in NY heatwaves.)

I would go all boho a lovely white cotton loose dress with embroidery - maybe off shoulder, with a tan leather cross body bag and tan leather open toe sandals - wedge, block heel or flat.
Fedora white hat - sorted.
Dress could be short or midi length and voluminous to keep you cool.

Loose dresses are my go to (I made a kimono style one that's great), hat, comfortable sandals. Dress wise I always want sleeves (particularly useful if you're wanting to visit religious sights), not too fitted. Empire line, kimono, swing and tunic work for me. Light fabrics, maxis and loose tunic/tank tops. I don't normally wear a hat but we spent a month in various temps of 30-45 degrees and I got over it. I also got over shorts and bought a pair of linen 'city' style shorts that are knee length and more tailored. I wore a broad brimmed straw hat with a simple plain band. It was from an outdoor shop but I felt like I went well with summer dresses and shades www.trespass.com/brimming-womens-straw-hat . Depends on your personal style though. Similarly, Hotter Shoes have a range of surprisingly acceptable flat sandals www.hotter.com/gb/en/sol-sandals?fit=&colour=Soft%20Gold and they are very comfortable .

This probably sounds like I was kitted out like a more mature lady - I'm in my thirties - but I felt fairly confident that the effect was more classic style. Also, don't walk in the middle of the day! Find cool places to retreat to. Plan morning and evening excursions.

Not flip flops but FIT flops - like this

I would:
Use super-strength anti-perspirant
Wear a really comfy, cotton bra, and cotton knickers
Wear a loose dress, or skirt and top, definitely not anything with thin straps
Wear Birkenstocks (or similar)
Take a fan (Accessorize have nice ones)
Carry a bag made of non-hot, non-sticky material
Wear a straw hat - but I do have fine hair and my parting burns - I got a nice broad-brimmed one from Village Hats online last year
Drink loads of water all day long!

Nite flights makes an excellent point - think about your underwear a d take cotton if you can. All the light outer clothes mean nothing if you're in overly padded/synthetic pants and bras. I now own winter and summer bras

I was in this position last year (not 40 degrees, but over 30 which is almost unbearable for me).

I wore wide, lightweight white linen-mix trousers more than anything else (good thing it wasn't that time of the month!) - I wished I'd bought two pairs in the end. I also had a long light brown crinkle skirt and a pair of light grey cotton cycling shorts to wear underneath, because I get very chafed if I don't wear something under a skirt and then sweat a lot. Light coloured but not white t-shirts, because pure white ones seem to go yellow if sun cream touches them and never go completely back to white again. Light green is a colour I like wearing in that situation but yours might be something else!

I didn't have a hat, but I wished I had - and someone gave me a tip that if you take a cotton sun hat and immerse it in water before you put it on, it will help to keep you cool.

I mainly wore low-heeled silver sandals from Clarks. They had quite a substantial, supportive base. I have a pair of strappy but very thin-soled gladiator sandals I would love to wear for a situation like that but they just wouldn't have been as comfortable for lots of walking (I had to walk a long way in them recently after a cock-up on the bus fare front and my legs and feet really ached the next day).

And I developed a passion for ice tea. The city I was in had a lot of free cold drinking water fountains everywhere so I tended to start with a bottle of ice tea, then top it up with water everywhere I went.

I'm in the same predicament, but I think the black and navy trouser recommendations would kill you! I was looking for white palazzo pants that don't have pockets and do have an elasticated waist, but I'd want them to be quite thin, not jersey, and they don't seem to exist.

Everyone says linen, but that must crease horribly doesn't it?

I saw someone yesterday with the loveliest dress but I can't imagine how to find it - just below knee, almost a square shape so that it wasn't sleeveless as very floaty, maybe chiffon. Really wafty and perfect for this sort of city break.

I'm a 14, but hoping to get back to a 12 before we go, and I am absolutely stuck on what to wear. Plain colours, white and cream, quite fitted probably as bigger stuff makes me look even heavier, but then I have no idea . . .

Definitely following this thread!

Linen dresses. Not too tight/fitted, knee length so ok for churches, sleeveless for coolness but not strappy to protect from sunburn. Cotton in the same style. Flat, cushioned leather sandals- you can get ones that are cool/pretty not frumpy- and a straw hat. Not one that's so wide-brimmed and floppy that you can't see anything.

Where are you all going. Why the secrecy? I wanna know!

second the linen tunic dresses from Next, I wouldn't normally buy anything from there but having moved recently to a "hot climate" I rotate 4 of them instead of t-shirts/shorts.. Covered enough for shopping, lunch and you could add a scarf (am in a predominately muslim country)

Culottes and vest tops.
Sleeveless 3/4 length jumpsuits.
Knee length sleeveless dresses with shorts underneath (fucking chub rub!)

All cotton, linen and viscose.

forgot, also live in fit flops, for everything including dog walking!

No secrecy from me Soda, Rome!

I just can't bear the scruffiness of linen and I hate the Next website too, can never find anything there.

Jumpsuits - loo?