Staying Cool in the Summer with Modest Style

Screenshots of clothing from Old Navy, The Limited, Naot and Garlands of Grace

(Photo credits: tops from Old Navy, skirt from The Limited sandal from Naot and headband from Garlands of Grace) Summertime can present challenges to dressing modestly for people who live in hot climates. Having grown up in a humid climate where temperatures easily reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade for several months a year, I sympathize with the question of how to balance modesty with the requirement of staying cool. As a shopping suggestion for Summer 2012, I have collected screenshots of several items that might spark your creativity.

  • Peasant tops from Old Navy - These tops could be stitched together at the front opening if needed to raise the neckline opening. A peasant style top made from woven fabric is both more modest and more cool in the summertime than a knit top. (Note that we have slightly color-altered the pink top to match the skirt in our collage. Shop in store for these items to assure any color matching.)
  • This assymetrical skirt from The Limited, also called a high-to-low skirt, follows a top trend for the summer with its hemline shape. Skirts, especially when made of lightweight fabrics, allow more air circulation and are therefore cooler to wear than pants or capris.
  • The Dorith sandal from Naot is on my wish list for this summer. I tried it on in a store last fall, and it felt incredibly comfortable as well as looked great. It comes in a variety of colors and provides a healthful, stylish alternative to summer high-heeled sandals that impede walking and foot health.
  • This Garlands of Grace headband offers a feminine way to keep hair away from your face during hot, active summer months.

Our favorite list of tips for staying modestly cool in the summer comes from Mary Van Nattan's website. We recommend that you visit her site to learn about her eleven ideas as well as find a few of your own ways to stay modestly cool and share them with us.