Dress: Eliza Parker
Belt: Glassons
Shoes: Chie Mihara
Ugh. When will this wretched heatwave end?
I am not a hot-weather girl. I don’t enjoy being sweaty. I like my tights and my cardigans. There’s something about hot weather that always makes me feel more aware of my body, too. It’s not effortless, walking through heat, there’s a density to the air that I find oppressive.
I envy the girls who swan about in the heat in floaty spaghetti straps and carefree summer hair, all tanned legs and big sunglasses. It always makes me feel more aware of my heavier limbs, the necessity of bras and shorts under dresses, my feet swelling in the heat, and the slick of suncream and sweat that covers my skin.
Yuck.
When it gets REALLY hot I reach a point where I just don’t want anything against my skin. I just want to lie naked on my bedsheets and feel sorry for myself.
Unfortunately, real life doesn’t allow for that, so when I have to get dressed and face the world I usually try to find something that’s airy and cotton-cool, not too tight, but not a shapeless muumuu either.
This Eliza Parker dress has actually proven to be a bit of a lifesaver this summer. I think it’s shrunk a little in the wash… it certainly seems to be shorter than it was when I first got it, but it’s still one of the most comfortable things to wear when the mercury rises.
The cotton fabric has a bit of stretch, and is soft and breathable, the full skirt doesn’t cling to my legs, and conveniently hides a set of pockets, the half-length sleeves aren’t too tight, and mean that I don’t have to slather my shoulders with suncream. And it’s super versatile. I can wear it many different ways: with brightly coloured accessories for a party, elegantly with a string of pearls and heels for work, and today with the addition of a leather belt, and my feathered necklace for a bit of hipster chic.
Necklace: Foudre Blanche
It looks amazing
I’m literally praying for rain & a thunderstorm and really really not happy that the weather forecasters are saying this will go on until Wednesday (I would like to hibernate on Wednesday when its meant to be 37)
Stay cool x
*Uhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu* = sympathetic agreement from a fellow Melburnian (dreading the 37° dayS!)
Hot weather is the WORST. I have blonde hair and fair skin and I burn, baby, burn! And I completely get the whole ‘being more aware of your body’ thing in summer – I wish I had mile-long legs and could pull off wearing formal short-shorts and cute mini-skirts but I just can’t.
Also, people don’t dress as nicely in summer (present company excluded). Sometimes the short-shorts cut a little too high, gentleman think ‘no shirt, no shoes’ is acceptable and teenagers seem to wear clothing that has a lot of strategically-placed rips and tears in it. I much prefer Melbourne winter fashion that’s a lot more sophisticated and chic. I am just dying to wear a coat, scarf and tall boots.
Having said that … I loooooooove this outfit. That necklace is adorbs!
I got this dress in Kelly Green, (my first Eliza Parker purchase) and it is so incredible! it’s winter here and the dress is beautiful with a cardigan and leggings, I can’t wait to wear it on its own during the summer months too!
Summer is creeping up on us here in Texas and I can feel any cuteness slipping away. I HATE the heat and completely understand the need to lie naked on cold sheets! I also enjoy a snow cone and a rotating fan. 🙂
p.s. that dress is adorable!! You look fab!
That dress looks really nice on you! And I do love the feather necklace!
SO. SICK. OF. THE. HEAT.
I agree, I do find myself much more aware of my body in the heat. It’s just because I feel….ick.
I bought a pair of paperbag waist black shorts from Dream Diva which I have worn countless times this summer. I always struggle in being formal enough for work in the heat but I wear them to work with a green silk blouse from David Lawrence and sparkly sandals and I think it works. Keeps me cool on my hour-long train ride which is my top priority!
Ten days in a row of 30+ may be record-breaking but it is also BREAKING MY WILL TO LIVE.
Ughhhh. I am melting into a sweat sunscreen slick. This ongoing heat is torturously tedious and I am over it..it’s the heat at night that is the killer.
Dressing is so hard..as a pale skinned thing I have to cover up to try to resist burning. I hate the feel of sticky sunscreen on clean skin…sigh…I’m hoping this is it and we can return to a proper autumn very soon…
Love the dress look- its kind of modern day poncohonas with he leather belt and very chick (!) feather necklace! You look great for summer- still stylin!
I am over the heat. Over it.
In Winter if you are cold you can add layers.
In Summer if you are hot you cannot walk around nude. Well not at the shops anyway.
You might think you have to work at it with your bras and shorts and think you have a lot going on underneath, but you look gorgeous. Which is hard to achieve when it’s 30+
“I am not a hot-weather girl. I don’t enjoy being sweaty. I like my tights and my cardigans. There’s something about hot weather that always makes me feel more aware of my body, too. It’s not effortless, walking through heat, there’s a density to the air that I find oppressive.”
I live in super humid Rio de Janeiro, I hear you! I feel like that and my fashion will power goes down the drain during the summer season. You look lovely! 🙂
I know how you feel – I am an autumnal girl all the way! I don’t mind winter either – I love layering up. I have a cotton dress I bought super cheap from Yours Clothing a few summers ago & I live in that when the heat creeps up.
yuck! I hate the heat so can fully sympathise with you. It is SO much harder to deal with heat than cold. And summer wardrobes are much less fun. It’s about 1 degree Celsius where I am, with a forecast of snow, so I’m taking full advantage of being able to wear my cardigans and thick tights before the summer heat arrives. You look very unflustered by weather in these pictures!
Do you watch Mad Men? Your blog pics always make me think of that… you are perfectly naturally retro beautiful!!
You look fantastic in that dress. I do have a solution to offer – come to Canada, its zero celsius here – you’ll need your tights, a sweater and a coat! Come July and August we will be sweltering too, but that’s a ways away yet 🙂
I can sympathize. We’re heading into spring and we’re heading into 75 to 80 degree days here in California. This is nothing really, in comparison to what you’re experiencing, but summers get really hot, like 100 degree plus and basically I just want to die. I have no desire to go outdoors or do anything that does not involve central air. I do get being more aware of your body in an uncomfortable way. There’s so much more that goes into dressing a body like mine, it gets so much more complicated.
great outfit, I love that dress
xoxo
alice c’n’r
Pretty cotton dresses with sleeves have been my salvation too… But it shrinks the wardrobe somewhat! I saw a girl today wearing leopard print bathers and a pink ballerina skirt…. Fabulous but not quite me. It can’t be too much longer!