“Mind over matter, dears,” admonished our Headmistress. Mrs. Olive was slightly past her prime but practiced the same dogged dedication to turning out poised young ladies as the fictional Miss Jean Brodie. As my classics class were lead around the ruins of Pompeii in the roaring Roman heat that rendered us as limp as the lettuce in our cheese picnic rolls – I was neither glowingly ladylike nor merely perspiring – I was sweaty, sulky and feeling downright screwy.

Years later, nothing much has changed. I’m the classic English gal wilting – decidedly unlike a rose – beneath the Californian sun. The idea of focusing my mind enough to manipulate the physical is beyond me on a good day, when the temperature rises above 80 degrees – “I’m sorry”¦erm”¦ What did you say”¦?” When it gets hot and heavy outside, my own self-help mantra rests in more solid science – I simply lighten my gravitational load.

As the heat beats down I don’t tend to change my basic style – it’s taken years for me to figure out the silhouettes, colors and necklines that flatter me – but keeping my cool as much as possible is all about lightening up. Simple tricks such as adjusting fabric weaves, weights and tones can make all the difference. Here are some quick and easy styling tips for staying buoyant and fresh – without the need for telekinetics.

Try A Gauzy Top
Put away ribs and knits: to keep cool go for loose fitting 100 percent organic cotton voile. Lina Rennell smock top from the “Triangle Gardens” collection. Made using green fabrics and sewn by hand in California.

Add Sheer and Whimsical Extras

A scarf can accessorize the simplest of summer tanks and tees. For the lightest weight choose a scarf made from plain weave silk chiffon. An unfussy look affords you a little whimsy; the tassels inject a dose of levity to any summertime outfit. Mociun silk and tassel scarves. In 100 percent silk and 100 percent bamboo.

Glide Like A Swan

This season’s color serene white is just right as a gracefully tailored shirtwaister (also available in berry). The throwback lines wax nostalgic for simpler, carefree times. Play with bold accessories if the look feels too saccharine. Jackson, Johnston & Roe portrait dress. In Italian woven 65 percent cotton and 31 percent silk. Light as a feather details include French seams and hidden pockets. Made in Brooklyn using natural, sustainable and recycled fabrics and trim.

Stop Shouldering the Load

Downsize your stuff and carry less, keeping your load lighter and close to your body to avoid extraneous exertion. Hip bags slung loosely below the waist seem cool again and leave hands free to enjoy a well-deserved sorbet treat. Ashley Watson swift hip sack made by hand in Vancouver from reclaimed leather.

All items available from beklina.

Image: La FruU

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I’ve just returned home with an armful of new clothes. Two soft-as-silk shrunken cotton button downs, one oversized linen-mix cardigan, a burgundy leather hobo cross-body purse that is a dead ringer for Chloe’s Spring 2010 version and a fuchsia straw cloche (may prove risky, but for only 75 cents – I’ll take that risk!)

The sum total for this super satisfying shopping spree was, wait for it – $8.14! It’s like those MasterCard commercials: Add a little pizzazz to your summer wardrobe: $8.14. Keeping clothes out of landfill, the buzz of an incredible deal, driving your friends crazy when they ask you where you got that hot outfit – priceless!

Thrift store shopping is really the most fun I have standing-up. Riffling through the racks, pulling out hangers of clothing with stories to tell, secrets, and pasts, time seems to stop and I’m in the zone of space and creativity. I assess what works within latest trends, pair disparate pieces together and imagine how I might cut, sew, or cinch something to transform it to flatter me. Never mind, oh the thrill of finding a certifiable treasure. Over the years, I’ve found vintage YSL, Jean Muir, Missoni, a solid gold deco necklace priced as costume and a Frank Gehry-designed teakettle for only twenty bucks!

Many of my friends are fascinated by my rummaging ways but complain that they never seem to find anything other than junk. I’ll admit it is not the typical store experience. I’d liken it to being more in line with a reconnaissance mission. The best way to get the goodies is use a little subterfuge, embrace your creativity and follow my guide for a successful thrift store adventure.

The Preliminary

• Swot-up on the latest fashion magazines to get a handle on the trends. If you like, bring clippings to help you keep focused.
• Figure out what flatters your body and what simply doesn’t work for your shape. There are a lot of guides out there – I like this one. It saves a lot of time if you know for example, that v-necks are the most flattering neckline for you.
• Identify someone whose style you admire. When I’m really iffy about an item, and can’t decide whether I should take it or toss it, I ask myself – would Julie Christie wear it (insert your own stylish archetype here)? And the answer becomes clear. It’s a little goofy, I admit, but try it!
• Wear leggings and a t-shirt so that you can try on clothes if there isn’t a dressing room and so you can tell if you can incorporate an item into your regular wardrobe of casual separates.

The Push

• Give yourself a substantial time allowance; don’t bring anyone (kids, partners, pets) unwilling to look for a long time, through a lot of stuff.
• Ask at the counter for a spot to lay out all your items as you go through the first few rounds of sorting through what catches your eye. Even once I’ve whittled it down to what I want to try on, I’d say my try/buy ratio is still a meager 10:1.
• Try everything on. Don’t pay too much attention to the size on the tag. Obviously, people buy clothes from different countries that have different sizing systems. Secondhand clothes tend to shrink over the years and remember that a lot of designers have been flattering us with vanity sizing for years now. You may be horrified that you fit perfectly into a size 16 but who cares if you look fabulous in it (when you get home you can perform a label lobotomy if it makes you too crazy!).
• Look for recognizable names and at the care labels. You can usually get a sense for the age, origin and quality of the garment from its label.

The Pull

• I’ve identified a few favorite hunting grounds over the years, but sometimes I just have to admit that either I’m not feeling it or it’s simply a dry day. Walk away, but don’t give up future visits.
• Reconstruct your new clothes into something else. I’ve cut sleeves from blazers to create long waistcoats, dipped a trench coat in dye and chopped off the bottom of a sequined dress to create a dazzling evening tank. If you’ve bought something that you love but it just doesn’t work, make it into something else.

Abandon Mission!

• Stay away from anything with stains, rips or tears, but remember that you can always replace buttons and zippers (zippers are trickier and best attempted on something really special).
• Bring Cash; most thrift stores don’t take credit cards.

Depending on how successful your mission is, you may just want to keep the location and origin of your new-to-you wardrobe top-secret privileged info.

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