While the sudden barrage of UV rays, heat and humidity in the city last week was an all-too welcoming sign of the start of summer, it also induced a frenzied panic on my part. The gorgeous weather meant my trusted, white-leg-concealing leggings would have to stay in their drawer, that is, unless I opted to sweat off a few pounds underneath the cotton cover-ups.

My usual pre-summer routine involves a daily slathering of Estée Lauder’s Golden ($35) , a gradual tanning lotion that adds just the right amount of bronze to even the chalkiest of legs, a good two weeks prior to the onslaught of summer. But this year, the indecisive weather completely threw my leg-baring radar off kilter and I failed to start my summer body bronzing prep in time.