Tools to keep cool

Maintaining up-to-the-minute -- and comfortable -- summer style is as much about anticipating the heat as packing provisions for the unexpected, says Suze Yalof Schwartz, fashion editor at large at Glamour.

One of the most obvious ways to keep cool is sticking to breathable fabrics like 100 percent cotton in loose styles.

"Loose-fitting clothing in a light color cotton definitely keeps you much cooler than synthetics," says Schwartz, who named satin, silk and cotton jersey among the worst choices.

If you're stuck with heavier fabrics, Schwartz says to look for answers in your medicine cabinet or under your sink. Baby wipes are multipurpose summer savers: They can clean up sticky underarms, dab a glowing neck or back and wipe grime from your feet after a day walking around in sandals.

Another keep-cool tool may already be tucked in your purse: pantyliners.

"If you're wearing something that's tighter, a lot of people actually put really thin pads in the armpits" to absorb sweat, she says. Men who can overcome squeamishness may avoid sweat rings in the office this way.

Blotting powder is a must for melting makeup, Schwartz says; Try Sephora for Nars' Perfecting Powder Sheets. And a small misting bottle of plain water -- oils or fragrances can stain -- or a little battery-operated fan can give a subtle blast of cool.

Later, dump clothes into the wash with a cap full of WIN High Performance Sport Detergent -- the official licensed laundry detergent of the U.S. Olympic Team, formulated to eliminate embedded sweat and odors.

Best foot forward

Schwartz recommends ditching flip-flops in the office for a wooden-heeled sandal or stylish gladiator sandals. Canvas slip-ons are a good choice for full coverage that's still breathable, and they may keep you from feeling tempted to slide off your shoes, says Cindy Post Senning, a director of the Vermont-based Emily Post Institute, which specializes in etiquette.

Mind your manners

Senning says sudden flushes of heat during the summer months often lead people to forget their manners. Low-cut shirts for women or no shirts for men are among the more common offenses. Then there's the head mopping issue. "If you know you perspire a lot, I think you should keep a hankie or some tissues," says Senning, who believes in turning away from companions to wipe, especially during a meal, and never wiping with a sleeve.

Where others may be too revealing or casual in summer, fuller-figured women often fall back on the high-coverage fashions they've worn through the winter -- a recipe for heat when temperatures are high, says Monif Clarke, whose New York-based line, Monif C. Plus Sizes, specializes in flirty dresses made in larger sizes.

A berry-colored mini dress with plunging neckline and peek-a-boo shoulder cutouts offers daring women options for cool style; a cascading maxi dress gives as much coverage as it reveals.

"For those customers that might feel uncomfortable with their arms out, a lightweight pashmina around their arms or a cropped denim jacket -- if it's a more casual occasion -- are ways you can work with that sort of outfit," Clarke says.