Ask Belinda: Tips for a Cool Summer

The Question:

Dear Belinda,

The temperatures have been seemingly out of control this summer and while it’s nice to enjoy the sunshine, it’s really hard to stay cool and “stylish” at the same time. I feel like I shouldn’t even bother trying to look my best if the heat and sweat are just going to ruin it. What can a girl do to look good in these extreme temperatures?

Sincerely,

Clara,

Arlington, TX

Belinda Says…

Dear Clara,

I know exactly how you feel. When the temperatures surpass the 100° mark, it’s tempting to just throw in the towel and sit at home doing nothing but enjoy the AC. But there’s always something to do or some place to be and, while you needn’t dress to the nines every time, you don’t have to forgo looking great just because of the heat. Here are my tips for keeping stylishly cool:

Clothes: The key to staying cool and comfortable in the high summer temperatures is choosing clothes in summer-friendly fabrics. Keep things light, breathable and casual in cotton, linen or rayon. These fabrics do a great job of keeping you cool while wicking away moisture. Feeling fancy? Silk is a great light summer fabric, however, requires special care.

Hair: If you’re anything like me, you love wearing your hair down on most days but, summer, as we know it, is not the best time for this. The great news is that your hair style options are many. Low chignons, topknots, side braids and sleek ponytails are all on trend this year so grab some hair ties, pins and style away!

Makeup: There’s nothing worse than feeling your makeup melting off your face in the midst of summer heat, humidity and sweat. Take the less-is-more approach with a tinted moisturizer with SPF, a stay-put cheek tint and waterproof mascara. If you want to jazz things up a bit, go wild with a bold lip in coral, pink or red.

Of course, your look is not complete without a great pair of shoes. Add some color to your ensemble with a pair of colorful wedges or keep things comfortable and breezy with some crochet flats.

Happy Stylin’!

Belinda

Have a question for Belinda? Send an email to belinda [at] smarter.com with all of your fashion inquiries. I may not be able to answer everyone’s questions, but I will try to get to as many as possible. Be sure to stay tuned for next week’s Ask Belinda Column, the next one may be yours!