I’m stating the obvious for those of you living in New York, but it’s really warm outside. New York City is its own special kind of warm. Hot. Sticky. And since transportation here consists in large part of hoofing it around on foot, it’s hard to not get a little (or a lot) melty in the months from June to September. This past weekend was particularly brutal—Evan (doesn’t he look cute up there in his new straw hat?) and I decided to stay in the city in an effort to avoid traffic, and instead spent most of our three days off walking all over the place.
We had a super-yummy vegan brunch at Counter. Evan had the East Side Burger, and I had the Roasted Pepper & Leek Frittata (tofu-based). It came with this tomato jam that was completely delicious. Afterward we walked over to Lula’s Sweet Apothecary for a midday dessert, forgetting that they don’t open until 3:00pm! Lula’s is a full-service, old-fashioned ice cream shop (or is it “shoppe”?) that happens to be totally vegan (!), so we didn’t mind killing a little time until the doors finally opened to an already-long line of people. Well worth the wait, too. Evan had a malted milkshake that was to die for, and I had a two-scoop sundae with coconut and peanut butter fudge ice creams (cashew-based), hot caramel sauce, crushed graham crackers, and coconut milk-based whipped cream. SO. GOOD.
I wanted to take this little guy home with me. He mostly just wanted me to stop trying to take his picture. Oh well.
Anyway, this is my 35th summer here on planet Earth (no, I’m not sure where I was before that), and I still don’t know how to dress appropriately for the heat. Every year I’m out there in my mostly-black layers (head to toe, lest anyone be subjected to my translucent, pasty-white flabby arms and chicken legs), broiling under the hot sun and looking like a total mess. I don’t have a “summer wardrobe” or “winter clothes”. It’s all pretty much the same thing, give or take a cardigan.
To my fellow layerers-of-clothing who wish every month could be October: WHAT DO YOU WEAR IN THE SUMMER? HELP.
p.s. HELLO to all of the Door Sixteen readers who stopped to say hi when Evan and I were out and about this weekend!! Isn’t it funny what a huge-small city this is?
60 Comments
i have a cardigan made of an incredibly lightweight fabric with a loose weave ($8 on clearance at UO a few years ago) that makes for great ventilation without looking too see-throughy. its the best piece of clothing i own for summer.
Ok, I’m a huge fan of the dress over jeans look lately. I too would never voluntarily put my arms on display (or my legs really: let’s get serious), but I wear a cute sundress over white jeans and somehow it feels more summery. The sundresses are usually sleeveless, so I’ll wear a tissue paper cardigan over it (which, if you were braver than I could easily be removed). If you wear this whole get-up with sandals, it still feels surprisingly summery (and no one has to look at my fat ass arms) 🙂
I’m a huge fan of layering so summer is particularly brutal. I like to layer light weight scarves and vests over tees. Long skirts are nice for getting a breeze without risking your bare legs to sticky seats.
evans looks so dashing, as do the french fries!
OOOh I am so unbelievably jealous of all the fantastic vegan options you have in NYC. Here in a small province in Canada…not so much. I’m going to have to make a trip just for the food alone!
OMG. As someone who went hiking in jeans and a black t-shirt this weekend I am beyond unqualified to answer your question. I hope someone else has the answer though!
I just read about Counter somewhere else, and good lord, it looks good.
At least you get seasons. I’m still working on this whole surviving heat thing and I live in the steamy South!
Cardigans out of knit fabric (t-shirt material) are good for wadding up in my bag when I am too air-conditioned. I don’t have any yet, but I’m thinking linen dresses might be the answer. Jeans are too sticky and shorts make me feel frumpy.
I am also 35 and also a wearing of black layers (and eater of vegan food!) and I’ve solved the summer problem with a bunch of dresses. I have a large collection of black and white patterned dresses in natural fibers (cotton, silk) that go down to just below my knees. Some have sleeves, some don’t, but I also have a collection of light weight black cardigans and scarves to add. Last year I bought two Calvin Klein dresses for my collection that were natural fibers, fit great, and wore well through the whole summer. Oh, and they weren’t dorky or boring, which was my other criteria. Good luck!
Linen! Wear linen. I know it gets wrinkly, but at least you can still wear pants and long sleeves without basting yourself to death. A big sun hat does wonders for cooling you off while protecting your fair skin. And no real shoes, ever! Sandals, sandals, sandals if you must adorn your feet.
You have to layer because you go from the freezing office, to the bubbling out doors. I wear blouses and skirts, and have the same uniform sweater that I wear everyday to work when the AC is too high. The AC is also too high on the trains as well-unless there are 5 gazillion people on there, then the sweater comes off.
Amazing food. Your Evan must have bionic metabolism.
I’m not a huge dress-wearer, but after 9 years living in Philly with no AC, I have learned. Loose sundresses (just past the knees, of course!) are the best. They flow, and don’t get plastered to you like jeans.
I also recently thrifted a lightweight-knit, black and white striped skirt (with pockets!), that I wear with a stretchy Target tank (I have about 5 of them!), and for a top layer, a scoop-necked, 3/4-sleeve tissue T I got at Old Navy a few years back. Another top layer piece I wish I had in more colors, is a thin, cotton knit 1/2-sleeve cardigan, also from Target several years ago.
I used to work in NYC and when I moved back to my hometown in Hawaii I was stuck with a mostly black wardrobe. Its hot here but not like it was in NYC. I’m just not a dress person so its pants pretty much every day for me (but no shorts unless I’m exercising or at the beach). When it really warms up here I start wearing my black tops with non-black cargo pants (usually beige or brown), flat sandals, and a thin cotton cardigan. I also try to avoid tops that have a lot of spandex in them–for some reason they make me feel even hotter (and not in a good way). Oh, and big dangly earrings because its too hot to wear a necklace.
I am blindingly, blindingly pale, as well, and last summer I finally just decided that the rest of the world could cope. Skirts are the only way to go in summer, and anyone who is that horrified by the whiteness of my calves (and I have had acquaintances make snarky comments behind my back, yes) can suck it. On top, to protect from the cruel rays of the sun on my shoulders, I usually wear a thin t-shirt of some kind or a tank top with a 3/4 length sleeve VERY lightweight cardigan. Honestly, though, it’s the all-black that is killing you.
Linen A-line skirt – 2 inches below the knee or linen/thin cotton cropped loose trousers, with v neck or scoop neck t shirt and cotton knit cardigan. I have also started carrying around a pashmina type scarf/shawl in my handbag for unexpectedly chilly air conditioning in shops as I get cold really quickly – especially if it is blisteringly hot outside and icy cold in the shops. Pale grey would be a good alternative to black in hot weather.
Gauzy tunic (buy it from a store that sells beach cover-ups). Tank top if necessary. White jeans (work) or khaki Bermuda shorts. Ballet flats, sandals, or flip flops. Done.
In central Florida, I wear a cotton skirt with as lightweight top as I can handle, arms and bosom be damned! Even tank tops and tees are too hot. I am always on the hunt for cute shirts that flow away from the body in silky type fabrics and the second thing I look for are short sleeve lightweight cardigans to dress the whole look up for shopping, etc. Back in the early spring, I saw a look that was quite cute – ankle length leggings with snaps going up the back with a cutesy skirt and top – I think she had a short heel and the whole look was very hip. I am not sure how that would work in the summer. I need to find some sun dresses because I am getting bored with the everyday skirt look.
Jergens Natural Glow lotion has totally changed how I approach summer. I used to dread being miserable and sticky in pants…I’m also mega pale (and freckly), but I use the medium tone (I tried the lightest tone, but it didn’t even show up) just on my legs 2-3 times a week and it looks completely natural. it just gives me the right amount of summery color to feel good– no, great!– about wearing shorts and dresses.
also, I recently discovered American Eagle’s denim boyfriend shorts and I’ve been living in them. they’re the first pair of shorts I’ve bought in like 7 years. and yeah, I second the tissue-cardigans– J Crew used to make a great one, now I think Madewell is doing a summer-friendly one. also, super-thin tunic tops. those are everywhere, even in black.
I might stop reading this awesome blog if you say one more MEAN THING ABOUT YOURSELF! Stop!
For a summer day in NYC? A straw hat is required, followed by a floaty peasant-y short sleeve blouse and a-line or pencil skirt. Put a very wide belt in your giant purse in case you need to pull the look together. And flip flops.
And an icy beverage.
As for summerin NYC sadly I can’t comment but I am Australian and summer here can be pretty unbareable. Since I am a red-head living under the hole in the ozone layer I try long sleeve shirts and roll the sleeves up, then if I’m worried about getting burnt I can roll them back down again.
not to make you uncomfortable or anything, but: Evan = hot. Just saying.
I just torture people with my translucently pale arms and legs so it is skirts and dresses for me, usually with a light cardigan. I usually go for knee length ones just because I feel a little too out there in anything shorter.
Seersucker! It somehow floats away from your skin like a gentle shadow and makes you cooler than if you weren’t wearing it.
hey, you were hanging out in my hood. counter and lula’s are great. next time you need to wait for lula’s to open saunter down to the 6BC garden (between B and C on 6th – pretty obviously). it is my favorite.
i was actually at the hester st. market enjoying homemade mexican popsicles – amazing – and perusing the vintage clothing.
as for the layers, cotton voile, linen and paper thin silk… but of course you always have to stash a cashmere sweater or wrap in your bag to deal with sub arctic air conditioning wherever you may land indoors.
I always wear linen as it keeps me cool.
I’m in the UK, on the south coast, possibly the breeziest and therefore easiest way to get through a summer in the whole country, thought it is 27 degrees outside (and around 29 in my stupid office). Clothes: dresses over jeans with sandals, for the first time in my life (I’m 32 and when people say ‘summer wardrobe’ to me, I default to a Scooby-Doo style “wharugh?”, but I’m digging it this year.)
I shouldn’t really complain at all – I’ve been to New York in the summertime. I wondered why everyone was walking around with slings for their bottles of Poland Spring, thinking it was just a trendy thing, until I bought my own bottle and watched it turn to gas in my hand.
Enjoy the summer from a balcony by a river with a north-easterly breeze, if at all possible. If not, looks like Lulu’s Sweet Apothecary might become a regular haunt, which cant be a bad thing.
I live in Sydney where the summers are long, hot, and humid. I find long skirts trap the heat, so mid-length sundresses and skirts, or long, wide pants, in cotton or linen are best for creating a breezy, cooling effect. Teamed with a loose blouse or sleeveless top, a cardi, barely there sandals or flip-flops (we call them thongs!), a wide brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Most importantly, don’t forget the sunscreen!
I usually just wear all black still, switch it up with a white shirt on occasion, and when people say, “aren’t you hot?” I reply nope, I am always a bit cold.
maybe its the overexposure to tanning, but lately i’m really digging the non-tanned look. On our last vacation I saw this lady–late fourties, fit, stylish, tanned to a crisp. Not to be mean, but her face looked like a leather hand bag, and not in a good way. I think if your skin is healthy you shouldn’t worry about it looking pale.
I agree with some of the comments, if you mix in a few white pieces, even in the shapes you are currently wearing, you will feel a lot more summery. And sandals, especially now that they have a million of stylish styles with low or no heel (I’m stocking up).
sometimes its advisable to try things outside our comfort zone 🙂 LOVE Evan’s hat, have a similar one, its a life-saver 🙂
Evan looks mighty dapper in his new chapeau! 🙂
We have super hot weather here in the midwest (Indiana to be specific) and I am a really into maxi dresses (from Target or anywhere I can get my grubby little hands on one). I layer with a tank, some jewelry and usually have my denim jacket or a big shawl/scarf for the frigid air conditioning in stores/restaurants. Seriously, I FREEZE all winter and then FREEZE some more in the summer with the dang air conditioning. And I too am over the whole white legs issue. Ban the tan!!! Unless it is from a bottle… 😉
The food looks great too… Wish we could get that here!!!
Hey, just so it’s clear… I never meant to suggest that there is anything wrong with fair skin (or any color skin). I think people generally look their best when they are their natural color.
My jab at myself wasn’t really meant to be taken seriously!! I am self-deprecating and sarcastic by nature, and just because I make fun of my boiled-chicken complexion or gargantuan feet doesn’t mean I’m going to get a Hollywood Tans membership or cut my toes off. 😀
First, thank you for being so sweet, gracious, and not at all creeped out by my overzealous display of blog appreciation when I shouted “Door 16!” from my apartment stoop in the East Village.
Second, the ginormous Anthropologie that just opened in the Chelsea Market (ie April 16) has an incredibly organized sale section full of wonderfully breezy, light, non-sweat inducing tops/dresses/jean-shorts/pants/blazers etc in a slew of sizes that are perfect for summer layers. Also, the sales people were crazy nice, they have an unheard of amount of space, and the prices were uhhmazing. (I walked out of there with a pair of distressed jean shorts, lightweight cuffed pants, and a semi-stretchy pencil skirt for under $75 total).
Third, wearing flip flops and treating myself to an $8 toe nail polish color change from my neighborhood nail place (Lulu Nails on 1st Ave btw 7th & 8th St) helps a lot. For some reason, if my feet are cool (both literally and figuratively), then the rest of my body temp tends to follow suit.
Good luck!
I keep the jeans, switch out the tops for summer (e.g. tank tops, sleeveless shirts), and have some lightweight capris for super steamy Brooklyn days.
Love all the tips for summer wear. Thanks Anna for creating a informative post. I just ordered this custom dress from an etsy designer in ny.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/48574107/custom-mod-dress-made-with-vintage
Kar let me select vintage material from her stash. I hope this will solve a few of the sweltering months ahead. Love the idea with jeans and sandals. Hides my upper arms too! Just received Eating Animals and hope to read this weekend!
Love your sarcasm and self deprecation. I decided years ago that people would have to live with my uber pale legs. I wasn’t going to kill myself (literally!) to achieve tan. Too much work and I had better things to do. One of my worst memories was being stuck in a tanning bed in high school, literally counting down the minutes until I could GET OUT of that nasty thing and the song “Patience” (Guns and Roses) came on. Argh!
it’s all about dresses and light cardigans for me in the summertime. sometimes minus the cardigan. (in phoenix.)
If you are going to wear black in the summer I suggest a plain and simple balck jersey sundress. It won’t wrinkle when you sit down and you are very hot and can be super wearable in the day or night. That vegan icecream looks delicious, I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks?? yum!
ps-pale is beautiful! the beauty of people is the many different colors, shapes, forms…
Light, short-sleeved cardigans are my summer staple as well as light cotton shirts and scarves. Can’t beat em. Stay Cool!
I love your blog…even more proof: you were hanging in my hood this weekend. Counter and Lulu’s are 2 of my favorite places. Her nut based soft serve is DIVINE! I hope the good press keeps her in business another year.
Are you guys living in the East Village or just visiting?
I can bet you anything my skin is lighter than yours. No one has ever, ever beat me on an arm-to-arm test and that’s not a lie. After about age 15 I stopped caring what other people thought of my skin (though in Brooklyn, I often get, “Hey snowflake!” or “Hey, white girl,” or “Go get some sun”) and I wear as many or few clothes as I feel like because I just can’t sit there trying to cover up just so people don’t call me pasty. There’s no reason to suffer in the heat, and you know perfectly well that you’re skinny, what’s this “flabby arms” bit? Just wear what you want to! If you’re too hot, put on a tank top. No one is judging you. But in reality, it seems like you like to layer and like to wear lots of clothes no matter how hot it is out and that it’s only sarcasm about the skin and all. Why not layer tank tops or something?
Just when I was feeling sorry for myself about our brutal sticky humid North Florida summers! Hooray, other people are suffering, too! Just kidding.
I second the linen suggestion, just make peace with the wrinkles…appreciate them for their unique character as you might pale skin. I do wear a lot of linen (frequently in black!- its less see-through) dresses, and skirts with lightweight cardigans for those buildings where the AC is really cranked up.
And so true about the remarks that when your feet feel cool the rest follows suit. We think its our right to we’re flip-flops year-round in Florida.
I’m in Scotland, and the weather here has become too hot to deal with. I tend to be a jeans/skirt with tights/with a long sleeved tshirt and then a shirt and a scarf and maybe a jumper, person in spring/autumn. in summer, i do short(calf length) leggings, denim skirt, short sleeved t and shirt. or leggings with a 50’s dress a cardi and a floaty scarf.
Ahhh… I love leggings… Loved ’em in the 80’s and love ’em now…
You should really consider San Francisco. It’s sweater weather here all year round.
layer colorful tanks, of course!
Although I read your blog religiously, this is the first time I’ve felt compelled to comment. As I type, my husband is rideculing my cardigan to the tune of his harmonica. Delightful.
A lightweight cardigan in summer is a must. I find a pale forearm less offensive though so I push the sleeves up to the elbow. I also have some simple lightweight tees from the Gap that have sleeves that almost hit the elbow. I will wear when the temperture is too unbearable even for me.
As for the bottom, I have to wear shorts. Again, I find pale calves less offensive than pale thighs so I wear Bermuda shorts or sometimes even something shorter. As long as I have a longer sleeve on top, I feel put together with shorts or a short skirt on the bottom. I tried the whole leggings things last summer and couldn’t even unstick them to use the bathroom. Eww.
Also, as others commented, sandals are a must. However, jeans should be retired until at least September.
Happy summer (along with the rest of us here in sweaty New York City)!
“translucent, pasty-white flabby arms ”
you too, eh? 😛
My summer thing: boxer shorts under skirts. Very cool and comfy. Usually a skirt with a little volume so the boxers don’t get all rumply, knee-length, swingy, 50s-ish. Upstairs, I tend to just go for tanks when it gets really hot. I HATE being hot and will expose way more flesh than would normally make me comfortable in an effort to get some relief. Or those super-thin t-shirts. And of course 1000 lbs of spf 8 billion sunblock. 🙂
fisherman’s pants!!! they are super cute and one size fits all! the pants are loose but since you tie and fold them instead of zipping or buttoning, they accentuate the waist. they also come in all different lengths: long, cropped, short, etc. just type it into google or etsy and you’ll find something good!
yummmmm. love these shots!
dressing for summer? sundresses! they’re easy – 1 piece and float away from the body, keeping me cool. i like stretchy cotton ones.
sundresses.
shorts + loose tank top + cute sandals.
more fitted tank top tucked into skirt.
also, for jewelry, i stop wearing bracelets and necklaces (too hot) and wear more earrings!
I’m really looking forward summer so badly! Nice photos!
try Lucy – the sportswear clothing store. there are lots of khaki cargos (in black!) and light sweat-repelling shirts. perfect for the gym, chilling at the house, or hiking around. they have stylish sportswear and super comfy.
My summer wardrobe staple are shirtdresses in tencel (which is a natural fibre made of bamboo which acts like Linen but doesn’t wrinkle as much) ; a hat, sandals and a grande iced nonfat vanilla latte. And a bike.
as someone who lives in subtropical australia i feel qualified to comment on the summer wardrobe scenario, especially as someone who hates humidity and heat! i have a heap of dresses, mostly floaty or made of cotton, linen or other light fabrics. i team them with tights and boots if it gets below, well, thirty degrees celcius. anything that is floaty or won’t stick to your skin is fine!
those vegan places sound amazing! do you know of any websites that have recipes for amazing vegan food like this?
soooooo glad you asked this question. I loved reading the comments! Am in Wisconsin where in May, the weather decided to go all 90s on us..with high, high humidity. YUCK.
This summer’s uniform has included capri cotton leggings under a tank dress (both black) with a white 3/4 sleeve cardi on top……….cute pink a-line skirt with a black cami and black 3/4 seleve cardi on top (the black and white cardis get alternated on work days)…..
essentially, camis, tank dresses, skirts, light cardigans and the best piece of all: a tissue weight white tee that goes with everything. need more tissue tees..they’re heavenly.
I wear loose Linen pants and loose shirts for the summer.
Linen does come in black. 🙂
NYC is crazy hot and humid and disgusting during very sunny days and i find Black is too brutally hot to walk around in the sun.
I tend to wear white, grey, brown linen pants or some loose cotton pants and some other color then black for a top .
In response to posters that live elsewhere that is always hot.
There is no comparison with what to wear in NYC with what people where everywhere else.
They don’t sell much pastels in stores in NYC and nothing is less appropriate for work in midtown or downtown, or walking around the city then something that looks “tropically breezy” .
Unless you call a black linen dress tropically breezy 🙂
I think that solid color Linen or a sun dress is about as breezy as most nyc people want to look.
awww a vegan ice cream parlor makes me want to move to NY for that one reason only ~ lucky 🙂
I pretty much live in leggings, tunics & the already mentioned tissue weight cardigans or occassionally maxi dresses. The cardigan thing is key though, they’re one of those ‘where have these been all my life’ things.
As an incredibly translucently pale girl myself, I find my skin actually HURTS when summer sun touches it, even for a moment. That said, my summer wardrobe (in southern Nevada, god help me), pretty much consists of white linen elbow length jackets, a pretty tank underneath (coral looks beautiful on us pale gals), and capri pants or lightweight slacks in a khaki, olive, or pale blue shade. Throw on some pretty summery sandals and a nice statement necklace and you’re good to go! I actually get a lot of compliments on looking fresh and pulled together in our 118 degree heat… little do they know I’m really hiding! Just try for summery colors and light textures and it’ll work great! Also, a huge pair of sunglasses really helps to keep your face cool, I sweat about 200% less with giant shades on. Oh, and this year I had a fabulous pant find… Victoria’s Secret Beach Pant in linen…. so cool, forgiving of Reubenesque derrieres, and they look just beautiful and effortless on. AND, they don’t have thigh chub rub issues, unlike my experience with summer dresses. 🙂