Looking Expensive in Summer

[MrsWarboyss]

I know we've had similar threads in previous years but thought it would be useful to have a new one for this Summer

I was in Spain a couple of weeks ago and saw a Spanish woman looking amazing wearing a black triangle bikini top and a maxi skirt, whilst dog walking. She was very petite and slim and the outfit suited her perfectly

Following with interest. I tend to look a rubbish, sweaty mess from May-October.

I think having a tan is essential to looking good particularly in summer! And polished accessories- sandals/bag/jewellery/sunglasses. Xo

She was very petite and slim

Well, that's the nail on the head, really. And would have had lovely evenly tanned skinned. Everyone else just needs to get through it and wait until it ends.

When you are rich you can afford to have a hot body by diet or surgery. Any lump and bump are sucked off and tightened so get the body to be as best as you can and then wear quality clothes and shoes.

Very petite and slim helps!!

I don’t feel the heat (always cold) so can keep wrapped up, which I think looks more expensive than lots of flesh on display. But I think if I did get hot, a wafty white long dress with simple sandals and raffia bag plus big sunglasses and perfect highlights.

Imo...no visible tattoos.

Just bought a linen blazer which makes anything I wear look 'put together' but I am generally better at summer than winter tbh

@TheOGCCL
‘But I think if I did get hot, a wafty white long dress with simple sandals and raffia bag plus big sunglasses and perfect highlights’

yes in an ideal world
but I thought I was rocking this look but a glance in the bar mirror showed a a hot and bothered miss havisham!

ideal v real 😂

I live somewhere (too) hot. Women of all ages wear sunglasses, sandals, jewellery, dresses or shirts with skirts, hair down.

Never jersey t-shirts or plimsolls or trainers, never hair in a scraped up bun. No leggings or yoga pants unless you’re actually in the gym.

Sort out your feet, don’t show too much flesh, cotton or linen fabrics, and fresh hair.

slim, tan, everything else is pointless.
I am slim but dont tan, I look perpetually pov

Don't wear garish colours or ott prints. Stick to white, black, beige, navy, cream etc.

The only way to look 'expensive' is to spend a huge amount of money on clothes, accessories, hair and make up. People who care about looking expensive tend to know how much things cost, so there's no faking it.
It makes more sense to me to find a look you feel happy with that's within your budget rather than trying to look wealthier than you are.
I think looking good in summer is harder, but the same principles apply as any other time. Cover the bits of you you don't feel confident with, highlight the bits you do. Wear colours that suit you and have nice hair and skin.
You don't need a tan, the tide has definitely turned on that being a wealth signifier, and as long as your clothes suit you, you don't need to be slim either. Lots of genuinely wealthy women who are clearly 'expensive' are overweight.

I live in a hot European country and the “expensive” summer look for women usually involves:

Big sunglasses
Lots of Linen, cotton and silk
Block colours (navy, black, white dominate)
Gold jewellery
Delicate leather sandals or espadrilles
Tanned skin
nit flashing too much skin (lots of maxi dresses, shift dresses, wide leg trousers with blouse/shirt)
Women are usually slim

Chunky sandals, Jersey vest tops and t/-shirts, shorts, plimsolls etc are reserved for home/ garden, countryside etc not for out and about.

It’s a classic and chic (if boring) look but quite ageing I think, it’s not how women in their 20s or early 30s dress (except maybe at work) - they are more likely to wear a floaty sundress or t-shirt and denim shorts with high tops. In their case, being you g/ tanned /slim helps a lot.

Currently on the beach looking around for inspiration
The more stylish women are keeping it simple. No gimmicky prints. Statement sunglasses, minimum jewellery,
I tend to think of Joanna Lumley in her travelogues or Tilda Swindon in Bigger Splash or Jed in The Night Manager when looking for inspiration.
Hair is always my biggest problem, especially since menopause. Hard to be glam with steaming neck and frizzy hair😂

So looking expensive now = being thin?

😂😂😂

’Slim’ ‘Very slim’ ‘Not fat’ came up a lot on the signifiers of looking classy and signifiers of middle classes thread, deluded.

Also was ‘very straight hair’ that would stay beautifully straight in the worst wind.

Says a lot really.

Well maintained trotters are a must.

Avoid patterns, garish 'holiday clothes' colours, and things with pineapple or flamingo motifs.

You don't need a tan but you do need to avoid sunburn.

I find that hair with a bit of texture or body fares better in the heat. My very straight hair can go limp and a bit sad looking.

So my 3c is an automatic “cheap” anyway? Aha. 😒

Certainly not. I'm a size 6-8 and I look like I bathed in glue and rolled round the sale rail in Primark. My friend on the other hand is a size 18 and looks expensive, because her clothes cost a lot.