Caustic Man
Stylish Dinosaur
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Here's something to get your brains working on a Tuesday morning. Let's discuss dressing in the torrid heat of Summer. We all know that there is such a thing as cotton, linen, fresco, etc. but how do you actually wear it?
Do you keep your garments loose and breezy? Do you go without a sport coat? Do you prefer the sweat protection of an undershirt or do you favor the coolness of no undershirt? What cloths do you find to be the most cool during the Summer months? Any other things to consider that I haven't mentioned?
This OP isn't meant to be a comprehensive guide so much as it is meant to start a conversation. So feel free to add things or disagree with what I've said here.
I know that's a lot to think about so let me try and answer them myself, first.
1. I do try to keep my garments loose but it's less a matter of keeping cool than it is of simply favoring a looser aesthetic. From having asked several people, more than a few like looseness in the humidity for the air circulation it provides. I do agree with this and recommend avoiding tight clothes. Even linen, when worn tight, can stick to the body and at the very least be irritating as sweat makes the garment cling to you.
2. I prefer to keep covered up in the sun. From years living in the Middle East I've discovered the value of keeping cool through covering up. But the Middle East is a dry heat, right? What about the humid South? Actually any places in the Middle East get extremely high humidity but the value of covering up remains. That's why you see local men in that part of the world walking around in loose, full length, garments that cover up all but the face and hands. Woe to the uninitiated westerner who thinks he is best served running around in shorts and a t-shirt. Covering up not only provides you with a shade, it protects you from the damaging intensity of the sun. I won't always wear a sport coat in these conditions but I'll almost always wear a long sleeve shirt. If I mist have a jacket then I'll usually carry it until I'm indoors.
3. Although I understand the value of an undershirt, I've never worn one. Or at least rarely. I'm not a super sweaty dude so that helps. The fewer layers, the better, as far as I'm concerned. If you can suffer through it then an undershirt might provide much needed protection for those who need it.
4. There are a lot of different opinions about which cloths are best for the heat with some favoring lightness and others favoring open-ness of weave. Ideally you'd have a light and open cloth but this can sometimes lead to an overly delicate cloth that won't hold up well over time. An informed friend claims that fresco is a better option than linen because, although fresco is often not terribly light the weave is open and allows air to circulate. The Gentleman's Gazette claims that linen is better than seersucker because although seersucker is light, it is not a very open weave and would tend to insulate more. Linen can be open but I've seen more than a few that are very closely woven. Some linens are very heavy as well with Irish linen being notoriously heavy. My own opinion is that at a certain point it stops mattering in the sense that if it's 100 degrees out you will feel like it's at least 100 degrees no matter what you wear. You're going to sweat. For that reason I prefer cloths that dry quickly like seersucker and other light cottons.
5. An option for you daring dandies: try a cotton neckerchief dunked in cool water and tied loosely round the neck. If you've never tried this you might be surprised at how cool this simple trick can keep you. Not only does it provide some protection for the neck from the rays of the sun; it also helps to keep the skin closest to the carotid arteries cool. The presumption is that this will help to cool the hottest part of your body, the head. This can wash away, or rub off sunscreen applied to the area, so be advised.
6. Think of your feet. We often miss this one when thinking of keeping cool but considering how much feet sweat it is worth considering. In the heat loafers are king. They tend to be more open than lace-up shoes which allows more air to circulate. Go sockles if you wish (I can't abide). Sandals and flip flops are okay if you wish but your feet benefit from being covered in the heat just like the rest of you.
Some people claim that certain colors keep you cooler than others. Dark being the warmest and light being the coolest. I don't know if that's true and from personal anecdote I don't think it matters a whole lot in terms of felt-coolness. I prefer lighter colors in the heat just because I think it looks better in the light.
What are your tips or things to consider for dressing in the heat?
@Claghorn @Roycru @orange fury @Andy57 @MoneyWellSpent @SprezzaTrash @UrbanComposition @LA Guy @sugarbutch @Thin White Duke @CaptainTohm @smittycl
Do you keep your garments loose and breezy? Do you go without a sport coat? Do you prefer the sweat protection of an undershirt or do you favor the coolness of no undershirt? What cloths do you find to be the most cool during the Summer months? Any other things to consider that I haven't mentioned?
This OP isn't meant to be a comprehensive guide so much as it is meant to start a conversation. So feel free to add things or disagree with what I've said here.
I know that's a lot to think about so let me try and answer them myself, first.
1. I do try to keep my garments loose but it's less a matter of keeping cool than it is of simply favoring a looser aesthetic. From having asked several people, more than a few like looseness in the humidity for the air circulation it provides. I do agree with this and recommend avoiding tight clothes. Even linen, when worn tight, can stick to the body and at the very least be irritating as sweat makes the garment cling to you.
2. I prefer to keep covered up in the sun. From years living in the Middle East I've discovered the value of keeping cool through covering up. But the Middle East is a dry heat, right? What about the humid South? Actually any places in the Middle East get extremely high humidity but the value of covering up remains. That's why you see local men in that part of the world walking around in loose, full length, garments that cover up all but the face and hands. Woe to the uninitiated westerner who thinks he is best served running around in shorts and a t-shirt. Covering up not only provides you with a shade, it protects you from the damaging intensity of the sun. I won't always wear a sport coat in these conditions but I'll almost always wear a long sleeve shirt. If I mist have a jacket then I'll usually carry it until I'm indoors.
3. Although I understand the value of an undershirt, I've never worn one. Or at least rarely. I'm not a super sweaty dude so that helps. The fewer layers, the better, as far as I'm concerned. If you can suffer through it then an undershirt might provide much needed protection for those who need it.
4. There are a lot of different opinions about which cloths are best for the heat with some favoring lightness and others favoring open-ness of weave. Ideally you'd have a light and open cloth but this can sometimes lead to an overly delicate cloth that won't hold up well over time. An informed friend claims that fresco is a better option than linen because, although fresco is often not terribly light the weave is open and allows air to circulate. The Gentleman's Gazette claims that linen is better than seersucker because although seersucker is light, it is not a very open weave and would tend to insulate more. Linen can be open but I've seen more than a few that are very closely woven. Some linens are very heavy as well with Irish linen being notoriously heavy. My own opinion is that at a certain point it stops mattering in the sense that if it's 100 degrees out you will feel like it's at least 100 degrees no matter what you wear. You're going to sweat. For that reason I prefer cloths that dry quickly like seersucker and other light cottons.
5. An option for you daring dandies: try a cotton neckerchief dunked in cool water and tied loosely round the neck. If you've never tried this you might be surprised at how cool this simple trick can keep you. Not only does it provide some protection for the neck from the rays of the sun; it also helps to keep the skin closest to the carotid arteries cool. The presumption is that this will help to cool the hottest part of your body, the head. This can wash away, or rub off sunscreen applied to the area, so be advised.
6. Think of your feet. We often miss this one when thinking of keeping cool but considering how much feet sweat it is worth considering. In the heat loafers are king. They tend to be more open than lace-up shoes which allows more air to circulate. Go sockles if you wish (I can't abide). Sandals and flip flops are okay if you wish but your feet benefit from being covered in the heat just like the rest of you.
Some people claim that certain colors keep you cooler than others. Dark being the warmest and light being the coolest. I don't know if that's true and from personal anecdote I don't think it matters a whole lot in terms of felt-coolness. I prefer lighter colors in the heat just because I think it looks better in the light.
What are your tips or things to consider for dressing in the heat?
@Claghorn @Roycru @orange fury @Andy57 @MoneyWellSpent @SprezzaTrash @UrbanComposition @LA Guy @sugarbutch @Thin White Duke @CaptainTohm @smittycl
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