Summer Style Secrets - Top Ten Hot Tips for Dressing Cool

Finding it difficult to keep your cool this summer? Carol Foster tells you how to do it.

"What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

So wrote Jane Austen in a letter some one hundred forty years before the invention of air conditioning. As a longtime Phoenix resident, I know from experience that summer heat can take the fun right out of fun in the sun. And despite air conditioning, heat and humidity can certainly conspire to make us feel, well, inelegant.

More than anything else, how we dress determines our comfort when summer heat hits with full force. Many methods for staying cool are not as effective as commonly thought, and some can actually make matters worse. Some techniques keep you cool, but at the expense of your appearance.

Often we are tempted to abandon our standards of personal style and appearance in favor of employing any opportunity or technique to stay cool. But it really isn't an either/or situation; it is possible to look great and stay cool at the same time The following Top Ten list covers the strategies that really work and let you do both.

10. To Bare or Not to Bare?

Summer clothing, especially casual wear, frequently tends to be on the skimpy side. Shorts and barely-there tops can be cool, but not necessarily! If it is night or you are in the shade or in a breeze, minimal coverage provides maximum ventilation, which is cooling. However, if you are in the sun, bare is not cool, because your skin will absorb the sun's heat directly. In this case, loose, light-hued, lightweight covering is cooler.

9. Natural Tendencies

It's true. Natural fabrics "breathe" better and are cooler than synthetic materials, although they have their drawbacks. Linen, from the fiber of the flax plant, is durable and cool, but wrinkle-prone. Linen blends are nearly as cool, though, and linen combined with a permanent pressed cotton is very cool and wrinkle-resistant.

Cotton in all of its various forms -- weaves, knits, and of course, denim -- is relatively inexpensive, and hard to beat for cool breathability. Try it in crinkle cloth, chambray, gauze, Calcutta cloth, etc., for loose, lightweight coverage. For tighter fitting tops, cotton jersey is exceptionally comfortable and affordable.

If you need to dress for the office, try tropical-weight wool. Yes, wool. It breathes, it doesn't wrinkle and it doesn't require frequent dry cleaning. Simply hang it up and air it out.

Silk is cool, but requires more frequent dry cleaning, and perspiration can ruin it. If you do not perspire profusely, dress shields (available at most fabric stores) may provide adequate protection from staining. I recommend disposable dress shields to save time and energy.

When looking for breathable natural fibers, don't forget Tencel, the eco-friendly fabric with many of the most desirable characteristics of linen, cotton, and even silk!

8. The Light Fantastic

Lighter colors really are cooler than dark colors. Why? The scientific explanation is that darker colors absorb more light (including infrared light) than light colors. Infrared light can't be seen, but it can be felt -- as heat. Light colors reflect more light and absorb less. In fact, that's why light colors appear light. Our eyes are perceiving the greater quantity of light being reflected by them. We can't see the infrared light that is being reflected along with the visible light, but it is, and that's why light colors are cooler. Isn't science wonderful?

7. Underneath it All

Even if your clothing is long, loose, and flowing, your underwear isn't. It hugs your body, and if the fabric doesn't permit airflow, it will hold in heat. Cotton to the rescue! Cotton and cotton blends are the fabric of choice for your underthings.

It goes without saying you'll likely want to abstain from panty hose for the foreseeable future. Just remember this as you make other clothing choices. If you're not going to wear panty hose, don't wear styles that require panty hose.

6. Tips for Tops

The barely-there, body hugging knit tops are another "second skin" item, and they also have to breathe. Even if the fabric breathes, though, these skimpier tops are not your best choice if you are spending time in direct sunlight, because they will typically not provide adequate coverage.

Polo shirts can be comfortable during warm weather, but they are somewhat traditional in style personality. Therefore they don't "go" well with flashy, trendy prints (e.g., tropical prints) even if the colors are harmonious. This goes for pairing them with floral skirts or even capris.

5. Short Cuts

Shorts are a summertime staple, but don't forget that slacks and jeans provide more coverage if that is what you need. Cool cotton slacks are often more comfortable than shorts.

You may not have much experience with working shorts into your wardrobe, and there is more to them than it might seem. Shorts are not just pants, only shorter. If you do wear shorts, select cuts with care. For instance, if your body lines are straighter, elastic or drawstring waists are fine. If you are more "X" or hourglass, darts are a better choice for you.

What is the style and length of your favorite shorts? If you're not sure about length, stand in front of a full-length mirror and roll the legs up and down. Note which length flatters your legs. Values make a difference, too. The greater the value contrast (light vs. dark) between your shorts and your skin, the more they will shorten your legs.

4. Tops and Crops

Be careful with tops and shorts that match. They will elongate and thereby slim the upper body, but they will make the legs seem shorter by comparison. If you will be wearing these looks, make sure you compensate your leg length. The easiest way to do this is to wear higher heels, e.g., casual wedges. Avoid ankle straps that contrast with your skin (i.e, dark straps on light skin, or vice versa), and straps that tie at or above the ankle.

Capris are often a more flattering alternative to shorts. Tropical prints are very "in" right now, but be careful. The splashier prints add pounds and are a good choice only if you want to add dimension to your hips and thighs. If you want to do a fashion look without paying that price, look for smaller motifs on darker and duller backgrounds.

3. Dressed to Chill

Sun dresses and full cut jumper styles can be very cool because they provide space for air to circulate. For casual wear, keep them casual enough that they do not require panty hose, else all of the cooling benefits will be lost. Remember that you need adequate coverage in direct sunlight, too. Sun dresses frequently have narrow straps and very little coverage on top. These varieties are better suited to shade than sun.

2. Hot Stuff

If you have ever burned yourself on a hot set of car keys, you know how much heat metal objects can absorb from the sun's rays. Metal accessories can do the same. Pendants are very popular with the low-cut tops that abound in the sun season, but unless you want to be branded, consider the materials from which they are made.

Sunglasses can look cool and are a must in bright sunlight, but metal frames can also get uncomfortably hot. Also, sunglasses can create pockets of heat around your eyes, so take them off when you're in the shade.

1. Hair Conditioning

In ancient Egypt, men and women alike shaved their heads to keep cool in the hot desert summer. I wouldn't go that far myself, but I certainly recommend keeping your hair short, and/or finding a hair style that allows you to wear it off your neck. If you put your hair up with barrettes, combs, or other hair accessories, choose non-metallic materials. As with sunglasses, a metal object in your hair will heat up in the sun and continue to radiate heat even after you have moved indoors.

It's not too late to take steps to have a cooler, more stylish summer. Simple things like getting a pedicure before you break out your summer sandals, or picking up waterproof mascara before you go swimming, can make the season go by more smoothly.

It really is possible to look great and stay cool at the same time, whether you're into barbecues and ball games, or are just trying to get through a work day without wilting. Try these techniques this summer and every summer.

Carol Foster is a Style and Wardrobe consultant with more than twenty years in the industry. She is the editor of MyPersonalStyle.com and Fashionline. You can read more of her articles at: http://mypersonalstyle.com