“I don’t want to show skin.” I hear that often – especially in the summertime. And I have two responses to that. First, if you don’t want to show skin - don’t. Second, if not showing skin is out of fear of other people’s judgement – other people notice much less about us than we think. And as I’ve learned (as I’ve gotten older) – other people’s opinions of us are none of our business.
But if you aren’t comfortable showing skin, that’s totally okay. You may prefer to not show your upper arms. Or you’ll only wear pants (no shorts or skirts or dresses). Or you prefer higher necklines. But what I sometimes hear is that you feel like you can’t enjoy summer style without showing skin - but you can. Because summer style isn’t just about tank tops and shorts and swimsuits. It’s about breezy fabrics and summer-friendly shapes and an overall relaxed ease. So, here are a few methods you can use to stay cool and collected in hot weather without showing skin – and still feel totally stylish.
LIGHT LAYERS
When I talk about layers in the summer, I sometimes get the response of, “it’s too hot for layers.” But when you keep it light, it’s not. And especially when you’re in and out of air conditioning, a layer keeps you from freezing inside. Click here to see one of my favorite summer layers.
So, when you don’t like to show skin (specifically your arms), light layers are an ideal style strategy. Think about it – an unbuttoned linen shirt over a sleeveless t is just as summer-right as a lightweight short sleeve top (and you get to cover your arms). And I specifically like it when your outer layer is a little see through - and you’re wearing a barer layer underneath. Like a crochet cardigan over a tank top. Or an eyelet shirt over a camisole. The sheerness of the top layer shows a little skin (in a totally comfortable way), which makes your outfit appear visually lighter, as well.
Like I said, a simple skin-covering strategy in summer is to wear an unbuttoned shirt over a tank. The shirt acts like a third piece - which also adds interest to your outfit.
And if you don’t like the look of a loose, unbuttoned shirt - do a quick waist tie (or you can also find cropped shirts that serve the same function).
An alternative to an unbuttoned shirt is a super lightweight cardigan. This one is so light that it’s almost sheer (so in addition to beating the heat, it lets a little light through). And otherwise, you’re covered from wrist to ankle with the addition of easy linen pants.
This is a great example of wearing something sheer over a camisole - so you get coverage, but you’re also showing skin in a comfortable way. It helps you feels less covered up than if you were wearing a regular short sleeve shirt (especially when everyone else is in strappy tops and sundresses).
LIGHT FABRICS
The key to keeping it cool in summer is lightweight fabrics. And this is even more important when you don’t want to show skin. Like when you prefer pants to shorts. Or maxi dresses to mini dresses. Because when you’re covered up, you want options that breathe (as opposed to anything heavy or synthetic). The good thing is that there are a bunch of light fabrics available in the summertime.
Linen is the stereotypical summer fabric – and it’s always a great option. It’s breathable, light and it absorbs moisture. But if you’re not into wrinkles, keep reading.
Light cotton is another no-brainer choice for warm weather. And it comes in a range of weaves depending on the thickness you want.
Gauze and seersucker are usually made of cotton, so they’re just as versatile. And I sometimes like them even more, because they have inherent texture – which means that they show less wrinkles and are great for travel. (If you are traveling this summer, check out two secrets to keep you from overpacking.)
Open weave fabrics literally let air pass through – so they’re basically made for summer. And (as I mentioned before) eyelet, lace, crochet and similar also show a little skin – so they’re a visually lighter choice.
I love gauze as a linen alternative. Yes, it’s a little less polished - but the inherent texture means you don’t need to worry about wrinkles at all!
If you’re a fan of linen, it’s an ideal fabric in summer - especially when you want to (or need to) show less skin. This blazer and pants are basically a suit substitute - so you’re not boiling at an important meeting. And a quick tip - if you’re concerned about wrinkles, darker colored linen will show them less.
This sheer texture sweater (that a few of my clients love) gives you coverage, but still feels totally summer-right.
Eyelet is another favorite fabric for sheer texture. You can always wear a similar color underneath - but I like wearing a contrasting color, to show off the eyelet design.
One of my all-time favorite summer fabrics is seersucker. You might be more familiar with seersucker in it’s typical blue/white stripe - but I especially love dark colored seersucker, as something totally unexpected.
LOOSE SILHOUETTES
Another way to let air pass through is by wearing looser silhouettes. Easy, breezy shapes are less stifling than their structured, tighter counterparts. So, when you don’t want to show skin, this is another way to keep your cool in the summer (especially when you combine them with lightweight fabrics). Here’s what I mean:
Wear wide leg pants instead of slim, tailored pants.
Wear a floaty dress instead of a body-hugging style.
Wear fuller sleeves instead of tighter ones.
Wear a skirt with volume instead of a pencil skirt.
When you prefer pants (or the occasion warrants it), you pretty much can’t go wrong with a wide leg linen pant. And remember - ‘wide leg’ is a relative term - so you should be able to find a width and shape that feel right for you.
When a full length pant feels like too much (but you say a big “no” to shorts), a cropped linen pant is the perfect choice. And you can easily dress them up or down - wear them with sandals or sneakers or flats or wedges.
The epitome of summer easy breezy is a flowy skirt or dress. And it’s another great alternative when everyone else is wearing shorts (but you prefer lengths that cover your knees).
The best thing about full skirts and dresses is that they let air pass through (so you can keep your cool). And you can find them in different fabrics, based on how casual/dressy you want to be.
LIGHT COLORS
Light colors are another way to feel summery when you don’t want to show skin. Light colors reflect heat and light. And they also look more summer-appropriate.
I’m not saying you should just wear white all summer - other light colors work just as well (but read this to find out why white is actually my favorite color for summer). And also pay attention to your prints. Prints that are based in light colors feel more aligned with warm weather.
The epitome of a light colored summer look is a monochromatic ivory/white outfit. It’s a great way to feel summer-appropriate when you’re more covered up.
As I mentioned, I love white in the summer - and this is a perfect example of why. An olive top might feel fall-ish - but with white, it’s right in step with the season.
Here’s an example of a summer-feeling print. It’s simply green and white - which feels much more aligned to warm weather than if it was based in black (or other dark colors). So, when you don’t want to show skin, it’s still warm weather friendly.
Did you get any ideas on how to feel stylish and appropriate for summer, without showing skin? Let me know which tip is most helpful - and ask any questions in the comments.
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