Heatwave Outfits

For hot summer evenings, I love a co-ord. A little skin is on show so you get the breeze but it's still mostly covered-up so you can stay feeling elegant. I wore a ribbed midi skirt for this look but you could switch to silk, linen or cotton to keep it even cooler. I just like how the ribbed material fits my body.

Big bags are NOT desirable in hot weather unless you're heading to the beach - you don't want to be laden down with heavy items as you'll just get hotter and hotter under the strain! Certainly for dinner, a crossbody bag big enough for phone, wallet and keys is all you need. Ted Baker is my go-to brand for crossbodies as they are small and light but still big enough for an umbrella along with all my other essentials.

On hot days, consider wearing white as it reflects light and therefore keeps you cooler. Another way to keep cool is to wear open-toe shoes such as these classic tan slides from Dune, a great dupe for the Hermes oran sandals.

White looks beautiful with tan accessories - add a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses, a tan belt and straw bag to finish off the look.

Midi dresses are a summer staple that you need in your wardrobe if you don't already have them! Obviously we feel comfortable with our skin out in hot weather but we must also remember that the sun is damaging to our skin so sometimes it's worth having items in your summer wardrobe that keep the sun off of us. This dress from Amazon is affordable, elegant and is made of a lightweight material that keeps you cooler than you would expect for a midi dress with long sleeves. You can also wear it two ways - with the sleeves off the shoulder or pull them up to create a square neckline.

Definitely add a glamorous sunhat to your wardrobe too, to look mysterious while keeping your face safely out of the sun!

Another great thing about the Amazon dress is that I can wear it comfortably without a bra. This is so important during a heatwave, and so hard if you are bigger-busted! I am definitely getting more confident going bra-less and I recently realised I could wear skater dresses without a bra too.

Ted Baker do a lot of skater-style dresses which means I can get away with sizing down, since I don't have to account for my wide hips as much. That means the dress can hold up my bust on its own - I actually think this dress looks better without a bra, since you can't see any seams at all. If you are larger-chested, give this a go! It definitely depends on the dress but if you can find one that gives you support on its own by sizing down, it is honestly life-changing during hot weather.

For this look I accessorised mostly with tan accessories but also added my orange Paul Costelloe bag for a pop of colour which I always think is a nice finishing touch in summer.