Hot Dog Days
The (good) simplicity of dressing for heat.
It’s begun! Summer, my favorite season, mosquitos be damned! (I am in a lifelong war with the mosquito.)
Sometimes I feel the general consensus re: the best month for outfits is FALL. And listen, fall is great! Fall temperatures ask for a goldilocks amount of layers: enough to guarantee good texture and contrast in your looks, but not so much that the whole thing gets covered up by a coat. But but but, IMO, it is the lack of layers that makes summer dressing exciting. It’s clarifying! Like a haiku, or a story that’s only one sentence long, a summer outfit is like HERE I AM WORLD, boom, done.
Heat forces simplicity, but simplicity doesn’t have to be boring. Like any strict design prompt, narrowing the scope (less clothing, breathable fabrics) just makes for more creativity inside the frame (we still have color, shape and proportion, texture, and ACCESSORIES in the mix). This week, our first truly/consistently hot week in New York City, here is what I wore:
Not a Girl Scout, Not Not a Girl Scout?
You’d be surprised what a cotton white oxford shirt can do in terms of breeziness in the summer! If there is even the slightest bit of wind, this will work. Turn those short sleeves into long sleeves and get out there! As for the shorts, these were some (kind of hideous capri) pants that I bought at a Goodwill last year because I liked the color, and cut into shorts. A $5 pair of pants leaves a lot of room for creativity! I found the vintage Girl Scout patch at a thrift store in Cincinnati, and sewed it on during all the downtime I had while I was still making friends on that out of town contract. Lol. The wrap sandals (TKEES) keep it from feeling too much like a uniform.
When you’re working with an outfit made up of only 1-3 pieces, accessories become heavy hitters. Case in point: these Spitfire sunglasses, which make every outfit cooler. I love them! This entire week is indirectly a post about them. Also included: my cheeky little candy necklace, baby gold hoops, a snake ring, my watch—which all shine on such a simple base.
Good Solids, Good Colors
This sentence may be so annoying to you, but I really did just throw this on—and then was surprised by how much I liked it. This t-shirt from Everlane is nice and thin without being too sheer, and I have it in two other colors eek! Great summer T.
You’ve seen this yellow skort before. It’s a summertime staple for me! It’s a regular in the rotation in big part because it’s a fun, more unexpected, and easy swap with denim shorts. Annnnnd IMO a skort that looks like a miniskirt is a genius invention. I get the cheeky fun of a mini, without having to worry about flashing the world my cute tush. Ease/comfort in the clothes is KEY to a good look, and I’m prepared to die on that hill. I like summer because you can wear very-bright-brights and no one bats an eye, which is another reason this skort gets so many wears in the hotter months. If you’re only working with a few pieces per outfit, make each one count!
Lastly—even though the color palette here so FUN, I think my classic brown loafers add good balance, by keeping this kind of chill and adult-feeling. [It took a lot of work to get my sizing right, but these loafs have quickly become year-round regulars for me.] I am taking recs for better no-show socks though—the ones I wore on this day kept sliding. V annoying. Re: accessories, another appearance of the same sunglasses and necklace, but now adding an iced mocha, my favorite sunny mid-afternoon treat, because chocolate makes the world a better place!
Breezy (Off) Whites
This approach leans heavily into the clothes-that-don’t-really-touch-my-body method of summertime dressing. Lightweight, loose fitting pieces are great for high temps, with the added benefit of looking very breezy and nonchalant.
I’ve had this little knit tee for 10+ years, and it’s stretched out a bit over that time, which actually makes it even easier to wear on a hot day. I pop a pretty lace bra underneath it and go on my merry way! We add: a white poplin maxi skirt, a vintage belt, and the second appearance this week for my loafers, which I think keep this particular look from feeling too sweet. Also, I’ve been having a lot of fun tying scarves to all my bags! This one is Suffs themed.
Modern 70s? And More White
My mother-in-law sent me this denim skirt after this post, and isn’t it cute?! The split makes for good airflow/easy walking at this length. I really like it as an unexpected alternative (and cooler-as-in-temperature option) to jeans. I’m wearing it here with a ribbed, white cropped tee, a vintage belt, and these flats, which I am wearing into the ground! A lot of white this week—but it’s just so FUN to wear white in the summer. So fresh! And it makes the heat less heat-y. That’s a scientific term.
I like the streamlining of the white top, belt, and shoes, but I think that coordination also makes my black bag sort of essential here. A white bag would be too matchy-matchy, but the black leather tote grounds the whole thing and, again, gives good contrast.
Hoochie Daddy Shorts, My Version
These vintage denim hot pants are basically the equivalent of denim underwear. Lol. They cover everything important, but that’s it. When I wear them, I either pair them with something that has a lot of coverage up top (a high neck, or even a crew neck tee), or I opt for something a little fancy. In either case, we are aiming for the balance provided by a little good contrast (word of the week!): either via proportion (a higher neck to balance shorty shorts) or vibe (a fancy top to balance ripped denim).
Exhibit A! This black knit vest could pair with a silk skirt for a nice dinner, but here it makes these little shorts into more of a look (and keeps me out of theme park territory). The cut of this vest also offers some good ventilation. I doubled up on necklaces to up the fancy factor, and peep that scarf tied around my basket bag! Hoochie Daddy, made chic.
My editor (my sister, hi Neens) would like me to provide you with some Clear and Actionable Takeaways based on my outfits this week. So, to sum up the above:
When you’re only wearing a few pieces (top/bottom/shoe), the color palette can do some of the heavy lifting, style-wise. Play! Including with white: in addition to literally being cooler, temp-wise, it’s also a great base for other pieces/accessories to really pop.
Shoes can balance a look: Try pairing a sturdy/sensible shoe with a sweet outfit, or a delicate sandal with a more structured look. (This also works with bags!)
Contrast is everything. Especially when working with minimal pieces, a little tension goes a LONG way. Mash up dressy and casual, masc and femme, preppy and romantic, serious and playful, showing a little skin one place and modesty somewhere else—opposites attract.
It’s the little things. A necklace, a great pair of sunglasses, a watch, and/or a belt can really make an outfit with minimal effort. Tying my scarf on my bag may not seem like an accessory-add—until that bag is on my shoulder. Suddenly the bright scarf becomes part of the look:
Drama! And that’s it for this week—but honestly, there’s a lot more summer dressing to do! We didn’t even get into styling summer dresses! A prompt for a future post? Until then, happy solstice CC, and stay cool out there. Xx.
Costume Change is a styling newsletter (vs. a shopping newsletter). There’s no spon-con above—any references to clothing/shoes/shops, etc. are purely honest-to-goodness recommendations. As always, I hope that Costume Change first and foremost provides you with inspiration to re-style inside of your own closet. Thanks for reading, and reminder to keep those comments kind!