Why buy pretty summer dresses if we won't be able to wear them?

[JackOrMeryl]

I got a couple of emails from fashion brands today - so many pretty summer dresses. But I often find that our summers (bar a couple of weeks, usually) are not hot enough to wear short-sleeved or sleeveless dresses because I get cold. I WFH and unless I'm in the sun, the house is rarely baking hot.

Such a shame because whenever I go on holiday somewhere warm like the Mediterranean, it's so nice to wear dresses every day and every evening. And I can't just put a (denim) jacket on. To be warm I need something against my skin, like a long-sleeved tight/thermal t-shirt.

Anyone else?

I wear summer dresses all summer long. Maybe not every day of course but there are plenty of days that are warm enough. Are you in the UK?
can always style with a cardigan or jumper or layer underneath if you are particularly sensitive to cold.

Yes, in the UK. South. I can rarely have my bare legs out without getting cold. Of course during the heatwave I was sweating buckets like everyone else. But those days are rare. I hate feeling cold because I dared to wear a summer dress. Then I either have to get changed, or I have to start putting more layers on, socks, etc, and that defeats the point of the summer dress...

I’m with you OP. Rarely get to wear my summer dresses in the UK unless with tights and warm cardigan which seems to defeat the point.

If you are someone who is naturally a cold person the UK is not warm enough for it.

Last ear was a bit crap with Al the rain but most summers I'm in dresses may-September with maybe a light cardigan in the evening

Totally with you on that OP. I love summer dresses but unless it's an actual heatwave, I'm just too cold to wear them. I can go through a whole summer and only wear one or two (admittedly, partly because I wear trousers/shorts for cycling).

Cardigans are fine for the top half but then you've got the chilly legs and feet issue. I haven't yet found a solution. Leggings, nude fishnets - no. Sheer nude tights can work, but seem antiquated and they're not very practical. I've considered nude opaque/dance tights - would be more robust, but not sure how they'd look. Have you tried them?

I live in trousers all winter but change to dresses as soon as it's warm enough, can be as early as late April.
I usually feel the cold too and I never wear tights, but all my dresses are midi or full length. Ditto skirts.
So I have light summer jackets, cardigans and wraps for when the weather's cooler, especially in the evenings. And I will happily even take a rug round if we're going to a friend's or neighbour's for an afternoon or evening party.
Just be prepared to layer up.

I agree OP. I have some fab summer midi dresses from Monki which I trot out year on year, but tend not to spend much on summer clothes because I am not sure if they will get much wear - I'm more than happy to buy more investment knitwear and coats though. Last year I bought a lovely dress from Cos which got two wears before being vacuum packed.

I'm in NE Scotland and summer tends to be two days in July!

I'm with you, I live in the North West, probably had a fortnight last year where it was warm enough to wear a pretty dress with bare legs.

@YouSayChorizoIsayChorizo Thicker nude tights look awful IMO - they look like 'compression' ones that some older people wear. Or people with bad circulation. Fishnets don't really keep you warm. I have tried sheer tan-coloured tights that have no toes, with sandals. If the colour looks nice, it's very odd when your toes are paler than the rest of your feet and legs though!

Do you generally run cold? I’m in the south UK as well and although last summer wasn’t warm the few summers before that were hot for months. I usually get loads of wear out of shorts and dresses and go months without wearing socks. Could you layer with tights/leggings/cycle shorts under midi/maxi dresses?

I'm the opposite, I wear them all
summer long in the UK, but I don't feel the cold and hate the sort of heatwaves we sometimes get.

I'm bare legs and sandals from May to October, or trainer aocks and trainers for work/exercise.

@Teamarugula I tend to feel the cold but not terribly so. I could layer but then that sort of defeats the point of wearing a nice dress if I have to wear leggings underneath it.

@JackOrMeryl I’m thinking if you can coordinate the layer so it wouldn’t be visible underneath, so a bit shorter but providing some warmth on the upper leg at least? I’m guessing petticoats/slips wouldn’t help?

I can just about handle my lower legs being bare but I need socks for most of the UK summer so dresses are a no go

Aha, well, I've just ordered some opaques from Popsy which don't look too horrible. If it liberates summer skirts and dresses, I can live with people thinking I have poor circulation - they'd be right, after all! I'll let you know how it goes.

Tried toeless tights once, never again - because of that two-tone effect, also they were really uncomfortable and quickly went into shreds.

I ask myself this every year, and every year I buy more. I think if I never bought another summer dress again I'd have enough till the end of my day's. Going to try and resist this year

I’m also in the south and I’m in t shirts, vests, summer dresses, shorts, from late spring to early autumn. And I run cold.

I tend not to buy many summer dresses - maybe one new one a year. I have a couple of strappy dresses that would only come out in the UK if there was a heatwave, but another couple of midi dresses with short sleeves (rather than sleeveless) and I sometimes wear those if I'm going out for lunch with a cardigan or denim jacket on the top, and sometimes leggings underneath.

I think in the north and Scotland as a pp said I would expect that, but I’m from the north and live in the south and am really surprised anyone can’t get wear out of summer dresses here. We eat outside most nights too. Last year was a wash out, but the year before was a scorcher, and it looks like this year will be the same again.

You must run cold. I wear summer dresses most days from May to September I reckon, maybe with a cardi or hoodie in the morning/evening. I WFH most days but my office faces south so it gets pretty warm.

Last year was rubbish, but I actually remember the day in autumn I realised it wasn't really summer dress weather anymore, and groaned as I dug my jeans out of the wardrobe for winter 😭

I rarely wear socks at home anyway, my feet don't seem to feel the cold. Definitely no socks in summer!

Has to be 25 plus for me to have my toes out!

Agree! It’s not so much that I’m cold, but it has to be very warm for my legs to not get goosebumps and look mottled, which is not a look I’m going for.

I tend to go for maxi dresses and get quite a bit of wear out of those with trainers. Sad that look is ‘passé’ now.

I get what you mean OP. I find that I can rarely wear just the dress alone, without a jean jacket, or cardigan. I need warmth.

I know the feeling - it's so frustrating when you never get the weather to get your summer dresses out.

Personally, I know it's uncool but I often choose dresses that can work with leggings under them (I'm short so tend to wear knee length) and that way I can wear them in the British summer with or without a cardi. Also a useful combo if you're going on holiday somewhere where the weather forecast is changeable!

Maxidresses are wearable in a meh 20-21C British summer as well, although being short I always seem to have to get 5+ inches shortened off any I buy as they all seem to be designed to trail along the ground on someone who's the same height as fashion model 🙄