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March 4, 2011 10:54 AM   Subscribe

What would Joan Holloway wear in the summer?

I work in an office in a northern/cool climate and typically dress a la Joan Holloway: solid colors, with a heavy reliance on tailored dresses and pencil skirts with heels. I am built very much like Joan and feel confident in these looks.

But! I'm headed to a work conference in the South in July, and am completely stumped as to how to transition my usual fall/winter/spring look into a summer look that will be cool and also professional. I will be in air conditioned buildings, but will also be doing a lot of walking and sightseeing outside--where it will be HOT. I would like to keep the tailored, vintage, skirted silhouette but am unsure if that would be completely unsuitable for summer in the South. Watching Mad Men doesn't help much; I'm no Betty, and we rarely see Joan outside of the office.

Any ideas? I'm looking more for advice like "try the same silhouette in linen" as opposed to things like "try ModCloth", although specific examples might be helpful. Thank you, o fashionable MeFites!
posted by stellaluna to Shopping (7 answers total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Yes, you want the same silhouettes in linen (or linen blends if you don't want so much crumpling), cotton (doesn't need to be thin or look casual), or woven silk (silk doesn't have to be shiny, it can almost be like a tweed). Rayon/viscose is also not a terrible option as synthetics go, and is probably much easier to find than some of the natural fibers. Watch out for the lining too, an acetate lining will cancel out the coolness of any of these fabrics.

I've seen some great curvy summer dresses at UK company Bravissimo, which cuts for women with big boobs, and ships internationally. This is nice, although ugh on the lining.
posted by crabintheocean at 11:09 AM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


Another thought, you might do better in separates rather than dresses - then you can wear a skirt that's on the heavier side and find pretty cotton or silk blouses that will only be one layer. Pussybow or tie neck blouses are everywhere right now.
posted by crabintheocean at 11:11 AM on March 4, 2011


In the South, the business looks are more casual, period. You CAN keep the same look and adjust your fabrics, BUT it is really humid here. Pencil skirts and heavily tailored looks end up looking wilted after a few hours. You'd do better to think more along the lines of sundresses, more flow-y looks. You will sweat just standing in the shade, so anything that feels comfy like that (if it's possible). (I do a lot of vintage sundresses year round.)

And don't forget a cardigan, especially if you're moving inside/outside a lot. It is roasting outside and freezing inside with the AC on.
posted by Kronur at 11:12 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


I've seen a lot of dresses from that era that are sleeveless and have a small short sleeved jacket that goes over. Something like that would probably work really well for you. Also, some sun dresses can be appropriate for work with a simple thin cardigan over them. As long as the front is appropriate the back can be as low as you want, the cardigan will cover it while you're working.

Something like this maybe?

Here's an example in a vintage dress. This one is a sewing pattern, but it has the same idea.
posted by TooFewShoes at 11:14 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


You might be more comfortable in more flowy, lightweight fabric, A-line skirts and dresses that will allow for, ahem, airflow more than a close-fitting pencil skirt. I grew up in the South and the above posters are right--business wear is much more casual there--so you could dress more playfully than perhaps you would otherwise. Especially in the summer.
posted by phunniemee at 11:40 AM on March 4, 2011


Nthing the "carry a cardigan!" advice. The South (and Thailand) like to keep their a/c cranked. In the Bangkok office I routinely wore a fuzzy heavy après-ski jacket over my sleeveless dresses, funny looks be damned.
posted by cyndigo at 2:24 PM on March 4, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks for the advice! As much as I like close-fitting silhouettes I am agreeing that something more flowy would be more comfortable--and I'll definitely bring a cardigan!
posted by stellaluna at 10:06 AM on March 7, 2011


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