I never know what to wear on a hot day
For starters, I just want to stay indoors, stay cool and out of the sun. Unfortunately, I don’t have air conditioning at home, and the indoor temperature can get quite tropical, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t help that because of the white nights, it really doesn’t cool down in the evening, either.
Besides, as much as I would like to just stay at home with my feet in a bucket full of ice cubes, real life forces me to go out every now and then. Hence the problem of what to wear…
I’ve come to the conclusion that a kaftan dress if the best option: it’s loose, comfortable, and barely touches the skin. This is very important. I can’t stand clothes that pinch or restrict my movements, or stick to my skin. Not on a hot day. Feeling that my face is melting is bad enough: clothes should at least make me feel marginally more comfortable.
And my hair is a total mess!
But on hot day, who wants to use a blowdryer?!? Besides, even if I blow-dry my hair, 2 minutes outdoors and my (somewhat) tidy hairdo is a distant memory. So, why bother? I know, I say the same thing when it rains, too.
Maybe I should just own my messy hair and get on with life. I mean, at 54, I’m thinking it’s about time I make peace with my hair. For a long as I can remember, my hair and I have been fighting over who’s in charge.
It goes like this:
Me: So, hair, I’ve splashed you with tons of expensive products, massaged you with oils and conditioners, pampered you with everything you want. How about you cooperate with me and we can both be happy?
Hair: Nope.
Me: I was thinking we should go for something sleek and simple today. What do you say?
Hair: Today’s style is called ‘The Mop’.
Me: But that was yesterday’s style. Could we try something different today? Please?
Hair: I was thinking more along the lines of ‘Messy Mop’.
Me: But that was yesterday, and the day before that, and every day. That’s the only style you ever suggest. Let’s try something different for change, huh? What do you say?
Hair: OK, ‘Poodle Mop’, then.
Me: That’s not fair. You always get the last word.
Hair: Of course. Why, did you think you had some say in the matter?
Me: Well, yes, it’s my head…
Hair: That’s what you think…
And in case you’re wondering: yes, I’ve heard of the curly girl method. It sounds like a lot work. Or at least as much work as my usual everyday fight with ‘The Mop’. Maybe I should just go ‘au naturel’, you know, wash-and-wear, let the hair do its thing and not interfere in any way (Hah! Did you hear that, hair: I stop putting in any effort, let’s see how you like that!). On the few occasions I’ve done that, nobody has ever noticed anything different about me. It’s a bit depressing, if you think about it…
Outfit details:
dress: Marimekko (old) / bag: Marimekko /
sandals: Clarks (old) / sunglasses: Nina Ricci
Do you have badly-behaved curly hair? And, more importantly, if you do, what’s the secret to making it behave?
Tiina
Linking up with:
Not Dead Yet Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, High Latitude Style, Style Elixir, A Labour of Life, Curly Crafty Mom, Fashion Should Be Fun, Color and Grace, The Wardrobe Stylist, Not Dressed As Lamb, Style Nudge, Living on Cloud Nine, A Well Styled Life, Elegance and Mommyhood. Posh Classy Mom, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Shelbee on the Edge, A Pocketful of Polka Dots Style Splash, The Fashionista Momma, Tina’s Pink Friday, Away from the Blue, Mummabstylish , Mutton Years Style and I
Ha ha leave your hair alone no on will notice. I know the story. Nearly thirty years ago I stopped going to the ‘salon’ and I’ve been cutting my own hair ever since. I read in Vogue pull it all up into a band on top of your head and cut straight across. I tried it and it worked it leaves your hair in layers. It’s white now and I often get compliments but more importantly I like it. I used to come home from the hairdresser and wash out the stying.
You look lovely and cool, even if you don’t feel it, and your bag is so cheerful looking. Bon Dimanche!
Author
Thanks, Flora!
You’re brave, cutting your own hair! I would never even think of doing that. But that’s because both my mother and my aunt were hairdressers, and I’m pretty fussy when it comes to haircuts. I’ve been known to give very detailed instructors to stylists… And I have my hair trimmed every 5 weeks. If I didn’t, I’d look like a scarecrow with a bird’s nest on its head…
I love your cute kaftan-dress, the print is cool and the accessorizing is Fabulous!, this bag steals the show totally!!, love it!.
Kaftans and tunics are great and they’re easy to style too!, perfect for hot days!
And I think that the reason to keep my hair short is that I don’t have to do anything. Well, my hairstylist thinks that I have to dry it and use products to add volume and stuff, but I never do it. No time and no interest, as my hair looks almost the same whatever I do!. I even quitted dying it!. Not the best people to give advice on this subjetc! ;DDD
besos
Author
I have a couple of these Marimekko kaftan dresses. They’re perfect for hot weather. And as they’re made of viscose, they’re low-maintenance and cool on the skin.
You know, I grew up in a hair salon, and my mother and my aunt used to practice all the new stuff on my hair first, whether I liked it or not. So, these days I’m very low-maintenance when it comes to hair styling: 5 minutes of blowdrying is all I do. But I do splash out on products (my hair is a fussy diva that likes all sorts of conditioners and hair masks…).
Great choice! I love loose dresses, and this one has such a fab print! You don’t look uncomfortable at all – you look chic! Fun purse too.
Author
Thanks, Natalia!
You look fantastic. I love the dress and handbag together. I live in a hot, humid climate and I have trouble finding dresses like the one you are wearing. There is too much made from polyester. Fortunately, for me, my hair loves the humidity. I do wear hats occasionally, though.
Author
Thanks, Kimberly. I got the dress a couple of years ago, and the bag is from this year’s Marimekko Limited Edition collection. This dress is made from viscose, which is a great alternative to cotton (doesn’t wrinkle, doesn’t need ironing). I wouldn’t wear polyester, either. That would be same a swearing plastic…
Oh yes, the hair that loves humidity… In a hot an humid climate my hair gets 3 times as big as normal. But it usually looks good. Is yours the same?
Lol, fun hair conversation! I don’t do much with mine just blow dry it. But on a bad hair day, I wear a hat! Loose dress are very comfortable, I especially enjoy them at the beach.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Author
Thanks! I always envy people who look great wearing hats. I just look odd, and uncomfortable. I often just pin my hair up, in a sort of a loose bun, when it gets very hot.
I have exactly the same hair issues as you, especially in the humidity in the summer here on the Black Sea. At 53 I am trying to embrace my natural hair but it is difficult. I have stopped using expensive salon products, I have found products with the same ingredients as the salon products at a third of the price. But in this weather the products don’t help too much. I have to wet my hair before I go out and start all over again trying to control it. I am also melting and only wearing loose fitting dresses. When the weather gets like this I start thing maybe the winter was not so bad…. Lise
Author
Yes, I know what you mean: humidity makes the hair curl up… But sometimes it looks nice. And sometimes it looks like a hot mess. And there’s no product that can change that. That’s what my hairdresser keeps telling me. But I think that the key to embracing your hair is finding the right haircut (= style + length). My hair certainly has ‘optimal length’: that’s when it looks its best. Anything shorter or longer and it’s just a hot mess.
Hang in there! Before we know it, there’s another winter on the way, and then we’ll miss the warm summer days…
I love your hair. Mine only looks good really short. I am thinking how lovely to have a mass of curls. If it annoys, why not a pony tail or a bun? Gorgeous hair, So jealous.
Author
Thanks, Ruth, that’s so sweet of you. I guess we all want what we don’t have. My mother used to say how ‘lucky’ I was to have curly hair (her hair was thin and straight). Needless to say I never felt very lucky, trying to force my obstinate hair into some sort of style that wasn’t flying in all directions at once. That’s why ponytails or buns don’t work so well, either: they look messy, unless you use a ton of hairspray to glue the obstinate strands in place.
As for the ‘mass of curls’: it’s never like that with naturally curly hair. Never. OK, maybe once in a blue moon. When the stars align, pigs fly, and the humidity is just right. Most of the time the hair is a messy mixture of straight, wavy and curly hair, all at once. And without a lot of conditioners and hair masks (or when it rains), it turns into a really dry, frizzy mess in an instant.
Trust me, curly hair is a real diva: it does what it wants when it wants, and most of the time it’s in a really bad mood…
Our hair really can be the bane of our lives can’t it. Mine is the complete opposite , dead straight and getting finer over time. I do like your loose, comfortable dress – the only way to go in heat and humidity. Love that bag too.
Author
Oh yes, I’ve yet to meet a woman who is happy with her hair…
Thanks, Jill.
Your hair looks great! I have the curly frizzy mop too- and tried the curly girl stuff. Sooo much product and goop! And you cannot touch it till it dries. And it doesn’t look good the second day so you start all over again. I hated it! I blow dry and round brush, and with luck can go three days. Good enough for me- the cut is key I think.
Author
Oh dear, the curly girl method does sound very complicated… I think I might be just a bit too lazy for all that.
The big round brush is my best friend, too. It doesn’t make the hair straight, but the curls are bigger and bouncier. Which is fine, as long as it doesn’t rain…
Since I burned my hair with the straighteners I have to let it do its own thing now, it’s still too fragile for heat styling. But since I had it cut shorter it saves me so much time – sometimes I just let it dry naturally and other times I rough dry it on a low heat. I love the kaftan dress and the bag is fabulous! Thanks for linking up!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Author
Thanks, Emma!
I’ve never used straighteners, exactly for that reason. My hair is dry as it is, and straighteners would make it look like straw in no time. I use a big brush when I blow-dry my hair, and even then I usually blow-dry just the top layer (as soon as go out, the hair starts curling up anyway, so minimum effort is enough).
I think your hair look lovely, and I agree with a pretty flowy dress to beat the heat! your big bag is so fun with this too.
Isn’t it funny how people with straight hair always admire curls and people with curls always wish their hair was a bit more manageable? haha!
Hope you had a great weekend!
Thank you so much for joining the #weekdayWearLinkUp 🙂 I just posted this week’s linkup, I’d love you to join again! 🙂
http://awayfromtheblue.blogspot.com.au
Author
Thanks, Mica!
Yes, when it comes to hair, everybody seems to want something they don’t have. Well, maybe one day I will learn to live with (if not love) my curls.