There's Only One Thing To Wear on Days Like These

There’s a microscopic parasite infecting our produce, a bacteria affecting parts of the Upper East Side, and the air quality is apparently awful, and that’s before we even get to the usual nonsense of 2026. On top of all of that, we’ve been hit with one relentless heat wave after another, and there comes a point where getting dressed starts to feel less like self-expression and more like basic survival.

As with many other things, we must adjust. We will make it through! And so, I’ve adapted by figuring out a way to stay comfortable in the heat without completely sacrificing the joy of getting dressed: white cotton.

While I hate the way linen wrinkles (and personally don’t love the feel of most basic linen garments against my skin, especially as someone who doesn’t wear a bra... ouch!), white cotton develops wrinkles that look charming rather than sloppy.

It’s quickly become the most valuable member of my summer wardrobe. Physically speaking, it reflects the sun and breathes better than almost anything else in my closet. Emotionally, I’ve turned it into something that’s fun to genre-mix, pairing delicate white cotton with contrasting elements like athletic pieces or bold colors. I still feel like my outfit is considered and personal even when I’m sweating through a three-mile Therapy Walk.

I’ve pretty much been rotating between the same pieces, most of which I’ve owned for years. Here are the styles I keep coming back to:

This has easily become my most-worn clothing item of the summer. I especially love wearing it with athletic bottoms (track shorts ;) ), which have become my bottoms of choice for long summer Therapy Walks.

I showed up to dinner the other night, and my friend was wearing a similar top, hers styled with white cargo pants and loafers. It looked so cool.

Personally, I like a ½–1 inch wide strap because it makes the top feel a little more substantial. And the more pajama-esque, the lighter, the better.

If you want something a little more classic, or you'd like to layer as lightly as possible, a white cotton button-down is an excellent choice. I especially love taking a menswear staple and pairing it with contrasting elements, as I did in this look from last week:

Or this one, where I used the shirt as a layering piece instead:

It's modest, but not modest, you know?

When it’s so freaking hot you wish you could go pantsless, I bring you a tissue-thin pair of cotton shorts. The important thing is a very thin waistband. I find that drawstrings work best because they minimize fabric bulk.

These are actually pajama bottoms (I wrote about wearing pajamas on hot summer days back in 2024 here!). Pair them with a jersey, heels, and a bicycle bag, and you’re hitting all kinds of genre-mixing.

If you’re not into shorts, try the pants version of these. I love the look, I just don’t personally own a pair. Per laura reilly, heat-induced wrinkles make “an outfit that winks.” There are so many great options (you can try “cotton pantaloons” or “cotton voile pants” when you search).

The point is that they barely even touch your body. I usually wear “intentional” underwear (aka underwear meant to be seen — I like Spence), boyshorts, or bike shorts under these dresses because any upward breeze will create a show!

The key to styling these dresses is not to go too girly on the accessories. You don’t want to look too literal. I’m wearing a sleek pair of patent shoes (also quite apropos for the random flash floods we’ve been getting).

I like them to hit at the upper thigh and not much longer. I also much prefer a dress that flares out a bit for silhouette interest. It’s basically a Palm silhouette with Evergreen volume. If you get that tree reference, I love you a lot!

book a styling appt with me :)

Once I have that light, breathable white cotton foundation on, I can still play. Because surviving the heat and enjoying your outfit aren’t mutually exclusive!

My adoration of fish accessories continues.

Have a great weekend and STAY COOL B-)

xo,

Eliz