How to Actually Enjoy Getting Dressed in Summer

Stop sweating over what to wear.

Dressing for summer shouldn’t be difficult but for a lot of us, it is.

Fewer layers, lighter fabrics, minimal effort. In theory, it sounds simple. And yet that simplicity is exactly what makes it so tricky. With less to work with, every item of clothing has to work harder.

Summer pushes us right out of our comfort zones. No layers to make an outfit interesting. No clever styling tricks to fall back on. Just you, the heat, and a wardrobe that doesn’t feel good to wear.

And that’s when the dread creeps in.

You delay the seasonal switch, hold out for one more week of spring. Then suddenly it’s hot, sticky, and nothing in your wardrobe feels right. You’re stuck cycling through outfits you don't want to wear, feeling uncomfortable in all of them, wondering how you're going to get through the next three months.

But it doesn’t have to be a crisis every year.

A little prep now means a lot less stress later.

The recent heatwave in the UK—when temperatures jumped from a comfortable 14°C to a sticky 25°C overnight—reminded me just how much easier summer dressing becomes when you’ve got a plan. So I’m sharing mine.

Every year, I hear the same complaints:

“I hate summer.”

“I never know what to wear.”

“I don't want to wear shorts.”

And I used to feel exactly the same.

I was tired of feeling like I had to completely change my personal style the moment the sun came out. So I figured out what I liked to wear in summer—and just as importantly, what I didn’t—and built a wardrobe I could rely on.

Stop Buying Clothes You Hate

Summer style becomes so much easier when you stop forcing yourself to wear things you don't actually like. Just because it’s hot outside doesn’t mean you have to reach for shorts and spaghetti tops if you don't find them comfortable. Or start wearing floral prints and maxi dresses if that’s not your style.

And yet, every year, we end up wearing clothes we hate. Either because we think we don’t have any other options, or we’ve been too distracted to figure out what those options even are.

I hate shorts (as much as I hate heels) so I don’t wear them. If sundresses or skirts make you feel weird, you don’t have to wear those either. Summer doesn’t have to mean suffering through uncomfortable clothes. You can survive without them, I promise.

The solution is figuring out your summer outfit formulas.

The First Rule of Dressing for Heat

Before I get into outfit formulas and how they'll transform your summer wardrobe, there's one thing you have to know: Natural fabrics only.

Cotton, linen, maybe a bit of hemp. Loose-fitting, oversized silhouettes. That’s how stay cool and comfortable when it’s sweltering outside.

I’d recommend avoiding synthetic fabrics all year round but especially in summer. They trap heat, they don’t breathe, and they’ll have you feeling like a sweaty mess before you’ve even left the house.

You’re not overheating because it’s hot—you’re overheating because you’re wearing plastic.

That’s the real issue with summer dressing. The fabric matters more than the outfit. And unfortunately, most clothes—especially fast fashion—are made from synthetic blends. Even the ones labelled “eco-friendly” often aren’t. (Recycled nylon might sound good, but it behaves exactly like regular nylon: badly.)

There’s no way you’re going to enjoy wearing a sundress if it’s made from polyester, no matter how cute it looks.

If you want better options without spending a fortune, thrift them. Second-hand is the best place to find affordable natural fabrics. If you don't have time to shop in person, shop online instead. Try Vinted, Depop, or eBay.

Once you’ve switched to natural fabrics, everything gets easier.

So if summer clothes make you miserable, start there.

Find Your Summer Uniform

An outfit formula is just your personal uniform: the comfortable outfits you reach for on repeat without even thinking about it. Like jeans and a t-shirt. That’s a formula. It’s simple, reliable, and works every time.

If you dread getting dressed in summer, it’s probably because you haven’t figured out which formulas work for you. And once you do, everything changes. When you know your formulas, the struggle to find an outfit every day ends. You’ve already got a blueprint for what to wear, even when it’s +30°C outside.

Now is the time to refresh your wardrobe—before the real heat hits. Figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what you never want to wear again. Then build a few go-to outfit formulas that make getting dressed easy, no matter how hot it gets.

Outfit formulas completely changed how I dress. They made summer less stressful and more enjoyable. They also helped me refine my personal style because I stopped trying to dress like someone else or copy trends that didn’t feel like me.

I’m sharing my go-to formulas below not as a checklist, but as a starting point. Use them to create your own. Ones that actually feel good to wear, over and over again.

My Go-To Summer Outfit Formulas

Here are the three outfit formulas I rely on all summer long:

Dresses!

I’m a big fan of dresses, and I wear them all year round, but summer really turns them into my ultimate go-to. Dresses are the easiest, all-in-one outfit you can throw on when it’s hot, and they require minimal effort to wear. Swap out the shoes or add more accessories, and a simple dress looks and feels more polished—without ever sacrificing comfort.

Oversized Shirt + Linen Trousers

This combo is my favourite summer uniform. Loose, breathable, and comfortable to wear. It can go casual with sandals or slide into polished with loafers and a structured bag. This outfit works for days when you want to feel put together but never constricted.

Vest + Maxi Skirt

Wearing knitwear in summer might sound odd, but living in the UK means summer can be a bit unpredictable. A lightweight vest paired with a maxi skirt gives me options even when it’s cooler than expected. It’s easy, comfortable, and offers enough coverage without overheating.

That’s it. Just three simple combinations. But they’re endlessly repeatable. A few different shirts, a couple pairs of trousers, and a handful of dresses give me enough mix-and-match options to get through the whole season.

And it never feels boring.

Switch out a shirt, change your jewellery, or grab a different bag and suddenly the same outfit feels different enough.

Some days, I keep it minimal: sandals and a simple chain necklace. Other days, it’s a statement shirt and a big tote bag.

Same base outfit, totally different look but still in my style.

Your outfit formulas won’t look like mine, and that’s the whole point. They’re meant to fit your style and make getting dressed a quick, easy decision instead of a daily struggle.

Not sure what your outfit formulas are? Think about the last summer outfit you genuinely loved wearing. That’s your starting point.

It's about knowing what you like and making sure your wardrobe supports it. If your summer wardrobe is full of things you don’t actually enjoy wearing—shorts that ride up, dresses that don’t fit, trousers that cling—you’re going to have a miserable time.

But if you’ve taken the time to figure out what works for you and built your wardrobe around your own personal outfit formulas? Summer suddenly becomes a lot more enjoyable.

And yes, I’m still wearing black.

And no, I’m not too hot.

Troubleshooting

Outfit formulas aren’t complicated. They’re meant to simplify things. And once you’ve figured yours out, getting dressed becomes a lot less stressful. But if you’re still struggling to find summer outfits that feel good to wear, here’s how to troubleshoot:

Start with what already works. Think of the outfits (even just one) you’ve actually enjoyed wearing in the heat, or at least comfortable enough to build on. What made it work? Was it the fabric, the fit, the lack of fuss?

Ask yourself how could that outfit be made even more comfortable?

Would a looser cut help?

Could you swap in natural fabrics?

Try a different neckline, shorter sleeves, or a more breathable bottom layer?

Could you switch the skirt for wide-leg trousers or the tank top for a button-up?

You don’t need a whole new wardrobe, you just need to tweak what you already have.

If nothing in your wardrobe feels good right now, look for inspiration. Start with the formulas I’ve shared or scroll through outfits online that actually look wearable. Ask yourself: Would I feel comfortable in that? And then—most importantly—do I already own something similar I can test it with?

Try it on. Wear it out. See what works and what doesn’t. Make small adjustments until it feels right.

That’s the whole point of outfit formulas. They’re flexible. You’re not locked into one look. You’re building a set of combinations that work for you—ones that make getting dressed in summer something you actually enjoy.

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