Heatwave-Approved Wardrobe Staples
Stylish, not sweaty.
Whew. It has been hot in the UK over the past week, and for a country ill-equipped to cope with temperatures above 20°C, these heatwaves can send many of us into a tailspin. How on earth do we keep our air-con-free homes that are built for retaining heat, cool? Is it normal to sweat this much? (Highly recommend
’s hot mess guide to summer for that one.) How many Mini Milks are too many Mini Milks? And — of course — what do we wear that feels cool, comfortable and like “us”?As a Brit, I don’t class myself as an expert in heatwave dressing, but I have made (and learnt from) a lot of hot-weather mistakes, and like to think I honed my 30°C+ dressing while living in Sydney for a few years during my late 20s/early 30s. So, here are the pieces I pull out whenever a heatwave rolls onto our shores (it works for going away, too). I’ve just covered clothing and a touch of accessories, so if you’re looking for heat-friendly footwear, step this way.
Short-sleeved shirts
If I’m going to be in the sun, I don’t like my skin to be too exposed — these Celtic shoulders are prime sunburn territory. So I have a little collection of short-sleeved camp collar shirts that I usually size up in for a looser fit. Like this one, they’re normally light cotton or linen, or a blend of the two, in neutral colours that I know will go with most things I choose to pair them with: off-white (keep that Tide pen handy), black, and navy.
Most of my short-sleeved shirts are a linen blend from Uniqlo, which they bring out in a few different colours every summer.
Toast has a striped cotton seersucker version that looks nice and boxy.
If you’re not a fan of a button-up, Soeur has a short-sleeved white blouse in organic cotton poplin with an interesting crossover detail at the neck. It’s currently on sale too.
Long-sleeved shirts
And when I really want to cover up my skin, I reach for a trusty long-sleeved shirt. In this kind of heat, I always wear linen because it’s so cooling, and I choose oversized fits that don’t feel restrictive. I wear this one from DL1961 a lot in summer — no matter how many times I roll the cuffs or roll it up and pop it into a bag at the beach, it still looks good (it’s worth spending that little extra on quality).
WNU’s linen shirts are also excellent. I like The Boyfriend, which has a relaxed fit, but I’d suggest sizing up if you want an even looser fit.
I love the look of how oversized this collarless shirt from Toast is.
Always a fan of Something to Hold’s Studio Shirt, which I have in navy and ecru. I sized up to a medium for a looser fit.
Strappy tops
When I’m not as fussed about covering up (namely, on a hot evening or when I know I’m likely to be in the shade), my top of choice is the strappy top. But not just any strappy top, it needs to be loose (you can probably see a theme forming here) and preferably have low enough arm holes that won’t skim my armpits (I’d rather go without the sweat stains, thanks). The one I’m wearing here is from Toast last summer, but there’s currently a version in light blue (also in the sale).
I like the look of this one from COS, which has slightly thicker straps and a tie detail at the back.
- has reignited my love of a good tank top. This linen one from Massimo Dutti looks versatile enough for day and evening looks. I’d size up one for a looser fit.
And for a longer tunic-style fit (see this post from
for styling inspo), this one from Rise & Fall looks very good — and is currently on sale. Again, I’d size up for less armpit grazing.
Long dresses
I don’t wear dresses that often, but when those heatwaves strike, you can’t beat a long dress that a) doesn’t need much thought or styling, and b) feels cool and breezy to wear. Again, I try to choose styles that aren’t too tight and don’t sit too closely against my skin. It suits my tendency to wear looser, more oversized fits, and it’s a much more comfortable way of dressing in the heat. The dress I’m wearing here is an oldie from The Archive Place (a great online Aussie outlet store stocking Australian designers. According to the website, it’s currently on pause, but you can sign up for updates.)
I also have this dress from Toast. It has a roomy, relaxed fit, scooped back and summer-friendly olive stripe. It’s on sale too, and true to size.
This long, linen-blend dress from Massimo Dutti will satisfy those whose wardrobes are black, black and more black.
I love the twist detail on the straps of this Soeur dress. It’s on sale too. I find the sizing in Soeur to run slightly large, so I tend to size down one.
Straw hats
I don’t spend a hot, sunny day without a straw hat if I can help it; give me sun safety over sun damage any day. I love this one from Lack of Color for its wide brims and cotton neck tie that helps keep it in place on breezy days — plus, it comes in varying sizes which is excellent news if your head is smaller or larger (guilty) than average.
Sometimes you need a smaller hat you can pack up and carry around in your bag. I like this bucket-style one from COS.
For a balance of the two, look to this large raffia sunhat from Lack of Color. It has a wire in the edge of the brim to help with shaping, and it’s currently on sale.
Soeur has this paper-style hat in dark straw that’s perfect for rolling up and packing in a suitcase.
Loose shorts
Ok, I wouldn’t wear a jumper in a heatwave, but I would definitely wear these roomy linen shorts (could do with tanning my legs first though… this from Tan Luxe is pretty fool-proof). It probably won’t come as a surprise, but tight or slim-fitting shorts aren’t really “me” — instead, styles that are looser and more relaxed feel a lot more comfortable (plus, they’re nicer to wear in the heat). Side note: I highly recommend experimenting with different styles of shorts to find a style that works. They are tricky items of clothing for a lot of us.
I can’t mention shorts without mentioning WNU’s boxers, the style that got me wearing shorts again after years of hating them.
These cotton shorts from Soeur have a vintage, tailored feel, so they’d make a great choice if you still want to appear relatively “smart” in the middle of a heatwave.
I saw these Toast stripe cotton shorts on Kat Atkinson, and they really made her outfit. According to the reviews, they run large, so I suggest sizing down one.
Any items marked with * have been gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
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That look of you in the black dress and straw hat— you look straight out of Talented Mr Ripley in the BEST way. Sooooo chic. So many great ideas here- and tunics are SUCH a good summer staple!!
Obsessed with those linen shorts!! 🤩