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It’s inevitable: that big summer event that requires you to wear a formal dress falls on an incredibly hot day. If you need to dress formal, you don’t have to wilt in that formal dress. Here’s how to stay cool and look fabulous:

1) Wear an upswept hairstyle. Getting the hair off your face and neck will help with the heat and will keep your hair from wilting as well.

2) Look for a dress that does not hug your curves too tight. A tight dress clinging to your skin will not feel great. Look for a dress that gives you some wiggle room.

3) Look for light, breezy fabrics. A light summer formal dress will keep you coolest, especially if it is also backless, above the knee, and has thin straps. The less fabric, the better. Also, look for lighter colors, since black and other dark colors absorb heat and can make you feel warmer. If you have a choice, opt for natural fabrics such as silks or linens, which let your skin breathe and therefore keep you cooler.

4) Choose the rest of your clothes carefully. Even if you don’t have a choice (and you’re stuck in a bridesmaids dress that has yards of heavy fabric, for example) you can still make other choices. Choose tiny lingerie that will give you some air and choose either over-the-knee pantyhose or spray-on pantyhose (yes, it does exist!) rather than covering the entire leg area. Look for tiny strappy sandals that will keep your feet cooler.

5) Get prepared. If you are in formal wear on a hot day, look for shady areas – and the refreshment stand. Stay out of the sun when you can and make sure you hydrate with water so that you feel and look great at your event. Also, bring a pretty shawl or wrap if your event lasts into the evening – summer nights get chilly fast.

A fancy dress party or costume party is a very popular way to celebrate just about any event. More and more people are throwing this sort of party, but it can be daunting to get an invitation. Let’s face it: most of us think costumes only around Halloween. While it’s easy to get stuck on what to wear or to spend far too much on a costume, there are plenty of ways to dress up on a budget and even turn some heads while you are at it.

The first step is to find out about the theme of the party. Many fancy dress parties have a specific theme – such as famous movie characters or a specific decade. If the party has a theme, start thinking up costume ideas early. Browse online sites about the subject (not just costume sites) to get ideas for fancy dress. Glance through books about clothing from a specific area or era. The idea is to find something offbeat and unexpected. If a fancy dress party has a Wild West theme, for example, you can be sure that there will be many cowboys and cowgirls there. A little research and you could be an old-timer panning for gold or a Wild West madam.

If the party has no theme, you may actually have a harder time coming up with a costume, since you have no narrowed focus that lets you zero in on costume ideas. A good way to overcome this is to look at your closet. Pull out old Halloween costumes, old dresses and assess what you have. Could some of those pieces be used as the basis for a great new costume?