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Being a Nevada girl, I'm no stranger to the heat. 

Growing up, summers were my favorite. It meant long days riding around on bikes. It meant begging my mom to let us turn on the sprinklers late in the afternoon, just so we could run through the water. It meant setting up the Slip 'N Slide (anyone else remember those?!) was a daily ritual, one that my sister and I took quite seriously.

Of course, when you're younger, you don't complain about the heat. You relish in all the ways you can beat it.

Fast forward to my early 30s, here in New York, with one of the hottest weeks now upon us, and the heat is all consuming. Hair frizz is at all time high (thanks humidity). Sweat marks pop up in the weirdest spots (like when you realize your stomach is randomly covered in them). And just walking over the subway grates is like a game of Chinese Fire Drill -- the inevitable blasts of hot air and dank smells literally chasing you away down the street.

So what's a self-respecting, New York girl to do? She gets even. Here's how:

  1. Carry a hand fan: I remember one of my first summers visiting New York as an adult (well before I lived in the city) and I saw Kelly Framel of The Glamourai whip out a folding hand fan from her purse, using it to cool herself down in a way that would make Scarlett O'Hara jealous. I immediately ordered myself several folding fans that night and to this day, will always make sure I have one in my handbag. They're lifesavers especially on those hot, unfortunate days when the AC decides to stop working on the 1 train as it's running late.
  2. Linen is your best friend : Of course, cotton anything is best, but linen tends to be my preferred sun dress material of choice. It's easy to clean, it's usually a tiny bit thicker than its cotton counterparts (which is handy when you start to sweat as it doesn't show those wet marks as easily) and it's generally not as SHEER. I also prefer wrap dresses whenever possible for optimal breeze effect. And, bonus points if it happens to have a convertible aspect to it. Take this Mara Hoffman dress for instance. I'm wearing the sleeves up here, but they look just as cute worn down, off the shoulder, making it a perfect day to evening dress, when the temps might drop a tiny bit.

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3. Supergoop's Setting Mist: I just started using Supergoop's setting mist last summer and am quite honestly confused what I did before this product came into my life. A water and sweat resistant sunscreen mist that can be applied OVER your makeup? SOLD.

4. Parasol: A few summers ago, when I was traveling around Rome by myself on one of those UNBEARABLY hot days, I ran up to the first parasol vendor I could find and threw 10 Euro at him, eager to get under some shade. Since then, I've collected a few parasols and, while it's not as common to see New Yorkers walking around with them, I do love how ladylike I feel when I'm ducked underneath it (plus, I'll take any opportunity to protect my skin from the sun, people!).

5. Glossier's Soothing Face Mist: Of course, there are plenty of days during the summer that I simply opt to skip makeup all together (I'll usually just do my eyebrows and throw on a tiny bit of mascara). On those days, I love toting Glossier's Soothing Face Mist around for a much-needed pick me up. Again, this has proven to be a godsend on those days when the train is running late and you get a whiff of everyone's BO, including your own.

Of course, if all of the above fails, you may just find me in the West Village setting up my Slip 'N Slide. You all are welcome to join!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Mara Hoffman dress // Dior heels // Vintage Chanel earrings 

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Photos by Ty Johnson