Sunshine and Rain - Dressing for Tropical Climates.

So, since I didn't get to do a post before I left, I thought I would at least do a quick post here from sunny Barbados! Although the climate is a drastic improvement from the grey skies and bitter winds of London, many similar fashion dilemmas still arise, and it is not as easy to predict the weather here, particularly as it varies so much from place to place! Despite the fact that Barbados is so tiny, it is very common for it to be raining on one part of the island and for another part (sometimes just down the road) to be perfectly dry with sunny skies. This creates obvious problems when deciding what to wear as you really cannot tell exactly how the weather will be where you are.

It is for this reason that when here, there are certain adjustments that I make to my fashion decisions which are slightly out of character for me. For example, I am very very particular when in London to plan my footwear based on whether it is going to rain or be cold. No such planning can be done here and in a way it doesn't need to. A shower in Barbados is what in London would probably be called heavy rain, the only difference is that it is short lived. This means that whatever shoes you have on, your feet will get wet regardless as the likelihood of wearing wellies is...unlikely. So, closed toe or open toe, it really depends on your preference, I don't mind having wet feet so usually I opt for open.

The biggest challenge that I face dressing for Barbados weather is in fact man made. With daytime temperatures averaging 28ºc at this time of the year, there is no escaping my most hated device - the dreaded air-conditioning! As a naturally cold person, air conditioning makes my life hell, particularly those set to unnaturally cold temperatures. Constantly going from super hot to extremely cold means that it is hard to maintain a stable body temperature, making colds almost inevitable. Carrying a cardigan or shirt to throw over if inside for long periods of time is the best bet, however if going in and out regularly (like when shopping) means most of the time I just have to suck it up and deal with it...

Yesterday was a hot day but had several heavy showers. Here is a replica of what I wore...

How do you dress in unpredictable weather? Any advice? Let me know!!!

Ciao for now ;-) HMLDN xx

Website of the Week: DailyDressMe.com

Happy Monday everyone! Below is something that will help ensure that you week gets off to a fab start!

So I was browsing the internet, as you do, and I came across a fab website that will surely be of use to us all! Daily Dress Me literally "tells you what to wear based on the weather."With straight-forward pictures of outfit ideas for each day based on the temperature and weather conditions, this is the essential tool for beginning to plan your outfits! You can pick your location and whether you want temperatures in celsius or fahrenheit, making it super accessible.

I will definitely be using this website as a starting point when deciding what to wear for the day. Obviously, they are merely suggestions and don't have to be stuck to, but on days when your creative fashion juices have dried up, why not use Daily Dress Me as a stimulus and model your own outfit of their suggestion?

OMG! This is website of my dreams! 
Screenshot from DailyDressMe.com

Have you tried Daily Dress Me before? Will you be using it now? Let me know!!!

Ciao for now ;-) HMLDN xx

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Dressing for the Weather 101: 10°c and under

Apologies that I have been M.I.A. on the posting for a while but have been super busy! But I am back with some sound, tried and tested fashionable weather advice for you guys!

It is currently, if it hasn't already, approaching winter in London. With temperatures generally moving up and down around the 10°c degrees mark, it can be tricky to judge how much wrapping up is really necessary. For example, Wednesday was visibly a beautiful day. Sun shining, not a cloud in the sky but  with temperatures just about reaching 10°c. As a paranoid weather dresser, I was prepared for this and dressed for the temperature over anything else, which definitely did the trick! Below are a few of my hints and tips for outsmarting the somewhat deceptive current climate...

Perfect example of Winter Sun in London!

• Do not be deceived by the sun! With the evenings drawing in earlier, any heat generated by the sun (which in all honesty is not much!) during winter will ultimately disappear once it starts to go down. If you are going to be out and about after sunlight but begin during daylight bring extra layers such as hats and gloves for when it starts to get dark. You will appreciate them! For ideas on some cute hats, see here...
• Although 10°c is chilly, it is not freezing, so save your hardcore winter clothes for colder temperatures. Lack of sun and excessive cloud can definitely make is seem colder than it is (and of course, the opposite warmer) so check the weather forecast for the 'feels like' temperature too before making those all important fashion decisions. Don't forget to factor in the wind which can also make a considerable difference both physically and fashionably. Above 15mph is generally breezy (check out this fantastic yahoo answer breakdown of wind speeds!)  Dressing for what it feels like definitely trumps dressing for what it actually is and is a much smarter choice!
• Weather apps are your friend! I cannot literally not leave the house, let alone plan an outfit without consulting both The Met Office and The Weather Channel phone apps first. Both display 'feels like' temperatures and also break up the weather by hours/time periods so its easy to plan your outfit for the whole day. Very useful for avoiding deceptive sunny times, particularly if rain is forecasted later in the day...this has often saved my shoes more than anything else!
• Everyone's body reacts to temperatures differently so its important to know your own personal temperature limits. For me, 10° is too cold for pumps without socks or tights but definitely not UGG boot weather (I save those until at least under 5°!). I do however revert to the winter jacket as it is a bit chilly for the cape, especially after dark. Test different amounts of layering for short trips out to see what your temperature limits are, it definitely makes planning outfits a lot easier once you know...

H&M and Primark are totally my go-to shops for weather accessories to have during these kind of temperatures. See below for a few of items which are on sale right now on H&M's website!

Protection from the Winter Sun!
£1.99

Matching scarf!
£4.99

My must have autumn/winter accessory
 of all time
£2.49

Do you have any particular weather habits you stick to? Let me know!!!

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Ciao for now ;-) HMLDN xx