Dressing for a heatwave

Quite a lot of summer clothing in the sales at the moment have you looked at Seasalt Fat Face or White Stuff usually good fabrics

White stuff linen shift dresses have been my saviour over the summer.

Lovely wide leg floaty pants and sleeveless loose blouse are what I ve been in all summer Some fantastic colours and patterns out there and they are very cool much cooler than tight or even not so tight shorts

How about some wider leg cotton/linen trousers or longer shorts I find them very cool. Personally I know lots of people use the recommended companies above but even their sale prices are more than I would pay for a simple every day summer dress. Just my skinflintiness coming out 😂

“So I wear shorts even though I am 71.”…………there’s nothing wrong with wearing shorts at your age Sallywally1.
Personally, I prefer loose fitting cotton dresses when it’s very hot as I find anything potentially restrictive around my waist just annoying. Even the ‘comfort’ waistbands with elastic panels make me sweat.
Calf length skirts look lovely as an alternative to dresses too and you could swap these around with different tops for an alternative outfit

These are a very light fabric and suitably cool for hot weather:

www.seasaltcornwall.com/sand-patterns-organic-cotton-summer-dress?color=26970

www.seasaltcornwall.com/tide-flow-cropped-wide-leg-trousers?color=39458

I bought the white stuff kate blue dress for a special occasion a month ago and I love it! Got lots of compliments too

Next have some pure cotton summer dresses.

I’m with the floaty wide trousers and tops.

I’d never dare wear pure white, I’d spill or splash or otherwise stain it.

Enjoy your hols

I have a pair of linen dungarees which I wear and wear on holiday in the heat. I just change the t shirt underneath daily, and so get several days wear out of them
I wish I'd bought more colours.

Seasalt have some very good wide legged linen trousers I am 5ft 6in and last year bought a yellow pair and a rusty coloured pair of cropped wide legged trousers. These were actually a length that pleased me , and did not have to change hems or whatever. They were comfortable waists and good sensible pockets. So with the yellow trousers, I also bought a striped yellow and white tee shirt to match. It has been a very useful outfit and comfortable to wear. They have been washed many times and I was wearing the outfit today. Still very good. Also in very hot weather wear the trousers with a very light cotton creamy top with sleeves, which again looks fine if you wanted to feel a bit dressed up for something. They are not cheap but the quality of the material and their good clear colours are very good. I do not want to buy online, and want to feel the quality of the material and try something on. The staff were very good and you used to be able to get up to size 28 , but some idiot in their head office, now wont stock above 18 in the shop and you have to order on line etc. Because they have differing styles , I find that one pair of trousers may be fine in 20 , yet another style is too close fitting for this weather and you are better having a 22 to keep it cool. I have a whole lot of their T shirts, which are cotton and the variety of colours to go with any trousers or skirts.

So Seasalt is worth looking at, and I have now moved over to Bonmarche, and they have quite a lot of sale items, but you have less pure cotton or linen, but I have just found a pair of cotton trousers in the sale for £10, so also might be worth a look. The one thing that I would avoid is the jump suits. I am so old I remember using them 60 years ago. They can look good but the hassle to go to the ladies when you have to strip right down , is not worth the hassle, and actually being all in one does not let the air circulate very well.

I have lived abroad in places like Syria and Portugal, and so I would not want any thing with any manmade fibre in it. 10% man made fibre, doesnt sound much but it will cling to you and be uncomfortable. So you need to make sure that pants are pure cotton too, and what I ended up doing was buying some dresses and then I bought a pattern and had a dress made from yellow pure cotton broderie anglais. Very worth while as it was then made for me, always comfortable and it washes and irons and looks lovely always. Choose patterns where some darts will give you some shape but not feel too tight. Having always had champagne taste and beer money, I find it is worth looking in charity shops, and second hand shops, as I have found occasionally something very worth getting, so have my precious blue silk shirtwaister blouse, which goes with many things . If you are buying new, I suggest that you might try to have a colour theme, where you might say buy some navy blue trousers and then maybe have a blue and white, and a blue and darker blue striped top, so that on very hot days, you can have the other shirt at the ready in case you need to find somewhere to change if you are very hot. Good luck in finding something that you are pleased with. By the way I am 81 and am quite happy to wear shorts, especially in this hot weather and using my buggy, I am clean and tidy and that is all that I want. I dont care whether I am fashionable or not, nor what anyone else thinks of my outfit.!

Well. I’m 81 years old and I wear shorts a lot during the summer. Along with nice floaty dresses.

Unfortunately, a lot of shops are now stocking winter clothing.
You might be lucky and find some summer stuff in the sales.

What has age got to do with wearing shorts?? I wear shorts and I'm 70. Have done all my life!

Remember Sallywally1 silk and linen are natural fibres too!

Long, loose cotton. Linen may be good, but not if it’s heavy, and in any case it creases like the devil.

Mojack26

What has age got to do with wearing shorts?? I wear shorts and I'm 70. Have done all my life!

Each to her own, but I prefer to have my 77 year old legs (and arms) largely covered up.

I lived in very hot climates for 13 years, and from a heatwave POV, unless you’re desperate for a tan, a covering of thin cotton, preferably in a light colour, is cooler than having the sun beating down on your skin.

I’ve worn shorts and vest tops all summer. I wear a lot of linen which I find the coolest. Lots of shops have sales at the moment . Fat face and M&S is good for shorts and I’ve bought linen trousers and 2 cotton skirts there recently. Crew also is good for cotton and linen and does good discounts

Cotton stretchy t-shirt dresses are cool and comfortable. Strappy vest-style are fine at home, and I pop a loose shirt over it if I’m going to the shops.

I’m 70 and I wear cotton shorts most of the time when it’s not too warm but I hate anything around my waist when it’s hot enough to get sweaty!

I've been struggling to find cotton tops with thin straps on places like Vinted. I can't afford to buy a lot of expensive clothes like the brands that a lot of you are listing on here. There's no way I would wear linen, because it looks like an old rag as soon as you've sat down in it, same goes for anything without any polyester or similar in it. If you buy something that's hundred percent cotton that will also be very creased as soon as you've sat down in it. I would like cotton, woven, not knitted T-shirt type material, but with a small amount of polyester in and a bit of Lycra but you never see it. I also need a few pairs of trousers in a similar material. My chinos are cooler than jeans, but still too hot. I never wear shorts as I hate my legs.

Polyester is hot and sweaty and basically plastic. Viscose is more natural and breathable. A cotton/ viscose or linen/ viscose mix are good. I’ ve bought a few good quality linen sleeveless tops from Vinted which iron beautifully and don't crease up. Good brands, some new with tags on costing less than half price.

Linen is what I wear.
So comfortable.
I would always recommend it - even over cotton.