Six summer fashion tips if you’ve been caught off guard by the heatwave

Eighteen degrees in March! How did we get so lucky? It’s looking like the rain is going to hold off for the entire week and it’s safe to say it’s been a shock to the system for most of us in Newcastle.

Walking to campus this morning, I saw everything from short-shorts to people in the full puffa-jackets-and-scarf combos, making it clear that we were not prepared for this sudden heatwave.

Here’s six summer fashion tips you can use if, like most of us, you weren’t expecting this sudden summer weather.

Iced coffee is an accessory

I believe deeply that an iced coffee or a bubble tea in the summer is not just a cool-down drink but an important accessory.

There’s so many cute re-usable cups available so that yours can be eco-friendly as well as chic.

If the January student loan has finally ran out,  here’s a website that lists some of the Starbucks iced coffee recipes so that you can make them yourself at home.

Big cardigans

These have stayed in style for a few years now and I am a big fan. Let’s be real, it’s still England and once the late afternoon sets in and you need to walk all the way home from the Robbo, you’re going to wish you had something big and cozy to bundle up in.

These are great to wear open over a summer outfit and then button up once it starts to get a little cooler.

Don’t ditch the coats just yet

Although it’s tempting to dive head first into your summer wardrobe, the weather can and will change in a heartbeat.

Bring a coat along in your bag so that you have one on hand in event of bad weather. If this picture of me and my friends at the beach bundled up like we are going on an Arctic expedition after a sunny afternoon at the beach doesn’t convince you to stay prepared, nothing will.

Headscarves

If you’re like me and spend the Autumn and Winter months covering up in a beanie every time you have a bad hair day, this is a great summer alternative.

They’re perfect to conceal your roots when you’ve left your hair unwashed one day too long, or if someone spilled a drink in your hair last night and you were too hungover to wash it this morning (it’s more likely than you think).

Or, use some hair pins and put your hair in a bun to hide the whole mess. Either way, it’s easy and looks put together. Go for one of those silk headscarves or a casual bandanna.

Baggy clothes will keep you cool

If the weather is already getting a little too hot for you, baggy clothes can help keep your temperature down.

Go for a men’s XL shirt over some basket ball shorts, a la Rue from Euphoria. Or, go for classic with a sundress. Anything that a breeze can blow through will help you to not overheat.

If all else fails, wear next to nothing

We all know summer is a clothing optional event. If you’re comfortable doing so, it is an excellent time to keep cool by wearing next to nothing.

Any weather above 15 degrees is the perfect excuse to walk down the high-street in just a bikini top and a skirt or flares, or just some swimming trunks.

Perfect if Tynemouth suddenly starts calling your name and there’s no need to change before the short metro trip to the beach.

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