How to Look Expensive (in the summer)

[diamondsandrose]

Please can we resurrect my favourite EVER thread, but with a summer twist?

I think I'm pretty stylish in cooler weather but struggle in the heat.

I know the usual drill ..natural fabrics, linen cotton silk in neutral colours. Light tan courtesy of gradual tanner. Tan real leather sandals. Straw or heavy cotton beach bag. No gaudy colours or prints. No bra strap showing under vests.

But I still feel I don't look as good as I could if I tried a bit harder! I get freckly and I think that stops me looking expensive!

Please tell me your tips and stories of fab expensive looking stylish people you've seen on holiday

I got brirkenstock type sandals last year. They are quite chunky but for some reason my feet don't feel as big in these as other sandals and they are comfy!

Lonicera they are actually comfortable and I don't normally get on that well with toe posts.

I've been trying to find a nice, good quality, sort of slouchy cotton shirt, like the style in the pic. Preferably in nice baby blue or pink, to wear with tailored shorts or smart skinny jeans.

Problem is, same as PP I'm slim with big boobs so something that skims my bust is too big everywhere else and vice versa.

Any suggestions?

Angelo try H and M. The white one is a bit flimsy but I have a blue and white striped one which is perfect with denim cut offs

Just marking my place.

As someone who is very pale and cool-toned I find tan not that flattering. Taupe or espresso brown are quite good substitutes for tan sandals. Also, navy, black, grey, silver or pewter. I agree that finding sandals is hard! My feet aren't super narrow but a bit wide with a high instep, so anything too flimsy or dainty looks ridiculous and is uncomfortable, I also can't manage soles that are too thin or inflexible. Brandalley have a sale on greek sandals atm.

Angelo I have the same problem. Have you tried the 'stylist's tuck' where you just casually tuck a bit of the front of the shirt into your waistband? It gives a bit more definition at your waist.

Where do you all stand on Fit Flops? Are they a real no-no in the style stakes? They are expensive though!

@AngeloMysterioso I'm a 32F and can recommend the Uniqlo linen ones. I've just bought white, pale grey and khaki, really pleased with them

Ooh angelo those shirts are gorg.

@AngeloMysterioso I am also generous of nork. Have you looked at Kitri?

macnab I would say there are fitflops and there are fitflops (I say that as someone who used to wear the originals, which now look very dated, due to the dreaded plantar fasciitis). Someone upthread linked to a more slimline version from next.

I would also say there are linen trousers and linen trousers. Some linen looks delightfully rumpled in a kind of relaxed way and some just looks awful. It might also depend on your personal style, if you have a more casual, relaxed style, it can look good, perhaps less so if you have a more formal/classic style.

As a pale person, I don't want to wear anything too revealing in the heat, as I want to protect myself from sunburn! I'm trying to go for either arms out or legs out. Yesterday, was a navy, sleeveless jumpsuit, though I had a long, thin cardi as a cover up, as I was outside at an event all day. Today I've got long, denim shorts with a dark brown cotton shirt and a grey cami under with silver earrings and bangles. I'm trying to keep hot weather wear simple to attempt to look chic .

Why are there a disproportionate number of curvacious posters here? In real life I don't see so many.

I have the opposite problem and would love to be less pear shaped.

@LoniceraJaponica

Maybe we've just become good at hiding the boobage? I loathe being top heavy. It's hard to dress to look expensive when the eurotrash look comes so naturally.

Those Kitri shirts are gorgeous. I'm also generous of nork and find shirts that fit difficult to find.

quirky I'm the same as you. I don't immediately shed most of my clothes when the sun comes out. Not because I'm pale but because all that flesh on show is just not chic or stylish at all. I popped into London at the weekend and there were just acres and acres of bare flesh spilling out of people's clothes. It just looked grotesque.

Skanky feet in flip flops. Skimpy, colourful polyester singlet tops teamed with black shorts or black cropped leggings (presumably labouring under the misapprehension that the black slims their lower half. It really doesn't).

I've spent extended periods of time in Paris, Berlin and Milan and you never see sights like that.

Marking place

It is hard to look elegant and expensive with big boobs, they just seem to cheapen almost everything I wear

Part of the problem is that many British people say that they are melting when the temperature reaches the mid-20s, which is considered a pleasantly warm spring day in most of Europe, rather than weather that warrants going out in public barely clothed.

I've spent extended periods of time in Paris, Berlin and Milan and you never see sights like that

That's just not true. I hate all this Brit bashing on threads like this. We are as stylish / unstylish as any other nation. I see plenty of hideous styling on my travels around Europe.

My biggest experience in Europe is of holland. I'd say most Dutch women couldnt do smart / stylish / expensive if their life depended on it but could probably nail a cool / unstructured / European vibe much better than their British counterparts.

Let's not ruin this thread by slagging other women off eh?

I don't agree Angelo.
IMO clothes hang more nicely on curvy women. All it requires is a properly fitting bra.

Big boobs doesn't equal looking cheap.

I'm reasonably busty and in a hot climate right now. My only problem now is the sheer blummin torture or uncomfortableness that is my strapless bra.

Ultrababy- love that top and the 501s. Bloody loved 501s. Coincidentally I watched Top Gun again today (off sick, don't laugh, it's a guilty pleasure) and my god Kelly McGillis looked good in faded 501s and a plain white t shirt.

I live in fitflop shoes- I have the white leather 'trainers', I have plantar fasciitis and minging toenails so don't do sandally sandals. I may get some Menorcan wedges though. I have flat Menorcan sandals but they're too flat for the PF.

Lonicera you’ll need to tell me where you shop then... I hardly ever find stuff that’s cut to suit women with boobs!

Dresses being my main gripe... I have some lovely summer dresses but have to wear them with wide belts, because where the waistline should be ends up round my ribs somewhere because of my bust.

I can't help Angelo. I am a measly 32B, and pear shaped. I would love to be able to wear shift dresses for example, but if they skim my hips they flap emptily around my bust.

Uniqlo has some linen shirts in pink and blue, might get the desired slouch. Gap used to sell loads of colours in the boyfriend linen but alas no more, but might be worth a look.

I also find big boobs limiting - I love crew necks, polo necks and buttoned up shirts but I have to be very careful how I wear these, I have a long neck so i can get away with pushing it a bit more but generally I don't like v necks or scoop necks and slash neck and boat necks expose a very thick and unattractive bra strap.