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 agree @Angelo buying dresses is almost impossible - I don't try anymore.

What do you wear on your bottom half if you are an apple but also have a little extra thigh chub so skinny anything just makes you look like you've been squeezed into sausage casing or tapering at the ankle makes you look like a Y given you are blessed with FF norks?

Why aren't soft wide leg chinos a thing?

H&M have linen tees again this year for £12.99. I can't see much difference, if any, between theirs and the ones Poetry sell for £45 each. I bought one last year (only £8 then) and it still looks great. Getting some more in.

Mina I rate the H&M t shirts as well. Much better quality than Gap ones. Everything I’ve bought from Poetry and Wrap has shrunk or gone shapeless.
As a fellow apple shape Queen I am wearing M&S widecropped linen trousers. I’m aware though that lots of posters don’t think Linen is elegant but it’s definitely having a fashion moment this summer.

I love linen.

The problem with linen on me is that it creases so badly and I immediately look scruffy. Plus, it needs ironing.

I had some lovely linen trousers from Next they were super soft but the next year I went to get some and they were so scratchy. Linen does crease horribly though, shame!

Of all places KnownUnknowns there is sandals like that in forever 21.

I rescently bought these from there. Leather too. Look alot more expensive than they are. In tan. And a pair of hermes H dupes in orange. That are leather and also only £11 (not on website though!)

www.forever21.com/uk/shop/catalog/product/f21/shoes/2000255407

Totally agree OpenUp. When in London at the weekend I wore cigarette trousers with a nicely cut top that skimmed not s t r e t c h e d, and I slightly rolled the sleeves to show my forearms. So only really my ankles and wrists on show. I was conspicuous against the sea of over-stretched, strappy polyester tops and crumpled shorts.

I'm fascinated where all of these skimmy clothes are. All I see in the shops are floaty (ie hang from the bust creating a wall of fabric) or boxy and shapeless

I want clothes that are fitted. And that fit. That doesn't mean stretched and ill fitting. It just means they have a waist and a fitted bust area

I got a couple of nicely fitting tops from M&S last year. Good light weight cotton jersey fabric, fitting neatly on the shoulders and slightly shaped in at waist. Jigsaw do them as well but 4 times the price obvs.

I saw a woman in France last year - denim shorts loose fitting and a slouchy long sleeved shirt, lovely shiny hair and a light tan, natural make up if any - she looked at ease, so right, so appropriate...on holiday, night out at an open air festival. She didn't look over done or that she'd made too much of an effort...not many people can do that.

It's not really the clothes, it's the figure.

If I wore loose-fitting denim shorts and a slouchy long-sleeved shirt (as in French woman example), I'd look drowned, and a mixture of a refugee from the 90s and the frumpier end of the Boden catalogue.

Loose shorts are all very well if you have very slim legs, but if you have porkier (white) legs there is the real danger of filling out the loose shorts. Light tan? Don't make me laugh. I do red or white. And natural or no make-up. Fair enough day-to-day, but on a night out I'd look like I'd just been on 20 nights out running if I had wore no eye make-up.

if I had wore? If I were wearing I think I meant to say...

@Queenofice
Matalan relaxed skinnies and slim straight chinos are great for apples (I am one)

I can't really do skimmy floaty. I am 5ft3, size 6, and anything designed to be slouchy or skimming just swamps me. I do fitted in summer as much as possible, and also sleeveless when it's about 25 degrees C!

Same shape here, NClikecrazy. But make that 30 degrees for me; I am always freezing!

I've come to the conclusion that I look wrong and feel uncomfortable in clothes that shout 'bought especially for the holiday' e.g. Multi coloured maxi dresses and lightweight linen clothing that crushed like Billy-o both of which I tried and I did not rock on previous holidays. They went straight to eBay on my return.

Now I stick to simple cotton shorts/ tops/ crop chinos and couple of shift dresses in neutral tones with occasional splash of colour. Probably makes me very boring to be honest, but I'm more comfortable wearing that type of clothing.

I love this thread, got so many good ideas from it.
These are my summer sandals/shoes, the tan ones inspired by this thread. The others are for a more casual look.

Was diligently working my way through this fab thread when old fat fingers here swiped instead of scrolled and suddenly I was back on the 'Active' page... No time to start again/try to find my place!

BUT, I would add an exclusive/expensive scent - floral or citrusy and nothing too heavy. Just enough to fragrant the air as you glide past...

To the poster who said she "never sees sights like that in Berlin" ..I can tell you that I lived in Berlin for many, many years, and have seen some of the worst crimes against fashion there.

I was in Spain over the weekend and apart from amazement that some people still had coats and scarves in when it was 25°, I thought most people looked lovely.

I liked the high waisted shorts look with a simple t shirt and lovely sandals look, especially on the younger women

I was going to say, if you are an apple would slim fit straight trousers work better than skinnies (not sure which pp it was). I'm not an apple, but an inverted triangle, so wider shoulders, quite straight up and down with longer, thinner legs. Sometimes skinnies can make me look top heavy, but slim, straight trousers can be easier to pull off but still flatter slimmer legs.

I think the key to looking put together has three parts, in no particular order

1. choosing a flattering colour palette and combinations
2. choosing flattering shapes of clothes for your body shape, hence some posters says x style would look rubbish on me
3. your own personal style, which influences 1) and 2) and makes you feel like you iyswim

I like quite a minimal style, not too classic/formal or I feel frumpy, but I would add some stand out shapes or accessories. I think if you look at someone who looks great in summer clothes, you might need to "translate" that into your own style. For instance,I would swap dainty, gold jewellery for something more statement, or often a bit boho in summer (hoping for a touch of boho luxe).

I haven’t tried these as they are the wrong shape for me but these dresses have that simple, chic vibe about them ...

They are from Woolovers.