The climates Texan fashionistas have to dress for
Texas’ climate is famous for the humid and hot, read muggy days. Actually, from a climatology point of view its climate is considered as mild because of being generally warm and temperate. As with many large states, there are more than one climate region in Texas.
Most of Texas, for instance, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Forth Worth, has a humid subtropical climate with notable rainfall even in the driest month. In the hottest month, the mean temperatures is above are on average 71.6F (22oC). Houston, for instance, has an annual precipitation of 1145 mm and mean temperature of 68.9F (20.5oC). Even the coldest month’s mean temperature is above the freezing point.
The region around Amarillo, Big Spring, Lubbock, Midland and Odessa has a cold semi-arid climate like for instance, Denver in Colorado, Baku in Azerbaijan or Zaragoza in Spain. Here the annual precipitation only amounts 50 to 100% of the amount of water that could evaporate under the insolation, wind and temperature conditions. This type of climate is also know as steppe climate. The annual mean temperature is below 64.4F (18o). The word “cold” refers to the fact that the coldest month’s mean temperature is below the freezing point.
On the contrary, the regions around Edinburg, Laredo, McAllen, Mission, and Pharr have hot semi-arid climate. This means the coldest month’s mean temperature is above the freezing point.
Then there is also hot and cold dessert climate. Here the annual precipitation is less than 50% of the water that could evaporate. Again the terms hot and cold refer to whether there is at least one month with a mean temperature above and below the freezing point, respectively. Presidio and El Paso, for instance, have hot and cold dessert climate, respectively.
The dressing challenge in Texas
Hot and humid feels even hotter than it actually is. The reason is that in humid air your sweat only slowly or even not at all evaporates. Thus, our bodies natural cooling mechanism fails. Moisture wicking fabrics help as they increase the area of evaporation. In the desert and steppe regions perspiration works well. Here the challenge is the strong insolation. UV protective clothes and sunglasses can help to protect your skin and eyes, respectively.
Great Texan style over 40
Now let’s see how Texan style bloggers meet these challenges in fashion over 40.
Tanya Foster at Tanya Foster is a lifestyle blogger from Dallas. She writes about fashion, film, travel, restaurants, recipes, beauty, aesthetic procedures and much more. She is a non-profit consultant and an actor. Her style is simple trendy casual on the first view like white top, nude shoes, and jeans. However, on second view it’s all in the details like little twists on the basic items and the accessories what make her looks standing out. In the example on the left, see the eyelets on the wedges, and the perfect layering. In the photo on the right, see the high waist of the cropped pants, and the cute knot on the top.
Samantha S is a pharmacist by training and fashion is her “medicine.” Her style is a mix of high end designer pieces (Chanel, Gucci just to mention a few) and very trendy items like the bell sleeve top in the black and white look above. Her wardrobe consists of architectural pieces and classics with a twist. Her style prescription? A mix of high and low priced items sprinkled with vintage pieces. On her style blog, Style of Sam, she not only shares tips for shopping designer pieces like a Pro, but also gives style RX. How fun is that?
Kimberly Frick aka Kim
Did you like to watch the series The Golden Girls in the 80s? I was a big fan of those ladies. They knew how to have fun! Today I am honored to introduce you to The Real Golden Girl, Kimberly Frick. On her blog, she shares her love and passion for everything beautiful that adds fun and excitement to lives like travel, fashion, home, and much more. Her style is very eclectic. Sounds familiar for a Golden Girl, doesn’t it? 😉
Carrie Carlson is the blogger at A Stylish Fit. She faces Texas’ weather moods in a classic fitted style with casual pieces in the mix. She strives to always look lovely and shares how to look lovely with her readers. For her “looking lovely” means to create outfits that appeal to the on-viewers and give them a pleasing, highly satisfying experience. For example, wearing color on a gray rainy day when every one wears gray. On such days, everyone’s eyes and minds are desperate for something else than gray. When finally seeing a bright color the eye is satisfied, the search was successful, the desperation is pleased and the mood goes up. What a difference a lovely outfit can make.
Sheree Frede aka SheShe
SheShe is the blogger at She She Show. She loves mixing high and low fashion. Her life is colorful and her world is full of color. Floral prints or embroidery are one of signatures as are everything sparkle and shine. No wonder, her other big thing are costume jewelry, especially earrings! Besides great outfits and perfectly modeled clothes – did I mention she was a professional model? – she shares cool life stories and her fashion experiences in designing and re-inventing her looks over and over again. Who wants to wear the same outfit twice anyhow?
Cathy Williams is the blogger at The Middle Page. She knows what she likes and wears what she likes. She is a perfect example that confidence in your guts and about your look are important ingredients to great style at any age. I especially love her seemingly endless ways of a styling a blazer with jeans without ever looking the same.
Shelly, the blogger at The Queen Inbetween is the Queen of posh casual. She shares her young and fresh, yet casual and posh sense of style. I love her down to Earth real life style that definitively is inspired by being surrounded by young people in a university work place. She shows well that midlife women can wear trendy pieces when they know what works for their body type and/or lifestyle. Important elements of her dressing are mixing trendy with quality pieces and creating matching outfits.
Do you want to read further features of awesome style and fashion bloggers over 40 or inspiration how to dress for another climate region than the one you live in? You can find European Chic, Tropical and Pacific Northwest style at the links.
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Photos courtesy to the featured ladies
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