How I Survive 95-Degree Weather Without Giving Up on Style

My strategy for getting dressed when it’s too hot to think.

I much prefer summer to winter.

Give me sunshine and 95 degrees over freezing temperatures any day. No matter how hot it gets, I can usually find a little spot with a breeze, a shady table or an icy drink.

The hardest part of summer for me isn’t the heat.

It’s figuring out what the hell to wear.

I want to be comfortable, but I don’t want to be naked. I want to look stylish without looking like I tried too hard. And whatever I put on has to survive the transition from blazing sunshine outside to those inevitable rooms where somebody has apparently decided the air conditioning should be set to meat locker.

For me, surviving summer stylishly comes down to one thing:

Planning ahead.

As soon as I see the temperatures starting to rise, I mentally put together a handful of looks that work for my actual life.

Because when I wake up one morning and it’s 9 a.m. and already approaching 100 degrees, the last thing I want to do is stand in front of my closet completely stymied about what to wear.

Here’s my system.

Start With Natural Fibers

As much as possible, I buy clothing made from natural fibers.

One of the hardest-working pieces in my closet is an off-white linen dress. I’ve worn it to weddings, professional meetings, church and dinners. I’m actually having trouble thinking of somewhere I couldn’twear it.

And because I’m me, I have a handful of fabulous large-brimmed straw hats.

Add one to the linen dress and suddenly I’m ready for a white party.

That’s what I want from my summer wardrobe: clothes that breathe, but also clothes that can go places.

Dress for Your Actual Summer

Before buying another cute summer dress, I think about where I’m actually going.

I’m going to need something for barbecues. Outdoor concerts. Work. Lunches. Travel. Hanging out. The pool. And those days when I’m going to several of those places without coming home in between.

That’s where sets earn their place in my suitcase.

Our Sante Grace Light Sleepers have become one of my summer staples. They’re silk, they’re lightweight and they look good without requiring much effort. Most of the looks come with pants, and some have shorts, which gives me options depending on where I’m going.

This summer was a particularly hot one for me. I traveled to Colombia, New Jersey and seemingly everywhere else the sun had decided to personally attack us.

My silk-twill Light Sleeper set handled it beautifully.

Comfortable enough for serious heat. Pulled together enough to actually go somewhere.

Never Underestimate a Caftan

I also made sure I traveled with several caftans.

I love a caftan because it might be one of the few garments that genuinely doesn’t care what your plans are.

Swimsuit cover-up? Absolutely.

Laying around the pool? Obviously.

Shopping with Mona? Put on some jewelry and let’s go.

Lunch? Sandals.

Running around town? Sneakers.

A great caftan gives you drama without giving you work. And when it’s 95 degrees outside, I have absolutely no interest in clothes that require work.

Slip Dress Science

Now we need to discuss what I call Slip Dress Science.

Seriously: What can’t a slip dress do?

Last week I was at the Hollywood Bowl seeing Al Green in a slip dress.

The week before that, I wore one to my godparents’ joint birthday party.

Before that? A client lunch.

Same basic dress. Completely different situations.

That’s the beauty of it.

A slip dress can take you from day to night with almost no stress and, equally important in August, minimal sweat.

During the day, I’ll wear a lace tank underneath. At night, I’ll use our silicone bra when I want more lift and a sexier neckline. Change the shoes, jewelry and bag and it’s an entirely different look.

Our Sante Grace slip dress is made from a poly-bamboo blend, which makes it particularly useful for travel. In an emergency, I could wash the thing in a hotel sink. We make it in more than five colors because once you discover something this useful, one is probably not enough.

And I’m not putting mine away when summer ends.

This winter I’ll wear them over turtleneck sweaters.

That’s the kind of clothing I increasingly want in my closet: pieces that earn their keep.

Finish It, Then Stop

I round everything out with simple jewelry and a beautiful, light scent.

I love fragrance, but summer isn’t the time when I want my perfume entering the room five minutes before I do.

Just enough to be romantic.

Not enough to alert every mosquito in the neighborhood that dinner has arrived.

And then I’m done.

That’s really my entire philosophy for dressing in extreme heat.

I don’t believe summer style requires showing as much skin as possible. And I definitely don’t believe being comfortable means surrendering and wearing something you don’t particularly like.

Instead, I build a small arsenal before I need it:

Linen. Silk. Caftans. Slip dresses. Lightweight layers. Great hats. Comfortable shoes. A little jewelry. A little perfume.

Most importantly, I choose clothes that can do more than one thing.

Because the real luxury when it’s 95 degrees outside isn’t owning an enormous summer wardrobe.

It’s waking up already knowing what you’re going to wear.

Light Sleeper Collection link
Caftan Collection link
Slip Dress Collection link