Beat the heat with smart summer wear

Last month, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) recorded the highest temperature in the country in seven years, hitting a scorching 41.2° C (106.2 F°), according to official figures. No wonder there has been a major change in climate over the years and as a result, the fashion industry has also been modified significantly along with it.

Donald Trump may not be a believer in the existence of global warming, but fashion retailers definitely are, and they started taking measures regarding this at an early stage. Summer is harsher and unbearable in recent times and demands necessary adaptations in colour, fabric and cutting by the designers.

“Bangladesh’s weather is something to highly take into consideration while designing any outfit,” says Sabrina Mehrin, owner of Sabrina Mehrin clothing line. She believes the core purpose of designing is about comfort.

“Not just how amazing it looks on the outside but also how it makes you feel when you wear it. For regular wear in summer, I try to work with colours like yellow, pink, orange, lilac, green; which are just immediately soothing to the eyes and grab the attention.”

Sabrina has been working a lot with cotton block outfits lately. She believes fabric is the most vital part for designers. Hence, she’s focusing mostly on cotton, linen and a few silks which don’t feel heavy this summer.

“Cotton kurtis with blockwork is like the perfect choice according to me to combat summer! Doesn’t it feel amazing when someone looks at you and says ‘You look like peace in this dress?’ Well, that’s the type of work I aim to do when I design my pieces,” adds the enthusiastic designer.

Fashion and style is a dynamic concept. It has been changing ever since. People change style according to their mood or occasion. Also, social media, movie stars, musicians, athletes influence fashion a lot. But the change that comes in fashion to halt weather is the most justified one.

Cotton all the way

Humans have been using cotton as clothing material for around 7000 years, if not more. Being a natural fabric, cotton is not manufactured with chemicals, and as a result, does not cause skin irritation of any kind and is completely non-allergenic.

Cotton allows your skin to breathe, and absorbs the sweat. This is why cotton is the ideal wear for summer. Linen is another good option for summer as it is also a natural fabric that absorbs sweat and dries rather quickly.

Bright colour does it right

Bright coloured clothing reflects light while dark-coloured clothing does the opposite. The more heat that is absorbed by your dark toned clothes, the hotter the clothing gets and the warmer you become. Also, bright-coloured clothing looks softer and cooler. Cheerful lemon yellows or bright, happy pinks naturally reflect the mood of the season.

Breathing window with open neck and loose fitting

Lightweight, open-neck and loose-fitting clothes are the best for promoting the absorption of sweat. You stay cooler because more air passes over your body. Close necked and tightly fitted dresses feel pretty suffocating and uncomfortable during summer.

Flip-flops are not so FLOP

Summer smells like flip-flops and slides. Your feet are bound to get sweaty when they’re stuck inside shoes and socks all day long. Unfortunately, this can cause your feet to emit unpleasantly and maybe even offensive odours. Wearing flip-flops or slides on the other hand allows your feet to breathe; hence, pooled-up sweat never becomes a problem. They are really easy to put on and quite hassle free.

Sunglass the saviour

To many, sunglasses are fun and optional accessories. But in summer, sunglasses are the best protector you can possibly have. In the bright sunshine, sunglasses serve a very important purpose in preventing UV damage to the eyes. Also, since sunglasses are normally bigger than a lot of regular eyeglass frames, they shield your eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eye sockets from harmful rays.

Here’s this famous saying- “There’s no bad weather, just poor clothing.” Dressing appropriately is the key to be comfortable and enjoying outdoor activities longer.

KanizFatimais a fourth year student of Geography and Environment at University of Dhaka
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