dressing for wet-bulb temperatures
*~*iT’s nOt tHe hEaT, iT’s the HuMiDiTy*~*
A couple weeks ago, I emerged from the subway to find that a short-lived but intense and unexpected downpour had occurred while I was underground. I’d missed it, but the evidence was everywhere—deep puddles on the subway stairs, makeshift umbrellas of newspaper and shopping bags discarded on the sidewalk. When I got to my appointment, the receptionist asked if I had gotten caught in the rain. I was that sweaty. All it took was a brisk walk to the subway and a long wait in the furnace of Atlantic Terminal to cause me to sweat so profusely that a stranger assumed I had been caught without an umbrella in a torrential downpour.
(Before you ask, YES, I have had my thyroid tested multiple times—I am just a sweaty person!)
For that reason (and many more), summer has always been my least favorite season. As a native Floridian, and someone who is going into her sixteenth NYC summer, I’ve had a lot of practice dealing with overbearing heat and humidity. My techniques are ever-evolving (my best recent move was buying this neck fan before chaperoning a Six Flags trip), but by now I have a good idea of what clothes I find most useful. I’m still going to sweat, but if I can lessen the intensity and visibility of that sweat, I consider that a success. Here are the types of clothing I wear most frequently during the summer months, and some secondhand finds for each category:
SHIRTS WITH HOLES
Eyelet! Mesh! Lace! Crochet! No lining here—we will forgive the occasional flash of your undergarments. A bra that matches the color of your skin under any non-white eyelet garment is almost impossible to detect.
OVERALLS AND LOOSE FITTING PANTS
If you find a pair of overalls that fits right, you can cover most of your body with the main touch point only being your shoulders! The breeze goes straight through! Same with baggy pants—when I’m wearing my cargo pants, the only touch point is my waist.
PRINTS
Try to catch someone sweating through leopard print. You can’t! I’ve amassed a decent collection of printed short-sleeve button-downs from thrift stores, and have found (surprisingly) that the ones I return to the most are made out of rayon. While I normally stay away from synthetic fabrics (especially in warmer weather), I don’t find it any hotter than cotton in this format, and rayon tends to drape better than structured cotton or linen. A Hawaiian print can come off as kitschy or costume-y, but I’m fine leaning into that vibe occasionally! And if you want to avoid it, there are plenty of smaller floral prints or geometric patterns out there as well. I tend to leave these untucked (tucked in=sweaty waist), so looking for a silhouette and hemline you like is important here. You can search for “camp shirt” or “resort shirt” to get the v-neck in the front that gives it a more casual feel.
TENT AND TIERED DRESSES
These dresses work best in a light cotton, preferably a poplin or voile fabrication. The tiered silhouette can read a little childlike or overtly feminine for my taste, so I usually add a chunky sandal or a sneaker, maybe a baseball cap, to balance it out.
And here’s a fun wild card dress—print and perforated… practically impossible to sweat through! (Sandro, $100, M)
What are your summer wardrobe favorites? How do you dress to accommodate heat and humidity? Please, share your wisdom!
<3 E
It’s been commented but finally…a post for folks in the tropics and actual hot weather! Love these, especially the jams world pick.
Yes to all of it! My MO is: biggest dress you can find -- like a cloud or a cake. Walk super super slowly. Degree Clinical.