Anyone else HATE summer dressing?

[Sweetheart]

When the weather turns warmer I always feel like I totally loose my stride outfit wise. I think the crux of the problem is that I have GIANT thighs so shorts just look absolutely hideous on me - I have tried a million pairs and never found any that I am 100% happy with.

So all those pair shaped ladies out there - what are your summer staples?

I'm good with a dress but skirts / dresses just aren't always practical.

Fake tan is your friend in the summer months, for all you blue white people. I am very pale but just feel loads better with some colour. Cargo pants below the knee instead of shorts and bright slightly fitted tee-shirts. Love Birkenstocks!

I'm one of the blue \white people, I need to wear linen trousers (more ironing AAAAH..) A T shirt and shirt to cover up all in cotton or linen , more ironing!!!!!!

I HATE fake tan it never looks good on me and I don't like putting weird chemicals on my skin) I couldn't bear one of those spray tanning shops. I don't want to burn so I have to, either wear a hat which flattens my hair, or stay in, YES I HATE SUMMER too!!!!!

Not so much warmish wet summers, they're ok for dressing in, it's the scorchers!

No worries guys, it is still winter and we'll be lucky to have the odd warm day here or there

It is not the Med after all

I wear A lone skirts with T shirts or a shirt out of work, shirt dresses for work.

Mind you we live between mid Fr. and London and it's like winter here today

8 degrees, cloudy and rain later for me so, no exposure (cellulite/pallor/ageing body) for me today. I’ve just been to put the central heating on 😐. I think I panicked last week, with those four days (was it THAT long?) of random heat.

Had a choice of Copenhagen or Lisbon for a short visit, end of May and chose Copenhagen, much to dh’s disappointment.

My gran never had this problem. I remember her always in long skirts, blouses with the sleeves down and “good shoes” come rain or shine. She’d not be able to get her head around the sinking feeling I get round about April/May that I HAVE to get ready to expose myself, in public with shorts, knees out and sleeveless tops.

@ppeatfruit....The Garnier Summer Body isn’t bad on me. I don’t look “tanned” but not like a cadaver either. It’s a body lotion, rather than full on buscuity-nauseating-clothes staining Fake Tan.

I use it to take the edge off the glare, when I strip off.

Zazacat I wear boots a lot in the summer, you haven't mentioned your style so I'll show you the kind of thing that works for me.
These tan boots are similar to boots I'd wear.

If you like casual, Palladium boots are worth a look. They come in a multitude of colours and are comfy too.
My absolute favourites for summer are a couple of pairs of short low heeled leather cowboy style boots with chain accessory. Sounds horrendously 80s but they're not, I got them years ago after a thread on S&B and NewLook having a ridiculously cheap sale. Bought a tan and a dark brown pair and they go with pretty much everything.

I hate it too. Pear shaped, size 14, with the palest skin imaginable which burns easily. Enormous thighs make shorts a no go.

I got some lovely navy culottes to just below my knee in uniqlo 2 years ago, hope they bring them back!

Thanks AuntyJackies It's those damn chemicals. I use a Liz Earle compact foundationy thing with an SPF in it that's ok. Only on my face, and cover up everywhere else!

I hate it, have invested in a few jumpsuits to see me through.

I am deathly pale and my legs are always covered in bruises/insect bites/any type of rash so HATE having bare legs.

I also hate sandals as have to keep my toenails painted.

I feel your pain. Last summer wasn't so bad as I'd lost 2 stone and gone from being a large 18 to a small 18 and looking a bit better. But my main problem is just the wobblyness of everything. I see all of these plus size women who look AMAZING in summer and I wish I could channel them. I do try and have found a few things that work for me. I find that Monsoon do summer clothes that suit me - tops gathered under the boobs and nice light trousers. I've had a couple of pairs of thin harem style trousers from them which REALLY suit me (and because they're Monsoon they look well groomed rather than cheap). You wouldn't think they would be I get so many compliments. I team it all with very thin cardigans....so thin that it covers the wobbly bits but I don't get hot in them. Then it's all about good sandals, bags, sunglasses and painted nails. I also make an effort to do my hair and makeup which I fail miserably at the rest of the year. I also steer clear of shorts altogether. My legs are terrifying. They have no redeeming qualities.

I HAVE to plan my summer outfits so that I look well groomed (or as much as I can!). Otherwise I just look like a hot (not that sort of hot) mess.

I'm pregnant and will be 7-8 months over summer this year so I'm basically fucked style wise. I fear I will be living in maxi dresses. At the same time though it's the UK so good weather is not a done deal!

Size 16-18 here. Big boobs, small waist, big hips, small knees but solid calves so anything knee length looks ridiculous. I tend to wear three-quarter-length trousers in the spring, and then above-the-knee shorts in summer. Trainer socks and either low-top Converse or other low-top trainers.

Love a good jumpsuit too.

I work with masses of really young people. 17-22. They don’t seem to care at all about being pale / having dumpy thighs etc... legs out in shorts!
I’m glad about that, lm hoping that future generations will care a lot less about silly things like being pale - not quite perfect.
Shame to think so many people feel sad, hot and generally disgusted with bits of themselves during the summer.

ombre The only problem with being pale and OUT!! Is that when you're a bit older than 17 you BURN!!!!

ppeat
Just wear sunblock then!
Don’t hide away ~

I'm allergic to sunblocks! Also sun! Especially at midday ! Everyone is or should be! I do like myself just not all the palaver of shaving etc. to go bare legged.!

I too feel everyone's pain when the warmer weather arrives. I love strappy tops for casual but wearing a 38DD bra with wide straps means showing lots of greying bra strap. I don't mind too much amongst friends, but this July DP and I are going to Rome to celebrate 20 years together, and would really like something more chic. Wider straps on my tops, or more interesting bras? My legs look terrifyingly white at the moment, but hopefully will have developed some kind of a tan by then as I don't like fake tan.

I'm a pear. I think if you only saw my legs you'd think I was size 16, waist is a 12.

Last year I wore cropped jeans in light colours and I looked TERRIBLE.

My decision this year is to stick to dark colours on lower half and have bought some slim cropped trousers from Gap (for work) and some linen blend looser trousers from asda.

I also like tunic tops that have a bit of waist definition and leggings.

I have various maxi dresses that I'll probably sell cos they swamp me.

I found the comfiest sandals in the world in Next. So will live in them. And some black pumps with slight wedge for work

I'll try and sell the ten million shoes I bought last year in the hope of finding the magic shoe that wouldn't hurt and would make me look long legged and elegant.

@Ombre...but there’s a big difference between young firm flesh and the 56 yr old carcass I lugg around! I agree, I hope they reach a stage where it’s just not even a consideration. I doubt it though.

Ppeatfruit Have you tried Altruist sunscreen? I also react to a lot of sunscreens but this one seems ok so far. No greasy feeling, dries down very quickly. On Amazon.

My phone doesn't seem to want to upload a photo but you'll find it on Amazon.

I like wearing dresses in summer but then I have the annual problem with what to put on my feet. October to April I can hide them in wide comfy boots but not in the summer.
I have hideous bunions on both feet and finding something pretty to wear in the hot weather with a dress is impossible. Every time a shoe thread is on here I rush to google the suggestions only to realise they won’t fit over the widest part of my foot.
At the moment I have an adapted pair of flip flops ( a huge flower glued to the toe post to distract eyes from the monstrosities) and an old lady Velcro pair from hotter. I really wish someone would design proper wide strapped sandals , soft non rubbing leather, but pretty.
I’ve tried wearing lightweight trainers with a dress but hate the look.

Thank you bagel I'll look at that. I have discovered that raspberry seed oil is apparently a very good sunscreen and I'm trying to get hold of some. It's the whole chemistry shop that you get in all the sunscreens that I find unpleasant.

@Nell, oh god, don’t start me on shoes. I love boots and would live all year round in them (contemplates moving to Scotland) if I could. I’ve all sorts of sandals which have shredded my feet. I used to have slender ankles and feet but after I broke my ankle it never healed right and is thick and rolls inward. Real pretty! (reaches for ankle boots).