1. Linen – J .Crew – $218.00 | Banana Republic – $187.50
($250) w/ BRSUMMER
Linen keeps you just about as cool as seersucker, and it lacks any of that striped goofiness character that not everyone wants to try to pull off. Yes it wrinkles. But pay no mind. Look for stuff that’s either 100% linen or the majority of it is linen. On jackets, the less lining the better. A 100% linen suit can be tough to find at an affordable price, so keep an eye out for linen jackets like the two above, then pair with lighter weight cotton chinos. The J. Crew is a washed, more relaxed sport coat with minimal lining. The B.R. is lined and comes in their “tailored” fit. Don’t pair a linen sport coat with a non-matching linen pant. Looks a little like a bizzaro version of the Canadian tuxedo. (Spendy right? Looks like the linen blend from INC first seen here has finally hit Macys.com. But wait for a sale…)
2. Cool Showers
It’s one of the quickest and most effective ways to lower your body temperature, and thus, start the day off cooler than everyone else. It’s certainly not easy, going from blazing hot showers to something that’s luke warm leaning cool… but work your way up to it. It’s stunning how well this works, especially if it’s the weekend and you’re headed to an outdoor wedding or something. Photo credit: Geoffrey Fairchild
3. Jack Black All Day Oil Control Lotion – $26.00
If you drip like a free-throw shooting Patrick Ewing , then this won’t be of much help. If you’re the type who builds up a solid face shine throughout the day, then it’s worth a shot. Expensive, but it noticeably cuts down on forehead glare. Results of the test drive over here. It is expensive, but you don’t need much (the bottle I purchased back in January is still going strong, but I forget to put it on plenty of days. And I usually regret it).
4. Foot Powder
and/or No-Show Socks
Some are unlucky enough that their feet seem stuck in puberty. If you’re the type who wears an undershirt to absorb sweat, but like the bare ankle look and breezy feel of sock-free ankles and calves, then try no-show socks. If you subscribe to the less is more method when it comes to cotton and sweat, then forget the socks and just use a decent foot powder. Don’t over do it, or you’ll risk looking like you’re smuggling cocaine for the first 20 yards of your day.
5. A little less hair… down there.
Addition by subtraction. Gain an overall feeling of coolness by reducing your groin parka down to a more manageable ground cover. It makes a difference. There. It’s been said. (Note the use of the word “less.” not the words “a lot”.)
6. Cut back on alcohol and caffeine
Drunk is bad. Oozing red-faced hot weather drunk is even worse. Pace your drinks with a glass of water or two in-between. Club soda with a lime or even club soda with a few dashes of bitters will also slow you down. Consider trading in your G&Ts for the less alcohol, less sugar/gut rot Campari and soda. If Campari is a little too bright for your visual tastes, try and find Gran Classico, which has a more amber hue to it. And ease off a bit on the coffee during this time of year. Start with caffeinated, then switch to decaf for your second. Campari photo credit
7. An overall feeling of sweat acceptance
Look, it’s sweat. You’re not hemorrhaging kerosene and Country Crock. We sweat when we’re hot. It’s one of the ways we keep ourselves cool. Being overly concerned about whether or not you’re going to get those darker, damp shirt underarms is only going to make you perspire. And if you do end up with some sweaty pits only to start internally fretting about it? The glands will just keep up production to pace with your stress. So, don’t sweat (hey-o) your sweat.
What else? Have a preferred brand of foot powder or no-show socks? Do you always carry a handkerchief for brow mopping throughout the day? Leave it all in the comments… Top Photo Credit: Steven Sheets