How To Dress For Extreme Temperatures

Joe Zee
·Editor in Chief
Updated

Photos Courtesy of Adam Katz Sinding

Last fashion week, during a massive East Coast snowstorm, the usually well-dressed fashion pack arrived at the Ralph Lauren show bundled up in parkas, snow boots and winter hats— me included. So you can imagine my surprise when I spotted a girl sitting behind me dressed in head to toe suede: vest, hot pants and over the knee boots! Needless to say, she was trapped inside after the show, unable to walk outside— the slushy grey snow would have destroyed her outfit.

Global warming has wrecked havoc on the fashion world. In this past week alone, we’ve gone from torrential downpours to an Indian summer heatwave overnight. So that leaves the real dilemma: How to dress for these extreme weather patterns. We asked a pair of  expert meteorologists— Al Roker from the Today Show and Ginger Zee of Good Morning America—on how they cope. While Roker believes  “nothing feels better or looks cooler then seersucker,” in sweltering heat, Zee cautions that “heavy rain is a shoe killer.” And here are some of my pointers:

For The Heat:

1. Think Black: Despite what you’ve been told, wearing black is what I always recommend wearing in the heat. It’s the perfect camouflage for those sweat stains.
2. Cotton Over Silk: Easy, lightweight cottons are best (allows the body to breath). Skip the silks and rayons as perspiration stains will be tough to hide but also stain the fabrics permanently.
3. Underarm Covers: Tucking in cocktail napkins under your arms will help with sweat absorption but if that fails, you can Botox those pits which provides a permanent solution.

For The Rain:

1. White Over Dark: This is the one instance when your white leather shoes will survive better than those black leather ones,  as dark colors tend to stain quicker and easier than white leather. Best option: white leather sneakers.
2. Break Out The Leather: Getting that perfect weathered look with your leather jacket can take years, but if you wear it in the rain, it will not only keep you dry but help speed up that process of breaking it in. 
3. Log On: If you’re caught in the rain, find refuge in a dry spot and download the DarkSky app, which can predict rain, snow or sleet down to the minute wherever you are.