All right, Munich. We understand. It’s hot. So hot that the heat record is about to fall. Over 37 degrees in the city and suddenly temperatures are normal where previously all the news would have spoken of the heat of the century. The only thing that really helps is shade, ice and as little movement as possible.
The good news in between: Next week the spook will be over again. Then comes the usual summer weather with thunderstorms and a few degrees less madness. So let’s enjoy the glow while it lasts. I do it my way. With a fan in my hand and the necessary amount of drama.
From a ridiculed promotional gift to the best item in my handbag
I admit it: For me, a fan used to be that thing that you get handed to you at some trade fair, smile at briefly uncertainly and then put in the drawer at home. To the ballpoint pens that don’t write and the jute bags that you never use.
And today? Today there is always one in my handbag. Always. A friend gave me the one in the pictures last year and honestly: “It’s fucking hot” is just perfect in these temperatures. That’s not a saying. This is a description of the condition. Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that say exactly what you’ve been thinking all day.
Why those in the south are further along than we are
When I wave my fan through Munich, I like to get this look. You know him. That slightly irritated frown. A kind of “Oh look how special”. In Spain, however, no one would probably even raise an eyebrow. The fan, the Abanico, has been part of it for ages. In the subway, in the café, on the market square, basically everywhere. They have long since made it a matter of course, while we are still discussing whether this is okay now.
Spoiler: It’s okay. It’s even great. One fan is powerless, foldable, fits into any pocket, no matter how full it is, and it helps. He doesn’t perform miracles. But in the shade, in the beer garden, in the stuffy S-Bahn or in a restaurant that is far too warm, it is worth its weight in gold. And just between you and me: It also helps against the odd hot flash, which at my age isn’t just caused by the weather. Open up, wave, keep smiling. Nobody has to know whether the sun or hormones are to blame.
Speaking of waving: I notice that these little pocket fans are popping up on every corner, like mushrooms out of the ground. It’s buzzing and humming everywhere. And I don’t want to pretend that I don’t have one – I own one too. Sometimes you just don’t have your hand free to wave, then the small fan is a really good thing. Nevertheless, the fan remains my first choice: it doesn’t need to be charged, it never goes out when you need it, it doesn’t buzz in anyone’s ears and it looks better on top of that. The analogue version does have its charm.
And then there’s this linen skirt
Because an accessory alone doesn’t make an outfit: I have this wrinkled linen skirt that’s actually perfect for temperatures like this. Airy, light and just the kind of skirt you put on and immediately feel like you’re dressed right. He looks like I just came from a relaxing day by the sea. I usually just come from the overheated city center.
Linen may wrinkle. This is not a flaw, but a character. That’s exactly what I like about the material. It feels comfortable in the heat, never looks overdressed and still fits almost every occasion. I’m pretty sure this linen skirt will last me through the whole summer.
If it weren’t for a tiny, very personal problem: my thighs. They have a charming habit of sticking their skirts together when it gets really hot. Anyone who knows this knows exactly what I’m talking about. Anyone who doesn’t know it can count themselves lucky.
Summer-Safer: An honest word about the anti-chafing stick
My salvation is called Summer-Saver (Amz affiliate link), an anti-chafing stick, and yes, it does a really good job at the beginning. Apply it, take a quick breath, get going and for a wonderful moment the world is friction-free. But I’m not making any promises here that it won’t keep: On really hot days, you need to re-lubricate it every five minutes. The stick fights bravely, but at some point it has no chance against a Munich heat record.
My most honest conclusion after various attempts is: The most reliable method against sore thighs is to move as little as possible. Sit still. In the shadows. With compartment. If you look at it this way, my whole heat lifestyle suddenly makes a surprising amount of sense.
What belongs in my handbag this summer
The fan has worked its way up from a drawer giveaway to a permanent bag content, the linen skirt is my favorite summer item and the summer saver is a little helper that I don’t want to be without on hot days. Three summer companions that simply make hot days more pleasant.
Enjoy the hot days while they last. And if someone looks at you askance because of the fan, just keep waving it. Ultimately, coolness is also a question of attitude. Now I’m curious: Are you team fan or team pocket fan? And do you have an insider tip for dealing with sticky thighs that I don’t know yet? I’m really looking forward to exchanging ideas with you.
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THANK YOU 🖤
Details – Advertising:
fan
Amazon – there are other designs (affiliate link) and are great summer gifts because, depending on the intensity of the weaving, they sometimes bless your time. I found this model with a leo pattern at Thalia (affiliate link)
Blouse
??? – very old and I love it because it’s so easy to throw on and put on. In this respect, the linked orange top from Essential Antwerp via Breuninger (affiliate link) is not at all comparable.
rock
Na-kd – I saw an absolutely cool beige linen skirt at Breuninger (affiliate link)
Slingbacks
Zara – current and so comfortable – my absolute favorite summer shoe at the moment.
Bag
Valentino Garavani
