It’s tricky, it’s July but England is not the Med, it’s a cool, cloudy morning and is it going to rain?
Are you going to be too warm or too cold at work?
Is wearing sandals going to be a mistake?
Do you need a brolly? A coat? Wellies?
How to dress when the weather is so variable is a particular challenge to countries like the UK. Here are my top three tips for getting through those tricky days.
Layer up
Start with your summer dress. Add cardigan or jacket for wearing in the office particularly if it is air conditioned. Take a scarf or pashmina.
The correct accessories make or break and outfit
I’m not talking jewellery, I’m talking umbrella! So, for these variable days you need a brolly and sunglasses. Small brolly at the bottom of your bag is perfect. You could also have an umbrella in the car and one at work and then you’ll rarely be caught out. Put out two pairs of shoes the night before, the first for all out good weather, (sandals, high heels, something to wear with bare legs if you can), the second hedging your bets (think court shoes, closed toe slingback, something you can wear with nude tights). Just make sure both pairs are summery, in other words don’t put out one pair of summer shoes and one pair of winter ones. While talking about accessories we can mention jewellery, cooler, cloudy days might not be the right ones for wearing all out beach baubles, but bright, summer colours, chunky necklaces in natural materials, bracelets layered on the arm still look fun but not over the top.
Stay thinking summer
This is crucial. Just because the temperature has dipped does not mean that you should revert to black dress, tights and shoes. It might feel cold, but everything is relative and cold at this time of the year is not always autumnal cold even though it may feel like it. Therefore, stay in those lighter colours. It’s still summer even if it’s cloudy and drizzly. Wear the pinks, the creams, the blues, yellows, greens, the cottons, the lighter fabrics, the chiffons. Have a realistic expectation of what our weather is like. The UK is not on the Mediterranean, so we can’t expect it to be uniformly hot all summer. There will be dips in temperature and weeks when the sun does not appear much, but despair not, keep thinking summer, even with brolly in hand.
Ok ladies, layer up, get accessorised and keep thinking summer. Enjoy what our weather has to offer and enjoy what you are wearing.
What do you think? Do you have other tips? What do you do when the weather is variable? Please post in the box below or comment on facebook at Working Frocks
