Hot weather clothing

Silk, wool, and fleece keep you warm. Cotton keeps you wet and clammy. Go for cotton/poly blends or other synthetics. These are basic rules I learned working with a hiking organization and they definitely apply to travel clothes.

Linen is also great in hot weather and is my personal favorite. Cotton/poly, synthetics, and linen will dry in a snap if you wash and air dry in hot temps.

I've never attempted to wear silk shirts when it's warm out - a silk dress at a summer wedding was once off-putting. =)

I've lived in hot, humid climates and this is what we do:

--wear loose fitting clothes
--wear light colors
--blends are good
--you didn't say where you are going, but shorts help
--drink lots of water
--use baby powder on areas of your body that sweat a lot
--think of clothes that wash and dry quickly as you might even want to change mid-day.
--you might want to spend a little money to get clothes made for this type of climate and wick perspiration away from the body

If anyone has ever been to Houston in July, I think hot and humid apply. Light clothes, light colors and a cotton-blend. When it's really humid the synthetics don't seem to wick at all. If it's appropriate, shorts will help. No blue jeans if possible, they're too hot. I hope this helps.

I bought a silk blouse in Paris this summer, it was whisper thin sheer silk,, it was also too hot!! Didn't notice that in the A/C ed store,, wore it next day,, mistake.
Linen is the winner for heat ,, the thinnest sheerest you can find.. in Rome ( where it is roasting hot regularily in the summer) we noticed many poeple wearing linen, including our local guide, and our RS guide. I had some linen capris that worked well , and you can wear them wrinkly as no one expects linen to be unwrinkly..

I'm from Houston...linen is a godsend! Plus, linen is great to travel with because it looks nice wrinkled...other than that...stay away from silk or synthetics...once you sweat in them, they tend to get stinky and just feel...icky on your skin. Softspun thin cotton/blends are okay, too. You may consider some of the quick-dry, moisture-wicking products that Ex-Offico sells.

Best of luck!

I've lived in hot humid climate (FL and MO). Loose fitting clothes (shorts, tops - think baggy, flowing). Very thin gauzy cotton or cotton sheeting shorts/capris (loose). I don't like linen because I hate the wrinkles but it is cool. You might Google tropical clothing as there are catalogs for clothing. Dresses (again loose flowing) are cooler than shorts/capris.

Chico's Traveler separates are synthetic blend but are not hot. It feels like you are wearing nothing.

Take bandanas to wipe sweat, dip in water and cool your face/neck.

Completely ditto everything Audrey said.

I've traveled to and lived in hot, humid countries. The clothes that worked best for me were loose-fitting, tunic-style thin cotton shirts; loose-fitting, flowy, thin cotton pants. I, too, don't like linen and find the linen clothes I had actually hotter than the thin cotton. And I also found Chico's Travelers tops surprisingly not too hot. And you will definitely want a handkerchief/bandanna to wipe sweat.

I found really inexpensive (about $12-$15 each) loose, tunic-length thin cotton shirts at TJ Maxx and Ross before my latest trip.

Also, I thought thin silk would work in that kind of climate. Surprisingly not. It got kind of clammy.

I find skirts cooler than capris or shorts (more air circulation). For travel activities that require pants, I use the Chico's Travelers capris. I live in a hot, humid climate and wear silk only in the winter.

Go buy a cotton or blend.... TRUST ME.

Check LL Bean for "tropic wear" fabric clothing. It's so comfortable in those hot humid environments. Also super fast and easy laundering with no wrinkles.

Ditto Carol. Skirts are much cooler than slacks. Hey, why do you think the man-skirts (they call them kilts) are becoming popular. Sometimes a longer skirt can be cooler than a shorter one, especially in the sun. I also find that woven fabrics are cooler than knits. LOOSE. Light-weight hat with big brim to keep the sun off. And try to walk in the shade.