Smart/casual outfit advice for nice holiday socialising

[Mr Tickle]

So we're off on hols - bit of a blowout as it's the first time we've gone away properly for three years thanks to covid. Whistle-stop tour of east Asia, taking in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bali - a fair bit of travelling but more jet-setting than backpacking. We have friends we will be meeting up with in most of the locations we are staying, and they will be taking us out for nice meals - lunches and dinners.

So I'd like to look like I've made an effort - won't be taking any suits but I'm hoping I will get a chance to wear a nice sports jacket/blazer on a few occasions. On the whole it will be casual, though, so I'm thinking linen trousers, polos etc rather than tailored trousers and button-up shirts.

Please give me advice and feedback based on the ideas below - on the whole I'm more interested in thoughts on colour combinations, levels of formality, coherence, etc, rather than fit of specific items (I know I need to get a few alterations made to some of the items included!)

Also the blue espadrilles I'm wearing in all of the outfits below would probably be reserved for lunch, or the least formal dining situations - for dinner and more upscale places I'll switch them for brown suede derbies or chukkas.

Some specific questions:

Does the beige sports jacket work with the trousers, or is it too formal for their casual look?

Does the black polo work with the brown linen trousers? I've always thought it was best to avoid black and brown together but I threw these together and actually they seemed ok!

 

[Panama]

You do know how hot and humid it is on South East Asia? You're going to melt in that dark gear. You need light colours and light fabrics.

 

[Mr Tickle]

You do know how hot and humid it is on South East Asia? You're going to melt in that dark gear. You need light colours and light fabrics.

It is all light fabrics -everything is linen apart from the polo, which is a mesh cotton. It's the same gear more or less that I've been wearing through our recent (and ongoing) heatwave here in the UK.
I do understand that lighter colours are generally said to reflect heat better, but these darker colours seem to do a good job of keeping me cool, thanks to the lightness (in weight) of the fabrics.

 

[Panama]

It is all light fabrics -everything is linen apart from the polo, which is a mesh cotton. It's the same gear more or less that I've been wearing through our recent (and ongoing) heatwave here in the UK.
I do understand that lighter colours are generally said to reflect heat better, but these darker colours seem to do a good job of keeping me cool, thanks to the lightness (in weight) of the fabrics.

The UK heatwave will be nothing like the humidity in KL. You will be soaked to the skin in sweat, then dried by AC then soaked in sweat again.

I would wear white or pastels.

 

[tweedlover]

The UK heatwave will be nothing like the humidity in KL. You will be soaked to the skin in sweat, then dried by AC then soaked in sweat again.

I would wear white or pastels.

Quite right and I do find when I wear a black polo on a hot day i'm hotter than when I wear a light colored one.

 

[rjc149]

I've never been to SE Asia, but given what I know of the climate, it's very probable you will be miserable in a jacket. I mean, I've done away with jackets entirely for summer office wear. I'm in NYC, our summers are pretty unpleasant but it's not tropical.

 

[Dan Dynamic]

I've never been to SE Asia, but given what I know of the climate, it's very probable you will be miserable in a jacket. I mean, I've done away with jackets entirely for summer office wear. I'm in NYC, our summers are pretty unpleasant but it's not tropical.

I've been to SE Asia several times before and was always miserable in a tank top even

 

[TN001]

Better tell the Bedouins not to wear dark robes . . .

True or False: Wearing light-colored clothes in hot weather is better than wearing darker clothing?

For many of us, we’ve grown up surrounded by family members that have told us not to go outside in the sweltering sun wearing dark clothing. Instead, light-colored clothing was usually advised. Why? The answer was always the darker the clothing, the greater the absorption of heat, essentially...

www.gomeslab.net

 

[Daniel Hakimi]

It's hard to gauge colors from these photos, but they're all fine. pick one you feel comfortable in. Worry less. Have fun. Clothing is chill and good.

 

[Panama]

Better tell the Bedouins not to wear dark robes . . .

True or False: Wearing light-colored clothes in hot weather is better than wearing darker clothing?

For many of us, we’ve grown up surrounded by family members that have told us not to go outside in the sweltering sun wearing dark clothing. Instead, light-colored clothing was usually advised. Why? The answer was always the darker the clothing, the greater the absorption of heat, essentially...

www.gomeslab.net

Apparently they wear light blue...

The blue men of the Sahara

While the Sahara's captivating blue attire is becoming a relic from the past, in Mauritania, the fashion tradition is still alive and looks like it's here to stay.

www.bbc.com

 

[TN001]

Apparently they wear light blue...

The blue men of the Sahara

While the Sahara's captivating blue attire is becoming a relic from the past, in Mauritania, the fashion tradition is still alive and looks like it's here to stay.

www.bbc.com

They are known for the black robes, and the color hypothesis has been tested ad nauseum.

Strange but true: science's most improbable research | Science | The Guardian

<p>Science isn't always about the big questions. <strong>Marc Abrahams</strong> spends his time studying research that seeks the answers to more unlikely problems – little conundrums that others dare not tackle</p>

amp.theguardian.com

 

[Panama]

They are known for the black robes, and the color hypothesis has been tested ad nauseum.

Strange but true: science's most improbable research | Science | The Guardian

<p>Science isn't always about the big questions. <strong>Marc Abrahams</strong> spends his time studying research that seeks the answers to more unlikely problems – little conundrums that others dare not tackle</p>

amp.theguardian.com

Pretty pointless as they are not worn against the skin like a tee or polo shirt...

 

[ThatCaucasianGuy]

i'd avid the black, you're going with a very summer vibe with the linen pants are light colored sport coat, a jet black shirt obscures the rest of the outfit and overwhelms it context wise, not to mention its hotter in a humid climate like this.

 

[altavista]

@Mr Tickle , find a pair of linen shorts and seersucker shirt. Do not forget about breathable underwear. You will thank me later.

Have a warm sweater for when you are in a tube, cinema, etc. Some places in ASEAN like to run their air-conditioners for ~15c difference. It is refreshing for the first 30 seconds, then it gets cold.