Surviving the Saharan Overheating at the Office
As the summer approaches, I am taking preliminary measures to survive the 100-degree days in my little cubicle. By August my office space will turn into a hybrid between a sauna and a tanning studio due to the poor ventilation and cooling system in the building. Last year I simply ignored the Saharan overheating, so the sweat and the dehydration took over my entire body, while the sun rays melted my brain and degraded it into a fried shrimp. Moreover, with my red, wet face I was probably looking like a wild boar in the eyes of my clients. At least I got recruited for the local Ms. Wet T-shirt Contest (although I’m a guy) and pulled up a third place.
I think you got the idea! So the deal is that at my company the dress code even for the summer is a bit conservative, and we have to wear a suit and a tie every day. I’m still not sitting on my first $Mil, so my wardrobe is limited to just two wool suits (gray and navy) and around ten cotton shirts. I’m curious what type of suit should I buy for the summer – cotton, linen, silk or a blend of these fabrics? Should I stick to the cotton shirts or get some linen ones? I read that linen is regarded as the best summer fabric, however it gets wrinkled too quickly and is not taken seriously in the industry. Have you had any experience with a linen suit or shirt?
Thanks for the input, and I hope your office has a better cooling system.
Seriously, bring a fan. Go get a summer or travel weight silk blend.
I had a linen suit. The few times I wore it, it desperately required serious ironing by the time I got home. It looked like I pulled it out of a clothes hamper.
I suggest you try doing cardio so that your heart rate doesn't increase at the mere thought of moving around. It actually helps a lot. Also, get that fan. As for suits, the travel blend mentioned above is probably a good idea.
I have a pair of tropical wool slacks and they breathe very well in the summer heat here in NYC. It's still wool, so it won't wrinkle as easily as linen, but it's a more open weave than winter fabrics so air can pass through. Definitely check out tropical wool suits.
A cotton/linen blend is another possibility to check out. I don't own one but supposedly mixing in cotton helps the suit wrinkle less than if it were just pure linen. Also, lining is key. A linen suit fully-lined with polyester almost defeats the purpose. Try to find a partially-lined or unlined cotton/linen blend suit. If partially-lined, bemberg is preferable as a lining material since it is more breathable than polyester (which is not breathable at all).
Also, 100% cotton dress shirts are key. Avoid cotton/poly blends.
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