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

diamond

I did a DeadSeaSalt+Korean towel on Thursday and got DH in to do my back (he was suitably impressed and horrified in equal measure)

I did the back of my neck too (had to keep under the water like an alligator) my neck at the back feels lovely now. I don't think I'd use it on my face/decolletage though.

It is well worth the soak and scrub, I'm not a bath person but I can do this once a week. Fake tan is cruddy when it fades.

Nude underwear. White shows under white clothing. Nude doesn’t.

As HappyGirlNow pointed out up-thread, looking like a tourist is a dead giveaway.

One of my prouder moments was being mistaken for a french person in Paris (someone asked me for directions "in french").

I was wearing a black linen dress, black suede sandals, cream cotton jacket, pastel patterned scarf and tan shoulder bag.

I live in the Middle East and wear way more clothes in 40° than I saw people wearing in Cornwall at 15°. The dress code here is 'shoulders and knees covered' for cultural reasons but honestly people are so much better dressed here I'm all for that rule applying everywhere .
I stock up on neutral coloured linen trousers, skirts and shirts in the UK from M&S, Sainsbury's, Uniqlo. Also t-shirts and camis from H&M are remarkably good.
I do tend to wear havaianas to work every day so I may be chucked off this thread, but I have a few pairs of their 'luna' sandals in non-shiny metallic colours and they look great. I also have the statutory tan sandals - mine are Sam Edelman from TK Maxx.
And nice Moschino cat eye specs.

What’s the best gradual tan moisturiser?

Lightly tanned, soft & smooth skin. Absolutely no dry skin anywhere.

Neutral pedicure and manicure. Definitely no 'holiday varnish' or nail art.

A simply cut black, shift dress in a quality jersey fabric + tan real leather wedges + expensive sunnies always looks good.

Try and improve your posture, tilt your chin up slightly, straighten your shoulders and pull your stomach in. You instantly look 7lbs lighter.

Stay away from garish summer colours and polyester, it looks cheap and nasty. Black, tan, olive green, white and navy are not boring (which is what the badly dressed tell themselves). These neutrals are achingly stylish and beautifully tasteful.

Please can someone tell me why tan is supposed to be a classy colour for sandals?

I don't wear tan. It wouldn't go with any of my clothes. Being a winter colour my sandals are black.

Any recs for where to find a decent black jersey dress?

I can very highly recommend Gossard Glossies nude bras because they go up to a G cup, are very comfy and are invisible under light coloured tops.

Depends what kind of expensive you're going for. A botanical maxi dress that looks like it was from Anthropologie with tan leather sandals is one look, crisp white shirt and fine navy linen blazer is another.

Great sunglasses help. Subtle nails, excellent skin ad brow care. Very well moisturised hair. No straw.

Why tan sandals? Anybody?

Personally I find tan less harsh and more flattering than black.

Black sandals I would feel are too "heavy" for summer holidays / hot weather

I'm not a fan of black shoes but I do like black clothing. A black shift dress with tan leather sandals and bag would look great.

Are people that have been done as "seasons" told to wear their "colour" ie Black all over including shoes bags etc or is it more the actual clothing?

Black leather shoes also feel a bit school shoe to me.

Re Korean Italy towels, I got the green ones from eBay. They are super

On the tan shoes thing, I'm a winter but also not white so my natural skin is tan so tan sandals work well for me in that they blend with my feet. I will also be buying white and silver sandals though. I will wear black shoes for England but not on holiday as they'd feel too clashy with the rest of my pale wardrobe (that I haven't bought yet but am planning based on this thread!)

I have just bought myself a pair of olive green mid thigh length shorts based on this thread! (I absolutely love olive green!)

The only plain black shoes I have are high night time ones.
I have day shoes with an element of black like Zara nude pumps with a black toe cap, Chanel style. I would wear those with a black outfit rather than solid black.

My FitFlops are bronze, and I think they go with everything I wear. Would that be "allowed"?

I must admit I just don't like the color tan for anything.

I love metallic shoes as they go with any colour - I tend to go for silver or pewter

I've seen "vest top and bra strap" mentioned a lot as a no no. Out of interest, what would you recommend that people who need a bra wear? I am a slim 6/8 with good arms but I have tiny boobs so feel I need a padded bra at all times to avoid looking like a 12 year old. I fear I may be inadvertently making myself look cheap every time I leave the house in a vest top :(

lady either a vest top with wider straps that hide your bra or a strapless padded bra.

I can't seem to get in with strapless bras, they just seem to slip further and further down as the day goes on. I'll have a look for some vest tops with wider straps though.

Strapless bras can be hit and miss but I do have a few that are fab and stay put with plenty of uplift 😬

@LoniceraJaponica I think it's because cows are often tan so it's a natural colour and effectively a neutral.