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Faff-Free Summer Style

— by Alyson Walsh

Photo: Claire Pepper

Summer is a time when faff-free dressing comes into its own. No-one wants to be hitching, hoicking and overheating. This evening, I’m going to a cocktail party, so in a last-minute shirt swap I ditched a plain black silk number for an old patterned kimono top. Mistake. On revisiting the kimono top I’ve discovered it’s a bit neat around the armhole. And this is bothering me. I am very particular about armpit freedom and need a fit that provides ease of movement. The kimono top has been on-again, off-again all day. Too much faffage – and I’m only wearing a skimpy, stripy vest underneath. Never forgo function for fancy-ness. I should’ve gone for my default summer outfit: white jeans, black shirt and Gucci loafers. Easy, effortless, go-anywhere style. The white jeans in the photo are MiH Mimi, bought in the sale HERE (selling out fast and also available, not in the sale HERE) and I am enjoying the high-waisted, tuck-everything-in style. For an everyday black silk shirt, try Everlane and & Other Stories.

Summer simplicity: the Toast dress

Simple, well-fitting clothes make sense. While researching a feature I came across the Toast sale. KLAXON. Over 50% off certain items including this cotton twill, faff-free dress that is currently winging its way to That’s Not My Age Mansions.

Photo via Salt-Water Sandals/Instagram

And I forgot to mention Salt-Water in my recent post on Summer Sandals. Everyday I see women wearing them and I have colleagues who swear by Salt-Water. There’s a lovely feature on the history of the company in the Guardian, based in Missouri and founded by a British immigrant Walter Hoy, in 1944. The sandals were originally made from the leather off-cuts leftover from making military boots. Now that’s the kind of special relationship I admire.

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Summer is a time when faff-free dressing comes into its own. No-one wants to be hitching, hoicking and overheating.