My Style Essentials For A Typical British Summer
Just in case you’ve missed every single person in the UK moaning about the weather let me tell you that it’s been absolutely foul lately. I don’t think I’ve ever known rain as heavy or as often as we’ve had in the past couple of weeks. It’s rained every single day, often all day and to say it’s put a dampener on my enthusiasm for summer is an understatement. I’d tucked away all my coats and knitwear in favour for summer dresses and sandals but sadly there’s been absolutely no way I’ve been able to put those on so I’ve been turning to style essentials for a typical British summer instead.
rubberised rain coat
Despite it pouring with rain it’s not always been super cold so any other of my waterproof coats haven’t been suitable as they’re all pretty thick and weighty. And there is nothing worse than being sweaty and dripping with rain if you ask me. So this is where the classic rubber raincoat comes in, which is certainly my preferred style to go for as the simple silhouette goes with absolutely everything. My current raincoat of choice comes from Topshop via eBay and it has been the best purchase I’ve made in a while as even in a torrential downpour it’s kept me dry. One of the best things is that they dry incredibly fast whereas a lot of coats even if they are waterproof can take hours and hours to dry off. I’m so glad there are now stylish but practical outerwear options out there for summer now as it’s pain knowing you might get caught in the rain but not having anything lightweight enough to wear comfortably.
sweatshirt dress
When it comes to summer, I’m barely out of my dresses if I can help it but sometimes a lightweight floaty number isn’t suitable which is where the jumper dress comes in to save the day. I wear these a lot paired with Converse as it’s such a simple outfit but it still looks pulled together enough that I don’t feel overly casual. Dresses like this are absolutely perfect paired with a raincoat for when it’s a little chilly but not so cold you feel the need for leggings or jeans. H&M is always my go-to for plain dresses like this as they’re affordable and I’ve had one of mine for over 6 years now so they last if you take good care of them.
fine knit jumper
Something that I’ve become pretty obsessed with lately is fine knit jumpers as other than Breton's I don’t have many in between layers. My chunky knits have been a little too warm but a long sleeve top haven’t quite been warm enough so the lightweight knit has become a staple at the moment. There an excellent throw on if you’re wearing a t-shirt and don’t need a jacket but still want another layer as a just incase. H&M have some really amazing ones in at the moment and I picked one up from Debenhams. Which isn’t a shop I typically find myself frequenting all that often but it was an excellent emergency purchase when headed to the Peak District only wearing a t-shirt and the weather turning horrendous.
running leggings
Now, your running leggings aren’t something you probably want to be wearing with your favourite Breton. But if you’re going out for a walk and you know there is a chance the weather might turn then something that is great for wicking sweat is a good idea to keep you somewhat dry. I wore my compression leggings on a recent walk which isn’t my typical option but because I knew they were so good with handling sweat I thought they might fair well in the rain and they did. I’m yet to find any specific walking or hiking leggings so if you have any recommendations then I’d love to hear about them. The great thing is about leggings as well is that they’re much easier to tuck into boots or wellies in comparison to jeans, but yes, I’m aware they are not the same as trousers…
joules coast rucksack (gifted)
For practical reasons, if it’s pouring with rain a backpack is probably the best thing to use. As much as I love pretty tote bags and rattan bags if there is one thing they’re not cut out for it’s the rain. Along side this beautiful bag I’ve also been using my beloved Kanken which is another great bag for the rain but I do find this one a little more comfortable if I have a lot of stuff with me. It looks nice and compact but it fits a huge amount in and it has a lot of compartments which is key for a large bag as it’s all too easy for things to get lost. The yellow is a really lovely pop of colour in my otherwise pretty monochromatic wardrobe too.
joules wellies
Wellies are something that I wear a lot, especially when walking the dogs. They aren’t my go-to for really long walks as they’re nowhere enough supportive for serious walks but for a shortish walk, they’re absolutely fine. I was a serious lover of Hunter wellies but mine cracked last year (my own fault, don't leave muddy wellies in a car in winter) and not wanting to spend that much money on wellies at the time I went for Joules. I’m on my second pair of the field wellies as the first started to let in water but they come with a year warranty which means if you do have any problems then they will send you a new pair for free which is wonderful customer service. If it’s warm and rainy then I tend to prefer to go for wellies over boots as they aren’t always the most breathable in the warmer months whereas wellies are. And of course, if you're a festival lover then they're an absolute staple for them.
