Fashion Today: 4 Smart tips to improve your summer style

In addition to rising temperatures and weekend trips, summer brings with it a hard-to-shake urge to shop. Maybe it’s because the weather’s heating up and those weekend jaunts require cute new outfits, but refreshing our summer closet is an activity we’re probably not alone in anticipating.

But before you bust out that credit card, there are a few tips to keep in mind when buying for the summer months; small pieces of advice that’ll ensure you get the most bang for your buck and be as comfortable as you can be during the dog days. Read on for the only 4 summer fashion tips you need to know!

1. Buy summer shoes a half-size or a full-size larger than you normally would.
It’s not the most pleasant of facts, but our feet swell during the summer. That’s why it’s key—when shopping for new shoes this time of year—to buy shoes a bit larger than you would in winter.

Natural materials like leather, canvas, and suede will definitely stretch, so going up half a size should be fine. For inexpensive trendy shoes made from faux leather, plastic, or any other man-made material, go a full size up.

Choose cool, crisp fabrics like cotton or linen, rather than poly-blends. 

2. Mind your fabrics. We love fast fashion as much as the next shopper, but a great deal of merchandise from high-street stores are made from poly-blends that simply aren’t breathable, and will often hold on to sweat stains. To stay cool on steamy days, it’s best seek out materials like cotton—pima or supima is best, but any variety will do—as the fibers are hollow in the center, allowing them to absorb perspiration and release it quickly.

Linen also is a solid summer material—it’s stronger than cotton and a better conductor of heat, making it the most breathable fabric out there. Contrary to popular belief, silk is a good choice for summer as well, since it’s natural, breathable, and cooling. The only downside: It has to be cleaned frequently if you sweat. Also great: super-thin denim.

A tailor can turn an old black tank into a cool crop top you’ll wear all summer.

3. Reinvent your clothes.
We’re huge proponents of utilizing the tailors your city or town surely has, especially if you’re on the fence about whether to get rid of certain items. A tailor can cheaply transform garments, making them look totally different. A few examples: A floor-grazing skirt or dress can be made into a cute mini, pants can be turned into into shorts, and long blazers into cute cropped jackets to wear over summer dresses.

Another great tailor tip for those looking to try out the crop top trend without looking like a slave to fashion: Bring an old T-shirt and tank top you don’t wear anymore to your tailor and have he or she hem it to show a sliver of skin. Then pair it with super high-waist pants, skirts or shorts. The result: an easy-breezy crop that’s not too tight, too trendy, or too revealing—and can be worn comfortably all summer!

We’re always hearing about ways to keep the makeup on our face from melting, but how about the products we tote around with us in our bags? Didn’t think of that, did you?

Try this trick: Freeze a Zip-Loc freezer bag overnight, and before you leave for work, toss in the cosmetics you normally take for the day (a lipstick, a foundation, etc.) While it’s not a long-term fix, it will keep your products cool until you get to work, or whichever air conditioned place you’re headed.