Businesswear in 90+ degree & 100% humidity?

I'm going to be spending about 3 weeks in Bangalore India for meetings next month. While the dress code is somewhat relaxed (no jackets), the weather is going to be quite hot and it will be monsoon season so very wet.

Wool trousers?
Leather soled shoes?

What are my alternatives while still looking professional and "nice" while meeting senior management / other important types, but not trashing good clothes walking through puddles?


K

Linen.

Similar vein, I have a job which requires suits, and every so often(maybe 1-2 times a week) I'll have to be outside in the Houston Summer in my suit.

WTF do I do about being unbearably hot?

Linen would be great, but I dont know if the rumpled look gets much respect in a business environment...

Or does it?

K

No, Linen suits wouldn't work in my work environment.

There is a seersucker day for the 4th of July here though.

I'll be spending most of my days in airconditioning or 5 minute walks between buildings, but the whole monsoon trashing my shoes and the bottom of my trousers is going to drive me nuts.

K

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Click to expand...

Linen would be great, but I dont know if the rumpled look gets much respect in a business environment...

Or does it?

K

I don't know about Bangalore, but if they don't require a jacket, would they really think that linen was out of line?

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Click to expand...

Linen would be great, but I dont know if the rumpled look gets much respect in a business environment...

Or does it?

K

Heavy Irish linen holds up much better than you'd think. Which is not to say that you'd like it as much as, say, a mohair blend if you want to look crisp and put-together.

Sorry. That sort of weather drives me bananas. The only time I visited Hong Kong I went through three shirts in one afternoon and still looked like a homeless person when I went browsing at a good jeweller.

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Click to expand...

Linen would be great, but I dont know if the rumpled look gets much respect in a business environment...

Or does it?

K
I wore linen in a similar environment and it worked very well. Most of the people in the host country were not in suits, so my linen seemed to be fine.

I assume a madras shirt, with cotton trousers or cotton suit would be appropriate there.

...

aj_del is the man you want to ask.

In truth, I supposed that you will be indoors most of the time and no need to take the trains or walk on pavements much.

The humidity really gets you down and I can't say I enjoy my trips there. I only associate India with the 5 Ms. Movies, monsoon, mangoes, monkeys and madras. I would consider loose linen/ madras shirt a must.

Well, in India in the summers not even the PM wears anything more heavy than the traditional kurta pyjama made of very thin and very light cotton.

Just wear cotton shirts and suitable lightweight trousers. You can meet the CEO of the company and not be under-dressed.

If you search you can find a recent pic of Anil Ambani in an open collar shirt coming out of the SUpreme Court of India after the verdict in the biggest commercial dispute in Indian history. Just trying to say that even billionaires wear open collar shirts even when going to the highest court in India. It's that hot these days here.

Regarding Bangalore specifically, its supposed to have much better weather there in comparison to Delhi where I live. I will check with wife who visits Banagalore regularly though I think at this time even that will be pretty hot though it might not as hot as Delhi.

Another vote for linen.

I also have some very lightweight linen/wool/silk blend sportcoats that are pleasant to wear during the summer (well, occidental summer anyway).

I like the idea of strolling around in pyjamas like our Indian friend suggests. Very Hugh Hefner.