HOW TO LOOK POLISHED IN THE HEAT

I'm no stranger to heat. Here in California, we are surrounded with desert-like dry heat. In New Orleans, where I attend university, each morning we step out to hit a wall of humidity. While I do enjoy the summer months - lounging by the seaside, tanning in the sun, and celebrating my birthday in late June - not only does the sun bog me down but it can also make me feel really uncomfortable if I am wearing the wrong clothing. It's totally possible to look cute and still not feel oppressively hot during heat waves. Here are a few of my tips and tricks on maintaining your style while beating the heat.

Tip One: Make the Most of Materials

Do's: Cotton, linen and chambray are your new best friends. Cotton and linen are both natural fibres that allow air to easily enter through pores in the material; that way the air also reaches your skin making you feel light and breezy. Linen absorbs moisture and dries incredibly quickly, so it's perfect to grab moisture from your skin without showing any marks. Chambray should be worn in the heat as a substitute to denim. With the same signature blue wash, chambray is incredibly lightweight and will mimic your favourite pair of denim jeans. Often if you stretch a piece of chambray material a little bit, you will be able to see small holes in the fabric, this is because chambray is a woven material.

Don'ts: Avoid polyester, rayon, and nylon, all of which are designed to repel liquid. While wearing a liquid repellant seems like a great idea in theory, the material against your skin will actually flick back any of the moisture coming from your skin. This traps both heat and sweat against your body. As a rule of thumb, anything that has a similar material to gym kits are a bad idea.

Tip Two: Stick to Light Colours

Have you ever noticed that you tend to sunburn more easily when wearing black, sometimes even through clothing? Colours with darker hues such as black, dark grey, brown, deep purple or blue, absorb heat and trap it to your body. Light coloured clothing reflect visible wavelengths from the sun, resulting in a cooler feeling you.

Tip Three: Say No to Tight Fits

Denim shorts have been a summer staple since the invention of the short itself. However, in recent years I have opted out of wearing jean shorts in the heat. Denim shorts are often skin tight and press into our legs. Not only does this create a horrible feeling of constraint but also traps sweat and causes irritation from the rubbing of skin and heavy material. The same idea applies other tight outfit options. You may be absolutely in love with your new body-con dress but it's probably not the best choice for the summer months. Instead choose clothing items with flowing or tiered designs that allow for more movement. Or if you can't give up your skin tight cami, try looking at pieces that have shirred or runched detail, this allows for that tighter fit while allowing for more range with the elastic.

Tip Four: DRESSES!

Dresses, dresses, dresses. So, so many options; mini, midi, maxi and everything in between. In the heat, I absolutely adore wearing little mini dresses or long flowing dresses. They are light, airy and easy to dress up and down for special occasions or for every-days. A seasonal favorite of mine has been wearing spagetti- strapped midi dresses with pointed toe flats (for day-to-day) or adding a strappy canvas wedge (for occasions).

Tip Five: Wear Mineral Based Makeup

I could do a whole post about this... Summer is the perfect time to experiment with mineral based makeup. In the heat, having a more natural, less makeup, look is a must. Nobody likes a summer breakout and one of the main causes for our little acne flareups is from wearing excessive makeup. The pores on our skin are temperature sensitive and open in the heat. Makeup, when mixed with moisture on our skin, can easily clog up pores. On top of this, it's not the most pleasant feeling when you feel makeup dripping! This is why, if you choose to wear makeup in the summer months, it is so important that you use makeup with clean, plant sourced or mineral based ingredients

For any sort of foundation, I strongly suggest using a mineral based SPF foundation of 15 or higher. The number next to the "SPF" on suncreams and makeup tell you how long it would take your skin to burn. For example, it would take someone wearing SFP 30 about 30 times longer to burn than if you were not wearing suncream. Many makeup and skincare brands also make tinted suncream that acts like a CC or BB cream while still having sun protection. I typically wear Supergoop's Daily CC cream, BareMinerals' Original Loose Powder Foundation, and I finish my look with Beauty Counter's Velvet Eyeshadow Paletteand a swipe of mascara. *I highly recommend checking out Beauty Counter for clean and ethically sourced makeup

Tip Six: Reconsider Your Undergarments

Our undergarments are the first things to touch our skin. For those extra-hot days, it may be worthwhile to swap your everyday bra for a soft cotton t-shirt bra. The fabric will be more breathable and will help you avoid any unwanted sweaty patches along your undergarment lines.

Tip Seven: Accessorise with Sunglasses

Sunglasses are just about my favourite accessory (year round). Not only are they practical, providing protection from the harsh UV waves, but they can also match pretty much any outfit. I love using sunglasses to elevate my more simple outfits. Use sunglasses without nodules (that sit on your nose) to avoid pulling on hair if you rest your sunnies on your head. For my birthday last year I was gifted a pair of Celine sunglasses which are my go-to everyday sunglasses. They come at a bit of a premium price, however for something like sunglasses, which you wear on a constant basis, splurging a little bit to ensure quality is a good idea. I also have some more "fun" pairs of sunglasses which I picked up at local shops. Variety=key!!

Hope you enjoyed my tips and tricks! XOXO Ally