natural fiber outfits for a heat wave

a mesh skirt, a green silk slip, and a black cotton dress

The first heat wave of the year makes everyone lose their minds a little bit. All we can talk about is how HOT it is and can you believe it’s only MARCH. The remote workforce floods the beach, Straus ice cream flies off the shelves, no one is getting anything done.

I didn’t feel prepared to turn on my “summer outfit” brain so soon in 2026, but here’s what I threw together and liked. No surprise, the most comfortable looks were natural fiber clothes. Documenting these for you, but also for me, so I have some ideas for what to pack for upcoming summer travel.

1.) Silk Mesh Skirt and Pointelle Cotton Tank

Silk Laundry is a brand I’ve been curious about trying for a long time because I love a well-executed silk dress, so I was genuinely GEEKED when they mailed me some gifted pieces (which I got to pick out!).

I immediately loved this gray-periwinkle silk mesh skirt (on sale rn for $85), because it’s so rare for see-through mesh fabrics to be made out of 100% silk rather than poly or rayon. It reminded me of the navy sheer mesh skirts as seen on HAIM. The elastic band is thin so it doesn’t dig into skin, I took my normal size (S).

I layered it over Oddli Swim Shorts (not a natural fiber, but I found the level of butt coverage to be the most comfortable for doing errands around town), which got a compliment from the girl at the pasta shop.

Kept the top exceedingly simple, with a Cou Cou pointelle scoop tank over an Oddobody cotton bralette. The proportions and fit meshed together nicely, I think. Wore this fit for errands around Oakland and Berkeley, popped into Warby Parker to try on sunglasses for wide faces and these Willetta sunglasses were my favorite, but I didn’t buy them.

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2.) Silk Slip Dress with a Floral Brooch

Another Silk Laundry piece I wore straight out of the mail…the green is gorgeous, though looks a little less bright in-person vs. online. This is their bias cut 90s Slip, and I found sizing to be flexible. I’m wearing an S for a more relaxed fit, but XS could have worked too for a form-fitting look. The magic of bias cut fits!

P.S. I was thinking about the green silk outfit from Great Expectations when I picked out this color.

Brought in some color play with my neon green Soft & Wet silk bralette that’s many years old (brand has sadly shuttered, but I searched for a similar cut in 100% silk and this one from Papinelle fits the bill). The olive and neon green combo speaks to me so much—and I know it’s similar, almost too similar, but the Comme Si silk slip is on my wishlist.

I was dressing for dinner out with friends and wanted to spruce up the neckline, hence the brown floral brooch (Alexa Chung x Madewell, sold out). BUT this Etsy shop has good reviews and a colorful selection for about $30 apiece. I have this blue one in my cart. Added a glint of gold to the neckline with my Loren Stewart octogonal pendant with an graved gothic “v” initial.

Tied a striped button-down around the waist (also old AC x Madewell), which I draped on when it got breezier at night. Vintage LV Papillon is from a secondhand store in Japan, and I wore my Loeffler Randall jellies for the first time since last summer. I don’t care if jellies are on the “out” trend list this year since they had such a hot moment for the past two summers, I’m gonna keep wearing mine!

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3.) Black Cotton Slip Dress

My most-worn and easiest outfit…the Cou Cou Iris cotton slip dress in black. That’s it. Breathable, has a waist tie string if you want a more fitted look, could wear as a nightgown but also looks like a normal dress out and about.

Maybe I add a necklace—like my Elsa Peretti Halston bean—but oftentimes it was too hot to think about accessorizing. Catch me walking my dog in this and crunchy ass Keen flip flops.

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xo viv

Thanks for being here. You can find me on IG and TT. My wardrobe recs are saved here—unless it’s vintage, of course ;) I may earn a small commission from purchases made through affiliate links.

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