Who wants to think about denim in the summer? When it’s hot or humid, the last thing you want is a heavy fabric. But have you checked out lightweight denim? It gives you the flexibility and look of denim…without so much sweating!

Here’s a lightweight denim skirt that’s perfect for summer wear. It’s great for pairing with t-shirts, tank tops, or long tunic tops.

This lightweight denim shirt jacket is perfect over a tank or cami and will keep you warm in cold AC environments…while still being cool enough to wear outside.

And if it’s not 100 degrees, lightweight denim jeans like these are a good choice. The drawstring elastic waist makes them less restrictive and easy to move in, too.

Do you ever wear lightweight denim in the summer?

Barbeques, State Fairs, Music Festivals… Oh My! In continuation with my summery themed posts, I’d like to talk about staying cool and looking awesome in the summertime.

Warm weather can be a tricky thing to navigate. My hair gets frizzy, my face shines brighter than the sun, and finding comfortable clothing that I feel good in can seem impossible!  Now, as much as I talk about being confident in ourselves and just wearing what feels right, it can be hard without the cover of gorgeous wintery layers. It’s ok to need the safety net of a flesh-covering shirt, but you can look good and keep cool while you do it!

My favorite summer staple of ALL TIME are a good pair of cotton/spandex legging. Or several. I wear them all summer long with a pair of cute flats and usually a skirt over it (but I’m on the ‘leggings ARE pants’ side of the eternal argument…)

I love the zipper detail at the ankle of these leggings ($29). Leggings like this breathe well in warm weather, but can keep you covered if you’re not a big fan of exposing your legs. And on top of it, they will look cute with virtually ANYTHING that you pair them with!

But, if you’re a fan of feeling the breeze on your legs, I suggest grabbing this seasons hottest item, the maxi skirt. These ankle length skirts are flowy, romantic and oh so chic. They’re absolutely perfect for a date night or a music festival. Pair it with a simple t-shirt and a great pair of heels!

This super chic border print maxi skirt ($49) can be dressed up with heels and a button up blouse, or dressed down with a bright solid t-shirt and sandals. Perfect for a day of listening to music outdoors!

And my last summertime essential (for now), is the lovely and loose-fitting Kurta.

Seriously. HOW CUTE IS THIS TOP!? The Border-Print Kurta ($49) would look perfect with those leggings we talked about earlier. I love it’s effortless style and the belted waist gives the top the perfect amount of structure.

Summer weather doesn’t mean you have to hide behind bland t-shirts and flip flops. Throw on a flowy skirt or top, pair it with something more fitted for balance and get ready to have an amazing time!

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ABOUT THE BLOGGER

Amalia Nicholson is a plus-size blogger, fashion enthusiast and advocate of beauty at every size. She currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota where runs her personal style blog, Double Vision.

Looking for an item of clothing that provides a little bit more coverage than shorts this summer? One great idea: lightweight plus size pants.

These Capri pants fit the bill. Comfy rayon and an elastic waist make them easy to wear, while still looking put-together and classy at the same time.

Seersucker is an awesome summer fabric. These pants, while they’re full-length, will be just as comfortable as capris because of the lightweight seersucker. There are, however, seersucker Capri options, too.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be summer without linen. These linen Capris are classic for everyday wear, summer weekends, and trips to the beach.

What’s your favorite summer pant?

I CANNOT WAIT until I can wear summer shoes again! And I’m thinking about all the pairs I want to add to my wardrobe: sandals, thongs, peep-toe wedges…

On the sandal front, I’m thinking something like these starfish sandals in white. I love the silver starfish embellishment, and these are perfect for the beach.

As for thongs (or as I call them, flip-flops, to distinguish from the other kind of thong), I like something a little more exciting than a plain color basic. I like the brown version of these flower thongs because they have the shape and comfortable style, but with the flower.

And finally, peep-toe wedges (not super-high platform wedges, though). I like the comfortable lower-heeled wedges like these—and the snakeskin pattern is a really fun addition.

I recently returned from an amazing Hawaiian vacation (and I’m a little sunburned) so I have hats on the brain...and what goes better with a hat than a sweet bag? Pairing hats and bags is classic and fun—they don’t have to match completely (it’s usually better if they don’t) but coordinating them is a perfect way to accessorize.

This turquoise floppy hat is a colorful addition to your wardrobe and goes well with neutrals like taupe and white. It keeps the sun off beautifully, too. It’s lightweight, and ties on to specifically fit your head.

You can trim your hats with scarves, as seen in this sweet brown hat. It comes with a chic animal print scarf tied around it, but you can always add your own scarf to any hat.
As for bags, these big straw bags are great for the beach or any warm weather getaway. Towels, sunscreen, sandals and a change of clothing can all go into this big bag. You can’t go wrong with a carry-all like this.

Beachwear 2011 for the win!

One of the sections here at silhouettes.com is called Summer Essentials. This is where you find the stuff that’s ideal for this particular season of the year. (And best of all, it’s often on sale!) Anyway, there are a couple of items from Gillian Grey™ that really caught my attention, mostly because they are basic things you can use in a huge variety of settings. And they’re cute!

First, the Gillian Grey™ crinkled gauze plus-size tank. You can do a lot with this piece. It can serve as a shell underneath a jacket or stand on its own. The neutral brown color makes it ideal to pair with brighter jewelry or shoes, but it also comes in melon if you want to add a pop of color under a neutral jacket.

The other Gillian Grey™ piece is the crinkled gauze pintuck shirt. Both of these crinkled gauze pieces are made of material that’s designed to take the heat really well. They’re also easy to care for. This particular shirt has sleeves that roll or unroll and some nice pintuck details that add style. (And it comes in java or melon, so you can go neutral or colorful.)

Make sure to look at all the Summer Essentials now so you can update your warm weather wardrobe!

The word “seersucker” makes me think of old southern men in seersucker suits drinking mint juleps on their porches. I think because that’s the way it’s used in books I’ve read. But there’s a reason why people in the south wore seersucker—it’s the perfect warm weather fabric!

Seersucker is very light and made of woven cotton.  According to Wikipedia, “Seersucker is woven in such a way that some threads bunch together, giving the fabric a wrinkled appearance in places. This feature causes the fabric to be mostly held away from the skin when worn, facilitating heat dissipation and air circulation. It also means that pressing is not necessary.” (No ironing? Awesome!)

So there are plenty of seersucker options that aren’t suits!

Like this plus-size jacket. It’s the perfect warm weather jacket…if that’s not an oxymoron. Seriously, you can wear this thing on all but the hottest of days.

Next up, the pants. They do coordinate with the jacket, but you can wear them separately with a white tee or tank and still stay cool. Lightweight and very comfortable.

And if it’s still too hot for pants, the seersucker capris do the same job but give your legs some more breathing room.  Throw on a flowing white top and you are ready for the hottest summer weather.