How to be glamorous in the summer

As the British summer surprises us with soaring temperatures for the first time in 10 years, being glamorous becomes that bit more tricky so I thought I’d share a few lighthearted tips to assist you. As WikiHow points out, “being glamorous is all about creating an attractive and exciting illusion that you lead an envied life”. And in the summer, I’m mainly going for the illusion that I take high temperatures and humidity in my stride! So, where do we begin?

Beauty
The key to being glamorous is good grooming. Contrary to what most women’s glossies tell you, this doesn’t need to be something that takes a long time. Overall, it is important to find a look that suits you and is one that you actually want to maintain. Although most people would probably tell you that frizzy un-tamed hair and wild eyebrows are not glamorous, that doesn’t automatically mean you need a sleek mane with thin pencilled brows – just make sure that what you have looks tidy.

Foundation may not be for everyone, but using some product that evens out your skin tone is good for boosting confidence levels when you catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror later in the day. It’s also good to keep dry skin and tatty nails at bay. No major effort required, just a bit of buffing now and again. Don’t show off your feet in strappy shoes unless they’re photo-worthy. If you want to be glamorous but don’t have time for a pedicure, make sure you have some summer shoes that cover those toes! Remember, it’s all about the illusion that every inch of you is perfect 100% of the time.

Dress to impress
Some people say that it’s all about quality over quantity, but that doesn’t have to mean expensive if you shop carefully. Keep an eye on sales, online offers, outlet stores, vintage/charity shops and, of course, the internet and you are bound to find what you want for less that you thought. However, I believe that an extensive wardrobe of high street and vintage items is no less glamorous than a capsule wardrobe purchased at Selfridges. It’s not about what you wear but how you wear it.

Remember to dress to flatter your figure and don’t feel the need to follow trends you don’t like. Make sure you have some good basics to match everything with too. Accessories are often a cheapish way to add glamour to an outfit – e.g. hair flowers – so keep an eye out for what you like the look of on other people and see if the same would work for you. Check out a few fashion blogs for outfit inspiration – I like Retro Chick and Arched Eyebrow.

Also, remember to keep it up! Everyone has their dress down days but I can assure you that those are the days that you will be invited to drinks with a new crowd and you will wish your outfit had been cuter. It may seem like a lot of effort, but carefully choosing your outfit for work every day is really worth it and can lift your spirits on a bad day. Remember that we spend more time at work than anywhere else. If you save your nice clothes for ‘best’, they’ll hardly get worn! Dress for yourself, not anyone else.

Build a social life you love
It doesn’t matter if you’re busy one night a week or seven, if you’re doing things you love it will make you happy. The key here is that if other people believe your social life is amazing, then you will appear to be glamorous. Going out a lot and being in demand can seem glam, but selecting a few fabulous things to do to will mean you retain an air of glamour without being rushed off your feet. Drinks with the girls? Tell Twitter that you’re going out for cocktails. Meeting for lunch? Say it’s afternoon tea instead. Some things just sound better.

Check out your local bars, galleries, museums and shops to see if they’re running any fun-sounding events you’d like to go to. If you’re lucky, they might even be free. If you’re really lucky, you might make some new friends while you’re there. Of course, it doesn’t really matter what other people think, so only do things that make you feel glamorous.

Stay cool
I know it’s a tough thing to deal with in summer, but rushing around and getting hot and stressed out is not glamorous. Keep a bottle of water with you and also a fan if you really feel the heat. A nice ladylike folding fan would add to the glamour, but a pocket sized electric fan also does the trick. It could give you that photo shoot wind-machine look while on the bus! Don’t be afraid of sun hats or sitting in the shade, and please don’t run anywhere if you really don’t have to.

Make sure you leave plenty of time to get to places, or just arrive fashionably late. Glamorous women turn up the radio and relax while stuck in traffic, rather than stressing over shortcuts, and they always wait for the next tube train when the current one’s just too packed. Why run when you can walk at a pace more suited to your aching feet? Just relax.

Be kind and confident
Pay people compliments and, when others do the same to you, believe them. A little compliment to a friend or stranger on their appearance will make you both feel great but, in order to really be glamorous, you have to learn to take compliments too. Also, try not to blurt out the source of your bargains when someone comments on your clothes. Saying, “thanks! It was only a tenner from New Look” does not make you seem glamorous. If people ask, tell them, otherwise just retain an air of mystery.

Being nice to people is a surprising part of being seen to be glamorous. We often think of the glamorous A-list bitch but, if we’re honest, given only one word to describe that sort of woman, it’d probably be bitch. If you’re kind, people will remember the glamour. Oh, and you’ll win friends and influence people with your fabulousness too. Seriously though, my top tip is… don’t forget to smile. Those pesky paparazzi will be following you soon enough.

A version of this article was first published on BitchBuzz in 2010. Image via CynElena’s Flickr