What to wear when it is hot and humid

Q. I will be traveling to a very hot and humid climate later this month. What fabrics are the coolest and most comfortable for me to take with me?

A. Cotton, cotton, and cotton. Nothing is cooler than all-cotton (100 percent) garments. When you look at the world of fabrics, cotton, linen, silk, and wool are the “natural fibers.” They are traditional, classic, cool, comfortable, and more expensive than synthetics.

COTTON is used in lightweight suits and jackets of poplin, seersucker, cord, and gabardine, in shirts, in summer dress pants, khakis, jeans, shorts, socks, and underwear. Strong, lightweight, comfortable, and cool, cotton’s qualities are highly desirable. If a cotton fabric has any percentage of synthetic fiber added to it, the garment becomes less comfortable.                         

I would recommend your opting for cotton for much of the clothing you travel with and that you wear back home during the summer (assuming you aren't in northern Alaska). Every man’s summer wardrobe should include these cotton classics: a khaki poplin single-breasted suit, pastel-colored blazer, dark dress trousers and light chinos, a sweater, several fine dress shirts, and an assortment of short-sleeved casual tops ranging from polos to Tee’s.

I would caution, that if you are buying all-cotton no-iron shirts, you should buy one from each of a few different brands to determine which one feels the coolest. When a manufacturer adds the chemical wrinkle-free treatment to the fabric, it may affect its breathability, even though the shirt is 100 percent cotton.   

LINEN, sometimes called “flax,” an elegant and luxurious fabric, is a second choice or a pricier first choice. Its light weight and its tendency to carry heat away from the body make it a favorite cloth for summer suits, jackets, and neckties – expensive ones. Because linen wrinkles easily, manufacturers often blend it with cotton, silk, wool, or shape-retaining synthetics. Skip the synthetic blends. People who are knowledgeable about linen’s distinctive properties say it has “regal wrinkles.” Linen adds luster and subtlety to a jacket or pair of trousers. An outfit of rich ivory-toned linen is a handsome addition to a summer weekend wardrobe. 

SILK is another natural fiber to include occasionally in your warm-weather selections. Some silk can be affordable and others can be a once-a-decade splurge. Its incomparably smooth touch and light weight make it a good alternate choice as long as you realize that it can be wrinkly and can show unattractive evidence of perspiration. Armholes should be loose.

WOOL should not be totally overlooked as summer wear – perhaps not for you on this trip – but definitely back home. Here, weight is an extremely important factor. Featherweight and tropical-weight wools are very different from winter-weight and ten-month weight wools. A well-dressed man is likely to have at least one super lightweight wool summer suit and a navy go-with-everything tropical wool blazer in his closet. 

MAN-MADE FIBERS should be shunned. In hot, muggy environments, avoid fabric blends that include the words polyester, nylon, or synthetic. Different people’s bodies react differently to synthetics. Some do not tolerate any amount well in humid weather. But those who do not react so strongly can choose fabrics with small percentages of non-natural fibers. The big exception to my zero-tolerance-for-synthetics attitude: 90 or 95 percent natural fiber and only five or ten percentage in a “stretch” (Spandex) fiber seems to work just fine, Also, notice that I did not warn against rayon fabric. As explained to me by my chemical engineer son, rayon is not actually one of the synthetics that are made from petroleum. Because rayon is made from wood (which grows), it feels like silk yet is similar to cotton. Its airy construction allows it “to breathe.”

Unfortunately, there is no sure way to know ahead of time (that is, at the time you are making the purchase), which cotton garments will turn out to be the coolest and your favorites. A few clues that might help you choose are high thread-count yarns and a silky feel. But beware: polyester also has a silky feel. Read the labels carefully. Stay cool.

Ways to look slimmer

Q. Now that he is in his 40’s, my husband is beginning to show a little weight around the middle. It isn't significant, but he's a bit upset about it.  He would never ask, but are there some clothes that would hide this?

A. For all the griping men often do about clothing and business dress, what one wears can provide advantages: whether it is making one look professional, younger, cooler, more fun, or less heavy. There are definitely straightforward suggestions I can provide him and all men, general guidelines to consider before setting out to invest in new clothes. If you are heavy (particularly around the middle), focus attention on your face by wearing compellingly interesting shirts and ties. Create an illusion of slimness by using vertical lines when possible; they force the eye to sweep up and down. Dark colors can make you appear ten to fifteen pounds lighter. And buttoning your jacket (if it still fits correctly) can also accomplish this same illusion of slimness.

SUIT FEATURES TO LOOK FOR:

• Striped suits – pin, chalk, shadow – with closely-spaced stripes
• Single-breasted suits, jackets, and coats
• Jackets with tailored (slightly padded) shoulders, nipped waists, and center vents

SUIT AND JACKET FABRICS TO SELECT:

• Medium- or lightweights. Avoid bulky fabrics.
• Smooth textures
• Dark, cool, and muted colors
• Simple patterns. Avoid “busy” patterns, such as bold plaids, which add bulk visually.
• Blazers/jackets and trousers of nearly matching or similar tones help direct the eye up and down. Avoid sharp contrasts between jacket and trousers, which direct the eye across.

TROUSERS:

• Opt for flat-front (non-pleated) styling or very small pleats. No matter what some may tell you, pleats do not conceal/camouflage a belly.
• Trousers with side-tabs can be a good alternative to attention-grabbing belts.
• If you are wide in the seat (hips), avoid carrying anything in your back pockets.

SHIRTS:

• Vertical stripes in dress and sport shirts are visually elongating.
• Choose shirt collars that are low in back and on the sides, and with a narrow spread. Avoid the horizontal line of a wide-spread collar.
• Also wear button-down collars and trim tab collars.

OTHER GARMENTS:

• Wear long (four-in-hand) neckties and narrow (also four-in-hand) knots. Avoid bow ties.
• For sportswear, wear sweaters that cover (extend past) the waist in cardigans or pullovers. They actually do help conceal/camouflage a belly.
• Choose non-bulky sweaters with vertical stripes, vertical ribbing, or not-too-large patterns. 
• Avoid belts in sharply contrasting colors. 
• For a man who can carry off this bit of style, an eye-catching scarf in the colder months makes a great vertical line. So does a good-looking pair of braces (button-on suspenders).

NOTES:

• Wear knit shirts such as polos and T’s untucked, thus, avoiding accenting the unattractive overhang of a “beer belly.”
• Avoid wearing anything too small, too tight, or too short.
• Emphasize neutral colors; avoid anything too bold or bright.
• Meticulous grooming plus well-cut and carefully tailored clothes are essential to avoid triggering any thoughts of “sloppy fat.”

AN IMPORTANT OVERWORD:  You can use many tricks to create the look you want. You cannot eliminate all the negatives, but you certainly can learn to emphasize the positives. To summarize: Aim for smooth textures, dark and neutral colors, vertical lines, precise tailoring, meticulous grooming. Be open to trying a few of these proven approaches. You will be happy with the results.

Nice slacks, shirt, perfect with 'almost-dress' shoes

Q. I have sent you a question on suits before and thank you for a fine answer. My new question is this: Are there any casual shoes (we used to call them tennis shoes) that are suitable for wearing with a nice pair of slacks and a shirt? I always wear a dress shoe. 

A. I can’t remember a time in fashion when a man had more options with his choice of almost-dress shoes. Everything, from the new wildly-popular dressy sneaker to the more standard desert boots, boat shoes, driving moccasins, and loafers, offers an alternative to pairing dress slacks and shirt with ratty, or not-so-ratty, sneakers.

All the big name shoe companies, especially such Italian designers as Armani and Ferragamo, are making versions of a dressy sneaker/shoe in dark colors. Tom Ford makes a low-cut sneaker with a sneaker bottom and leather upper; Cole Haan makes a variety of styles; Allen Edmonds makes a handsome trainer in woven leather, pebble-grain leather, and in several sophisticated shades of suede, all with rubber bottoms. When I asked one manufacturer just what makes them different from a standard sneaker and whether others would even recognize that they were not the same, he answered: "The look is different. When you see it, it is apparent that they were not meant to play basketball in."

Over the years, Sperry/topsider type boat shoes have worked well in a casual setting; so have all manner of slip-on loafers. But today a dressy sneaker is a more modern look. It can move your whole look up a stylish notch. What do you look for so the shoe qualifies as a dressy sneaker? It is leather, has a rounded toe, a flatter bottom, and the price often reflects a big difference. 

If you were not comfortable with topsiders or tennis shoes, you still have degrees of formality among shoes. Keep in mind that there are dress shoes, and then there are dress shoes. You would not want to wear the dressiest of shoes, a wingtip, with a casual outfit. But a less formal dress shoe, such as a cap-toe, could work with a smart casual combination. The traditional horse-bit loafers (Gucci-type) are an ongoing part of Italian styling. Driving moccasins, plain loafers, and other comfortable shoes are still “in.” Even so, since you wrote that you usually wear a dress shoe, you must be looking for something that is a clear departure – something more current. That is where the leather or suede upper with a sneaker bottom comes in.

A salesman in an upscale men’s shoe store told me: “We have more suede derby lace-ups, sort of a cross between a sneaker and a low-cut desert boot, than ever before, as well as suede loafers.” If you are wondering about suede for summer, many are designed for warm weather wear. Lightweight suede slip-ons and lace-ups have become seasonal spring/summer shoes. With a pair of the newer sneakers that look like dress shoes, you are blending into the recent resurgence of sneaker culture where styles are getting sleeker every day. Good for casual-business wear, for casual-social wear, and for travel, these are quite different from a chunky pair of athletic sneakers. With their rubber soles in a contrasting color from the leather uppers, you can wear them for their comfort and at the same time, enjoy them for their fashionable appeal. You should note that sometimes just adding color can upgrade an actual sneaker to a dressier look. Paul Stuart stocks quality sneakers in six stylish colors.

The fact that Paul Stuart carries them gives you a sense of just how much they have crossed over into the well dressed man's closet, and why even somewhat traditionalists – including myself –recognize that dress sneakers present a polished casual daywear look. They can go with shorts or jeans during the day or with your nice slacks and shirt at any time. Some say they also go with a suit in the evening for events like a wedding, a dressy party, or a nice dinner out, but I do not agree. The look is too informal for such occasions and wearing them in such inappropriate ways takes away any appearance of “cool” that you have established by choosing them in the first place.

There are rules for light suits

Q. Is a lighter suit really appropriate for an office?  I wear blue and gray suits and it would be good to have something that is a bit of a change, but I am not sure anyone wears them to real offices as opposed to celebrities at openings.

A. Unless you work in the most straight-laced, formal field in the strictest dress code of offices (and often even there), a lighter colored suit is definitely appropriate for the summer. But it is important to know the styles and rules to distinguish what works versus those that are the extreme and should only be worn to a summer wedding or party.

These can be great opportunities to stand out beyond the typical dark suit, and look cool, without a risk of trying to appear younger or "hipper" than you see yourself. Young men may tend to overlook anything slightly unusual, either because they are unfamiliar with it or for fear of seeming like too much of a maverick. A well-dressed maverick has a certain appeal. And a light suit, particularly a seersucker suit, is certainly not an everyman style.

Besides a lighter shade of blue or gray, you have two options: a lightweight khaki suit or the seersucker. They both have the advantage of being a change of pace and appropriate, as long as you observe the seasonal “rules.”

A khaki (or tan) suit offers variation; it extends your color palette. It allows you to wear a light suit, which can be a welcome addition to an otherwise dark wardrobe of suits. It works well with a suntan, and, thus, has its own built-in repetition of color. 

Notice how logical men’s styles are. Contrast is essential. In winter months, when we are pale, dark suits are all that are appropriate. In warm weather, with a flattering tan, khaki suits are added to the closet, giving you variation, repeating the color of tan skin, and emphasizing it as well.

Khaki suits can be lightweight wool or comfortable cotton poplin. In either fabric, they allow for shirts and ties in a wider range of colors than you might normally pair with your blues and grays. Brown accessories such as brown belts and shoes are the ideal choices. Ivory-colored shirts work well. Variations on yellow and orange ties are very smart with khaki.
 
A seersucker suit: Now is definitely the perfect time to consider buying a classic seersucker suit, because the seersucker season is a limited one from Memorial Day to Labor Day just as with most "whites."

For the uninitiated, seersucker is an all-American style. The cut is classic: two-button closure, natural shoulders, and a relaxed (not too slim) fit. The fabric is crinkly, lightweight and cool, mostly all-cotton (but sometimes a cotton blend), and generally less expensive than wool. It is light in color, partly because it is striped: blue-and-white looking from a distance like light blue, brown-and-white appearing to be tan, and (less often) red-and-white adding up to a rose/pink. My strong preference is for the blue-and-white version. 

As for the appropriate occasion for wearing seersucker, in men’s clothing there is a sliding scale of what is quite dressy, what is less so, and what is casual wear. The dressiest item (short of black-tie wear) is the matched suit, progressing in color/dressiness from dark to medium to light. Therefore, perhaps the most casual suit is the seersucker. It has a nice air of different-from-the-usual, without being too quirky. 
       
Because seersucker is a bit less formal, it can be worn with or without a tie, with either a button-down collar shirt or a knit polo shirt, when and where the settings are appropriate. If you do wear a tie, stay with styles on the conservative side; bold avant-garde patterns seem somehow discordant with the quiet "old money" tone of seersucker. Choose a tie that is not too formal, such as a cotton madras plaid, a solid-color pastel linen, or maybe a navy knit.

Avoid any elegant, dressy styles such as double-breasted cuts, French-cuff shirts, cufflinks, and other dandified touches. Wearing seersucker implies a casual nonchalance; it requires a large degree of consistency and more than a hint of self-confidence. Because a seersucker suit has an offbeat look-at-me "personality," the rest of the outfit should be more standard. A light blue-and-white seersucker mates perfectly with a quiet white Oxford cloth shirt. Avoid pairing a blue shirt with blue seersucker; two shades of light blue are nearly impossible to harmonize well. A pale yellow or fresh pink cotton shirt blends nicely with seersucker's casual texture.

As to whether a seersucker suit can be worn to work, a lot depends on the formality of your work environment. If the men in your office still only wear deep blue and dark gray suits year-round, then a seersucker suit is probably too light-colored and informal. But if khaki suits appear in spring and summer and if men wear sport coats, your corporate culture is likely to embrace the style. In fact, in these informal days, a seersucker suit might actually be too dressed-up for many casual offices.

On the other hand, some rather staid offices feel these suits are too casual, too preppy, too devil-may-care, too white-shoe, even too snobby and Ivy League. These all may have one-upsmanship advantages, but they may also have disadvantages that should be weighed carefully before deciding on seersucker for the office. Personally, I love seersucker suits, but not everyone does.