It can be really hard to dress well when the mercury rises to Mercury-like levels. BUT… it can be done. Add your tips for dressing well during the summer, while not turning into a puddle of sweat in the process, in the comments at the bottom of this post. Now, eyes off the thermometer. (nsfw-ish)
#1. Pick the right fabrics.
Seersucker. Lightweight cottons like madras. Linen. Tropical wool. All are designed (by humans, or nature) to breathe and keep you cool. The pucker of seersucker creates air channels. Cotton can hold onto moisture, but if it’s lightweight, lifts easily off the skin with a breeze. Linen is as breezy as it gets, and tropical wool (lighter & thinner than standard wool suiting fabrics) breathes and wicks. Avoid the heavy & stiff stuff (even if it is cotton) and embrace the wrinkles of the lighter, natural stuff.
#2. Embrace the usage of polos under your blazers.
The short-sleeve dress shirt is usually avoided by all but Homer Simpson and doorbell-ringing religious representatives, but a non-logo’d polo in a trim cut shouldn’t be considered as the same. Pick one that’s solid in color, has a deeper placket if possible (those lines elongates the torso), and one with a collar that won’t get unruly against the lapels. It should look great with the blazer on, and if you’ve got to take off the jacket, it looks more natural in hot weather than a long sleeve shirt.
#3. Lose the all-cotton undershirt.
First, sweat doesn’t cause those yellow stains. It’s aluminum based anti-antiperspirant. And second, the hard truth is that an all-cotton undershirt just doesn’t provide any real benefits to most. All it does is suck up and hold the moisture in your pits… reminding you, all day, that you’ve got wet pits. Which for some of us, that simple idea makes us sweat even more. It’s a never ending cycle of madness. Even when your body cools down? The cotton is still damp. Because it’s cotton. WET PITS. It’s a tough thing to bail on (it’s a habit many of us developed as kids), but try, just try, skipping the undershirt for a day. Or, go with a wicking & fast drying synthetic undershirt (above: UNIQLO Airism – $12.90, Under Armour – $35 for 2)
#4. Cool off… in the shower.
No hot showers this time of year. It just seems to raise your core temp, and as soon as you get out of the shower you start to sweat. Start off warm (not hot) and slowly turn the water down as you acclimate. Finish off with a burst of water cold enough to deflate your lungs (and send other pieces/parts scurrying for cover).
#5 Favor jackets with less lining
A blazer’s shell can be made of something ultra-breathable like linen, but if the interior is fully lined in a crappy, plastic-bag like polyester, you’re gonna feel like you’re wearing… wait for it… a plastic bag. An unlined wool blazer will be cooler than a linen or cotton blazer that’s fully lined in polyester. Look for jackets that are unlined or partially lined, like UNIQLO’s cotton/linen blazer, B.R.’s double breasted linen/cotton, or the J. Crew Ludlow in Italian Cotton (if you can find it). If it is lined, make sure it’s in something that at least breathes a little bit, like Bemberg Rayon or Acetate.
#6 Avoid non-iron / wrinkle-free shirts
Ever wonder why higher end shirt-makers (think ratio/clothing, ledbury, etc…) don’t usually, if ever, make non-iron shirts? It might have something to do with not wanting to dip all that effort into a vat of who knows what. Yes, some wrinkle-free / easy care shirts are light, flexible, and cool. But others have been treated to death, and now feel more like a crappy, scratchy, stuffy synthetic hybrid fabric. Save the non-irons for the seasons that don’t end in “ummer”.
#7 Unbutton your shirt cuffs.
It’s a little thing, but it seems to help in a pinch. The theory behind some putting cologne/perfume on their wrists, is that the blood flow in that area produces heat, and thus releases the scent slowly over time. Is that B.S.? Maybe. But unbuttoning your shirt sleeves (even if they’re under a blazer) tends to increase airflow up your arms.
#8 Go easy on the Coffee
If you’re downing an entire hot pot of coffee in the morning (or, rolling through one throughout the day) consider cutting back, switching to iced… and supplementing with decaf. Caffeine is a stimulant, which can fire your nervous system up and thus force your body to cool down through sweat. Add that on top of the fact that, y’know, it’s hot, and you’re going to be due for an extra swipe of deodorant before ever leaving the house.
#9 A little less hair. Everywhere.
Even down… well… GOOD LORD THAT’S VAL’S MUSIC (again, nsfw-ish). Yes, this makes a difference. Obviously, don’t go to extremes. No need to slash and burn (and then itch and scratch). Just clear the brush that might have gone unattended in the spring. Even Mr. Snuffleupagus appreciates his summer time hairdo.
#10 Swap out your insoles
Even the most breathable shoes can cause swamp foot after a while. The cause is usually the deteriorating state of the insole, after years of barefoot wear. Even if your insoles are in good shape, consider being proactive, and pick up a pair of these washable, cotton-terry insoles
BONUS: #11 Wear clothes that don’t fit so darn tight.
Marilyn doesn’t get her “ankles” cooled if she’s wearing a Herve Leger bandage dress. Look, nobody wants to regress and go back to wearing a size or two too big, but opting for a “straight” fit instead of a slim or skinny fit this time of year wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Circulation increases. It’s tough for a garment to catch a breeze if it’s painted on.
Your turn guys. What are your strategies for staying cool, while looking your best, during the hottest time of the year? Leave it all in the comments section below.
As someone who went to med school in a tropical country, I can vouch for #’s 4, 7, and 9. Unbuttoning those cuffs (even under a thick lab coat) makes all the difference! Wish I knew about #1 during my time there. I’ve only tried it once, but athletic synthetic wicking socks help out as well and are based on the same principle as #3. As a Houston resident now, I’ll be sure try out the others.Thanks for the helpful post Joe.
I don’t understand why, but I can’t do under armour. Sweat in in anything else and I’m just sweaty. But sweat even a little in under armour and it’s like a BO bomb went off.
I’ve heard the explanation about anti-perspirant being the source of yellow stains for many years now…but I don’t believe it. Or, I should say, if it’s true then it isn’t the *only* source of yellow stains. Anywhere that I sweat I get yellow stains on my clothing whether I’m wearing anti-perspirant or not. The most obvious example would be on the inside of my collars. Applying anti-stain products like Shout or Spray & Wash have no effect on the stains but I’ve recently read that creating a paste out of Oxyclean and a bit of water seems to work well…anyone try this?
“Even Mr. Snuffleupagus appreciates his summer time hairdo.”
My god man… don’t do that to me while I’m eating!!!
Is it possible that you’re a robot?
Just asking.
I can vouch for those Pedag shoe inserts. I have about four pairs for my various canvas/boat shoes. They’re breathable and comfortable–and easy to wash.
I can probably vouch for most if not all of the suggestions recommended by Joe. Fabrics are definitely important when choosing your outfit on a on balmy summer day. I have given up on non-iron dress shirts because even if they say they are non-iron, I still feel like you have to iron them which defeats their purpose entirely and then makes you sweat like a champion. I also gave up the undershirt a while ago. I always though it was necessary to contain the sweat, but once I started to not wear one, it was more comfortable in terms of not having as much heat retention and keeping cooler. I also use and recommend those Pedag insoles on my boat shoes and they are super easy to wash. I also only wear deodorant and none of this anti-perspirant because A) I’m allergic for some reason and B) As already mentioned it stains yellow and I find that I sweat less anyways with just the basic deodorant.
Nice solid write up Joe.
I gave up the undershirt a couple summers ago, never going back. I’d also wear all linen all the time if it was possible.
I have to disagree with a few of the points here. Firstly, some guys just have to come to terms with the fact that they’re sweaty – it’s a biological fact that some people are sweatier than others. And it has nothing to do with fitness or general health! Yes, an obese alcoholic might sweat more, but the sweatiest guy I know is a marathon runner who’s dripping wet when it’s 60 degrees out. Just luck of the draw.
#3 – Cotton undershirts. I’m not going to argue that they don’t soak up moisture and let you sit in it, but I will argue that polyester shirts can be just as bad. I don’t know if any of you watch 30 Rock, but there’s an episode where Liz Lemon doesn’t wash her gym shirt and is able to use it as a biological weapon on the subway. My experience is that at the end of the day a cotton undershirt will probably be damp, and a polyester undershirt will be dry and will smell SO MUCH WORSE.
Also, I do not believe the metal in anti-perspirants causes pit stains – I think it’s individual biology. And I did a real experiment to see if I was right! I got all new cotton undershirts and switched from antiperspirant to deodorant for SIX MONTHS. At the end of the experiment, all of the undershirts had yellow pit stains. I didn’t find that I was any smellier with just deodorant, just a bit sweatier.
#4 – Cool showers. I am all for cool/cold showers, but the reason you feel gross after a hot shower is because you have a poorly ventilated bathroom and there’s tons of moisture in the air that sticks to your skin. A good ventilation fan will leave you dry after the hottest shower, regardless of season, and an airtight bathroom will leave you gross.
#8 – Cut down on coffee. This one makes sense, too, but recommending iced coffee doesn’t (if it’s real cold-brewed coffee). Cold-brewed coffee has more caffeine than drip or french press, so if we’re going with the idea that caffeine makes you sweaty, real iced coffee would actually make you sweat more.
#9 – A little less hair. Again, this is just personal experience, but don’t you all sweat more in your armpits when they’re totally bare (and don’t you look like a big baby)? I’ve gone bare underarm, and every time I sweat way more, or at least seem to. A little bit of underarm hair holds the moisture away from your skin a bit, while no hair means all the sweat and the soupy antiperspirant goop will be entirely on your skin.
Lots of poly workout-type shirts can hang onto smells like crazy. I know it’s time to trash one when I get back from a run and Mrs. Dappered scrunches her nose up. I’m usually not a stinky guy, but yeah, they can hang onto funk for some reason.
Yes, some guys are just sweaty. No argument there.
Undershirts: I’m a full on believer in no undershirt at all. Just trying to provide an alternative. Meanwhile, per pit stains:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/men/sweating-odor/antiperspirant-stain-clothes.htm
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/04/03/how-to-remove-yellow-armpit-stains/
It’s a combination of the aluminum and sweat. So, perhaps you got something going on there? I used to get rust stains on whites due to a reaction between the sunscreen I was using (not in the armpit area, obviously) and the hard water at an old house.
#4 Use the vent fan all the time, without fail. But unless you’re willing to move your shower into the back yard, some bathrooms just aren’t vented as well as others.
#8 Offering an alternative, and it’s in combination with cutting back and switching to decaf.
#9 Little less does not = shaved bare. Good grief man. Don’t shave your armpits.
“Good grief man. Don’t shave your armpits.” Ha! Happy to hear it! And I wish I had the option of going undershirt-less, but believe it or not I got comments at two different client sites where I was consulting when I tried it out. Makes me jealous of my former British colleagues, none of whom ever wore undershirts!
I’ve just soaked shirts in oxiclean and water over night and had some success.
I have the same issue with poly undershirts as skibum. Question re: going without an undershirt. I always thought a large part of the rationale for undershirts was protecting your nicer polo / dress shirts from pit stains (whatever their source). Wouldn’t I have to replace my (MUCH more expensive) dress shirts far more often if I skipped the undershirt? I’d rather spend ~$5 apiece on slim fit cotton undershirts and replace them than keep dropping $40 – $80 apiece on dress shirts.
just ditched undershirts this year. it’s a revelation.
How many wears do you get before they need a washing? Are they a wash-every-wear replacement for no-show socks, or do they last a few wears?
sorry, can you repeat this whole post again? between the watch and the bandage dress, i completely lost any concentration.
Ditch undershirts altogether.
I switched to a natural deodorant (Natural Grooming by Herban Cowboy – this stuff is pure gold, by far the best of the non-aluminum, “natural” deodorants I tried) and stopped wearing undershirts a few years ago. No problems with pit stains and the heat is much more bearable without that extra layer.
For those of you who are “sweat-ers” I would also recommend Certain Dri or a similar clinical strength antiperspirant. It doesn’t contain the same combination of chemicals that causes yellow pits and works like a charm. That said, it can be pretty rough for those with sensitive skin.
I switched to this non-aluminum “anti-perspirant.” http://www.amazon.com/Arm-Hammer-Essentials-Deodorant-Unscented/dp/B002BX4E0Q and the yellow pit stains are gone! Btw, no deodorants can legally be called “anti-perspirants” unless they contain aluminum.
For those of you that skip the linked text, go back and click on the one referencing the Herve Leger dress. No, seriously. Click it. You’re welcome.
EDIT: This – http://www.stylebistro.com/Hollywood's+Hottest+Bandage+Dresses/articles/-zGus9mW0kG/Irina+Shayk
Guarantee that thing is going to kill me in some terribly painful way about 30 years down the road… Worth it.
If you’re unfortunate enough to sleep in a room that doesn’t cool down at night (like my 4th floor Victorian attic room in Minnesota… 91° indoors at 6am in August *shudder*):
To sleep, drape a damp wash cloth or hand towel over your bare torso. Point a fan straight at yourself. Consider placing a bowl of water somewhere accessible so you can re-dampen the towel if necessary.
If you work in a hot office:
Consider bringing a fresh change of underwear and, if you wear one, undershirt, to the office. Change into them partway through the day. Obviously works better if your office has a private bathroom/changing room, but 100% worth the extra laundry.
Gold bond or other powder down the shorts helps also. And in the shoes.
I don’t see any problem personally. I sweat. Just a fact, but I’ve noticed that sans undershirt I actually sweat less. Switching from anti-persperant to straight deoderant has eliminated the staining also. I wear my dress shirts the same as during my undershirt days and haven’t had to replace any more frequently.
I’ve started washing them separately with bleach and hot water lately and that seems to extend the life. But agree. They can get pretty gross.
Not sure about the collar stains – we do excreet all sort of oil and grime that might contribute the discoloration. But as far as the dreaded armpit yellow, maybe consider using just a deodorant. Seems counter intuitive, I know, but
after making the switch I’ve found that I don’t sweat any more without
antiperspirant. In fact, I think the antiperspirant actually made me
sweat more. My armpits aren’t irritated anymore and my shirts don’t
stain. Try it for a day or two, see how it feels.
Yeah, I have a bunch of poly workout type shirts, including Polartec Powerdry, that are “treated with an antimicrobial somethingorother” that supposedly prevents odor. None of those somethingorothers ever work – those shirts always smell like major BO by the end of the day, in my experience.
What does work but is somewhat counterintuitive (and expensive) is Smartwool’s lightest weight t-shirt. I’m sure any other lightweight merino wool t shirt would work just as well. I got one for hiking and it’s great. It takes a long time for wool to start smelling, it wicks well, and if it’s thin enough wool can be cool.
Just avoid the menthol Gold Bond in the shorts area. BAD mistake to make.
Any shaver recommendations?
What watch is that in #7? Sweet lookin’ item.
Ring around the collar (for those old enough to remember) is definitely a different stain than the yellow armpits. I also get similar stains along my wrists. It’s from the oils that we secrete. Easiest way to get rid of them is to use a baby shampoo like Johnson & Johnson.
After wearing fabrics that breathe, working out in the morning is the best way I’ve found to ward off summer sweat during day. If I work up a good sweat before showering in the morning, I can go sweat-free most of the rest of the day. It makes so much of a difference that I completely change my workout schedule between June and September to take advantage.
Some good suggestions. I find myself following #1, 4, and 9 all the time.
That said, pits aren’t the sweating problem. It’s my forehead and back! Wish I could stop them from sweating so much in the heat.
+1 for the Val Venis reference.
HEEEEELLLLLLOOOOO LADIES!
It’s not recommended on the package, but I’ve used Certain-Dri on my back before & averted a lot of soaked-through shirts. Put it on before you go to sleep, and let it dry before you lay down.
Love the Pedag terry cloth insole. I swap them between my Jack Purcells and Sperrys. Very comfortable and does well to keep my feet dry. Hand wash every 2-3 days of wear though.
I do this all the time too. I remember to this day when one of my elementary school teachers told me one day to do it after recess and it’s changed my life. I run the cold water over each wrist for 10-20 seconds each and just take deep breaths. It helps almost instantaneously. Love it.
I have no doubt I will get alzheimer’s or some exotic form of cancer from it, but damn if it doesn’t work well.
😮
I wear them several times before washing-say three or four wears. I wash my socks with each wear, but I find these can withstand several wears, even in the summer heat (I also wear them in the fall). Honestly, I recommend them unequivocally. They’re awesome.
So…….I’ve worn shirts without an undershirt before and I’ve stained the pits areas. No amount of dry cleaning or putting through the wash cleared them out completely and I’m bummed out since those shirts can’t be worn anymore unless I wear a blazer ALL day. I wear undershirts to prevent the shirts themselves from being stained. Is there an effective method to remove those types of stains?
Merino is fantastic for athletic shirts. You have to sweat heavily in them repeatedly for them to start smelling even a little off. Only issue is price, really.
Stoic (backcountry.com house brand) used to have lightweight merino athletic shirts that were awesome and often dipped south of $30. Here’s hoping they restock those.
I run a lot, so I deal with stinky workout clothes regularly. The way to keep them fresh is to soak them in roughly 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water after they get smelly. That takes a lot of the bite out of the smell– you can use a detergent with a “sports” additive, too.
Can anyone comment on how much cushion you get from the insoles, especially over time? I’ve got Morton’s neuroma in one foot and need really cushy insoles to fight it.
If you know, how are these compared to a standard cotton/foam Dr. Scholl’s, both the single and double-stuff?
Thanks!
All I can say is that you have to tailor your apparel according to your routine for the day.
If you are expecting to walk around a lot under broad daylight, it’s pointless to wear a cotton/linen button down over a polyester undershirt because the fact is you will sweat and it will seep through your button down. What I found very functional while still looking stylish are golf polos. You can wear these without any undershirt and it dries up quickly as well since the holes are often wider than your standard gym clothes. Note that these wear made to be worn by players walking under the sun at country clubs for hours! Golf shirts have been developed to a point that they have that luxurious executive look without losing their functionality.
If you are expecting a little walk and eventually settling at a coffee shop, a mall or an office for hours, the best thing to do is really to just bring an extra cotton under shirt. It easily fits into any bag, it’s comfortable and most importantly it does not emit a bad odor.
Soaking overnight with a bunch of oxiclean has worked for me in the past.