Dealing With A Heatwave

Here we go it's a heatwave! I grew up in Florida so I could totally embrace it, but our old New England home doesn't have the AC (yet) or a swimming pool. Here are a few things I've picked up over the years and work like a charm most of the time.

1. Place a spray mister/bottle in the fridge. Fill it with plain water or you can get fancy and throw in some sliced cucumbers. When it's hot as fuck you won't care if there's a vegetable in it or not. You'll just love that it's cold. 

 2. Go to the movies. I grew up in Florida where it's so hot your calves sweat and movies were our escape in the dead of summer. If you are on our email list you'll notice that movies are one of my biggest sources of what I see trending and for inspiration. They have massive influence on fashion and culture. Some of my fave movie matinees as a kid included Poltergeist (I think I saw it like 8 times), The Black Stallion (one of my top 5 all time movies), All That Jazz, Star Wars, and E.T. I don't know that there are some great summer films out now - but who cares? It's 68 in the theatre and 108 outside. 

3. Find a watering hole. That can include a pool, a river, or the ocean. Yeah yeah, I know that means you don't get to visit our store but fuck it, your sanity is more important. Hit up some of the local beaches, find a watering hole, or call that friend that you know has a pool and bring them some cocktails and food.  Here are a few watering holes from Roots Rated  if you are like me and love to get to nature.

5. Get those legs up the wall. Inverted yoga poses are cooling poses and often used at the end of a practice. Known as Vipariti Karani (but against a wall) - this pose is great in the summer to help cool the body and help with circulation. I don't know about you, but my feet are stuffed sausages this time of year. This pose helps get those feet back normal. Great pose during pregnancy too.



6. Cold Foot Bath. Don't have a tub? Use a mixing bowl or get up on your counter and put your hot-ass feet in cold water in the sink (see owl below). If your feet cool, your body cools. Same same in winter. Warm feet, warm body. 

 7. Wear natural woven fabrics. Unlike knits, wovens breathe better and dry faster. A knit is a textile that results from knitting. It's properties are distinct from a woven based on it's flexibility and ability to be made into smaller pieces (socks or hat).  A woven is a textile resulted from weaving two yarns together,  an example of a woven is a button-down or those favorite light weight cotton or linen pants. Natural fibers like cotton or linen are best. Advantages of wovens include improved breathability, air flow, and are quicker to dry than a knit.See our gal Sophie below in a vintage knit bathing suit, layered with a vintage men's button down (woven). But if it's really fucking hot, just roll around the house NAKED.

8. Eat less and eat cool. Ayurveda teaches us about living with the ebb and flow of the seasons and understanding the dynamics of them naturally, physically, mentally, emotionally. Summer is a pitta season, meaning we need the opposite to temper that dosha that often gets out of balance. Drink cold drinks and chill fruits (like that watermelon) and vegetables of the season before enjoying them. Filled with water, natural sugars, and electrolytes they fortify the body naturally. Chill it, slice it, and attack.

via GIPHY

9. BLOCK THE LIGHT and POWER DOWN- get those curtains over the windows and block the sun during the day and power down all electronics that are on idle (it creates heat). Open up curtains when sun drops in the evening (we have to do this on our third floor).  Don't have light blocking curtains? Blankets work... -

10. Quick short "cold rinser showers". Yep, you don't need to get your hair wet. Just get the body temp cooler with quick cool showers. 1-2 minutes fine to get the hairy parts clean and fresh again! It will carry you through the next hour without freaking the fuck out. Bonus points for standing in front of the fan naked to dry off (heaven)! 

Those my friends are my quick down and dirty tips on dealing with a heatwave. I'll be real honest...it's easy to complain about the heat, but we live in New England and summer really is only 10 minutes around these parts, which is still not long enough for me. 

See you in the store real soon. Fan ON!

Sandra 

Sandra Rossi is the owner of We Thieves, a Boston based women's lifestyle store featuring a curated vintage wardrobe and independent designers. She is a seasoned brand and retail veteran of the action-sport and outdoor lifestyle industry, x-Yoga Instructor (still holds her personal practice) and certified health coach. Swing by the store on most days and chances are you'll meet her.