I want to be a floaty summer dress and sandals person

[MrsGrindah]

...but I’m stuck in 3/4 cut offs and Clark’s shoes

I’m a stone overweight, have pale sensitive skin so can’t tan. Frizzy hair that hates heat or moisture. Sweaty feet with bunions so shoes always rub. Bingo wings. Cankles...bet you are begging me to stop!

Just wondering whether others are similarly blighted or whether you are all blithely cycling along in your white jeans swishing your blonde hair?

Summer/maxi dress with cap sleeves. There are some.

Comfort shorts (Evans) underneath where noone can see, but you feel cool and floaty.

Shoe Fayre (or similar) for the soft soled and very cushioned (old lady) sandals.

It's doable.

Why would you wear shorts underneath? I don’t have a problem with chafing so that wouldn’t make me cooler.Also I don’t WANT old lady sandals!i want to look like I’m in a Timotei advert!

Floaty Maxi dresses can cover a multitude of sins including a tummy and cankles and you can wear a little cardi on top if you’re worried about bingo wings. Can you wear flip flops with bunions?

Check out ASOS for nice floaty dresses?

Flip flops are too painful I’m afraid. I’m only 5 foot 4 so not keen on maxis as I think I’d look like a dalek

I just want a moan really that summer isn’t my season!

Got an Oliver Bonas dress with a sleeve recently though..absolute God send

whats wrong? whats your goal? change your hair? Probably impossible as are getting rid of cankles..

could instead get some floaty palazzo pants, big sunglasses, cool sandals, and leather jacket, light jacket, and sexy up your style ??? Most department stores have people to help you get another look. it's good coz they chose you other stuff.

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_054010238743_-1
www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_61252+274881_-1
www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_007020215745_-1
www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_33678+09028930_-1
www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_068010808074_-1

Hee hee I get where your coming from, being 5ft 4 myself and much more than a stone overweight, I can 100% agree that summer is not my season! Spring, winter and autumn I do great clothes wise.
Hate summer

I’m not sure if it will help you but I’ve recently discovered leave in conditioner (palmers) which has done wonders for my dry hair.

Go try on some dresses. I’m sure you’ll look lovely. Dresses suit lots of shapes.

Will definitely look up that conditioner..thanks

Slap on a bit of fake tan or moisturizer that has a little in it. The Dove one is good. That makes a world of difference.

A few conditioner treatments will sort your hair.

A stone overweight is nothing! Either lose it or just own it and dress to suit your shape.

Midi dresses are good. Try a few different prints, colours, shapes.

The comfort shorts are thin, like tights material thin but cotton and breathable, they are for if you get chub rub. I do and that's what stops me floating around.

And I have shit feet with really horrid little toes that sit on top of my fourth toe, so I like the chunkier sandals that hide that.

Are you a curly lady? I’ve got super curly hair and follow the curly girl method.

Cath kidston 50s style dresses for me come rain or shine, I just add tights for winter.
Its my look, so whether I'm a size 8 or 12 I feel ice and I love her older style prints like the London busses.

I also have cankles but great curly hair(the only feature I will give praise to).

I also would not wear maxi dresses as feel really frumpy.

FAT face is also a great shop for interesting patterns..

Try the new dove gradual tan it is fab! No streaks and very natural I’ve had loads of compliments on it.

I'm also pale and interesting and can't cope with the heat. Don't fake tan, wear a hat to protect your face and buy mididresses or skirts to protect your legs and get the maxi look without having clothes trailing on the ground. TBH I see no reason why you can't wear a maxidress and it will be much cooler than cut offs (if you want shorts then these linen mix ones fron Next are very cool to wear and since all Next clothes are designed for apples should cope with your extra weight no problem. And a floaty dress looks great with sensible shoes, I wear mine with birkies all the time. And Clarks do some awesome shoes.

If you have frizzy hair check out all the curly girl threads. Is your hair long or short? Can't you stick a ton of product in it and sleek it back (not an expert on hair!).

Cankles and bingo wings are fine, have you ever looked at anyone and thought 'good god woman, your ankles and arms are an affront to my eyes you should cover them up?' No? Then just wear what you want that feels comfortable to you. Everyone has their hangups about their bodies but no-one else cares so try not to worry about them.

But make the effort to lose the weight, you will feel better for it and you will get lots of compliments when you do which will also make you feel good.

But I do know what it feels like to be all hot and bothered in the heat, and have that swollen feet and fingers sensation as your body desperately tries to lose heat. I just shower and change for the evening so I lose some of that sweaty unpleasant feeling.

Go with that dress you like and find more in similar style.
Or get some fabric and make 5 more of them all in different colours/patterns.

Agree no one else cares about bingo wings and cankels.

I also like to wear skirts (my 2 favs are made from linen dresses I've eventually changed into skirts) with looseish v neck tshirt.

Well, I'm 5ft 7 and tan easily, but am a stone overweight so I hate summer dressing too. I think it's because I have boobs which just get in the way of looking good. Maxi dresses just look tent like because the fabric hangs off my norks but anything more fitted shows off my spare tyre tummy. I can't win.

I can't wait for Autumn. I look great in Autumn.

I’m a stone overweight and 5ft 5 but summer is definitely my season. It’s tkaen me a few summers but I’ve finally got a collection of decent kneel length jersey and cotton dresses that I wear with sandals from R&B or Reef flip flops (the only ones I find comfy). Just chuck in and go.
I’ve also bought linen tops and chinos for when it’s cooler. I find summer dressing easy. Maybe you’re body isn’t as bad as you think it is?

I wish I could find summery tops which minimise my boobs, but don't high light my spare tyre. I don't think they have been invented. I know a stone overweight isn't much, but it's the huge difference between me feeling svelte Vs. frumpy.

I think what separates summer dress people from non summer dress people is not so much body shape, but skin tone.

If you're olive skinned you look healthy regardless. If you're blotchy bluey pink with spider veins you look shit regardless.

Yep, even in my young, thin days I never looked great in summer. I’m just too pasty. I can use fake tan only very, very sparingly or I go bright orange. I always try and prepare and have a lovely summer wardrobe but no matter what I do, I just look like a sweaty, overheated mess.
I do like not having to wear tights though

I am enjoying the vogue for peasant shirts at moment though- they’re actually vaguely flattering, unlike most summer clothes.

I've just been out for a coffee and the deli owner looked effortlessly chic. Blonde hair in a messy bun + black harem pants + black camisole + tan clogs with wooden heels. Decent tan.

But I realise that what really made her look so great was the fact she was probably only a size 6 with a totally flat tummy despite clearly being 10 years older than me

Elspeth You’ve got it spot on....deathly pale is never a good summer look. I envy people with pretty feet in strappy sandals too. I’m looking at them and thinking “ Don’t you have a blister anywhere? Aren’t your feet sweaty and slipping around? Why are your sandals perfectly clean and not covered in sweaty skin stains?”

Although just bought some fab tan leather mules. But that’s what I feel like- a mule!

Treat yourself to a pedicure you will feel much better about your feet. Go to a hair salon and get a good colour and conditioning treatment. Have a look in Next they have some lovely summer clothes and they are not expensive. I go up a size as I think summer clothes should be loose and not tight.