Do you get the summer body scaries?
Meet my foolproof method to make this a summer you'll genuinely enjoy....
Summer is a joyous arrival, sure. But it isn’t easy for everyone.
So many of us were made to feel like our bodies didn’t fit the ‘summer beauty standard,’ from our earliest years, dictated to us by magazines telling us to start losing weight for the summer ahead, flanked by the increase in adverts hocking diets just as the temperatures rose. Decades of toxic beauty standards have elevated those with an ‘acceptable’ bikini body over other and the collective impact of all of this propaganda, is that many of us inwardly loathe the summer time.
As plus size, colour fearing goth, nobody knows more about summer phobia than me. I’ve felt and still instinctually feel that dread of summer every year. It’s an immediate gut reaction; the creeping ascent on the spring rollercoaster, before the bloody curdling plunge into the terror of summer. Even though I logically know the season is for everyone, the conditioning about being ‘too fat for summer’ is lodged deep within me and maybe it is within you too.
For years I tried to shop my way through this feeling, by doing several huge panic shopping trips every June when I could no longer get away with jeans without drowning in my own sweat. I’d end up wasting huge amounts of money on random trendy clothes, forcing myself into whatever fit despite not fully liking them, and then facing the sun, feeling awkward, uncomfortable and not like myself at all.
A couple of years ago I realised that if I didn’t take control of how I feel about summer, it would always control me. Unpicking the narrative and ways that fat phobia has been levelled at us to keep the diet and wellness industries buoyed takes time (…have you read my book Ugly? It’ll help!) So as we do that work in our own time, I have found a method that embraces summer - through style - with a view to feeling and knowing that we all deserve to enjoy summer, and see summer dressing as something fun, rather than impending doom.
Shaking off that fear of summer is tough, and I want to acknowledge this feeling, because it doesn’t matter what size you are, chances are you were made to feel like you have to ‘fix’ your body for it to become summer ready. It’s honestly an injustice that anyone feels like any kind of dread around summer, so I hope this strategy helps you, like it’s helped me…
1. GET AHEAD OF IT
I can’t say this enough. Start your summer style prep as soon as you can, because when you feel prepped, you'll be more confident and in control. I’d usually do it in March, but here we are it’s May, and I already feel a bit on the back foot. Don’t panic though, there’s still time…just start now ok?
2.CREATE YOUR OWN ‘STYLE STATEMENT’
About 5 years ago, when I looked at my wardrobe I realised it was pure chaos. Nothing went with anything else and so much of it was the result of my impulse buying without any forethought. That’s fine if you’re happy with that, but for me it made getting dressed really stressful. So to prevent random purchases and give my wardrobe more consistency, what’s helped me is having my core four fashion keywords - or my ‘style statement.’
I have this statement because if I don’t, I’ll buy random things I’ll never wear again, or feel uncomfortable in and it’s really helped me avoid panic or impulse buys - especially in the approach to summer. Here’s how it works; just pick four words that you want to represent your general style. Mine are ‘posh vintage western goth’ - which brings together my love of designer clothes, vintage style, western vibes and the goth life.
They can be whatever you like, you could even be lols to make it memorable, like ‘the spawn of brown western barbie and lily munster.” I know this sounds mad, but as somebody who is now stuck with trying to sell some very expensive rogue choices from many of my summer panic buys, trust me, having your statement, is essential.
You can shift the keywords a little as the seasons or your tastes change, for example one summer I went through a pastel phase (shudders…) and so my style was ‘doris day from the grave’ - so classic pastel vintage with a touch of goth. Niche? Yes. But fashion should be fun and characterising summer style makes it less personal, less stressful and more expressive too.
3.MAKE A MOODBOARD
Each season I make a moodboard (see below…this is a winter one!) using my statement which sounds extra, I know, but hear me out. The moodboard helps because it gives me a visual to work from; I have a copy of it stuck on my wardrobe to help me pick what to wear in the mornings too.
There’s likely a better way to do this moodboard part, so do share that if you have one, but I make a private Pinterest board and shove all my images on it. This is a mix of style inspo from Pinterest itself, screengrabs from the tok or gram, pics of me in outfits I like and have enjoyed wearing in summer. I also add in shoes, bags, hairstyles, nail colours etc. All of it should roughly fit under your theme. Go through and edit out anything that doesn’t spark some joy, and take out anything that isn’t doable; ie if it’s a picture of you in a dress four sizes smaller, delete that - this isn’t a thinspiration board, it’s a safe happy inspiring place.
Then I download the images using this method, open Powerpoint and make my moodboard with my keywords or slogans on it somewhere. Have a copy on your phone, your wardrobe and use it as your reference whenever you’re shopping. That way you’ll have cohesion and a strategy when you buy for the season.
5.MAKE SPACE
To make it easier to navigate your wardrobe, take out the heavier winter items and store those elsewhere. I do a summer/winter wardrobe switch using vacuum bags as they take up very little space. Then get any existing summer clothes you have in storage and try them on - if it doesn’t fit or you don’t love it, then let it go. If you like it but it needs altering, then that’s a separate pile. This also includes swimsuits, sandals and bags etc. Finally, wash and iron everything too so it looks good and is ready to go.
6. GO SHOPPING
Once you’ve tried it all on, tale stock of what you need to buy, and what you don’t. When looking for new pieces, always use your moodboard as a guide so you don’t go awol. Armed with this and your keywords look for pieces you know you love and will last for seasons. That doesn’t mean expensive, but it does mean good quality - you’re looking for around 5-10 summer outfits you genuinely love. Crucial point: At least half of these outfits should have some space for you to be bigger or smaller - so elasticated waists etc are a good shout.
I want to caveat, you don’t need to buy anything new, it doesn’t have to be expensive and you can wear anything you want for summer. But for years we’ve been told that we have to hide bigger or even pale bodies in summer; and that's just not the case!
I’ve spent the last few years building a collection of summer outfits that I'm genuinely excited to see them every year because they feel like me. Hopefully this method, as mad as it sounds, will help you too. And, as a bonus, here are a few of the killer pieces I personally swear by for summer…
Much summer lovin’
A statement summer dress
Elasticated on the bust - works for day and night - and is worth every penny. I have the size XL which is the biggest size annoyingly, but it is stretchy so would potentially fit a range of sizes. There are copycat versions of this, but none have the dramatic sleeves the original has. Sleeper Atlanta dress, £267
