36 Degrees and Up

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>> I found myself backing away from my own words as I somehow ended up doling out advice about how to stay cool in scorching 36 degrees celcius (that's 96 degrees Farenheit) here in Paris where there's a bit of a mini-heat wave going on.  I may not be running around like a mad chicken like I normally do when I'm in Paris and I'm certainly taking my time to walk to places to prevent sweatage but still, I think I came out pretty much unscathed after this day of arid heat, until I collapsed into a pool of sweat at an Argentinian meat house at night where it's strictly charcoal fumes in place of air-con.

I may have even declared quite airily to my friends that I wasn't at all hot because I had taken the following measures…

-Wear natural fibres.  Silk and cotton are my summer saviours, and very thin knits if you can get them mighty fine.  Just not err… a thick 100% wool jumper of course.  Today, it was time to resurrect an Alpha60 River 'Stand By Me' Phoenix t-shirt which never fails to have 30-something year old men stop in their tracks and go "Fuck…I LOVED that film…" and an old Future Classics navy silk button-down skirt that ties up at the front. 

-Those items happen to be airy and loose too.  I'm all for more fabric flapping against the skin just in case any breeze of wind passes along. 

-Carry a light bag that is hands and weight free leaving you arms to swing about creating gusts of wind going up arm pits.  Yay for the no-DSLR days when all one needs is a debit card, some euros and my phone. 

-The Urbanears white headphones are there not just for accessory but for drowning out any other people on the street possibly going "I'm SO hot!".  Soundtrack of wintry music is essential – a few Elliot Smith tracks, icy Four Tet perhaps and nothing involving vaguely tropical noises so that rules out Jamie XX's steel drum bonanza 'Far Nearer'.  Dang.

-Putting the hair up for obvious reasons.  People keep asking for video tutorials on top knots from but I'd feel stupid re-enacting how I do my hair on video, when it is so naively easy.  Tip head forward.  Gather hair.  Ponytail with hair tie.  Twist.  Another hair tie.  Bobby pin stray bits.  Done.  Gordon Ramsay would be so proud of those succinct instructions. 

-Wear sandals that don't rub which in this case are these old Surface to Air ones.  I'm not really into airing feet.  I actually don't like looking at feet in general and have now officially been warded off pedicures after seeing a friend who had her foot skin 'shaved' and in the process, a sizeable chunk of flesh taken off as well. An Itchy & Scratchy skit from the The Simpsons comes to mind.  Still, 36 degrees weather calls for sandals plus gnarly feet.  Hopefully people are so blinded by the sun they're not looking at feet.  Or else the men here for fashion week are looking at perfect plaids, raffish artisinal shoes and not much else.  

-Sunnies that actually shield the sun.  There are a few fash-on sunnies were the lenses don't actually prevent sun searing into eyes and I've been victim to a few pairs that now sit in my drawer mocking me because I don't actually wear sunglasses in any situation UNLESS they're there to protect me from blinding sun.  These Yves Saint Laurent ones do the trick as well as looking deceptively like a polka dot pattern when really it's a plaid.  CLE-VUH eh? 

-I'm always buying fresh bottled of CHILLLLLLLLED water along the way that I'm walking just so I can press it against my chest.   

-When I say 'Think Cool', I don't mean it in that Grease way when Danny keeps telling the T-Birds to 'Be cool, be cool.'  I literally mean think COOL temeprature wise.  Every time I walk around moaning and whinging "I'm so hot", somehow, I feel that much hotter.  Heat is a state of mind maaaaaaan.  And I don't mean err… hot as in beauty.  Wow that's a lot of double-meaning explanations there. 

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39 comments

  2. As usual, you’re nailing it. Those sunglasses are too cool for words. Also, your hair is rad. This is the perfect ‘urban summmer’ outfit. That tee is so cool-looking.

  3. So jelous of your summer weather; my sun dresses and sandals are aching for some fresh air! 🙂

  9. oh, how much i love your outfit! and the white headset is such a perfect accessory 😉 first thing i thought was “shit, i’ve gotta get myself a river phoenix T”, but after i’ve had a closer look at yours – the shape is so good. it’s actually the shape that makes it really cool. so, no printed river on a T for me.

  15. Wow, thanks for the heads up on the heat in paris, i’ll be there next week so will bring more practical things with me.

  16. I love the whole outfit! totally cool! i love how you put pieces together! This is the perfect ‘urban summmer’ outfit. That tee is so cool-looking.

  22. River Phoenix was my first and all time super crush (probably because of his death, he always held a special place in my crush kingdom)…I was devastated (as only tragedy lovers pre-teens can be) when he died, seeing him on your tee just made me reminisce…

  24. That is quite hot and I think those are wonderful tips (especially natural fibers and cold water), will definitely try them out when needed!

  25. Totally agree! I’m always tempted by the cute chiffon fabrics at Topshop these days but always regret anything but natural on hot days like these. Am absolutely lovin your skirt too. Perfectly airy
    xxxx Mazzi

  29. a great post! wonderful tips on how to really tackle warm weather dressing and I really enjoyed seeing how you put your look together. its actually quintessential SoCal dressing; you’re invoking LA style without even knowing it 🙂
    -fggofstyle
    http://www.fggofstyle.com

  36. Love your style..love Paris style..love to travel..I was wondering if you know anything about this 4 week swimwear fashion course in Playa del Carmen mexico..any reviews, I am thinking to go
    htpp://playafashioninstitute.com

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