Spring - not yet Sprung

So, it's the middle of May. Spring. London is basking in temperatures of 23 degrees, apparently. Edinburgh is definitely not. Thus far, I have not:
1/ Turned off my heating in the evening. I should put on an extra jumper and drink cups of tea, but I prefer to sit nearly on top of the radiator.Plus, there is the simple pleasure of warming your PJs on it before getting into bed
2/ Graduated to my 'summer weight' PJs. And yes, it's true, I wear PJs pretty much throughout the year. My inner Victorian has only proven more tenacious following the rip roarin' success of the BBC's recent squalorfest, The Crimson Petal and the White
3/ Managed to put my winter coat into storage. I experimented with a Nigella-style denim jacket for a few days (mainly whilst in London the other week, where, as discussed, it's more temperate), but that proved insufficient for dealing with the ambient temperature of Edinburgh after 6.00pm. I remain clad in full wool.
4/ Bought an item of summer clothing. This kind of goes for about the last four years, actually. The last holiday I had, in June last year, was spent in Canada. I bought a pair of Gap chinos and a swimming costume before I went, as a reluctant nod to hot weather. I don't think I even got to apply sun lotion. Although actually that's kind of my ideal, (I don't thrive in the sun),  it does mean that my wardrobe is chronically lacking. Even more so when I decided to go through my summer clothes at the weekend and get rid of all the stuff that didn't fit any more. I think I now have two summer dresses, and a load of Liberty print shirts that are far too large. (I kept those because I've convinced myself I'll get them altered to fit).

I have no idea what to wear in the summer (should it ever arrive, or should I go on holiday somewhere sunny). My wardrobe clearout revealed that my buying patterns in summer are largely based on items that happened to fit when I bought them. I have no defined 'look' in the summer. Mind you, my winter 'look' is just jeans, whatever jersey Uniqlo top isn't in the wash and boots. No-one from Grazia's going to want to take my photo for its style pages anytime soon. But summer is an unmitigated disaster. I used to rely on dresses, and skirts with tops that kind of went together, plus wedge espadrilles. This works fine. If it is not blowing a gale and you have to walk up and down massive hills. Bare legs - not an option. High heeled shoes, ditto. Other than the hills/cobbles combo playing havoc with your heels, you have to factor in Edinburgh's transient weather fronts - it will be boiling hot for 20 minutes, then it will rapidly change to pissing it down and being freezing cold. You have to dress, pretty much literally, for four seasons in one day. This has its perks (we all know of my fondness for a cardigan), but it does mean that I'm even more disinclined than usual to buy summer gear.

Especially when most of what's on offer is a monstrously unflattering selection of pleated maxi skirts (these work if you are six foot tall and very thin - that's it) and high-waisted flares (ditto). I think I might just buy a pair of shorts and a couple of t-shirts from Gap and leave it at that. Then book a trip to Alaska.