Outfit: The Dog Days of Summer

I finally made an adult decision.

I admitted that wearing all black in the middle of summer is excessive. 

It's been the hottest summer we've had in Scotland for a fair few years; after mostly cool, rainy summers, I'm delighted, but not really designed to cope with this heat. Those closer to the equator will probably laugh at how poorly I cope with the rather meagre increase in Fahrenheit, but in a cloudy country which receives 4577mm of rain per year, this is sunbathing weather for most people - and exhaustive for me. The quality of light in summer is incredible - not to mention the length of it, which lends itself perfectly to sitting outside till late - but considering I nearly suffered from heat stroke when I visited St. Andrews several weeks back, I am forced to agree that to properly enjoy it one really shouldn't wear leather boots and black velvet.

Dressing for the heat is a delicate balance of colour, skin exposure and fabric type. Drinking lots of fluids is also important, and something I'm terrible at remembering even at the best of times. Though black can be okay to wear if you pick something breathable, I like how much cooler white makes me feel, and this dress is great for when I feel like wearing something more vintage inspired - in this case twenties. I love how popular sandals have been recently, and picked myself up a pair of elastic ones from M&S. Why don't more sandals use elastic? It's so much more comfortable than straps and doesn't rub.

Add a cardigan to stop my shoulders from getting any more burnt than they are (stay in the shade and wear sun cream regardless of what the sky looks like, kids) and a parasol (which you can see here), and I'm set for the last throes of sunshine. For the real dogs out there, I recommend a good hair cut and a cool bowl of water.

This post was part of The Curious Professor Z's Monthly Homework Assignment; photos by Ben, who I think really outdid himself on these ones (one day I'll become a model worthy of him). I may not have a wardrobe feature on the 1st, but I'm pleased at managing to take part in this challenge. Any other suggestions for summer?





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