It’s been an obscenely hot few weeks here in Wagga Wagga. I’m talking record breaking temperatures, day after day after day after day. It might be tolerable if you’re staying in some five star resort, full of palm tree surrounded pools and can laze around in a pair of swimmers all day. But, when you’ve got to carry on with normal working life, knowing how to dress everyday can be tough.
If I had to pick a ‘uniform’, it’d be jeans and a top – lightweight in summer, heavier in the winter. It’s what I feel most comfortable in, but jeans aren’t the most practical option during Australia’s long summers. A few weeks back, faced with the prospect of a work day outside in the heat, I took a punt on a new item of clothing. It’s been my saviour this January…
Linen trousers have changed the way I’ve dressed this summer. For months I’ve been eyeing them off on people like Lee, thinking how fantastic they looked, but it wasn’t until the mercury really started to rise that I realised I really needed a denim alternative.
Just after Christmas, while shopping with my mum, I spotted a black wide-legged, cropped style in a high street retail chain (similar here). They sat right on my ankle and I instantly loved how breezy they were. I paired them with a sleeveless shell top and litres of sunscreen and I felt both professional and weather appropriate. The trousers mix and match with pretty much all of my existing tops and I’ve been wearing them sometimes three times a week. They weren’t particularly expensive, but they’ve held up to that rigorous wear this last month incredibly well.
Care
Although my trousers are 100 per cent linen (you get what you pay for!), I’ve still been taking a little extra care with them. I once made the mistake of not reading the label on a linen dress and it shrunk to doll size after one machine wash! I’ve been hand-washing my trousers in wool-wash, and then letting them drip dry in the shade. I then dampen them down using the spray function on my iron and give them a quick press inside out. It sounds like extra work, but it really hasn’t been a burden, and to be honest they’ve been so cool and comfortable, I just want to keep on wearing them!
Why I love them
A lot of people turn to dresses when the weather heats up, but I’m not a big dress wearer. I don’t dislike them, but I feel much more comfortable in trousers. I like the sun protection my linen trousers provide my pale legs and I find they’re super practical for my job, which can see me sitting in a car for hours or lugging around a television camera on any given day. Linen, being a natural fibre, is also exceptionally breathable and when it’s 40+ degrees Celsius out, that’s exactly what you need.
Have a wonderful week. x
Wattle and Ash 