Many parts of the world are experiencing a heatwave right now. Having lived in tropical Hong Kong and Mediterranean Cape Town for much of my life, I know how hard it is to look and feel your best in hot weather. Here are 12 things that you can do to feel fresher, more polished, and more pulled together during the day, despite the heat. 

Wear Natural Fibres

As far as possible, stick to wearing clothing made of cotton or silk. Linen is another excellent high Summer natural fibre, but you have to be at peace with the crease. Semi-synthetic fibres like viscose and rayon are also great in ultra hot weather when they feel silky and soft to the touch.

Keep Silhouettes Loose & Lightweight 

Choose silhouettes that are lightweight and less formfitting. Fluid and oversized fits are especially great in hot weather because they provide natural ventilation. It’s a wonderful feeling when the breeze fills out your billowing silk blouse in scorching temperatures. 

Wear Dresses, Skirts & Shorts

Dresses, skirts and shorts are breezier than wearing full-length trousers or jeans. A lightweight and roomy cotton or silk dress is about the breeziest item on earth. 

Go Sleeveless 

Sleeves get damp in ultra humid weather, which makes you feel haggard and hot. Sleeveless can be the answer, but be aware of your exposure to the sun.

Cover Up with Silky Sleeves

If it’s a dry heat, then there’s something to be said for covering up with silky sleeves. Personally, I like to wear a very lightweight and loose sleeved silk, cotton or linen top because the coverage also protects me from the sun. It’s no coincidence that in many of the hottest countries in the world, people cover up. 

Wear Open Footwear

Cool feet can go a long way to keeping the rest of you cool, which makes sandals a popular choice for hot days. But you needn’t expose your entire foot if that’s not your cup of tea. Sandals can have covered toe boxes and open heels, or closed footwear like oxfords and loafers can be perforated with holes for extra ventilation. Personally, I prefer the latter two styles to sandals in hot weather. 

Have Regular Pedicures

Keep your feet well groomed during the Summer months and you will be completely comfortable when you expose your bare feet, be it at home, swimming, or in yoga class. There is something about seeing my own pedicured feet that makes me feel more polished about my Summer style. 

Touch Up Your Make-up  

Carry a make-up bag in your handbag, especially if you work in an office. Touching up is worth the effort if you’re feeling hot and flushed after a morning’s commute, or racing around on your lunch break. It’s also worth touching up at home after the heat has melted or smudged your make-up.

Second Base Camisoles

If you need to wear a camisole under a top in hot weather, choose a Second Base camisole. They are made of an eco-friendly modal and spandex blend that’s extremely soft and lightweight. You can’t even feel that you’re wearing the cami, it’s THAT ventilating and unobtrusive.

Sport a Hat

Hats are the best way to keep the sun off your face. Choose a few fun silhouettes and integrate them into your style. Think fedoras, floppy straw hats, haute baseball caps, cowboy hats and Panama hats. 

Adapt Your Hairstyle

It might be worthwhile to adapt your hairstyle to hot weather, especially if your Summers are humid. That might mean cutting it, growing it, leaving it curly, tying it back into a cute style, leaving it flat, slicking it back with gel, adding some colour, or using a different range of hair products. You’ll feel better about your overall appearance when you’re having a good hair day. 

Take Multiple Showers

Coming home from a hot commute and need to go out again at night? Start again by having a quick shower before you put on a fresh set of clothes. Do the same if you’re feeling hot and bothered at home. 

Of course, these guidelines won’t help you to survive one of my pet peeves: arctic air conditioning. It becomes almost impossible to dress for the scorching heat outside when it’s freezing cold inside. I wish that buildings would turn down their A/C a notch in Summer.  

How do you stay cool in hot weather? Please add your own tips in the comments below.

Tops with asymmetrical front knot detailing, like the styles below, are a handy silhouette to have in your wardrobe if you don’t like tucking tops into bottoms. The slanted hemline creates the oh-so-fashionable semi-tucked look without tucking the front of the top or exposing the waistband of your skirt, shorts, jeans or trousers. The magical diagonal line that is created in front of the body is flattering because it either straightens curves OR accentuates them, depending on your preference.

The good news is that you can create a similar knotted silhouette by using an elastic band on the front side of a top and tucking under the loop. Diane recently demonstrated the “knotted top trick” on our forum, photographing the steps involved. It’s dead simple and works on both knitted and woven tops. All you need is an elastic band and a top with a bit of length and volume.

The knotted effect gives a top and the outfit a little more structure by hinting at the waistline. It’s perfect for tempering the volume or shortening the length of a top to create a more flattering silhouette. Great for hourglass and pear shaped body types who like a little waist definition. Great for inverted triangle body types because it reins in the volume of a top that’s too wide on the hips. And good for apple shapes because the fit of the top remains sufficiently loose and is therefore forgiving on the midsection. 

A-line skirts, fit-and-flare skirts, pencil skirts and culottes tend to look best with tucked tops or untucked short fitted tops, which can be hard to find. The knotted top trick instantly transforms a longer and looser top into a great skirt top. Now that’s shopping your closet. Many thanks to Diane for coming up with this clever idea and showing us how it’s done.

A new documentary about the plus-size modelling world, Donna Karan is stepping down at Donna Karan International, sneakers made from ocean debris, and more news from the style trenches this week.

• Donna Karan is stepping down as chief designer of Donna Karan International to focus on her Urban Zen product line.
• A new documentary, Straight/Curve, will go behind the scenes of the plus-size modelling world.
• Grace Coddington has two books coming out: a reprint of her 2002 monograph, and a new one covering all of her later work that will be released in the Fall of 2016.
• Warby Parker continues to expand, and plans to open seven new brick-and-mortar stores this year.
• “The Rise of Sneaker Culture” exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum examines the role the shoe has played in our society.
• Uniqlo has teamed up with UK fashion designer Hana Tajima for a “modest wear” collection that includes a range of hijabs.
• In collaboration with Parley for the Oceans, Adidas has created the world’s first sneakers made from ocean debris.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that the classic round brilliant is the most popular diamond cut for engagement rings, and that vivid pink — coloured diamonds are extremely rare — is the most sought after colour, according to Tiffany & Co’s chief gemologist Melvyn Kirtly.

This ensemble was inspired by Independence Day in the USA, which is usually a day of celebration with friends and family in casual attire. In that spirit I’ve put together four outfits that hint at the colour of the American flag in a subtle way. Instead of wearing red, white and blue, you’re choosing two of those colours. 

A Dress

Choose a casual dress in a shade of red, blue or white. A denim dress counts as a blue dress. Pair it with white footwear like sandals, sneakers, espadrilles or loafers. A pair of red shoes looks great with a blue or white dress. Finish off the look with a casual bag in any colour. I’ve chosen a  straw tote for an extra casual vibe. 

Blue Jeans & White Top

This rendition is the easiest to pull together. Combine blue jeans, trousers, shorts or a skirt with a white top, white footwear, and neutral bag. You could substitute the white footwear for red, but that would make the reference to the American flag less subtle. 

White bottoms & Blue Top 

Choose white shorts, jeans, trousers or a skirt and pair it with a blue top. The top needn’t be solid if patterns are your cup of tea. Finish off the look with white or blue shoes. I’ve chosen light blue sneakers to complement the ink and white in the rest of the outfit. Add jewellery, watch, eyewear and headgear as desired. A bandana tied to the handle of your bag is a sweet addition. 

We’re off to barbecue with friends for our July 4th, and although I’m not American, I’ll be wearing one of these flag-inspired outfit combinations. What will you be wearing?