The sun is out and UV is rising so it’s that time of year again when I start telling everyone to “Wear the DAMN shorts!!” I can’t lay exclusivity on this campaign but the simple fact that so many people say it is explanation in itself.
If you don’t like shorts, fine, don’t wear them. However, if you are sweltering in long trousers and maxi skirts wishing that you had better/thinner/browner/more shapely/slender/whichever adjective you choose, legs then it’s time to throw caution to the wind and Wear The Damn Shorts!
I don’t advocate for ‘must-have’s’ in your wardrobe but I do say that your clothes should be comfortable. In the winter we can get all comfy and snuggly in our winter woollies but we need to shed those outer layers in the summer in order to be comfortable in the heat, but that makes us feel uncomfortable in ourselves. Showing skin with its rolls, dimples, thread veins, cellulite, hard skin and pale colour is exposing. It’s showing a side of ourselves that we keep hidden for nine months of the year! But here’s the good news – you’re not alone and we all feel it. And the world is not going to fall off its axis if we expose a dimple or two. It’s what makes us human.
For you it may not be your legs, it could be your upper arms that are usually encased under long sleeves. Whichever part of your body that you struggle to show in the summer, but you want to stay cool, I have some tips. As a perimenopausal lady, I definitely feel the heat more than I used to so these are key for me:
- Fabrics – always natural, cotton, linen etc. If I’m in a polyester dress in June, it’s like boil in the bag
- Sunscreen that is designed for your face not the same one that you use for your body – less sweating
- Clothes that fit. I’m not squeezing into anything in the summer; elastic waistbands are my friend. In the heat I swell and bloat more, so I need my clothes to accommodate this
- Open shoes – sounds obvious but my feet overheat and swell. If I’m not in sandals or flip flops, then the shoes must be leather
- Use a fan – we used to laugh at my mother-in-law for her little handheld helicopter fan and now I’m thanking her for paving the way.
Also, there are shorts and there are shorts. It ranges from little Daisy Duke denim hotpants to tailored Bermudas and there will be a pair to suit you. Here’s my take:
- If you think that you have big thighs wear your shorts wider than your leg
- If you don’t like your knees wear long line shorts
- If you consider your bottom to be big, avoid shorts with pleats or gathers at the waist
- Same as above if you are conscious of your tummy. Instead opt for flat fronted waist bands.
- If you believe that you have short legs, then wear shorter shorts, or add a bit of height in your shoes with a little platform flip flop or wedge sandal
- If you think that you have skinny legs keep your shorts slim fitting – baggy shorts will overwhelm you.
But please remember that these are not rules, just guidelines; you can wear what you like as long as you love it!
Enjoy the sunshine in your shorts ladies!
