The Seven Very British Stages of Dressing for Warm Weather

It’s that time of year when Brits become bizarrely divided on the appropriate attire for the day’s weather. 

When temperatures are hovering in the mid to late teens, some of us will deem it time to dig out the shorts, while others will still be wrapping up in a scarf, “just in case”. 

You may have seen this scenario playing out across the land in recent days, where one moment the look is Ibiza in high summer, the next you catch sight of someone who could be preparing for a trek to the Antarctic. Confusing. 

This is really the moment to think of yourself as an onion. Not a glamorous image, I admit, but bear with me here. Some of us will rattle through the layer shedding process at chef-like speed, whittling away the last vestiges of winter until all that’s left is a vest top and goosebumps. 

Or you will perhaps prefer a lackadaisical approach, gently eschewing one winter layer after another until you’re quite certain you’re not going to be struck down with hypothermia. 

This is a very British problem thanks to the nature of our seasons and our lack of agreement on how to deal with it; on the continent, women tend to have very set ideas about what to wear in very specific temperatures (in Italy, nonnas are often still in their furs in May, while here, it’s a free for all). 

Not sure where to begin? Here are the seven steps to getting in the warm weather dressing state of mind… 

Swap your big coat for a sleek blazer

Clockwise from left: Pink blazer, £179, Hobbs; Gingham blazer, £99.99, Mango; Turquoise blazer, £419, Sandro 

It can be an emotional experience parting from the security blanket which has protected you from the elements for the past few months, but your big cosy coat deserves a rest. And you’ll only resent it when it begins to feel more like a sauna now that it’s suddenly warm. 

Tuck it away and swap for one of this season’s many smart blazers. You could go the “quiet luxury” route in a classic beige, grey or navy style but there are lots of lovely lively options out there which echo the Princess of Wales’s red tweed number, whether in vibrant shades or timeless patterns, like gingham.

Swap your chunky jumpers for shirts and blouses

Clockwise from top left: Ruffle shirt, £190, Asantii; Pink striped shirt, £69, Arket; Check shirt, £69.95, Massimo Dutti

It’s around this time that I get worried about my neck. I tend to hide it away in woolly jumpers all winter and it feels utterly bizarre to expose it to the elements again. But exposed it must be, because what felt chic and cosy a few weeks ago now risks looking (and feeling) horribly claustrophobic.

So I’m freeing my neck – and décolletage – in shirts and blouses going forward. There are styles for every predilection out there this season, from ruffled blouses to mannish shirts. 

The good news for the tentative shedders among you? You can keep them buttoned up if you’re not ready to flash your collarbone yet and undo one button at a time until you have a nonchalant French girl vibe going – flash of bra is optional.