NOUN: Hotober. DEFINITION: when it’s inordinately, unpredictably hot in October and you don’t know what to wear. This sartorial conundrum shall no more go unnamed and unchecked.
Like so many problems, once diagnosed and extended a terminology, solutions start to form. Yes, Hotober brings myriad layering issues. Yes, Hotober introduces difficult decisions that involve holding back from culling the summer gear even though you know, deep down, that winter-is-coming and the swapover is inevitable.
So yes, Hotober means that brand new autumn clothes are unfortunately NOT the complete answer - no matter how much you want to go shopping. Hotober cruelly dishes out one day crammed full with four seasons, forcing one to walk a tightrope between haute mess and plain hot and sticky. But there are ways around this evil.
Navigate the obstacle course with a few Hotober hacks we’ve noticed on the streets…
1. Pair autumnal fabrics with plenty of skin. We’re talking about light knits minus the sleeves and the rollnecks or a suede wrap skirt with plenty of leg on show.
![Candela Novembre's sweater dress has summer-to-autumn sorted in a stitch. [Jason Lloyd Evans]](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/lifestyle-legacy/dd/223f1/19de3/97b3a/29168/44863/1ccf0/hotober-candela-novembre-SS16-StyleM-0353_701x1051.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
2. Invest in open-but-closed-toe shoes. Like a pointy flat that isn’t laced up to the hilt but will protect you from a random shower or two. No one likes a soggy sandal.
3. Wear a blue shirt with everything. It brings a smartness to summer’s prettiest skirts, a sharp edge to suiting, a preppy vibe to jeans. It’s demure enough to style out a surprise centigrade soar and still look pulled together.
4. Opt for culottes. And in a rusty hue they’ll nod to autumn’s ‘70s vibes whilst still a firm favourite for the we-don’t-wear-tights-until-November team.
5. Sleeveless jackets are your friend. These keep out an incoming chill but will easily roll into a tote bag should you need to partially de-robe.
