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 most years, but I mentally make a distinction between summer dresses and beach/holiday dresses.

None of my summer dresses are very short, strappy or strapless because it's rarely warm enough here. They're overseas beach holiday wear to me.

My midi summer dresses and lighter fabric wrap dresses get worn a lot.

Summer is my favourite season, but I feel the cold too, I wear mostly maxi dresses or skirts and if I feel cold I will wear a legging under with a shorter leg so you can't see it

Sorry, can't relate. I'm a warm person and wear dresses from the second it starts warming up, throwing a cardi or jacket on if needs be. I only really wear maxi dresses though, so a bit warmer than something shorter.

I would rather DIE* than wear tights between May-August. September-April only.

*dramatic effect

I live in the SW (Scotland) and live in flip flops, cropped trousers and a t shirt from the end April until the end of September , when it rains i put trainers on and a waterproof jacket.

I am like this. My summer wardrobe is really only for abroad.

I'm a cold person too but I live in the SE and it's often pretty warm here by May so I start wearing skirts/dresses as soon as I can. I love having brown legs and feeling the sun on my skin.
I hate tights after about April. I wear trousers until it's warm enough for bare legs.

You must run cold. I’m already doing the school run in just a jumper, no coat, and will have the shorts out by April latest. DH and DS2 have worn shorts through the whole of winter.

I've just bought six linen Next sun dresses from Vinted, I'm hoping for a really sunny summer 😁

I feel the cold but wear lots of summer dresses in the UK.

I wouldn’t buy any summer dresses this year as they said we are in for a wet one down south this year! 🤣

I'm in the south and typically wear dresses from June through to the end of September, and seldom need a jacket.

I'll definitely be buying more. Quick to wash & dry, a dress per day, no need to worry about co-ordinating anything. Just add sandals and a hessian bag. 🤗

Don't relate to this at all. I'll be bringing my summer dresses down in 2 weeks and put them back around Halloween. If anything I find summer dresses these days a bit hot because of the fashion for tiered midi florals that flap around your legs and make you look Amish. And the unavoidable polyester/recycled fabric.

I have dresses I wear like a pinafore, plain long sleeved top under. Or I put on a cardigan

I've barely had my big coat on so far this year and the forecast is above average temperature spring so hoping I'll be ditching the hoodie/fleece soon.

No, I wear summer dresses in autumn and winter - with a cardigan/jumper, tights and boots.

I feel the same way, OP. I’m always freezing. I’m shivering in a full wetsuit in the height of summer when everyone else is in a bikini complaining about the heat. I’ve given up on any hope of feeling stylish in this country.

Only solution I can see is you moving to a hotter country. Then the issue is that summer is unbearable and summer dresses are too much for hot weather in MHO.

I'm a summer dress and sandals from May to September kind of girl.
Cardigan over the top if I'm chilly in the house and denim jacket if it's particularly windy.
I run hot though, anything over 15 or 16 degrees and I'm in a sun dress and sandals.
In fact I'm only in a short sleeved dress and no tights now, no heating on.

I've had loads of wear out of mine the last few summers. But it did coincide with starting to wear maxi dresses rather than knee length dresses. They are better for the non extreme heatwave summer days. I also WFH and just throw on my cardigan of doom if I get cooler wearing one.

In 20-21C I wear jeans! I need 26 pfor a dress.

Is your house dark and facing north? Or maybe we'll insulated? Do you have cold flooring? These type of houses never seem to warm up in summer. Maybe wear cycling shorts, a thin vest and a little bolero? Ugg slippers indoors? Hot water bottle in your chair?

If you run cold like me, totally agree. I wear jeans all through the summer and always wonder how people can wear such thin, flimsy clothes. It took me a long while to realise we do not all experience temperatures the same and that I'm way colder in the winter than a lot of people too.

When the temperature hits 30 maybe but you don't need loads of outfits for that scenario. Not yet anyway.

I get you. I need to wear a thermal vest tucked into my knickers 364 days of the year, or I get goosebumps. It's dull 😁

Hidden leggings of various thickness , (colour nude or black )and length facilitate staying warm with a dress & add a cardigan ( with some type of wool content for warmth & not cotton ) solve this for me. I just chop off end of cheap leggings to below knee or above knee or ankle - have same ones for years - worn spring and late summer. This really opens up dress possibilities 😌These days they’ll be thick fleece lined leggings but thinner as summer approaches.