We're Having a Heat Wave

Weather-appropriate though it may be, Marilyn's scanty-panties ensemble would most definitely have caused Genevieve Antoine Dariaux to discreetly shudder. Mme. Dariaux, in case you didn't know (and why don't you?), is the authoress of Our Bible, A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed On All Occasions.

Dressing well for a heat wave can be quite a quandry; let Mme. Dariaux guide you in a comfortable yet chic direction:

[In warm weather] [dressing well] becomes somewhat more difficult, because there is a limit to the amount of clothing that a woman can decently remove. Nevertheless,

During a tropical heat wave, she can:

- simplify her undergarments by reducing them to the least possible number of separate pieces.
- remember that cotton lingerie is much cooler than nylon, and that a lined skirt is cooler than a separate slip, which has the added disadvantage (especially nylon slips) of clinging to the legs.
- wear sleeveless linen, cotton, or silk dresses with scooped-out necklines, but never display a deep decollete or bare back in the city.
- prefer pale colours, which are psychologically cooler than dark or vivid shades.
- realize that flared and pleated skirts are more comfortable than straight ones, and also less apt to crease.
- avoid belted waistlines in favor of trapeze and Empire styles, which allow the air to circulate around the waist.
- remember that open sandals are never elegant in the city in the daytime, and that rubber or synthetic soles are unbearable during hot weather; low-cut pumps are the smartest solution, but sling-back pumps, open at the heel, are also permissible.
- realize that stockings are actually an aid to foot comfort in the summer heat; if, however, the custom in your city or office is to go bare-legged during the hottest months of the year, you should first make sure that your legs are nicely sun-tanned and perfectly groomed.
- whenever possible, wear a straw hat, which always has a refreshing effect, particularly is the brim is wide enough to cast a cool shadow on your face and the back of your neck.
- adopt a lighter scent than the one used during the winter, and prefer eau de cologne and eau de toilette to more concentrated perfume.
- follow the example of the British in the tropics: cover your head whenever you go out of doors, change your clothes as often as possible, bathe frequently, and always walk on the shady side of the street!

Laugh if you will, but it's all very good advice.

You can thank us later.