Heat and Humidity

There exists a rare type of individual who likes, even loves hot weather. These people, like myself, find the Hong Kong summer not nearly as torturous as it is to those who run hot. For us rather it is a welcome change from winter snow and blustering winds. Even for those of us who usually enjoy hot weather, Hong Kong's humidity can be overwhelming and a real challenge to getting dressed in the morning. Business attire probably presents the biggest difficulty. Who wants to show up at the office already drenched? These are a few of my suggestions for trying to keep cool(er).

1. Natural Fabrics

Linen is the preferred fabric of the humid summer as it allows whatever air there is to circulate around you. Traditionally made of flax fibers, linen garments absorb moisture, helping you feel less sticky. There are many modern versions of linen mixed with cotton, silk, and even hemp fibers. Linen does tend to look very wrinkly by the end of the day which is one reason why people might avoid wearing it. Modern linen blends help combat the "wrinkle factor." Retailer Marks and Spencer claim to have invented a fabric with the feel of linen which is less prone to wrinkles.
Yohji Yamamoto linen blazer


Cotton is another good choice as it is also a moisture absorbing fabric. Cotton with some stretch tends to be more flattering but the more the cotton in the mix, the better as far as humid HK days are concerned. Cotton is an easily renewable resource making it eco-friendly and many brands have started selling clothing made out of organic cotton.
photo © Mylene Bressan for openphoto.net CC:Attribution-NonCommercial


There are many different weights of silk, making it an occasional good choice for warm, sticky weather. Heavy silks are insulating and will effectively turn up the heat. Light grade silks are a good summer option however silk does not generally handle moisture well and is better suited for the lower half of the body or for people who do not perspire heavily. Silk blends and washable silk were engineered to combat this as well as the wrinkle issue. Silk linen blends are probably the best summer option.

For men's suits, a light summer wool will keep you office appropriate and hopefully not too overheated. Women are lucky enough to be able to wear a larger variety of styles and fabrics in their office attire and should have no problem finding suits and other office appropriate clothing for summer.

2. Color

We are all aware that dark colors don't show stains as easily (included the dreaded sweat stains). However, they also absorb heat and therefore black is not the best choice for summer attire (not to mention that it just isn't very summery). Some good substitutes for black are dark greens and blues. Navy blue is a color anyone can wear and is less oppressive than black. Lighter colors help us stay cooler while we are out and about. If you aren't worried about sweating through a garment, white or off white will help you turn down the temperature while enjoying outdoor activities. Light grey is another good choice.

3. Undershirts

It may seem like a contradiction but putting on another layer might help you stay dry. For both men and women, a light cotton undershirt will soak up some sweat and hopefully spare your shirt.


4. Skirts

Unfortunately for men, it is not socially acceptable for them to wear skirts in Hong Kong (except the occasional kilt). It really is their loss as a loose skirt can feel like a blessing on a hot day when compared to the heat-generating restrictiveness of trousers. Who knows, maybe the fashion world will have a real retro revival and put men back in skirts a la 1700 (there have been several attempts in the last decade). Until then, men are stuck with trousers if they want to maintain their image and we women get to know the joys of putting on a skirt on a hot sweaty summer day.


Men's Cargo Kilt from http://jdez.com/