Sweaty weather? What should i wear?

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Have you ever stared at your opened wardrobe and not knowing what to wear because most of the clothes you have may not be suitable or comfortable for you to wear in a hot season? Well if you have ever faced such experience, there's one thing that we can tell you; Your Are Not Alone.

Personally, living in a country that doesn't have any season and is located right on the equator can be a challenge. Singapore is pretty much hot and sunny all year round with average temperature of 27°C - 33°C. Hence, finding the right clothing material without feeling hot and sticky at the end of a long tiring day can be challenging. But don't worry my fellow readers, today we are going to share some tips on choosing the right type of clothes and clothing materials that you can wear in a hot country/season like Singapore.

1) Fabric Choices 

Choosing the right fabric is very important. Natural materials such as cotton, linen and rayon are generally the best fabrics for tropical climates. As a general rule, natural fibres are better at soaking up moisture from the skin and allowing it to evaporate from the outer space. Synthetic fibers (manmade fibres) such as polyester tend to trap heat by providing an insulating layer over the skin and they tend to reflect heat back to the body and inhibit the outward flow of warm, moist air.

Cotton

Strengths: It permits movement of air from the skin through the fabric, allowing heat to dissipate and reducing humidity. It also keeps the skin dry and increases evaporation as it is a good absorbent of moisture. Cotton has a definite advantage as it can be machine washed and dried. Thus, as sweat accumulates in hot weather, the ability to wash clothing quickly is a plus point!

Weaknesses: As cotton is a good absorbent of moisture, they can become damp and stay damp for some time. If you wear jeans regularly, you will realise that denim cotton tend to absorb a lot of water and take a long time to dry out in wet weather.

Linen

Strengths: Just like cotton, linen is very comfortable to wear as it is cooling and absorbent. When it gets wet or damp, it loses water quickly - useful feature in humid condition like Singapore. Line is stain-resistant and can be machine-washed.

Weaknesses: Ironing linen may not be easy as it wrinkles and creases easily, especially when tumble dried. It is also susceptible to mildew.

Rayon

Strengths: Made from natural cellullose. It is cool and comfortable to wear. It does not trap body heat and absorbs water easily.

Weaknesses: Limited durability (Normal Rayon), should be dry-cleaned rather than wash.

2) Choosing the right type of clothing

When the weather is pretty hot and sunny all year round, it is essential for you to choose loose and comfortable clothing. Wear cotton/linen clothing to suit the warm and sticky weather. For examples, tunics are definitely great and recommended as they can protect your skin from the sun whilst keeping you cool. In addition, denim shorts, camis, t-shirts and blouses work well too. A pair of cropped neutral pants and shorts will be good too.

In summary, choosing the right clothing and choosing the right material is very important because we're pretty sure feeling comfortable is our main top priority when it comes to choosing the right wardrobe for our hot and sweaty weather. Thus, it is definitely important for us to choose natural fibres as they do not trap heat by providing an insulating layer over the skin and inhibit the outward flow of warm, moist air. So there you have it my dear readers, hope this helps you choose the right clothing material when you go SHOPPING next time! Till then..

Love, 
H & Z