Beat the Heat
It is hot AF, and the temperatures will only keep going up, and up and UP. And, if you’re anything like me, you’re absolutely miserable in this muggy mess of a summer. No matter how prepared I think I am before I leave my air conditioned apartment, the second I open the door onto the street it’s like I have opened the gates of Hell. Oh, and it only gets worse when I step down into the subway station to wait for my train. The sweat starts rolling down nooks and crannies that I didn’t even know existed. Next thing I know, I’m wiping the sweat from my brows, my upper lip, and my...nevermind. The second I make it to work, my deodorant has become obsolete, and I already need to shower again. Gross, I know.
So, I’ve been working on a little list of ways to escape the misery, and I think that if you and I can stick to them together, maybe, just maybe, we can beat the summer heat.
1. Aritzia ($195), 2. Reformation ($178), 3. Anthropologie ($138), 4. Zara ($29.99)
1. Wear lightweight, flowy dresses, skirts and pants.
The easiest way to help combat the heat (and sweat) on a hot summer day, is by wearing lightweight clothing. My favorite things to wear on super hot days are flowy skirts, dresses, and pants. Try to find things that are lightweight, like poplin cotton, and try to stay away from heavy fabrics like wools and flannels, or even thicker cottons. Pick fun and flirty, summer patterns like florals (always in during the summer) and gingham (super in THIS summer) to spice your looks up a little! It also doesn’t hurt to pick some pieces that have cutouts like the Aritzia dress above to allow your skin to breathe.
2. Wear your hair up.
I don’t know about you, but there’s absolutely nothing worse than taking the time in the morning to make your hair look nice just so it sweats to the back of your neck and poofs out like a lion’s mane, especially if you have naturally wavy/curly hair. Even the strongest mooses and frizz creams don’t hold up in the horrible humidity. Sooo, solution, put your hair up! I know updos aren’t for everyone, and most of the time they’re not for me either, but unless you want a wet matted mess, sometimes it’s worth it. Have fun with it. If buns aren’t for you, pull your hair back into a sleek ponytail, or some cool french braids.
Amazon ($6.99)
3. Get a phone fan.
Okay, I know this one is random...but I swear it’s worth it. My boss is pretty much known for buying the most random nicknacks on vacation (just today he gave me Prince and Coco Chanel caricature pins). You never know what he’s going to pull out when he reaches his hand down into his backpack. Well, one day, he reached in and pulled out this cool little phone fan. At first, I made fun of him for his embarrassing mom-like gadget, but I must say, during those hot Milan days, I was tremendously jealous of his phone fan. Now, I want one! All you do is plug it into the charging jack on your phone, and it just whirls away! It is definitely $7 well spent.
4. Wear little to no makeup.
The last thing that you want during the summer is for your heavy makeup to melt into your skin and clog up your pores. Clogged pores=pimples! The summer sun is great for clearing up your skin, so don’t jeopardize it by caking on the makeup. If you absolutely HAVE to wear makeup, try a tinted moisturizer (with SPF), or a thin, lightweight foundation (try oil free). I challenge you to trying a week without makeup (mascara is obvi okay), or maybe even no makeup Fridays! If your skin gets super oily, try dusting some translucent powder on your skin in the morning, or use oil blotting papers. My favorite ones are the black charcoal blotting linens by boscia (boscia is ahhhmazing). There are plenty of oil remedies out there, just try one!
And, last but not least...
S'well ($35)
5. Stay hydrated.
And when I say “stay hydrated,” I mean with water (even though margaritas are also a summer staple). It is super important to make sure you are getting your full eight cups of water on blistering hot days. If you’re sweating, you’re losing water, which means you need more! So, be sure to keep a water bottle on deck at all times (or most times). I know carrying a water bottle around can be a bit of a hassle, but if you get a cute one, at least you can look good carrying it! I’m sure you already know, but S’well makes super cute bottles that keep cold drinks cold all day, and I really mean ALL day. Isn’t that actually pretty amazing when you think about it? They don’t sweat either, which means you can toss them into a bag without worrying about damaging it. No sweat? If only we could be made with that same S’well technology...
With these five tricks, the hot weather is just a little less painful, and even if it only gives a slight amount of relief, it’s still relief in my book. Stay cool my dudes. It’s rough out there.
xoxo,
Zoey Leigh