Summer Leg Panic (It’s An Actual Thing)

Posted by Styloko

Former Sunday Times Style Features Editor Ruby Warrington recently relocated to New York, where she’s now based as a US correspondent for the paper.

In her weekly Styloko column, Ny-loko, she dissects NY style through British eyes – will she ever dress like one of them?

A reformed shopaholic, her wardrobe mantra these days is ‘quality over quantity’ (check out her Lust List), while her idea of shopping heaven is her new West Village apartment, complete with walk-in wardrobe.

Carrie Bradshaw, eat your heart out.
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The steamy New York summer is legendary, and as the days get longer I can feel it inching steadily closer. It’s not just the sorry state of my ancient air conditioning units that’s giving me cause for concern – it also means ‘legs out’ season is just around the corner.

Back in London, my pins probably see the actual light of day a handful of times during the summer. On holiday, sure, but otherwise it’s that one weekend when temperatures rocket and we all decamp to the park in our bikinis, a wedding or two, and accessorise with a sturdy pair of Hunters at Bestival. It’s not that I don’t like my legs – they’re fine (especially with my new Sam Edelman wedges to add a few inches), but it’s all the bloody upkeep. The shaving, the toning, the tanning. I’m a jeans girl in the summer – frankly, skirts can wait until its time to bring out the 60 deniers again.

But not in New York. Manhattan women generally go bare legged all year ‘round (what’s the point of the expensive boutique workouts if you can’t flaunt the results?), and now it’s light until well into cocktail hour you can’t even get away with waiting until after dark to pop on a pair of hose. Then there are this season’s teeny tiny shorts to contend with – specifically the paisley printed silk ones by Pierre Balmain. Just perfect for my current Ny-biza lifestyle.

Which means there’s only one thing for it – I’ll have to make like a proper Manhattanite and diarise time for daily lower limb maintenance. Perhaps the Balmain’s can be my motivation.