How to Dress In a Heatwave – 7 Summer Outfit Formulas for the sweaty Girl
After wearing many of my hot summer weather outfits year after year, I began seeing some patterns in outfit formulas in how I was dressing during a heat wave.
As a sweaty girl and fashion stylist who doesn’t gatekeep, here are my favorite heatwave outfit parings!
SUmmer Heatwave Outfit Formulas for Sweaty Girls
Because learning how to dress during a heatwave is a bit of a styling art!
To begin, just a note that the outfit pairings below all share accessories details that I really encourage to avoid overheating:
- purses are small
- sunglasses and hats are large
- Statement earrings compensate the lack of necklaces (too hot for that!)
- Shoes are breathable
1. Linen Camisole + Breezy Bottoms
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I’m going to start out with my favorite combination: a linen (or linen-blend) camisole + wide leg linen pants or billowy maxi skirt.
As per my sweaty girl hot weather dressing survival tips article, you’ll know that I prioritize breathable fabrics and non clingy fits and patterns to mask wet stains (especially on top!).
The 2 outfits above are a great example of this: the camisole is printed linen with a flowy. While the bottoms are a crinkle cotton and linen/cotton blend, respectively.
This heatwave outfit formula is a great one to follow when you want to look covered up, but keep cool.
2. Crop Top + Crinkle Shorts + Light Shirt
My second fave hot weather outfit combination are a sweat-wicking crop top, linen pull on shorts, and a light cotton or linen shirt to make the look more city-friendly.
Just make sure your crop top and tops are sweat-stain friends (ie, they mask them) and that your crop doesn’t doesn’t pool below the boobage. I learned this the hard way…oops.
A shoutout to my favorite sunglasses du jour- thifted orange tinted aviators that make even the cloudiest days, sunny! Not that I want to be reminded of the heat, ha.
3. Crop Top + Wide Leg Pants
If you prefer to keep your legs covered (maybe they’re pasty white like mine), go for a linen, blend or even viscose wide leg pant with your crop top. No need for a flat stomach or perfect body. Ventilation far outweight anything IMO.
If you don’t feel more comfortable with a crop top (or sports bra, which is actually what I’m wearing!), add a patterned shirt like the section above.
Although I do push natural fabrics, viscose–especially in bottoms–has been quite breathable and comfortable for me in the form of these polkadot pants.
They’re old and from the bathing suit section of Oysho, so definitely worth looking in the cover-up section to find a non-see through pair.
4. Easy Breezy Midi + MAxi Dresses
Breathable fabrics and patterned if possible! My fave go-tos are this strappy brown 100% linen dress, which is double lined at above the waist, so less change of sweat showing through.
My red patterned dress is a silk, which I normally avoid during a heatwave, as it clings to the body. Viscose is a great substitute.
That said, this vintage number is billowy and very loose around the armpits. I find it cooling and masks sweat stains. When it’s REALLY hot I lose the belt.
Both of these dresses are very easy to dress up or down. Just need to swap slide sandals with a kitten heel sandal and add a small dressier handbag. Hat is optional.
5. Graphic T-Shirt Dress
You can’t go wrong with an oversized graphic t-shirt dress for a hot hot summer day. Made of cotton, of course–and with a print! This white one’s great, an old one I picked up from Zara that keeps on giving.
The armhole is low, so there’s not sticking to the armpits and even if there were any sweatiness around, the print is going to mask it.
I recommend bike shorts underneath, either black or skin-tone. This will help with chafing, and can sub for underwear.
Just add a breathable pair of mesh sneakers and you’re good to go!
6. Printed WIde-Leg Jumpsuit
A cotton or linen wide leg jumpsuit with a tank or strappy top works great as an easy one-piece outfit for a hot summer’s day. We already know what the print does here!
I have to admit this particular one cinces at the waist and ideally, the best kind would fit large in the middle, like this one, also from Pact Apparel. Find one with a build-in bra to save you teh extra layer!
Shop Jumpsuits:
7. Large Graphic Tee + Linen Shorts
If wearing a cropped top with linen bottoms isn’t your thing, you can always rely on a loose or oversized graphic t-shirt.
This will allow your skin to breathe, while, as a graphic t-shirt dress, mask any wetness that might appear!
You can style graphic tees for summer with not just breezy shorts, but loose wide leg linen trousers or maxi skirts like shown in the previous summer outfit formulas!
If you loved these outfits, check out my other hot weather summer outfits I’m wearing this year!
Hope You Keep Cool in These Outfit Formulas!
If my outfit formulas on dressing for a heatwave were useful, I have a few more posts you might enjoy, below:
- How to Stay Cool and Dress Chic in Summer
- Hot Weather Outfits I’m Currently Wearing
- High Summer Denim Skirt Outfits
- Oversized Graphic Tees Styled for Summer
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