What is the sartorial answer to extreme hot weather? This heatwave we’re experiencing on either side of the Atlantic got me thinking about what to wear. Naturally in blistering heat my first thought goes to a billowy summer dress but as the heat continues my supply of appropriate dresses has come to an end. My wardrobe offers only so many choices & a dress is only ever a dress, there really aren’t any re-styling options in this situation. I certainly do not wish to add even one single layer to my problem.
I could buy a few cheap dresses to tide me over. There’s no shortage of suggestions on Instagram right now but then I remember, be careful of the con MT. Those cute cuts & pretty prints aren’t necessarily the affordable chic option they seem. Look out for the lie, the promise of a cheap breezy answer to the big melt, POLYESTER is not my friend.
Sure it’s lightweight & inexpensive, I can pick up what appears a gorgeous designer copy from Zara or Topshop for under £40 no worries. But I’ll be stinking up the house by lunchtime. Well that’s my experience with this ubiquitous material. I avoid it like the plague these days & trust me I’m not a particularly sweaty person. Besides my armpits, the over production of polyester is also stinking up the planet. Yuk!
Apart from that there’s the small matter of how ugly I feel wearing a garment that is keeping other women & children in poverty. A dress made in a sweat shop is not the answer to my sweaty problem that’s for sure! Nope, the poorly finished maxi from H&M is not the answer for me on any level. So what is?
THE DAI WHITE SHIRT
The white shirt is a legend let’s be honest. When made from silk, cotton or linen it’s the coolest look on Earth. Both figuratively & literally! Today’s wonderful white shirt is from DAI another new sustainable brand I’ve discovered. Pop over to the website for a sticky beak at their gorgeous work wear range.
There are infinite re-styling options with this wonderful silk piece, it’s both hero & staple of the well curated closet. This is money well spent, full stop. Personally I prefer silk & cotton to linen when it comes to shirts in general. I detest the inevitable seat belt creases that appear on a freshly ironed linen shirt the moment I hop out of the car. Silk doesn’t do this so much, you can see in my photos how fluid the fabric is even after I drove to my location & woofed down breakfast with the kids before shooting.
Perhaps billowy silk isn’t for you? No problem, DAI has the same design in a genius new fabric. By combining technical material with stretch cotton poplin they produced an eco-friendly poly-mix. This beautifully tailored shirt is machine washable, breathable, lightweight & cool with a four-way stretch. And guess what else? It’s much less expensive than silk!
The day I shot this was a scorcher by the way. It was 32 degrees (that’s 89F) by 10am! So I left the back of my shirt un-tucked for even more ventilation. This styling works rather well due to the gathered detail across the shoulders. I wasn’t the slightest bit hot, sticky or uncomfortable, in fact I barely felt like I was wearing anything at all.
Naturally you can replace my shorts with a skirt or trousers in your own style. I confidently predict you’ll look equally stylish. It’s the shirt that’s killin’ it here! Even paired with jeans or a retro jumpsuit this particular shirt has major kudos. And don’t you just love the silk black tie? Such a generous detail! Discreetly attached by a button at the nape, easily removed when you fancy a change. Although I’m not tired of it yet, I’ll wear this baby buttoned up, in a bow when the cooler weather finally comes. Imagine the shirt & tie with an elegant tweed pencil skirt or layered under a maxi dress with the tie flowing over? Being diaphanous makes it perfect for layering under those cool summer dresses to transition through spring. On the occasion when I do finally remove the tie, I will wear it in my hair like this.
Now let’s discuss these sensational double cuffs! Today I’m wearing them more traditionally folded up however they look proper street style fashion left loose. Mind you my monkey arms don’t translate well in photographs with extra long sleeves. Although these cuffs are wide with a rather phenomenal flared shape so I will attempt to balance that look with a pants suit later in the year. I quite fancy buying a powder pink or baby blue suit at some stage, we’ll wait & see. In any case my shirt is definitely a no-brainer, it’s simply fabulous suited & booted. Yep I may have 99 problems but this shirt aint one of them…
Raymond’s New Jersey
MORE WHITE SHIRT STYLING IDEAS
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Joanna Dai in New York. Gosh what a charismatic & clever woman she it! If you’d like to hear more of her back story & how she created her label it’ll be on the blog next month. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it…
Lots of love darlings & stay cool xx
p.s. I know you lot have a wicked sense of humour so I’ll say it now, before you get the chance…no I’m not working as a waitress here heeheehee
*This post is in partnership with DAI
Thank you to Raymond’s for kindly allowing me to shoot in your funky restaurant.
Comments ( 18 )
Joanna
You look absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for curating a timeless, conscious and ethical wardrobe and sharing with us! Love these photos.
MT
Since you made the shirt, it means so much to me that you like how I styled it. Thank you for partnering on this post Joanna, it’s been an absolute pleasure, I look forward to many more xx
Alberto Hugo Rojas
Alwayas great work, perfect looks, amazing in all details Michelle. 😉
MT
Alberto you’re so encouraging & thoughtful to comment, I really appreciate your effort 🙂
Susan
Agreed. You can not go wrong with a quality well cut white shirt. The options are endless. Love your pairing with white shorts! Great for the ongoing heatwave. Your long black toe adds nicely to the look. Inspiring.
MT
Thank you Susan, the tie feels a bit retro to me that’s why I like it 😉
Lisa the Sequinist
Oh my god this whole outfit is a dream. So simple, and so chic. The blouse is so gorgeous, and I’ve always loved those Winser London shorts on you. Now, we need to talk about those Chanel wedge sandals. Why do I not know about those?
I’m so with you on avoiding the polyester dresses; I can’t think of anything worse in the heat. Love love love your fully conscious consuming. xxx
MT
Thank you my darling. Yes these shoes are gorge aren’t they? I’ve worn them before on the blog here & I wear them constantly every summer, they’re so easy.
Thanks for your never ending support dear friend xx
jamie
Cute little clutch bag get in my closet NOW!
MT
Teehee, you are funny Jamie xxx
Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies
This post is stunning Michelle! I love this look on you. Thankfully it’s become a little cooler here in England. It’s the stage when no-one quite knows how to dress – will it get hot again, or chilly? I’m back in sweat-tops and my daughter is wearing vest top and shorts! haha! Love this classy post, and you look so beautiful xx
MT
Oh really, that’s a pain Maria. Although I suspect you’ve all had enough of the extreme heat by now anyway? I’m getting rather tired of it here in NJ to be honest.
Thank you for your kind words, it’s always lovely to see you here darling xx
No Fear of Fashion
I totally agree with Lisa, this outfit is a dream. I love a simple silk shirt like this, only my girls always ruin the look. And I saw they have “my” simple, single button cream white jacket! Oh God and my money is low and winter is coming. Bad timing. Love this brand though. And the website is very good. Nice with lots of angles and even videos. What size are you wearing? If I may ask. Is it your normal size or a bit larger?
Oh amd I keep thinking when I click through on a link “Why didn’t Michelle tick the box to open this link in a new window.” . As I am leaving her blog.
Greetje
MT
Ah that’s brilliant they have the perfect blazer for you Greetje! Don’t worry, DAI isn’t going anywhere & they won’t change style on you so take your time. Thanks for letting me know about the window, ack I always seem to forget that & it is annoying, you’re absolutely right!
As for the size of the shirt, another good point I missed 😉 Perhaps I should have you edit my posts before I publish them? I’d love that, if only you weren’t so busy writing your own in between having a full time job…
This shirt is a UK10. It’s true to size I’d say because it isn’t meant to be fitted. I’ve also tried on the trousers & blazers – I’d say they come up slightly big. Ever so slightly although that may be just that I’ve lost a little weight. I was a UK10 in the blazer & a UK8 in the trousers. OMG by the way Greetje, those trousers are so beautifully cut I have to write a blog post just about them xx
No Fear of Fashion
I wanted to order the blouse as well. And I stopped myself because I have a lot of white and cream shirts. Why consider it then? Because I thought I could look just as good as you by buying the same blouse haha. A mistake we women often make. I know better. But DAI is definitely a brand high on my list. I love such quality items.
MT
Oh you! Many a time I’ve thought to copy your wardrobe don’t worry about that woman. Imagine if we lived close, we could borrow from each other 😉
I think Dai is very you actually Greetje x
Rhiannon Duffin
A silk shirt like this is the perfect solution – I totally agree. And it’s a timeless classic always, what’s not to love! You look amazing <3
MT
Thank you RiRi xx